THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The remarks of former KPCC president K Sudhakaran have put his close followers and leaders in a tight spot. Sudhakarans criticism against his removal from the post of Congress chief by the national leadership has not been taken in a positive way by the high command. Followingly, AICC has also instructed the senior leaders in the State not to reply or respond to the open statements made by Sudhakaran. Both AICC and state Congress leadership have decided to completely ignore th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Charred body of a 50-year-old woman was found in Kaimanam here on Thursday night. The deceased has been identified as Sheeja, a native of Karumam. Her family has alleged foul play in her death. According to the local residents, upon hearing a woman screaming, they had immediately alerted the police. On searching the area, they had found the body in an unoccupied plot located in the densely populated Kuttikkattu Lane area. By the time the police arrived, Sheeja had already

ALAPPUZHA: Taking serious note of former minister G Sudhakarans revelation about tampering of postal ballots in the favour of CPMs Alappuzha candidate in the 1989 Lok Sabha polls, the State Election Commission (SEC) has directed district election officer and Alappuzha Collector Alex Varghese to register an FIR and take further steps. On the SECs directive, Ambalappuzha tahsildar S Anvar visited Sudhakarans residence at Paravoor near Alappuzha on Thursday and recorded his statement. The former mi

KOCHI: Protests are raging in the high ranges of Kerala over the rising incidents of wild animal attacks. As many as 25 people have died in wild animal attacks since January 1, 2025, of which 19 were killed by wild elephants and two were devoured by tigers. Three persons died in wild boar attacks while one was killed by an Indian gaur. As the forest department claims to have bolstered steps to curb such attacks, farmers blame it on the apathy of the officials. Reacting to the latest incident, in

KOTTAYAM: Private bus operators in the state have decided to launch an indefinite strike soon demanding renewal of permits of long-distance services and an end to excessive action by government authorities. The date of the strike will be announced after discussions with other bus owners organisations and labour outfits in three to four days, office-bearers of the Kerala Private Bus Operators Federation (KPBOF) told reporters in Kottayam on Thursday. Their demands include renewal of permits of lo

KOZHIKODE: Sending a clear signal that the party will not toe the line of orthodox sections in the Muslim community that are against womens entry into public life, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has appointed two women as its national office-bearers -- a first for the party. Fathima Muzaffer and Jayanthi Rajan were named the national assistant secretaries at the partys national council held in Chennai on Thursday. Fathima, a native of Chennai, is the national president of the Indian Union

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When revised textbooks reach state syllabus schools in the upcoming academic year, the Malayalam textbook Kerala Paadavali for Class 4 is sure to stand out. All the illustrations in the book have been drawn exclusively by girl students and women. The State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT), which oversees the curriculum revision, came up with the novel idea as a women empowerment initiative. General Education Minister V Sivankutty welcomed it as a new ch

KOCHI: A Turkish firm handling ground operations in various airports in the country, including Kochi, was denied the security clearance on Thursday by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). The move follows the Turkish government openly supporting Pakistan post Operation Sindoor by the Indian Armed Forces after the Pahalgam terror attack. Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd provides the services at nine airports Kochi, Kannur, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Goa, and Ahme

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The International Airport in Thiruvananthapuram recorded a strong performance in the 2024-25 financial year, registering a 10% growth in passenger traffic. A total of 48,90,452 passengers used the airport during the year, including 25.9 lakh domestic and 22.9 lakh international travellers. This marks a significant increase from the 44,11,235 passengers handled in the previous fiscal year. The airport set a new record for its highest single-day passenger and aircraft traffic o

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: MP Shashi Tharoor has dismissed news reports that he has been reprimanded by the Congress high command for his statements related to Operation Sindhoor or US intervention in the Kashmir issue. Speaking to the media on Thursday, Tharoor said that he is yet to be informed about any actions. I dont know where it (the news) comes from. I was in a closed-door meeting of the Congress Working Committee on Wednesday. I was there till 6.37pm. The meeting began at 4.30pm. And I must sa

KOCHI: While the Saudi Arabia governments move to increase the proportion of its citizens in nursing jobs to 44% has raised concerns among the Malayali nurses fraternity, experts point out that the policy will not have an immediate effect on their job prospects. For nurses are in high demand in the post Covid world, they say. Saudi has been bringing changes to its policies for around 20 years now. But Malayali nurses have found opportunities in other countries as well. Also, they dont have to wo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state governments efforts to curb the risky practice of home births -- following the death of a woman in Malappuram during childbirth in early April -- have begun to show results. In April, the number of home births statewide dropped to 26 from the March figure of 46. Notably, Malappuram -- which has long recorded the highest number of home deliveries in Kerala -- led the improvement, bringing down home births from 23 to just six during the period. Kollam reported a compl

THURAVOOR: Ivin Jijo had a personalised alarm that woke him up every day and a scheduler that helped him manage his daily activities. It was his father, Jijo. No matter how late the hour or how routine his shift, Ivin, a chef with airline caterers CAFS, never missed sending his father a message upon reaching work. It was their routine. And each night, as Ivin left for his shift, Jijo would walk him to the gate and stand there until he disappeared into the darkness. Only then would the dad go bac

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sudden weather changes are hardly ever good. One moment, its sunny outside, and the next it looks like it will rain, heavily. Thankfully, there is a solution an advanced weather app that offers real-time insights on such changes. The new mobile app, to be launched by the Institute for Climate Change Studies (ICCS) under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) this year, can issue early warnings for extreme rainfall and related events, includ

MALAPPURAM: Its our festival and we celebrate it together. The words by Ramesan, a resident of Kondotty, aptly sum up the feelings that people of the town in Malappuram attach to Kondotty Nercha. Celebrated in the memory of the late Sufi saint Muhammad Shah, the first Kondotty Thangal, Kondotty Nercha is a festival in which people of all faiths take part. The celebrations, centred around Shahs Mughal-style tomb (Qubba), are returning after a 14-year gap caused by a family dispute over the sthana

IndUsually, as dusk falls, this monument in Palayam remains invisible to people speeding home from work. But on Wednesday night, it was lit up with candlelight as military veterans gathered around the War Memorial to pay tributes to the lives lost during Operation Sindoor. We wanted to convey a strong message to the nation that the veterans can still fight for the country if the situation demands, says Indian Naval Veterans Society secretary Sunil Kumar S. Air Force and Army veterans also had jo

On February 9, 2024, Sangeeth Prathap had no idea his life was about to shift gears. That was the day Premalu hit theatres, and with it, Amal Davis was born. The ride-or-die friend of Sachin (played by Naslen K Gafoor) quickly struck a chord with audiences. Social media was flooded with memes and posts declaring, We all deserve a friend like Amal Davis. The film went on to become a runaway hit, rewatched and quoted for its wit and warmth. At the time, Sangeeth was steadily climbing the ranks as

ALAPPUZHA: The State Election Commission (SEC) has initiated proceedings in response to a controversial expose by former minister and senior CPM leader G Sudhakaran regarding alleged tampering of postal ballots during the 1989 Lok Sabha elections in the Alappuzha constituency. Speaking at a gathering of former NGO Union leaders in Alappuzha on Wednesday, Sudhakaran admitted that postal ballots cast in favour of the opposition were altered to support the CPM candidate, K V Devadas. At the time, S

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has constituted a high-level committee to study the issues raised by ASHA workers, 38 days after Health Minister Veena George announced the intention to form such a panel. The five-member committee will be chaired by Haritha V Kumar, Director of the Women and Child Development Department. R Subhash, Additional Secretary of the Health Department, will serve as the convenor. In addition, two Additional Secretaries from the Finance and Labour Departments wil

KOCHI: A 24-year-old man, Ivin Jijo, lost his life in a disturbing incident involving two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officers in Nayathode, Nedumbassery, late Wednesday night. Ivin, a resident of Thuravoor and a chef by profession, was reportedly struck and dragged nearly a kilometre on the bonnet of a car driven by the officers. According to Nedumbassery police, the incident followed a road dispute. Both vehicles were headed in the same direction around 11:30 p.m. when Ivin attemp

MALAPPURAM: A young man named Gafoor was bitten to death by a tiger in Kalikavu, Malappuram district, in the early hours of this morning. The tiger bit Gafoor on the neck and dragged him into the jungle, said his fellow tapper, Samad. The tiger attacked while he was tapping in a garden adjacent to the forest. Other tapping workers said that the tiger attack happened suddenly. They informed locals and police immediately after the incident, and they searched for Gafoor. Police and locals searched

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Stressing that it is very easy to make films these days, but making a good film is a difficult task, Adoor Gopalakrishnan said good cinema cultivates cultural values and that real cinema should reflect life and help people connect with it. He was speaking at the inauguration of a film appreciation workshop organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy to nurture high-quality film appreciation habits among children. Adoor added that the camp aims to impart the knowledge th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Leaving no stone unturned in the run-up to the decisive assembly election, the All India Professional Congress (AIPC), Kerala chapter, has decided to come up with an Office Wellness Bill. This is part of the strategy of AIPC and Congress to make inroads into an unfamiliar vote bank to win their confidence by addressing the issues facing the community of professionals. In an effort to cash in on the communitys sentiments over the death of Keralite Chartered Accountant Anna Seb

KOCHI: For over two millennia, Keralas majestic urus handcrafted wooden dhows ruled the waves of maritime trade, ferrying cargo across the Arabian Sea to ports as far as Mesopotamia. While their original utility has waned, a new chapter is quietly being written by craftsmen who believe the uru can sail into the future, this time as luxury collectibles, cultural showpieces, and architectural wonders. Chirayil Sadashivan, a master uru builder from Anjarakandy and the founder of Kalpitham Wood Ma

KOZHIKODE: I was truly shocked to realise that even the Naxalite movement had infiltrators, deceivers, and casteist attitudes, and even police agents, says GROW Vasu , his deeply lined face a map of decades of struggle and resistance, on YouTube. The 94-year-old veteran activists remarkable life is now at the centre of a documentary that is steadily drawing public attention. Released on May 1, the film chronicles the extraordinary journey of Ayinoor Vasu known widely as GROW Vasu from a promin

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After more than a decade, giraffes and zebras may finally make their way to Kerala this year. And leading the charge is the Thiruvananthapuram zoo. Having completed a series of animal exchanges with zoos across the country, the Thiruvananthapuram zoo has now set its sights on these two crowdpullers. The last giraffe at the zoo passed away in 2012 and its lone zebra companion followed two years later in 2014. Since then, the enclosures have remained empty. Now, officials say t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It seemed neigh impossible at one point. However, after two years of paperwork and overcoming challenges such as obtaining the Presidents approval, the Kerala Polices wait to get horses from the Indian Armys stable for its mounted police wing is about to end. Keralas lone mounted police wing deployed under the Thiruvananthapuram city police will receive three thoroughbred horses from the Armys Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) within two weeks. This is the first time the mount

KOCHI: The people are unhappy with the forest department. Its decision to impound a KSRTC luxury bus for 24 days for causing the death of a deer in Wayanad and the revision of guidelines for sanctioning compensation to dependents of wild animal attack victims have not gone down well with the public. On April 19, the forest department impounded a KSRTC Scania bus plying between Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru after it hit a deer at Muthanga in Wayanad. A case was registered under Section 9 of th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Imagine lakhs of seed balls being air-dropped from the sky, or thousands joining hands to sow crores of seeds across the length and breadth of Kerala. In a first, the forest department is set to launch a massive initiative across the state to restore Keralas natural ecosystem and mitigate human-wildlife conflict. To be christened Vithoot, the initiative is to be implemented with peoples participation. The department, which has been on the defensive over increasing incidents o

KOCHI: The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) is set to take a significant leap in digital innovation with the launch of CIAL 2.0, a comprehensive initiative aimed at streamlining airport operations and enhancing the passenger experience. Chief Minister and CIAL Chairman Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the project, developed at a cost of `200 crore, at the CIAL Trade Fair and Exhibition Centre on May 19. CIAL Managing Director S Suhas, IAS, said the digital transformation is part of a

P'THITTA: Minister for Forests and Wildlife Protection AK Saseendran sought a report into an incident, in which Konni MLA K U Jeneesh Kumar allegedly forced the release of a man taken into custody by the Forest department during an investigation into the death of a wild elephant by electrocution in Konni. Jeneesh Kumar had courted controversy on Wednesday after he reached the Padam forest office near Konni, Pathanamthitta in a bid to release the man who was taken into custody allegedly without a

KOTTAYAM: As the new KPCC team, led by president Sunny Joseph, returns to Kerala after winding up its maiden meeting with high command, it is expected that the predominant focus of the new leadership will be to strengthen its base in Central Kerala. The AICC leadership is of the view that restoring its lost prominence in Central Kerala will be crucial in returning to power in Kerala after a decade-long gap. Earlier, election strategist Sunil Kanagolu had also submitted a report highlighting UDFs

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Southern Railway has announced that it will bear the entire cost of constructing 55 Rail Over Bridges (RoBs) in the state, overriding the usual 50:50 cost-sharing arrangement with the state government. The decision comes in the wake of states inability to release its agreed share of funds, which has caused years of delay in executing several major infrastructure projects to replace busy level-crossings. A total of 126 ROBs were originally sanctioned in the state on a cost-sha

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the honeymoon period over, discontent is brewing in the state BJP against state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, over the appointment of district office-bearers and alleged lack of coordination with senior leaders. After assuming office, Rajeev has been travelling across BJPs 30 organisational districts organising Vikasitha Keralam conventions and has also announced new district office-bearers. The district presidents were appointed during the last leg of K Surendrans ter

KOCHI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a strong response to the brutal assault of a junior lawyer, the Bar Council of Kerala (BCK) has decided to initiate suo motu disciplinary proceedings against Advocate Beyline Das, who allegedly attacked 26-year-old junior advocate Shamily Justin inside his office at Vanchiyoor. In an extraordinary meeting held on Wednesday, the BCK also unanimously decided to restrain Beyline from practising in any court, tribunal, or legal authority until the conclusion of the proce

'Man missing and kidnapping complaints are not uncommon in Kerala, and law enforcement agencies are well equipped to deal with either. However, sometimes, these are often filed against runaway lovers by their family members who disapprove of the relationship. A similar complaint was recently received by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) stationed at Ernakulam Town. But this one stood out for its very uncanny ending that left the officers and the victim perplexed. The incident occurred in early

PATHANAMTHITTA: Konni MLA K U Jeneesh Kumar courted controversy on Wednesday after he allegedly forced the release of a man taken into custody by the Forest Department during an investigation into the death of a wild elephant by electrocution in Konni. In a video clip, the MLA can be seen furiously questioning the forest officials, pointing out that the custody is illegal. The MLAs actions at the Padam forest station, which included threats directed at forest officials, have drawn a mixed respon

KOLLAM: Kollam Additional Sessions Court on Wednesday sentenced Sajeev, alias Kali Sajeev, a native of Pattathanam, to life imprisonment for the 1997 murder of RSS leader Santhosh. Sajeev, the second accused in the case, was also fined Rs 2 lakh. In default of payment, he will have to undergo an additional one year of imprisonment. The sentence was pronounced by Additional Sessions Judge S Subhas. According to the prosecution, Sajeev, along with other accused, attacked Santhosh with a sword, inf

KOCHI: The health wing of the Kochi corporation, on Wednesday, seized stale food from a catering unit in Kadavanthra. The unit, which supplies food for Vande Bharat Express, was functioning without proper licences and documents, officials said. We seized stale meat, chicken, eggs, masalas and food grains from the unit. For the past several months, it has been functioning without a licence. Though the corporation issued notice multiple times and imposed a fine, there was no response. Thus, today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 26-year-old woman from Bonakkad, Thiruvananthapuram, was allegedly murdered by her friend in Dubai. The victim, Anniemol Gilda, was found stabbed to death in her shared flat in Karama on May 4. The accused, Abin Lal, 28, also from Thiruvananthapuram, was arrested at Dubai International Airport while attempting to flee to India. According to reports, Abin, who works at a private hospital in Abu Dhabi, was a frequent visitor to Anniemols residence. On the day of the incident,

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Schools across the city delivered outstanding performances in the CBSE Class 10 and 12 board examination results announced on Tuesday, with many institutions recording cent per cent pass rates and several students achieving top national scores. Class 12 results At Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom, Devananda S secured 98.2% in the science stream, Akash V Eashwar scored 97.4% in commerce, and Gopika K S earned 98.6% in humanities. 284 out of 344 students secured distinction, with 58

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Alleging sabotage in the medical boards report on the botched surgery that left a 31-year-old woman critically ill, her family plans to approach the court if the health department fails to act on their concerns. They have demanded strict action against the hospital owner, who was operating the facility in Thiruvananthapuram without a valid licence. The District Medical Officer has since suspended the hospitals newly issued licence following the controversy. However, the medic

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an effort to strengthen, improve efficiency and service delivery of Haritha Karma Sena members, the city corporation is gearing up to distribute 15 modern electric tricycles for waste management in the state capital. The project, being implemented in collaboration with Social Alpha, University of Toronto India Foundation, KDISC and KILA is expected to help Haritha Karma Sena members in managing waste. At present there are around 1,170 Haritha Karma Sena members engaged in

KOCHI: The Thiruvananthapuram region has got a tough contender for the first position in Vijayawada in terms of the highest pass percentage in the country when the 2025 Class 10 results were announced. The Thiruvananthapuram region shared the glory with the Vijayawada region for the highest pass percentage in the country, with a score of 99.79 per cent each. Bengaluru came third with 98,90 per cent. The overall pass percentage for Class X in the country this year was 93.66 per cent, an increase

KOCHI: Forest Minister A K Saseendran, on Tuesday, said that the forest department removed 6,000 tonnes of Senna spectabilis, an invasive tree species that has been destroying the biodiversity of Wayanad forests. According to the minister, public sector paper manufacturer Kerala Paper Products Ltd (KPPL) removed around 5,000 tonnes of senna from Wayanad Wildlife Division, while 1,100 metric tonnes of senna was removed by other agencies from the North Wayanad division. Apart from KPPL, the forest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a verdict that brings a closure to the trial in the Nanthancode mass murder that shook the state, the prosecution demanded for capital punishment. However the court awarded four life terms for the four murders. With another 12 years for different charges, he will have to serve a jail term of at least 30 years, pointed out the prosecution. The verdict is just. Although we expected a death sentence, we believe justice has been served. Cadell will have to stay behind bars for

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress high command has given a free hand to the new KPCC leadership led by Sunny Joseph to select its own team ahead of the two decisive elections in the state. The AICC has also asked the state leadership to prepare a draft list of KPCC office-bearers and new executive members and submit it to the high command. The AICC reportedly told the leaders that they would approve the list, sources close to the high command told TNIE. A meeting was held on Tuesday attended by C

PATHANAMTHITTA: A massive fire broke out at the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) warehouse and an adjacent office in Pulikeezhu in Tiruvalla on Tuesday night, destroying liquor worth several lakhs of rupees. Officials said the fire, which erupted around 8.15pm, has gutted a significant portion of the warehouse. According to residents, there were some welding works going on in a building in the area. Some of them alleged that a spark from these works can be the reason behind the fire. A

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Never in his wildest dreams did Shon Joy imagine that a book review he posted on his social media handle would catch the attention of the Booker Prize Foundation. His video review of Anne Serres A Leopard-Skin Hat one of six books shortlisted for this years International Booker Prize has garnered attention for its clarity and insight. And whats more, his video will be used as part of the official content for the upcoming Booker event. When I posted the review on Instagram,

KOCHI: The Arabian Sea was silent, still as death, as three missile boats moved stealthily under the cover of darkness from Okha in Gujarat towards Karachi in Pakistan. It was a suicidal mission, almost! The sailors, however, had only one thought on their minds strike the targets successfully. These events of the night of December 4, 1971, replayed in retired Indian Navy officer Commodore A D Raos mind as reports poured in of the escalation of the confrontation between India and Pakistan after