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As the tourism season gathers momentum with visitor arrivals steadily rising, the iconic Varkala cliff and Papanasam beach continue to present a grim picture of neglect despite their status as an ecologically sensitive geo-heritage site on the Unesco tentative list. The laterite cliff is now marred by safety, sanitation, and environmental concerns. Tourists are greeted by poorly -lit pathways. Littered beaches and untreated sewage flowing directly into the sea and onto the shore owing to the la

GURUVAYUR: The renowned Guruvayurappan Ashtami Vilakku (lamp festival) was observed on Friday night, with Sree Guruvayurappan presiding over the procession, seated on a Golden Thidambu (Koalam). The temple town was pervaded by an intense air of devotion as thousands of lamps illuminated the area with the radiant glow of ghee-soaked wicks. The divine procession achieved a particular level of grandeur during the fourth circumambulation (Pradakshinam) of the Ashtami Vilakku. The majestic elephant I

KOCHI: One of the accused in the 2017 actress assault case tried to commit suicide, police said on Saturday. Manikandan, the third accused in the case, was arrested on Friday night and booked for creating a nuisance after consuming alcohol, police said. Thereafter, he was released on station bail after which he attempted suicide by cutting the veins of his hands, an officer of Palarivattom police station said. The incident occurred very close to the Palarivattom police station after he was relea

KOZHIKODE: A fire broke out at the new C-Block of Baby Memorial Hospital (BMH) in Kozhikode on Saturday morning, causing widespread panic but averting a major disaster through swift evacuation and intervention by fire and rescue teams. The fire started at approximately 9:45 am in the Air Conditioner (AC) systems located on the ninth floor of the hospitals new C-Block. Hospital authorities confirmed that construction or maintenance work was ongoing in the section affected which did not house any

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday shared photographs of Unnikrishnan Potti the key accused in the Sabarimala gold scam with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, reiterating in a Facebook post that the case is part of a larger conspiracy involving both the Congress and the CPM. In his strongly worded statement, Chandrasekhar said that the arguments we put forward from the beginning have now been proven right, alleging that the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The long-delayed Outer Ring Road (ORR) project has got a fillip with the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) formally granting environmental clearance for the ambitious project. The move comes close on the heels of a recent Supreme Court order that ex-post facto clearance may be granted under conditions. Meanwhile, the land owners who surrendered their land for the project have threatened to boycott both the upcoming local body and assembly elections to protest the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A restaurant owner in Thiruvananthapuram who repeatedly dumped waste in a public place was caught in a joint operation by local residents and the police and was made to clear the entire pile himself. The accused, identified as Shamli, who runs a restaurant near the Government High School, Varkala, had allegedly been dumping waste near the Ilakamon water tank for several days. The stench from the waste pushed local residents to launch a search on their own. They examined CCTV

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the tourism season gathers momentum with visitor arrivals steadily rising, the iconic Varkala cliff and Papanasam beach continue to present a grim picture of neglect despite their status as an ecologically sensitive geo-heritage site on the Unesco tentative list. The laterite cliff is now marred by safety, sanitation, and environmental concerns. Tourists are greeted by poorly -lit pathways. Littered beaches and untreated sewage flowing directly into the sea and onto the sh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Imagine a stage where veterans perform alongside newcomers, where barriers dissolve to create a beautiful symphony. A space where classical artforms thrive freely, untouched by hierarchies of seniority, physical ability, or social standing. A stage where art exists as an inclusive whole. Such is the aspiration behind Indeevaram, a non-profit organisation working towards art inclusivity, which is set to host its inaugural cultural fest on November 30 at EMS Hall, University of

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Canadian filmmaker Kelly Fyffe-Marshall has been selected for the Spirit of Cinema Award at the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. The festival will be held in Thiruvananthapuram from December 12 to 19. Fyffe-Marshall, known for films that confront racial prejudice against Black communities, first gained international recognition with her short film Black Bodies (2020), which won the inaugural Changemaker Awar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As part of the Navy Day celebrations, the Indian Navy will hold a Naval Day Operation Demo at Shankhumukham at 4.30 pm on December 3. Ahead of the main event, a rehearsal programme will be held on December 1 starting at 4.30 pm. As a large crowd is expected, traffic arrangements will be implemented in the city from noon. City police commissioner Thomson Jose pointed out that the public has been allowed to attend the rehearsal as well, and everyone is required to follow the tr

KOCHI: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has commenced the critical construction phase for the entry and exit ramps of the six-lane elevated highway stretch between Aroor and Thuravoor, a crucial development set to ease congestion on the heavily choked Ernakulam-Alappuzha corridor. However, the momentum of work is being severely hampered by delays in the relocation of key electrical infrastructure by the KSEB. The 12.75-km elevated highway is designed to provide rapid transit for f

KOCHI: Expressing concern over pollution in the Pampa caused by the discarding of clothes by Sabarimala pilgrims, the Kerala High Court on Friday directed the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to launch a campaign against the practice. The TDB must educate pilgrims that discarding clothes in the river is not a ritual, the Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar ordered. Large quantities of clothes are discarded in the river by pilgrims bathing in the Pampa

IDUKKI: A four-member family from Kozhikode, currently residing in Mangalore, had a narrow escape after getting stranded 125 ft above ground at a sky-dining restaurant in Anachal near Adimali on Friday. The tourists Muhammad Safwan, 31, his wife Thaufina, 26, and their children Evan, 6, and Ethara, 3 along with a woman staff member of the restaurant, were stuck mid-air for nearly two hours following a malfunction in the crane operating the sky-dining platform. The incident occurred at Southern

KOCHI: Are you planning a train journey in sleeper class in the next few months? If so, you can cross off packing that bedsheet and pillow to make your trip comfortable. Taking note of problems faced by passengers, the Chennai division of Southern Railway has announced that from January 1, 2026, the transporter will provide sanitized, ready-to-use bedrolls on an on-demand, on-payment basis. Travellers from Kerala too would be able to avail the facility since two trains from the state have been i

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The sexual-harassment case filed against Rahul Mamkootathil has left the Congress in Kerala deeply divided, with one faction led by Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan calling for stern action and another, headed by UDF convenor Adoor Prakash, backing the Palakkad MLA. After remaining silent for weeks, Satheesan spoke out on Friday after police issued a lookout notice. Speaking at an event in Kochi, he reiterated that his stand is based on his conviction. It is not just my vie

KOCHI: ... The futures in the air I can feel it everywhere Blowing with the wind of change... The Scorpions ballad on profound changes taking place in Europe in the early 1990s can hold a mirror to the evolving political picture in central Kerala. Winding ones way though Meenachil River-kissed Pala, Poonjar, and Bharananganam, the highlands of Idukki, and the gently rolling regions of Thrissur and Ernakulam, the shift is very evident -- and splashed across compound walls. Posters of candidates f

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ahead of the December 4 deadline for winding up the enumeration phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roll, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) will organise mega camps on Saturday and Sunday (Nov 29 & 30) at the assembly constituency level to speed up the process. CEO-Kerala Rathan U Kelkar told TNIE that the mega camps will be held at three to four locations in each assembly constituency. The main focus of the two-day special camps is to com

KOCHI: For decades, northern Kerala has lived in step with the Gulf. The regions dreams, remittances, and ambitions have long flowed back from desert skylines. Now, that old migration story has a new plotline football. Over the past decade, Malabars obsession with the beautiful game has fused with Gulf migration, spawning a booming parallel football universe powered by the Malayali diaspora. Clubs, tournaments, and weekend leagues have mushroomed across Riyadh, Dubai, Sharjah and Doha. And youn

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Wake me up when November ends! With domestic arrivals remaining unusually low despite the onset of the traditional peak season, Keralas tourism industry has hit a sour note. According to stakeholders, bookings and occupancy have plunged by 40%, making this one of the worst Novembers for the sector in recent memory. Munnar, one of the states most sought after hill stations year round, mirrors the crisis. Insiders say vacationers are skipping Kerala this season, with occupancy

KOCHI: Kerala has reached the threshold of a development era and the local body election results may herald a political change, says Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) president and SNDP Yogam vice-president Thushar Vellappally. The NDA will wrest power in Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur corporations and several municipalities, he told TNIE. Excerpts: Which factors will favour the NDA? NDA-ruled states in North India are witnessing a major transformation in human development while Kerala is lagging

IDUKKI: The tribal communitys threat of boycotting the upcoming local body polls has triggered a political tremor in Idukki, forcing development work in Vattavada and Edamalakkudy to finally move after years of official inertia. In Vattavada, five Muthuvan settlements had unanimously declared a non-participation campaign, citing two unresolved issues: the Block 59 land dispute and the 16-km Chilathiyar-Swamiyaralakkudi-Koodalarkudi-Valsapetti-Ullavayal road, pending for decades. The dispute invo

MALAPPURAM: As local body election campaigning picks up momentum, Chetan Bhagat is grabbing voters attention in Thavanur. Its not the author, though. This star campaigner is a 90-day-old baby boy! Cradled in his mothers arms, the authors tiny namesake has become the most recognisable face in the CPMs campaign for the district panchayat elections in Thavanur, going from one house to other and charming voters with sleepy yawns and sudden smiles. His mother, Syamili K, a DYFI district committee mem

The dim-lit stage, with its hand-stitched curtain of bold geometric designs barely concealing the artist, set the mood. The warm hues from the flickering kalivilakku (traditional lamp) added an aura that evoked centuries of aesthetics and a way of life where art was inseparably woven into human existence. It was in such a setting at the Margi theatre in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday that Giulia Tonello debuted her Kathakali performance. It marked the culmination of three months of rigorous train

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Five flights bound for Sri Lankathree from the Middle East and one each from Malaysia and India were diverted to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Ltd (TIAL) due to prevailing cyclone Ditwah warning in Colombo on Friday. The diverted flights include two Srilankan Airlines flights, one each from Dubai and Doha, one Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi and one AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur, and an Indigo flight from Mumbai to Colombo the TIAL said. The Indigo flight r

The play, Lewis and Tolkien, was staged in the Museum of the Bible, Washington DC earlier this month. This unusual play, directed by Andrew Borba, was presented by World Stage Theatre. It evokes the friendship of two brilliant thinkers, C S Lewis and J R R Tolkien, who influenced each others work and profoundly impacted literature and faith in the 20th century and up to the present day. The stage was set in Oxford, in the backroom of the now famous pub, The Eagle and Child. This pub, fondly refe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP Thiruvananthapuram Corporation election candidate and retired DGP R Sreelekha has courted a fresh controversy by making a social media post questioning the rationale behind the victim filing of sexual abuse complaint against Rahul Mamkootathil MLA before CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Sreelekha wrote that she was with the victim, but questioned the alleged delay made by the woman in filing the complaint. She also asked whether filing of complaint before the CM was to facilitate the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dragging the Congress party that's bracing for the upcoming local body election into a quandary, the police have registered a case under non-bailable section against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil for sexually abusing a woman under the pretext of marriage and forcing her to terminate pregnancy. The case was registered at the Valiyamala police station and then transferred to the Nemom station.The development that could hurt the party's aspiration and dent the political image

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Five flights, three from the Middle East region and one each from Malaysia and India, bound for Sri Lanka were diverted to the international airport here on Friday due to bad weather over Colombo, TIAL said. TIAL said that more flights are likely to be diverted to Thiruvananthapuram in view of a cyclone warning over Colombo. Two were Srilankan Airline flights, one each from Dubai and Doha, one was an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi and one an AirAsia flight from Kuala Lu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Station House Officer (SHO) of Aryancode opened fire at a habitual offender when the latter tried to attack him using a machete. The shot was fired by SHO Thanzeem Abdul Samad after Kiran, who was included in the Kerala Anti Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA) list and banished from the district, attempted to assault him. As per law, Kiran has been barred from entering the district. Despite this, he returned to his house within the Aryancode police station limits on

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Indywoods AI-generated film Being has won the prestigious Best AI Visualised Film Award at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) - CinemaAI Hackathon 2025. It was selected from over 500 entries received globally. The hackathon featured a 48-hour competition where the top 10 teams created a 2-minute film on a mystery theme revealed at the event. Set in the mist-laden groves of North Kerala, Being traces the echo of a childhood moment that forever reshaped a life

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major crackdown on traffic violations, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has announced that driving licences of motorists who endanger pedestrian safety at zebra crossings will be cancelled. Transport Commissioner C Nagaraju said the department has observed widespread disregard for pedestrian rights. Many two-wheeler and four-wheeler drivers fail to show courtesy to pedestrians, especially at zebra crossings. Several motorists even stop or park their vehicles directly

Over the past few days, young men and women sporting bright yellow T-shirts have been spotted running with pole-nets behind stray dogs across the city. Many have been wondering what they were up to, considering the national attention strays have drawn in recent times. Well, these youths are members of several NGOs that have joined forces for a vaccination campaign. The Worldwide Veterinary Services Mission Rabies, in partnership with the Animal Rescue Kochi collective, has deployed about 200 vo

KOCHI: Taking up 24% of the states population, the Ezhavas constitute the most significant demographic. But as better-organised groups haggle their way to political gains, the states biggest community has remained a mute spectator. Once treated as untouchables, Ezhavas have transformed into a progressive, well-educated community, making significant contributions to Keralas social and economic development. But in politics, they have failed to secure their due share. With 27 MLAs from LDF, the com

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Labour Minister V Sivankutty on Thursday announced that the state will urge the Union government to withdraw the newly implemented Labour Code. Addressing the press here after an online meeting with trade union leaders, the minister said that the states stand on the unilaterally passed labour code will be conveyed to the Union Minister of Labour and Employment. He said that the state will soon send an e-mail regarding this to the Centre, following which the disagreement will

KOZHIKODE: The fitness certificate of a private bus operating on the Kozhikode-Bengaluru route has been cancelled following the circulation of a viral video of drunk bus crew on duty. The bus, belonging to private bus operating firm Bharathi Travels, was brought to the Chevayur test ground on Thursday, after the video sparked widespread protest. The video showed both the driver and cleaner of the bus in a drunken state while on duty, raising concerns about passenger safety on long-route private

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday held that a Muslim woman cannot be deprived of benefits under right to maintenance in the name of remarriage. Dismissing a revision petition filed by the former husband of the petitioner, Justice Kauser Edappagath ordered payment of maintenance and fair provision to the divorced woman and her minor daughter, though she has remarried. The petitioner had divorced the woman by pronouncing talaq in 2011 and she remarried in 2014. After the divorce, the woman

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a move to facilitate effective Centre-state interactions, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged the MPs from the state to intervene to get Presidents nod for the Wildlife Protection (Kerala Amendment) Bill. The permission is crucial as the bill passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly simplifies major obstructions in the 11th section of the Wildlife Protection Law 1972. In an online meeting convened on Thursday, the CM asked MPs to raise the demand for the disbursal of ce

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In spite of a formal sexual harassment complaint filed against him by the victim, the Congress leadership has ruled out any further disciplinary action against Rahul Mamkootathil, MLA. KPCC president Sunny Joseph told TNIE that the party has already taken all necessary steps and would continue the status quo. There is no situation that requires further action. We have already suspended Rahul from the primary membership, removed him from the Congress parliamentary party, allot

PALAKKAD: As in the past one week, on Thursday evening, Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil was all set to hit his unofficial election campaign trail once again this time for his party candidates contesting in Kannadi grama panchayat. His loyal entourage had prepared the route, UDF local leaders and supporters had gathered, and the door-to-door march was minutes away from starting. But at 4.30pm, everything collapsed in an instant. News broke that a woman had directly submitted a sexual harassment

MALAPPURAM: Veeranatyam, the play that had drawn strong protests from Hindu organisations for insulting Hindu mythology during the Malappuram Revenue District School Youth Festival, will not be staged at the state school youth festival. According to the Hindu Aikya Vedi, the management of Kottoor AKM HSS has assured that disciplinary action will be taken against Shaukat, the teacher who directed the play. The organisation also claimed that the school has agreed to issue a public apology to the H

MALAPPURAM: Married off at 14, confined within domestic boundaries for decades, and once ashamed to admit she had studied only up to Class 9, a woman from Malappuram has now rewritten her destiny through education. After 29 years of marriage, Makkaraparambha native Binziya has emerged with a postgraduate degree in psychology, proving that dreams delayed are never dreams denied. Binziya was forced to abandon her studies when her family arranged her marriage in 1997. One year later, she became a m

KOCHI: The KSRTC has achieved its third-highest operational revenue in history with the collection touching Rs 9.29 crore on November 24. The significant achievement, coupled with the record-breaking success of its Royal View Double Decker sightseeing service in Munnar, signals a new era of growth and self-sufficiency for the corporation. The upward trajectory is the result of several strategic reforms implemented across the organisation, especially the introduction of attractive buses equipped

KOCHI: The inter-state private bus sector continues to reel from a major crisis, with a significant number of services, especially those connecting Kerala, remaining off the road, making the lives of hundreds of commuters difficult. Operators are now demanding that the governments of Kerala and Karnataka follow the example of Tamil Nadu by offering a tax exemption to make operations financially viable. Tamil Nadu has provided a glimmer of hope by verbally instructing border officials to exempt t

PATHANAMTHITTA: As postal codes go, 689713 extends beyond the mundane to the divine. In India, only two individuals have dedicated pin codes the President and Lord Ayyappa. This distinction alone places the Sannidhanam post office in a league of its own. But its significance doesnt end there. Established in 1963, the post office at Sabarimala opens only for three months a year, exclusively during the annual pilgrimage season. Its postmark is treasured by devotees and philatelists alike. The sea

KOZHIKODE: Five years ago, Mukkam municipality stood balanced, 15 seats on one side, 15 on the other, and a single rebel tipping the scales of power. This time, the picture is far more chaotic. The UDF-Welfare Party alliance has snapped, the LDF is on a stronger footing, and rebels old and new are back in the spotlight. With 34 divisions and no clear favourite, Mukkam is heading into an election where every ward has its own drama and each vote can rewrite the councils future. For years, the UDF-

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Unlike the Lok Sabha and assembly polls, there will be no vote from home facility in this local body elections for voters aged 85 or above and those in the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category. Instead, the State Election Commission (SEC) will ensure that such voters receive priority access and necessary support at all 33,711 polling stations. The Kerala Panchayati Raj Act and Kerala Municipalities Act that govern the conduct of local body elections do not have any provis

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the state heads for the local body elections, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala exudes confidence about the partys prospects. In a candid conversation with TNIE, he discusses the prevailing anti-incumbency mood, Congresss emphasis on youth empowerment, the handling of the Rahul Mamkoottathil controversy, and the UDFs stand on the Welfare Party. Congress has fielded over 1,000 young candidates. What message does the party want to convey? We have consciously decided

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In what could prove costly for opposition UDF in the locla body poll, awoman filed a sexual harassment complaint before Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against Congress MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil. The complaint, which alleges sexuaL harassment by the Palakkad MLA, was submittedd along with digital evidences. The complainant met Pinarayi Vijayan in person and handed over the complaint at the Secretariate on Thursday. Voice clips of Rahul forcing a woman to perform abortion had ea

Sitting in that cozy Naga kitchen in Munirka one winter evening in Delhi, I promised the girl across the table the one who had been slipping unfamiliar flavours into my life that I would accompany her on her next trip home. To Nagaland. Until I met her, everything I knew of the place came from second-hand anecdotes, and none of it matched what she spoke of: a sweep of emerald hills stitched with terraces and mist. To the then-aspiring writer in me, this was the stuff of alchemy. A view from Ka