THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Heavy rains, triggered by the northeast monsoon, continued to batter the high ranges of Kerala on Tuesday, flooding low-lying areas across the state. Most districts experienced overcast skies and intermittent rainfall throughout the day. The high ranges of Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur, Kozhikode, and the hill district of Idukki received widespread downpours. The Indian Meteorological Department issued an 'orange alert', forecasting hefty rainfall in Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur,

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Tuesday ordered a probe into the alleged suicide of a Dalit police trainee at the SAP camp here a month ago. SHRC chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas directed the State Police Chief to conduct an investigation based on the trainee's mother's complaint blaming his training instructors for her son's death and file a report within four weeks. The police trainee, Anand, was found hanging in the barracks at the Special Armed Poli

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday decided to watch the Malayalam film Haal on October 25 to assess whether the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) was justified in directing the deletion of certain scenes , including those, that according to the Catholic Congress, promote the concept of Love Jihad as acceptable and portray the Thamarassery Bishop as supporting such activities. The court made the decision while hearing a petition filed by the producer Juby Thomas and director Muhammed

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday held an in-camera hearing in the case related to the alleged theft of gold from the plates of the Dwarapalaka idols and the Sreekovil door frames. The High Court Registrar (Judicial) issued a notice stating that all further proceedings in the case will be conductedin camera. When the case came up for hearing on Monday, the court muted the audio of the virtual session and restricted access to the lawyers involved and the public inside the courtroom. The inve

It was only last year that Aldrin Antony took up sailing as a sport. But even in this short span, the youngster, who hails from Kochi, has demonstrated incredible progress that has left even his coaches stunned. Aldrin, who is now doing open schooling, was inspired by his uncle Naik Manu Francis, an Army sailor. The 14-year-old NCC cadets skills were on display aplenty in the recently concluded National Ranking Regatta organised by the Corps of Engineers Sailing Club in collaboration with the Na

It started during a gym session in Dubai. Between workout sets, Rehna Shajahan and Uzma Chowdhary - both HR professionals - were talking about how difficult it has become for job seekers in the Gulf. Scams were rising, and the ongoing nationalisation meant there were fewer opportunities for non-natives. We found ourselves in a country with the largest number of job seekers in the world, Rehna says. The competition here is fierce, and the pressure is immense. So many good, talented individuals we

As sunlight spills over St Andrews Beach, a flash of white passes through the air, a flying disc cutting across the morning haze. Around it, a small but energetic group of people runs, dives, and cheers, their movements as fluid as the waves beside them. What began a few years ago as a handful of enthusiasts tossing frisbee on the shore has now grown into Trivandrum Ultimate a community bound by the simple joy of play. Benoy Stephen was the one who introduced us to Ultimate, says Sankar Ram, ma

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With hardly six months left for the crucial assembly election, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) is all set to stake claim for one of its lost bastions, the Kollam assembly constituency from Congress. The party leadership has decided to put forward the demand when the seat-sharing discussions start officially in the UDF. Meanwhile, RSP leadership has already revealed to Congress leaders about its intentions. Kollam assembly constituency has always been an RSP stronghold, RS

KOLLAM: A woman who was admitted to Punalur Taluk Hospital with vomiting and dizziness died while undergoing treatment on Monday, sparking tension over allegations of medical negligence. The deceased, Aswathi, 34, a private school teacher from Puthenveetil in Kottavattom, was brought to the hospital around 3 pm. She was admitted and started on treatment, but her condition deteriorated within hours, leading to her transfer to the ICU. Hospital authorities informed her relatives that she had passe

KOLLAM: A total of 97 people have tested positive for chickenpox in Kollam district (as of October 17), prompting health officials to declare an alert. Though chickenpox cases are typically more common during summer, health officials noted that fluctuating climatic conditions during the rainy season are also contributing to the current rise. Health authorities warned that the disease can lead to serious complications in children, adolescents, the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with wea

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Election season is upon us. And, in an apparent move to woo voters ahead of the two back-to-back polls, the state government is considering a hike in social-security pension. Though it is yet to take a final call on the amount, there are indications that there would be an increase of Rs 100-200. The LDF, in its 2021 assembly election manifesto, had promised to raise the pension amount from Rs 1500 to Rs 2,500. But, the new government could not carry out any increase owing to

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The sports department is planning to set up its first-ever elite hockey academy at GV Raja Sports School in Thiruvananthapuram. The state government has decided to grant a sum of Rs 94 lakh, which will see private groups teaming up with the department to extend infrastructural, equipment and personnel support to the students of the school, more than governments deployment of coaches. The department has also approached the government to name the academy after Olympian P R Sree

P'THITTA: President Droupadi Murmu, who is scheduled to visit Sabarimala on Wednesday, will travel by a four-wheel drive via Swami Ayyappan Road, making her the first head of state to reach Sannidhanam in a vehicle. According to sources, the decision to travel by a special Force Gurkha vehicle was taken in view of her health and security constraints in the hilly terrain. In 1973, then President V V Giri reached Sannidhanam using the dolly service. In fact, dolly service was introduced in Sabarim

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Political violence rocked Nedumangad and nearby areas on Sunday night after CPM and SDPI workers engaged in pitched street clashes, attacking houses and party-owned ambulances, under the cover of darkness, police said. The episode began at Azhikode by 8 pm when CPM Karakulam branch secretary Deepu was allegedly attacked by SDPI members. CPM and SDPI members have been at each others throats ever since a street fight between the cadre of the two outfits at Kaipadi earlier this

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Doctors from government medical colleges across the state staged a mass boycott of outpatient (OP) duties on Monday, intensifying their protest against poor service conditions. The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA), which organised the protest, stated that this was a warning action and that they plan to continue the boycott on specific dates if the government continues to ignore their concerns. Despite the disruption, essential services such as I

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft case on Monday summoned Ananthasubrahmaniam, who had received the gold sheets used on the dwarapalaka idols and the door frames on behalf of Unnikrishnan Potti and took them to Bengaluru. Though Potti was supposed to receive the sheets from Sabarimala and take it to Smart Creations, a Chennai-based firm engaged in gold-plating, he deputed his friend Ananthasubrahmaniam to perform the task. As per the mahas

PATHANAMTHITTA: Sabarimala thantri Kandararu Rajeevaru has written to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) requesting to take back the old vaaji vaahanam (horse idol) from him. The move comes amid renewed controversy surrounding the removal of the vaaji vaahanam and allegations that the thantri had taken possession of it without authorisation. The letter was submitted to the Sabarimala executive officer on October 11 and later forwarded to the TDB for further action. The issue resurfaced after re

PATHANAMTHITTA: BJP leader K Surendran has alleged that the Sabarimala gold theft took place with the knowledge of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and termed the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe a sham. He also demanded that a central agency take over the investigation. He was speaking to reporters in Ranni, where he attended a protest meeting organised by the BJP against the alleged theft. He alleged that the SIT was formed only after a secret discussion between the chief ministe

KOCHI: In an unusual procedure, the motor vehicle department (MVD) took to the roads with rollers to destroy a huge number of air horns. The move, meant for awareness, is part of the departments special drive to capture illegally fitted high-decibel air horns from heavy vehicles. What started the process off was an incident in Kothamangalam, when Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar was addressing the gathering during the inauguration of the new bus stand there. A private bus passed by at high sp

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After successfully implementing a door-to-door collection system for non-biodegradable waste through the Haritha Karma Sena, under the Malinya Muktham Nava Keralam campaign, the local self-government department (LSGD) is now gearing up to achieve 100% source-level biodegradable waste management across the state. With less than a year left in the governments term and local-body elections fast approaching, the department is moving quickly to launch a pilot project in selected l

THRISSUR: As a spice, saffron often termed the red gold has always been highly coveted in the country and abroad. Of all the popular varieties, Kashmir saffron is considered the best in the world, given its deep-red colour, high crocin content, and aroma. But over the years, production has been hampered by several factors, including climate change, land conversion, pest and disease outbreaks, and market challenges. Coming to grips with this scenario in the global market, a Gulf returnee based

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For eight days, Thiruvananthapuram will take on the mantel of the sports capital of Kerala hosting over 20,000 students for the 67th State School Sports Meet. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the meet the second edition to be conducted in the format of the School Olympics at the University Stadium at 4pm on Tuesday. Legendary footballer I M Vijayan will be the main attraction at the opening. National cricketer Sanju Samson is the brand ambassador of the mega

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid stiff resistance from Congress working committee member Ramesh Chennithala after his proposal for a key post was rejected, the new state president of Youth Congress O J Janeesh and working president Binu Chulliyil will assume office on October 23. The leadership has dismissed allegations that the delay in taking charge has any connection with the confusion prevailing in the organisation. We were waiting for the culmination of KPCCs Sabarimala Viswasa Samrakshana Yatra, a

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : After the Congress national leadership approved the new list of KPCC office-bearers, many leaders have raised complaints about lack of accommodation based on community and merit. Though the leadership claims that the list was prepared in a timely manner, according to party insiders, it was after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge put pressure on AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, Deepa Dasmunsi, that the final list was released. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan

KOTTAYAM: The discontent among the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) leadership over perceived inadequate representation of Orthodox political leaders such as Abin Varkey and Chandy Oommen in the Congress leadership, appears to be escalating into a confrontation with the party leadership. After the remarks of Yuhanon Mar Diascoros Metropolitan, president of the Orthodox Church media wing, for ignoring Abin and Chandy during KPCC and Youth Congress rejig, KPCC president Sunny Josephs statem

PALAKKAD: A 53-year-old farmer who had been missing since Sunday was found hanging from a tree on his farmland at Kavundikkal in Attappadi on Monday morning, the police said. The deceased has been identified as Krishnaswamy, after local residents found his body. His death has triggered outrage in the community, with family members alleging that persistent delays by the revenue department in issuing his thandaper (land ownership certificate) drove him to suicide. The family was preparing to file

MALAPPURAM: The Sunni faction led by Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musaliyar has launched a sharp attack on the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leadership for their silence over the ongoing hijab controversy. In a strongly worded article in Siraj Daily, SYS general secretary Rahmatulla Saqafi Elamaram accused senior Congress leaders of turning a blind eye to what he called a blatant denial of the Muslim communitys fundamental rights. Saqafi alleged that Congress MP Hibi Eden had

KOLLAM: The Kollam native who went missing after a boat capsized off the coast of Mozambique has been confirmed dead, Kollam MP N K Premachandran said. The deceased is Srirag Radhakrishnan, 36, of Thevalakkara. His family has been informed, and efforts are under way to bring his body back home. The Government of Mozambique has informed us that Srirags body has been identified. The process to repatriate the body to Kerala has begun, the MP said. Srirag, an electrical engineer, was working as the

MALAPPURAM: The state government has issued a formal warning to Malappuram Homoeo District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr Yasmin Vayalil, two years after she applauded a speech that criticised the government during an official meeting. The disciplinary action follows an internal inquiry which found the act unbecoming of a senior officer, though it was not intentional. The incident took place during a meeting at the Malappuram District Collectorate, attended by MLAs and senior officials. A speaker made

KOCHI: Noting that the late PEB Menon treated everyone equally, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Monday stated that the Sangh was not just an organisation for the former Kerala Prant Sanghchalak, but sadhana (spiritual practice). He was delivering the memorial address at the homage meeting for P E B Menon at Nedumbassery. He has left to us the legacy of how we should be as an individual, how we should manage our family as a Sangh family, how as a Sangh Sevak we should con

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The IT employee who was attacked inside her hostel room in Kazhakoottam has identified the accused. Police have confirmed that Benjamin (35), a native of Madurai, was the man who broke into the womens hostel and attempted to assault her. After harassing the woman, the accused fled towards Attingal and later escaped to Madurai, where he was arrested on Sunday. According to the police, Benjamin is a lorry driver with a criminal background. He had entered the hostel with the int

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: A man was arrested in Thampanoor on Sunday night for threatening people with a gun following a minor road accident. The accused has been identified as Robin John, a native of Vallakadavu and a tattoo artist from Kuravankonam. According to police, Robin was allegedly under the influence of alcohol when he drove his car out of a bar and accidentally hit a two-wheeler and an autorickshaw. Following a heated argument, Robin reportedly pulled out a gun and threatened the crowd befo

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Congress in Kerala has brought Sabarimala back to the centre stage as part of its comeback strategy in Pathanamthitta, as it tries to reclaim lost ground by tapping into faith-driven sentiments. However, while the party has revived street mobilisation and sharpened its attack on the ruling CPM, the bigger question is whether this sudden momentum can be sustained. The Congress' renewed push began with the Vishwasasamrakshana Yatra in the district, invoking Ayyappa devotion and

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The flag hoisting to mark the beginning of the Alpashi festival at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple will take place between 8.45 am and 9.45 am on October 21. The valiya kanikka ritual is scheduled for October 28, followed by pallivetta on October 29. The festival will conclude with the aarattu ritual at Shankhumukham Beach on October 30. The Poojappura Central Prison authorities handed over the festival rope to the temple, continuing the long-standing tradition of prison inmates

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) has directed Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) to pay compensation for a faulty withdrawal from a woman customers account. The complainant was a family pensioner who held a savings bank account with an IOB branch in Thiruvananthapuram. According to the customers complaint, on June 17, 2011, `28,000 was withdrawn from her account using a cheque issued by a stranger drawn in favour of a brick manufacturer. Within a few hours, th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State Congress president Sunny Joseph on Sunday announced the suspension of Jose Franklin, Thiruvananthapuram DCC general secretary and Neyyattinkara municipal councillor, from the party following serious allegations of sexual harassment raised against him. A 52-year-old woman from Neyyattinkara, who died by suicide, had left behind a note accusing Franklin of sexually harassing her under the pretext of arranging a loan. In the note, she said she had approached him seeking he

KOLLAM: The state government will organise a seminar to chart a roadmap for Keralas animal husbandry sector for the year 2031. The event will feature paper presentations on key areas such as dairy production, meat and egg production. Currently, the animal husbandry and dairy development sector contributes to about 29 per cent of the states domestic income. Kerala produces around 27 lakh tonnes of milk annually, against a requirement of 35 lakh tonnes. The meat production sector remains largely u

SABARIMALA: On the second day of Thulam Pooja, kalabhabhishekam was the major ritual performed at the Sabarimala temple on Sunday. Thantri Kandararu Mahesh Mohanaru performed the brahmakalasa pooja at the temple mandapam as part of the ritual, in the presence of melsanthi Arunkumar Nampoothiri, at 8 am. The ritual concluded with kalabhabhishekam on the idol during uchcha pooja, following a procession carrying the brahmakalasam led by the thantri circumambulating the sreekovil. Padi pooja was the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police on Sunday nabbed the intruder who broke into a womens hostel in Kazhakoottam and attempted to sexually assault an IT professional, 48 hours after the incident that took place on Friday. The accused, whose name has been withheld by the police as the identification parade is yet to be conducted, was arrested from Madurai in Tamil Nadu. He is a truck driver who had been undertaking trips in Thiruvananthapuram, the police said. His arrest is yet to be recorded. In the

KOCHI: The Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) is keen on building capacity, confidence and credibility, said chairman and managing director (CMD) Madhu S Nair. We were the first greenfield shipyard in India, the first to build large ships in India and we collaborated with the Indian Navy to build the nations first aircraft carrier. We launched a warship with more than 90% indigenous content, from design to equipment. Indias maritime story is no longer about building ships, but about building capacity. Th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Efforts to reduce the rate of dropouts among tribal students have made some progress. Dropouts in 2024-25 numbered 627, compared with 861 in 2019-20. However, calling it a result of government schemes might be an overstatement, as the education department has revealed that one in three tribal students is an irregular absentee. The number of irregular absentees is a concern, a top department official said. A government order, considered a silver bullet for almost all problems

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After playing a decisive role in Youth Congress and Congress reorganisations, AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal is set to become active in state politics during the local body elections. He is also likely to lead the party and front in the 2026 assembly election. According to KC loyalists, the recent developments have cemented his position as an unquestionable leader. The new axis of power involving KC and Shafi Parambil after the latter parted ways with Lea

KOZHIKODE: Congress state president Sunny Joseph has said that party reorganisation is not carried out on the basis of opinion of any Church. Addressing reporters in Kozhikode on Sunday, he also said that he was unaware of the resentment aired by the Orthodox Church over the reorganisation. The reorganisation has been carried out after a long time. Im not claiming 100% satisfaction. They may be people who wanted party positions. Congress is a big democratic party and all issues will be sorted ou

KOCHI: A gun scare briefly disrupted the atheist conference, Essence, at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Kochi on Sunday, hours before writer Taslima Nasrins scheduled appearance. Hundreds of participants were evacuated as a precautionary measure after a man was found carrying a firearm, which turned out to be a licensed one, the police said. After the Kochi city police and the bomb squad carried out a thorough security inspection at the venue, the event was allowed to resume, and Taslima att

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft case will take Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the case, to Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru this week as part of evidence collection. Potti, who is in SIT custody, had revealed that the gold plates from the dwarapalaka idols and the door frames were taken to these cities under the garb of maintenance and electroplating. The gold was removed from the sheets in a Chennai-based firm and to cover it

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The health department has temporarily suspended the distribution of a batch of antibiotics at Vithura Taluk Hospital following a patients report of contamination, first raised in January. The incident was detailed in a report submitted to the Kerala State Human Rights Commission by District Medical Officer Bindu Mohan. Notably, the department has revised its earlier position against the complainant, whom it had previously accused of fabricating the contamination. The hospital

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Moving teachers out of administrative responsibilities, promoting sports among students, and increased in-service training to bolster professional practices among teachers are some of the key recommendations set to be put forth by State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) before the state government this week. Part of the efforts to revamp the states school education sector, the suggestions are likely to be included in SCERTs vision document, which aims to re

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has assured Union Minister of State George Kurian that measures would be initiated soon to begin the construction work of the Nedumbassery airport railway station. Kurian shared the information on his social media account on Saturday, noting that the long-awaited project is gaining momentum. According to sources, the proposed station will come up near the Cochin International Airport, and the Union government is also considering the construct

KOCHI: A bus ride that rivals air travel. The KSRTC is set to launch an airline model business class bus service promising unprecedented luxury and speed to commuters. The premium offering, which will even have a hostess on board, is set to roll out upon the completion of the NH 66 widening work. Custom-designed coaches and on-board amenities, mirroring the comfort of a business class flight, will make the service a reality. A hostess will be deployed and light food will be served to passengers.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an apparent capitulation to the arm-twisting by the Union government that purportedly involved the withholding of funds Kerala has gone back on its opposition to the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme. On Sunday, General Education Minister V Sivankutty announced that the state will become a signatory to the scheme, which will be rolled out in over 260 schools in the state. In a face-saving measure, however, the minster said the scheme will not be im