BENGALURU: Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V Somanna, known for his camaraderie with leaders across party lines, turned well-wisher for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the MUDA case here on Monday. They exchanged pleasantries at Ramanashree Hotel premises, where the release of a book was scheduled. Even as the curious audience and VIP guests were all ears, Somanna stunned everyone, including Siddaramaiah, by casually picking on the MUDA scam case and claiming to have advised t

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with his counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday. Jaishankar said they noted the progress in the recent disengagement in Ladakh and exchanged views on the next steps in bilateral ties. On the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio, met CPC Politburo member and FM Wang Yi of China. We noted the progress in the recent disengagement in the India-China border areas. And exchanged views on the next steps in o

MYSURU/CHIKKAMAGALURU : Days after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the BJP-JDS combine of offering Rs 50 crore each to 50 Congress MLAs to destabilise the Congress government in the state, Mandya MLA Ravikumar Ganiga further alleged that the BJP offered Rs 100 crore each to Congress MLAs. BJP leaders contacted Chikkamagaluru MLA Thamanna and Kittur MLA Babu. We have information about meetings in hotels, guest houses, and airports. We have audio, video, CD, pen drive, and iCloud proof that wi

BENGALURU: Operation Lotus is back in political parlance, with Congress leaders accusing the BJP of attempting to poach Congress legislators. After Mandya MLA Ravikumar Ganiga alleged that the BJP offered Rs 100 crore to each Congress MLA, RDPR and IT/BT minister Priyank Kharge on Monday said it would be no surprise if BJP has done so. The BJP resorted to all strategies, including misuse of Central investigation agencies and the Governors office, and Operation Lotus to destabilise governments in

CHENNAI: Collegian Johann Emmanuel from Chennai scripted history by becoming the first Indian to win all three races in the 300 SSP category of the Qatar Superbike and Superstock Championship over the Nov 16-17 weekend at the iconic Lusail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar. His elder brother 20-year-old Geoffrey Emmanuel, supported by Ceat Tyres, Sidvin, and the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), brought more cheer to the family by finishing on the podium in all three races in

KANNUR: CPM state secretary M V Govindan has expressed confidence in the LDF securing a historic win in the Palakkad by-election. Speaking at a press meet, he also predicted strong performances by the LDF in Chelakkara and Wayanad. He emphasised that the election results would be an assessment of the state governments performance and significantly influence upcoming local body and assembly polls. Govindan alleged that communal forces are actively working against the LDF. The chief ministers crit

BENGALURU: With the state government gearing up to conduct the winter session of the Legislature in the second week of December, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a meeting with his senior cabinet colleagues to discuss a range of issues, including proposed bills, ongoing political issues, and the strategy to counter the Opposition during the session, which is due to commence in Belagavi from December 9. The meeting was attended by a few senior ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivaku

KOCHI: As part of a national-level exercise coordinated by the Indian Navy to validate Indias maritime defence and security capabilities, the Southern Naval Command will organise a coastal defence exercise Sea Vigil along the coasts of Kerala and Lakshadweep on November 20 and 21. The Joint Operations Centre of the Navy will coordinate the operation in association with 16 agencies in Kerala including the Coast Guard, Coastal Police and the fisheries department. This exercise is aimed at valida

KOCHI: Now, Sabarimala pilgrims returning after offering prayers at hill shrine need not worry about missing the KSRTC buses they have booked online owing to late arrival. In a novel initiative, the KSRTC has decided to extend the validity of online tickets from Pampa to various destinations to 24 hours after the departure of the specific service. This means pilgrims can catch another bus of the same category to the same destination if they miss the one they had booked. The Sabarimala hill shrin

BELAGAVI: While the Belagavi police have confirmed that the second division assistant (SDC) in Belagavi tahsildars office, Rudresh Yadavannavar, committed suicide two weeks ago, an anonymous letter to the police gave a new twist to the case on Monday. The letter, which is said to have also been sent to the Belagavi Deputy Commissioner, Police Commissioner, Regional Commissioner, Governor and Human Rights Commission, stated that Yadavannavar did not commit suicide but was murdered. As per the pre

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The global shortage of anti-clotting drugs, or anticoagulants, did not affect the medication of over 2,000 haemophilia patients, thanks to a timely shift in treatment protocols by the health department. The shortage was triggered when drug companies stopped making older medicines and focused on new ones, leaving states with limited options. However, Kerala was not affected as in July, the health department switched to Emicizumab, a monoclonal antibody treatment that is more e

BENGALURU: From the 1990s to the turn of the millennium, and beyond, I witnessed technology evolve. Here, I wish to primarily refer to tech at home, one that entertained, was convenient, and integral to my life. History books retell the discovery of fire and the invention of the wheel, which sparked humanitys quest to reach the zenith of technological advancement. The Paleolithic Period saw the onset of cave paintings, one of the earliest pastimes, perhaps? Fast-forwarding to the 90s, it was pra

BENGALURU: Laughter and joy have a universal language a moment of shared humanity that lightens your soul. In an era where standup comedy has become the go-to for sharing laughs as a community, the International Clown Festival is set to bring the Bengaluru audience the art of clowning, an art form that can be traced back thousands of years, with roots in mediaeval times and the mythological archetype of tricksters. The inspiration to begin this festival came from the lack of live entertainment

LONODN: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that trade talks with India would be relaunched in the new year, following a bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Brazil. Following Starmer and Modi's meeting, Downing Street said the UK would seek a new strategic partnership with India, including a trade agreement as well as deepening cooperation in areas such as security, education, technology and climate change. Starmer's spokespe

BENGALURU: Upset at not getting selected for the school cricket team, a 16-year-old Class 11 student of a reputed international school allegedly jumped to his death from the seventh floor of his apartment complex in Hennur police station limits, in the wee hours of Monday. The deceased, S Adheev, was a resident of Mantri Splendor Apartments at Geddalahalli in Kothanur. The boy is suspected to have taken the extreme step between 1.30am and 5am. The body was found behind the apartment block by cle

BENGALURU: Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna announced that KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station will undergo a major transformation, and will be modelled after Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore. Speaking to the media in the city on Monday, he shared updates about the Detailed Project Report (DPR). The project was presented before the Railway Board for approval and clarifications concerning the makeover of the railway station was sought. We will respon

CHENNAI: The headmaster of Panchayat Union Primary School at Anjaneya Nagar in Tiruvallur districts Pallipet Block has been suspended for allegedly misbehaving with a student. According to an order issued by the District Educational Officer (Elementary) of Tiruvallur, the incident was reported in a newspaper and parents refused to send their children to the school. As a result, the school was shut down on Monday. The order stated that after an inquiry by officials, it was deemed necessary to sus

BENGALURU: In an impressive transformation, a government primary school in Makali has undergone a major renovation. The school now boasts modern amenities, including digital classrooms and a water purification system, providing students with a healthier and more technologically-advanced learning environment. The newly constructed three-storey building has spacious classrooms and a staff room furnished with modular furniture. The project aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which aim

MADURAI: After a class five student fell from the first floor of a school building, his father sought action against the head of the corporation higher secondary school in Palanganatham and alleged negligence on the teachers' part. Presently, the boy is in critical condition and undergoing treatment at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH). K Kannan petitioned Collector MS Sangeetha, that his son K Akilan is studying in class five at the corporation higher secondary school in Palanganatham. On No

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has decided to install 30 smart carts at the vending zone on TNUHDB 1st Main Road in Semmencherry. Around 10 of these carts have already been set up and allotted to vendors. The initiative, currently piloted in Semmencherry, will soon be scaled up to include vending zones in other parts of the city. The corporation stated that the initiative aims to support street vendors by providing them with organized spaces and enhancing their livelihood opportu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Members of the Congress-affiliated Transport Democratic Federation (TDF) staged a protest in front of the KSRTC headquarters on Monday against the delay in salary disbursal, and prevented senior officers, including the KSRTC chairman & managing director, from entering the office. The police stepped in after members of the TDF and the Kerala State Road Transport Employees Association (CITU) clashed during the protest. The police removed the protesters from the venue. Meanwhile

THOOTHUKUDI: A couple from Ottapidaram lodged a complaint with the Superintendent of Police on Monday, alleging that a pastor cheated them of `68 lakh, under the pretext of constructing an orphanage and old age home, and urged the officials to register an FIR against him. However, the pastor termed the allegations as false and denied the charges. According to the complainants, K Arumugakrishnan and his wife Vasantha of Kakarampatti village, they had given a total of `68 lakh, including `16 lakh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An electric vehicle (EV) research and industrial park, the first-of-its-kind initiative in Kerala will come up at Vilappilsala in the state capital. It will focus on research, development, and manufacturing of components such as batteries, motors, controllers and charging systems. The park will be located on a sprawling 23-acre site owned by Trivandrum Engineering Science and Technology Research Park (TrEST) and it is expected to go on stream by December 2025. TrEST has issue

COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu Primary School Teachers Federation (TNPSTF) has raised an allegation that even with necessary evidence, the educational officers in the district hesitate to take departmental action against a clerical staff member, who received a bribe regarding salary benefits from a teacher. A member of the federation told TNIE, A clerical staff of the Block Education Office at Anaimalai near Pollachi asked a bribe of Rs 3,000 from a secondary grade teacher working at a school in the

COIMBATORE: A heated exchange broke out between Congress functionary Mayura Jayakumar and INTCU functionary Selvan at the Coimbatore International Airport on Sunday night in which the duo abused and threatened each other using unparliamentary words. In view of this, Congress functionaries led by Selvan filed a petition with the City Police Commissioner on Monday demanding action against Mayura Jayakumar. All India Congress Committees General Secretary K C Venugopal arrived at the airport to retu

DHARMAPURI: An investigation into a private hospital where a 24-year-old mother and her baby died showed lapses, which led to the hospital being downgraded. Collector K Santhi warned of severe consequences if private hospitals fail to identify high-risk maternal cases and prevent maternal deaths. Last week, a mother and her child died in a private hospital due to complications during birth. The office of the Joint Director of Medical Services conducted an investigation and identified serious lap

DHARMAPURI: Pointing out the increasing number of incidents where female students of Avvaiyar Government Girls Higher Secondary School (GGHSS) were harassed outside the school premises, residents filed a petition with the administration seeking to improve security between the school and the Dharmapuri bus stand. On Monday, during a grievance day meeting, concerned parents filed a petition with Collector K Santhi seeking the administration and police to heighten vigilance here, alleging that ther

ALAPPUZHA: The push for sustainable urban development has become essential for securing the future of our planet, with cities like Amsterdam and Oslo setting the benchmark through scientifically planned infrastructure. In a similar stride towards innovation, Abhinav Soorya and Alvina Vijilish, students of Higher Secondary School at Perambra in Kozhikode, have created a remarkable sustainable green city model. Showcased at the Social Science Fair held at St Josephs High School, Alappuzha, their m

ALAPPUZHA: The states scientific landscape has been seeing a steady improvement in the involvement of girls and women over the decades now. This years State School Science Fair, which concluded here on Monday, proved it right once again. The four-day event saw girls dominating in numbers and performances. Of the total 4,248 students who participated in the Sasthramela-2024, 2,648 or more than 62% were girls and only 1,689 were boys. According to the organisers, the number of girls attending the

ALAPPUZHA: Socially impactful projects on Wayanad landslides and other disasters in the state were showcased in the social science category at the ongoing State School Science Fair here. The highlight was how the students utilised technology and resources to make models for disaster management, landslide prevention, and sustainability. Niramaya A and Sreyas A M, two students from Durga HSS in Kasaragod came up with a device for early detection of landslides and an alert system. The device featur

KOCHI: In a significant move to ease the simmering tension over the Munambam land dispute, Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal and P K Kunhalikutty, two most senior leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), called on Latin Catholic bishops at the Varapuzha archdiocese headquarters in Ernakulam on Monday. Representatives of the Munambam-Kadapuram Bhoomi Samrakshana Samiti also participated in the discussions. After the meeting, they jointly stated that the onus is on the state governme

COIMBATORE: Two weeks after the Chief Ministers announcement on the extension of Avinashi Road elevated flyover, the Special Projects wing of the National Highways Department in Coimbatore has started soil testing works. Officials will be taking samples from about 100 places in the 5-km stretch and will prepare a detailed project report (DPR) based on test results. Touted the longest flyover in state , the Avinashi Road Elevated Expressway project was officially sanctioned in August 2020 and wor

KOCHI/TIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid heightened apprehension that organised gangs from neighbouring states, that specialise in heists, are lying low in the state, awaiting a chance to strike, police data reveals that such incidents involving non-Keralites have been witnessing a steady rise. As many as 1,378 theft cases involving non-Keralites were registered in the last 45 months and there has been an increase in such incidents each year, official data shows. According to data prepared by the home depa

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday sought counter affidavit from the state government on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition seeking to prevent the mixing of sewage water near 'Agni Theertham' in Rameswaram. According to the petition filed by Elephant G Rajendran of Chennai, the Agni Theertham is located in the Bay of Bengal, abutting the Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram. Thousands of devotees who visit the temple also take bath in the said holy water for sp

NILGIRIS: A 37-year-old Anti Poaching Watcher (APW), who was about to take part in post-monsoon wildlife census from Tuesday, was injured in a wild elephant attack, at Masinagudi forest range in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) on Monday evening. The injured has been identified as B Maaran and the incident occurred when he and three other field-level staff were proceeding to Kootruparai APW camp where they would be staying on Monday night and would be involved in estimation of wildlife and its habi

ALAPPUZHA: Malappuram emerged overall champions in the 56th State Schools Science Fair, which concluded in Alappuzha on Monday, securing 1,450 points in 180 competitions held over the past four days. Kannur came second with 1,412 points, while Kozhikode came third with 1,353 points. Agriculture Minister P Prasad and Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian distributed prizes to the winners. This is the first time a trophy in the name of Education Minister has been introduced in the fair for the top distr

DHARMAPURI: The Dharmapuri forest department is taking steps to set up an AI-based camera to monitor the wildlife movement in Cauvery South Sanctuary. The Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary primarily consists of Palacode, Pennagaram, and Hogenakkal is often mired by Human-Wildlife conflict. In most cases, elephants intrude into the human settlements close to the forest and destroy crops and trees. While the forest staff set up an Anti Depredation Squad to prevent conflict, in most cases it is almo

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the police to produce the case diary in the sexual harassment case against Malayalam actor and former general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) Edavela Babu. The case was registered based on a complaint by a female actor who alleged that he sexually assaulted her at his apartment in Kaloor, promising to help her attain membership in AMMA. The court issued the order in response to a petition filed by Edavela Babu seeking

PERAMBALUR: The lack of a river bridge connecting Gudalur and Koothoor makes life difficult for over 400 families in Gudalur village in Alathur taluk of the district. For several years, villagers have been demanding that a bridge be constructed across the Marudaiyaru River. The Marudaiyaru River flows between Gudalur and Koothur villages. Gudalur residents cross the river to go to their agricultural lands, cooperative bank and veterinary hospital. Students cross the river to go to schools. When

Kaveh Zahedi is the Director of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Environment at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). In an interview with SV Krishna Chaitanya , he talks about the intertwined challenges of global hunger and climate change. Excerpts: Agriculture is one of the major emitters of greenhouse gases. What work is FAO doing to tackle the challenge of food production as well as climate change? We need to produce more with less. Today about 730 millio

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The search-cum-selection committee formed by the state government last month to select a new vice-chancellor (VC) for Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) has started the process of shortlisting potential candidates. The five-member panel, chaired by B Ekbal, former VC of Kerala University, does not include a nominee from the governor, the chancellor of KVASU. The panel was set up in accordance with the provisions of the University Laws (Amendment) Bill, w

NEW DELHI: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is gearing up to host Indias largest national maritime search and rescue exercise (SAREX-24) which will have a major gathering of international representatives. The plan is to hold it alongside the 22nd National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board Meeting at Kochi, Kerala on November 28-29. The ICG on Monday said, The two-day event will feature the largest ever real-time simulations aimed at honing the skills required for effective search and rescue (

COIMBATORE: Students from a private Arts and Science College sought the Collectors intervention in getting their original graduation certificates from the institution as the management refused to provide them their certificates, demanding them to pay their fees. In a petition by 17 students, who recently completed B Com from Nyruthi Arts and Science College at Kariampalayam in Annur Taluk to Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati, they said that the college is denying to provide them their original certif

NEW DELHI: The Centre appears to be moving towards revoking a 65-year-old law that lays the ground for the disqualification of MPs for holding office of profit and introducing a new one in sync with current requirements. According to sources, the Union law ministry has formulated a draft Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Bill, 2024 based on the recommendations made by the Joint Committee on Offices of Profit headed by Kalraj Mishra in the 16th Lok Sabha. In the past, the office of prof

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday ordered an interim injunction against the construction of a drainage pumping station in the portion of a land earmarked for a park at VM Chathiram village in Palayamkottai of Tirunelveli district. A bench comprising Justices MS Ramesh and AD Maria Clete passed the interim order on a PIL petition filed by one M Paramanantham. According to his petition, a 68 cent land in his locality has been earmarked for the construction of a park. Ho

MADURAI: Citing damage to the Arittapatti biodiversity heritage site, the Tamil Nadu Environmental Protection Movement Coordinator RS Mukilan urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to cancel the sanction to a private company to mine tungsten in 10 villages of Melur taluk. The members petitioned Collector MS Sangeetha to make efforts to revoke the permission given by the union government to the company which had recently secured rights to mine tungsten from around 5,000 acres in 10 villages, namely Terku

ERODE: A 55-year-old farmer died after being attacked by a wild elephant at Kadambur hills in the district on Sunday night. The deceased was identified as K Maran, a resident of Anaikarai village near Kuthiyalathur. Police said, Maran was a farmer who owned five acres of land where he cultivated maize. There is a reserve forest boundary 50 metres away from his land and he used to stay in the fields every night to protect crops from boars. On Sunday night, around 10.40 pm, Maran went to the farm.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday granted the last opportunity to the Bihar government to file its response to a PIL raising concerns about the safety and longevity of bridges in the state after several of them collapsed in recent months. A bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar also sought the response of the National Highway Authority of India on the PIL filed by lawyer Brajesh Singh. It considered the fact that the notices were issued to various authorities on the PIL on Jul

THOOTHUKUDI: A 45-year-old mahout and his relative were trampled to death by the Tiruchendur Murugan temple elephant while taking pictures with the animal using a mobile phone on Monday. The mahout, Udhayakumar of Tiruchendur, was the caretaker of the elephant for over two decades and the animal had not shown any aggressive behaviour in the past, temple authorities said. Police said the mahout and his relative, Sisubalan (55) of Palukal in Kanniyakumari, were taking pictures standing next to the

MUMBAI/RANCHI: Campaigning for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly polls ended on Monday, with the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance vying to retain power and the JMM-headed INDIA bloc making a spirited attempt to keep the opposition BJP and its allies away. Maharashtra Assembly has 288 members and Jharkhand House 81. The polling is due in both states on November 20 with Jharkhand voting in the second round after November 13. Votes will be counted on November 23. In Maharashtra, the campaign s