THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Union governments education reforms are aimed at giving more freedom in studies to students, Union Minister George Kurian has said. He was speaking after inaugurating the new building of Jyothis Central Senior Secondary School at Attingal. The new reforms will help students obtain PhD after degree education. It helps in early employment, he said. Jyothis Group of Schools chairman S Jyothis Chandran presided over the function. CBSE regional director Mahesh D Dharmadhikari

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The International Childrens Summit on Cleanliness is a revolutionary step in education, General Education Minister V Sivankutty has said. He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the two-day event focusing on zero waste management, at the Nishagandhi Auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. Organised by the Kudumbashree Mission, the summit brought together over 750 Bala Sabha members, with 80 essays prepared by children on environmental issues being presented through

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has cancelled the driving licence of a tourist bus driver involved in the accident at Nedumangad on Friday night that killed one and injured over 40 persons. Additionally, the fitness certificate of the vehicle has been revoked, while procedures are on to cancel its registration and permit. The driver, Renju, of Ottasekharamangalam, who was absconding after the incident, was nabbed from his friends residence on Saturday morning. He suffered

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid criticism that the party state unit is in deep slumber, the KPCC leadership has asked all DCCs to hold district core committee meetings on the first Saturday of each month. In a circular sent to all party office-bearers, the PCC has asked all constituency core committees to call a meeting on the second Saturday of every month. On the last Saturday of every month, the district core committee should convene to review the meetings of all core committees. The state core comm

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Waste management in the state capital has gone haywire with the Tamil Nadu government imposing more restrictions on the cross-border movement of food waste to pig farms. Private service providers engaged by the corporation and the Haritha Karma Sena (HKS) members deployed for door-to-door collection of biodegradable waste are cutting down on regular services, landing residents and bulk-waste generators in the state capital in a fix. Authorities have been flooded with complain

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Art is what makes life bearable. These words by Friedrich Nietzsche guide the veteran artist George R from Thiruvananthapuram who believes in the deep connection between art and life. A lover of both science and literature, George explores human connections through his paintings. Now, he is back with his latest collection, Touch , a series born from the idea that touch is the essence of life, the language of survival, and the force that connects beings and to themselves. Duri

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Loyola College of Social Sciences has officially announced its transition to autonomous status during a formal ceremony held on its campus at Sreekaryam near here on Friday. The launch of the newly introduced four-year undergraduate programmes (FYUGP) was also celebrated on the occasion. Starting from the 2025-26 academic year, the newly introduced undergraduate programmes on offer are: BCom Finance and Accounts with CA and ACCA, BCom FinTech and AI, BCom Logistics and Supply

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The states food safety laboratories are on track to receive accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) in the microbiology category, with the inauguration of a new microbiology laboratory at the Government Analysts Laboratory here on Wednesday. Health Minister Veena George announced that NABL accreditation for all three labs will be achieved within a set timeline. This recognition is expected to boost the states standin

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The opposition Congress has stepped up criticism against the LDF government for giving permission to Oasis group of companies to start a distillery unit in Kanjikode. Leader of opposition V D Satheesan questioned the criteria on which the company was given the permission. Why was this company given permission? he asked. The owner of the company had been arrested in connection with the Delhi liquor case. A case had been registered against the company for polluting groundwater

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A tourist bus overturned at Irinchayam, near Nedumangad, on Friday night, resulting in one fatality and several injuries. The deceased has been identified as Dasini (60), a resident of Kavalloor. Around 49 people, including women and children, sustained injuries in the accident, which occurred at approximately 10.15 pm. The passengers, consisting of families from Kattakada, Perumkadavila, and Ottasekharamangalam, had started their journey at around 8 pm. The accident occurred

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first Syndicate meeting convened by K Sivaprasad, after assuming the charge as Vice-Chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (KTU), was called off following a heated argument between him and Left-backed Syndicate members. As the pro-Left Syndicate members continued with the discussions, the Vice-Chancellor later reported on the unauthorised meeting of the university body to Governor Rajendra Arlekar, the varsitys chancellor. Sivaprasad also issued a notice to th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: To curb the practice of unnecessarily delaying files, the Transport Department has directed employees to decide on the files within five days of receiving them. Officers who fail to adhere to the five-day deadline shall either be removed from their specific duty or transferred to another office, according to the order issued by Transport Secretary Vasuki K. The head of the department has been directed to monitor the process and identify the laggards. The decision comes at a t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala is no stranger to festivals - be it traditional ones such as pooram, perunnal, and Theyyams, or modern celebrations like film, dance music and art festivals, Biennale, and other cultural extravaganzas. However, the Kerala Arts and Crafts Village (KACV) in Kovalam has taken the concept of festivals to a whole new level with the Ragbag Festival. At the venue, a magical water curtain sets the stage for Belgiums Shadow Dance, while Poland reimagines George Orwells Animal F

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After much hue and cry, the district administration has finally initiated steps to give compensation for 25 landowners who surrendered their property for the proposed Outer Ring Road (ORR) project in the state capital. According to sources, the landowners will be given compensation next week. An official of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) told TNIE that the district administration has submitted the documents of 25 landowners and they will be given the compensa

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) will roll out digital RC books by March 31, enabling vehicle owners to download and print the certificate for all practical purposes. The RC books will be available online once the MVD completes linking the digital copies with the bank hypothecation. Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar announced this in Thiruvananthapuram while flagging off 20 Bolero vehicles purchased by the MVD for traffic enforcement in the state on Thursday. He said the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A sub-centre of excellence (CoE) for research network support will be established at Government Womens College, Thiruvananthapuram. Higher Education Minister R Bindu made the announcement on Thursday after inaugurating the multidisciplinary fest Cognitopia organised by the college as part of its 125th-anniversary celebrations. The minister said the centre aims to coordinate research activities and secure cooperation from national and international institutions. She emphasised

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Putting an end to several days of uncertainty, the police on Thursday morning broke open the chamber where the body of Gopan Swami was kept and sent the mortal remains for autopsy to ascertain the exact reason behind the death. The police sources said they are awaiting three test reports to confirm whether the death was due to natural reasons or not. We are awaiting histopathology, forensic and chemical test results, which we will get in 8-10 days. Then only we can find the e

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram corporation council meeting on Wednesday witnessed uproarious scenes and debates over the decision to engage a private service provider who had come under the shadow of corruption in the past. The council turned stormy when the days agenda was taken up for discussion, triggering widespread outrage among the opposition members. The decision to entrust Omega Ecotech Products India to implement the biocomposter project in households drew sharp criticism fr

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A cyber scamster who tried to dupe a woman on Wednesday was in for a rude shock. For the person he tried to pick on turned out to be a Kerala Police officer. The scamster tried his luck by contacting the official mobile phone number of the police media centre located in the police headquarters, claiming that he was calling from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The call was attended by woman battalion constable Shibina S, who was well aware of the fraudulent w

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to Anushanthi, the second accused in the 2014 Attingal double murder case, who was sentenced to double life imprisonment. Bail was granted considering her health condition until the petition to quash her sentence is resolved. The trial court will decide the bail conditions. Anushanthi had sought bail, citing visual impairment and health issues. Earlier, she was granted two months of parole for eye treatment. The case involved the mu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was a random check using an AI tool by the police technical intelligence wing that led to the recent arrest of two Army men, who had been on the run for nearly two decades after murdering a woman and her newborn twins. Heres a quick flashback. The crime occurred in 2006, at Areyam near Anchal in Kollam district. Although the investigation was handed over to the CBI in 2010, the Kerala Police unofficially continued its pursuit of the suspects Divil Kumar B of Anchal and Ra

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ten months after its inauguration, the multi-level car parking facility at Palayam - the largest such facility in the state - remains underutilised in the capital. Set up at a cost of Rs 30 crore by Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL) with a capacity to accommodate 300 cars, it was opened to the public by the end of May, two months after its inauguration. Despite being located at a strategic spot like Palayam, the state-of-the-art facility, aimed at addressing parking wo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, is hosting Cognitopia, a three-day multidisciplinary academic fest from January 16 to 18 as part of its 125th-year celebrations. The event aims to create awareness about research initiatives, academic achievements, and societal contributions from various higher education institutions across fields like science, culture, arts, commerce, sports, and languages. The fest will feature an exhibition with over 70 stalls, showcasing K

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In recent years, conversations around mental health have gained prominence as more people recognise the importance of therapy and emotional support. With this growing awareness, various therapeutic approaches, including Dance Movement Psychotherapy, are emerging as transformative tools for healing. Noticing the lack of such practices in the capital city, Krishnendu B S, a dance/movement psychotherapy practitioner and social worker with over six years of experience, is on a mi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Over 49 lakh passengers used the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in 2024, according to data released by the airport authorities. The passengers included 26.4 lakh domestic and 22.7 lakh using international routes. Compared to 2023, TIAL witnessed an increase of around 18.52% in overall passenger traffic. A total of 41,48,644 passengers had travelled via Thiruvananthapuram in 2023 while the number increased to 49,17,019 in 2024. The airport also saw a 14.19% rise in a

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Food Safety Department has established a new microbiology laboratory equipped with modern facilities for testing various food products in Thiruvananthapuram. The government analysts lab will supplement the activities of the existing Regional Analytical Labs in Ernakulam and Kozhikode. Health Minister Veena George will inaugurate the facility at the State Public Health Lab campus on Wednesday. MLA Antony Raju will preside over. The minister emphasised the importance of mic

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hundreds of people gathered at Kanakakunnu on Tuesday to witness the weapons display organised by the Pangode Military Station in connection with the Army Day celebrations. The event held under the theme Know Your Army, offered an opportunity for the public to interact with the Army and explore its operational capabilities. Brigadier Anurag Upadhyaya, Station Commander Pangode Military Station, interacted with the audience. The event featured display of weapons, war equipment

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Some of the flight schedules at the Thiruvananthapuram airport are likely to be affected due to the recarpeting of the runway, planned from January 14 to March 29. The work on recarpeting will be carried out between 9am and 6pm during the period. Airlines will operate their schedules before 9am and after 6pm for the duration of the recarpeting. During this period, the airport will implement a comprehensive plan to ensure the continuity of services and to mitigate any potentia

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC), the apex body of Latin Catholics in the state, has called for a fair resolution of the Munambam land dispute. Addressing a press conference at Neyyattinkara near here on Sunday, Bishop Varghese Chakkalakal, president of KRLCC, demanded timely submission of the report by the C N Ramachandran Nair Judicial Commission on the Munambam land dispute. The commission is conducting an inquiry into the matter. We hope their decision wil

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Pothencode police have arrested two persons for alleged sexual abuse of a nine-year-old girl in two separate incidents. The police said the girl hailing from Pothencode was subjected to sexual abuse by a person, who is her mothers partner, and another 53-year-old man, Baburaj, who is a friend of her grandfather. The police said the incidents came to the fore when the school teacher noticed that the girl, who used to perform well in exams, was performing badly recently. Sh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 51-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman, both residents of Peyad, were found dead in a lodge at Thampanoor on Sunday morning. The police said it could be a case of murder-suicide. Asha was found with multiple stab wounds on her neck, while C Kumar, an assistant cameraman with a private television channel, was found hanging from the ceiling fan. The police suspect that Kumar murdered Asha and then committed suicide. A police source said Kumar had checked in at the hotel on F

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Comparing the status of Malayalam short stories to a poor relative visiting a wealthy household, acclaimed writer T Padmanabhan lamented their sidelined position in the literary landscape. Speaking at the My Life in Writing and Reading session during the Kerala Legislative International Book Festival (KLIBF), Padmanabhan said that despite addressing this issue 40 years ago, the situation remains unchanged. It took 15 years after the institution of the Vayalar Award for short

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvallam police have registered a case against a television serial production executive for alleged sexual harassment of a junior artist coordinator. According to the complaint filed by the junior artist coordinator, Assem Fasi, a serial production executive, misbehaved with her on July 14 at Chitranjali Studio in Thiruvananthapuram during the shooting of the serial Mayamayooram. She alleged that Aseem, who was reportedly intoxicated, grabbed her from behind. The compl

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The book Forest Rights Act: Rights and Implementation by Rajendraprasad, editor of Gothrabhoomi, writer and activist working in tribal regions, was released at the Kerala Legislative Assembly International Book Fair. Rajendraprasad discussed the books objectives and its relevance at the event. The book, published by Apple Books, delves into the intricacies of forest rights laws and their implementation possibilities. Speaking at the event, SC/ST Welfare Minister O R Kelu emph

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Emergency Medicine Department at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, has been designated one of the eight Centres of Excellence for Trauma Care and Burns Treatment in the country. This recognition places Thiruvananthapuram Medical College alongside prestigious health institutions like AIIMS Delhi, Safdarjung Hospital, JIPMER Puducherry, and PGI Chandigarh. The Department of Medical Education has received an official notification as part of the National Program

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vinduja Menon shone on the Kalolsavam stage of 1991, bagging what was then the topmost honour a contestant could achieve the Kalathilakam. Her entry into films had come much earlier, as a child artist. After winning the coveted title, she explored cinema for a good while and is still remembered for her landmark role opposite Mohanlal in Pavithram. As the 63rd Kalolsavam winds up, TNIE has a quick chat with Vinduja about her memories of the festival, how her life has shaped u

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Election Commission should prevent governments from giving out freebies to voters at least six months before the election, so as to prevent those in power from influencing voters, said M Vincent MLA. The Direct Beneficiary Transfer just before the election will influence peoples mandate, he pointed out. He pointed at efforts by governments to influence voters during elections. Elections should be held in a fool-proof manner. Governments in power dole out freebies and tran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Folk Festival held at the Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan has gone a bit under the radar amid the simultaneous hosting of the Kerala State School Arts Festival and the Kerala Legislature International Book Fair in the capital. On the second day of the festival, the programme titled Nattumalayalam showcased a vibrant blend of traditional art forms from Malabar, including Karingaliyattam, Theyyam, Poothan Thira, Parunthattam, Kavadiyattam, Karakattam, Kalakali, Anakali,

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: We wont demolish any mosques or places of worship in India, said BJP national executive member P K Krishnadas. He was speaking at the panel discussion at a literary festival organised by the State Legislative Assembly on the subject Contemporary Indian Politics. He said that the dreams of the opposition parties will be futile. The opposition parties are on a hate campaign against the BJP. A new politics has evolved in India after the Modi government came to power. To protect

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After authoring short biographies of the late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the chief architect of the Constitution B R Ambedkar, author-parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor is now working on the biography of one of Keralas greatest social reformer Sree Narayana Guru. Tharoor disclosed this while delivering talk on the topic A Myth and an Idea - Tracing the Roots of Modern India at the Kerala Legislature International Book Festival on Wednesday. Its a short biography similar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Renowned Austrian artist Gustav Klimt once remarked: Art is a line around your thoughts. This idea is what comes alive at Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan, where a collection of 37 paintings each born from different thoughts, imagination, and emotions of 37 artists is on display. Organised by the Kerala Chitrakala Parishaths (KCP) district unit, the AKAM 25 exhibition and sale, short for Anandapurikkoru Kalanivedyam, is currently being held at the Lalitha Kala Art Gallery. The

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A fruitful week lies ahead for bookworms in the city as the 3rd Kerala Legislature International Book Fair kicked off on Tuesday. An enthusiastic crowd made a beeline for the assembly, the fair venue, creating a vibrant atmosphere filled with youthful energy. Featuring over 50 stalls from renowned Indian publishers, including DC Books, Mathrubhumi Books, Penguin Books, and HarperCollins, the week-long fair is expected to see significant footfall. Special offers like daily luc

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Knowledge Economy Mission (KKEM) has collaborated with Coursera, a leading global online learning platform, to equip youth across the state with industry-relevant tech skills. As part of the initiative, the state government is planning to train 60,000 job aspirants and students and equip them with skills for 17 high-demand digital jobs across the globe. The partnership is an integral part of KKEM, which aims to train 30 lakh individuals and create 20 lakh jobs by 2

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the name of bulldozer politics, a federal pluralistic, diverse nation has been imprisoned in a unitary centralised framework, CPM politburo member Brinda Karat said on Tuesday. In the political dictionary being written by the double engine governments of the BJP, bulldozer politics occupies pride of place, the said Brinda during a session on Bulldozer politics and the Constitution of India held as part of the Kerala Legislature International Book Fair. The open declaration

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Writers know the pain and concerns of people and hence, governments should work along with them for the public good, writer M Mukundan has said. He was speaking after receiving the Kerala Assemblys Award for Overall Contribution to Literature from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. He said he would stand with the government and the chief minister to work for a new Kerala. Responding to the criticism he received while he accepted the president po