THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUGP) introduced in universities and colleges is set to enter its second year, arrangements have been made to allow students to switch between colleges and universities and also to avail of the option of changing their major subject of study. The FYUGP structure permits student transfers and course changes at the start of the third semester (second year). Accordingly, Higher Education Minister R Bindu chaired a meeting of major state

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Neyyattinkara Additional Sessions Court will pronounce the quantum of punishment of a 33-year-old man, who was found guilty of electrocuting his wife for her wealth, on Friday. The court had on Wednesday found Arun of Athiyanoor guilty of murdering his wife Shakha Kumari at her residence near Vellarada in December 2020. Arun had married Shakha, 52, without his familys knowledge. As per the prosecution, he was enchanted by her wealth he had an eye on the 10 acres of land

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Peeved at the transport departments inaction over long-distance permits, private bus operators are planning to go on strike. The Kerala State Bus Operators Federation (KSBOF) will take a call on the protest on Saturday. The federation has accused the transport department of stalling approvals despite the Kerala High Court overturning an earlier order that reserved the permits exclusively for KSRTC services. Its been quite some time since the HC ruled in our favour. Still, the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As yet another monsoon season approaches, the silt-choked Akkulam lake continues to pose flood threat to the capital city. Despite repeated incidents, the long-pending rejuvenation of the lake a vital component of the citys stormwater drainage network remains indefinitely stalled. The lake, which has been rapidly shrinking due to silt accumulation, has lost much of its capacity to retain stormwater during heavy rain, leading to flooding across the city. Experts have cited t

There was a time when brass utensils were common in Kerala homes. From the lamps lit at dusk to the big uruli, these items were part of regular life. And right in the heart of the city, there was a shop everyone knew, a trusted name in households when it came to their favourite nilavilakku, nirapara, or sturdy brass cookware. Established in 1944 by the visionary P Madhavan Thamby, the shop began with a clear purpose to make high-quality metal utensils accessible and affordable to every household

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Additional Sessions Court here on Thursday awarded capital punishment for the Tamil Nadu native, who was found guilty in the Ambalamukku Vineetha murder case. The court ruled that the case fell in the rarest of the rare category and hence Rajendran, a native of Thovala in Kanyakumari district, was not entitled to any leniency. As the judge pronounced its verdict, Vineetha's parents and two minor children were present in the court.The court also imposed a fine of Rs 8 lakh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city corporation is all set to roll out a first-of-its-kind emergency palliative care response in the state capital. In an effort to ensure inclusive healthcare for everyone , the civic body has decided to scale up its much-acclaimed palliative care programme by adding seven more palliative care units. At present, the civic body has around 13 palliative care units offering medical care for bedridden and terminally ill patients. The initiative is covering around 6,000 bene

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The finance department has directed various government departments and local self-government institutions (LSGIs) to prioritise bills kept in treasury queue before resubmission. The bills submitted in the fag end of the just-concluded financial year were kept in the queue system due to fund shortage. Bills of LSGIs, various government departments and institutions which could not be passed in 2024-25 can be passed without revised administrative sanction. The drawing and disbur

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The harbour engineering department on Tuesday began dredging activities to remove the accumulated sand at the harbour mouth in Muthalapozhi, Thiruvananthapuram, after several days of protest by the fisherfolk and trade unions. An indefinite protest was launched following the shutdown of the harbour due to the sand accumulation last week. Although a consensus has been reached, the fishermen have restricted dredging activities within 20m of the sandbar from the sea. As many as

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Over 45 young volunteers hit the Pulluvila beach on Monday evening, running all the way to Adimalathura beach, as part of the Earth Day Marathon, an initiative to promote environmental awareness and marine conservation. Organised by Ocean Students Community (OSC) in collaboration with the Change Can Change Climate Change Foundation (C5), the run was flagged off at 4.15pm by SI Anaf of Poovar Coastal police station. The event, themed Youth Run for the Planet, was a call to pro

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An abandoned building at Kattadimukku in Azhoor, functioning as a material collection facility (MCF), was completely gutted in a massive fire that broke out around 11.50am on Tuesday. The building, previously used by the Chirayinkeezhu Anchuthengu Coir Mats and Mattings Cooperative Society Ltd, was leased by the Azhoor panchayat to be used as an MCF by the Haritha Karma Sena. Fire engines from Attingal, Kazhakootam and Varkala rushed to the scene and managed to bring the fire

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The indefinite protest launched by fishermen at Muthalapozhi was called off on Monday after negotiations talks with the Harbour Engineering Department. Muthalapozhi has been witnessing multiple protests by fishermen, trade unions and other allied workers for the past many days after the harbour mouth was closed following accumulation of sand bringing all fishing activities to a grinding halt. The negotiation talk held at the protest venue by the Harbour department authorities

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Additional Sessions Court will pronounce the quantum of punishment for the Tamil Nadu native, who was found guilty in the Ambalamukku Vineetha murder case, on Thursday. The court on Monday heard both the defence and prosecution and received various official reports on the mental condition, conduct and behaviour of the accused from government agencies. The court had sought these reports after the prosecution argued that Vineethas murder fell in the rarest of the rare categ

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kadinamkulam police on Sunday arrested Bibin alias Kannan, 26, a prime accused in multiple criminal and narcotics cases, from Ooty. A native of Kadinamkulam, Bibin had been evading arrest for the past two months and was working at a hotel in Ooty at the time of capture. According to police, the arrest was based on a tip-off received recently regarding his location. The charges against him include a brutal assault on a group of youngsters on February 25, an incident that b

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Additional Sessions Court on Monday will pronounce the quantum of sentence to the 40-year-old Tamil Nadu native, who was earlier found guilty in the Ambalamukku Vineetha murder case. Rajendran, a native of Thovala in Kanniyakumari district, was found guilty of murder, destruction of evidence and other allied charges on April 10. The prosecution led by special public prosecutor M Salahudeen had argued that the case fell in the rarest of the rare category, following which t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Rs 17.6-crore project to develop the banks of the Karamana river at Azheekal and transform it into a major tourist attraction is nearing completion in the capital. A slew of attractions for recreation and relaxation have been introduced at the location as part of the project, implemented jointly by the Smart City Thiruvananthapuram and the Irrigation Department. On Saturday, local MLA and Education Minister V Sivankutty visited the site to assess the project which is in its

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On Easter Day, BJP leaders engaged in community outreach by visiting Christian churches. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the state BJP president, visited Cardinal George Alencherry at the Lourde Forane Church in Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram. During his visit, Chandrasekhar expressed optimism that the Waqf (Amendment) Act would help resolve the Munambam issue. Lets wait and see who resolves the Munambam issue, he remarked, blaming the states ruling political parties for their failure to

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Police have registered a case against a woman who allegedly scalded her two daughters using a heated ladle. The incident came to light after school authorities filed a complaint. The children, aged eight and six, suffered burn injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment. Police said no arrest would be made at this point. According to police sources, the mother reportedly confessed that she heated the ladle to scare the children because she was unable to tolerate the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: General Education Minister V Sivankutty has donned the editors hat by compiling and editing the selected diary jottings of Class 1 students that are being brought out in the form of a book titled Kurunne-zhuthukal. An education minister personally handpicking and editing the works of children is being billed as the first-of-its-kind initiative in the country. Being brought out by the Vidyakiranam Mission, the book is aimed at encouraging the creativity of children who have be

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At least 20 people have been hospitalised with food poisoning after eating shawarma from a restaurant Istanbul Grills and Rolls in Manacaud. The incident came to light early Saturday morning when several people sought treatment at different hospitals in the city with symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and fever. The affected, most of them young adults, had reportedly bought shawarma from the popular eatery earlier on Friday night. They are curre

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The PSC rank list for Women Civil Police Officers expired on Saturday, leading to the end of an 18-day-long protest by rank holders in front of the Secretariat. In a display of frustration, they burned their hall tickets and rank lists. The rank list, which was established in 2022, included 967 candidates, of whom only 337 were appointed during its validity period. The protesters claimed that their efforts were met with indifference. We were on the streets, and all we receive

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kudumbashree neighbourhood groups (NHGs), known as the backyard bank, have deposits worth Rs 9,369 crore in various banks in the state. The project was started with the condition that all members should invest at least Rs 10 every week, while the gradual progress in the number of NHGs, members, and their investments helped the savings head to thousands of crores. According to Kudumbashree, all NHG members have their own bank accounts with 3.07 lakh NHG accounts being linked t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As part of the fourth anniversary celebrations of the LDF government from April 21 to May 30, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will chair district-level meetings in which a select group of 500 people will participate in each district. The participants will include beneficiaries of various state government schemes, representatives of trade unions, representatives of youth and student outfits, personalities in the field of art, sport and culture, professionals, industry leaders,

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following stiff protest from the fishermen, the Harbour Engineering Department had to drop its plan to break the sandbar at Muthalapozhi Estuary on Thursday. Hundreds of fishermen gathered at the Muthalapozhi Harbour on Thursday to protest the move of the Harbour Engineering Department to remove the sandbar to avoid flooding in the area. Though the officials arrived along with police protection and the proceedings issued by the district collector under the Disaster Management

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The largest volunteering carnival in India, Koottam 2025, is set to take place on April 26 and 27 at Tagore Theatre in Thiruvananthapuram. Organised by Volunteer for India (VIF) in collaboration with the city corporation, the two-day event is co-presented by Good Deeds Day and Captains Social Foundation. VFI is a registered non-profit organisation founded in 2020 to promote volunteering across all causes. To take this spirit to more people, we envisioned the initiative Kootta

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bureaucratic reshuffle, Sharmila Mary Joseph has been appointed the Principal Secretary of the Women and Child Development Department. She was previously serving as the Principal Secretary of the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD). Keshvendra Kumar, who was Secretary of the Finance (Expenditure) Department, has now been transferred and posted as secretary of the LSGD. Mir Mohammed Ali, currently Director of the Industries and Commerce Department, will take over as M

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The district administration has decided to invoke the Disaster Management Act at Muthalapozhi as the meeting convened by Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian failed to reach a consensus. The harbour was shut down following sand accumulation along its mouth, which has brought fishing operations to a grinding halt for the past four days. Trade unions, fishermen and other allied workers have been on the warpath since the closure of the harbour. On Wednesday, a section of fishermen to

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Suspended IAS officer Prasanth N appeared for a hearing before Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan here on Wednesday in which he maintained that he has not violated any service rule through his social media posts, allegedly directed at senior IAS officer A Jayathilak. The 2007 batch officer is also learnt to have reiterated his demand for action against Jayathilak and IAS officer K Gopalakrishnan for falsely charging him with missing files and attendance irregularities. He a

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The renovation of the iconic Gandhi Park, located in the bustling East Fort and frequented by hundreds everyday, drags on in the capital. The Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL) launched a major redevelopment project last year to give a total facelift for the park at a cost of Rs 1.8 crore, however, the project is yet to be completed. The actual plan was to open the renovated park last Onam. The park which houses the life size statue of Mahatma Gandhi is a major landmark

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police were on high alert for several hours on Tuesday after two court complexes in the district received anonymous bomb threats. The court complexes in Vanchiyoor and Attingal received threats via mail, triggering panic and prompting intensive searches by the police. Eventually, it was confirmed that the threats were hoaxes. The threat to the Vanchiyoor court complex was received through the official e-mail ID of Thiruvananthapuram district court around 1.30pm. The messa

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In view of the rising drug menace, the police conducted raids at multiple massage parlours and spa centres across the capital city on Sunday. The operation was launched following tip-offs that certain wellness centres were being used as fronts for drug distribution, particularly MDMA. The raids were carried out across 20 establishments, with particular focus on Kazhakoottam, Museum, Peroorkada, Sreekariyam, Fort, and Thumba police station limits. According to officials, the r

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The second edition of the International Surfing Festival came to a close at Varkalas Papanasam Beach after three days of competition. More than 50 athletes, including international surfers, participated in four different categories. In the mens open category, Kishore Kumar won with 13 points against 11 points scored by his opponent. In the Womens Open, Sugar Shanti Banarse claimed the top spot. Harish P won in the Groms 16 & Under Boys category with a score of 13.84 against 7

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The excise probe into the seizure of hybrid ganja worth Rs 2 crore from Alappuzha has revealed that the case has wider ramifications, as the main culprits are connected to rackets involved in gold, sex, and drug trafficking. Tasleema Sultana, alias Cristina, and an accomplice were arrested on April 2 after they were found in possession of 3 kg of hybrid ganja a substance more expensive than synthetic drugs such as MDMA. Her husband, Sultan Akbar Ali, was arrested a week later

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The controversy over the missing answer-scripts of 71 third semester MBA students of Kerala University has refused to die down. Based on the complaint of a student, the Kerala Lok Ayukta has directed the university to award the average marks scored in other papers of the semester for the missing paper of the candidate. The directive has come at a time when the university had already conducted a re-examination on April 7 for the 71 students in which the 65 candidates who appea

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Calling Kerala a model for the country in terms of waste management, Governor Rajendra Arlekar said it was a matter of pride to be known as a Keralite. He was speaking at the valedictory function of the five-day national conclave, Vruthi 2025, organised to showcase the achievements of the state in waste management and to plan future projects. The governor said peoples participation is the main reason for the success of the states waste management projects. The cleanliness tha

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hundreds gathered in front of the Secretariat on Saturday for Poura Sagaram, a public show of support for ASHA workers who have been protesting for fair wages and recognition. The event was inaugurated by social activist Khadeeja Mumtaz, who said, This righteous struggle must succeed. She asked why the government was resisting a modest increase in honorarium when it had earlier promised Rs 21,000 in its manifesto. The Poura Sagaram passed a resolution demanding that the gover

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Beverages Corporation is all set to jazz up holidaying in Lakshadweep. The new excise policy of the state government allows Bevco to sell alcoholic beverages to the island administration. The Lakshadweep administration purchases liquor for tourism purposes. The government sanction will help the corporation cater to the administrations demand in time. It will also help increase our revenue, said Harshita Attaluri, chairman and managing director of Bevco. As pe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has put on hold the process to choose a new vice-chancellor for Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU). According to highly placed sources, the panels meeting, scheduled on April 15 to shortlist VC probables, has been postponed indefinitely, TNIE had reported that the selection process by a search panel without the nominee of the governor (chancellor) would pave the way for fresh confrontation between the government and the Raj Bhavan. T

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The controversial floating bridge at Varkala, which was shut down in March last year following an accident that injured around 15 people , including children, collapsed yet again in the rough waves on Friday at Papanasam beach in Thiruvananthapuram. On Friday morning, the floating bridge, which was being readied for safety inspections by a panel of experts, was destroyed by violent waves raising serious safety concerns and feasibility of the location. There has been widesprea

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: School kitchens, crucial for the day-to-day running of the noon meal scheme, are poised to turn into smart electric kitchens with the support of the Energy Management Centre (EMC) of the state power department. The initiative, billed as the first-of-its-kind in state schools, is expected to set a precedent for clean, safe and efficient meal preparation for schoolchildren. A pilot project capable of preparing carbon-free meals for 500 students and powered entirely by renewable

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Jayaprakash, a KSRTC driver with the Palode depot in Thiruvananthapuram who was falsely accused of reporting to duty drunk following a faulty breathalyser test on Friday morning, was cleared of all charges hours later after a medical examination. The incident on Friday morning had triggered a protest at the depot after Jayaprakash was denied a retest by the station master. The routine breathalyser test, made mandatory by the transport department in its bid to curb drink drivi

As the Malayali New Year inches near, the celebratory spirit is becoming ever more radiant. Especially so given that the festival hallmark is indeed the konna poovu (cassia fistula or golden showers), which, with its electric yellow shade, brightens both the physical and the ethereal space. In keeping with the divinity of the occasion, plans too are afoot at homes, workplaces and institutions to usher in a new year that is as radiant as it is hopeful. Nothing does it best than the kani i.e. t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Jayaprakash, a KSRTC driver and family staged protest at Palode depot in Thiruvananthapuram after he was denied duty for testing positive on breathalyser test. The driver, a native of Pachamala however claimed innocence as he is a teetotaller. After his request for a retest was denied by the station master he staged a protest by lying down in the office along with his family members. The test was carried out on Friday morning when he reported for duty on his usual Palode-Pera

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The excise sleuths on Thursday raided a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram where the artists working in a Malayalam movie were staying and seized ganja weighing 16 grams from the room of a stunt man. The ganja was found concealed inside a box that resembled a dictionary from the room of Maheswar, a stunt man from Tamil Nadu, excise sources said. The excise sources said they had information about use of drugs by some of the occupants of a hotel near Thycaud Music College. The informa

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In response to the increasing incidents of bird hits posing risks to flight safety and operations, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday convened a high-level meeting to formulate preventive measures. During the meeting, the chief minister emphasised the need for scientific processing of slaughter waste and called for the centralisation of slaughter activities. He directed authorities to eliminate unauthorised slaughterhouses and stalls in public spaces by ensuring a v

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As widespread protests emerge as a major roadblock to Malinya Muktha Nava Keralam, the states flagship initiative that aims to make Kerala garbage-free by March 30, 2026, the government has decided to hold dialogues with dissenters. From sewage treatment plants to material collection facilities (MCFs), several key waste management projects nearly 22, including construction of faecal sludge treatment plants (FSTPs) have been stalled due to strong opposition from political rep

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Additional Sessions Court has found a 40-year-old Tamil Nadu native guilty in the sensational Ambalamukku Vineetha murder case . Rajendran, a native of Thovala in Kanyakumari district, was found guilty of murder, destruction of evidence and other allied charges. The quantum of punishment will be awarded on April 21. The prosecution led by special public prosecutor M Salahudeen argued that the case fell in the rarest of the rare category following which the court sought re

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After an election counting marred by large-scale violence, SFI retained the Kerala University union by winning six of the seven general office-bearer seats, late on Thursday. KSU registered its first win in a general seat after more than a decade by wresting the vice-chairperson post. In the election to the students council, SFI bagged seven seats and the KSU three. SFI also maintained an upper-hand in the executive committee by winning 11 seats while four were bagged by the