THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Highlighting the values of brotherhood, truth, and friendship as essential for todays world, Shashi Tharoor said, Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru was a great spiritual teacher who proclaimed to the world, The religion I believe in is one of brotherhood, truth, and friendship. He was inaugurating the public meeting held at Santhigiri Ashram, Pothencode, as part of the 26th Nava Oli Jyotir Dinam observance. Referring to the recent tragic incident in Pahalgam, Tharoor said many s

THRISSUR: As thousands waved their hands to the rhythm of the melam, Kizhakkoot Aniyan Marar took his mastery of the chenda to another level, casting a spell on the audience. For the past several years, the shade of the Elanji tree inside the Sree Vadakkumnathan temple has been a meeting point for many prominent personalities in Kerala. On Tuesday, Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, Revenue Minister K Rajan, and other leaders from the three political fronts were seen enjoying the worlds largest ense

THRISSUR: Drawing the crowds attention to the moment Thrissur district emerged champions in the state school arts festival, the Thiruvambady team displayed an umbrella with an image of the trophy as a recognition of the hardwork of the artists and students behind the feat. The Thiruvambady Devaswom has always won hearts through their choices for kudamattom. When Argentina won the world cup, Thiruvambady raised an umbrella with Lionel Messis photo on it, creating a wave among football fans across

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The civil defence mock drill, announced by the Centre amid simmering tension with Pakistan in the wake of Pahalgam terror attack , will be conducted in all the 14 districts of the state on Wednesday. The mock drill will start by 4 pm. In order to assess the preparations, Chief Secretary Dr A Jayathilak convened a meeting of top bureaucrats on Tuesday. The meeting decided to implement following measures during the mock drill. The resident associations and panchayats will deplo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government effected a major bureaucratic reshuffle on Tuesday by transferring and reassigning responsibilities of 11 IAS officers. General administration department additional chief secretary K R Jyothilal will now serve as the additional chief secretary, finance. He will also hold full additional charge of the taxes, public procurement advisory and the planning and economic affairs departments besides being the CEO of the Rebuild Kerala Initiative. Bishwanath Sinha

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government will allow a marginal increase in Plus-I seats for the 2025-26 academic year to ensure that all eligible students get admission, General Education Minister V Sivankutty has said. The government will not have additional financial liability due to the increase. A 30% increase will be made in all government schools in Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod. 20 pc increase will be made in aided schools in the distri

PATHANAMTHITTA: President Droupadi Murmus visit to the Sabarimala temple on May 19, as part of her two-day trip to Kerala, will be a milestone for the temple. The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the temple, described the proposed visit as a significant moment in the temples history. At a time when Sabarimala is gaining prominence as a major spiritual and religious centre globally, the visit of the President will be a milestone in the overall development of Sabarimala. Another Pres

KOTTAYAM: Amid fluctuating prices impacting the rubber plantation sector, the Union Government is taking decisive steps to address the long pending concerns raised by farmers regarding the loopholes in the import rules of rubber. Aiming to tighten regulations and prevent illegal import of rubber, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has taken steps for a comprehensive review of the Standard Input Output Norms (SION) rates for tyre prod

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite opposition from Congress state chief K Sudhakaran and a section of party leaders in Kerala, the high command is all likely to nominate Pathanamthitta MP Anto Antony, a close confidant of AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, as the new state president. Antos name is expected to be announced by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Venugopal in a day or two. The central leadership is learnt to have taken the decision after Rahul Gandhi held deliberations with forme

THRISSUR: As the setting sun painted the sky colourful, the Thekke Gopura Nada (south tower gate) of the Sree Vadakkumnatham temple presented one of the most spectacular of sights kudamattom. The changing of umbrellas, in a competitive but fun mode, forms the most popular segment of Thrissur Pooram. And on Tuesday, people from all walks of life united in spirit to watch the show of colour and art as two sets of 15 elephants each from the Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu devaswoms stood facing eac

THRISSUR: The Thiruvambady Bhagavathys procession aka Purappad to Brahmaswam Madom began early in the morning with panchavadyam on Tuesday. As the procession reached the Madom, the idol was kept inside the tantric house for various kinds of pooja. The students of Veda classes at Brahmaswam Madom chanted different shlokas after the pooja, a unique ritual for the Thiruvambady Bhagavathy on the occasion of Thrissur Pooram. Legend has it that in the olden days it was Brahmaswam Madom that provided c

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a first-of-its-kind initiative to address the challenges in managing the stray dog population, the state government is all set to roll out a mobile ABC Unit. The move comes in the wake of mounting infrastructure challenges and growing public resistance that have left several ABC centres non-operational in the state. Minister for Animal Husbandry J Chinchu Rani told TNIE that the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has approved the project and the first mobile ABC unit wil

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The states tax revenue from diesel sales has declined by 3.21% after the implementation of the social security cess on fuel sales. The state government introduced the cess, Rs 2 per litre of diesel and petrol, in the 2023-24 budget to mobilise funds for the social security pension payment. However, tax revenue from diesel sales dipped from Rs 4,103.86 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 3,971.94 crore in 2024-25 (both figures until January) following the cess implementation. Meanwhile, th

Recreational gaming, the go-to weekend escapade in metro hubs, is now gaining popularity in the capital city as well. From soapy football fields and VR combat zones to high-speed laser tag and paintball arenas, these high-energy activities are reshaping how leisure time is spent. Also, these activities bring together fun, fitness, stress relief, and social bonding in one refreshing package. A growing number of people friends, colleagues, corporate teams are visiting these venues in groups to j

As global tensions mount, nations are at war, and daily bomb blasts, rising death toll and scattered bodies of children become a daily occurrence, a bunch of artists from Kerala has decided to express their anguish in front of the world. The powerful online exhibition titled No War, No Violence, which opened on May 1 on the website of Kochi Arts & Science Space (kartsci.org), addresses various concerns of postmodern, technological warfare. kartsci.org Curated by Vladimir Esaulov, the founding tr

Divi Bijesh is a nine-year-old chess prodigy from Thiruvananthapuram who sees 10 moves ahead in the geometry of sixty-four squares knows when to castle out of trouble, when a knight belongs on the rim, and when its ready to leap into the fight, when a pawn is just a pawn, and when its the start of a winning plan. She reads the chessboard like a pro, which is why it came as no surprise when she was awarded in January the Woman Candidate Master title by the international chess body FIDE, thus bec

Located in North Paravoor, where narrow roads lead to sleepy little junctions and the backwaters that never seem far away, Vedimara is more than just a dot on the map. The place name carries some firepower. It is a name that makes people pause, chuckle, speculate, and, sometimes, reflect. Ask local residents where the name comes from, and you are likely to hear a story. Or five. Vedimara municipal councillor Jahangir T Y starts off with an amusing tale. I hail from the Rowther Muslim community.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA) on Tuesday urged the state government to launch a universal pre-exposure rabies vaccination programme, especially for children and other high-risk groups. This comes as rabies-related deaths in the state continue to pose a serious public health concern. Noting that Kerala has made strong progress in recent years through mass dog vaccination, public awareness campaigns, and easy access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PE

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a suspected case of medical error, a woman software engineer had her fingers and toes amputated after she developed a severe infection following a surgery at a private cosmetic treatment centre. M S Neethu (31), from Sreevaraham in Muttathara, had four fingers from her left hand and five toes of her left leg surgically removed at a private hospital. She had approached the centre to undergo a fat removal procedure from her lower abdomen. Based on a complaint given by her hu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The verdict in the Nanthancode mass murder case has been postponed to Thursday by the Sixth Additional District Sessions Court in Thiruvananthapuram. The judgment, originally scheduled for Tuesday, involves the brutal killing of four family members in April 2017. The accused, Kedal Jinson Raja, a resident of Nanthancode, is charged with murdering his parents, Jean Padma and Raja Thangam, his sister Caroline, and a relative named Lalitha. The victims were killed over two days

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An Additional Sessions Court here awarded life imprisonment to Poovachal native Priyaranjan for murder of a 15-year-old boy on August 30, 2023. Priyaranjan ran over Adishekhar, a Class 10 student, two years ago. The incident was initially thought to be a road accident, but the parents of the boy expressed doubts and prompted the police to probe further. A witness informed the police that the boy had questioned Priyaranjan for urinating near a temple in the locality. CCTV visu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the Harbour Engineering Department failing to keep its promise to cut open the breakwater for the smooth sailing of fishing vessels at Muthalapozhi harbour, the fishermen are gearing up to relaunch their protest from Tuesday. Owing to accumulation of sand, the harbour mouth is on the verge of yet another closure. According to fishermen, if they fail to launch dredging activities immediately, the harbour mouth will be closed within the next two days. Chairman of Muthalapo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When the Vizhinjam International Seaport was commissioned on Friday, all three political fronts in Kerala vied for credit for the project. However, it was actually a Communist leader, the late T A Majeed, who set the wheels in motion to set up a harbour in the state capital nearly 70 years ago. It was while serving as public works minister in the first Kerala government headed by EMS Namboodiripad way back in 1957 that Majeed initiated the steps to set up a harbour in Vizhinj

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid speculation over change in leadership, Congress state president K Sudhakaran intensified efforts to retain the post even as top contenders Anto Antony and Sunny Joseph continued with their bid to stay in the contest. Sudhakaran, who chose not to speak to the media, met senior party leader A K Antony at his residence on Monday. Meanwhile, there is growing displeasure among Congress leaders over giving a communal angle to the process of selecting the next party chief. Repo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the stage set for Thrissur Pooram on Tuesday, the police have set aside a special cyber team to sanitise digital platforms to prevent the dissemination of toxic remarks that could foment communal and political unrest. According to sources, around 20 officers with digital expertise have been deputed to monitor social media platforms to purge communal messages that could ignite strife. This is the first time the state police is taking such a measure ahead of the Thrissur P

KOCHI: Filmmaker Sameer Thahir was booked and later released on station bail, in connection with the hybrid ganja case, which involved directors Khalid Rahman and Ashraf Hamza, on Monday. Sameer was arrested by the Excise Department after a three-hour-long interrogation. Khalid, Ashraf, and one of their companions, Shalif Muhammed, were apprehended with 1.5 grams of cannabis from Purva Grandbay apartments in Kochi, around 3 am on April 27. We interrogated Sameer using both a prepared set of ques

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The recent rabies deaths in Kerala have sparked concerns across the state. However, even more troubling is the poor progress in sterilising stray dogs and rabies vaccination coverage in many districts. Data from the animal husbandry department for the 2024-25 fiscal, the latest, reveals that four districts Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Idukki and Wayanad recorded zero sterilisations of stray dogs. Kerala reported around 3.17 lakh dog-bite cases in 2024. Despite the worryingly

IDUKKI: Youth should not get influenced by me in certain matters. I am here to correct myself and be corrected, Hirandas Murali, popularly known as Vedan, told the large crowd that had assembled for his musical event at Vazhathope in Idukki on Monday. The 30-year-old rapper was performing at the Ente Keralam exhibition-cum-trade fest held in connection with the fourth anniversary of the LDF government. Though Vedans programme was earlier planned to be held at the Ente Keralam venue on April 29,

KOZHIKODE: Just as the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital was starting to recover from the shock of the May 2 fire, smoke that emerged from the sixth floor of the same block on Monday, during a safety inspection, triggered fresh panic. What should have been a step towards reassurance generated renewed fear, with patients hurriedly evacuated and bystanders reliving the chaos of Friday. Mondays incident occurred during a scheduled inspection by the Electrical Inspectorate. The smoke was

KOZHIKODE: In a remarkable blend of childhood curiosity and scientific curiosity, a four-year-old girl has become the unlikely face behind the discovery of a new subterranean fish species from Kerala. Dhanvi Dheera, fondly called Juhu, first noticed the unusual fish while playing with water collected from a well in their house during a visit to Naduvannur in Kozhikode district. Her observation prompted her mother Aswani Lalu to investigate further, which eventually led to a groundbreaking scient

ALAPPUZHA: The Alappuzha district administration has rolled out a Rs 188.25-crore project to breathe new life into Vembanad lake. The comprehensive project is aimed at cleaning, deepening and restoring the fragile ecosystem of the lake. Designed as a five-year action plan, the initiative is spearheaded by District Collector Alex Varghese and being executed in partnership with local self-government bodies. The blueprint of the project christened the Vembanad Lake Rejuvenation Project was recent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The KSRTC will roll out insurance package for its employees in connection with the fourth anniversary of the LDF government. Minister K B Ganesh Kumar said the scheme is being implemented in cooperation with the SBI and it will come into effect from June 4. The scheme will benefit 22,095 permanent employees and they need not pay the premium for basic package, he said. The families of those who die in accidents will get Rs 1 crore. The families of those who die in air accident

KOTTAYAM: As moves for a change of guard at the helm of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) gather pace, all talk is now centred around naming a person from the Christian community to the position. Even as Pathanamthitta MP and former Kottayam DCC president Anto Antony has emerged as a strong contender, the AICC leadership has reserved its decision, at least for the time being, as a consensus remains elusive. In addition to Anto, the names of former Kannur DCC chief and Peravoor MLA Sun

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Pathanamthitta police have arrested an Akshaya Centre employee for allegedly forging a hall ticket of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and handing it to a candidate without his knowledge. Greeshma, of Neyyattinkara, is the arrested person. The incident came to light when Jeethu, 20, of Parasala, attempted to write the test at the Government HSS in Thykavu, Pathanamthitta, using a fabricated hall ticket. While officials initially allowed Jeethu to appear for t

KOCHI: What next? That was a question many students from economically backward families or those lacking job-specific skills faced. High fees would make additional courses in private institutions near impossible to take. But the stars of good fortune are now shining bright for such students. Enter STARS (Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States). Under the central scheme, Kerala has launched an initiative that will see the setting up of 210 Skill Development Centres (SDC) in the st

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an unprecedented move amid the ongoing imbroglio over the selection of the new KPCC chief, Rahul Gandhi has intervened in state Congress politics, seeking the opinion of senior leaders and former state presidents. The former AICC presidents intervention comes at a time when the high commands effort to replace K Sudhakaran has hit a stumbling block. Rahul chose to intervene in the issue after the state president openly violated the high commands diktat against making public

KOCHI: The nearly 28,000 employees of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) were in for a pleasant surprise when the financially struggling state public-sector undertaking (PSU) disbursed their April salaries on the last working day of the month for the first time in nearly eight years. This is a welcome change from the usual practice of the corporation delaying salary disbursement, at times even crediting the previous months salary in instalments. In fact, for the past two months

THRISSUR : With hundreds of pooram enthusiasts watching in awe, majestic tusker Ernakulam Sivakumar, carrying the idol of Neythalakkavu Bhagavathy, pushed open the door of the south tower gate (Thekke Gopura Nada) of Sree Vadakkumnathan Temple on Monday, heralding the 229th edition of Thrissur Pooram. The procession from the Neythalakkavu temple began around 10am and was welcomed with a grand panchari melam at Thekkinkadu Maidan. After a percussion performance lasting around two hours, the proce

THRISSUR : Throughout the 228-year history of the Thrissur Pooram, women have had a very limited role in either organising the festival or in its various performances which has invariably come in for criticism from various corners. This year, however, two women are set to script history by participating in the Jithin Kallatt-led pandi melam performance for Kanimangalam Sastha temple. Playing the chenda slung over their shoulders, Aswathy, Jithins wife, and Archana will look to hold their own in

THRISSUR : While the village of Peruvanam in Thrissur district is considered the birthplace of melam (traditional festival percussion), Thrissur Pooram has long been the platform that thrills percussion lovers from across the globe. The overwhelming crowd that witnesses the Elanjithara melam, organised by the Paramekkavu Devaswom, serves as ample proof. Besides pandi melam, the festival showcases the best of panchavadyam and panchari melam during the 30-hour-long celebrations. When the sun rises

Once a desolate and feared corner of Ernakulams southern fringe, the Panangad boat jetty tucked along the tranquil shores of Vembanad Lake has undergone a remarkable transformation. What used to be notorious as a haunt for drug abusers/peddlers and anti-social elements, the jetty is now a thriving community space and budding tourist attraction, drawing visitors with its scenic charm. Today, the area boasts an open gym, refreshment kiosks, a restaurant, and a library. Local residents still reca

World Asthma Day is observed every year on the first Tuesday of May. The day was conceived to spread awareness about the condition and make treatment options accessible. Here we look at some common misconceptions about asthma that need to be dispelled: Asthma is a childhood disease, and it doesnt develop when one becomes an adult Although asthma usually develops in childhood, a considerable percentage of children grow out of their asthma. However, it can recur once they become adults. The diseas

It all began when a group of artists in Kerala came together to organise an exhibition an exclusive show of watercolour works, titled Aquarelle. After its success, the late artist Mopasang Valath made a suggestion: why not create an organisation of watercolour artists that supports budding talents from across the state? The aim was to popularise the medium once again. Thus was born Aquarelle Kerala a collective that supports, educates, and organises watercolour artists. That was in 2022, recal

PALAKKAD: Even as the district administration is engaged in extravagant celebrations, marking four years of the LDF-led government's rule, the tribal communities of Parambikulam are suffering due to a lack of medical facilities. The only Public Health Centre (PHC) serving 11 tribal hamlets in the area has been operating without a single doctor for over four weeks. Due to this brazen neglect, even a fever could prove to be life-threatening for over 1,500 tribal residents, most of whom live at dis

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A seven year old girl succumbed to rabies despite taking vaccination here on Tuesday.The deceased, Niya Faisal hailing from Kunnikode in Kollam,was undergoing treatment in the emergency wing of the Sree Avittom thirunal (SAT) Hospital here. Niya was bitten by a stray dog on 8 April while playing in front of her house. She was first taken to the local Family Health Centre and then to the Government Taluk Hospital in Punalur. The girl received three doses of the anti-rabies vac

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 57-year-old man was arrested by the Neyyardam police for murdering his son allegedly under the influence of alcohol on Saturday night. Vijayan, a native of Kunnathumala, allegedly murdered his son Manoj, 29, after stabbing him with a knife at their residence at Karikuzhy near Amboori. The murder, the police said, was a fallout over a property dispute between the two. On Saturday night also, a clash erupted between the duo by around 8.15 pm. When the incident took place, Vij

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tour bus operators are planning to file a contempt of court petition against the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) for allegedly obstructing services to blacklisted vehicles, despite a court order prohibiting such actions. The court had earlier ruled that the MVD cannot deny tax payments or permit renewals to vehicles on the blacklist. However, several tourist vehicle owners reportedly missed the April 15 tax payment deadline after the MVD allegedly restricted access, in violat

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The vigilance department on Saturday launched a statewide inspection, Operation Adhigrahan to investigate allegations of corruption and irregularities in land acquisition and disbursement of rehabilitation funds linked to highway development projects. The raids began at 10m and were carried out at 32 offices across 12 districts, including the deputy collector and special tahsildar offices involved in land acquisition. The operation follows confidential inputs received by vigi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Back home in Nellimoodu, Balaramapuram, the neighbourhood is reeling from a tragedy too sudden to process. Mothers sit in stunned silence, unaware for most of the day that their sons who had left for a pilgrimage to Velankanni would never return. Though whispers spread early, as friends and neighbours gathered outside homes just a few kilometres apart, no one could bring themselves to speak the truth. The weight of the news was too heavy. They grew up together and worked hard

KOCHI: Marking a shift from the past, four major Sunni organisations in Kerala, burying their differences, shared a common platform here on Sunday against the Waqf Act passed by the Parliament. Representatives of the EK and AP factions of the Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama, Dakshina Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama, and the Kerala Samsthana Jem-Iyyathul Ulama converged on the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium premises in Kochi. Syed Ebrahim Khaleel al-Bukhari Thangal attended the meeting, repr