For a state blessed with an extensive shoreline and a plethora of water bodies such as lakes, rivers and backwaters, operating seaplane services would be beneficial in boosting Keralas tourism prospects and aiding in its mission to become an aviation hub in the country. Though various proposals were mooted over the years, nothing concrete materialised until very recently. In 2024, a seaplane conducted a trial flight from the Kochi backwaters to Mattupetty dam near Munnar under the UDAN (Ude Desh

With Onam round the corner, the seasons shopping whirlwind has already begun. Whether its for college events, office festivities, family gatherings, or that perfect Instagram post, this years fashion spread appears to offer more choices than ever. This year, fashion is a beautiful mix of nostalgia and reinvention, offering something for every mood and generation. There is a real boom in the Onam market this year, says designer Treesa Josh. It feels like a creative race, in the best way, with eve

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Actor Madhav Suresh, son of Union Minister Suresh Gopi, was taken into police custody late Thursday night following a road rage incident involving Congress leader Vinod Krishna near Sasthamangalam. The incident occurred around 11 pm when Madhav, en route to Vellayambalam, allegedly came dangerously close to Vinods car as the KPCC member attempted a U-turn. A verbal altercation ensued, which reportedly escalated when Madhav allegedly obstructed Vinods vehicle on the busy Vella

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a significant intervention to revive Keralas struggling coir sector, the state government has announced the formation of a yarn bank to tackle the acute shortage of coir fibre. Industries and Coir Minister P. Rajeeve said the project, with an allocation of Rs 5 crore, is intended to ensure a steady supply of fibre to units across the state and safeguard the livelihoods of more than two lakh workers, nearly 80 percent of them women. The yarn bank will be jointly managed by

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 17th edition of Isha Gramotsavam, one of the largest rural sports festivals, will kick off in six districts of the state from August 23. Over 700 players from across the state are expected to participate, forming more than 140 teams. Matches will be held in Kasaragod, Kannur, Thrissur, Palakkad, Ernakulam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts. The festival unfolds in three stages: cluster level, divisional level, and the grand finale. The cluster-level matches will take place

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government on Thursday asked schools not to set out on excursions during night hours and said they should ensure proper parking space within their premises for all vehicles that ferry students to and from campus. General Education Minister V Sivankutty said orders restricting night excursions were issued earlier but some institutions were flouting it. He also said the practice of some private schools of excluding students who cannot afford the excursion, should be curbed.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday launched the Kerala Fibre Optic Network Ltds (K-FON) OTT services, while asserting that the state government would not succumb to pressure from vested interests trying to block the project or obstruct Keralas wider development initiatives. The government will never bend down to such pressure. K-FON will continue to grow and we will move ahead with our agenda of comprehensive development, he said. The CM noted that K-FON had already

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After a gap of nearly four years, the Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre at Vandithadam, Thiruvallam, has resumed operations. The facility, which was shut down in 2021 following High Court intervention over pollution concerns and alleged animal rights violations, has a capacity to sterilise more than 100 dogs per month. The High Court had sealed the facility following reports on death of stray dogs brought for sterilisation at the ABC centre. The corporation only had one opera

KOCHI: Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), in partnership with the CVJ Centre for Synthetic Biology and Biomanufacturing, on Thursday launched Indias first-ever MTech programme in Synthetic Biology and Biomanufacturing a landmark step towards shaping the countrys future in biotechnology. This cutting-edge, two-year postgraduate programme places India firmly on the global map of advanced biotech education, equipping students to design organisms, engineer biological systems, and

KOCHI: Until now, an archaic rule had prevented women from starting a homestay business in their houses, which were owned by their husbands who either worked abroad or in other states. But, soon that will change. Bringing hope to many homemakers who can earn a livelihood from the comfort of their home, a meeting of high-level officials of the Local Self-government Department, under the chairmanship of the director of tourism, Shikha Surendran, has decided to permit a wife or a husband to run a h

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed that a committee be constituted to formulate an interim traffic management plan for the congested EdappallyMannuthy National Highway stretch near the Paliyekkara toll plaza. The Bench noted reports of a 12-hour block on the stretch and observed that a permanent solution must be found to address the issue. The court said: A monitoring committee should be in place to ensure that traffic is not affected. Perhaps because there is no toll at present,

KOZHIKODE: Health authorities on Thursday confirmed a new case of amoebic meningoencephalitis (AME), commonly known as the brain-eating amoeba, in the younger brother of nine-year-old Anaya, who recently died of the disease. The seven-year-old boy, whose name has not been disclosed, tested positive and is now undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital, where his condition is stable. The new case brings the total number of patients currently under treatment for the dise

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The customary announcement on the Murajapam-Lakshadeepam rituals at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple was made at a colourful function at the temple. Actor Mohanlal received the vilambara pathrika from members of the erstwhile Travancore royal family. He also lit the sacred lamp as part of the function. In his brief address, Mohanlal said he got a blessed responsibility, bestowed upon him by the Lord Sree Padmanabhaswamy. My father was a government official who served in Sree Padma

KOCHI: Amid ongoing allegations against MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil , a formal complaint was filed against him at the Ernakulam central police station on Thursday evening. The complaint was filed by advocate Shinto Sebastian, who called for criminal proceedings against Rahul in the wake of alleged abortion claims through the media. Moreover, he also filed a complaint with the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights alleging that Rahul coerced a woman into undergoing an abortion. The complain

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as Rahul Mamkootathil stepped down as Youth Congress state president, the CPM and the BJP have mounted attacks on the Congress for protecting the young MLA. While demands have come from various corners for Rahuls resignation as Palakkad MLA, the Yuva Morcha took out a protest march to Cantonment House, the official residence of Opposition Leader V D Satheesan. The Congress leadership cannot evade responsibility with respect to the sexual harassment allegations against Ra

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said that after achieving full literacy, Kerala has once again set a model by becoming the first state in India to achieve complete digital literacy . Declaring Kerala as the first fully digitally literate state in the country at a function held in Thiruvananthapuram, the chief minister said that as part of the second phase of the Digi Kerala project, every essential documents of citizens will be digitised and linked to DigiLocker.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The appointment of permanent vice-chancellors in APJ Kalam Technological University and Digital University, Kerala, is likely to be further caught up in legal wrangles. Governor Rajendra Arlekar is set to file a modification petition in the Supreme Court against its order constituting a VC search panel without a nominee of the University Grants Commission (UGC). Through the petition, the Raj Bhavan will seek an amendment to the order that constituted a search committee with f

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the resignation of Rahul Mamkootathil from the post of Youth Congress state president, the national leadership has started looking for a new president to replace him. Five names are under active consideration of the Youth Congress national leadership. They are national general secretary Binu Chulliyil, state vice-presidents Abin Varkey, O J Janeesh, former KSU state president K M Abhijith and Congress leader J S Akhil. Of these, Akhils name had been proposed by late CM

KOCHI: The Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) conducted the keel-laying ceremony for a state-of-the-art hybrid service operation vessel (SOV) for North Star Shipping (Aberdeen) Ltd, UK. The ceremony was officiated by North Star Shipping chief technology officer James Bradford, who laid the keel in the presence of North Star Shipping special projects division head Michael Reid, director, finance, Jose V J, executive director Harikrishnan S and CSL officials. North Star Shipping is a pioneer in the offshor

KOCHI: In the current scenario regarding higher education institutions, the primary factor that prompts students to pursue a course is the job prospects it offers. Placements have been a significant aspect of technical education. Now, even ITI institutions and arts and science colleges are making a concerted effort to secure placements for their students. In contrast, law colleges, especially Government Law Colleges, still have a considerable distance to cover. Speaking to TNIE, Safi Mohan, assi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior CPI leader and Peerumedu MLA Vazhoor Soman, 72, passed away. He collapsed while attending a government programme in the state capital on Thursday. Though he was rushed to a nearby private hospital, his life could not be saved. A first-time legislator, he was elected to the assembly in the 2021 election by defeating Cyriac Thomas of Congress. He was serving as AITUC state vice president and its national council member. Known to be close to former CPI state secretary Kan

On a balmy August evening, the halls of Lokadharmi Naadakaveedu in Vypeen, Kochi, buzzed with anticipation. Budding actors, theatre enthusiasts and students gathered for a rare opportunity: a workshop led by Erin B Mee, the acclaimed American director and founder of This Is Not a Theatre Company. Erin, whose career spans classical and experimental theatre in over 36 countries, is currently associate professor (drama) at The New York University Tisch School of the Arts. She was in Kerala recently

KOCHI: The extraction of fuel from container vessel MSC Elsa 3 , which sank into the depths of the Arabian Sea, 14.6 nautical miles off the Alappuzha coast, has reached an advanced stage and the task is expected to be completed by September 25, the Director General of Shipping (DGS) said in a release on Thursday. The depth of the sea where the ship has been located is 51 metres. The fuel extraction from the sunken vessel commenced on August 20 with saturation diving operations using advanced 'Di

Piped natural gas has been slowly, but steadily, flowing across India as a cleaner, safer and hassle-free alternative to the traditional liquified petroleum gas being distributed through cylinders. Delivered through pipelines much like public water supply, the idea has been termed revolutionary as it can change the way one books gas and cooks food at households. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has authorised 33,478km of natural gas pipeline network across the country. As

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil has resigned from his post in the wake of mounting complaints and allegations against him. Addressing media on Thursday, Rahul denied reports regarding the party initiating disciplinary action against him, but announced that he will be resigning from the position. According to sources, Rahul has handed his resignation letter to the Congress national leadership. He also conveyed his decision to KPCC president Sunny Joseph over

Kerala has finalised the design for its ambitious Judicial City project in Kalamassery, a transformative initiative expected to take 1015 years to complete. Planned on 27 acres under HMT Ltd, the sprawling campus will feature a 28-lakh-sqft High Court complex, a judicial academy, and a mediation centre. Although the land is currently under litigation, the state government is confident of receiving legal clearance soon. If not, it is prepared to deposit compensation in court and proceed with the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a groundbreaking achievement, Kerala University has secured a patent for its real-time landslide early warning system-Slope Instability Predictor-Kerala (SLIP-K)- marking the first time such technology has received official recognition in India. Developed by Dr Sajin Kumar KS, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geology and a leading expert in landslide research, SLIP-K is poised to revolutionise disaster preparedness in the state and beyond. The patent arrives at a c

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Enforcement agencies and medical associations fighting quackery find themselves at a crossroads following the Union government's decision to make the National Medical Register (NMR) voluntary for medical professionals. These stakeholders had high hopes for the NMR as a comprehensive, credible national database of modern medicine practitioners that would allow the public to verify credentials. However, those expectations have been dampened after the Union Health Ministry quiet

Year 2008. Kerala was already the ground for an acclaimed international film festival. Yet, the ministerial meeting, headed by then Cultural Affairs Minister M A Baby, felt there was a space within the cinematic fold that awaited to be unfolded. A space that holds promise enough to mark milestones in the days to come. A space where creativity and visual grammar would thrive in small and short frames. FTII memories: 'An Ode to The Saree'. A sweet from the shorts: 'Basanti Tailors'. Thus was born

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress leadership is seriously considering removing Palakkad MLA Rahul Mangkoottathil from the post of Youth Congress state president in the wake of mounting complaints and allegations against him. According to sources, the matter has reached the AICC, which has forwarded the petitions to the KPCC for further action. Sources said AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, Deepa Das Munshi, has directed the state leadership to investigate the allegations and submit a re

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KOCHI : In what could open up a new scandal in state politics, actor Rini Ann George has raised serious allegations of misbehaviour against a young politician, albeit without naming either the leader or his party. While refusing to divulge more details about the leader, the actor indicated that he was recently elected as a peoples representative and that allegations against him had recently surfaced on social media. The said leader has been at the forefront of agitations and t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The cold war between the Kerala Universitys Vice-Chancellor and the Syndicate over the suspension of Registrar K S Anil Kumar has affected the allocation of fellowship grant for hundreds of students in the varsity. The Registrar is the custodian of the official seal of the university. Affixing the seal is mandatory in the utilisation certificates issued by he varsity for students to avail grants from the Central government institutions and the UGC. Due to the ongoing power tu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Himachal Pradesh has decided to adopt Keralas community-based palliative care model which ensures palliative care to all bedridden patients. The decision was taken after a delegation from the state visited Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam districts to observe the activities of the palliative care team first-hand. Following the visit, Himachal Pradesh has requested Keralas assistance in implementing the palliative care model in their state. Health Minister Veena George has ext

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday lashed out at the Union Government over the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill introduced in Lok Sabha , alleging that it was part of the Sangh Parivars new tactic to target and weaken non-BJP state governments. In a statement, the chief minister said the move reflects the Centres political decision to destabilise elected state governments by misusing central investigative agencies.Chief ministers and ministers entrusted with cons

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Railway Protection Force (RPF), Thiruvananthapuram Division, has made a major breakthrough against phone-snatching gangs on trains, cracking three cases in August. Senior railway officials said the coordinated operations with the Government Railway Police (GRP) and local police led to multiple arrests and recovery of stolen property, strengthening passenger security under Operation Yatri Suraksha. According to RPF, the first case was reported on August 10 when a passenger

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Piped natural gas has been slowly, but steadily, flowing across India as a cleaner, safer and hassle-free alternative to the traditional liquified petroleum gas being distributed through cylinders. Delivered through pipelines much like public water supply, the idea has been termed revolutionary as it can change the way one books gas and cooks food at households. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has authorised 33,478km of natural gas pipeline network acro

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala sports could be in better shape. Realising this, the government is set to implement an ambitious plan to revamp the sector by introducing, upgrading and optimising its sports assets. To start with, the government will map all its resources, including grounds, turfs, coaching centres, coaches and students, said sports department officials. Expected to start in full swing by November the initial process has already begun the project is being envisioned as the first ste

THRISSUR : The High Court of Kerala on Wednesday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of a person residing in UK, in connection with the case of framing a beauty parlour owner, Sheela Sunny, a native of Chalakudy, in a fake LSD stamp seizure. Sibin Sycil, residing in UK, had filed an anticipatory bail plea in the court. Observing that the petition was not maintainable as the petitioner was residing abroad, the court dismissed it. Responding to the incident, Sheela said that she was not aware of

KOZHIKODE: The state has reported a fresh case of amoebic meningoencephalitis , commonly called amoebic brain fever, raising serious public health concerns. An 11-year-old girl from Chenakkalangadi, Malappuram, has been diagnosed with the rare disease and is undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. Her condition is said to be critical. The girl was admitted on Tuesday after developing fever and related symptoms. Laboratory tests later confirmed the infection. Health officials

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state cabinet on Wednesday cleared a series of key decisions, including financial approvals under the LIFE Mission, welfare measures for Scheduled Tribes, and creation of new posts in government institutions. As part of the LIFE Mission housing scheme, the Cabinet gave in-principle approval for loans worth Rs 1,500 crore. Of this, a loan of Rs 1,100 crore will support 1,27,601 houses currently under construction and provide Rs 400 crore in housing assistance to beneficiar

KOCHI: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony for the Adani Logistics Park in Kalamassery on Saturday. The Adani Group will invest around Rs 600 crore to develop the park on a 70-acre site near the HMT industrial area. Senior officials of the group, including Ashwani Gupta, CEO of Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd, Pankaj Bhardwaj, business head of Adani Agri Logistics Ltd, and Pradeep Jayaraman, CEO of Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd, will attend the function. All approv

KOZHIKODE: The Kerala State Public Health Laboratory has dismissed recent reports suggesting inadequate facilities for testing amoebic meningoencephalitis (amoebic brain fever) as baseless, clarifying that the state has robust systems for detection and diagnosis. While only about five laboratories in India currently have Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing facilities to detect amoebae, Kerala has operated an advanced molecular diagnostic system in Thiruvananthapuram since June last year. Thi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Pitching for an exhaustive and comprehensive overhaul of existing norms, Kerala has brought out a draft policy to address human-wildlife conflicts . It makes proposals that push for drastic reforms in the Wildlife Protection Act, to facilitate quicker response to wildlife presence in human habitats. Moving monkeys from Schedule I to II in the Act, simplifying measures to deal with animals moving from wild to human habitats irrespective of schedule, entrusting the chief wildli

KALPETTA: Out of the mud and memories of a devastating landslide, five childhood friends from Mundakkai have crafted a sweet new beginning. Their venture, WynCrave, which began with the simple idea of packing honey in sachets, has now grown into a brand with 35 products on shelves across Kerala. The idea took shape in August 2024, during a late-night tea stop on the Ghat Road at Vythiri. On their way back, one of the friends picked up a Rs 2 tube of Choki Choki, the chocolate paste they once sav

KOCHI: Amid the vote theft allegations raised by the Congress and the Left parties, the BJP is toiling at the grassroot level to enrol party sympathisers in the voters list for the upcoming local body elections in Kerala. And the master strategist behind the preparations: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is set to visit the state on Friday. Amit Shah ji had given us some assignments during his visit to Thiruvananthapuram in July. He will review the progress of our work on Friday, a senior BJP

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: No need to worry about carrying crucial documents or misplacing or losing them. The state is set to take a major leap in governance innovation, by launching Digi Kerala 2.0, a new phase of its digital empowerment. On Thursday, the government will unveil an ambitious programme DEED (Digitalisation of Every Essential Document) aimed at digitising citizens records by integrating them with DigiLocker, the Union governments flagship e-document service. Through DigiLocker, citize

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the wake of Rahul Gandhis campaign against vote theft , the Congress in Kerala has launched an exhaustive grassroots-level intervention to update voters lists to ensure that its presumptive backers get a chance to cast their ballot ahead of the local body elections. In line with the high commands instructions, the state leadership has set up multiple-level scrutiny to prevent any kind of lapses, party sources said. Learning from past experiences when the party had to pay

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After several days of anxious wait, five girls with cerebral palsy from Kerala are now a relieved lot. Their visas have finally been approved and they can now travel to the UK to participate in an international football tournament. The girls constitute the five-member team representing India in the intercontinental football tournament for children with cerebral palsy. Organised by the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football (IFCPF), the tourney began in Loughborou

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ensuring proper nutrition for children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism poses a challenge to families owing to the kids aversion to food or unhealthy eating habits. The nutritional imbalance worsens their condition and also deprives them of the benefits gained from therapy. However, help is at hand. Thrissur-based National Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (NIPMR) has come up with Autism Nutrition Tracker, a first-of-its-kind scientific tool, t

This story represents many families where there is an individual who needs assisted living. The person in this story is a male who is bedridden due to paralysis. He needs constant help in his daily activities, even for eating.s someone who was leading an active life, this frustrated him. Hence, he exhibited anger and desperation. Help had to be sometimes delayed due to other preoccupations of family members. The person used to grumble that this is neglect. Younger ones who might be in a frantic