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Hung council poses challenge for LDF in standing committee polls in Kozhikode Corporation
Words, warmth & winter cheer: A spirited start to the lit fest season
Shashi Tharoor inaugurated the curtain-raiser for the 9th Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) 2026, scheduled for January 21-25 in Kozhikode.
Congress leader questioned for sharing photo of Kerala CM with Sabarimala gold case accused
KOZHIKODE: Congress leader N Subramanian was questioned by police here on Monday in connection with the sharing of a photograph on social media depicting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with Unnikrishnan Potty, an accused in the Sabarimala gold case. Police had earlier courted controversy after Subramanian, a member of the Congress state unit's Political Affairs Committee, was taken into custody on Saturday. Following protests, he was released after being issued a notice to appear for questioning. Speaking to reporters, Subramanian said he and the person managing his social media accounts were questioned by Chevayoor police for over an hour at the station earlier in the day. He reiterated that he had not posted any AI-generated photograph of the chief minister with Unnikrishnan Potty. According to him, the image he shared was taken from a video of the CM that is available from the state government's Public Relations Department. They should release the video. Otherwise, I will file an application under the RTI Act with the PRD to obtain it, he said. Subramanian claimed that the same photograph he had shared continues to be available on the social media accounts of others and that no cases have been registered against them. Through such actions, the state government should not think it can conceal the Sabarimala gold theft case, he alleged. Responding to queries on why he deleted one of the three images he had posted, Subramanian said he did not like that particular photograph. There is nothing unusual about deleting one picture. I did not like it. The others were not deleted because I felt they looked better, he said. He added that the person managing his social media accounts had explained the source of the images to the police. There is no AI tool on his mobile phone. Then how can the police claim the images are AI-generated? The pictures were taken from another post, and the sources were explained to the police, Subramanian said. Meanwhile, Chevayoor police have registered a suo motu case against Subramanian under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot, and Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act for causing annoyance through communication.
Two youths arrested for sexually abusing minor at rented flat in Keralas Kozhikode
Police sources said the two reportedly took the girl to rented flat offering food and free stay on Sunday. She was later drugged and sexually abused
Rehabilitate evictees before taking up projects: Samastha to Karnataka govt
KASARAGOD: Condemning the bulldozing of houses at Yelahanka near Bengaluru, Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama president Syed Muhammad Jiffiri Muthukoya Thangal on Sunday urged the Karnataka government to implement development projects only after ensuring the rehabilitation of the evicted people. Samastha is not against development projects but it cannot condone the act of rendering the poor people homeless, Thangal told reporters in Kasaragod, adding that the destruction of around 200 houses would pain every human being. Evicting poor Muslims and Dalits before finding an alternative place cannot be justified. There should be urgent measures by the government towards this, he said. Addressing the concluding ceremony of the Sandesha Yathra at Mangaluru later, Thangal said the journey had convinced him that people are with Samastha and will crush any attempt to harm the organisation. Samastha represents true Islam and any attempt to smuggle in alien thoughts will be strongly opposed, he said. Karnataka Speaker U T Khader inaugurated the meeting. Kozhikode Qazi Syed Muhammad Koya Jamalullaili, Samastha secretaries M T Abdulla Musaliyar, Umar Faizi Mukkam, members of Samastha central mushawara and others attended the meeting. The Sandesha Yathra, aimed at spreading the message of the Samastha International Conference, kicked off from Nagercoil in Tamil Nadus Kanyakumari district. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, Kerala ministers and senior leaders of various political parties had attended the reception accorded to the Yathra at various places. Is CPM training guns on Bengaluru razing to reclaim Muslim votes?
Erroneous cross-vote in Vadakara triggers power shift
KOZHIKODE: The political landscape of Vadakara is in a state of upheaval following a high-stakes presidential election at the block panchayat that saw the LDF lose due to a single erroneous vote. What began as a procedural exercise soon spiralled into a saga of midnight attacks, disciplinary purges and shifting alliances. The fallout turned physical in the early hours of Sunday when the residence of RJD member Rajani Thekkethayyil was targeted. Assailants pelted stones at the house, shattering two window panes. Later, the family found a steel container bomb left on their carpet, interpreted by many as a calculated attempt at intimidation. The attack followed Saturdays election where Rajanis vote intended for the LDF went to the opposition, handing the presidency to the UDF-RMPI alliance. In a council where both the LDF and the UDF-RMPI Janakeeya Munnani held seven seats each, a draw of lots seemed inevitable. However, when the ballots were counted, UDF-RMPI candidate Kottayil Radhakrishnan secured eight votes, while LDFs K M Sathyan managed only six. Rajani maintained the cross-vote was a genuine mistake. I realised the error immediately after casting the vote and requested a chance to vote again, but it was denied, she explained. Rajani has filed complaints with the returning officer, the district collector and the Election Commission seeking to rectify what she termed was a mistake. However, the RJD leadership, under immense pressure from LDF lead partner CPM, showed no leniency. RJD district president M K Bhaskaran announced a six-month suspension for Rajani. The blunder has caused deep fissures within the LDF. In a move widely seen as an act of political penance, RJD withdrew its candidate for the vice-president post, M K Prasanna, and surrendered the seat to the CPM. In the subsequent V-P election, which ended in a 7-7 tie, CPMs Preethi Mohanan was elected through a draw of lots, defeating UDFs Jasmin Kalleri.
New local body heads take charge in Kozhikode
KMB enforcement wing inspects houseboats, fines violators in Kerala
The KMB enforcement squad recently imposed a fine of 1.30 lakh against some violators in Kozhikode district
Sabarimala gold theft case: Congress leader N Subrahmanian in custody over photo controversy
KOZHIKODE: The probe into the Sabarimala gold heist has turned into a major political confrontation in Kerala, with the police taking a Congress leader, N Subrahmanian, into custody over a controversial social media post linked to the case. N Subrahmanian, a member of the KPCC Political Affairs Committee, was taken into custody by the Kozhikode Chevayur police for allegedly sharing a photograph depicting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alongside the prime accused in the gold theft case, Unnikrishnan Potti . The core of the controversy involves the alleged theft of gold from the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) and the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols of the Sabarimala temple. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) found that several kilograms of gold were missing from the sacred items. Prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti, a priest-turned-businessman, allegedly siphoned off gold under the guise of electroplating and renovation work between 2014 and 2019. Potti was arrested in October after a ten-hour questioning session. The SIT has since arrested multiple high-profile figures, including former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) presidents A Padmakumar and N Vasu. Political temperature soared when N Subrahmanian shared a picture on Facebook showing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with Unnikrishnan Potti, accompanied by a caption questioning the deep relationship between the two. The Chevayur police registered a case under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Kerala Police Act for allegedly attempting to provoke a riot and promote enmity. Subrahmanian, while being taken from his home after a police search, stated, I shared a real image taken from a video shared by the Chief Minister's Office itself. This is an attempt to suppress the opposition's activities. The CPM, however, labelled the image as a fabricated AI-generated photo. They clarified that the original footage was from a public function in August, and Potti was merely a bystander who was edited into the frame to look like he was in a private conversation with the CM. Sabarimala gold theft case: SIT reaches Tamil Nadu, records Dindigul mans statement
AMMA For the first time in its three decades of existence, women assumed charge of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), with Shwetha Menon and Cuckoo Parameswaran elected president and general secretary respectively. The leadership change followed the resignation of the 17-member executive committee, which included Mohanlal, in September last year after the release of the Hema Committee report. Brain-eating amoeba The brain-eating amoeba (Naegleria fowleri) claimed 45 lives in the state, according to the health department. Kerala witnessed a surge in the number of cases in August and September, raising serious concerns about public health surveillance. Chirakkal Dr Haris Chirakkal, head of the urology department, flagged a shortage of equipment at Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital, triggering an internal probe. Following the revelation, Dr Haris was subjected to targeted attacks for criticising the government and slapped with a show-cause notice. The health department drew more fire when the portion of a building at Kottayam MCH collapsed, killing a woman and injuring two others. Dadasaheb for Mohanlal Actor Mohanlal was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Indian cinemas highest honour, making him the second Malayali to receive the recognition after filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan. 'Empuraan' The Prithviraj-Mohanlal film 'L2: Empuraan' found itself in the eye of a storm following its April release after right-wing groups claimed that its riot scenes bore resemblance to the 2002 Gujarat violence. They forced the makers to carry out cuts, alleging anti-Hindu narrative. Fresh Cut controversy Kozhikode witnessed fierce protests against Fresh Cut Organic Products poultry-waste processing plant over air and water pollution, and foul odour. Tensions escalated in October following violent clashes between residents and police, which led to injuries to officers and cases being registered against leaders of the agitation. The issue triggered political involvement and regulatory scrutiny, including National Green Tribunal (NGT) intervention and disputes over the units licence. GOAT Kerala missed out on Lionel Messis GOAT India Tour primarily due to logistical issues, lack of FIFA-standard facilities, funding delays, bureaucratic hurdles, and disagreements between organisers and the Argentine Football Association, leading to cancellation of the planned November event and its replacement with a Hyderabad leg to cover the southern region. Honey M Varghese Honey M Varghese, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Ernakulam, hit the spotlight after presiding over the 2017 actor abduction and assault case and delivering the verdict in December. The judgment convicting six accused, and acquitting actor Dileep, the eighth accused, drew both praise and criticism. Invest Kerala The state government organised the Invest Kerala Global Summit on February 21 and 22, offering a platform for investors, multinational companies, and startups to explore investments. After 10 months, according to Industries Minister P Rajeeve, the state was able to attract investments worth `35,463 crore and 50,000 new job opportunities. Joblessness Unemployment in the state saw a spurt with the number of jobless youths in rural areas rising to 76 per thousand in 2023-24, from 65 in the previous year, way above the respective national average of 25 and 24. Kerala had the fourth-highest rural unemployment rate in both years, according to the Handbook of Statistics on Indian States. Over the past 10 years, Kerala recorded its highest rural unemployment rate 107 per thousand in 2014-15. Killer in the family In one of Keralas most macabre family murders of the year, 23-year-old Afan went on a killing spree in Venjaramoodu, murdering his grandmother, uncle, aunt, teenage brother, and girlfriend, while his mother survived with serious injuries. Police said he travelled between three crime scenes on a motorcycle before surrendering. He was hospitalised after claiming to have consumed rat poison, before attempting suicide in custody. 'Lokah' 'Lokah: Chapter 1 - Chandra', Mollywoods first female-led superhero film, was released in August. Starring Kalyani Priyadarshan and directed by Dominic Arun, it became the first Malayalam flick to enter the `300-crore club. Mob lynching Ramnarayan Baghel, a migrant worker from Chhattisgarh, was killed in a mob attack in Walayar, Palakkad. The crowd allegedly assaulted the 31-year-old while shouting Bangladeshi, triggering statewide outrage over hate crimes and migrant safety. Nimisha Priya The case of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who is on death row in Yemen, saw major developments in the year. Her scheduled execution in July was postponed amid intense negotiations over blood money. Organ donation Organ donations in Kerala reached a five-year peak. Ernakulam General Hospital became Indias first district-level hospital to perform a heart transplant when woman from Nepal received the heart of Shibu, a Kollam resident. Polls The local body elections, widely seen as the semi-final ahead of the 2026 assembly polls, delivered a sharp political message. The UDF emerged as the biggest gainer, wresting control of four corporations. The BJP made headlines by capturing Thiruvananthapuram corporation, while the LDF was left with just Kozhikode corporation. The year also saw a by-election to the Nilambur assembly seat in June, where Congress Aryadan Shoukath defeated CPMs M Swaraj. Quality of national highways The national highway network in the state has been undergoing a major upgrade. However, cave-ins of under-construction stretches in Malappuram and Kollam exposed serious lapses and violations, raising questions about the quality of the work. Rahul Mamkootathil Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil courted controversy following sexual misconduct allegations and rape cases by multiple women. The party suspended the 36-year-old and followed it up with expulsion. Sabarimala The special investigation teams probe into the Sabarimala gold theft case exposed a nexus involving former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials. A total of 4.5 kg of gold went missing from the hill shrine following repair work in 2019. Former TDB officials, including A Padmakumar, N Vasu and Murari Babu, were arrested. Following new developments, the SIT expanded its investigation into other states. Transshipment terminal The Vizhinjam Transshipment Terminal was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May, establishing it as Indias first deepwater hub. It achieved rapid operational success, handling 1 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) and major vessels like MSC Irina by the year-end, all while preparing for phase II expansion to extend berths and the breakwater for even greater capacity, solidifying its role as a global competitor to Colombo. Universities The year saw a standoff between the governor and the government over appointments of vice-chancellors to APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) and Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology (Digital University Kerala, DUK). Following the deadlock, the apex court intervened, leading to the formation of a committee to recommend candidates. A consensus was arrived at and Dr Ciza Thomas (KTU) and Dr Saji Gopinathan (DUK) were appointed as VCs. Vedan Rapper Hirandas Murali aka Vedan was arrested in a narcotics case and later booked over sexual assault allegations. The governments decision to honour him with the state film award for best lyricist sparked debate. Wild animal attacks Wild animal attacks continued, with four people killed by tigers alone in 2025. From 2016 to early 2025, 919 persons have been killed and nearly 9,000 injured in encounters with wild animals. Kerala officially requested the Centre to amend the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The main goal is to allow the culling of wild animals that are a direct threat to people and property. Xtreme poverty eradication The state government declared Kerala as extreme poverty-free in November, through the Extreme Poverty Eradication Project (EPEP). The project identified 64,006 families as extremely poor. The announcement, however, sparked controversy, with the opposition questioning the lack of transparent and census-based data, and alleging political motivation. Year of Youth Youth emerged at the forefront of politics, particularly during the local body elections, with major parties fielding candidates from student wings such as KSU and SFI. Zoological Park, Thrissur Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the long-awaited Thrissur Zoological Park in Puthur in October. The designer zoo is expected to transform the region into a global tourism destination. Tributes P Jayachandran (Jan 9) Legendary playback singer P Jayachandran died, leaving behind melodies that defined an era. With his rich, emotive voice and thousands of unforgettable songs, he remains etched in the musical memory of South India. Shaji N Karun (Apr 28) Acclaimed filmmaker and cinematographer Shaji N Karuns passing marked the loss of one of Indias most poetic cinematic voices. Through internationally acclaimed films and visionary storytelling, he carried Malayalam cinema to the global stage. V S Achuthanandan (July 21) Former chief minister and Communist stalwart V S Achuthanandan affectionately known as VS passed away at the age of 101. A towering public figure, he leaves behind a legacy of principled politics, uncompromising integrity, and decades of unwavering service to the people of Kerala. M K Sanoo (Aug 2) Leaving behind a life devoted to literature and human values, writer, critic, and social activist Prof M K Sanoo died, aged 96. A compassionate public intellectual and cultural guide, his works and interventions shaped Keralas literary and social landscape. T J S George (Oct 3) Renowned journalist and thinker T J S George passed away, closing a luminous chapter in Indian public discourse. A Padma Bhushan awardee and prolific columnist, his fearless commentary and deeply insightful writing enriched journalism over six decades. Sreenivasan (Dec 20) Veteran actor, writer, and filmmaker Sreenivasan bid farewell after a remarkable journey in Malayalam cinema. For nearly five decades, his sharp wit, humane storytelling, and timeless humour shaped the soul of popular cinema, touching generations of viewers and creators alike. text: Anna Jose and Rajesh Abraham EDITING: Prasad V Mathew and Niharika Pramod DESIGN: arjun k j
IUML pushes hard for 30 seats in upcoming Kerala state assembly elections
MALAPPURAM: With the assembly elections approaching, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has mounted an aggressive pitch for a larger share of seats within the UDF, setting its sights on around 30 constituencies five more than the 25 the party contested in 2021. The Muslim Leagues renewed ambition is no longer confined to its traditional Malabar strongholds; it is now pressing for a strategic expansion into southern Kerala, signalling a decisive shift in its electoral calculus. At the core of IUMLs demand is its performance in the recent local body elections. Party leaders argue that improved seat and vote shares especially in southern districts have strengthened their bargaining position. The League is seeking winnable seats in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Alappuzha, regions where its presence was once marginal but is now electorally relevant. We recorded an 80% winning rate in the local body polls and performed strongly in southern Kerala as well. Seeking more seats in the UDF is our right, said IUML state general secretary P M A Salam. He said seat-sharing talks are expected to conclude by January 15 and that the party anticipates a positive response when it places its demands before the UDF leadership. Stressing the party deserves more seats, a senior IUML leader said the party was promised 27 seats in 2021. However, due to last-minute adjustments within the UDF, we were able to contest only 25 seats, of which we won 15just six fewer than the Congress. In the 2025 LSG polls, we secured 3,203 seats, finishing third among parties in Kerala. Therefore, we deserve to contest at least 30 seats, the leader said. IUML smashes Malabar stereotype; tally 220 in southern local bodies league likely to strictly enforce three-term policy In the south, Kollam has emerged as a key testing ground for the party. Despite an ongoing rift with ally RSP, the IUML is eyeing Eravipuram, invoking the memory of its 1991 victory when senior leader P K K Bava defeated the RSP while it was part of the LDF, according to sources. They said the IUML no longer wishes to contest from Punalur, where it failed miserably for the last two terms. Salam, meanwhile, dismissed reports of a possible seat swap with the Congress involving Guruvayur. Some leaders aspiring to contest from Guruvayur, with the help of certain media, are creating such stories. We are not bothered about it, he said. However, internal party deliberations suggest a more intricate reshuffle is under way. IUML sources indicate a strong possibility that the party will contest from Pattambi, while firmly rejecting speculation that Muslim Youth League president K M Shaji could be fielded from Kasaragod. There is no chance Shaji will be considered from Kasaragod. He may be given Koduvally if M K Muneer opts to contest from Kozhikode South, a senior leader said. The party is also considering ceding Thiruvambady to the Congress to facilitate Malappuram DCC president V S Joys candidature, while pushing for Trinamool Congress leader P V Anvar as the UDF candidate in Beypore. The IUML is also expected to strictly enforce its three-term policy with few exceptions for the senior leaders potentially sidelining several sitting MLAs and opening the door for a generational shift. Youth League leaders such as P K Firoz, P M Sadiq Ali and P K Nawas are said to be in contention. Reflecting trends from the local body elections, the leadership is also weighing the option of fielding two or more women candidates. With prominent women Youth League leaders, including Najma Thabsheera and Fathima Thahiliya, already elected to local bodies, the Vanitha League may emerge as the primary beneficiary. The Congress, meanwhile, is signalling resistance. A senior Congress leader, said the IUMLs expectations may be scaled down. We expect the League to ask for 30 seats, but we can offer only 27 or 28 at most. Giving them more winnable seats in the south would mean sacrificing the seats currently held by sitting Congress MLAs. Their best chance is to secure two or three additional seats in Malabar, he said. Adding to the strain is IUMLs deep dissatisfaction over its representation in the governing bodies of local self-governments in southern Kerala. League leaders say they had anticipated at least 35 chairperson or vice-chairperson posts in the region, but not even half that number materialised. The party is particularly aggrieved over te Congresss refusal to concede deputy mayor posts in Kochi and Kollam, despite IUML support being crucial in several civic bodies.
Theatre camp begins in Kozhikode
Special drive under way to track drunk driving in Kozhikode city
SoToxa machines have been made available for the enforcement wings for conducting rapid screening of suspected drivers
New airlines that got green signal from Centre will struggle to offer competition, say experts
NEW DELHI: The sudden clearance to operate in Indian skies given to two airlines that had been awaiting the nod for nearly a year appears to be a strong message from the Centre in light of the disruption caused by Indias largest domestic carrier IndiGo from December 1 to 9. The two new airlines are Kozhikode-based Alhind and Hyderabad-headquartered FlyExpress, while Shank Air, based in Uttar Pradesh, was also given the nod last year and plans to begin operations in 2026. Aviation professionals and experts, however, unanimously feel there is no way the newbies can take on dominant players like IndiGo or the two airlines from the stable of the Air India Group Air India and Air India Express. Captain C S Randhawa, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots, is quite critical of the decision. Stating that the newbies can never break the duopoly exercised by the existing airlines, he added, All these three airlines have neither enough funding nor expertise. The best of airlines have not survived. No regional airlines have survived in this country. These airlines are not a threat to any operating airlines in the country as they cannot survive on non-UDAN routes. They face the challenges of finances, aircraft leasing, pilot availability, sustainability, competitive fares and reliability, he stated. The government needs to get fuel under GST and give subsidies to encourage big corporate houses to enter aviation with a big bang to break the monopoly or duopoly. Regional airlines only increase regional connectivity. There is an urgent need for the government to have a relook at the aviation policies of the country, Captain Randhawa explained. He also claimed that Alhind had shut its Kochi office and terminated all employees. Shank Air was still struggling to obtain certification for Air Operator Certification and get aircraft on lease, he added. Training the specific pilots to operate the ATR aircraft or smaller aircraft would take more than eight months. The average life of a regional airline is approximately 3-7 years. Therefore, such airlines starting up with 1 or 2 aircraft fail in prolonged operations and shut shop, he added. Aviation expert Captain Mohan Ranganathan gave zero chances of the new airlines offering any competition. Where are the captains? The title of a 1971 Robert Stirling novel 'Shell Never Get Off the Ground' is apt to describe their situation, he said. A representative of the other leading pilot association, Airline Pilot Association of India, told TNIE, Where are the big aircraft for these airlines to start their operations? IndiGo presently has 434 aircraft and it took them two decades to reach this position. The new airlines need to lease A320 aircraft only from them. Orders placed at Boeing by Air India for the 737s are getting delayed. It will take the new airlines at least two decades to reach the position of these airlines. Spicejet and Akasa Air have been around for some time but they have between 20 and 30 aircraft each and cannot match up to the airlines yet, he added. Captain G R Gopinath, who pioneered the low-cost airline concept in the country through his Air Deccan, said, Permitting new airlines to operate is good for the country as the industry will become more vibrant. The public stand to benefit as the prices will be kept under check. Airlines will become more effective and service-minded. It is good that the government is doing it and it will benefit all. In an earlier interaction with TNIE in Kerala, Alhind CEO Reena Abdul Rahiman said the Thiruvananthapuram-Kochi-Kozhikode sector was their priority. To facilitate this, the company had started a base in Kochi airport as early as August 2024. Alhind Air will begin its operations with two ATR 72-600 aircraft, with plans to scale up to seven within the first year. Alhind Air is also mulling operating in certain routes under the UDAN scheme like Kochi-Mysuru, the airlines operations manager T C Vivek had informed TNIE. Alhind Group, with a turnover of over Rs 20,000 crore and more than 130 offices in India and overseas, is headquartered in Kozhikode and has a regional office in Delhi. This reporter repeatedly tried reaching the offices of Alhind and Shank Air but got no response.
New Mayors, municipal chairpersons take charge in Kerala
V.V. Rajesh takes over as the first BJP Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, four United Democratic Front Mayors, three of them women, take oath in Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur, and Kannur Corporations. The lone LDF Mayor, O. Sadasivan, sworn in as Mayor of the Kozhikode Corporation
CAT Result 2025: Check full list of toppers, know complete IIM admission process
The IIM Kozhikode released the CAT 2025 result, and candidates can check their CAT result by visiting the official website of CAT 2025. The exam authority has also released the list of CAT toppers, and many candidates have scored perfect 100 and 99 percentiles.
Speed boat service launched in Kozhikode
The service will be operated between Kozhikode beach and Beypore to promote adventure tourism
Congress leaders V K Minimol, Niji Justin, P Indira and A K Hafeez elected Mayors of Kochi, Thrissur, Kannur and Kollam; O Sadashivan of CPM in Kozhikode
BJP State Secretary and Kodunganoor ward councillor VV Rajesh elected as first BJP mayor in Kerala
The Bharatiya Janata Party achieved a historic win in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. V V Rajesh became the mayor, marking the BJP's first municipal corporation victory in Kerala. The United Democratic Front secured victories in Kollam, Kochi, and Thrissur Corporations. The Left Democratic Front won in Kozhikode, and the UDF is set to lead Kannur.
Airports witness 7% surge in passenger traffic during November 2025 over same period last year
NEW DELHI: Airports across the country have recorded a 7% increase in passenger traffic during November 2025 as compared to the same month last year, according to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Air Traffic data for last month has just been released by the Authority. Over 3.79 crore flyers were recorded in the country last month, of which a little over three crore were domestic flyers. The overall international growth in the month was 7.5% (70,60,493 vs 65,69,934) while the domestic growth was 7% (3,79,51,054 vs 3,54,52,122) over the compared month last year. The domestic passenger traffic in relatively smaller airports has been in healthy double digits highlighting the aspiration for air travel among the non-metro population. Despite the negative publicity for Goa due to its taxi monopoly, overpriced hotels and overcrowded beaches, international patronage to the tourist haven has shot up by 31. 4%. A total of 20,479 flyers travelled last month as compared to 15,581 flyers in November 2024. Its domestic patronage has taken a beating with a 10.5% dip in flyers with just 5.4 lakh passengers from other States visiting it last month. The number was 6.1 lakh visitors in November last year. While the biggies have seen moderate growth, relatively smaller airports have recorded a growth of over 30% international passengers in November this year over the patronage witnessed in the same month last year. Bhubaneswar has seen a growth of 30.5% (14,220 flyers) Tiruchirappalli has 39.9% (19,402 flyers), Varanasi 40.4% (16,070 flyers) and Mangaluru 35.4% (76,579 flyers), Indore has doubled its patronage with a 99.9% growth (8,902 flyers as compared to 4,454 earlier) while Pune has seen a 49% patronage with 30,633 flyers. Among the major airports in the country, Bengalurus Kempegowda International Airport continues its steady international growth with 6,42,647 passengers, a 27.3% increase in November 2025 vs November 2024. Hyderabad too has seen significant patronage with a 21% growth (4,86,126 flyers). Mumbai has seen a 6.5% (14,61,956 flyers) Chennai 6.1% (5,03,589) growth while Delhi has seen a 3% increase (19,07,845). Domestic picture On the domestic front, these airports have recorded a substantial growth with the patronage figure in the bracket Agra 77% (26470 flyers), Kozhikode 34.3% (16,90,918 flyers); Tiruchirappalli 50.9% (65,297); Tirupati 30.7% (1,08,441); Kannur 35.8% (35,637), Gaya 38.7% (27,862), Belagavi 32.1% (32118) and Indore 26.6% (27862). Hindon airport has seen a 2998% growth! It is 1,22,381 flyers versus 3,950 last November. Adampur (Jalandhar) has seen a 319.7% surge with 13,595 passengers, Rewa has recorded 179.9% surge (949 flyers) Jaisalmer 121.5% growth (43,971) while Bhuj has seen a 110% growth with 26,687 flyers. The Air Traffic Movements (Arrivals and Departures) have seen an increase of 7.3% with 40,909 ATMs recorded in November 2025 over November 2024. The freight growth too is a healthy 15.6% with 337.45 thousand tonnes versus 291.84 thousand tonnes in the compared period.
IIM Kozhikode has officially announced the CAT 2025 results on 24 December 2025, where a total of 12 candidates secured a perfect 100 percentile, while many scored 99.99 percentiles. Among the toppers is Vinayak Agarwal, who scored staggering 99.99 percentile in CAT 2025.
Alternative Options For Students Who Scored Less In CAT 2025
CAT 2025 results announced by IIM Kozhikode highlight 12 perfect percentiles. IIMs and 93 other institutes will use scores for MBA admissions.
Pregnant woman branded with hot iron box by partner in Kozhikode
KOZHIKODE: A pregnant woman sustained serious burns after being allegedly assaulted by her partner using a hot iron box at Kodenchery in Kozhikode. The woman is currently undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital. She sustained serious burns on her hands, legs, and other parts of her body. The accused has been identified as Shahid Rahman of Peruvalli, Kodenchery. According to preliminary information, Shahid is allegedly addicted to drugs and also involved in the use and sale of MDMA. The victim and the accused had been living together for the past one year after the woman reportedly left her home following a relationship with him. Sources said the woman had been subjected to continuous physical and mental abuse for the past six months. In a disturbing revelation, the victim stated that Shahids violent behaviour had instilled fear even in his own mother, who was allegedly driven out of the house by him a week ago and is now living with her daughter. It is also reported that the pregnant woman had been confined inside the house for the past four days without adequate food. On the previous day, Shahid was taken into custody by Kodenchery police following a separate complaint related to creating disturbance under the influence of alcohol. He was later released. Soon after his release, he returned home and carried out the brutal assault on the pregnant woman. The victim initially received treatment at Thamarassery Taluk Hospital and was later shifted to Kozhikode MCH due to the severity of injuries. She reportedly managed to escape when the accused stepped out, unlocked the door, and fled from the house. With the help of nearby residents, she was rushed to the hospital. Despite the gravity of the incident, there was no immediate police action to nail the culprit. No case has been registered so far. However, the Kodenchery police said they have launched a search for the accused. They added that further probe will be initiated based on the womans statement.
IIM-Kozhikode declares CAT results
Histories of theatre often remember movements, institutions, and landmark productions. What they forget are the people in rehearsal rooms and backstage corners the women who acted, wrote, and sustained the stage, yet rarely entered official histories. For the Love of Art: The Lost History of Women in Kerala Theatre, Jayasree Kalathils English translation of Sajitha Madathils acclaimed Malayala Nataka Sthree Charithram, steps into this silence with urgency, restoring women to the centre of Malayalam theatres cultural memory. Widely recognised for its depth and courage, Sajithas original work traces womens presence in Kerala theatre from the late 19th to the early 21st century. These women were not just peripheral participants; they shaped performance traditions, labour practices, and political movements. Yet their contributions remained scattered or overshadowed by dominant male narratives. Jayashrees translation now brings this vital archive to English readers without flattening its texture or intent. Jayashree says she was looking for a book that was significant, genuinely engaging with a social-cultural or political question in relation to Kerala, and was drawn to Sajithas refusal to treat women as marginal. Instead, the book places women firmly at its centre as rightful creators and owners of its cultural capital. Sajitha begins by examining the structures that kept women away from the stage. Rather than repeating the familiar narrative of male actors performing female roles, she probes deeper anxieties around caste, morality, and respectability that rendered womens public performance suspect. The argument is incisive without being academic, and Jayashree preserves this clarity, allowing complex ideas to unfold with narrative ease. The book turns to the first women who entered the theatre despite stigma, surveillance, and exploitation. Sajitha writes about them not as romanticised pioneers but as workers negotiating family resistance and low wages to remain connected to their art. Among the most compelling figures is Palluruthy Lakshmi, The Anarkali of the Stage. Her hunger for performance was elemental. Sir, I cant live without singing Its like how we need water or air, she tells a policeman in a dramatised retelling, explaining why she left home. Even as tuberculosis confined her to bed, Lakshmi insisted on being buried in her stage costume a final gesture that captures the intensity of womens artistic labour in a society that offered them little security. But not all stories culminate in recognition. Sajitha is equally attentive to the women forced to leave the stage. One retired actor reflects: I cant tell you how it suffocates me, not being able to be on stage. And when I see drama troupe vehicles passing by... my heart breaks. This reveals the quiet cost of a system that treated womens artistic ambition as expendable. A significant section focuses on political theatre. The writer traces how Left cultural movements, particularly Kerala Peoples Arts Club (KPAC), expanded opportunities for performers like KPAC Lalitha, KPAC Sulochana, Nilambur Ayisha, and Adoor Pankajam. Their work shaped Malayalam theatres evolution, with figures like KPAC Lalitha carrying this legacy into cinema. Reflecting on the broader conditions of their practice, Sajitha writes: The experiences of these women show that they have made every effort to understand and apply the grammar of a medium they were not familiar with. Several women described theatre as consuming, like an ember smouldering slowly, yet impossible to abandon. The book concludes by charting how women gradually carved out institutional spaces theatre collectives and feminist groups as an ongoing, unfinished journey. Sajitha positions these women as the thinkers and innovators who formed the spine of Malayalam theatre. Jayashrees translation amplifies this clarity while retaining the earthy, textured voice of the original. For readers of gender studies, cultural history, or powerful nonfiction, For the Love of Art is indispensable. It asks us to look again at the stage this time with attention to the women who shaped it against all odds. The book is available on Amazon for `499 Theirchest hurtswhen they cant perform What first pushed you to write this book? I wrote this book in 2010. However, its roots go back to my earliest years in theatre. I began my long tryst with theatre in 1988, with the street plays of the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad. The discussions on gender between 1986 and 89 influenced me deeply, and they eventually took me to Kolkata to study drama. I was already an activist and a feminist by then. When I returned to Kerala and started reading theatre history, I realised there was nothing on women. That silence pushed me. I had studied theatre for my MPhil and worked on a project for the Kerala Sangeet Natak Akademi, and slowly, through research and interviews, the book began to take shape. When written records were scarce, how did you remain truthful to their stories? Each chapter demanded its own method. I had to read between the lines of existing texts, dig deeper, listen to memories, conduct interviews, and run surveys. I knew I couldnt rely on the usual method of writing theatre history, as those had ignored women in the first place. History keeps on growing. So, I added new findings to the second edition. While researching, was there a story or memory that stayed with you? There are so many. I vividly remember my conversations with actor M K Kamalam. She acted in just one film and chose to return to the theatre right after. Another is of an actress whose name I cant reveal because shes still living. She had to stop acting after marriage, and only returned to the stage at 60. She told me she would watch when vehicles of theatre troupes drive past her home in Kozhikode and weep, saying,My chest physically hurts that I cant perform.You can understand a whole life in that one line. Theres also my visit to KPAC Leela in 1991 or 92. Someone pointed me to what they said was her home. She opened the door but refused to acknowledge that she was KPAC Leela at all. I had to keep insisting, and only then did she finally speak so beautifully. But that denial, that refusal of her own artistic identity, broke my heart. I still think of Velukkutty Aashan, known for playing Vasavadatta at a time when men performed for women. His style shaped how women were expected to act. When he fell ill, and they needed someone for a fundraiser, they convinced Mavelikkara Ponnamma to perform. She told me,I had to become Velukkutty first, then Vasavadatta.What you can see is that men had determined how female characters should be played, even by women. When piecing together the lives of these women, what responsibility did you feel? It was a strong one. Ive always been a feminist, and whenever I asked male theatre artists about women, they would brush it off Oh, women havent done much. They were just there for money. Of course, money mattered as it does for anyone but when you talk to these women, you know thats not what kept them there. Thats why theirchest physically hurtswhen they cant perform. What was the most challenging part of writing a book of this scale, and what kept you going? Structuring it. Everything was scattered stories, interviews, fragments. Organising them into meaningful chapters felt overwhelming. The more I researched, the more the material grew. Eventually, I decided to structure the book by themes and periods so readers could follow it without getting lost. Convincing publishers and even people around me that such a book was necessary was another battle. But here we are. How do you see womens presence in Malayalam theatre today compared to the period you documented? I see a big change. More young women are studying theatre now and entering it simply out of passion. Theyre brave, hardworking and willing to work as a team. As someone inside the field, I have real faith in the coming generation. Is it the exact scale of change we once hoped for? Maybe not. But the change is definitely there. What do you hope English readers take away from this translation People in Kerala may know these women, but outside the state, almost no one is aware of their contribution to theatre. Theyre rarely spoken about, unlike the women artists from the Northern belt. I still remember the National School of Dramas Poorva festival back in 2003. There were mentions of women even from Tamil Nadu, but not Kerala. I hope Jayasrees English translation carries these stories further, to readers whove never encountered this lineage before. Even Anuradha Kapur said much of it was new to her, and Revathy described it as a powerful testament to womens courage and tenacity in theatre. Above all, I want readers to know these women were here working, shaping, and leaving their mark on theatre history.
CAT Result 2025 out at iimcat.ac.in; check steps to download the scorecard and more
CAT Results 2025 declared at iimcat.ac.in The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode has announced the CAT 2025 results on December 24, 2025. Candidates can access and download their scorecards from the official CAT website, iimcat.ac.in, starting at 6:00 PM. The results can be viewed by logging in with registered credentials.
Kerala SIR: Kozhikode North Assembly segment has highest voter exclusions in district
While 1,84,784 enumeration forms were distributed in the constituency, 23,709 were not returned, which is 12.83%. Political parties begin process to cross-check draft electoral roll in Kozhikode district
IIM CAT Result Live: Following the declaration of results, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) will begin the shortlisting process for the next stages of admission.
Delay in installing CCTV, GPS devices in school buses raises safety concerns in Kozhikode
Avalkkoppam solidarity meet to be held in Kozhikode on January 2
IIM CAT Result 2025: Check date, how to check and download scorecards and more
IIM Kozhikode will release the CAT 2025 final results tomorrow, December 24. The login link to access the scorecards will be active from 6 PM. Candidates can download their results by logging in with their application number and password on the official CAT 2025 website. This marks a significant step for aspirants.
A Must-Visit Cultural Experience This Season!
If there is one cultural destination in South India that deserves a place on every travellers calendar this season, it is the 13th Sargaalaya International Arts & Crafts Festival (SIACF). From December 23, 2025, to January 11, 2026, Sargaalaya Kerala Arts & Crafts Village transforms into a living, breathing celebration of art, heritage, flavour, and communityan experience that is as inspiring as it is unforgettable. 13th Sargaalaya International Arts & Crafts Festival (SIACF) begins from December 23, 2025, to January 11, 2026 Recognised as South Indias premier crafts festival, SIACF 2025 is expected to welcome o ver two lakh visitors, making it not just an exhibition, but a cultural phenomenon. Organised by Sargaalaya Kerala Arts & Crafts Village and managed by the legendary Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS Ltd.) , the festival continues to set benchmarks in responsible tourism and cultural excellence. Where the Worlds Crafts Come Together What makes SIACF truly extraordinary is its global soul rooted in Indian tradition. The 2025 edition brings together nearly 200 master artisans from 18+ Indian states, alongside celebrated craft practitioners from Belarus, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Russia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Taiwan. Walking through SIACF feels like travelling across continentseach stall revealing a story, a heritage, and a human touch that no machine can replicate. For anyone who values authenticity, craftsmanship, and cultural depth, this is an experience that simply cannot be missed. An Immersive Festival, Not Just an Exhibition SIACF 2025 is thoughtfully curated to offer far more than shopping. Visitors are invited to explore beautifully designed Handloom and Craft Theme Arenas, with special emphasis on Geographical Indication (GI)tagged products, making it a rare opportunity to witness Indias protected craft legacies under one roof. With over 100 exhibition and trade stalls, including works by National and State Awardwinning artisans, the festival offers an unparalleled chance to engage directly with creators and take home pieces of living heritage. Adding depth to the experience are the Tourism Expo and Tourism Talk Shows, where ideas, innovation, and the future of creative tourism come togethermaking SIACF equally compelling for professionals, students, and cultural thinkers. Fashion, Flowers, Food & Festivity From elegance on the ramp to colour in full bloom, SIACF 2025 celebrates lifestyle in its most artistic form. Handloom Fashion Shows and Childrens Fashion Shows bring textiles to life, while the Flower Show adds a visual spectacle that delights all ages. No visit to SIACF is complete without indulging in the much-loved Kerala Food Festivala culinary journey through authentic local delicacies, enriched with regional flavours from states like Rajasthan. Daily live cultural performances by renowned artists ensure that every evening at Sargaalaya feels festive, soulful, and memorable. For those who enjoy leisure amidst nature, pedal and motor boating along the serene Moorad River offers a refreshing pausemaking the festival a perfect blend of culture, relaxation, and adventure. A Festival That Makes a Difference Beyond its beauty and scale, SIACF stands out for its purpose. As a flagship rural tourism initiative, the festival plays a crucial role in empowering artisans, sustaining endangered crafts, and contributing meaningfully to the local economy. This vision is strengthened by the support of the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, NABARD, the Ministry of Textiles (through the Development Commissioners of Handicrafts and Handlooms), and the Indian Institute of Handloom Technology, Kannurensuring that every visit directly supports livelihoods and cultural continuity. The Perfect Family & Travel Recommendation Whether you are a culture enthusiast, a conscious shopper, a family looking for a meaningful holiday outing, or a traveller seeking authentic Kerala experiences, SIACF 2025 is an unmissable recommendation. It is rare to find a destination that seamlessly brings together craft, cuisine, learning, entertainment, and natureyet Sargaalaya does so effortlessly. Sargaalaya is not just a craft village; it is a celebration of human creativity and shared heritage, says Team Sargaalaya . Every visit helps preserve living traditions while empowering rural communities through responsible tourism. About Sargaalaya Kerala Arts & Crafts Village Set across 20 acres in Iringal, Kozhikode, Sargaalaya Kerala Arts & Crafts Village is a flagship initiative of the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, established in 2011. Developed on a Responsible Tourism model, it provides a permanent creative home for over 100 master artisans and features 27+ eco-friendly cottages, live craft demonstrations, and cultural spaces. Recipient of the National Tourism Award for Best Rural Tourism Project, Sargaalaya is widely regarded as one of Keralas most enriching cultural destinations. Sargaalaya Arts and Crafts Village: Towards a Global Cultural and Experiential Destination Sargaalaya Kerala Arts and Crafts Village at Iringal, near Vatakara in Kozhikode district, is envisioned to be developed as a globally benchmarked cultural, experiential, and interpretative destination for Malabar. The proposed development reimagines Sargaalaya not merely as a craft village, but as an integrated cultural institution that interprets regional heritage, nurtures creativity, produces knowledge, and anchors a wider tourism ecosystem across North Kerala. The focus is on creating a living cultural landscape where heritage, contemporary practice, tourism, and community livelihoods intersect. The development places strong emphasis on immersive visitor engagement through interactive craft zones, daily demonstrations, curated workshops, and guided interpretation. Craft spaces will be reconfigured to allow larger visitor participation, supported by a central craft emporium and dedicated workshops that enable skill development, innovation, residencies, and fair market access for artisans. These interventions ensure that crafts remain dynamic, living practices rather than static displays. At the heart of the project is the Cultural Experience and Interpretation Centre, conceived as the primary narrative anchor for Malabar. Through curated exhibitions, multimedia installations, immersive digital environments, and interactive archives, the centre will present Malabars maritime history, social reform movements, resistance traditions, ecological knowledge, and cultural pluralism, offering visitors a coherent entry point into the regions layered cultural landscapes. A series of thematic developments will structure the expanded Sargaalaya ecosystem. The Literature City will position Malabar as a living literary landscape through writers retreats, multilingual libraries, translation and publishing labs, literary residencies, and immersive experiences linking literature with place, memory, and social history. The Kalari Village, rooted in the martial traditions of Kadathanad, will integrate training, performance, research, wellness, and interpretation through traditional arenas, therapy centres, and an interactive martial arts museum. The project places strong emphasis on the documentation and preservation of performing arts, supported by digital archives, performance-capture studios, and immersive experience centres for art forms such as Theyyam, Kathakali, Kalaripayattu, and Mappila songs. A Living Heritage Programme will support artists through apprenticeships, fellowships, residencies, and contemporary collaborations, ensuring continuity alongside creative evolution. Sargaalaya is envisioned as a year-round cultural destination with robust performance infrastructure, including open-air amphitheatres, indoor auditoriums, flexible venues, and artist residency facilities. Regular performances, curated weekend programmes, and four large-scale annual cultural productions will ensure sustained activation. A flagship attraction, Malabar Symphony, is proposed as a large-scale light-and-sound hybrid immersive storytelling experience narrating Malabars maritime history, resistance movements, ecological consciousness, and cultural evolution. Conceived as a thirty-five-minute production staged twice daily, Malabar Symphony is proposed to be developed in collaboration with leading national and international artists, with concept and direction by Revathy, screenplay and narrative by Shankar Ramakrishnan, music composition by A.R. Rahman, sound design by Resul Pookkutty, technical direction by Alphons, theatre direction by Royston Abel, animation and visual effects by Aravind, and voice performances by distinguished artists including Mammootty, Manju Warrier, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Anoop Menon, Sayonara Philip, and Prithviraj Sukumaran. A dedicated Childrens Cultural and Experiential Zone will offer play-based learning rooted in Malabars cultural narratives and ecological contexts, integrating creative activity spaces, nature-linked exploration, and water-based learning experiences. Complementing this are structured workshops and creative learning programmes across crafts, music, theatre, movement, painting, and visual arts, catering to students, artists, tourists, and cultural professionals. The development adopts a hub-and-spoke tourism model, positioning Sargaalaya as the central orientation and interpretation hub for integrated cultural, riverine, coastal, literary, martial, and culinary circuits across Malabar. River-based journeys and water experiences will function as experiential corridors, foregrounding ecology, heritage, and local livelihoods. The ecosystem further includes curated food tourism and culinary experiences, including festivals and a floating restaurant rooted in Malabar cuisine; a handloom, design, and retail zone supporting innovation and contemporary applications of traditional textiles; a vibrant flea market strengthening the informal cultural economy; and facilities for social, cultural, and community events, conferences, exhibitions, destination weddings, and themed cultural ceremonies. To enable deeper immersion, the project proposes on-site accommodation and stay facilities designed in harmony with the landscape and local architectural traditions, supporting multi-day cultural tourism, artist residencies, research stays, and family travel. Through this integrated approach, the upcoming phase of Sargaalaya positions culture as core infrastructure for development, envisioning a globally relevant model for experiential, responsible, and knowledge-driven cultural tourism that interprets Malabar for contemporary and international audiences. www.sargaalaya.in Sargaalaya Kerala Arts & Crafts Village Iringal About ULCCS Ltd. Founded in 1925 by social reformer Vagbhatananda Guru, the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society Ltd. (ULCCS) is among Indias most respected worker cooperatives. With 18,000+ employees, 7,500+ completed projects, and global recognitionincluding a World No. 2 ranking in the Industry & Utilities sector by the World Cooperative Monitor for 3 yearsULCCS stands as a UN-recognised model for ethical, inclusive, and quality-driven development. If you are looking for one unforgettable cultural recommendation this season, SIACF 2025 at Sargaalaya is it.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ouided Bouchamaoui visits Nadakkavu school
KOZHIKODE:Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ouided Bouchamaoui visited the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls, Nadakkavu, on December 18as a distinguished guest of the Faizal and Shabana Foundation. The visit marked a significant and inspiring moment for the school community, students, and faculty alike, said a press release from the Foundation. During her visit, she held cordial interactions with the principal and headmaster of the institution, gaining insights into the schools academic environment, student initiatives, and institutional vision. She later engaged in an interactive session with the teaching faculty under the guidance of Dr Abdunassar, where discussions focused on innovative educational practices, student empowerment, and the role of schools in nurturing socially responsible citizens. Bouchamaoui appreciated the commitment of the teachers in creating an inclusive and enabling learning atmosphere. She expressed admiration for the projects holistic approach in strengthening confidence, leadership, and social awareness among students through education and creative engagement, the release added. Initiated by former MLA A Pradeep Kumar in 2008, the Promoting Regional Schools to International Standards through Multiple Interventions (PRISM) project was developed to elevate the quality of education in Government schools across Kerala and revive their lost glory and align them with international benchmarks through a range of meticulously planned interventions. The project encompasses a nuanced approach formulated to comprehensively address prevailing gaps and challenges faced by government schools. Formally initiated in 2007 and officially registered in 2012, Faizal & Shabana Foundation began as a charitable initiative of KEF Holdings by the entrepreneurial couple Faizal E.Kottikollon and Shabana Faizal and has evolved into a dynamic force for sustainable development. The Foundation works closely with other stakeholders in government, business and community to promote initiatives that help vulnerable sections of society.
CAT Result 2025 News Live: Where, how to check IIM CAT scorecard online when released
IIM Kozhikode has not yet announced the CAT 2025 results. The exam took place on November 30, 2025. The answer key was released on December 4, and objections were accepted until December 10.
Rooted in romanticism and shaped by journeys
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Artist Subin Abrahams paintings are rooted in memories, emotions and self-reflection. And his latest solo exhibition, Sole on the Soil, on display at Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan, stands as a testament to that. The exhibition brings together paintings that represent the natural world and the essence of village life. Though Subin portrays the realities and hardships of rural life, they appear nostalgic and serene. Maybe he was trying to convey, the hardship behind the idyllic. A sense of quiet melancholy runs through most of his paintings, reflecting what the artist calls a personal take on the Indian village life. Subin says he is strongly moved by the ideals of romanticism and the Barbizon school of art, particularly by the works of Vincent van Gogh, Jean-Francois Millet and John Constable. For him, these paintings are not merely scenery but something that has to be paid off with a emotional connection. Drawing from both personal memory and artistic traditions, his works try to articulate a connection between rural life and nature, always away from the chaos of busy city life. Subin has returned to painting after a hiatus of around five years, following his previous exhibition in Kozhikode in 2018. During those days, he used to work as an art teacher in a school and took on freelance assignments that came his way. Quoting Henry David Thoreau he notes, I would often find myself sitting quietly, pondering this marvel called life. For him, painting is a personal activity, born out of his many travels across the country. It is from this wanderings that Sole on the soil was born. The title, he says, implies his way of realistically portraying nature. And it is a way to bring his thoughts and feelings to the light. Most of the paintings at the exhibition emerged from his observations during travels and everyday, mundane encounters he made in the villages. I am always a person who loves to visit different places and meet the people who live there. It is not just about enjoying the architectural and aesthetic beauty of a place, he says. His works bring back an element of the classical to the Renaissance, especially the pastoral paintings that were prominent in the 18th century. It is not just the West, Subin is equally fascinated by the 10th to 14th century Chinese paintings, where landscapes are spellbinding in their beauty. However, he adds, Indian art does not have landscape painting traditions compared to the West or China. Instead, nature often appears as a miniature element supporting the Mughal and Pahari paintings, he informs. Through his works, Subin is attempting to engage the audience with nature as a central emotional space. Apart from the village beauty, the last session of the exhibition also portrays a few rough sketches capturing the lives of fisherfolk in rural Thiruvananthapuram. They are from real-life observations. A product of visits to the coastal areas that left deep imprints on my mind. There is something common about the uncertainties faced by both the rural farmers and the fishermen, he says. That is why he wants to concentrate on the realities faced by the fisherfolk in Kerala in future. The exhibition concludes on December 24.
Kozhikode: Beypore set to host international water fest from December 26
KOZHIKODE: Beypore is preparing for three days of colour, competition and coastal celebration as the fifth edition of the Beypore International Water Festival will begin on December 26. The festival is spread across six locations in and around the historic port town in Kozhikode. One of the key highlights this year will be the international kite festival, which is expected to see participation from flyers representing five countries. The countdown to the festival will begin on December 25 with a cycle rally from Kozhikode city to Beypore. The closing day on December 28 will feature a marathon run from Chaliyam to Beypore. In the days leading up to the main event, a series of sports competitions have been scheduled with beach football tournament on Tuesday and beach volleyball on Wednesday. The football tournament will be inaugurated by MLA Linto Joseph at Beypore Beach at 5.30 pm. Eight teams each in the mens and womens categories will compete, with prize money of `12,000 for the winners and `8,000 for the runners-up. The festival will feature activities including kayaking, sailing, dragon boat races, surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, jet skiing, flyboarding, dinghy races and traditional country boat competitions.
Kerala local body poll results: Congress, CPM consolidate position in strongholds
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress, that secured the highest vote share of 29.17% in the recently concluded local body election put up its best performance in its traditional strongholds such as Idukki, Ernakulam and Pathanamthitta, going by the district-wise data released by the State Election Commission on Monday. The party clocked its highest vote share of 38.60% in Idukki followed by 37.34% in Ernakulam and 37.06% in Pathanamthitta. Malappuram, which is the bastion of its ally Muslim League saw the party registering a vote share of 16.81%. Kasaragod was the only other district where the Congress vote share fell below 20%. UDFs second biggest constituent the Indian Union Muslim League performed well in its stronghold Malappuram where it bagged 35.11% of votes. Its second best performance was in Kasaragod where it polled 17.93% of votes. The party also clocked a vote share of above 15% in Kozhikode. For the CPM, its bastion Kannur gave the party its highest vote share of 38.82%. The only other district where the party garnered above 30% votes was Palakkad (33.93%), closely followed by Thiruvananthapuram (29.40%) and Alappuzha (29.26%). Kerala local body polls: UDF makes history, sweeps panchayats, corporations; NDA secures Thiruvananthapuram The partys lowest vote share of 17.66% was registered in Kottayam. CPI, the second biggest constituent in the LDF, saw its vote share crossing the two digit mark in Kollam where it garnered 13.68% of the total votes polled. The party also performed well in Idukki where it registered a vote share of 9.09%. Two factions of the Kerala Congress the Kerala Congress (M) in the LDF camp and Kerala Congress in the UDF camp secured overall vote shares of 1.62% and 1.33% respectively in the civic polls. The Jose K Mani-led Kerala Congress (M) with 11.92% vote share in Kottayam bettered its rival the PJ Joseph-led Kerala Congress which had to settle at 9%. However, in Idukki, Kerala Congress with 8.21% vote share fared better than the KC(M) at 6.22%.
Devotion helps Danish chart hearty comeback
KOZHIKODE: Life has come full circle for singer Mohammed Danish Malappuram, who after getting caught in the crossfire of controversy is now steadily reclaiming his space in Keralas devotional music landscape. A sound engineer and native of Padinjattumuri, Malappuram, Danish shot to fame and notoriety with the viral parody song Pottiye Kettiye Swarnam Chembayi Mattiye, inspired by the popular Swamiye Ayyappa chant. Written by Nadapuram-based expat G P Kunhabdulla Chalappuram, the take-off emerged as a powerful, cost-free campaign tool on social media. But the attention it drew was far from harmless. The song sparked intense public debate, accusations of hurting religious sentiments, and even a legal case. For Danish, the backlash was swift and deeply personal. Professional opportunities dried up, criticism mounted, and the singer found himself questioning his future in music. That phase tested me in every possible way, Danish recalls. There were days when I wondered whether music would still have a place in my life. Yet, time and faith appear to have rewritten his story. Today, Danish is back in the spotlight for reasons he never imagined during his darkest days. He is now busy lending his voice to Ayyappa devotional songs, with his first such recording dedicated to Sree Muthukurussikkavu Ayyappa temple. The temple committee has announced that the song will be played every morning as part of its daily rituals. Ironically, the very genre that once placed Danish at the centre of controversy has now become his bridge to renewal. His voice is now in demand for both traditional and contemporary Ayyappa bhajans, and other Hindu devotional songs, with many recognising a new emotional depth in his singing. This feels like a blessing, Danish says. To sing Ayyappa songs after everything that has happened feels like healing. Music has a way of correcting paths. Devotion is universal, he says. Whether its an Ayyappa song or any other religious hymn, the emotion is the same: Surrender, faith and hope. Fellow artists say Danishs journey mirrors a fragile reality in the age of viral fame and instant backlash. He has matured as a singer and as a person, says a composer who recently collaborated with him. Theres sincerity to his voice now that connects deeply with devotional music.
Irina Krush the commentator has a 10 out of 10 experience at the GCL
The American Grandmaster is glad to be in India again after her first visit in 1998 for the World junior championship in Kozhikode
Kerala NEET PG counselling 2025 round 2 seat allotment results are out on cee.kerala.gov.in. Over 1,000 candidates secured postgraduate medical seats, with MD Radiodiagnosis and MD General Medicine at GMC Kozhikode being highly sought after. Those allotted must report by December 30 or opt for upgradation to retain their chances.
IIM Kozhikode has released the CAT 2025 final answer key, with only one objection accepted. Candidates can now anticipate the release of their scorecards, marking the next step towards the Written Ability Test, Personal Interview, and Group Discussion stages of the admission process.
Cashing in! UPI transactions soar as Keralas digital aspirations take flight
KOCHI: Its a digi-tell all! In a clear pivot from cash, Kerala is increasingly taking to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) figures reveal that 444.9 million UPI transactions were processed in the state in November, marking a 29.6% year-on-year increase. The value of these transactions rose 28.6% to `59,793 crore. Per capita usage climbed to 12.7 transactions a month, up from 9.8 a year earlier, indicating not just wider adoption but also more frequent use. Over the past three years, rising merchant acceptance, expanding smartphone penetration and a sustained, state-supported push towards cashless behaviour have together reshaped everyday money interactions in Kerala. The states performance mirrors a broader national surge. An NPCI-Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report released at the Global Fintech Festival 2025 highlights the scale of UPIs expansion across India. As of August, the country had 504 million unique UPI users nearly half of the adult population and close to 65 million merchants accepting UPI payments. UPI now accounts for 84% of all digital retail payments, with monthly transaction run rates 34% higher than a year ago. Within this nationwide expansion, Kerala contributes around 4% of Indias total UPI transaction volumes, placing it between ninth and eleventh nationally, depending on the month. Larger states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu continue to dominate the top tier with double-digit share of the pie. In several pockets, UPI is already the default mode. In others, adoption is rising sharply, said Indraneel Ajitkumar Pandit, executive vice-president and chief digital officer, Federal Bank. Kerala stands out for its exceptional engagement among senior citizens, with digital literacy among the elderly reaching near-universal levels through systematic campaigns, he added. UPI-first state ESAF Small Finance Bank executive director George K John described Kerala as a true UPI-first state, citing women-led digital participation through Kudumbashree networks, senior-citizen digital literacy initiatives and near-universal merchant QR code adoption as defining features. In urban centres such as Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Thrissur, UPI penetration is close to universal, especially for small-ticket payments across retail, transport, healthcare, hospitality and education. Merchant acceptance is extremely high, with even micro-merchants routinely using QR codes, he pointed out. According to Madhavankutty G, chief economist, Canara Bank, Keralas broader socio-economic profile also plays a role. It is a state with a high degree of consumerism. Banking penetration is very high, implying the number of bank accounts per capita is well above the national average, he said. High levels of urbanisation and internet penetration further support digital payments, while the large migrant workforce using UPI to send money to home states adds to transaction volumes, he added. Indraneel also pointed to the growing link between digital payments and credit growth. Studies show that business loan growth has a strong correlation with UPI adoption. Districts recording over 100% UPI growth reported a 4.2 times higher CAGR in business loans, he said. EMI collections and debt repayments through UPI have doubled over the past two years, underlining the rise of high-value and recurring transactions on the platform.
With fewer stops and higher earnings, KSRTC premium fleet drives revenue
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KSRTC has shifted into high gear with its premier revenue earners, particularly the new premium superfast AC services that stop at fewer stations and generate higher earnings per kilometre (EPKM). Despite operating on fewer routes, the premium services have significantly boosted collections. KSRTC recorded its highest-ever single-day revenue of Rs 11.53 crore on December 15, nearly Rs 3 crore more than last year. Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar attributed the rise to improved operational efficiency, highlighting the strong performance of premium services. Though premium AC buses account for a small share of the fleet -- only 60 are currently in service -- they contribute disproportionately due to higher fares and strong demand. The fleet is set to expand further, with 120 new buses to be inducted soon. While KSRTC has not implemented a general fare hike, premium superfast services levy a 5% surcharge over regular superfast buses. To make the service more attractive, running time has been reduced and passenger amenities improved. Compared to regular superfast services, the number of stops has been cut by more than half. On National Highways, stops were reduced from 107 to 44, while on MC Road they came down from 108 to 46. Fewer stops have also helped cut fuel costs. According to official estimates, each bus station visit consumes 3-4 litres of diesel. Services such as the Lightning Express, which stop at only one location per district, have emerged as major revenue earners. These measures have reflected positively on EPKM. Before the Covid pandemic, KSRTCs EPKM stood at Rs 38.56. By August 2025, it had risen to Rs 49.58. To further improve earnings, KSRTC has reduced idle buses in garages and reviewed operations on less profitable routes. Services covering nearly 50,000km were modified to enhance revenue, while an additional 36,000km were discontinued. All 93 depots have been assigned revenue targets, which are closely monitored by the chairman and managing director, an official said. Further optimisation is planned with the rollout of an AI-powered schedule management system next year. Payroll, HRMS and fuel ERP systems will be integrated with the new platform. Launched a year ago, the premium superfast AC services have proven profitable, earning daily profits of around Rs 10,000 per bus. Encouraged by the response, KSRTC has steadily increased the fleet from an initial 10 buses to plans for nearly 200. The services currently operate on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram-Palakkad routes. KSRTC has also added fast passenger, superfast, fast passenger link, sleeper and seater-cum-sleeper services to its fleet.
Newly elected Kozhikode Corporation councillors take oath
Violations at entry, exit points endanger traffic flow on Kozhikode bypass road
Gen Z and the fading Christmas, New Year card tradition
Vendors selling Christmas cards in Kozhikode are no longer able to drive sales as they once did, as a significant shift in gifting habits has occurred due to the generational gap
Mili Mohan to be Kozhikode district panchayat president; K.K. Navas vice president
BJP gains in city, fails to make a mark in rural Kozhikode
The party could not improve its tally in municipalities and could win only 17 of the 1,343 wards in 70 grama panchayats
Multi-crore online fraud: Crime Branch squad in search of 20 more suspects
Police confirm the involvement of a big racket behind the fraud in which many job seekers from the rural areas of Kozhikode district were cheated.
IIM Kozhikode will soon release the CAT 2025 result of 2.58 lakh candidates at the iimcat.ac.in. Check here latest and live updates on CAT exam result 2025 including cut offs, toppers and IIM selection criteria here:
CAT 2025 Result: IIM Kozhikode has released the CAT 2025 final answer key, with results expected between December 19 and December 29, 2025 on iimcat.ac.in. This follows the submission and evaluation of 187 objections, with only one challenge accepted. Candidates can now anticipate the release of their scorecards, paving the way for the next stages of the selection process.
Take in rustic life: Vadakkanadu farmers novel idea to guard the crops a big hit
KOCHI: For urbanites, who want an escape from the fast and restless city life, it is a rare opportunity to recharge and rejuvenate. Enjoy the cool breeze, blend with nature, and share space with singing birds, squirrels and monkeys. If lucky, you can also sight marauding wild elephants. The novel idea launched by the farmers of Vadakkanadu in Wayanads Sultan Bathery has become a roaring hit, with youngsters from far-away cities flocking to the village to guard the crops. Paddy cultivation is labour intensive and the farmer has to stay awake during the last 30 days when the crop ripens from milk to grain. It is a tough task to guard the crop from wild elephants, deer and wild pigs during the season. Often the farmers are forced to harvest the crop before it ripens. Offering a relief to the farmers who are desperate to save the crops, Paul Mathews, chairman of the High Court-monitored task force for reporting and implementing solutions to man-animal conflict, has introduced volunteers to guard the crops. Paul Mathews posted a video on social media inviting youngsters to guard crops staying in tree huts on a daily basis. The response was overwhelming. Youngsters from Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thrissur flocked to Sultan Bathery to shoulder the responsibility. It was a mind-blowing experience, said Sunil Titto, a software professional settled in Pune. I saw the social media post and arrived in Sultan Bathery in the first week of December. There were two youngsters from Thrissur with me. We stayed awake through the night in turns, watching for the entry of elephants. Only some deer were spotted. It was cool and the weather was pleasant, he said. The scenic beauty of Vadakkanadu I have been cultivating paddy in my 4 acre farm land for the past four decades. In recent years we are unable to reap the fruits of our labour due to the increasing wild animal menace. Big herds of wild elephants enter the field and destroy the crop during night. The arrival of volunteers to guard the crop has been a big relief, said Jayamani, a farmer. Paul Mathews had moved an application in the High Court seeking direction to the forest department to step up vigil during the harvest season. As the department expressed helplessness citing lack of funds, he advised farmers to seek the help of volunteers to guard the crops. We have laid down strict guidelines for deployment of volunteers. Youngsters interested in helping the farmers should book the dates through a WhatsApp group and arrive at the spot before 5 am. They should climb atop the tree hut before dusk and should not get down before dawn break. They will not be allowed to lit fire or consume liquor. They should bring food and blankets. We will provide them with torch to keep watch over the fields. If the elephants arrive, they have to make noise and alert the farmers, said Paul Mathews. Wayanad has around 17,000 hectares of paddy fields which are surrounded by forest. There are hundreds of tree huts along the fringe areas and the farmers are planning to extend the project to more areas. After day long labour, we are not able to keep watch on the crops during night hours. So if some people volunteer to keep watch on the wild animals, it will be a big relief. We are not charging the volunteers for the night stay and will provide basic facilities, said Jayamani.
IUMLs southern push pays dividends
MALAPPURAM: Once regarded as a party largely confined to the Malabar, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has steadily expanded its reach to emerge as one with a statewide presence. Significantly, the party has, for the first time, won representation in all 14 districts. In the local body elections, the League secured 3,203 seats, including 2,843 under its ladder symbol. With a tally of 2,248 grama panchayat members, 300 block panchayat members, 51 district panchayat members, 36 corporation councillors and 568 municipal councillors, it now ranks third among parties in terms of total seats, behind Congress and CPM. In the 2010 local body elections, IUML secured 1,904 seats, with its strength concentrated mainly in north Kerala. By 2020, the party recorded moderate growth, raising its tally to 2,111. In 2025, it marked a major breakthrough, with a sharp surge to 3,203 seats. IUML state general secretary P M A Salam said the partys growth over the years was driven purely by organisational strength. In the past five years, the League has increased its tally by nearly 1,000 seats. We have also strengthened our organisation in the southern districts and won around 80% of the seats we contested. No other party has such a record. In north Malabar, our supremacy is unquestioned. We won the Malappuram district panchayat without opposition, and in other northern districts of the state, we secured almost all the seats allotted to us, he said. The party won all three district panchayat seats it contested in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram. Even Pathanamthitta, where it had no representation, returned seven members. After a gap, it won two seats each in the Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram corporations, three seats in Kochi corporation, and doubled its strength in Kozhikode corporation from seven to 14. Buoyed by its performance, the League is now staking a claim for deputy mayor posts in Kollam and Kochi, in addition to its existing positions in the Kozhikode and Kannur corporations.
Digitisation of SIR forms completed in Kozhikode
Forms received by the deadline will be included in the draft electoral roll, scheduled for publication on December 23
O. Sadashivan, S. Jayasree to be LDFs nominees for Mayor, Deputy Mayor in Kozhikode
Sahamithra project to transform Kozhikode into a disabled-friendly district
CAT result 2025 expected to be released soon at iimcat.ac.in: Direct link to download here
The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode is set to announce CAT 2025 results soon on its official portal, iimcat.ac.in. The results, reflecting scaled scores and percentiles, will form the basis for shortlisting candidates for WAT, GD, and PI at IIMs and participating institutes. Aspirants are advised to check scorecards carefully and rely only on official updates.
Digitisation of SIR enumeration forms nearing completion in Kozhikode
Watch: Air India Express flight makes emergency landing in Kochi after tyre failure
A major aviation mishap was averted after an Air India Express flight from Jeddah to Kozhikode was diverted to Kochi following a technical snag mid-air. Post-landing checks confirmed that both right-side tyres had burst.
Jeddah-Kozhikode AI Express Flight Makes Precautionary Landing at Kochi
An Air India Express spokesperson said that the Jeddah-Kozhikode flight was diverted to Cochin International Airport and made a precautionary landing due to suspected damage to the aircraft's tyre
7,210 Kudumbashree women race to victory in local body polls
17,082 Kudumbashree members contested the local body elections; Kozhikode has the highest number of winners, 709
AI Express flight makes emergency landing at Cochin airport due technical issues
An Air India Express flight from Jeddah to Kozhikode carrying 160 passengers made an emergency landing at Cochin International Airport due to a landing gear and tyre failure. The aircraft landed safely at 09.07 am under full emergency conditions, it said
Air India Express' Emergency Landing In Cochin Over Landing Gear Issues
An Air India Express flight from Jeddah to Kozhikode with 160 passengers carried out an emergency landing at the Cochin International Airport here on Thursday due to issues involving its landing gear and tyre failure, an official said.
Air India Express flight makes precautionary landing at Kochi after tyre bursts
KOCHI: An Air India Express flight from Jeddah to Kozhikode, carrying 160 passengers and crew, made an emergency landing at Kochi airport on Thursday morning after it was diverted following a technical snag involving tyre bursts. Air India Express flight IX 398 touched down safely at Kochi airport at 9.08 am under full emergency conditions. Upon receiving the landing information at 8.35 am, CIAL (Cochin International Airport Ltd) immediately activated its Emergency Response Plan. The authorities mobilized all relevant operational units, including Airport Fire & Rescue Services, medical units, and security personnel, and positioned them along the runway as a precautionary measure. External stakeholders, including State Fire & Rescue and State Police, also joined them in keeping a high alert and ready to face any eventuality, an airport spokesperson said. With all the emergency services activated, the aircraft landed safely at 9.08 am. A post-landing inspection by technical teams confirmed that both tyres on the right-side landing gear had burst. The runway was cleared and released for operations by 9.45 am, and the first departing flight took off at 9.48 am. Six incoming flights experienced delays, with three diverted to alternate airports, and five departures were rescheduled. Airport operations, including arrivals, departures, and ground handling, soon returned to normal.Despite the mechanical failure, no injuries were reported among the 160 passengers or the crew. The aircraft was safely taxied off the runway, which was subsequently inspected for debris and released for normal flight operations shortly thereafter. All operations were coordinated according to standard procedures, and it is a relief that all passengers and crew are safe and being transported to their destination, said CIAL Managing Director S Suhas IAS. Air India Express confirmed that the precautionary landing was due to suspected tyre damage, likely caused by a foreign object on the runway at Jeddah Airport. Our Jeddah-Kozhikode flight was diverted to Kochi and made a precautionary landing due to suspected damage to the aircrafts tyre, likely caused by a foreign object on the runway at Jeddah airport. The aircraft landed safely at Kochi, and all guests are being connected to Kozhikode by road. Safety remains our highest priority, said an Air India spokesperson. However, a section of passengers protested when the airlines informed them that they would be transported to Kozhikode by road.The authorities initially assured us that we would be flown to our original destination in Karipur after a brief halt. However, once the passengers disembarked, the airline shifted its stance, stating we will be transported by bus instead, said an agitated passenger. Many cited health concerns and the exhaustion of an unexpected road trip following an already stressful flight. We've arrived here for a short vacation, and now find ourselves losing out on an extra day. At least they could have accommodated us in another flight to Calicut instead of the tiring road journey, said another passenger.
Jeddah-Kozhikode AI Express Flight Makes Precautionary Landing
KOCHI, Dec 18: A Kozhikode-bound Air India Express flight with 160 passengers made a precautionary landing at the airport here on Thursday due to issues involving the aircrafts tyres, an airline official said. An Air India Express spokesperson said that the Jeddah-Kozhikode flight was diverted to the Cochin International Airport and made a precautionary landing due to suspected damage to the aircrafts tyre likely caused by a foreign object on the runway at Jeddah airport. The aircraft landed safely in [] The post Jeddah-Kozhikode AI Express Flight Makes Precautionary Landing appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Air India Jeddah Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Tyre Failure
SRINAGAR: An Air India Express flight, IX 398, travelling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Kozhikode, made an emergency landing at Kochi airport on Thursday morning after a technical issue with the right main landing gear and tyre failure, The Hindu reported. Carrying 160 passengers, the aircraft touched down safely under full emergency protocols at 9.07 []
Air India express jet makes safe landing in Kochi amidst gear trouble
Kochi: An Air India Express flight from Jeddah to Kozhikode with 160 passengers carried out an emergency landing at the Cochin International Airport here on Thursday due to issues involving its landing gear and tyre failure, an official said. The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), in a statement, said that it successfully facilitated the safe Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Kerala cabinet clears relief measures, pay hikes and major development decisions
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state cabinet on Wednesday approved a range of welfare, administrative and infrastructure-related measures. The cabinet sanctioned an additional Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund to Bineesh M, a Harbour Rescue Guard from Kasaragod district who lost his leg in an accident during night patrol duty. This is in addition to the Rs 55,000 assistance granted earlier. In a move benefiting employees under the Scheduled Tribes Development Department, the cabinet approved an increase in honorarium for staff working in 18 Model Pre-Schools. Teachers will now receive Rs 13,000 per month, while ayas or helpers will get Rs 9,000. To strengthen healthcare infrastructure, the cabinet sanctioned posts for the first phase of the Institute of Organ Transplantation to be set up in Kozhikode. The approved posts include 14 professors, seven associate professors and 39 assistant professors. A transplant coordinator post will be retained at the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. The cabinet also approved the implementation of a pension scheme for employees of the Malabar Cancer Centre in association with LIC. Accepting the recommendation of the Kerala State Backward Classes Commission, the Cabinet decided to include the Balija, Kavarai, Gavara, Gavarai, Gavarai Naidu, Balija Naidu, Gajalu Balaija and Valai Chetty communities in the state OBC list. It also approved the opening of new regional offices of the Kerala State Minorities Development Corporation in Kottayam and Alappuzha. The cabinet granted exemption from stamp duty and registration fees for registering the lease agreement between KINFRA and BPCL for 74 acres of land in Palakkad for establishing a petroleum, oil and lubricants terminal and related facilities. It also approved increasing the retirement age of employees of Oushadhi from 58 to 60 years. Subject to conditions, the Cabinet approved a government guarantee for a Rs 190.22-crore loan through NABARD for constructing the second IT building at Kozhikode Cyberpark, along with an additional Rs 100-crore guarantee for the State Womens Development Corporation. Permission was also granted to purchase a bus for the Alappuzha Government Nursing College.
Organ donations reach five-year high in Kerala; 21 contributions recorded this year
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Deceased organ donations in Kerala have climbed to a five-year peak, with 21 contributions recorded this year, signalling renewed public confidence in a programme that has often faced criticism. The two contributions were instrumental in pushing the tally to a record high of 21 this year. The surge was driven by the families of two donors who were declared brain-dead in separate accidents. Thiruvananthapuram native K Satheesh, principal of a Higher Secondary School, was one of them. Kozhikode native V K Sreebith, Law Secretary at the Women and Children Hospital, was the other. Both men, in their fifties, were declared brain-dead on December 12 and 13 respectively. Sreebiths children, Geethika S Sreebith, an MBBS student, and Rithu Geeth, a BTech student at IIT Kharagpur, insisted on donating their fathers organs to save lives. To expedite the process, they shifted him from Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram to a tertiary private hospital. The family even approached the Health Ministers office to ensure brain death certification and facilitate the donation. A programme rebounding from decline The deceased organ donor programme had hit a low in 2024, with only 11 donations. Public trust had eroded due to frivolous petitions against hospitals and doctors involved in brain death certification and transplantation, as well as misleading portrayals in cinema. This was in sharp contrast to 2015, when the programme recorded 76 donations. In response, the government empowered the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organisation (K-SOTTO), the nodal agency for transplantation, to restore credibility. Despite state efforts, government medical colleges remain underutilised in cadaver organ donation. Public attitude toward organ donation has changed for the better. People now realise that in cases of brain death, organ donation is the right path, said Dr Noble Gracious, executive director of K-SOTTO. Over the past year, K-SOTTO has conducted extensive awareness campaigns and organised brain death certification workshops for doctors. Yet, reluctance among medical professionals persists. There is a law and clear guidelines on brain death certification. But doctors remain hesitant to take responsibility. If ICU doctors adopt brain death certification as routine practice, Kerala will transform dramatically, Dr Noble emphasised. Despite state efforts, government medical colleges remain underutilised in cadaver organ donation. With the exception of institutions like Kottayam Medical College, progress has been limited. Over the past five years, private hospitals have consistently secured up to 20 donors annually, while government facilities managed only two.
E-double-deckers soon for Thrissur and Kozhikode
Bid to protect Rice bowl of Vadakara as a community reserve
Project aims at conserving Cherandathur Chira, a nearly 600 acre wetland, in Maniyur grama panchayat in Kozhikode that serves as a habitat for several migratory birds
Two youths killed in motorcycle accident near Kozhikode beach in Kerala
Two others who sustained grave injuries in the accident admitted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital
IIM CAT final answer key 2025 expected to be released soon at iimcat.ac.in: Check details here
The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM-K) is set to release the CAT 2025 final answer key soon, following the evaluation of objections raised against the provisional key. This definitive key will guide score calculation and percentile determination, marking the final step before results. Candidates can access it on iimcat.ac.in and should monitor the portal for updates.
Man held on charge of online fraud in Kozhikode
HC dismisses PIL challenging Kozhikode- Wayanad tunnel project
Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samity had challenged the environmental clearance accorded by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to the Public Works department for the project that is expected to reduce travel time between the two districts
IUML 'purification ritual' at panchayat office in Kozhikode sparks Left protests
KOZHIKODE (Kerala): The CPI(M)'s youth wing DYFI on Tuesday carried out a march to the Changaroth panchayat office here in protest against the alleged purification ritual carried out by IUML activists at the local body a day ago as its former president hailed from the Dalit community, police said. Police said that the protest was peaceful and there was no tense atmosphere prevailing in the area. It also said that the LDF will be holding a protest march to the panchayat office in the evening. Police further said that no complaint in connection with the alleged purification ritual has been received by it till now. It said that on Monday, a group of UDF activists, as part of their victory celebrations, sprinkled some green-coloured water outside the panchayat office and swept the ground there. Visuals of the incident aired on TV channels showed a few persons, carrying Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) flags, sprinkling some kind of water on the ground in front of the local body office and sweeping the place with a broom. The former panchayat president, Unni Vengeri, claimed that IUML activists were behind the incident. IUML is a key constituent of the Congress-led UDF opposition in Kerala. Vengeri said he did not see any Congress activists taking part in the incident, but some of them were watching it from the nearby road. He contended that in three of the four panchayats the UDF won from the LDF, no such celebrations were held. The only difference in Changaroth panchayat is that a member of the Dalit community was the president here, so if anyone assumes it to be a casteist insult, can they be faulted? he asked while speaking to a TV channel. It is emotionally hurtful, he added. He recalled that during the previous five years of LDF rule in the local body, the panchayat functioned by including all communities. There will be non-cooperation from the opposition's side, but unlike the Congress, the IUML acted with a particular agenda, Vengeri claimed.
CPM-SDPI understanding in Azhiyoor: Congress leader Mullappally
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader Mullappally Ramachandran has alleged that an open understanding between the CPM and the SDPI in Azhiyoor panchayat of Vadakara reflects the degeneration of the ruling party and demanded that the chief minister respond to the issue. Mullappally said that despite being one of the largest parties in the panchayat, the CPM managed to secure only 10 votes in Azhiyoor first ward and just seven votes in the 20th ward. He claimed this was indicative of a nexus between the CPM and the SDPI. He alleged that the understanding was reached through discussions between the SDPI and the CPM leadership in Kozhikode district, and that a leader close to the chief minister played a key role in facilitating the talks. Mullappally said the chief minister, who alleged compromises with both majority and minority communalism while indulging in revolutionary rhetoric on public platforms, must now offer a clear ideological explanation on the matter. He further claimed that after a decade in power, the CPM has become isolated from the people and is moving along the Bengal model. Referring to Bengal, he said the CPM, which ruled the state for 34 years, was eventually rejected by the people.
LDF blames minority consolidation for Kerala local body poll loss; rejects anti-incumbency factor
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rejecting anti-incumbency factor, the CPM and the CPI the two leading partners in the LDF have blamed minority consolidation in favour of the Opposition UDF and cross voting by the Congress and the BJP in select areas for the drubbing suffered by the ruling front in the local body polls. Based on preliminary reports from the district leaderships, the CPM state secretariat assessed that the Christian community deserted the LDF in the four central Kerala districts of Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki, while the Muslim votes worked against it in the Malabar region. It attributed LDFs setback in Thiruvanathapuram and Kollam corporations to cross-voting between the Congress and the BJP. According to the CPM, the Christian community, cutting across denominations, largely shifted allegiance to the UDF in central Kerala. Party leaders cited Ernakulam as a striking example, where the LDF suffered unexpected setbacks in Kochi corporation and Ernakulam district panchayat. The shift they said, also adversely affected the LDFs vote sahre in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki. LDF suspects Cong-BJP cross-voting in TPuram and Kollam corporations The widening rift between the Church and the general education department was the primary trigger for the alienation, the CPM felt. Church-run school managements had demanded parity with a Supreme Court order obtained by the NSS on job reservations for differently-abled persons in private aided educational institutions. General Education Minister V Sivankuttys warning to managements against threatening the government is believed to have exacerbated tensions. The development prompted all Christian denominations to take a critical stance against the government, which got reflected in the voting, the secretariat felt. The CPM, however, rejected CPIs suggestion that the Kerala Congress has lost its organisational base in Kottayam. Post LSG poll debacle, bruised Left front starts introspection However, this trend did not significantly impact districts such as Thrissur, Kannur, Kozhikode and Kasaragod. It further assessed that a tacit understanding among the Jamaat e Islami, IUML and Congress consolidated Muslim votes in favour of the UDF, the CPM secretariat assessed. At a press conference, CPM state secretary M V Govindan questioned the claims that Muslims had deserted LDF, pointing out that it secured around 10 lakh votes in Malappuram. However, party insiders acknowledged concern over LDFs failure to secure presence in Malappuram district panchayat. CPI, in its assessment, said Muslim consolidation against LDF was intensified by two factors: CPMs failure to distance itself from the remarks of SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, perceived as hostile to Muslims and apprehensions that special intensive revision (SIR) could adversely affect the community. The higher voter turnout worked against LDF, it said. In Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam corporations, both parties suspect tactical cross-voting between Congress and BJP aimed at defeating LDF. Govindan alleged that in 41 wards won by BJP in Thiruvananthapuram corporation, Congress polled less than 1,000 votes, suggesting strategic voting. CPI state secretariat identified similar pattern in Kollam corporation too. CPI felt that lack of action against former TDB president A Padmakumar had sent a wrong message to believers that the government has something to hide. However, CPM rejected any impact. Govindan asserted that action would be taken against Padmakumar only if the court found him guilty.
LDF, UDF begin post-poll deliberations in Kozhikode
While the LDF has much to ponder over the drubbing in some of its traditional strongholds, the UDF is elated about the more-than-anticipated victory of its candidates across the district
Beypore gears up for water fest
Contestants from five countries are expected to take part in the kite festival, one of the major attractions of water fest; cycle rally from Kozhikode to Beypore on December 25 to herald the start of the festival
Charging crisis sparks trouble for e-rickshaw drivers in Kozhikode city
They say the memorandums submitted to State ministers, seeking more charging points, have been ignored for more than six months
UDF comeback to reshape political balance in Malabar
Though LDFs core base remains unshaken in Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, and Palakkad, the Opposition front has drastically overturned the ruling fronts hegemony established in the previous local body polls in 2020
Southern neglect in UDF leaves IUML irked
MALAPPURAM: The IUML has voiced deep dissatisfaction over what it describes as inadequate representation in southern Kerala within the UDF, warning that the issue could have wider implications for future seat-sharing arrangements. IUML state general secretary P M A Salam told TNIE that despite being denied seats in five district panchayats in the southern region, the party delivered a stronger electoral performance than several UDF constituents an apparent reference to the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP). IUML was denied seats in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Idukki and Kottayam. Instead they were allotted four seats altogether in Ernakulam, Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram. IUML was allotted only four seats across the southern district panchayats, but we won three of them. In Kollam, another UDF constituent was given four seats but managed to win only one, Salam said. He pointed out that the party chose not to explore alternative political alignments despite what it sees as continued marginalisation. We could have entered into local alliances with other parties in the southern districts, but we chose to contest independently. That was not the approach adopted by the Congress, he said. Drawing a contrast with northern Kerala, Salam said Malappuram remains a stronghold of IUML, where the party ensured generous seat-sharing with the Congress. Our workers worked hard for Congress victories in Malappuram. Unfortunately, the same spirit of mutual respect was not extended to us in the south, he said. Salam said the party would raise these concerns at a high-level IUML meeting scheduled to be held in Kozhikode on Monday. The question of demanding a larger share of seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections will also be taken up soon in UDF, he added. He also attributed the CPMs electoral decline to what he described as a Left Hindutva approach. The CPM attempted to play communal politics by cozying up to SNDP general secretary Vellappally Natesan to consolidate Hindu votes, alienating the Muslim community. As a result, Muslims voted for the UDF, while a section of Hindu voters shifted towards the BJP, Salam said.
Post LSG poll debacle, bruised Left front starts introspection
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Left reeling after the local body poll debacle, a battered LDF has set in motion a thorough review of its electoral performance. Calls have already begun from within the front for deep introspection and course correction, similar to the exercise it undertook after the 2019 electoral defeat. Both the CPM and the CPI state secretariat meetings on Monday and the LDF meeting scheduled on Wednesday are set to explore measures to win back the ruling fronts lost mass base. A quick analysis by the CPM leadership feels that the Sabarimala issue and failure to reach out to the grassroot level led to the electoral backlash. The party should seriously introspect why it lost in strongholds like Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and certain pockets of Kozhikode, said a CPM state committee member. Its a fact that campaigns initiated at the top level never reached the grassroots. Naturally, attempts to expose a supposed Jamaat-SDPI-League axis failed miserably. Similarly, with regard to controversies like the Sabarimala gold theft, the party failed to reiterate an effective campaign narrative that could convince the common man. Sabarimala being an emotional issue, it served as a catalyst for the anti-incumbency factor, the leader said. Calls for introspection have already begun in the LDF. CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam, in a social media post, called for peoples suggestions and opinions on what went wrong with the LDF. Obviously, the intent is to set in motion the wheel of course correction. CPM central committee member Thomas Isaac has come out with a social media post saying that the party would explore whether the people were misled by any lapses. The CPM assesses that there was considerable erosion in the Hindu votes. We failed to gauge peoples sentiments On one side we failed to weaken the Muslim League. There was a Muslim consolidation in favour of the UDF, especially after the global Ayyappa meet. So, it clearly backfired. On the other, the Hindu votes got divided between the three fronts. Moreover, the BJP was able to garner a section of Christian minority votes too in some pockets in central Kerala, said a CPM leader. Leaders feel while anti-incumbency played a crucial role, a slew of other factors like PM SHRI too could have contributed to the poll drubbing. More than the anti-incumbency factor, it was Sabarimala that eroded peoples trust, said a senior CPI leader. We failed to gauge the peoples sentiments. Though the government implemented several welfare and development measures, we couldnt take it to the people. Earlier the Left used to succeed in sensing the peoples pulse. It seems that has come down drastically, he said. A multitude of factors contributed to the Left debacle, feels political observer Professor Sajad Ibrahim. An obvious anti-incumbency against the 10-year-rule got multiplied by a slew of other factors. Contrary to the belief that the BJP would make inroads only into the Congress fold, this time around, the saffron party was able to eat into the CPM base too. The Lefts over-confident posturing, weakened campaign politics coupled with the Sabarimala fiasco too seem to have played a role. Moreover, the party should have stayed away from gimmicks like the Ayyappa meet and last minute pension hike, he said. Many in the LDF feel that the front should have projected good governance of the last 10 years as its primary poll plank, rather than training guns on Muslim minorities. Similarly over-dependence on community leaders for support went against the Left narrative that has been winning peoples trust for long. Though the welfare pensions were a great move, the Sabarimala effect nullified it. With assembly polls coming up, the Left is likely to begin the process of course correction with elaborate house visits, political explanation campaigns, reaching out to the masses thus winning back, not just its mass base but its lost face too.
Red fortresses tumble as UDF scripts a comeback
KOZHIKODE: For decades, some panchayats were spoken of in political shorthand as safe, solid, and sealed. The 2025 local body results tore up that vocabulary. Voters, it appears, had other plans. One by one, long-held Left bastions slipped, and the UDF walked in through doors once thought firmly shut. At the district panchayat level, the contest was finely balanced, with the UDF securing 14 seats, narrowly edging past the LDFs 13, while others claimed one seat. Though the numerical difference is slender, the political symbolism is substantial. The UDFs performance in municipalities further strengthened its position. Out of seven municipalities, the front captured four key civic bodies Feroke, Koduvally, Payyoli, and Ramanattukara establishing a clear upper hand in urban local governance. These victories underline the UDFs renewed appeal among urban and semi-urban voters, a segment where the LDF had made notable inroads in recent years. However, it is at the grama panchayat level that the political shift becomes most pronounced. The UDF surged ahead with 39 seats, compared to the LDFs 27, while four panchayats witnessed a tie. What makes these results particularly relevant is the dramatic return of Chemanchery and Perambra panchayats to the UDF fold after more than two decades of sustained Left control. The UDF has also reclaimed power in Cheruvannur, further denting the LDFs rural strongholds. Shafi factor The result is widely interpreted as a strong expression of anti-incumbency sentiment, intensified by recent political protests and evolving electoral dynamics. A defining issue in the UDFs campaign was the alleged lathicharge on Congress MP Shafi Parambil during a UDF protest in Perambra town. The incident triggered widespread public outrage and became a central campaign plank for the opposition. Reacting to the verdict, Shafi Parambil described the results as a direct rejection of the state government. The people rose up and decisively halted the government. This verdict is against the chief minister and the government itself, he said, calling the mandate the fuel for 2026. The UDFs momentum extended into the hilly regions as well. It registered a historic victory in Puthuppadi, capturing 21 of 24 wards, while making substantial gains in Thamarassery and retaining control in Kattippara. The LDF suffered a severe setback in Puthuppadi and failed to translate increased vote share into seat gains elsewhere.
IUML workers attacking our cadre: SDPI
KOZHIKODE: Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has alleged that the IUML is mounting attacks on its cadre at various parts of north Kerala after the declaration of the results of the local body elections. The party said that its leader Salim Punathil was attacked by IUML workers when he was returning home after the victory celebrations on Saturday. In a statement, SDPI said the attack was a result of conspiracy hatched by IUML leadership to create tension. The party had won the ward number two of Azhiyur panchayat with a good majority. The IUML is frustrated that the party failed to win in the panchayat. IUML workers had attacked SDPI activist Sabad V P also, said the panchayat committee in a press release. SDPI district president Musthafa Kommeri said the IUML workers have unleashed attacks on party workers at Manjeri and Vadakara municipalities and Muzhakkunnu grama panchayat in Kannur district. Meanwhile, MSF state general secretary C K Najaf said the SDPI and the CPM acted like bosom friends in the elections. Kerala has kicked out the communal organisation called the SDPI along with the CPM in the elections, he said in an FB post.
Reality check: CPM faces recalibration Dilemma
KOZHIKODE: If you wanna call out, call out all religious fundamentalism, screamed a Facebook post from a CPM sympathiser agitated over the double standard of painting the BJP victory in Thiruvananthapuram as communal while refusing to see the IUML victory in Malappuram along the same lines. Speak class politics. Address labourers, students, women, and Gen Z. And come back, wrote another party sympathiser on social media, calling for a complete course correction in the party. These two contrasting reactions from CPM fellow travellers speak volumes on the existential angst the party has been undergoing for the past few years. The results of the local body elections have proved that the Muslim community has completely moved away from the party and the efforts to woo Hindu voters have not yielded desired results. The CPM strategy of singling out the Jamaat-e-Islami has boomeranged, resulting in the consolidation of Muslim votes against the party. Muslim intellectuals say the party has failed to understand the changes in the dynamics within the community, especially after the Sangh Parivar came to power in 2014. They say the community no longer cares about their internal differences and by and large is ready to bury the squabbles in the face of the looming threat from the Sangh Parivar. The IUML is the greatest political beneficiary of the unity of the Muslim community, as evident in the past few elections. The CPM game plan of targeting the Jamaat-UDF alliance did not succeed because it was seen as a move to thwart the unity among the Muslims. The IUML could overcome all organisational issues easily by asserting the need to stand united. The PDP and the INL -- the two Muslim organisations aligned to the CPM -- could not do much in the polarised environment. Leaders like K T Jaleel and P T A Rahim, who helped the party in the past to make inroads into the Muslim community, paled into insignificance because they were seen as CPM agents bent on disturbing the unity in the community. The future course of Kerala politics will largely be a reaction to the reality of the Muslim consolidation and the CPMs reaction to the phenomenon. Some voices in the community believe that it is not ideal to play the victim card for political gains because that would only result in the further alienation of Muslims in society. But it is quite unlikely that the IUML, which has tasted the benefits of the polarisation, will go for a rethink in the immediate future. What will the CPM do to overcome the crisis? Will it amplify the slogan of Muslim fundamentalism louder with the help of people like SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan? There is a strong feeling among CPM sympathisers that keeping Kerala secular is not the burden of the party alone and that it cannot stand mute witness while communalism is being used politically against the party. But there is also a segment in the party which believes that the CPM should return to its core content of addressing the basic issues concerning the people rather than getting involved in communal polemics. These questions will become louder as the state moves closer to the assembly elections. Consolidation vote puts CPM at a crossroads The CPM has come to recognise that Muslim consolidation against the party is a political reality, but remains uncertain about how to respond to it. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has emerged as the principal beneficiary of this consolidation and is expected to reinforce the trend ahead of the assembly elections. Muslim intellectuals argue that the CPM misread the communitys internal dynamics, noting that concerns over the Sangh parivar pose a greater unifying factor than internal differences. Within the CPMs support base, opinion is divided. While one section believes the party should avoid communal polemics, another contends that silence is untenable when communal mobilisation is directed against it.
LDF, UDF on the hunt for mayoral candidates in Kozhikode Corporation
The LDF will not be able to rule the Corporation without the support of at least a few councillors from either the UDF or the NDA; DCC president says UDF will put up a strong fight for the post of Mayor
Police tighten vigil in Kozhikode after firecracker explosion kills youth
