THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bio Connect 3.0, a two-day international conclave that is expected to generate investments of around Rs 200 crore in the life sciences sector, will begin in the capital on Thursday. The event, to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, will be presided over by Industries Minister P Rajeeve. Health Minister Veena George and secretary of the Central Technology Development Board Rajesh Kumar Pathak will be among the guests. Timothy Rowe, founder of the Cambridge Innov

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When Gopakumar (name changed) found himself in a financial crunch, he decided like many people to sell his land in the city for an influx of money. He approached several real estate brokers, but when the efforts proved futile, Gopakumar placed a classified advertisement in the newspaper. This proved helpful. Within days, he received a call from a man who introduced himself as Joshi. The latter expressed interest in purchasing the land Gopakumar owned and requested for a meeti

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keralas innovative V-Park project, which transforms idle spaces beneath flyovers into vibrant recreational zones, is set for a major expansion. The tourism department has now granted administrative sanction for new V-Park sites across several districts as part of the next phase of the initiative jointly developed with the public works department under the states design policy. Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas informed the Assembly that a list of 77 bridges has been prepared

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Work on the Sreekaryam flyover, a key preparatory civil work part of the ambitious Thiruvananthapuram metro rail project, is gathering pace, with the laying of the service roads set to begin soon. According to sources, around 90% of the stormwater drain construction has been completed. Giving impetus to the much-awaited project, the chief secretary-led high-level committee constituted to examine and finalise the alignment for the project being implemented by the Kochi Metro R

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Wednesday accused the Left government in Kerala of abandoning its own ideology and failing to safeguard workers rights. Inaugurating the Headload Workers Leaders Meet organised by the INTUC-led Headload and Loading Workers, Chennithala said the Pinarayi Vijayan government has adopted positions that deny workers even the right to organise and bargain systematically. He alleged that the states labour welfare boards have never been in

Back in 2017, a small group of rappers, including names now familiar, like Thirumali, Rakz Radiant, and Jay Stellar, gathered at Manaveeyam Veedhi, laid down their verses on a single track, and unwittingly kindled Keralas first hip-hop cypher. Since then, Thiruvananthapuram has been dubbed the unofficial hip-hop capital of Kerala. Notably, the states first and only hip-hop protest also took place here in 2019, when rappers, breakers, and poets turned a demonstration outside the Secretariat into

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday reaffirmed the state governments commitment to ensure safe and transparent migration for Malayalis across the world. He was speaking after inaugurating the Global Mobility Conclave organised by Office of the Protector of Emigrants under the Ministry of External Affairs in Thiruvananthapuram. Citing the findings of the Kerala Migration Survey 2023, the chief minister said migration patterns are undergoing a major transformation. Earli

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city corporation is gearing up to introduce a comprehensive plan to regulate street vending through designated vending zones and strict space limits. The operators of fast food trucks had approached the chief ministers office seeking intervention after the recent eviction of as many as 23 unauthorised food stalls along key stretches such as Sasthamangalam, Vellayambalam and Vazhuthacaud. Subsequently, they were directed to resume operations, mandating adherence to traffic

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Surprise inspections by the vigilance wing of the local self-government department (LSGD) found widespread irregularities in granting building permits and occupancy certificates, including unnecessary delays, rule violations and approvals without proper verification. The inspections, held on September 16 and 17, covered the main offices of the Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam corporations, 20 municipalities, and 26 panchayats. A total of 225 officials, organised into 48 teams le

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The two-month deadline set by the High Court to decongest the busy East Fort Junction in the state capital has ended. But the proposal to set up two more foot overbridges, one of the key recommendations to improve pedestrian safety, hangs fire because of a lack of clarity on the agency supposed to implement the project. According to the HC order issued on July 30, the state government had to begin the construction of two additional foot overbridges, one near the Chalai Road a

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Raising allegations of encroachment, former Thampanoor ward councillor R Harikumar has triggered a controversy over a plot of land and a building near the Sree Bala Subramanya Temple in Thampanoor. The Congress leader alleged that it has been encroached upon by the ONV Samskarika Samithi. However, Devaswom officials have denied any encroachment, stating that the land is under a valid rental agreement. According to Harikumar, the approximately five cents of land, which is unde

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Education should be seen as a tool for social transformation and not merely as a tool to secure employment, Governor Rajendra Arlekar said on Monday. He was delivering the convocation address at the Digital University Kerala (DUK) here. Addressing the students, the Governor called upon them to look beyond personal achievements and reflect on their role in nation-building. You will be judged by what you are doing for society, he said. The purpose of education requires re-calib

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A film shoot caused disruptions to public movement on Sunday as the MG Road stretch in front of the Secretariat remained blocked for nearly nine hours. The shoot of a film produced by Unnikrishnan B and starring Nivin Pauly began around 5 am and continued until 2 pm. Over 1,000 people, including crew members, supporting actors, and technicians, were involved in the shoot. With multiple vehicles, filming equipment, and crowd scenes occupying the road, city police diverted traf

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Every three months in Ottur panchayat, a swap shop is set up under the banner of the Vanitha Vedi of Mavinmoodu Navodaya Library. Clothes, utensils, toys, shoes, bags, even small electronics are brought in. Some people arrive to donate items. Others come to take home what they need. No money changes hands. The person behind the initiative is P Beena, former headmistress of Sreenarayanapuram Government UP School and current convenor of the vedi. The Ottur swap shops are a cont

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An Israeli tourist who was attacked on Saturday by a local man in Varkala has been shifted to a mental health facility at Peroorkada after doctors confirmed he was mentally unwell. The man, identified as Zayats Sagi, 46, had been wandering the streets of Varkala for several months without valid travel documents. We dont know when or how he arrived in Varkala. He was not staying at any hotel and had no passport or identity card. He had been living on the streets and carried on

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A special drive by the Thiruvananthapuram rural police identified loan sharks as five cases were registered and many documents were seized from different parts of the capital district. The special drive was carried out to control unreasonable high interest rates and curb illegal money lending activities following the orders of Rural SP K S Sudarshan. The drive, carried out on Friday covered multiple police station limits including Kallambalam, Pangode, Palode, Kilimanoor, and

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thiruvananthapuram is set to be free of extreme poverty by the end of this month, lifting 94.86 per cent of identified families out of the category. Out of the 6,250 families identified under the extreme poverty eradication programme, 5,929 have been brought out of distress. Among the identified families, 1,219 needed only shelter-related support. Of them, 332 were given new houses, while house renovation works are progressing for 505 families. Another 284 families who lacked

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has accused the CPM of betraying Hindu beliefs and Ayyappa devotees, calling their actions unforgivable. In a statement on Saturday, Chandrasekhar said, First, in 2018, they tried to destroy the culture of Sabarimala. Then we saw the arrest of Ayyappa devotees protesting against them. Now, they have organised an Ayyappa Sangam to deceive the people. All this has happened while gold is being stolen from the Sabarimala temple. He further

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A major drug trafficking gang has been arrested by the Thiruvananthapuram Rural Dansaf team on Friday. The four-member group was caught with 308 grams of MDMA, worth over `15 lakh in the market. The drugs were seized after two rounds of checking. Initially, 175 grams of MDMA was found hidden on one of the accused, a woman, during a body search. On further inspection, 133 grams more was found. The group had been under secret surveillance for some time. Those arrested are Shami

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Department (NORKA) in association with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will host the Global Mobility Conclave 2025 in Thiruvananthapuram on October 7 as it looks to set new benchmarks in ethical and innovative overseas recruitment. The one-day event, organised in collaboration with the Protector of Emigrants (Thiruvananthapuram & Cochin) at Hycinth Hotel, is expected to bring together voices from the government, international migratio

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram Kombans FC have announced their full squad and coaching team for the Super League season 2. The line-up combines experienced international players with young domestic talent. The teams jersey was unveiled and handed over to franchise owner T J Mathew by former state police chief Jacob Punnoose at the event held on Friday. The team will be led by Head Coach James McAloon, supported by Assistant Coach Kali, Goalkeeping Coach Balaji Narasimhan and Strength

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government is planning to open more Eco Banks across Kerala following the positive public response to the initiative launched recently to facilitate proper disposal of inorganic and non-biodegradable waste. Currently, there are 14 Eco Banks, one each in every district. Now, the local self-government department (LSGD) has decided to establish a minimum of four centres in each district to ensure hassle free service to citizens. Since the Eco Banks initiative was rolle

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram Additional District and Sessions Pocso court has sentenced Hassan Kutty, 45, also known as Kabeer, to 67 years of rigorous imprisonment in the case where a two-year-old girl was kidnapped and raped. A fine of `12 lakh has also been imposed. Hassan Kutty had been accused in a Pocso case earlier too. The incident happened on February 19, 2024. The girl was sleeping on the roadside near Chackai with her parents, who had come to Kerala from Hyderabad to sel

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A woman suffered injuries after a concrete slab fell from the roof of the Nedumangad District Hospital building on Thursday. The injured, relative of a patient, has been identified as Naufiya Noushad, (21). The incident happened while she was waiting with her relative to consult a doctor at the PMR section. The slab reportedly fell on her left arm and the back of her shoulder. Naufiya was admitted to the hospital soon. When an X-ray was required, the hospitals machine was fou

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capitals thriving street food culture, which has become a key part of nightlife in areas such as Sasthamangalam, Vellayambalam and Vazhuthacaud, is facing curbs and eviction following intervention by the police. There are over 100 food joints, including trucks and makeshift stalls, operating along these stretches serving budget-friendly meals for the public. Despite repeated demands, the city corporation has failed to designate street vending zones in the capital. Accordi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thousands of children made their first step into the world of knowledge and arts in the capital city on Vidyarambham day. The Vijayadashami celebrations, held in various parts of Thiruvananthapuram, saw toddlers write their first letters, some with tears, and some with wide smiles. Over 1,000 students participated in the ceremony at the Saraswathi Devi Temple at Poojappura, the most significant Vidyarambham centre in the district. The curious kids were taken to the new world

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar flagged off the sixth edition of the Fit India Freedom Run, organised by the Sports Authority of India (SAI LNCPE), Thiruvananthapuram, on Thursday. Marking the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi, the programme celebrated the twin ideals of Swachchhta and Swasthya (cleanliness and health), as over 700 runners, including students, athletes, coaches, officials, and SAI staff, lined up at the Kowdiar Square. The 5-km run concluded at the Central Sta

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Pravasi Federation has urged Air India to immediately withdraw its reported decision to cancel around 50 flight services to Kerala starting October 26. In a statement, the organisations leadership expressed deep concern over the move, warning that it would severely affect connectivity for the Malayali diaspora in the Gulf countries, especially Kuwait. According to the federation, if the decision is implemented, there will be no direct Air India flights from Kuwait to Kera

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Residents of Manickal panchayat in Venjarammoodu and nearby areas are growing anxious as over a dozen homes have been broken into in the past few months. Houses in Aaliyadu, Parakkal, Puthayam, Cheenivila and nearby pockets have been repeatedly targeted, with residents reporting almirahs flung open, clothes scattered, and cash drawers looted. In some cases, stolen items were bizarrely found dumped in other nearby homes. We initially ignored some incidents, thinking they were

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Union Minister V Muraleedharan said that the monastic tradition at Santhigiri Ashram reflects the vision of Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru, who upheld the relevance of sanyasa and Indian spiritual heritage as a path to self-realisation in society. He was speaking at the public meeting held at the ashram in connection with the 41st Sanyasa Deeksha Anniversary. Muraleedharan said that the Indian tradition considers a sanyasi as someone who works for the welfare of the wo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With local body elections fast approaching, Thiruvananthapuram corporation is gearing up to open two major multi-level car parking (MLCP) facilities at Medical College Hospital and East Fort this month. The new MLCPs are expected to ease traffic congestion and parking woes in two of the busiest parts of the capital city. Works standing committee chairperson Medayil Vikraman told TNIE that both MLCPs will be inaugurated before October 20. The new parking facility at MCH has th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A pillar at Vadakkekotta (North Fort) in Thiruvananthapuram, which stands just before the Government Taluk hospital here, was severely damaged after a vehicle crashed into it on Saturday. Maintained by the archaeological department, the pillar is at least 250 years old. The incident took place around 1.15 am when a trailer crashed into the pillar, said officials working with the archaeology department. They suspect that a possible deviation taken by the trailer due to the ong

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has hit out at a section of aided school managements that accused it of delaying approval of staff appointments citing implementation of a Supreme Court order on reservation for Persons with Disabilities (PwD). In a strongly worded statement, General Education Minister V Sivankutty urged the aided managements not to mislead the public on approval of appointments. The minister said the situation has arisen as aided managements have under-reported the vacan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A challenge to media freedom is a challenge against democracy and critical thinking, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday. He was speaking after the official inauguration of the International Media Festival of Kerala 2025 organised by the Kerala Media Academy at Tagore Theatre in the state capital. Pinarayi highlighted the mounting challenges faced by the media. Once, the media was regarded as a pillar of democracy. Now things have changed a lot. Critics of adminis

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The corporation council meeting held on Monday discussed flooding issues and the delay in opening of Veli breakwater that led to severe waterlogging in low-lying areas in the state capital in the recent rains. UDF councillor P Padmakumar, who raised the issue, said that various corporation wards lying close to the National Highways including Muttathara, Manickavilakam, Puthenpally, Thiruvallam and Vellar areas are facing severe waterlogging. The stormwater drains under NHAI a

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A father-son duo escaped from police custody on Sunday morning. Kulathupuzha natives Syedali, 22, and his father Ayoob Khan, 60, were accused of robbing three shops in Palode. They were caught from Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad on Saturday, and were being brought back to Palode by the police when the duo escaped near Kadakkal, Kollam. The accused said that they wanted to urinate while coming back early on Sunday morning, by around 4 am. The duo immediately escaped when the vehic

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Igniting young professional minds, the Shaping Young Minds Programme (SYMP) 2025, organised by Trivandrum Management Association (TMA), in association with the All India Management Association (AIMA), saw experts from various industries take part. The programme, which saw close to 1000 delegates, including invited guests, students, and young professionals, was held at the Uday Palace Convention Centre here on Sunday. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Air Marshal I P Vipin (

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The District Development Committee meeting held at the collectorate here discussed development programmes and schemes across various segments, including Kovalam, Parassala, Neyyattinkara and Vattiyoorkavu assembly constituencies and the Attingal Lok Sabha constituency. Vattiyoorkavu MLA V K Prasanth called for steps to repair the street lights in the city. He demanded the effective utilisation of land owned by the Kerala Water Authority in Peroorkada. He also called for more

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government will initiate steps to build a comprehensive ecosystem for senior citizens, Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh said in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. The minister was speaking at the Sherpa Senior Conclave organised by the Overseas Keralites Investment and Holding Limited (OKIH) at the Government Guest House. Mentioning the rising share of Keralas elderly population, Kerala State Planning Board member K Ravi Raman said the living conditions of senio

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Rajendra Arlekar on Saturday inaugurated Sammohan 2025, the second edition of a national festival that celebrates the creativity and resilience of children with disabilities. As many as 200 participants from eight states are taking part in the two-day event hosted at the Different Art Centre (DAC). The festival offers a platform for children to showcase their abilities in classical dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and magic. Special schools, national award-winning

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Parvathy Puthanar, the 18.5-km canal stretching from Kovalam to Akkulam, continues to lie choked with waste, weeds, and sewage, aggravating flooding in residential wards during heavy rainfall. Despite recurring flooding, pollution and a suo motu intervention by the Kerala State Human Rights Commission, the rejuvenation of the canal project drags on, making the capital vulnerable to flooding. In April 2025, the Kerala State Human Rights Commission registered a case suo motu, o

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: New Innings, a state government project to promote entrepreneurship among elders, has been formally launched. The government has sanctioned Rs 5 crore for the first phase, which will be used to provide financial aid, technical support and marketing backup to beneficiaries. New Innings was one of the two initiatives Healthy Ageing was the other announced by Finance Minister K N Balagopal in the 2025-26 budget to make the state old-age friendly. It aims to support elders havi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In what could trigger a new row between the government and the governor, the general education department has released its updated Social Science textbook for Class 10, which includes the governors role in a state. The new portions have been included in the second part of the textbook, under the ninth chapter, Janadhipathyam: Oru Indian Anubhavam (Democracy: An Indian Experience). Sharing the pages of the new portions, General Education Minister V Sivankutty wrote on Facebook

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Commuters and residents on Friday woke up to inundated roads and streets as heavy overnight rain brought the state capital to a standstill. The incessant rain that lashed the capital from Thursday evening continued till Friday morning hours, inundating Thampanoor, East Fort, Chackai, Vanchiyoor and other low-lying areas. The severe flooding was largely attributed to a delay in opening the Veli breakwater. It took several hours for the rain water to recede, forcing pedestrians

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the state capital continues to reel under the threat of flooding, the corporation is facing flak from different corners for their alleged inefficiency in resolving the issue. Criticism that the authorities have failed to make any solid intervention, apart from studies and ineffective pre-monsoon sanitation drives, to address the problem is mounting. With the local body elections fast approaching, the opposition parties are planning to use the issue politically against the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Heavy rains that lashed the state capital overnight threw normal life out of gear on Friday, with severe waterlogging reported in several parts of the city. The incessant downpour inundated roads, disrupted traffic, and triggered incidents of wall collapse, causing damage to property across the capital. Major stretches in Thampanoor, East Fort, Chackai, Vanchiyoor, and other low-lying areas remained under water for hours, causing significant inconvenience to the public. With

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a shocking incident in the capital, an anganwadi teacher was suspended on Thursday for slapping a two-year-old child at Parambukkonam here. The teacher, Pushpakala S, reportedly slapped the kid on Wednesday. The action was initiated against the teacher after a preliminary investigation, officials from the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department said. The incident came to the parents attention on Wednesday evening when they noticed marks on the childs face, following w

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ambitious Swadesh Darshan project at Varkalas centuries-old Janardhana Swamy Temple has come to an abrupt halt after the municipality issued a stop memo to the tourism department on Thursday citing procedural lapses, including lack of approval from the local body. The Rs 25-crore project, launched earlier this month, aimed at upgrading basic facilities at the temple, a major pilgrim centre that sees lakhs of devotees performing post-funeral rites and ancestral rituals at

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dead fish floating on the surface, unbearable stench. The Padmatheertham pond associated with the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple cuts a sorry figure. A favourite of devotees and local residents, the sacred pond has been in bad shape for weeks now. Every day, there are dead fish floating on the surface, said one of the vendors operating close to the pond. Executive officer of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple Trust, Mahesh B, said they consulted the fisheries department following

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Three cops from Kerala faced multiple challenges in their quest to nab a cyber criminal from Karnataka. In the end though, the men, fatigued but steadfast, got the last laugh as they brought the criminal back to the state and produced him in court. SI Sudeesh S L and civil police officers Mahesh and Sajad from the Thumba police station faced the ordeal on September 20 in Kalaburagi, where they had gone to arrest Prakash Eerappa, who is accused of swindling Rs 10 lakh from a r