Shashi Tharoor wins Thiruvananthapuram seat

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Former UN undersecretary general and Congress party’s Shashi Tharoor won the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat by over 80,000 votes, making his debut in Indian politics.

Congress-led UDF wins two seats, ahead in 14 in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Saturday won two seats and was leading in 14 of Kerala’s 20 Lok Sabha constituencies, including the surprise win of its legislator K. Sudhakaran who ousted the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) from its bastion Kannur.

Leela Group set to open IT campus in Technopark

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Hospitality major Leela Group will soon open a Rs.100 crore state-of-the-art IT campus in the Technopark here, a top group official said.

Bharat Hotels, Kerala government to develop resort

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Kerala government will partner the Delhi-based Bharat Hotels to jointly develop a five-star beach resort with 45 cottages at picturesque Bekal in Kasargode district, it said Thursday.

Anti-terror squad has long meet with Maudany

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - A team from the newly-formed anti-terror squad (ATS) in Kerala arrived at People’s Democratic Party (PDP) supremo Abdul Nazir Maudany’s house in Kochi to record his statement, but the meet lasted several hours.

Oommen Chandy shrugs off allegations of ‘goonda leader’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Called a ‘goonda leader’ by State Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran, leader of opposition Oommen Chandy Wednesday defended himself, saying he had been a legislator for the past 38 years and in public life for the past 45 years and his ‘track record is clean’.

Jet Airways ties up with Kerala Tourism

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala Tourism has tied up with private carrier Jet Airways to offer ‘Jet2Kerala’, a special scheme that offers low-cost air tickets to domestic tourists flying to the state.

Governor to take decision on SNC Lavalin graft case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala Governor R.S. Gavai Monday said an ‘appropriate decision’ will be taken under constitutional provisions about the prosecution of senior communist leader Pinarayi Vijayan, an accused in the multi-million rupee SNC Lavalin corruption case.

Baseball catching up in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Baseball, the national sport of the US, is slowly but steadily finding a place in the sports curriculum of many educational institutions in Kerala.

Kerala chief minister not to step down: Ruling front

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Denying media reports that there was a crisis in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala, the ruling coalition said there was no question of removing Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan.

Achuthanandan asked to go? Politburo says it is rumour

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/NEW DELHI - The rift between Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan took an ugly turn Friday with the party’s state secretariat reportedly asking Achuthanandan to step down. The central leadership however dismissed these reports as ‘rumour’.

Opposition UDF meets Kerala governor in Lavalin scam

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Congress-led opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) submitted a memorandum to Kerala Governor R.S. Gavai that details the SNC Lavalin corruption case in which Communist Party of India-Marxist’s (CPI-M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan is an accused.

Congress-led UDF calls for shutdown in Kerala over Pinarayi clean chit

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) called for a statewide shutdown in Kerala today to protest against the State Government’s decision to deny the prosecution of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in the multi-billion SNC Lavalin case.

British tour operators in Kerala on familiarisation trip

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Several leading tour operators from Britain arrived here Monday for a four-day Kerala familiarisation trip.

Will Kerala government sanction Vijayan’s prosecution?

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala’s Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), will hold a crucial cabinet meeting Wednesday to decide if it should prosecute state CPI-M secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in a corruption case.

LTTE supporters attack Indian Army convoy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - An Indian Army convoy was attacked by Tamil Tiger supporters in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore city Saturday, a defence spokesman said here.

Kerala opposition demands Vijayan’s prosecution

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Leader of Opposition in Kerala assembly Oommen Chandy Saturday asked Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan to overlook the state advocate general’s opinion and give a nod to prosecute Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in the SNC Lavalin corruption case.

Director Chandran presents Suresh Gopi in a double role

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - National Award winning Malayalam filmmaker T.V. Chandran, known for off beat films, Thursday screened his 13th film ‘Bhoomi Malayalam’ that has action star Suresh Gopi in a double role and hopes that it appeals to his fans.

Malayalam film body threatens to go on strike

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - A Malayalam film technicians’ body Wednesday threatened to go on strike to protest what they call the ‘callous attitude’ of the movie producers association on discussion of workers wages.

Kerala to re-assess bid for Vizhinjam port development

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Kerala cabinet Wednesday asked the bid evaluation committee for the proposed Rs.53.48-billion Vizhinjam port to scrutinise the tender documents of the Mumbai-based Zoom Developers, whose bid had been rejected earlier.

Congress conspired to create terror, alleges CPI-M

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Communist Party of India-Marxist Tuesday accused the Congress of conspiring to ‘create terror’ in the Kannur district of Kerala on the polling day April 16.

Kerala cabinet to decide on Vizhinjam port contract

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Kerala cabinet will Wednesday decide whom to award the contract to execute the proposed Rs.53.48-billion port at Vizhinjam - the bidding process for which had been challenged in court.

Kerala to set up modern dairy farms to meet milk shortage

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Kerala government is working towards self-sufficiency in milk production by setting up four state-of-the-art dairy farms in the state on an outlay of Rs.20 crore.

People in Kerala begin buying gold on Akshaya Tritiya

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - People began buying gold jewellery from Monday morning here on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, considered an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar for buying long-term assets like gold, silver and real estate.

An Indian film delves into the murky world of child beggars

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - A forthcoming regional Indian film has taken a strong take on the plight of poor children in the country by delving into the lives of the child beggars.

Kerala Catholic church to strengthen its labour union

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) Sunday issued directions to the laity across the state to strengthen the labour union under the church and also set up labour self-help groups, in an apparent attempt to create a parallel labour movement in the Left-ruled state.

Kerala banks post marginal growth in advances

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Banks in Kerala have posted a marginal growth of 6.3 percent in advances from Rs.80,131 crore in June 2008 to Rs.85,174 crore as on Dec 31, according to the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC).

NRI deposits in Kerala banks grow to Rs.34,649 crore

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Deposits by non-resident Indians (NRIs) in Kerala banks grew from Rs.31,865 crore in June 2008 to Rs.34,649 crore as on Dec 31, 2008, according to the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC).

‘Deposits with Kerala cooperative banks to beat slowdown’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - State Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran Friday said the total deposits in the 1,614 cooperative banks in Kerala would keep increasing despite the slowdown and touch Rs.50,000 crore by November.

JD-S in Kerala heading for a split

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - With sharp divisions in the five-member legislature party of the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in Kerala over links with the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), it appears that it is only matter of time before the party’s state unit splits.