http://www.samachaar.in Smachaar.in en-us 2010 Samachaar.In Tue, 08 May 2012 12:19:37 GMT Tue, 08 May 2012 12:19:37 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/_Awareness_campaign_on_marine_biodiversity_in_Kerala_May_22_128025 Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) will organise an awareness campaign on marine life in the nine coastal districts of the state May 22, on the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB). &nbsp... Tue, 08 May 2012 12:19:37 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/Judicial_custody_of_Italian_marines_extended_till_May_11_127864 Kollam (Kerala),  A Kerala court Monday extended till May 11 the judicial custody of two Italian marines arrested for shooting dead two Indian fishermen Feb 15 off Alappuzha.Italians Latorre Massimillano and Salvatore Girone were presente... Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:59:25 GMT http://samachaar.in/Business_and_Economy/90_percent_of_Kerala_homes_have_telephone_126594 Thiruvananthapuram: Almost 90 percent of households in Kerala have telephone connections (land line or mobile) in 2011, a staggering rise over the 19.1 percent in 2001, according to the house listing and housing Census conducted ahead of the Cen... Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:01:33 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/Kerala_health_firms_vaccine_project_mentioned_in_budget_126022 Thiruvananthapuram: The much-awaited Rs.594 crore Integrated Vaccine Complex (IVC) being implemented by Thiruvananthapuram-headquartered HLL Life Care Ltd got a shot in the arm Friday with Finance Minister Pranabh Mukherjee mentioning that a ne... Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:54:30 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/__Legislators_resignation_triggers_war_of_words_125646 Thiruvananthapuram: The sudden resignation of CPI-M legislator R. Selvaraj has sparked a war of words, with the party alleging he has been won over by Kerala's ruling United Democratic Front (UDF).  "Who does not know that the main a... Sat, 10 Mar 2012 10:17:27 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/_New_class_10_ICT_textbook_with_animation_and_GIS_125104 Thiruvananthapuram: For the first time in the country, class 10 students in Kerala would be taught cartography using the detailed geographical information system (GIS) and will also be able to create their own animation films.  The new te... Mon, 27 Feb 2012 06:04:33 GMT http://samachaar.in/Business_and_Economy/___Kerala_best_tourist_destination_shows_survey_124772 Thiruvananthapuram: For the second year running, Kerala has been rated the best tourist destination in the country, according to a survey.  The survey says: "Kerala topping the list is a no-brainer."   The survey was c... Sat, 18 Feb 2012 07:21:42 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/Two_shot_dead_by_Italian_ship_personnel_Kerala_announces_relief_124682 Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala cabinet Thursday decided to give Rs.5 lakh compensation each to the next of kin of the two fishermen shot dead by security officials of an Italian cargo vessel after being mistaken for pirates, a minister said as ... Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:11:27 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/Achuthanandan_appears_before_panel_over_sons_appointment_124580 Thiruvananthapuram: Leader of Opposition in the Kerala assembly V.S. Achuthanandan Tuesday appeared before a house committee probing if rules were flouted to appoint his son V.A. Arunkumar as a state-run IT institute's director when the veteran mar... Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:18:05 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/Kerala_minister_slams_Jayalalithaas_appeal_on_Mullaperiyar_123377 Thiruvananthapuram: P.J. Joseph, Kerala water resources minister and crusader for a new dam at Mullaperiyar, Saturday termed as a distortion of facts Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa's full-page advertisement in newspapers here claiming... Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:04:06 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/__Kerala_Muslims_celebrate_Eid_122914 Thiruvananthapuram: Muslims in Kerala Monday offered prayers at mosques and specially-built prayer centres across the state on the occasion of Eid-ul-Zuha.  Devout Muslims, dressed in their best, started arriving at prayer venues since ea... Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:00:34 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/Dont_revoke_AFSPA_in_Kashmir_Advani_122791 Thiruvananthapuram: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Saturday said his party was against the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir.The former deputy prime minister, who arrived here late F... Sat, 29 Oct 2011 08:13:56 GMT http://samachaar.in/Entertainment/__Mammootty_vows_to_avoid_liquor_in_films_122021 Thiruvananthapuram: Malayalam superstar Mammootty has produced a documentary that asks people to avoid liquor in Kerala, which has recorded the highest alcohol consumption in the country. He also said he would do his best to avoid liquor and not ac... Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:35:56 GMT http://samachaar.in/Sports/___Firm_aims_to_turn_Kerala_into_tennis_nursery_121657 Thiruvananthapuram: Terumo Penpol -- the country's largest manufacturer of blood bags -- has come out to support an innovative project to turn Kerala into a tennis nursery by promoting the sport among school kids.  For the past two years,... Tue, 06 Sep 2011 10:18:19 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/__President_Patil_to_lay_foundation_of_IGNOU_campus_121512 Thiruvananthapuram: President Pratibha Patil would Wednesday lay the foundation for the Rs.300 crore south zone campus of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) near this Kerala capital, a top official said Tuesday.  "Thi... Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:05:19 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/_Police_find_nuns_body_in_her_convent_121205 Thiruvananthapuram: A nun was found dead Wednesday morning inside a water tank at the convent where she resided in Kerala, police said.  Sister Mary Ancy was found dead at the Holy Spiritual Centre, located near the famed tourist destinat... Wed, 17 Aug 2011 06:55:38 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/___Mild_quake_in_parts_of_Kerala_120787 Thiruvananthapuram: A mild tremor measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale Tuesday hit Idukki and parts of Kottayam district of Kerala.  The quake was also reported near the Mullaperiyar dam, over which Kerala and Tamil Nadu are at loggerheads.... Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:27:00 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/__New_post_created_to_guard_Kerala_temple_treasure_120771 Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Tuesday created a new post of the rank of a superintendent of police to specifically protect the treasure estimated at Rs.1 lakh crore found in the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple here.  "We are looking into var... Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:20:48 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/___Income_tax_raids_on_Mammootty_Mohanlal__120605 Thiruvananthapuram: Income tax officials Friday raided the homes and offices of southern superstars Mammootty and Mohanlal across four cities.  Officials said seven teams of the income tax department began inspecting the premises of the a... Fri, 22 Jul 2011 05:46:19 GMT http://samachaar.in/Health/___Both_kidneys_damaged__girl_battles_law_to_survive_120554 Thiruvananthapuram: Born in an impoverished family, 17-year-old Jayasree had both her kidneys damaged at the age of 11, saw her father lose his mental balance and now, when she finally saw a flicker of hope after a priest came forward to donate his... Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:46:39 GMT http://samachaar.in/Sports/__Priyadarshan_eyes_stake_in_Kochi_Tuskers_120446 Thiruvananthapuram: Acclaimed director Priyadarshan Saturday said he is padding up to acquire a stake in the newly formed Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kochi Tuskers Kerala.  "I am interested in this team and to that extend, we ar... Sat, 16 Jul 2011 11:28:05 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/Achuthanandan_denies_appointing_son_to_crucial_post_120385 Thiruvananthapuram: Leader of opposition in the Kerala assembly V.S. Achuthanandan Wednesday denied that his son was appointed as the director of the an IT educational institute during his tenure as the chief minister, as alleged by some. &nbs... Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:22:23 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/Chandy_hospitalised_for_chest_infection_120221 Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was readmitted to hospital for a chest infection Friday after going to the assembly for a short while to hear his government’s first budget.  Chandy had been taken to the Medic... Fri, 08 Jul 2011 05:54:12 GMT http://samachaar.in/Business_and_Economy/_NRI_deposits_in_State_Bank_of_Travancore_up_118399 Thiruvananthapuram: After showing negative growth in 2009-10, non-resident Indian (NRI) deposits in Kerala's State Bank of Travancore (SBT) registered positive growth in the last fiscal, an official said Saturday.  The SBT has a represent... Sat, 30 Apr 2011 11:04:30 GMT http://samachaar.in/Business_and_Economy/___No_fund_crunch_for_Kerala_port_project_118377 Thiruvananthapuram: There will be no shortage of funds for the proposed port at Vizhinjam near here, the State Bank of Travancore (SBT) has said.  It was in November last year that the Kerala government asked SBT to form a consortium of b... Sat, 30 Apr 2011 09:01:00 GMT http://samachaar.in/Health/Kerala_doctors_who_performed_22_caesareans_shunted_118284 Thiruvananthapuram: Four Kerala doctors who performed 22 hurried caesarean deliveries in two days last week in order to go on long leave have been transferred from their place of posting, officials said Monday.  The state health departmen... Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:05:11 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/_Most_get_paid_holiday_on_poll_day_in_Kerala_117560 Thiruvananthapuram: With all set for the Kerala assembly polls, government employees and those working in non-service industry in the private sector, banks and some IT companies will get a paid holiday Wednesday to enable them cast their votes.&nbs... Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:00:31 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/___60000_officials_80000_policemen__Kerala_ready_for_polls_117540 Thiruvananthapuram: Over 60,000 poll officials and 80,000 policemen are on duty for the assembly polls that will begin at 7 a.m. Wednesday in Kerala, a state known to throw out the incumbent government every five years.  There are 20,758 ... Tue, 12 Apr 2011 08:07:20 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/Kannur_has_most_of_Keralas_sensitive_polling_booths_117497 Thiruvananthapuram: With all arrangements in place for Wednesday's assembly election in Kerala, a senior official said Monday that 3,703 polling booths have been identified as sensitive, with Kannur district topping the list with 1,257. "K... Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:39:15 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/___Seven_vs_seven_14_legislators_fight_each_other_in_Kerala_117198 Thiruvananthapuram: In seven Kerala constituencies, two existing legislators will take on each other in the assembly polls. So even before the results are declared, it is certain that only half of the 14 can make it back to the house again. &n... Mon, 04 Apr 2011 07:31:03 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/Demolition_man_Alphons_joins_BJP_Lead_116914 New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: K.J. Alphons, an independent Kerala legislator and former bureaucrat who earned the 'demolition man' sobriquet during his tenure as the head of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), joined the BJP Thursday and was mad... Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:44:49 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/_Three_leaders_desert_UDF_camp_in_Kerala_116664 Thiruvananthapuram: Three Kerala politicians have left the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) camp, and two of them are certain to contest the assembly polls as independents supported by the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).  Step... Mon, 21 Mar 2011 06:47:37 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/Chandy_Chennithala_to_name_Congress_candidates_116342 Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress election committee has entrusted Kerala senior leader Oommen Chandy and state president Ramesh Chennithala with the task of finalising candidates for the forthcoming assembly elections, a party source said Saturday.... Sat, 12 Mar 2011 11:07:11 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/__Monday_could_bring_the_blues_for_Chandy_116338 Thiruvananthapuram: Will Oommen Chandy be the next chief minister of Kerala? The answer may inadvertently lie with a special judge who will Monday decide whether a two-decade-old corruption case should be re-investigated.  Former chief mi... Sat, 12 Mar 2011 08:52:34 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/__A_three_minute_nightmare_that_shook_Tokyo_116316 Thiruvananthapuram: For three minutes that seemed like eternity, Indian S. Ajay Kumar saw his colleagues tossed like rubber balls as a 8.9 earthquake shook his nine-storey building in Tokyo.   Kumar was himself flung against a wall a... Sat, 12 Mar 2011 06:29:47 GMT http://samachaar.in/Science/__Study_to_analyse_impact_of_fire_ritual_116246 Thiruvananthapuram: The organisers of Athirathram 2011, a 4,000 year-old vedic ritual, Friday announced that for the first time, a team of scientists will study the impact of the historic Yagna (fire) ritual on the environment and people. &nbs... Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:22:29 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/_Lok_Ayukta_to_probe_allegations_against_Achuthanandans_son_116137 Thiruvananthapuram: A month before the April 13 Kerala assembly polls, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Thursday handed over the opposition's letter, containing various allegations of corruption against his son, to the home department for a probe ... Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:54:31 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/__Aged_91_87_78_Keralas_veterans_will_fight_elections_116046 Thiruvananthapuram: At age 91, K.R. Gowri is still itching to contest Kerala's assembly elections. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan is 87 but is not ready to call it a day. And there are many over 75 years of age who are eager to battle it out, su... Tue, 08 Mar 2011 06:11:34 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/_I_learnt_the_hard_way_will_be_cautious_Muraleedharan_116014 Thiruvananthapuram: K. Muraleedharan, the former head of the Congress' Kerala unit who is back in the party after a six-year suspension, says he has learnt a hard lesson fighting for others and will be cautious in future.  "I realise... Mon, 07 Mar 2011 10:59:24 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/CPIM_mulls_Achuthanandans_fate_BJP_strategises_115999 Thiruvananthapuram: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) is to hold a crucial meeting here Monday to decide whether Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, 87, should be given another chance to lead the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF),... Mon, 07 Mar 2011 08:48:23 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/Keralas_Aranmula_constituency_has_most_voters_115920 Thiruvananthapuram: The chief election commissioner's office has listed Kerala's Aranmula constituency in Pathanamathitta district as the only seat in the state that has over two lakh voters at 203,411. Also, female voters outnumber the male voters... Fri, 04 Mar 2011 08:07:07 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/_Chidambaram_should_quit_after_court_verdict_Achuthanandan_115886 Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Thursday asked Home Minister P. Chidambaram to quit after the apex court quashed the appointment of Central Vigilance Commissioner and former Kerala chief secretary P.J. Thomas. &nbs... Thu, 03 Mar 2011 09:20:48 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/Kerala_opposition_to_boycott_joint_photo_session_115788 Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led opposition in Kerala has decided to boycott Thursday's final photo session of legislators and other valedictory functions of the assembly called by the speaker.  Congress party chief whip T. Radhakrish... Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:43:16 GMT http://samachaar.in/Thiruvananthapuram/School_van_plunges_into_river_four_children_helper_drown_115369 Thiruvananthapuram: Four nursery children and a woman accompanying them drowned Thursday when their school van fell into a river on the outskirts of the Kerala capital, police said.      The children were on their way to the Littl... Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:03:01 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/__Kerala_orders_reinvestigation_of_sex_scandal_case_115148 Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government Thursday ordered a re-investigation in the Kozhikode ice cream parlour sex scandal involving Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader P.K. Kunhalikutty following allegations that two former high court judge... Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:19:17 GMT http://samachaar.in/Health/__Students_strike_hits_medical_college_hospitals_114967 Thiruvananthapuram: Normal functioning at the five medical college hospitals in Kerala continued to be hit for the fourth day Friday as post-graduate students have struck work, demanding a stipend hike and fee reduction. The strike called by K... Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:55:24 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/___Sonia_pays_homage_thousands_gather_to_bid_Karunakaran_adieu_113919 Thiruvananthapuram: A large crowd gathered at the Congress headquarters here Friday to bid farewell to four-time Kerala chief minister K. Karunakaran, with party president Sonia Gandhi also paying her last respects to the veteran leader who died at... Fri, 24 Dec 2010 06:11:02 GMT http://samachaar.in/Business_and_Economy/__HCL_Infosystems_to_set_up_research_centre_in_Kerala_112933 Thiruvananthapuram: HCL Infosystems Limited, the country's premier hardware and information and communication technologies system integration company, is the latest entrant into Kerala's Technopark here. V.K. Bahl, corporate general manager, H... Tue, 07 Dec 2010 10:36:44 GMT http://samachaar.in/Politics/Congress_to_seek_CBI_probe_in_Kerala_lottery_scam_112844 Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress' Kerala unit Monday decided to demand that  the central government initiate a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the lottery scandal as the issue involves other states as well as the neighb... Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:51:10 GMT http://samachaar.in/Kerala/Carol_practice_goodies_prayers__Keralas_in_Xmas_mood_112749 Thiruvananthapuram: The Christmas trees are up choir practice sessions are on in right earnest bakers are planning their culinary best and the truly devout are immersed in prayers - the yuletide spirit has already set in and Christians in Kerala are... Sun, 05 Dec 2010 05:06:57 GMT