KPCC president Sunny Joseph, MLA-designate, is likely to relinquish the organisational post to take up a significant role in the next UDF government
| Photo Credit: th-online Administrator

Flex boards in support of K.C. Venugopal and V.D. Satheesan for the Kerala Chief Minister’s post next to each other at Vellayambalam in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday (May 8, 2026)
| Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran

Adani Ports And Special Economic Zone Ltd.’s managing director Karan Adani called the Vizhinjam Port project the ‘largest investment committed by any business house in Kerala’ in his address to the attendees of the inauguration of the second phase of its development.

The expansion will add 4.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units to the existing capacity of the port. The second phase of development will be undertaken with updated automation in technologies and equipment, as per state officials.

“With an additional investment of Rs 16,000 crore under Phase 2, and a cumulative commitment of Rs 30,000 crore, Vizhinjam will scale from a capacity of 1 million TEUs to 5.7 million TEUs by 2029. This is the largest investment committed by any business house in the State of Kerala,” Adani said. 

The equipment for Phase 2 will include 21 automated ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, 45 automated Cantilever Rail-Mounted Gantry (CMRG) cranes, a rail handling yard and a state-of-the-art electrical and automation systems.

Karan Adani called the Vizhinjam Port the largest investment by a business house in Kerala.
Photo Credit: Adani Ports

The other features of the second phase include berth expansion, dredging and reclamation to create additional operational capacity and construction of the deepest breakwater in India with a stretch of 920 meters at a depth of 21 meters.

Besides these, deployment of green equipment, like electric vehicle charging stations, development of critical facilities such as electrical substation, sewage treatment plant and International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) fencing will also be included

Karan Adani also stated that it will be the largest and most technologically advanced port in India. “Vizhinjam stands today at the intersection of history and the future. For centuries, Kerala’s coastline connected India to global trade, cultures, and ideas. Through Vizhinjam, that historic role is being renewed-this time with world-class infrastructure, global scale, and national purpose,” he said.

Also Read: Adani Ports Inaugurates Vizhinjam Phase Two Project In Kerala

(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)

Police said the injured were taken to a nearby private hospital for treatment. (Representational)

Mohammed Azharudeen’s dogged 149 not out, his second hundred in red ball cricket.© X (Twitter)

Investigators learnt that there are similar cases against the accused in various police stations.

Kerala produced a doughty batting effort to hang on to a draw against Jammu and Kashmir, and progressed to the Ranji Trophy semifinals on the back of a slender 1-run first innings lead here on Wednesday. Player of the match Salman Nizar (44 not out, 162 balls, 8×4) and Mohammed Azharuddeen (67 not out, 118b, 9×4 2×6) saw off nearly 43 overs during their unbroken 115-run alliance for the seventh wicket as Kerala made 295 for six in their second innings. Their partnership was enough for Kerala, overnight 100 for two, to see off the final day’s proceedings, and set up a semi-final meeting with former champions Gujarat from February 17.

This will only be Kerala’s second appearance in the Ranji Trophy last four round after the 2018-19 season.

They had lost to eventual champions Vidarbha by an innings and 11 runs at Wayanad last time.

“We believed in ourselves and took it (partnership) through the blocks of 10 runs each. J&K bowlers were also made our task tough. It was a similar approach we had adopted in the first innings,” said Nizar during the presentation ceremony.

The left-handed batter had also made a vital unbeaten 112 in Kerala’s first innings and stitched an 81-run alliance with Basil Thampi to give Kerala a crucial 1-run lead.

“We tried our best, but unfortunately we could not go all the way in this match. Credit to Kerala batters. But we are proud of the way fought till here, and hopefully, we can achieve more,” said J&K skipper Paras Dogra after the match.

Jammu and Kashmir left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq also received an on-the-spot warning by on field umpires for chucking.

The delivery was deemed as a no-ball.

Kerala should also thank skipper Sachin Baby (48) and Akshay Chandran (48) for adding 58 runs for the third wicket stand but, more importantly, they had also consumed nearly 44 overs to ward of J&K bowlers.

Brief scores: Jammu & Kashmir: 280 and 399/9 declared drew with Kerala: 281 and 295/6 in 126 overs (Salman Nizar 44 not out, Mohammed Azharuddeen 67 not out, Sachin Baby 48, Akshay Chandran 48; Sahil Lotra 2/50). PTI UNG UNG KHS KHS

For the second day in succession, the man-animal conflict has taken the life of a tribal man near Meppadi near here. Since Tuesday night, 25-year-old Balan has been missing and his body was found in the morning.

The place where the incident took place is near the area in the district where 254 people were killed in landslide in July 2024.

A local resident Balakrishnan said Balan was returning from the shop but he took a different route.

“This morning, I went to his place to call him for work and was told that he was missing. Soon we started a search for him and we saw his body which was completely smashed and the head portion damaged,” said Balakrishnan.

“The body has now been covered and is lying at the same place where it was found. We are waiting for the officials to arrive, while the locals are up in arms against the inaction of the officials,” added Balakrishnan.

Nousha Marikar, the Wayanad District Panchayat President, said the officials’ inaction continues and lives are lost.

“We strongly feel that had the officials acted on time by undertaking a patrol, things could have been better. This incident took place a few kilometres from the forest station. There are no street lights as this area is known to be wild elephant-infested area,” said Marikar.

The incident happened 24 hours after 45-year-old Manu was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Sulthan Bathery in the district.

The man-animal conflict has gripped the hilly district of Wayanad. On January 24, a woman, who was going to pluck coffee beans, was killed by a tiger.

Balan’s death is the 10th one in the past decade in Wayanad and the second one in two days.

Wayanad borders Tamil Nadu and Karnataka states and is surrounded by deep dense forests and is home to tigers, wild elephants and wild boars which have left the people especially those living near the forest areas in perennial fear.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Nizar carried the day for Kerala with his gritty knock.
| Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN

Salman Nizar’s maiden First-Class century (111 not out) lifted Kerala from the doldrums to a position of comfort against Bihar on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match at the Sports Hub here on Thursday.

Opting to bat, Kerala frittered away the advantage with its batters playing a series of rash strokes and slumped to 202 for eight before Nizar did the rescue act with the help of the tail-enders to help the host reach 302 for nine at stumps.

M.D. Nidheesh (30) added 79 runs for the ninth wicket with Nizar. The left-handed Nizar farmed the strike and chose the right moments to hit the big shots. Nideesh defended soundly in the early part of the stand but switched to an attacking mode as the pair frustrated the visitor. Nidheesh holed out while trying a big hit but last man Vaisakh Chandran stayed firm to allow Salman reach his milestone.

Earlier, the Bihar medium-pacers were restrictive with their consistent lines outside the off-stump and their persistence was rewarded when it drew false strokes from the batters. Opener Rohan Kunnummal (3) perished playing a loose stroke while debutant Anand Kirshnan (11) edged Gulham Rabbani to Mahrour at slips.

Left arm pacer Abhishek cleaned up Sachin Baby with an incoming delivery. Akshay Chandran (38) couldn’t convert his good start as he slashed at a wide delivery from Yashpal Yadav and was brilliantly caught at point by Ayush Loharuka.

Collapse

Nizar joined Shoun Roger and the duo added 89 runs for the fifth wicket. Nizar started off with a couple of pleasing straight drives but Roger wasn’t at his fluent best as he nudged and trudged his way to a half-century. Roger threw away his wicket, pulling a short ball from Veer Pratap to Saurabh at short mid wicket. The dismissal triggered a mini collapse as Azharuddeen (9), Jalaj Saxena (5) and Aditya Sarwate (5) fell cheaply before Nizar came to the rescue.

The scores:

Kerala — 1st innings: Akshay Chandran c Ayush b Yashpal 38, Rohan S. Kunnummal c Ayush b Vikram Singh 3, Anand Krishnan c Mahrour b Rabbani 11, Sachin Baby b Abhishek 4, Shoun Roger c Saurabh b Veer Pratap 59, Salman Nizar (batting) 111, Mohammed Azharuddeen c Gani b Sachin 9, Jalaj Saxena c Sraman b Sachin 5, Aditya Sarwate b Gani 6, M.D. Nidheesh c Veer Pratap b Vikram Singh 30, Vaisakh Chandran (batting) 1; Extras (nb-8, w-2, b-14, 1b-1): 25; Total (for nine wkts. in 84 overs): 302.

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-33, 3-42, 4-81, 5-170, 6-183, 7-189, 8-202, 9-281.

Bihar bowling: Veer Pratap 11-0-49-1, Vikram Singh 9-0-40-2, Abhishek 10-3-16-1, Rabbani 5-0-24-1, Gani 17-1-43-1, Sachin 26-4-80-2, Yadav 5-0-28-1, Mahrour 1-0-7-0.

Raman Rajamannan, the king of Kerala’s Mannan community, will attend the 76th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi on January 26. King Rajamannan will be accompanied by his wife Binumol. OR Kelu, Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes, handed over the Republic Day invitation to the tribal king. This will be the first time a tribal king will attend the Republic Day parade in Delhi.

Rajamannan, the only tribal king in Kerala, and his wife flew to Delhi on Wednesday. They will visit various places after the parade and return on February 2. Travel expenses will be borne by the Scheduled Caste Development Department, Minister Kelu said in a social media post.

He will wear headgear (thalappavu) and traditional clothes, marking the special occasion and will be assisted by two Ministers and soldiers during the functions.

Rajamannan is the head of 300 families of Mannans, a tribal clan living in 48 settlements in the Idukki district. The King holds a special place in the rituals and festivities of the Mannan community.

He took the reins of his little kingdom, back in 2012, after the death of Aryan Rajamannan. An economics graduate, Rajamannan lives an ordinary life as a farmer. He doesn’t have a royal palace or a chariot. Instead, he resides in a simple house and manages a local temple along with his family.

The king has no rights or duties in civil society, but oversees community matters with the help of four upa rajas (deputies), one ilayaraja (prince), and a 50-member council of ministers, known as kaanis, reported The Indian Express.

Reportedly, the Mannan community follows a matrilineal system, meaning women hold the inheritance rights.