Kerala

Thrissur(Ker), May 9 (PTI) Five people were arrested for allegedly conducting congregational prayers at a mosque here in violationofthe COVID-19 lockdown norms.

A case was registered against five people for conducting evening prayers on Friday, police said.

On receiving information that prayers were being conducted at the Eriyad Masjidul Bilal mosque here, the police reached the spot and arrested the five, who were later let off on station bail.

Thiruvananthapuram, May 3 (PTI) At least four lakh Keralites from abroad, including over 9,000 pregnant women, have registered in the NORKA website to return to the state once the Centre gives its nod to open the skies after lockdown travel restrictions are eased.

NORKA (Non Resident Keralites Affairs) department said at least 1.5 lakh Keralites from other states have also registered in its website to return after the centre opens inter-state borders.

Kochi, May 2 (PTI) Two students of Government College of Engineering, Kannur, won the first prize of USD 10,000 (Rs 7.5 lakh approximately) in a global competition for developing a virtual classroom amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Abinand C and Shilpa Rajeev, both doing second-year B.Tech (computer science) from the institution upstate, emerged toppers in the #CODE19 (against COVID-19) Hackathon for their 'iClassroom', a release issued by Kerala Startup Mission said here on Saturday.

Kochi, May 1 (PTI) The first special train from Kerala carrying 1,200 migrant workers to Bhubaneswar in Odisha will leave from the Aluva railway station near here on Friday evening, state Minister V S Sunil Kumar said.

The migrant workers from Odisha accommodated in camps in Ernakulam District since the COVID-19 lockdown will be brought to the station in state-run corporation buses as per the protocol announced by the government, he said.

Official sources said the train was scheduled for 6 pm departure.

Kochi, May 1 (PTI) India functions both as a source and a destination point for different species of trafficked reptiles, a new global analysis of wildlife trafficking seizures in air transport said.

"India's involvement in the illegal reptile trade is so significant that recent reports estimate that around 11,000 turtles and tortoises are trafficked through the country each year", says the report released by TRAFFIC, an NGO working globally on trade in wild animals and plants.

Kozhikode, April 28 (PTI) The remains of seven people who died in the Gulf countries were airlifted from Dubai by a cargo flight which arrived here Tuesday, ending the uncertainty over bringing back the bodies of those who died following non-Covid-19 reasons.

Airport sources said the flight reached the airport by around noon.

The bodies include natives of Kerala, one each of people from Goa and Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu.

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 27 (PTI): Over 1.5 lakh Non-Resident Keralites (NRK)s, stranded in various countries, have registered online for returningto the state, once the Centre gives the nod and air services resume

The Norka (Non Resident Keralites Affairs) department had commenced the registration process at around 6pm on Sunday and within an hour 25,000 had registered, government sources said.

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 20 (PTI) Television, indoor games like carrom and chess for entertainment and even recharge for mobile phones are just some facilities provided for 'guest workers', as migrant labourers are called in Kerala, by the LDF government, setting an example to the rest of the country.

Kochi, Apr 17 (PTI) The Centre on Friday informed the Kerala High Court that there was no immediate plan to bring back the Indian citizens stranded in the Gulf countries due to the novel coronavirus outbreak and that the expatriates had been granted visa extension.

The counsel for the central government made the submission before a division bench comprising justices Rajavijayaraghavan and T R Ravi during the hearing of a plea seeking a direction to bring back Indians stranded in the UAE.

Kottayam/Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 17 (PTI) A 50-year-old woman travelled 2,700 km in a car crisscrossing 6 states to meet her critically ill son, a BSF jawan in Jodhpur, despite strict lockdown restrictions due to Covid-19.

The woman was accompanied by her daughter-in-law and another relative during the journey, which they covered in 3 days time.