» More courts needed for proper dispensation of Justice CJI
Kochi | Saturday, Nov 21 2009 IST
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice K G Balakrishnan today stressed the need for setting up more courts to hear cases across the country. Addressing a gathering at the Kerala High Court Day celebrations here, he said more courts were needed for the proper dispensation of justice to people. He said the country had just 15 per cent courts, but there was a need to have 85 per cent more courts, commensurate to the population rate. '' In China there were 1,30,000 courts. But we had only 14,000 courts and close to 30 per cent of the cases were pending in various courts,'' he added. Last year, 1.5 crore cases were filed before courts and about 1.7 crore cases were disposed of, he noted.

 » More courts needed : CJI
Kochi | Saturday, Nov 21 2009 IST
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice K G Balakrishnan today stressed the need for setting up more courts to hear cases across the country. Addressing a gathering at the Kerala High Court Day celebrations here, he said more courts were needed for the proper dispensation of justice to people. He said the country had just 15 per cent courts, but there was a need to have 85 per cent more courts, commensurate to the population rate. '' In China there were 1,30,000 courts. But we had only 14,000 courts and close to 30 per cent of the cases were pending in various courts,'' he added. Last year, 1.5 crore cases were filed before courts and about 1.7 crore cases were disposed of, he noted.

 » Police rules out Headley's visit to Kerala
Kochi | Saturday, Nov 21 2009 IST
Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) Jacob Punnoose today said terror suspect David Coleman Headley had not visited Kerala but his suspected accomplice Tahawwur Hussain Rana was on a visit to the city. Speaking to newspersons on the sidelines of a programme here, Mr Punnoose said ''there was no indication that Headley had visited Kerala but we have every reason to believe that the person, who stayed at a five-star hotel in the city was the same person, who is in the FBI custody.'' Headley and Rana were held by FBI a month back on charges of plotting attacks in India and Denmark. Mr Punnoose said the passport and immigration documents had showed that Rana had visited Kochi and the police were probing into the purpose of his visit to the city. The DGP also said the informations collected by the State Police and Intelligence-wing were being sent to the National Investigation Agency(NIA) and other central agencies, who were retracing the steps of the terror suspects in the country. Detailed investigations revealed that Headley had stayed at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai and Rana had also visited the metropolis before the 26/11 attacks. Mr Punnoose said the police had undertaken a massive search of the hotels to ascertain whether Headley had visited Kerala, but had found records pertaining to 'various Ranas'. An official of the NIA was in the city to probe into the alleged visit of Rana and a woman named Samraz Rana(supposedly his wife) to the city.

 » Navy undertakes community service
Kochi | Saturday, Nov 21 2009 IST
As part of the ongoing Navy Day festivities, a team of 75 volunteers from the Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology carried out community service at the 'Good Hope Old Age Home' here.

 » Kareem inaugurates Gem and Jewellery Show
Kochi | Saturday, Nov 21 2009 IST
Kerala industries minister Elamaram Kareem today inaugurated the three-day Kerala Gem & Jewellery Show (KGJS), which will be a common platform for interaction between traders and manufacturers.

 » First women navigators commissioned in Indian Navy
Kochi |Friday, 2009 4:05:08 PM IST
Another glass ceiling was broken Friday as two women were commissioned into the Indian Navy as navigators in the flying branch, in a way also becoming the first women combatants in the armed forces.

 » First Indian Navy women aviators take charge
Kochi | November 20, 2009 12:45:30 PM IST
The Indian Navy created history on Friday by inducting two women aviators or combatants into its combat arm, which is happening for the first time in the Indian Armed Forces.Sub-lieutenants Ambica Hooda of Haryana and Seema Rani Sharma of Uttar Pradesh will now serve the nation as naval observers are airborne tacticians on the Indian Navy's multi-role Dornier aircraft, which are used for transportation and aerial surveillance and work at the front line during war situations.

 » Naval Observers, including two women complete training
Kochi | Friday, Nov 20 2009 IST
Six Naval Officers of the 70th Observer Course and four officers of the First Short Service Commission Observer Course, including two women officers, were awarded 'Wings' by Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai, Flag Officer Naval Aviation, at an impressive ceremonial parade at INS Garuda here today.

 » Spices exports rise in October
Kochi | Thursday, Nov 19 2009 IST
The export of spices from India in October 2009 was 41,585 MT valued at Rs 505.74 crore as against 32,650 MT valued at Rs 463.21 crore in the same period last fiscal.

 » First women combatants to be inducted by Indian Navy
Kochi | November 19, 2009 5:45:29 PM IST
Indian Navy is once again poised to create history by inducting two women combatants into its combat arm, which is happening for the first time in the Indian Armed Forces.

 » KSIDC, FACT to ink pact to set up trade centre
Kochi | Thursday, Nov 19 2009 IST
Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) and Fertilizers and Chemicals India Limited (FACT) will sign an MoU for setting up a Rs 400 crore trade centre here. According to an official release here today, the MoU will be signed between KSIDC Managing Director Alkesh Sharma and FACT Director (Technical) V G Shankaranarayanan in the presence of State Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem on November 21.

 » Indian Navy to commission its first women navigators
Kochi |Thursday, 2009 4:05:07 PM IST
Another male bastion in the Indian Navy will fall Friday when two women will be inducted as navigators in the flying branch, in a way also becoming the first women combatants in the armed forces.

 » KGJS to boost jewellery trade in South India
Kochi | Thursday, Nov 19 2009 IST
The second edition of Kerala Gem and Jewellery Show(KGJS 2009), the only B2B jewellery show in the State, is expected to provide a strong boost for the jewellery trade in South India. Speaking to newspersons here today, Managing Director of 'The Art of Jewellery' and Organiser of the show, Sumesh Wadhera said as many as 100 exhibitors would showcase the latest designs and products, spread over 175 stalls in the three-day event from November 21. Mr Wadheras said the segments that will be showcased, include gold-jewellery, gold-chains, diamond and precious stone-studded jewellery, loose-diamonds, silver-jewellery and artifacts, '' Jewellery retailers from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu are flocking to Kerala to tap the lucrative market in the State and KGJS offers a mine of golden opportunities to jewellery manufacturers and wholesalers from across the country,'' he added. The MD said, the show is expected to provide a boost for the jewellery trade in the State and surrounding regions in South India. The event, to be inaugurated by State Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem, is presented by Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Kerala and orgainsed by India's numero-uno jewellery magazine 'The Art of Jewellery' in association with 'All Kerala Gold and Silver Merchants Association(AKGSMA), Jewellery Manufacturing Association(JMA) of Kerala and World Gold Council(WGC). The show would also include educational seminars and jewellery awards nite, Mr Wadhera added.

 » NIA gets identities of Rana's visitors
Kochi | Tuesday, Nov 17 2009 IST
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), probing the visit of Tahawwur Hussain Rana and his wife Samraz Rana to the city, has got the identities of four people who had allegedly met the terror suspect here.

 » Rana had visitors at hotel
Kochi | Tuesday, Nov 17 2009 IST
Terror suspect Tahawwur Hussain Rana and his wife Samraz Rana, who visited the city from Novermber 16 to 17, 2008, had mainly remained confined to their room but had three to four visitors at the lobby of Gateway Hotel (formerly Taj Residency) here. Reliable sources confirmed that the duo had checked in at the hotel around 1800 hrs on November 16 and left around noon, the next day. Rana had paid a rent for the room (No 611) using the Internet through a private travel agency prior to the visit and did not make any direct payment at the hotel.

 » NIA official in Kochi to probe Rana's visit
Kochi | Monday, Nov 16 2009 IST
An official of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrived here today to probe into the visit of terror suspect Tahawwur Hussain Rana and his wife Samraz Rana to the city. Official sources said the NIA official verified relevant documents and papers at the Gateway Hotel (Taj Residency), where the couple stayed from November 16 to 17, 2008. Rana and David Coleman Headley was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the US for alleged links with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), earlier this month. The State Intelligence wing got information that Rana and his wife checked in at the hotel on November 16 and left on November 17.

 » Campus violence becoming common : HC
Kochi | Monday, Nov 16 2009 IST
Kerala High Court today observed that incidents of students fighting against each other and indulging in violent and criminal actvities has become common in the state for the last several years.

 » Coir Board's participation in IITF to boost coir industry
Kochi | Monday, Nov 16 2009 IST
The Coir Board's participation in the ongoing India International Trade Fair (IITF) in New Delhi, was expected to boost exports of coir products in a big way in view of its huge exposure to both domestic and foreign buyers, Board Chairman V S Vijayaraghavan said today.

 » Two years after, Smart City foundation stone gathers moss
Kochi |Monday, 2009 4:05:06 PM IST
Two years after the foundation stone for the Smart City IT park was laid here, the ambitious project is yet to see any progress, thanks to the unresolved issues between the government and the developer.

 » Federal Bank to increase share of CASA
Kochi | Monday, Nov 16 2009 IST
Aluva-based Federal Bank today conducted its business conference, which decided to concentrate on increasing its share of Current Deposits and Savings Bank Deposits (CASA) and also channelise its resources towards recovery of bad debts. The meeting presided over by Bank MD & CEO M Venugopalan reviewed the first half-yearly performance and chalked out the road map for the remaining fiscal. The business session also reviewed the achievements and shortfalls of the Bank's performance and it was decided to take all efforts, including legal recourses, in the speedy and timely recovery of the dues, according to an official release here today. The Bank is in the process of rolling out technology-based innovative products and solutions which includes mobile banking, phone banking and new banking remittance facilities, for enhancing the banking convenience of its customers.

 » Former Navy officer builds a replica of Taj Mahal in Kerala
Kochi | November 16, 2009 12:25:14 PM IST
A 58-year-old ex- naval officer has built a replica of the Taj Mahal here to pay reverence to the war heroes, freedom fighters and the victims of 26/11 attacks.

 » LeT's Rana was in Kochi Nov 2008: Kerala police
Kochi |Sunday, 2009 6:05:06 PM IST
A senior intelligence official in Kerala Sunday confirmed that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) suspect Tahawwur Hussain Rana visited Kochi last November and stayed in the city for two days.

 » BJP crumbling : Moily
Kochi | Sunday, Nov 15 2009 IST
Union Law and Justice Minister M Veerappa Moily today said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was crumbling and passing through the weakest period of its history. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme here, Mr Moily said ''the BJP was never a threat to the Congress Party and there was a sharp, steep decline for BJP across the country.'' The BJP's Central Leadership and the State Units were stumbling and the party 'facing the weakest period ever possible in its history,' he added. When asked about the BJP Government in his home State of Karnataka, Mr Moily said ''there was no government in the State as there is total anarchy in the Cabinet.'' Even after the patch up in the BJP Government, there were dissenting voices in the Cabinet as everyone was airing his own views. On re-entry of Senior Leader K Karunakaran's son K Muraleedharan into Congress, Mr Moily said ''I have no idea as I am no more in charge of Kerala.'' He said the Congress was gaining ground under the leadership of Ms Sonia Gandhi as she did a wonderful job in re-organising the party. This was vouched by the triumphs in the Assembly Elections in three States and bye-elections.

 » Govt will remove 'biggest litigant' tag : Moily
Kochi | Sunday, Nov 15 2009 IST
Union Law and Justice Minister M Veerappa Moily today noted the government was initiating steps to shrug off the tag of being the 'biggest litigant'.

 » LeT kingpin Rana with a lady stayed in Kochi before 26/11 terror attacks
Kochi | November 15, 2009 10:13:03 AM IST
The state intelligence agencies have started their investigations on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) based reports that Thahawwur Hussian Rana, the LeT kingpin who allegedly plotted 26/11 terror attacks, visited Kochi with a lady named Nazreth and stayed at Taj Hotel on November 17, 2008, and returned back to Mumbai next day.

 » French sail yacht seized in Kochi port
Kochi (Kerala) | November 15, 2009 10:11:50 AM IST
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have seized a French yacht in Kochi after it entered the port without valid documents.