Kerala

Kottayam(Ker), Jul 27 (PTI) A Catholic church in central Kerala has announced a welfare scheme for families having five or more children, a move seen as encouraging their community to boost its numbers in the state.

The initiative, launched by the Family Apostolate under the Pala diocese of the Syro-Malabar church, has decided to offer a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500 to the couples who got married after 2000 and have five or more children.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 15 (PTI): Amid concerns of identifying a cluster of Zika virus in the capital city, five more people, including four women, have tested positive for the infection in Kerala, taking the caseload in the state to 28.

Of the fresh cases, two were natives of Anayara here, where a cluster of the disease had been identified within a three kilometre radius, Health Minister Veena George said on Thursday.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 15 (PTI): Amid concerns of identifying a cluster of Zika virus in the capital city, five more people, including four women, have tested positive for the infection in Kerala, taking the caseload in the state to 28.

Of the fresh cases, two were natives of Anayara here, where a cluster of the disease had been identified within a three kilometre radius, Health Minister Veena George said on Thursday.

Thiruvananthapuram, July 14 (PTI) Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Wednesday began a day-long fast at Raj Bhavan, his official residence here, to create social awareness against the practice of dowry and end atrocities against women.

It may be for the first time in the history of the southern state that any Governor was fasting for such a social cause.

He is observing the fast in response to a call by various Gandhian organisations to create awareness against the practice of giving and taking dowry as part of marriages.

Thrissur(Ker), July 13 (PTI) A woman medico, who was India's first COVID-19 case, has tested positive again for the virus, health authorities said here on Tuesday.

"She is reinfected with COVID-19. Her RT-PCR is positive, antigen is negative. She is asymptomatic," Thrissur DMO Dr K J Reena told PTI.

Her samples were tested as she was prepared to go to New Delhi for study purposes.

Then the RT-PCRresult turned out to be positive, she said.

The woman is presently at home and "she is OK," the doctor said.

Palakkad, Jul 8 (PTI) Two persons were arrested here on Thursday on charges of drugging and raping a minor girl for over two years after blackmailing her, police said.

A case under various provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act was registered after the girl's mother petitioned the chief minister and the state police chief.

Police have arrested Naufal (45) and Abhilash (26), natives of Challissery, near here.

Kochi, Jul 9 (PTI) Indian Navy on Friday prohibited flying of non-conventional aerial objects like drones and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) within 3 kms of Naval Base, Naval Units and Naval assets.

"Any non-conventional aerial object, including RPAs (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) found violating this prohibition, will be destroyed or confiscated without any liability, and additional actions may be initiated under sections 121, 121A, 287, 336, 337 and 338 of Indian Penal Code against the operator", a Defence statement said here.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 20 (PTI) The Kerala government has approached the Centre to put in place a moratorium on repayment of loans till December 31 in order to provide relief to individuals in the unorganised sector, MSMEs, agriculture and others adversely affected by COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown.

Kerala has sought a moratorium of loans without accrual of interest and penal interest during the moratorium period.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 18 (PTI):Raising the slogan of 'Save the Survivors', doctors in Kerala on Friday took part in the nation-wide protest organised by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against the recent assault on medicos in various states.

The doctors, both in government and private sectors, organised standing protest in front of the Secretariat, the state administrative hub here, and in various district headquarters besides hospitals.

Doctors took part in the agitation holding placards in front of the Secretariat in the morning.

Wayanad(Ker), June 17 (PTI) A case was registered against Kerala BJP chief K Surendran on Thursday for allegedly bribing tribal leader and Janadhipathya Rashtreeya Party (JRP) president C K Janu to contest as an NDA candidate in the April 6 assembly elections.

The development comes a day after a court here directed the police to register the case against Surendran over bribery allegations.

The FIR was filed under Sections 171 E (bribery) and 171 F (Punishment for undue influence or personation at an election), police said.