ALT Kerala, long regarded as the diabetic capital of India, has seen a sharp rise in cases over the past decade with nearly one in four adults affected. The surge has placed significant strain on the state’s healthcare system.

ALT This election season has been fuelling increased voter interest across the country. On Friday night, a “special bus service” will embark on a three-day journey spanning nearly 2,500km — transporting migrant labourers from Kozhikode and Perumbavoor to Domkal, in poll-bound West Bengal.

ALT Diabetes-related deaths in the state are rising at an alarming rate, with the disease responsible for nearly one in six (16.36%) medically certified deaths in 2024, compared to one in ten a decade ago. Often described as a “silent killer”, diabetes is increasingly linked to fatal complications such as kidney failure, heart disease, and stroke, according to the Medical Certification of Cause of Death (MCCD) 2024 report published recently.

ALT Nurses in private hospitals have begun their largest strike since the Covid pandemic, demanding fair wages and recognition for their undervalued work. The protest, which disrupted services across many hospitals on Monday, has evoked mixed responses: while some hospitals agreed to raise salaries of nursing staff and tutors by Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000, others refused to negotiate.

ALT In a striking shift in investment habits, Kerala’s presence in the national Stock exchange (NSE) — the country’s largest bourse — has soared to nearly 32 lakh unique investors. this marks a 3.4-fold increase since the Covid era. As per the latest data, investor registrations from the state have grown ninefold since 2010, with a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.5% over the past decade. Since 2021 alone, 20.6 lakh new investors have entered the market.