'Home Run': Mangaluru Expats Celebrate Return of Tri-Weekly Direct Flights to Kuwait

News Network
October 1, 2025

Mangaluru: The protracted wait for a consistent, direct air link between Coastal Karnataka and Kuwait has finally ended, bringing a wave of relief and joy to the vast expatriate community in the Gulf nation. As the new winter schedule takes effect in the last week of October, the Mangaluru-Kuwait sector will see its weekly direct flights jump from a solitary Sunday service to three, operating on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday.

The increase, spearheaded by Air India Express, marks the re-establishment of a crucial tri-weekly connection that was drastically cut to just one flight in 2023. The previous higher frequency was immensely popular, with Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data showing that roughly 1,700 expats from Kuwait utilised the service every month.

The restoration is a major victory for the Karnataka diaspora, which has tirelessly campaigned for better connectivity.

A Difficult Journey Now Eased

For years, the reduced schedule forced many travellers from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and surrounding districts to undertake inconvenient and time-consuming journeys, often involving layovers in major metropolitan hubs.

Kuwait-based expat Mohandas M. Kamath, who was a leading voice in the campaign for more flights, expressed his profound happiness at the news. "It was truly difficult to travel to my hometown with only one flight option. I often had to land in Mumbai or Bengaluru and then take a domestic flight to reach Mangaluru," he said. "The increase in flights will undoubtedly help the hundreds of expats here."

Kamath revealed that the community had to resort to a robust social media campaign to urge both the air carrier and the Government of India to resume the services.

Catering to the Expat Crowd

The expat community in Kuwait, which includes approximately 24,000 individuals from Karnataka—with an estimated 14,000 hailing from the coastal belt—stands to be the biggest beneficiary.

"This service will help them all," Kamath highlighted. He did, however, offer one suggestion to further optimise the schedule for the working population: operating one of the flights from Kuwait on Thursday evening. "This would allow expats to reach home on Friday morning, which is a holiday in Kuwait," he explained.

The convenience of a direct route is a game-changer, according to many. Patricia Alphonso, a former Kuwait resident who recently moved back to her hometown, stressed how inconvenient the alternative was. "I have travelled via other airports to reach home. It wasn't a convenient journey at all. A direct flight is a much-needed relief," she pointed out.

The boost in frequency is expected to significantly improve travel for families and professionals, solidifying Mangaluru International Airport's role as a vital gateway for Coastal Karnataka's global workforce.

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News Network
November 21,2025

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Local authorities say the Israeli military has expanded the so-called “yellow line” truce demarcation in Gaza City and repositioned its forces deeper into the territory in violation of a ceasefire agreement that came into force on October 10, besieging dozens of Palestinian families.

Gaza’s Government Media Office announced in a statement on Thursday that Israeli forces widened the boundary by shifting the markers, and advanced roughly 300 meters (984 feet) into the neighborhoods of Ash-Shaaf, An-Nazzaz and Baghdad Street.

The move pushed further into civilian areas, trapping families who were unable to flee as tanks rolled forward, it added.

“The fate of many of these families remains unknown amidst the shelling that targeted the area,” the office said, adding that the expansion of the yellow line shows a “blatant disregard” for the ceasefire deal.

On Friday, sources said the Israeli military carried out continued air and artillery strikes inside the so-called “yellow line” east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

According to the reports, Israeli warplanes and tanks targeted areas within the zone. One Palestinian was reported killed and several others wounded in the strikes, the sources said.

The fresh aggression came only a day after 25 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City and Khan Younis on Wednesday.

The media office reported that Israel has consistently violated the truce deal since its implementation last month, with near-daily attacks by air, artillery and direct shootings.

The office said over 400 violations have been documented. These breaches have resulted in the deaths of more than 300 Palestinians and left hundreds injured.

The Government Media Office in Gaza urged the guarantors of the ceasefire — the US, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey — to take swift action to halt the ongoing violations and facilitate the delivery of food, shelter materials, medical aid, and infrastructure equipment.

The so-called “yellow line,” set out in the agreement between Israel and Hamas resistance movement, refers to a non-physical partition where the Israeli military repositioned itself when the truce deal took effect.

It has allowed Israel, which routinely fires at Palestinians who approach the line, to retain control over more than half of the Gaza Strip.

International bodies, including the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, the International Association of Genocide Scholars, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, B’Tselem, and other rights groups, have concluded that the Israeli war on Gaza amounts to genocide.

In the attacks in Gaza since October 2023, Israel has killed at least 69,546 people and injured 170,833 others, leveling large swaths of the territory and displacing almost all of the population. 

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coastaldigest.com news network
November 29,2025

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Mangaluru, Nov 29: Around 12,500 healthcare students from Medical, Dental, AYUSH, Pharmacy, Nursing, Physiotherapy and Allied Health Sciences colleges of Dakshina Kannada, affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), took part in a massive walkathon to promote awareness on Organ Donation and Nasha Mukth Bharat.

The inaugural ceremony was held at Mangala Stadium. Dr Bhagavan B C, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of RGUHS, delivered the welcome address. The walkathon was flagged off by Shri U T Khader, Hon’ble Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, and presided over by Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao, Hon’ble Minister for Health, Family Welfare and Dakshina Kannada District In-charge. Dakshina Kannada MP Shri Brijesh Chowta also addressed the students.

Music director Guru Kiran, MLA Dr Bharat Shetty (Mangalore North), Police Commissioner Shri Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Shri Manjunath Bhandary and Shri Harish Kumar were among those present.

Institution heads including Dr Haji U K Monu (Kanachur Colleges), Dr Shantharam Shetty (Tejaswini College), Dr Bhaskar Shetty (City Group of Colleges), Mr Abdul Rahiman (Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences), and the District Health Officer, Mangalore, also participated.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Prof U T Ifthikar Fareed, Syndicate Member, RGUHS.

The event was organised by Dr U T Ifthikar Ali and Dr Shiva Sharan (Syndicate Members), Prof Vaishali (Senate Member), Prof Mohammad Suhail (Chairman, BOS Physiotherapy), Dr Sharan Shetty (Former Senate Member), along with principals and faculty of various colleges.

Students marched from Mangala Stadium to Karavali Grounds via MCC and Lalbagh signal. The event set a record as one of the largest gatherings of healthcare students for a social cause in the RGUHS Dakshina Kannada Zone.

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News Network
November 30,2025

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Mangaluru, Nov 30: A 22-year-old college student succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Mangaluru today, days after she was hit by a goods tempo while crossing a road in Padubidri.

The deceased has been identified as Preksha, a resident of Nadsalu Billitota in Padubidri. The fatal incident occurred as Preksha, who was returning home after completing her examination, attempted to cross the service road towards Mangaluru. She was struck by a goods tempo approaching from the Udupi side, causing her to fall and sustain a severe head injury.

Prompt action from local residents ensured she received immediate first aid before being rushed to a hospital in Mangaluru for specialised treatment. Despite medical efforts, she passed away while undergoing care.

Preksha was a student at Karavali College, Vamanjoor on the outskirts of Mangaluru city. The tragedy is compounded by the fact that she belonged to a financially vulnerable family, having previously lost her father. She is survived by her mother and brother.

A case related to the accident has been registered at the Padubidri police station, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances that led to the collision. The incident highlights the growing concerns over road safety, particularly on busy service roads, and serves as a tragic reminder of the human cost of traffic accidents.

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