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Do you keep blaming your hectic life for not keeping up with the news?Do you wish there was a voice in your head telling you about what's going on in the city so you don't feel left out in a group? Listen to The Bengaluru Commute Podcast for news specific to namma Bengaluru! Listen during your commute to and from work, listen anywhere, at any time. Transcript:Welcome to The Bengaluru Commute Podcast, your only companion on the streets of Bengaluru. Local News1. Let's begin with updates from the city. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman cast her vote in Jayanagar during the Karnataka state assembly elections. The high-stakes battle featured intense campaigning and three major contenders: BJP, Congress, and JD(S). This election could serve as a precursor for the 2024 national elections, with BJP aiming to overcome a 38-year precedent and the Congress banking on corruption allegations. 2. Moving on, Congress MLAs Ramalinga Reddy and Sowmya Reddy filed a complaint against a BJP candidate in Jayanagar for voter intimidation. They met the Chief Electoral Officer, demanding action against those hindering voter participation. Ramalinga Reddy called for heightened security and paramilitary forces to ensure fair voting. Ex-corporator N Nagaraj noted BJP-backed rowdy elements intimidating loyal Congress supporters. 3. Up next, the Karnataka High Court lifted the ban on Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels Association from offering free food to voters during the May 10th elections. Justice T G Shivashankare Gowda clarified that hotels must follow election guidelines and denied any inducement or political affiliation claims. The court cautioned hotels against seeking credit or accepting political contributions, emphasizing adherence to the Model Code of Conduct. 4. In other headlines, Bengaluru's Ebenezer International School and BVM Global School received hoax bomb threat emails on May 9th. Bomb squads confirmed the emails were hoaxes. The schools filed police complaints, and separate cases were registered. No children were present during the incidents. Police are investigating similar threat emails sent to 26 schools last year from overseas servers. 5. In some education news, The Divecha Centre for Climate Change, or DCCC, at IISc Bangalore will hold a training program on Glacier Studies and Remote Sensing from June 6th to June 16th. The program aims to enhance India's expertise in glaciology and will cover topics such as remote sensing applications, climate change, and glacier mass balance estimation. DCCC emphasizes the importance of using remote sensing to assess water security in the Himalayan region and Indo-Gangetic plains. 6. On to other news, the Karnataka High Court ruled that a father who did not create a congenial atmosphere for his 9-year-old daughter cannot claim custody rights. The court dismissed the father's petition seeking equal custody, stating that in parental conflicts, the child suffers. The judgment emphasized the child's best interests and the importance of a strong bond with the mother. 7. Meanwhile, according to recent data from the Bengaluru Traffic Police, the city has seen an average of almost two road fatalities per day in the last six months. Factors such as reckless driving, violations of traffic regulations, and poor pedestrian infrastructure have contributed to the high number of deaths. The outer areas of the city have been hit hardest, due to increasing traffic density and underdeveloped infrastructure. 8. On a different note, over 70% of vaccinated stray dogs in Bengaluru have gained immunity to rabies, thanks to the Animal Birth Control and Anti-Rabies Vaccination program by BBMP. Oral vaccines can speed up achieving herd immunity. Previous study revealed only 50% had immunity, highlighting progress. Animal welfare activists urge mandatory vaccination for pet dogs. Local EventsSwitching gears to local events. There are many events ongoing and upcoming in Bengaluru this week.1. Butterfly Talent Academy in Banaswadi is hosting a Kids Pottery Experience on May 12th at 12:30 PM.  2. The annual Japan Habba Tech Fair, a collaborative technical conference between India and Japan, will be held on May 13th at IISc Bangalore. It aims to gather professionals from academia and industry who are enthusiastic about Indo-Japan collaboration. Attend the Japan Habba cultural event on May 14th at the National Science Seminar Complex in Malleshwaram. 3. But wait, there's more. Join the Lippan Art Workshop at Dialogues Cafe in Koramangala on May 14th at 3 PM. Let's hear from Ms Rimjhim, the instructor from ArtDelight, telling us more about the event. 4. Be a part of Open Mic Bengaluru, a week-long event from May 14th to May 21st at My School Of Rock. Here's Mr Punith, the manager at My School of Rock, telling us more about the event. 5. Attend the Naveen Richard Live Tour for his stand-up comedy show at Mother Tekla Auditorium, Ashok Nagar on May 20th at 8 PM.  National News1. Moving on to the national news with a Covid-19 update. On May 10th, India reported 2,109 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 4.49 crore. The death toll reached 5,31,722, including eight fatalities. Active cases decreased to 21,406, accounting for 0.05% of total infections. The recovery rate stood at 98.77%, with 4,44,21,781 people having recovered. Over 220.66 crore vaccine doses have been administered nationwide. 2. In other news from the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen to discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation in key sectors such as agriculture, water, innovation, and people-to-people ties. Cohen's visit was shortened due to Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip. Modi expressed his satisfaction with the meeting in a tweet. 3. Shifting our focus, The Geological Survey of India, or GSI, has dismissed media reports claiming the discovery of large lithium reserves in Rajasthan as "baseless" and misleading. The GSI clarified that no such information was provided by either the regional or central headquarters. The exploration work for tungsten, lithium, and associated rare metals mineralization is still ongoing, and resource estimates will be determined after the completion of drilling and report finalization. International News1. Turning our attention to international news, the US is urging the World Health Organization, or WHO, to invite Taiwan as an observer to its annual meeting. China has been blocking Taiwan's participation since 2017, but the US believes including Taiwan would promote inclusivity in international health cooperation. Taiwan's foreign ministry expressed gratitude for the US's support, emphasizing the importance of global health cooperation. 2. In some shocking news, former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's arrest has been upheld by the Islamabad High Court, leading to violent protests across the country. Internet services and social media platforms have been suspended in various regions. The arrest followed Khan's accusations against a senior officer of the ISI spy agency. The Indian High Commission has advised Indian athletes participating in the Bridge Championship in Lahore to leave the country immediately. 3. In a recent development, the German government has presented a proposal for a "self-determination law" that would make it easier for transgender individuals to change their name and legal gender without extensive formalities. The law aims to protect against discrimination and provide dignity to transgender, intersex, and non-binary people. The proposal also includes provisions for minors and follows similar efforts in Spain and Scotland to simplify gender changes on official documents. Business News1. Let's now look at some business stories. Go First, owned by the Wadia group, has been granted bankruptcy protection by the National Company Law Tribunal, or NCLT, after filing for insolvency resolution proceedings. The NCLT appointed an interim resolution professional and ordered the suspended board of directors to support them. The airline has suspended ticket sales until May 15th and faces liabilities of ₹11,463 crore. 2. In some technology news, Cisco Systems plans to open a manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu, India, to produce switches and routers. The company is collaborating with Indian telecom carriers, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, to develop automated 5G networks for efficient service delivery. Cisco sees opportunities for private 5G networks in sectors like manufacturing, transportation, and utilities. The move aligns with India's initiative to boost domestic industry and attract foreign direct investment. 3. In other news, the Indian government will investigate allegations that WhatsApp accessed users' microphones while their phones were not in use, according to Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar. WhatsApp attributed the issue to an Android bug and said it has asked Google to investigate. Meanwhile, WhatsApp users in India have reported a surge in incoming international spam calls. 4. In the share market, on May 10th, amidst high volatility, benchmark indices showed slight gains, with the Nifty hovering around 18,300. The Sensex rose by 65.00 points or 0.11 percent to reach 61,826, while the Nifty increased by 17.50 points or 0.1 percent, reaching 18,283.45. Out of the shares traded, 1,681 advanced, 1,772 declined, and 147 remained unchanged. Entertainment News1. Over to news from the entertainment world. Filmmaker SS Rajamouli has expressed his ambition to adapt the Indian epic Mahabharat into a film, stating that he would make it into 10 parts to fully do justice to the story. While he is yet to begin casting or production, he envisions a unique interpretation of the characters and their inter-relationships. 2. Meanwhile, the controversial film The Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen, has grossed over ₹50 crores at the Indian box office in just five days. Despite protests and bans, the movie's earnings have soared to ₹56.86 crore. The film portrays the forced conversion and recruitment of Kerala women by the Islamic State. The Kerala High Court has dismissed the ban, and an appeal will be heard by the Supreme Court next week. 3. In an update for music, BTS member Jimin will collaborate with Kodak Black, NLE Choppa, JVKE, and Muni Long for the song "Angel Pt.1" in the upcoming movie Fast X. Fans are excited about this "dream team" of artists. The song will be released on May 18th. Jimin recently made history with his solo track "Like Crazy" reaching No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Sports News1. In sports news, Delhi, with a strong recent record of four wins in five matches, will face Chennai on May 10th. Mumbai have climbed to the top three with 12 points after defeating Bangalore. The playoff race remains intense, with Gujarat leading the table and the mid-table congested with teams on 10 points. 2. In some football news, Real Madrid and Manchester City were satisfied with a 1-1 draw in the evenly contested first leg of the Champions League semifinal. Vinicius Junior and Kevin de Bruyne scored, and the match remains wide open for the return leg. Both teams felt it was a good result and expect an even battle in Manchester. 3. Wrapping up sports news, tennis player Jessica Pegula, ranked third in the world, expressed disappointment with Madrid Open organizers for not allowing her and the women's doubles finalists to give speeches at the trophy ceremony. The men's doubles finalists had been given the opportunity to speak the previous day. Pegula called the decision unacceptable and questioned the organizers' rationale. Coco Gauff and Victoria Azarenka also expressed their dissatisfaction with the situation. Weather1. Last, but not least, Cyclone Mocha, currently a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal, is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm on May 10th and further strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm by May 11th. It will make landfall over southeast Bangladesh and north Myanmar coasts by May 14th, accompanied by heavy rainfall and rough sea conditions. Fishermen have been advised to stay away from the waters, and off-shore activities have been suspended. 2. And finally, on the evening of May 10th, anticipate mostly cloudy skies with temperatures reaching a high of 29°C and a low of 25°C. May 11th is expected to be partly cloudy, with a high of 31°C and a low of 21°C. Thunderstorms may potentially develop during the afternoon hours.   That’s all for now on The Bengaluru Commute Podcast for today. I’m Anupama. If you enjoyed this episode, please do follow me on your favorite podcast and player, and leave a rating and a review as well. It helps other listeners to discover the show, and I would just really appreciate it. Even better if you know someone who would enjoy the podcast, share it with them. Subscribe to The Bengaluru Commute Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Credits:Produced by SpoolerProducer: Anupama RajarathnamAudio producer: Caanu ZazaVoiceover: Anupama RajarathnamScript: Sitara D.