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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 news Let's begin with updates from the city. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah requested the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner on Sunday, 21st May, to end the 'Zero Traffic' protocol for his vehicle movement, citing difficulties faced by commuters on restricted routes. The 'Zero Traffic' protocol aims to facilitate the seamless movement of the CM's convoy and enhances security measures. In other headlines, A government school teacher in Karnataka was suspended for criticizing CM Siddaramaiah and his policies on social media. The teacher, identified as Shantanamurthy MG, shared a Facebook post highlighting the increasing state debt during Siddaramaiah's tenure and the announcement of freebies. The suspension order cited a violation of civil services conduct rules, and a departmental inquiry was initiated. Up next, Following a prolonged period of unusual heat in Bengaluru, heavy rainfall occurred over the weekend, providing relief to the residents of the capital. However, the downpour also led to notorious waterlogging in certain parts of the city. The Indian Meteorological Department forecasts that the Bengaluru rains will persist for the next few days. Social media platforms were inundated with images and videos capturing the surprising scenes of the showers in Bengaluru. In some tragic news, A 23-year-old Infosys employee died when the car she was in drove into a flooded underpass at Bengaluru's KR Circle on 21st May. Fire and emergency services rescued six other passengers, including five family members. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to the family of the deceased, later identified as Bhanurekha. An FIR has been registered against the BBMP, by the victim's brother. Now, onto other news, The incident of a fire at the Dry Waste Collection Centre in Ward 177, JP Nagar has left residents shocked. The centre served as a valuable learning hub for students, academics, and policymakers, showcasing the positive impact of waste management in the area. The loss of the centre has also resulted in several people losing their livelihoods. The residents have demanded that the BBMP restore the DWCC. Moving on, to promote women's inclusion in the workforce, the Women on Wheels car rally was held on May 21st. This empowering event aimed to raise awareness about the need for safer driving conditions and facilities and to foster a supportive environment for women. With over 50 participating cars, the rally covered a challenging terrain of approximately 80-100 kilometres. It served as a platform to amplify women's rights. Meanwhile, Karnataka's Director General of Police, Praveen Sood, expressed his gratitude to the police force for overseeing the "most peaceful elections ever" without any untoward incidents. As he prepares to take charge as the next CBI Director in New Delhi, he advised the Karnataka police to prioritize the well-being of the constabulary and citizens before spending money. Sood, considering the police force as his extended family, conveyed his best wishes to the officers during his farewell parade. On another note, The upcoming Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway is set to become the city's first high-speed expressway, allowing travel at a speed of 120 kmph. In comparison, the current Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway has a maximum speed limit of 100 kmph. Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced that the construction of the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway will be finished by February next year. At a total length of 262 km, this expressway is being built at a cost of Rs. 16,730 crore. National News Moving on to the national news. Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka awarded PM Narendra Modi the highest honour of Fiji, the 'Companion of the Order of Fiji' today. This prestigious recognition was bestowed upon PM Modi for his global leadership, making him one of the few non-Fijians to receive this distinguished honour. Meanwhile, The Delhi High Court has summoned BBC in a defamation suit filed by Gujarat-based NGO Justice on Trial, alleging that the documentary on PM Narendra Modi tarnishes India's reputation, judiciary, and the Prime Minister himself. Senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the NGO, argued that the documentary makes insinuations against PM Modi. The court's summons require BBC to respond to the allegations. In more news, Nagaland minister and BJP leader Temjen Imna Along expressed confidence in BJP's victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, downplaying the impact of Congress policies. Along stated that Congress cannot solely rely on their win in Karnataka to guarantee success in 2024. He affirmed that BJP is poised to retain power and dismissed the notion that Congress will prevail in the upcoming polls. Shifting our focus, former NCB officer, Sameer Wankhede was interrogated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for over five hours consecutively on Sunday. When approached by the media outside the CBI office, he responded with "Satyamev Jayate." Wankhede has been accused of allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹25 crore to avoid implicating Aryan, the son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, in a drugs-related case. International News Turning our attention to international news, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy clarified on Sunday, 21st May that Russian forces have not occupied Bakhmut, despite claims made by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, asserting their control over the Ukrainian city. Zelenskyy stated, "As of today, Bakhmut is not occupied by the Russian Federation." However, in a previous statement, he mentioned that Bakhmut holds sentimental value and that there is currently no physical presence in that area. In ongoing news, The British High Commission in India posted on their social media, of UK PM Rishi Sunak embracing Indian PM Narendra Modi during the G7 summit in Japan, captioned "Ek Mazboot Dosti" - One strong friendship. PM Modi tweeted later stating that they discussed enhancing collaboration in trade, innovation, science, and other sectors. In a recent development, German authorities are investigating potential cases of poisoning among Russian exiles after a journalist and an activist experienced health issues following a dissidents' meeting in Berlin. One of the dissidents described symptoms such as "sharp pain" and "numbness." It is worth noting that Russian dissident Alexey Navalny was poisoned with a Soviet-made nerve agent in 2020. In some other news, Australian PM Anthony Albanese expressed his support on Sunday for a G7 joint statement that emphasized the importance of reducing dependence on trade with China. The G7 communiqué referred to the need to manage risks rather than completely sever economic engagement with China. Albanese stated, "I endorse the G7 communiqués on international relations...we are there." It is noteworthy that China recently lifted trade restrictions on Australian timber. Business News Let's now look at some business stories. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has stated today that there is no need to hurry to banks for exchanging or depositing ₹2,000 banknotes after the central bank's directive to withdraw them. Das emphasized that there is a four-month window to exchange notes, adding that setting a specific time frame is necessary for the process to reach its conclusion. In more business news, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has awarded a significant advance purchase order to a consortium led by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for the deployment of a nationwide 4G network in India. The contract, valued at over ₹15,000 crores, also involves the participation of telecom gear manufacturer Tejas Networks, responsible for supplying and servicing Radio Access Networks (RAN) equipment.  Moving on, The European Union has imposed a historic fine of €1.2 billion on Meta today and directed the company to cease the transfer of data collected from Facebook users in Europe to the United States. This penalty surpasses the €746 million fine levied on Amazon by the EU in 2021. The Data Protection Commission of Ireland has instructed Facebook to halt any future transfer of personal data to the US within the next five months. In market news for May 22nd, The Sensex recorded a gain of 244.28 points or 0.40%, reaching 61,973.96, while the Nifty witnessed a rise of 111.20 points or 0.61%, reaching 18,314.60. Among the traded shares, 1624 advanced, 1709 declined, and 141 remained unchanged. Gold prices remained unchanged as traders await further clarity on the U.S. debt ceiling negotiations and the Federal Reserve's stance on interest rates. Entertainment News Over to news from the entertainment world. Expressing his disappointment, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri lamented on Twitter the decline of the Cannes Film Festival, stating that it is disheartening to witness its transformation. He criticized the prominence of fashion and social media influencers, emphasizing the diminishing focus on actual films and filmmakers. In more news from the Cannes Film Festival, Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, whose film Kennedy will premiere at Cannes, opened up about his complex connection with violence, stating that it deeply affects him. He confessed to fainting at the sight of real blood. Kashyap also acknowledged his difficult relationship with violence, which reflects in his films where he tends to depict extreme forms of it. Meanwhile, Actor Sean Penn has voiced his support for the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival. Penn expressed solidarity with Hollywood screenwriters, highlighting the long-standing exploitation of writers, actors, and directors in the industry. He also criticized the resistance from producers towards new concepts like the use of AI, considering it a human obscenity. Sports News In sports news, led by opener Shubman Gill's consecutive century, Gujarat secured a six-wicket victory over Bangalore in their Indian Premier League match. Gujarat achieved their highest successful run chase in IPL, reaching a target of 198. As a result, Bangalore has been eliminated from the IPL 2023, while the five-time champions Mumbai have successfully qualified for the playoffs.  In some other news, Following WFI chief Brij Bhushan's offer to undergo narco, polygraph, or lie detector tests, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia have accepted the challenge to do the tests too. Additionally, all seven complainants involved in the matter will also undergo the tests, as confirmed by Punia. Phogat emphasized the importance of conducting the tests publicly to expose Bhushan's alleged cruelty, ensuring the entire country is aware of the situation. Wrapping up sports with some tragic news, A stampede at the Monumental Stadium in Cuscatlan, El Salvador, during a football match between Alianza and FAS has resulted in the deaths of 12 individuals and over 500 injuries. The incident occurred when a large crowd attempted to enter a closed sector of the stadium, leading to the stampede. Bengaluru Local Events Switching gears to local events. There are many events ongoing and upcoming in Bengaluru this week.  1. Catch the StandUp Comedy Live, featuring Shamik Chakrabarti, Jotheen Patro and more, at the Bistro Claytopia, Koramangala at 8.00 pm, happening till the 26th of May.2. Join the Chai date on the 24th of May and have great soulful conversations at Small World, Koramangala at 7.00 pm.3. But wait, there's more. Join a Yoga class with ace yogini Sripriya at Lahe Lahe from May 23rd. You can book yourself for available slots at 7.00 am and 8.00 am.4. Join The Rhyme Society for an exclusive open mic event happening on 28th May, between 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm at the Pops of Pastel studio at Basavanagudi.5. You can also catch a Stand-Up Nights special hosted by Shankar Chugani and organized by MORPH._Code at the 21st Amendment Gastrobar in Indira Nagar on 29th May at 8.00 pm. Bengaluru Weather 1. And finally, the weather in Bengaluru. The evening of May 22nd will see the temperatures drop to 23°C and will be partly cloudy. On the 23rd of May, Bengaluru is expected to be scorching, with temperatures soaring up to 38°C. However, as the evening approaches and transitions into the night, the mercury will dip, and the temperatures will drop to around 24°C. 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 favourite 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. Make your commute truly extraordinary. The Bengaluru Commute podcast skill is now available on Alexa! All you have to do is to download the skill from your Alexa app and look for the Bengaluru commute podcast. Subscribe to The Bengaluru Commute Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Credits:Produced by SpoolerProducer: Anupama RajarathnamAudio producer: Caanu ZazaVoiceover: Anupama RajarathnamScript: Prathiksha Nehru