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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. Bengaluru Local news1. Let's begin with updates from the city. UT Khader, a former minister and five-time Congress MLA from Karnataka, made history as he was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the state Legislative Assembly. This remarkable achievement also marks him as the first Muslim leader to do so. There were no other contenders vying for the post. State Chief Minister Siddaramaiah played a pivotal role by proposing Khader's name for the position, which was then seconded by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.2. In other headlines, following a meeting with senior police officials in Bengaluru, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, accompanied by Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, made a significant statement affirming the state's stance against moral policing. Stressing the importance of impartiality, Siddaramaiah emphasized that law enforcement should not view crimes based on religious biases. He stated, "We must ensure that the police do not engage in moral policing."3. In some more news, Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and BJP State President Nalin Kumar Kateel criticized the ruling Congress' recent declaration of "no saffronisation, no moral policing," labelling it as "polarization politics." Following the swearing-in of Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar as CM and deputy CM, they issued various directives to the police department, instructing them to take firm action against individuals causing social disharmony.4. Up next, Bengaluru has emerged as the best city for fresher salaries. As demand for freshers continues to be strong across cities in 2023, data shows that the garden city is the best paying at ₹5.06 lakh, followed by Delhi NCR at ₹4.48 lakh and Mumbai at ₹4.25 lakh. Bengaluru is also the top location for fresher hiring with the highest salary packages. Notably, fresher hiring was highest in metropolitan cities in India, across all sectors.5. Now, onto other news, the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife has given a green signal for the construction of the second phase of the greenfield four-lane Bangalore-Chennai Expressway, the Centre’s ambitious 262 km roadway costing over Rs 16,000 crore. The expressway will pass through Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, cutting the travel time between the two metropolises by nearly three hours. A wildlife conservation plan for Rs 1,698 lakh will need to be deposited by the agency and 2 percent of the project cost for conserving the elephant habitat to tackle human-elephant conflicts.6. Moving on, according to a study, Bengaluru’s EV fleet is expected to rise to 75,000 to 2.3M by 2030. As per the report published by Bengaluru-based think tank the Centre for Study of Science, Technology, and Policy (CSTEP), Bengaluru traffic is expected to grow by 1.5 times. The findings of the study were filed in the paper titled ‘Bengaluru 2030: Impact of EVs on Vehicular Emissions’ authored by Saad Khan, Spurthi Ravuri, Thirumalai NC. 7. Meanwhile, Karthik Krishnan, a techie residing at the upscale Rainbow Drive Layout off Sarjapur Road, has rented a house at Muthanallur Cross on Sarjapur-Marathahalli Road, to which he will be shifting his family on June 1, paying ₹1.2 lakh a month, as fear of flooding during monsoon looms large. He also moved court against the RWA to raze the wall on the east side of the layout, which the BBMP has termed illegal, as it will increase the volume of the flood.8. On a different note, academicians and writers have urged the newly-elected Congress government to address the contentious revisions made in textbooks during the previous BJP administration in the state. Professor VP Niranjan Aradhya, a fellow and program head at the National Law School of India (NLSI) University in Bengaluru, and the founder of the co-ordination forum of SDMCs (School Development Monitoring Committee) has written a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah outlining these demands. National News1. Moving on to the national news. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, via a video conference, inaugurated Uttarakhand's first Vande Bharat Express, which will operate between Delhi and Dehradun, excluding Wednesdays, with a travel time of 4 hours and 45 minutes. Additionally, PM Modi will also unveil newly electrified rail line segments, resulting in the complete electrification of Uttarakhand's railway network.2. Meanwhile, The Biju Janata Dal has confirmed its participation in the inauguration of the new Parliament building in Delhi on May 28. While 19 opposition parties, including Congress, AAP, and TMC, declared their boycott of the ceremony, the BJD emphasized that constitutional institutions should maintain their sanctity and honour, irrespective of any issues that may arise.3. In more news, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended congratulations to the successful candidates of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams, highlighting the achievement of women comprising 34% of the qualifiers. Emphasizing the significance of gender equality, she expressed confidence in a more equitable society, particularly as the top four civil ranks were secured by women. CM Banerjee called upon women to step forward, lead by example, and play a pivotal role in shaping the future.4. Shifting our focus, India is expediting the procurement of armed drones from the US as part of its collaboration with Quad nations for enhanced maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific region. Concurrently, the Indian Navy is working on extending the lease of two Sea Guardian surveillance drones from General Atomics, stationed at the Rajali Naval Base in Tamil Nadu. The effectiveness of the leased drones in providing real-time domain awareness, including monitoring the Chinese build-up along the LAC, has been satisfactory.  International News1. Turning our attention to international news, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remarked on Wednesday evening, 24th May that his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi's visit has further strengthened the already close and robust relationship between Australia and India. Albanese emphasized the importance of investing in this relationship, highlighting the mutual benefits it brings in terms of trade, investment, business, as well as regional security and stability.2. In ongoing news, Imran Khan, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, expressed concerns about senior leaders from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party facing pressure to resign. Khan accused the government and military of exerting duress to dismantle his party ahead of the upcoming scheduled elections. Previously, his close aide and former Information Minister, Fawad Chaudhry, had already resigned from the party, adding to the growing tensions within.3. In a recent development, Super Typhoon Mawar has struck the US territory of Guam, causing destructive winds, heavy rainfall, and widespread power outages. This typhoon is among the most powerful to impact Guam in recent years. Social media videos depicted the aftermath, including fallen trees, airborne solar panels, and sections of a hotel's exterior wall collapsing to the ground.4. In some other news, A travel ban has been imposed on Lebanon's central bank chief, Riad Salameh, by a Lebanese judge, in response to an Interpol red notice against him. Salameh is facing charges in Lebanon, France, and Germany for allegedly conspiring with his brother to embezzle hundreds of millions of dollars from the central bank and subsequently laundering the funds overseas. Business News1. Let's now look at some business stories. The United States is at risk of defaulting on its debt in early June, which could have far-reaching implications for global economies. The current debt ceiling, set at $31.4 trillion, was reached on January 19. Republicans are withholding support for raising the debt ceiling unless the Democrat-led government meets their demands, creating a political impasse that heightens the potential for a default.2. In more business news, despite the global economic slowdown, India's services exports are experiencing sustained growth, while goods exports have faced contraction, states Morgan Stanley. The country's services exports have surged to $332 billion in 2023, which is 150% of the $218 billion recorded in 2019. Furthermore, India's share in global services exports has reached an unprecedented high of 4.9%, as highlighted in a recent report by the organization.3. Moving on, according to data from the statistics office, the German economy has entered a recession. In the first quarter of 2023, the gross domestic product (GDP) recorded a 0.3% decline when adjusted for price and calendar effects, following a 0.5% contraction in the fourth quarter of 2022. A recession is typically defined as two consecutive quarters of economic decline.4. On the second day of the ₹2,000 notes exchange, some Indian bank branches experienced cash shortages and temporarily suspended the exchange. The higher-than-expected demand for ₹500 and lower denomination currency in certain branches led to scarcity. Customers had to wait until the currency chests were replenished before they could proceed with the exchange process.5. In market news for May 25th, Benchmark indices erased all the intraday losses and trading ended in the green. The Sensex was up 86.17 points or 0.14% at 61,859.95, and the Nifty was up 28.90 points or 0.16% at 18,314.30. About 1637 shares advanced, 1574 shares declined, and 116 shares unchanged. The Indian rupee concluded the session with a slight decrease, settling at 82.74 per dollar, compared to its previous closing rate of 82.67. Entertainment News1. Over to news from the entertainment world. Iconic singer Tina Turner, known as the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll," has died at the age of 83 in her residence in Küsnacht, Switzerland. She won eight Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 as a solo artist. Turner faced various health challenges in recent years, including cancer, a stroke, and kidney failure.2. In news from the Cannes Film Festival, online images have emerged of filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and actress Sunny Leone at the Cannes for the premiere of their film 'Kennedy' on May 24. Sunny was seen in a daring blush pink gown with a thigh-high slit, while Kashyap opted for a black suit. A video captured Kashyap assisting Leone with her attire. The film also stars Rahul Bhat, who has previously worked with Kashyap in 'Ugly'.3. Meanwhile, clothing retailer Gap has filed a $2-million lawsuit against rapper Kanye West and his Yeezy clothing line due to their unsuccessful collaboration. Court documents reveal that Gap initiated the claim in Los Angeles, citing West's anti-Semitic remarks as the reason for terminating their partnership last year. The company firmly stated their intolerance for any form of hate, deeming it inexcusable. Sports News1. In sports news, when questioned about the possibility of signing Lionel Messi from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for Real Madrid, former club president Ramon Calderon responded affirmatively, stating, "Of course...He still has two years to play at the highest level." Calderon emphasized the importance of keeping close tabs on a player like Messi. The Argentine's contract with PSG is set to conclude on June 30.2. In some uplifting news, MI eliminated LSG from IPL 2023 with an impressive 81-run victory at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai. This win stands as MI's largest margin of victory (by runs) in the tournament. Additionally, it marks MI's first-ever triumph over LSG in the IPL. Notably, this is the second time in a row that LSG has been knocked out of the IPL in the Eliminator.3. Wrapping up sports news, star Indian shuttler PV Sindhu, displayed her prowess as she overcame Denmark's Line Christophersen in a hard-fought battle during the opening round of the women's singles at the Malaysia Masters. In the men's singles, Lakshya Sen caused a major upset by defeating Singapore's Loh Kean Yew, ranked fourth in the world. Sindhu's next opponent will be Japan's Aya Ohori as she aims to continue her winning streak. Bengaluru BuzzSwitching gears to local events. There are many events ongoing and upcoming in Bengaluru this week.1. Catch the world’s favourite "A Cappella" Group, Penn Masala performing Live at the Farzi Cafe in UB City, happening on May 26th at 8.00 pm.2. Join a Bollywood dance class and showcase your talent at the Bolly Dance Workshop at the Go Native HSR, happening on the 27th of May at 5.00 pm.3. But wait, there's more. Catch ace comedian Vipul Goyal Live at MLR Convention Centre, JP Nagar, on the 27th of May at 5.00 pm and 8.00 pm.4. Are you a first-time painter or are you someone who hasn't picked up a paintbrush in a long time? This one's for you! Join an exclusive Guided Painting workshop at the Paint Bar, Sadashivanagar on the 27th of May at 3.00 pm.5. You can also catch the Super Sunday Bollywood Night and have a gala time with family and friends, at the Boomrang Bar X Social, Koramangala 7th Block, happening on the 28th of May at 8.00 pm. Bengaluru Weather1. In a general weather update. As per the India Meteorological Department, Bengaluru is expected to witness moderate to heavy thunderstorms with gusty winds touching 40-50km per hour for the next three days. Light to moderate thundershowers will follow for two days. The city received 25.8mm of rain from 8.30 am on May 23 to 8.30 am on May 24. So far tens of trees have been uprooted, hundreds of poles have fallen and about five people have lost their lives. 2. And finally, the weather in Bengaluru. On the evening of May 25th, the temperatures will drop to 23°C and the chance of rain is very likely with expected thunderstorms. The weather on the morning of May 26th will be very hot, with temperatures reaching a 33°C. During the evening and nighttime, the temperatures will dip again to 21°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