Miscellaneous
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. Karnataka has announced dry days ahead of assembly elections. Alcohol-serving establishments will remain closed from 5 pm on May 8th to midnight on May 10th, and again on May 13th. The ban is enforced under the People's Representation Act to prevent disruption of the elections. Some Bengaluru restaurants have decided to close their business on those days as they cannot serve alcohol. No door delivery of food will be allowed. 2. Moving on, Campaigning for Karnataka's assembly polls ends today. PM Modi addressed 18 rallies and six roadshows, while Congress leaders held 80 public meetings. The JD(S) aims to win 123 seats, positioning itself as a party for Kannadigas. The polls are important for setting the tone for the 2024 general elections. 3. Up next, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi campaigned for the Karnataka assembly elections by riding a BMTC bus in Bengaluru and interacting with commuters this morning. He discussed issues such as price hikes, public transportation, and Congress's guarantee of free bus travel for all women on state-owned KSRTC and BMTC buses. The election is set for May 10th, with results on May 13th. 4. Meanwhile, the AIUTUC has voiced concern about ASHAs not receiving allowances during election duty and submitted a memorandum to the election commission officer. The union approached district commissioners for allowances and approached the Chief Electoral Officer for help. ASHAs were given Rs 700 allowance per day during previous elections. Some district commissioners had denied pay citing lack of funds. 5. In other headlines, KSRTC and BMTC will deploy 45% and 27% of their fleets, respectively, on election duty on May 9th and 10th, leading to delays and interruptions for intra-state and intra-city travel. KSRTC will deploy around 3,700 buses from its 8,100-strong fleet to transport officials for poll duty, while Volvo and premium services will run as usual. 6. Now, onto another topic, the first U-girders for Namma Metro's Blue Line extension to Kempe Gowda International Airport have been installed. The 37km Phase 2B project will connect Central Silk Board Junction and KR Puram. The project is divided into three packages, with NCC Ltd. building all three. The Blue Line is set to become operational by June 2026. 7. In some shocking news, two software engineers in Bengaluru lost Rs 49 lakh to cybercriminals who promised part-time jobs to rate hotels. The criminals claimed to work for companies providing hotel reviews and convinced the engineers to invest money with them. Police are trying to track down the suspects. Officials are warning people to be cautious of job offers that require an investment or entail the transfer of money. 8. On a different note, a Bengaluru man took the National Highways Authority of India to court after being charged an excess of Rs 5 twice through his FASTag account at a toll plaza. The court ordered the agency to refund the excess toll fee and pay compensation of Rs 8,000. Despite the NHAI arguing the fees were as per the rules, the court ruled in favor of the customer. Local EventsSwitching gears to local events. There are many events ongoing and upcoming in Bengaluru this week.1. Lahe Lahe will be hosting Yoga Classes starting May 9th, conducted by Yogini Sripriyaji, Co-founder Aevam Yoga. Let's hear more about the workshop from Sripriya. 2. Attend the Women in Product Conference on May 13th at 10 AM, held at the CMRIT College Amphitheatre, to acquire valuable insights from accomplished women in the industry, connect with professionals who share similar interests, and leave the conference feeling empowered to succeed in the product world. 3. But wait, there's more. Experience an evening of spoken word and poetry at Dialogues Poetry Mic, taking place on May 13th at 6:30 PM in Dialogues Cafe, JP Nagar. Here's Srishtika Prakash, the host, telling us more about the event. 4. Attend Bhangra Night, a Bhangra workshop on May 14th at Dialogues Cafe in JP Nagar, happening every Sunday. 5. Manik Mahna will be performing his stand-up comedy show "Manik's Day Out" on May 14th at Alliance Française de Bangalore. National News1. Moving on to the national news. Curfew was relaxed in Imphal, Manipur's state capital, allowing people to buy essential items as life returns to somewhat normal after ethnic violence. Drones and helicopters monitored the situation while the Army and Assam Rifles held flag marches. Several state governments have arranged special flights to evacuate their residents, mostly students, from Manipur due to the ongoing violence. 2. In some breaking news, another explosion occurred on a heritage street near the Golden Temple early this morning, close to the spot where a blast happened on May 6th. No injuries or damages were reported. Police and forensic teams arrived at the scene and collected samples for investigation. Locals demanded a thorough investigation into the two blasts. 3. Shifting our focus, a double-decker boat overturned and sank near Tuvalthiram beach in Kerala's Malappuram district, killing 22 people, including seven children. The boat's owner has been charged with culpable homicide, and a judicial probe has been ordered. Rescue operations are underway with the help of the National Disaster Response Force and Indian Coast Guard. The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained. International News1. Turning our attention to international news, the Taliban has agreed to extend China's Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI, to Afghanistan, potentially attracting billions of dollars for infrastructure projects. China and Pakistan have pledged to work together on Afghanistan’s reconstruction, including taking the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan. China, Russia, and Iran have warm ties with the Taliban. 2. In a recent development, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with his Indian counterpart Ajit K Doval in Saudi Arabia, with plans to meet again at the Quad Summit in Australia. They launched the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology dialogue in January. Sullivan also met with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE's National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan. 3. In some upsetting news, the Canadian province of Alberta has declared a state of emergency as 110 wildfires continue to blaze across the region, forcing 25,000 people to flee their homes and causing one-third of the fires to be listed as out of control. More than 20 communities have been evacuated and over 301,000 acres have burned. The emergency declaration gives the government of Alberta greater powers to respond to extreme situations. Business News1. Let's now look at some business stories. India and Canada's trade ministers will co-chair the sixth India-Canada Ministerial Dialogue on Trade and Investment today, where they will review progress on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, negotiations and discuss strengthening economic ties. Piyush Goyal will also visit Toronto to meet with key Canadian companies and inaugurate the Indian Pavilion at SIAL CANADA-2023. 2. Now, onto another topic, The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture held a meeting with representatives from the Ministry of Civil Aviation to discuss airfare hikes, heritage theft, and airport development. The meeting followed complaints about increased airfares from Manipur and budget airline Go First filing for insolvency due to a lack of engine supply. 3. In other news, The Indian Biogas Association, or IBA, has urged the government to increase compressed biogas in the gas mix, reducing India's annual import bill by USD 20-25 billion by 2030. The IBA suggested gradually increasing the share of compressed biogas to 10% by 2025 and 20% by 2030, and extending the CBG-CGD synchronization plan for ten years to provide long-term certainty to CBG ecosystem players. 4. In the share market, India's domestic indices started Monday in positive territory, boosted by favorable global cues. The NSE Nifty 50 climbed 0.62% to 18,181.5 and the Sensex rose 0.87% to 61,585.36. The Bank Nifty surged 1.33% to 43,227.05, while Nifty PSU Bank fell 0.67% to 4,125.85. IndusInd Bank, Hindalco, Bajaj Auto, Power Grid, and Kotak Bank were among the top gainers on Nifty 50, while Coal India, Adani Enterprises, Sun Pharma, Adani Ports, and SBI Life were among the losers. Entertainment News1. Over to news from the entertainment world. The Kerala Story directed by Sudipto Sen saw a boost in collections, earning twice its Day 1 figures on May 7th, despite being cancelled in some states. The film was declared tax-free in Madhya Pradesh. The film tells the story of an innocent Hindu woman forced to convert to Islam and later sent to the ISIS Terrorist organization, based on real-life incidents. 2. Meanwhile, Aishwarya Rajinikanth is making a comeback after half a decade with her film "Lal Salaam" and has introduced her father, Rajinikanth, as Moideen Bhai. He will be playing a cameo in the film. Vishnu Vishal and Vikranth will also star in the film, and AR Rahman will score the music. The shooting is currently underway, and the film is expected to be released this year. 3. In news from Hollywood, actor Richard Dreyfuss criticized the Academy's diversity and inclusion standards for the 2024 Oscars, calling them "thoughtless" and "patronizing". The new standards require two to be fulfilled for a valid submission for Best Picture. Dreyfuss also defended Laurence Olivier's performance in Blackface and criticized limiting casting based on race or religion, as well as efforts to control curriculum and ban certain books in public schools. Sports News1. In sports news today, Punjab hopes for a win against Kolkata tonight with the return of Kagiso Rabada. Harpreet Brar may be used as an Impact Substitute, while the spin department will play a key role in a different venue. The batting looks good with Shikhar Dhawan and Prabhsimran Singh in form. 2. In some Formula 1 news, Max Verstappen won the Miami Grand Prix despite starting ninth, extending his lead in the F1 championship over Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. Red Bull achieved a one-two finish for the fourth time in five races, while Fernando Alonso finished third. Toto Wolff praised Mercedes' performance, with George Russell fourth and Lewis Hamilton sixth. Red Bull leads the constructors' championship, followed by Aston Martin and Mercedes. 3. Wrapping up sports news, Deepak Bhoria, an Indian boxer, caused the biggest upset at the World Boxing Championships in Tashkent by defeating world champion and Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist, Saken Bibossinov. Bhoria advances to the pre-quarterfinals of the flyweight category with the victory. Md Hussamuddin also won unanimously to advance to the quarterfinals while Sumit Kundu and Narender Berwal bowed out.Weather1. Last, but not least, a low-pressure area has formed in the Bay of Bengal and is expected to turn into a cyclone by May 10th, moving towards the Myanmar and Bangladesh coasts. The Indian Meteorological Department has a five-step classification for cyclones, with the weakest called a "cyclonic storm" and the strongest a "super cyclonic storm." This will be the first cyclone of the year and will be named Cyclone Mocha. 2. And finally, expect scattered thunderstorms tonight with a high of 26 deg C and a low of 23 deg C. Tomorrow, on May 9th, the day will be partly cloudy with a high of 31 deg C and a low of 21 deg C. There is a possibility of rain in the evening and night. 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.