1. JD(S) entered into alliance with BJP to defeat Congress in Karnataka: Deve Gowda
Justifying the alliance of Janata Dal (Secular) with BJP, former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda said that the two parties joined hands to defeat the Congress in Karnataka. “...We are determined to see Congress in Karnataka is demolished and the era of Congress should come to an end,” the former Prime Minister said on January 5.
The JD(S) and BJP are expected to announce seat-sharing formula for the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka after Sankranti. The JD(S) is expected to stake claim for four to five seats in the Old Mysuru region. Meanwhile, former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy accused the Congress of misusing power to divert attention of people from bad governance. He alleged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of registering a false case to implicate the brother of Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simmha.
2. Academies and authorities under Kannada and Culture Department headless for over six months
Over six months after the Congress took charge of the government of Karnataka, it is yet to appoint chairpersons and office-bearers to academies and authorities under the Kannada and Culture Department, rendering them defunct. Artistes and writers have alleged that with only officials running the show, no new projects are being envisaged.
The government has established a total of 14 academies, six Rangayana (theatre repertory) units, and four authorities to promote arts, literature and culture with specific funding. But with no appointments to posts of chairpersons and other office-bearers, these entities are engaged only in routine activities, such as selection of artistes and troupes for events and festivals. Key activities, including framing guidelines for the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act, 2022, have been stalled.
3. Namma Yatri app partners with Bengaluru police to induct 1,000 women auto drivers in six months
Through the launch of Mahila Shakti, ride booking app Namma Yatri has announced plans to enroll 1,000 women drivers in the next six months in collaboration with Bengaluru police and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Health and Education Foundation. The initiative is designed to empower women from diverse backgrounds to become proficient in driving electric vehicle (EV) autorickshaws.
The Mahila Shakti initiative offers a comprehensive one-month training course that covers practical driving, traffic laws, safety, and vehicle maintenance. Targeting women aged 25 to 45 years, the programme paves the way to higher income, economic independence and flexible working hours.
4. IISc study in Arunachal Pradesh reveals how logging and climate change impact montane birds
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) in Bengaluru have found that logging and climate change pose a threat to montane birds. They studied the effects of forest logging and climate change on bird communities in tropical mountains, by examining over 10 years of data.
In a study published in Global Ecology and Conservation, the team used mist netting and bird ringing data to understand how the composition of the mid-elevation Eastern Himalayan understorey bird community changed in primary (undisturbed) forests as well as in logged forests.
5. Labourer dies in elephant attack in Belur
A 45-year-old agriculture labourer died in an elephant attack near his house at Mattavara in Belur taluk on the night of January 4. The local people have started a protest, accusing the government of being mute to the deaths due to elephant attacks.
More than 90 persons have died in elephant attacks in Hassan district in the last 20 years. The locals have been demanding that the government capture all wild elephants and relocate them.
