1. Bengaluru Becomes First City to Get Its Own Logo
Brand Bengaluru got its own logo on Sunday – the tagline 'Bengaluru Be U' (be you) is expected to build the city's image on the global stage. The city is the first to get its own identity badge. Selected from 1,350 entries, the logo aims to signify Bengaluru's cosmopolitan culture, a sense of belonging, 480-year history and futuristic outlook. IT-BT and tourism minister Priyank Kharge said the logo would be used to enhance tourism in Karnataka.
The rolling font was devised by bankersturned-designers Rushi Patel and M Venkateswara Rao, founders of Nammur, a design firm. The first two letters, B, E, and the last, U, of Bengaluru are in red, highlighting the tagline ‘Be U’. The seventh and eighth letters (U and R) resemble the vowel ‘oo’ in Kannada.
The logo was unveiled amid festivities at Vidhana Soudha, which was opened up for Open Street, in the presence of Bengaluru Development Minister K J George, Gandhinagar MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao, Shantinagar MLA NA Haris, and Bengaluru Mayor R Sampath Raj.
(Source: The Times of India)
2. Fog Causes Worst-Ever Flight Delays at KIA
A day before Christmas on Sunday morning, operations at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) came to a standstill, leaving 100 flights stuck at the tarmac.
Chilly weather and a significantly reduced visibility had forced the airport to freeze the operations. An IMD official said visibility was as low as 50 metres. "Fog began descending at 5 am and grew dense at 8 am, the time when a maximum number of flights land or take off from the airport," said the official.
"Heavy fog hung over the airport till 7.53 am, after which visibility began to improve," the official said. "We instruct flights to divert, delay or cancel when visibility levels begin to shrink below 400 m. This is also the standard instruction from the Ministry of Civil Aviation."
The official said the procedure needs to be strictly followed to ensure the safety of passengers. The IMD and Air Traffic Control recorded 50-m visibility levels a fortnight ago.
(Source: Deccan Herald)
3. Man Kills Gay Partner for Bullying Him
A 23-year-old man has been arrested for murdering his colleague and gay friend in South Bengaluru's Madiwala.
Police arrested M R Devaraj (23), of Hassan, on Saturday for murdering Chennegowda (30), of Amruthuru in Tumakuru district. The men waited tables at Arogya Hotel in HSR Layout for two months and lived in a rented house in Venkatapura near Madiwala. Devaraj told the police he was in a physical relationship with Chennegowda.
Around 11.30 pm on 19 December, the friends bought alcohol from a bar and headed for the Venkatapura burial ground. Chennegowda consumed alcohol and became unconscious. Devaraj smashed a liquor bottle and stone on his head, resulting in his death, police said.
(Source: Deccan Herald)
4. Mahadayi: Farmers Continue Protest in Bengaluru
Over 500 farmers – men, women and children – continued to camp in front of the State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Malleswaram for the second day on Sunday as part of an indefinite protest demanding the release of water from Mahadayi river.
The agitators, representing the Mahadayi Kalasa Banduri Nala Horata Samanvaya Samiti and belonging to various parts of north Karnataka, have been living on the footpath in front of the office since Saturday. The farmers have been cooking on the roadside and got a water tanker to wash and clean themselves on the footpath. They have also booked a function hall nearby for the women protesters.
The farmers have been demanding a visit by State BJP president B S Yeddyurappa, who had promised to resolve the water crisis by the end of this year. “But it looks like that was a gimmick. He should personally come and discuss our issues with us,” a protester said.
(Source: The Hindu)
5. Veerashaivas-Lingayats Warn Govt of Backlash
Veerashaiva-Lingayat seers came together on Sunday in a show of unity, to reiterate their demand for 15 percent reservation under 2A category for the community.
They condemned the state government's move to form a panel to look into the demand of Lingayats for minority status, an obvious bid to divide the community ahead of polls. At the mega convention in Gadag, pontiffs representing the influential Panchapeeta (Veerashaivas) and Virakta (Lingayats) sects warned that those who try to divide Veerashaivas and Lingayats will be taught a fitting lesson.
Rambhapuri Veerasomeshwar Rajadeshikendra Shivacharya said the CM is being influenced by fake seers of mutts that came into existence recently, and warned the community to be careful of these self-proclaimed seers.
(Source: The Times of India)
6. Residents Seek Autonomous City Status for Bengaluru
Can Bengaluru be an autonomous city? The idea of Bengaluru being an autonomous city – responsible for its own governance and independent of a larger district administration – seemed to capture the imagination of residents participating in TOI's 'Bengaluru Forward' meeting.
The mayor would be in charge of administration – as in cities like London, Berlin and Buenos Aires. Civic officials part of the discussion were open to the idea.
'Bengaluru Forward', a city-wide civic campaign organized by TOI, brings together citizens and key stakeholders from the Karnataka government to collectively find solutions to civic challenges.
(Source: The Times of India)
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