School day of Sneha Public School Pakkaladka held

Bengaluru, Jul 18: Karnataka minister R Ashoka on Friday said that the COVID-19 lockdown will not be extended further in Bengaluru.

While commenting on the COVID-19 lockdown extension R Ashoka said, "We have taken expert opinion, and the lockdown will not be extended. It will end on July 22."

Earlier today, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Mayor, M Goutham Kumar called for an extension of lockdown in the city for one more week due to rise in the COVID-19 cases. "It will be better if we get more time to tackle COVID-19 cases. We wish for the extension of lockdown for one more week. We have given the proposal to the government," said Kumar.

Lockdown had been imposed in the city for seven days with effect from 8 pm on July 14 till 5 am on July 22 to curb the further spread of COVID-19.

As many as 3,693 new COVID-19 positive cases and 115 deaths have been reported in Karnataka on Friday, the State Health Department said.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the state now stands at 55,115 including 33,205 active cases. While there are 20,757 recoveries, the death toll stands at 1,147.

New Delhi, Jun 27: Wasim Akhtar, a journalist and founder of an online news portal, is helping the poor and needy people in the ongoing lockdown.

Not only is he helping them financially but also providing emotional support and setting the right example of humanity.

"I was very disturbed during the first 14 days of lockdown especially after seeing such sad videos about needy and poor people. But then I decided to move out of my house and help these poor people despite the fear of COVID-19 coronavirus. We supply ration to around 200 people every day so that their families won't sleep hungry," narrated Wasim Akhtar.

Waseem Akhtar and his team are contacting daily wagers and other needy people who have been locked jobless in their houses for the past 70 days. They are the people who will not beg for food to anybody, rather choose to sleep hungry. They are making sure to help the people in the remotest places by directly transferring the money in the accounts of needy people.

They have been feeding many migrants at Kurla and VT stations. "At VT station, there was a group of Tamilian migrants among which there were six women and two men, who didn't know Hindi or English language, who were helpless and nowhere to go to, we send them back to their natives," said Wasim when asked about it.

The Giving Care Foundation also funded the funeral of a 65-year old man at the Worli crematorium. They took care of the expenses of the delivery of a Kolkata-based woman whose husband was stuck in Mumbai. Along with this, they arranged everything for the funeral of a young girl who died after her prolonged illness amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Being a Muslim myself, I urge all the fellow Muslims that limit your expenses and help the poor and needy in such times," concluded Wasim Akhtar.

Madikeri, Jun 9: A rare Rurk’s Ristella Skink was found by some wildlife enthusiasts on their way to Madapur in Kodagu district.

Ristella Rurkii, commonly known as Rurk’s Ristella, is a species of skink endemic to the Western Ghats of Southern India. It is a small, insectivorous, diurnal skink found in Shola grasslands and rain forests of hills ranges in parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The specific name, rurkii, is in honour of “Dr Rurk” who collected the type specimen in the Annamalai Hills, High Ranges, Travancore, and the Palani Hills, of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It is endemic to rainforests South of Palghat Gap.