Cong stages ‘black band’ protest in Karnataka Assembly against BJP’s handling of hijab row

Mangaluru: The Unicode Consortium has announced the inclusion of Tulu script in its latest version, Unicode 16. This update adds 80 characters to the Unicode Standard, marking a significant milestone for the Tulu-speaking community.

According to officials, the journey to this achievement began in 2001 when a member of the Unicode Consortium helped fix the Kannada script in Unicode and simultaneously advocated for the inclusion of Tulu.

Despite initial misunderstandings with the Tulu Academy in Mangaluru, the groundwork was laid for future developments. Initially, three Tulu experts had worked on the subject, including S A Krishnaiah, a Tulu scholar.

"In 2014, efforts to create a Tulu Wikipedia gained momentum, leading to its launch on August 6, 2016. By 2017, the Tulu Academy recognised the need for Tulu Unicode, forming a committee to finalise the characters with technical guidance. Concurrently, another proposal for the Tilari script was submitted," Krishnaiah said.

After extensive correspondence, the script was officially added to Unicode under the name Tulu-Tigalari. While there are minor differences between the Tulu Academy's list and the finalised Unicode version, most characters have been included. Notably, Tulu digits and some diacritic marks necessary for writing Sanskrit in Tulu script were added, he said.

According to him, the inclusion of the Tulu script in Unicode will have a significant positive impact on digital communication for Tulu speakers, including enhanced digital presence. Tulu speakers can now use their native script across various digital platforms, including social media, websites, and messaging apps, fostering a stronger online presence.

The availability of Tulu in Unicode will facilitate the creation of educational materials, such as textbooks and online courses, in the Tulu script, supporting language learning and literacy, he said.

The development of Unicode-encoded fonts, keyboard software, and converters will streamline the use of Tulu in digital communication, making it easier for users to type and share information in their native script, he said.

Being part of the Unicode Standard gives Tulu global recognition, encouraging more software and application developers to support the script, thereby increasing its usability and visibility, the Tulu scholar said.

Overall, this will empower Tulu speakers to communicate more effectively and confidently in their language, both locally and globally.

It is estimated that over 1.8 million people worldwide speak Tulu. Most Tulu speakers live in the coastal areas of Karnataka and Kerala, India, in regions known as Tulu Nadu. There are also Tulu speakers in the Gulf countries and the United States, he said.

Tulu is a Dravidian language and is related to Kannada, the official language of Karnataka. Tulu has a rich oral tradition, but there isn't much written in the language. Tulu's script is similar to Malayalam and originated from the Grantha script.

A long-drawn fight is ongoing to include Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The Dravidian University at Kuppam in Andhra Pradesh has a special Tulu chair, he added.

The Israeli military has carried out airstrikes against several towns across the occupied West Bank, leaving at least 11 Palestinians dead and 15 others wounded, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) says.  

Ahmed Jibril, spokesman of the PRCS said on Wednesday that two Palestinians were killed after Israeli forces launched a drone strike on the city of Jenin, adding that four others lost their lives in a drone assault on their vehicle in a nearby village.

Five others were also killed in an Israeli strike on the al-Fara refugee camp located south of the West Bank city of Tubas, he said.

Israeli tanks also besieged the camp, preventing medical teams from reaching the wounded.

Israel deployed hundreds of troops to the cities of Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas to carry out large-scale military operations in those areas.

The raids were met with strong resistance from Palestinian fighters, who destroyed Israeli bulldozers.

Meanwhile, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said the operation is part of a wide-scale military offensive launched by the Israeli occupation authorities in several areas of the West Bank.

Israeli forces were carrying out a “major offensive in the city of Tulkarm,” besieging hospitals and preventing Palestinians from moving in and out of the city, according to Wafa.

The bloody attacks came two days after seven Palestinians were killed in an Israeli drone strike on a house in al-Manshiya neighborhood at the Nour Shams refugee camp near the city of Tulkarm in northwestern West Bank.

A number of others were also wounded during the raid on Monday, which saw the Israeli aircraft releasing several missiles against the targeted residence.

Israel has ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and cities throughout the occupied territories since the beginning of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza. More than 640 Palestinians have been killed in the assaults and in attacks by Israeli settlers, including more than 100 children.

Israel launched the barbaric campaign of death, destruction and genocide in Gaza on October 7, 2023 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.

Israel has so far massacred 40,476 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

Mangaluru, Sept 9: An action committee has voiced concerns about the construction of a new toll plaza near Sooralpady Masjid on the Mangaluru-Moodbidri-Karkala National Highway 169, 17 km from Nanthoor. Amidst ongoing construction, the Action Committee Against Surathkal Toll Gate claims irregularities and poor site selection.

Committee convener Muneer Katipalla noted that only 50% of the Nanthoor-Moodbidri-Karkala highway upgrade is complete after seven to eight years. The Nanthoor-Vamanjoor stretch remains unfinished, causing traffic issues, while dangerous hillside cutting near Kettikal has forced residents to relocate. Additionally, a flyover near Kaikamba threatens a local market.

Katipalla also criticized the construction of a bypass road, alleging it benefits real estate investors and inflates the project cost, which could increase toll fees. The proposed toll plaza, situated 36 km from Talapady toll gate and 35 km from Brahmarakotlu toll gate, violates distance regulations and is too close to local amenities, raising public objections.

There is growing concern that toll collection might begin before the project's completion, with locals frustrated by unaddressed grievances. Social activist Bava Padarangi, DYFI leader Srinath Kulal, and other community leaders attended the site visit.