Mangaluru: Tourist from Andhra drowns in Ullal beach; 4 women rescued

Mangaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a major membership drive in Dakshina Kannada, targeting the enrolment of 3.5 to 4 lakh members in the district.

DK BJP unit president Satish Kumpala, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, announced that over 2.5 lakh citizens had joined the party in 2019. This year, the goal is to add another 1.5 to 2 lakh members.

New members can enrol by calling the toll-free number 8800002024 to receive a registration link, while existing members are encouraged to renew their membership. Citizens aged 18 and above are eligible to join the party.

The drive was officially launched in Mangaluru by former BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel. Kumpala added that the initiative will cover all 57 Mahashakthi Kendras in the district, with a special focus from September 11 to 17 to coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday celebrations.

The party plans to enrol at least 250 members from each booth, with manual registration options available in rural areas with limited internet access. A district-level workshop will be held later to review the membership enrolments.

A 27-year-old non-resident Indian and his Sudanese colleague died of dehydration and exhaustion in Saudi Arabia's Rub' al Khali desert.

Mohammad Shehzad Khan, a resident of Karimnagar, had been working in Saudi Arabia for three years with a telecommunications company.

The incident took place when Shehzad accompanied by his Sudanese colleague lost his way in the desert after his GPS lost signal. Shehzad's phone battery also died, leaving the two unable to call for help.

Soon, their vehicle also ran out of fuel, and the two men ran out of food and water in the searing heat. Being stranded in the dangerous Empty Quarter part of the desert is almost a guarantee of death.

The Rub' al Khali, which stresses over 650 kilometres, is well-known for its harsh conditions and spans across Saudi Arabia's southern regions and into neighbouring countries.

Even though the two fought to survive, the temperatures were extreme and dehydration and exhaustion took over. Their bodies were discovered on Thursday, four days after they ventured into the desert, lying next to their vehicle in the sand dunes.

The car they had been driving had stalled, which had led them to wander in the dessert. Their bodies were found on a prayer mat, according to the Free Press Journal.

Sources in Shehzad's family told online news platform Siasat Daily, they would prefer to maintain their total privacy at this grief-stricken hour.

Information on Shehzad's colleague, who was a Sudanese national, has not been found.

Bengaluru: Chevron, a global leader in providing energy solutions, on Saturday announced an investment of Rs 8,300 crore to set up its Engineering and Innovation Centre of Excellence here.

The investment was announced during a high-profile meeting attended by the Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, M B Patil and others.

"Karnataka has been consistently leading the way in promoting economic growth and development. The collaboration between the state government and Chevron company in implementing this Rs 8,300 crore investment is a clear indication of the significant progress in engineering and innovation in Karnataka. The state government is committed to promoting innovation, economic growth and job creation," he said.

Akshay Sahni, Country Head of Chevron India, shared the company's vision for the new centre and said, "It will provide an opportunity for India's exceptional talent to work with the resources and expertise of our global network to provide affordable, reliable clean energy."

According to a statement shared by the Minister's office, the centre will hire 600 engineers by 2025 in engineering and digital services to accelerate energy system technology innovations. The state has taken exemplary steps to promote technological progress through progressive policies that have created an enabling environment for innovation.

The minister noted that Bengaluru is already home to more than 500 Global Competence Centres (GCCs) and accounts for more than 30 per cent of India's GCCs, including finance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing and other sectors.

Chevron Centre of Excellence (ENGINE) will create significant employment opportunities for local professionals. It will allow them to respond to the challenge of meeting current global energy demands and contribute to the production of clean, low-carbon fuels in the future, the statement said.

Patil explained the Chevron team that will be operating here will execute complex global operations and energy projects in collaboration with international stakeholders.

"The establishment of the Chevron Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru will be in line with the Government of Karnataka's priorities for technology, innovation and skill development. This investment reflects the importance of Karnataka as an important destination for global companies," it stated.