Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Karnataka Today newsletter: Infosys Prize now only for researchers aged up to 40 years, and more

The Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) on May 15 announced certain changes in the Infosys Prize. The upper age limit for prize winners is being revised from 50 years to 40 years. ISF explained that it is steering the Infosys Prize in a new direction by transitioning from a mid-career prize to an early-career prize, with the objective of rewarding potential and recognising the promise of future achievement.

To further its objective of fostering collaboration and access, the ISF now requires all winners, who are based outside India at the time of winning the prize, to spend time at Indian institutes of their choice. 

A 20-year-old girl was stabbed to death at her house in Veerapur Oni, by a youth who was reportedly in love with her, in Hubballi on May 15. This follows the Neha Hiremath murder in the district and the second such case to be reported in the last one month. The girl, identified as Anjali Ambiger, had reportedly rejected the marriage proposal of Girish Sawanth (21).

According to Anjali’s sister, Girish knocked on the door early in the morning and entered the house after Anjali opened it. Anjali had lost her parents and was living with her grandmother. Girish asked for the grandmother and told her that he wanted to take Anjali with him. When Anjali refused, he immediately took out a knife and stabbed her multiple times, eyewitness revealed.

Minister for Ecology, Environment and Forest Eshwar Khandre has ordered a probe, led by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, into alleged felling and burning of several trees near the Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in the Mundrote range of the Padinalkunadu Reserve Forest in Kodagu district. The probe is a follow-up to a report published by The Hindu in the May 15 edition.

Environmentalists and activists in Kodagu have raised an alarm over the alleged destruction of trees. Members of the Kodagu Ekikarana Ranga, who recently visited the site, highlighted the issue and also lodged a complaint with the Forest Department. Following the complaint, the department registered an FIR and is conducting an investigation.

Three-term MLA from Udupi K. Raghupathi Bhat said that BJP leaders should introspect whether tickets to contest the Karnataka Legislative Council and Lok Sabha elections have been issued to deserving candidates. The former MLA is miffed with the party for not nominating him in the Legislative Council elections and also not consulting him before deciding the candidate for Udupi for the May 2023 Assembly elections.