Schools reopen to festive atmosphere in Karnataka after summer vacation
Bengaluru, May 16: Schools reopened to a cheerful atmosphere in Karnataka after 35 days of summer vacation, as the academic year 2022-23 commenced on Monday.
Physical classes had been disrupted for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.
The education department and the government school authorities in Karnataka made elaborate arrangements to welcome children as the usual hustle-bustle along with chorus anthems and songs returned to the schools.
Students came in uniform to the decked-up classrooms.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai greeted children as well as the teachers on the occasion of reopening of schools as per the academic calendar across Karnataka.
"After a long time, schools have started. The education department made all the arrangements. They are welcoming children in a traditional manner to create a favourable atmosphere for learning," Bommai told reporters here.
He added that learning in school has always been effective and result-oriented. "We are ready to provide textbooks, clothes and bicycles. Let the classes resume because there was uncertainty over the resuming of schools. Our desire is to see children going to schools as they used to do before COVID-19," Bommai said.
At Devarachikkanahalli in Bannerghatta Road in Bengaluru, the principal, teachers and the students tied 'torana' (festoons of mango leaves) at the entrance of the school as well as classes.
In another city school, teachers welcomed students by putting vermilion on the forehead of the students and performed 'arati' to every student.
In many schools, students were offered sweets as well as a mid-day meal.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation on Monday said it resumed the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme in Bengaluru.
The Foundation, in a statement, said it will serve over 1,50,000 children studying in 1,200 schools in and around the city through its three kitchens in Rajajinagar, Guniagrahara, and Jigani from Monday.
The school lunch programme benefits lakhs of students from government and government-aided schools.
Akshaya Patra said its employees are fully vaccinated and trained to carefully adhere to the COVID safety protocols from preparing, packaging, and delivering food to the mapped schools.
"With the resumption of schools after 35 days, we have, today, curated a special menu for the beneficiaries, i.e., fortified white rice, green leaf sambar, and a sweet in the form of moong dal payasam. All the centres in Karnataka have served sweets in the mid-day meal menu today," the Foundation said.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
