<h2>Keep me in the loop&nbsp;</h2>
<p>A young man chats on his smartphone, perched inside an iron pipe at a construction site in Mulund</p>
<h2>Run for Mumbai&rsquo;s lungs</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jan/Marathon-run_e.jpg" alt="Runners at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Runners at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025</em></strong></p>
<p>Apart &nbsp;from the quirky costumes on show at the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/opinion/article/coastal-road-must-not-confound-marathoners-23611580" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tata Mumbai Marathon</a> on January 18, there will also be a costume to portray a timely reminder of the city&rsquo;s shrinking green cover. Environment conscious runners have pledged to wear a poster that says: &lsquo;Hands off our forest. Save Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Scrap Eco-sensitive Zone Plan&rsquo;.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jan/SGNP-logo_e.jpg" alt="The illustration that will be sported by runners. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi, Pic courtesy/NISHANT BANGERA" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>The illustration that will be sported by runners. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi, Pic courtesy/NISHANT BANGERA</em></strong></p>
<p>Nearly 100 runners, this diarist has learnt, have joined hands with the movement for the on-the-go protest. &ldquo;<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/one-armed-runner-govind-kumar-kharol-to-pace-mumbai-half-marathon-23611207?button=next" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Runners </a>will be one of the first groups to bear the brunt of the air quality once the destructive ESZ plan is executed. We risk displacing not only trees and wildlife, but also tribal residents from its 27 hamlets,&rdquo; said Nishant Bangera, member of the collective movement.</p>
<h2>Roll out the green carpet</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jan/Panha-award_e.jpg" alt="A still from Panha, the award-winning film from ALT EFF 2025. Pic courtesy/Alt Eff" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>A still from Panha, the award-winning film from ALT EFF 2025. Pic courtesy/Alt Eff</em></strong></p>
<p>Talk about renewable practices, the All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF) that concluded its sixth edition on December 14, 2025, is back on its feet for another round already. Submissions for the decentralised festival held across multiple cities are now open. Early birds can submit their films before February 28. With backing from the likes of Bittu Sahgal, Anish Andheria, Kiran Rao, and Dia Mirza, who also produced Panha, the 2025 Alt EFF <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/article/dia-mirza-panha-best-short-film-all-living-things-environmental-film-festival-23606633" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Best Indian Short Film award</a>-winning film, we&rsquo;re all eyes for the 2026 edition. Those keen to submit their films in the Short (shorter than 30 minutes) or Feature categories, can log on to filmfreeway.com/ALTEFF.</p>
<h2>In the spirit of Makar Sankranti</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jan/DTR_e.jpg" alt="A previous distribution drive. Pic courtesy/HWCT " width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>A previous distribution drive. Pic courtesy/HWCT</em></strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>A few days prior to <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/manja-injuries-cast-shadow-over-makar-sankranti-celebrations-in-mumbai-23611575" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Makar Sankranti</a>, on January 11, Naigaon-based children&rsquo;s welfare foundation, Human Welfare Charitable Trust (HWCT) marked the festive occasion by conducting an initiative for over 150 underprivileged children, bringing joy and warmth to communities where festivities are rarely experienced. &ldquo;This celebration was supported by young schoolchildren as well. It included the distribution of colourful kites, engaging games, and festive goodies, allowing youngsters to experience the true spirit of the festival. Meals were served, and later, milk tetra packs distributed to support the children&rsquo;s nutritional needs,&rdquo; founder Kalpesh Kabra shared with this diarist.</p>
<h2>More in store for the Women in Blue</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jan/Women-Blue_e.jpg" alt="The T-shirt with the graphic art; members at the WPL match. Pics courtesy/BUCKET HAT CULT" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>The T-shirt with the graphic art; members at the WPL match. Pics courtesy/BUCKET HAT CULT</em></strong></p>
<p>The Indian women&rsquo;s national cricket team had found a loyal supporter in Mumbai-based Bucket Hat Cult, who went viral for cheering from the stands at the ICC Women&rsquo;s World Cup (WWC) 2025 win. The group was back in action last weekend at the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/wpl-2026-nat-sciver-brunt-harmanpreet-kaur-slam-half-tons-as-mumbai-indians-defeat-delhi-capitals-23611483" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Mumbai Indians</a> vs RC Bengaluru match at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. This time, they sported special fan T-shirts featuring names of the players from the Women&rsquo;s World Cup-winning team, in the shape of a trophy. Akshay Dutia, founding member of the community, revealed, &ldquo;We had planned to create a champions&rsquo; merchandise after the WWC win. Fans showed great enthusiasm. This domestic league season, we plan to create an electric atmosphere at the Women&rsquo;s Premier League (WPL) games. We also hope to do our best to follow the women&rsquo;s team during their tours globally.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Milan notes in Mumbai</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/jan/Naima_e.jpg" alt="Naima Farao. PIC COURTESY/NAIMAFARAO.com" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Naima Farao. PIC COURTESY/NAIMAFARAO.com</em></strong></p>
<p>There is some Italian style dropping into the city this week. Milan-based nu jazz vocalist Naima Fara&ograve; will make a stopover in the city on January 14 as part of her 2026 India tour. With roots in visual arts and music. Fara&ograve; will bring her debut album, Dots, to the country. Alongside drummer Matteo D&rsquo;Ignazi, bassist Andrea Dominoni, and keyboardist Edoardo Maggioni, the vocalist will perform on a four-city tour of India. Having performed in Pune, and Chennai (January 11), Fara&ograve; will head to Bengaluru after the mid-week performance in Mumbai. It looks like a busy January for the Milan artiste.&nbsp;</p>

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