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EU offers $1 bln in economic, security support to Lebanon

EU flags are seen outside the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 6, 2023.(Xinhua/Zheng Huansong/IANS)

Von der Leyen said the aid’s distribution will start this year and continue until 2027…reports Asian Lite News

The EU has announced an aid package for Lebanon of 1 billion euros ($1.06 billion) to help boost border control and halt the flow of asylum-seekers and migrants from the country across the Mediterranean Sea to Cyprus and Italy.

It comes against a backdrop of increasing hostility toward Syrian refugees in Lebanon and a major surge in irregular migration of Syrians from Lebanon to Cyprus.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, meanwhile, has decided to reduce healthcare coverage for registered Syrian refugees by 50 percent.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during her visit to Beirut with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides that they hoped Lebanon would conclude a “working arrangement” with Frontex, the EU’s border agency.

Von der Leyen said the aid’s distribution will start this year and continue until 2027.

The aid will be dedicated to the most vulnerable people, including refugees, internally displaced people, and host communities.

The EU assistance — which is tied to Lebanon’s need to implement the required reforms and control its borders and illegal crossings with Syria — came in the wake of continued hostilities on the southern front between Hezbollah and the Israeli military.

The two officials arrived in Beirut following the European Council’s special meeting last month.

At the end of the meeting, the council confirmed the EU’s “determination to support the most vulnerable people in Lebanon, strengthen its support to the Lebanese Armed Forces, and combat human trafficking and smuggling.”

It also reaffirmed “the need to achieve conditions for safe, voluntary and dignified return of Syrian refugees, as defined by UNHCR.”

The visit lasted hours in Lebanon and included a meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Following a tripartite meeting and an expanded discussion in which ministers and security officials participated, Mikati commended the EU’s understanding of the Lebanese state’s demand to reconsider some of its policies regarding assistance to Syrian refugees in the country.

Mikati said: “Lebanon has borne the greatest burden, but it can no longer endure the current situation, especially since the refugees constitute around one-third of Lebanon’s population, which results in additional difficulties and challenges and exacerbates Lebanon’s economic crisis.”

He added: “What is more dangerous is the escalating tension between Syrian refugees and the Lebanese host community due to the crimes that are increasing and threatening national security.”

Mikati emphasized that “Lebanon’s security is security for European countries and vice versa,” adding that “our cooperation on this matter constitutes the real entry point for stability.”

He added: “We refuse to let our country become an alternative homeland, and everyone knows that the solution is political excellence.”

ALSO READ-Lebanon Shuts Airspace as Hezbollah Rockets Target Israel

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-Top News Arab News UK News

Arrests made at protests against UK arms sales to Israel

Members of Workers for a Free Palestine said the group was “escalating its tactics” by targeting BAE Systems cities and the British government department on the same day…reports Asian Lite News

Police in London said they made three arrests at demonstrations held on Wednesday to protest against the sale of UK arms to Israel. Protesters gathered outside the offices of the Department for Business and Trade in central London and more than 1,000 workers and trade unionists held protests at sites linked to BAE Systems across the UK.

“We are policing a protest in Admiralty Place and Horse Guards Parade,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. “Officers have made three arrests after protesters blocked access to a building. Protesters must stay within the law.” Police Scotland also confirmed its officers were called to a site in Glasgow to deal with protesters on Wednesday.

Members of Workers for a Free Palestine said the group was “escalating its tactics” by targeting BAE Systems cities and the British government department on the same day, the Independent reported.

“Our movement forced the issue of an arms embargo onto the table and polling shows the majority of the British public want to see arms sales to Israel banned, yet the government and also the Labour Party continue to ignore the will of the people,” a WFP protester named Tania, who took to the streets in London, told the newspaper.

“The government has sought to play down the scale of its arms supplies to Israel but the reality is UK arms and military support play a vital role in the Israeli war machine and evidence that three British aid workers were killed by a drone partly produced in the UK shows the extent of British complicity in Israel’s genocide,” she said.

Another protester, named Jamie, who was demonstrating in Glasgow, said: “Our fundamental aim is for the UK government to introduce an arms embargo. It’s the morally right thing to do.

“It’s vital that action is taken. It’s been almost seven months of death and destruction in Palestine and the idea that that is being committed by weapons that are being produced in our neighborhoods is horrifying. Our long-term goal is an arms embargo from the government but our short-term aim here today is to just disrupt business as usual for BAE, to disrupt the manufacture, to cost them time, cost them money and slow down the trade of weapons to Israel.”

BAE Systems said it respected people’s “right to protest peacefully” and that its arms exports complied with regulations.

“The ongoing violence in the Middle East is having a devastating impact on civilians in the region and we hope the parties involved find a way to end the violence as soon as possible,” it said.

“We operate under the tightest regulation and comply fully with all applicable defense export controls, which are subject to ongoing assessment.”

ALSO READ-Cameron promises Ukraine aid for ‘as long as it takes’

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-Top News EU News Europe

Cameron promises Ukraine aid for ‘as long as it takes’

Cameron said in a interview: “Ukraine has the right to strike inside Russia because Russia is striking inside Ukraine … You can understand why Ukraine feels the need to defend itself.”…reports Asian Lite News

The UK has promised £3bn a year “for as long as it is necessary” to help Ukraine, David Cameron said on Thursday as he made his second visit to Kyiv since becoming UK foreign secretary.

He also said he had no objection if weapons supplied by the UK were used to strike inside Russia.

Lord Cameron – who met the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and the foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, on his trip – has made securing extra arms for Ukraine one of his top priorities as foreign secretary. His announcement is the UK’s biggest spending pledge since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

In January the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, pledged £2.5bn in military aid to Ukraine for 2024-25, an increase of £200m on the previous two years. He gave no commitment beyond that date.

Cameron said in a interview: “Ukraine has the right to strike inside Russia because Russia is striking inside Ukraine … You can understand why Ukraine feels the need to defend itself.”

He added: “We’ve just emptied all we can in terms of giving equipment. Some of the equipment is actually arriving in Ukraine today while I am here.”

The foreign secretary announced that the UK’s donation of military equipment would include precision-guided bombs, air defence missiles and equipment for 100 mobile air defence teams to enable Ukraine to shoot down Russia’s drones and missiles.

The UK also committed to doubling its domestic munitions production by investing a further £10bn over the next 10 years. This production aims to ensure UK national security while sustaining the flow of weapons to Kyiv, keeping Ukraine in the fight for as long as it takes.

Cameron said the UK would bring international partners together next month to attract additional contributions to the International Fund for Ukraine to meet Ukraine’s urgent capability requirements.

The foreign secretary also confirmed a £36m package for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and investment in future innovations to support Ukraine’s energy transition and recovery.

Cameron said: “Ukraine is fiercely defending itself against Russia’s illegal invasion, making a war Putin thought would last days take years. But this war is the challenge of our generation and Ukraine cannot fight it alone.

“We must all step up to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to win. Through our multi-year military funding, weapons provision and vital support to protect and repair Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the UK is standing with Ukraine and we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

Cameron has ruled out sending British troops to Ukraine, but in an interview with the Economist, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, maintained his stance of strategic ambiguity, saying: “I’m not ruling anything out, because we are facing someone who is not ruling anything out. We have undoubtedly been too hesitant by defining the limits of our action to someone who no longer has any and who is the aggressor.

“Our capacity is to be credible, to continue to help, to give Ukraine the means to resist. But our credibility also depends on a capacity to deter by not giving full visibility as to what we will or will not do. Otherwise we weaken ourselves.”

If the Conservatives are not re-elected a Labour government would either have to adopt Cameron’s spending commitment or renounce it.

The UK’s Ukraine policy has generally been agreed on a broadly bipartisan basis but it is not known if this multi-year pledge to continue arming Ukraine’s military for “as long as it takes” was cleared with the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, in advance.

ALSO READ-Cameron urges G7 to step up support for Ukraine

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-Top News UK News

UK growth set to be slowest in 2025, says OECD

The downbeat prediction comes as the global economy shows signs of recovery, with growth forecast to remain steady at 3.1% in 2024 before rising modestly to 3.2% in 2025…reports Asian Lite News

The UK’s “sluggish” growth prospects have put it on course to be the worst-performing economy of all advanced nations next year, according to new forecasts from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

UK gross domestic product is expected to grow 0.4% in 2024, the Paris-based think tank said Thursday in its latest global economic outlook. That figure is down from a previous prediction of 0.7% and less than all other G7 countries besides Germany, which is expected to be 0.2%.

The British economy is then forecast to expand by 1% in 2025, behind Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the US as the lingering effects of high interest rates and inflation continue to weigh.

The downbeat prediction comes as the global economy shows signs of recovery, with growth forecast to remain steady at 3.1% in 2024 before rising modestly to 3.2% in 2025.

“We start seeing some recovery in many parts of the world,” Alvaro Pereira, director of the OECD’s policy studies branch, said.

Growth among advanced nations next year is set to be led by North America, which Pereira said follows “strong growth” forecasts of 2.6% in the US in 2024. Growth in Europe, meanwhile, is expected to pick up next year after a sluggish 2024.

Among emerging economies, the OECD said there were also signs of strength. In China, where the economy has struggled in part due to a protracted downturn in the property market, growth projections were revised upward slightly from earlier forecasts, which Pereira said was due to “stronger performance than in the recent past.”

The OECD said the global outlook was an indication that central banks’ efforts to quell inflation were working.

“Monetary policy is doing what it should be doing,” Pereira said. “Real incomes are starting to recover. This will help consumption. We also think inflation is starting to come down.”

However, he added that questions remain over how robust the global recovery would be, particularly as central banks show signs of divergence on the future path of interest rates.

“The risk is obviously if inflation continues to be stickier than we expect, then obviously it’s possible that monetary policy will have to remain restrictive for a bit longer,” Pereira noted.

According to the OECD, headline inflation among its 38 member nations is expected to dip to 5% in 2024 from 6.9% in 2023, and then fall further to 3.4% in 2025. By the end of 2025, inflation is expected to return to targets of around 2% in most major economies, the OECD said.

ALSO READ-UAE, Kuwait focus on accelerating trade growth

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INDIA 2024 India News Politics

It’s experienced vs first-timers in Bihar

NDA favors incumbents with 4 Lok Sabha tickets, reserving just one for a newcomer in Khagaria, while Grand Alliance predominantly backs first-time candidates…reports Asian Lite News

The third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections is turning out to be a contest between experienced candidates versus first-timers in Bihar.

NDA has given tickets to sitting MPs in four Lok Sabha constituencies while only one in Khagaria seat was given to a first-time candidate. On the other hand, the Grand Alliance has given the tickets to the candidates who are contesting the Lok Sabha elections for the first time.

The voting for the five seats — Madhepura, Araria, Jhanjharpur, Supaul and Khagaria — is scheduled in the third phase on May 7.

In Madhepura, JD-U’s Dinesh Chandra Yadav, who has a stronghold in the Yadav caste in Madhepura, is contesting the election. He is a sitting MP and had defeated RJD’s Sharad Yadav in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The RJD has given the ticket to Kumar Chandradeep, who is a principal in a school and is contesting the Lok Sabha elections for the first time.

Pradeep Kumar Singh, the sitting MP of BJP, is in the fray in Araria. He will contest against RJD’s Shahnawaz Alam who is an MLA from the Jokihat constituency and is contesting the Lok Sabha elections for the first time.

In Jhanjharpur, Rampreet Mandal is contesting as an NDA candidate on the ticket of JD-U. He is a sitting MP from this seat and is pitted against Vikassheel Insaan Party’s (VIP) Suman Kumar Mahaseth, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election for the first time. Mahaseth, an ex-MLC, also contested the assembly election but lost.

Supaul is another seat where the NDA has given the ticket to a sitting MP. JD-U’s Dileshwar Kamait is contesting against Grand Alliance candidate Chandrahas Chaupal, who is a legislator in the Bihar assembly and is contesting the Lok Sabha election for the first time.

Khagaria is the only seat where both NDA and Grand Alliance have given the tickets to first-time candidates. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Mahboob Ali Kaiser won the seat on the ticket of LJP. He later joined the Pashupati Kumar Paras faction. Though he resigned from the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) and met with Chirag Paswan, he was not given the ticket. Now, he has joined RJD.

The Khagaria seat went to LJP (Ram Vilas) after seat-sharing in NDA and the party has given the ticket to Rajesh Verma. He was the LJP (Ram Vilas) district president of Bhagalpur. 31-year-old Verma is contesting against CPM candidate Sanjay Kumar, who is also contesting the Lok Sabha elections for the first time.

“Our leader Tejashwi Yadav is a youth and he has a vision to promote a new generation of politicians in Bihar. Hence, he has given the tickets to many candidates who are contesting the Lok Sabha elections for the first time. In the first phase, Archana Ravidas contested from Jamui as a first-time candidate of Lok Sabha. Shrawan Kushwaha also contested for the first time, from Nawada. Bima Bharti also contested the Lok Sabha elections from Purnea for the first time. Rohini Acharya is also contesting the Lok Sabha elections for the first time,” said Chitranjan Gagan, the spokesperson of RJD.

“Even our alliance partners are following the same in the selection of candidates. If we analyse the average age of candidates, it is not beyond 40 in this Lok Sabha election,” Gagan said.

“Grand Alliance is not getting candidates. That’s why they are making anyone their candidate. They don’t even have the face of the Prime Minister. This is an election to choose the Prime Minister. We have a universally recognised leader who has prestige all over the world. India has gained global stature under his (PM Modi) leadership,” said Arvind Kumar Singh, the spokesperson of BJP.

ALSO READ-Sluggish voting prompts Bihar parties to redraw strategy

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India News Politics

EC appoints 15 expenditure observers for Punjab

Ferozepur, Apr 27 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann addresses the crowd during the road show in support of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar for the Lok Sabha Polls, in Ferozepur on Saturday. (ANI Photo)

CEO Sibin C stated that each appointed observer will play a crucial role in ensuring the fairness and transparency of the electoral process in their respective constituencies, the statement added…reports Asian Lite News

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed 15 expenditure observers for various Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab.

The expenditure observers are entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the expenditure incurred by candidates and political parties during the campaign period, ensuring compliance with election expenditure regulations, said an official statement from the Information and Public Relations Department, Punjab, on Thursday.

Disclosing the details of the appointed Expenditure Observers, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Punjab, Sibin C, said that the appointed observers are distinguished Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to their roles. He informed that Harshad S Vengurlekar has been appointed for Gurdaspur, Bare Ganesh Sudhakar for Amritsar, Anurag Tripathi for Khadoor Sahib, Madhav Deshmukh for Jalandhar (SC), and Pawan Kumar Khetan for Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha Constituency.

Similarly, Shilpi Sinha has been appointed for Anandpur Sahib, Pankaj Kumar and Chetan D Kalamkar for Ludhiana, and Akhilesh Kumar Yadava and Nandini R Nair for Bathinda Constituency. Additionally, Anand Kumar for Fatehgarh Sahib, Manish Kumar for Faridkot, Nagendra Yadav for Ferozepur, Amit Sanjay Gaurav for Sangrur and Meetu Agarwal for Patiala, have been appointed as the Expenditure Observers.

CEO Sibin C stated that each appointed observer will play a crucial role in ensuring the fairness and transparency of the electoral process in their respective constituencies, the statement added.

In Punjab, voting for its 13 seats will take place in a single phase, with the seventh and final phase on June 1 seeing voting in Gurudaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nandpur Sahib, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala constituencies.

This year, the Lok Sabha polls began on April 19 for 102 seats spread across 21 states. Following this, Phase 2 was held on April 26 and the third Phase will be held on May 7, involving 94 seats across 12 states.

Phase 4 of the Lok Sabha polls is slated to be held on May 13, involving 96 seats and Phase 5 is scheduled to be held on May 20 for 49 seats, while Phase 6 is set for May 25 covering 7 states on 57 seats. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Pakistan: Punjab Province Gripped by Farmer Protests, Political Turmoil

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Politics

Poll panel warns Akali Dal, AAP

AAP had lodged a complaint with the poll panel against Sukhbir accusing him of violating ECI directions by making A child raise slogans in favour of his party during election campaigning…reports Asian Lite News

Punjab’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Thursday took decisive action against political parties found in violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Following directives from the Election Commission of India (ECI), warnings have been issued to both the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for their respective transgressions.

One of the key infractions involved the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) utilizing the derogatory phrase “Delhi ke Dalal” in a campaign video targeting AAP’s state convener and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, as well as AAP candidates. Such language, deemed inflammatory and violative of MCC guidelines, was promptly removed by the SAD after receiving the warning.

Additionally, the use of children in election rallies, notably during the campaign of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, has also drawn censure. Reports from Ludhiana’s Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer highlighted this breach, prompting a stern reminder from the electoral authorities regarding the prohibition of involving children in political campaigns. The SAD has been duly cautioned to adhere strictly to MCC guidelines henceforth.

Notably, AAP had lodged a complaint with the poll panel against Sukhbir accusing him of violating ECI directions by making A child raise slogans in favour of his party during election campaigning. The complaint alleged that Sukhbir had passed the microphone to the child and made him raise slogans of ‘Shiromani Akali Dal Zindabad’ and ‘Vote for Akali Dal’ during his ‘Punjab Bachao Yatra’ at Raikot on April 6.

Meanwhile, the ruling AAP also faced reprimand for its online content, notably posts and videos such as ‘Unsacred Games of Punjab’. Such materials were flagged for their potential to incite discord or violate the MCC.

Furthermore, the casteist remarks attributed to the state Cabinet Minister and AAP’s candidate from Khadoor Sahib Laljit Singh Bhullar were condemned as clear violations of electoral conduct standards. Reports from Tarn Taran Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer corroborated these findings, leading to a formal warning issued to AAP.

Notably, on April 13, Bhullar, in his speech during his election campaign at Patti, allegedly ridiculed members of the Ramgarhia and Suniyar communities, calling them “Ghuli gharh”. Following this, complaints were sent to the ECI, against the Minister by both Shiromani Akali Dal and Ramgarhia Singh Sabha, Tarn Taran.

About a fortnight later, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had offered an apology for Bhullar’s “casteist remarks”. Following widespread condemnation, Mann had taken a firm stance during a campaign rally for Bhullar in Patti emphasizing AAP’s commitment to inclusive politics and stressed the need for Bhullar to issue an unconditional apology. Mann, acknowledging the gravity of the situation, had offered his own apology as the head of the party, reiterating AAP’s dedication to governance based on meritocracy and devoid of discrimination.

Both AAP and SAD have been directed to desist from further breaches of the mode code of conduct, and to conduct their campaigns in strict adherence to the guidelines set forth by the Election Commission of India. The warnings underscored the commitment of electoral authorities to uphold the integrity and fairness of the electoral process, ensuring that campaigns remain focused on issues rather than resorting to divisive rhetoric or unethical tactics.

ALSO READ-Kanhaiya says Cong-AAP are fighting for people of Delhi 

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INDIA 2024 India News Politics

Bengal Governor accused of molesting woman

The statement added that Bose would not participate in any function attended by the Minister, adding that the Raj Bhawan has contacted the Attorney General of India for advice on further legal steps against the Minister…reports Asian Lite News

A day after a temporary female staff at the Raj Bhavan filed a written complaint with the police accusing West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose of outraging her modesty, the governor issued an order on Thursday night banning the entry of the police and Minister of State for Finance Chandrima Bhattacharya, into the Raj Bhavan.

Bose also called the allegations “engineered narratives”, stating that he won’t be cowed down by the allegations.

A statement issued by the Raj Bhavan read: “For defamation and anti-constitutional media statements against Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, a junior gubernatorial appointee Chandrima Bhattacharya, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Department of Finance, has been banned entry into the Raj Bhavan premises in Kolkata, Darjeeling, and Barrackpore,” read a statement issued by the Governor’s office.

The statement added that Bose would not participate in any function attended by the Minister, adding that the Raj Bhawan has contacted the Attorney General of India for advice on further legal steps against the Minister.

“The Hon’ble Governor also banned the entry of police into the Raj Bhavan premises in the guise of conducting an unauthorised, illegitimate, sham and motivated investigation to placate political bosses during elections,” the statement added.

According to police sources, the woman, a temporary staffer at Raj Bhavan, approached the police post located inside the Governor’s House and accused Bose of molesting her. She was then taken to Hare Street where she filed a written complaint accusing the governor of molesting her on the pretext of offering her job.

Senior police officials said they received a complaint and are looking into it. “We have received a complaint and are conducting an investigation. We are also consulting the matter with constitutional experts of the law department. As per the woman’s allegation, she was molested inside Raj Bhavan,” Deputy Commissioner of Central Division Indira Mukherjee told reporters.

TMC leaders soon reacted to the accusations calling it appalling and horrifying. “BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose was accused of molesting a woman. How utterly appalling and Horrifying. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj Bhavan today. The complainant has been taken to the Hare Street police station to file a complaint. The woman has accused the Governor of molesting her. Shocking and disgraceful,” TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said in a post on X.

However, the governor took to X to dismiss the accusations. “Truth shall triumph. I refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives. If anybody wants some election benefits by maligning me, God bless them. But they cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal.” 

Sources in the Governor House said that the “woman employee with the help of her alleged boyfriend who is also an employee of the Raj Bhavan was blocking complaints (from people) being sent to the Election Commission of India.”

“When she was reprimanded for that, she went outside and alleged molestation. She is in the habit of throwing tantrums against her colleagues because of some disease.” 

The incident comes as  Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to address three election rallies in West Bengal on Friday, arrived in state capital Kolkata on Thursday evening. Modi went straight to the Raj Bhavan from the airport where he would stay for the night.

BJP drops Brij Bhushan, fields his son  

Putting an end to speculations around Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj seat, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday declared former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s son Karan Bhushan Singh as its candidate from the seat for the Lok Sabha elections.

The Kaiserganj constituency is currently held by BJP’s Brij Bhushan Singh, who is a three-time MP from the seat. He, however, has not been given ticket this time.

The seat had become a point of pondering for the BJP after Brij Bhushan was accused of sexual harassment of female wrestlers.

This sparked massive protests by several athletes including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat. The Delhi Police filed chargesheet in connection with the case against the former WFI chief in June last year.

The BJP also announced the candidature of Dinesh Pratap Singh from the Rae Bareli constituency. Singh had also contested the polls from the same seat against Sonia Gandhi in 2019 and BJP has affirmed confidence on him.

Rae Bareli seat has been a Gandhi family’s stronghold. Congress’ former chairperson Sonia Gandhi retained the seat in 2019. She, however, won’t contest this time as she has been nominated to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan.

Meanwhile, the suspense on Amethi and Rae Bareli — two Congress strongholds continues as Congress hasn’t announced its candidates for both seats.

In 2019, BJP’s Smriti Irani ended Congress’ stint from the seat by defeating Rahul Gandhi from Amethi. BJP had announced its candidates for most of the seats in UP, but the announcement for the Kaiserganj constituency was awaited.

Both Kaiserganj and Rae Bareli will vote on May 20 in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

In the 2019 election, Brij Bhushan defeated BSP’s Chandradev Ram Yadav from a margin of over 2.5 lakh votes. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Out of 57 candidates in Bengal 13 are crorepatis

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Film Review Lite Blogs

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar” : A Melodramatic Tale of Power, Love, and Betrayal

Love and betrayal are an integral part in the series, giving it its moments of high drama, with Richa Chadha’s character Lajjo leaving an imprint as a delusional tawaif immersed in love with Adhyayan Suman’s Nawab Zulfikar, who leaves her to marry a “memsaab”…reviewed by Durga Chakravarty

 From adab, adaa and aiyashi to power, love and the spirit of freedom blended with an eye-watering star cast plus Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s trademark opulence and period music has ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ ticking all the right boxes for a binge-worthy watch.

Some may love it, some may find it a tad complicated because of the number of parallel story lines, but the magnum opus series just cannot be ignored. The cast led by Manisha Koirala, yet another industry veteran who has made a spectacular comeback, and Sonakshi Sinha breathe life into the script and resurrect the place (Lahore’s notorious red-light area, the melting pot of the British, the nawabs, the courtesans and freedom fighters), the period (the 1940s), and the transitions that make the series a snapshot of a time of ferment.

Divided into eight episodes, each an hour long, the series takes off from the time when Manisha Koirala’s Mallika Jaan becomes the ‘huzoor’, the madame of the courtesans and Heeramandi’s reigning queen. Her antagonist is a feisty Fareedan, played like a tigress by Sonakshi, who’s out to wreak revenge on Malika Jaan for having murdered her mother, Rehana, also played by Sonakshi. And Rehana just happened to be Mallika Jaan’s elder sister.

The spotlight of the series is on the scheming Mallika Jaan, who rules over a house of elite courtesans called Shahi Mahal, where young nawabs to come of age and learn about the ways of the world. But Fareedan threatens to change all that, even as the fight for freedom outside gains momentum.

Love and betrayal are an integral part in the series, giving it its moments of high drama, with Richa Chadha’s character Lajjo leaving an imprint as a delusional tawaif immersed in love with Adhyayan Suman’s Nawab Zulfikar, who leaves her to marry a “memsaab”.

And Aditi Rao Hydari, who essays the part of Bibbojaan, looks every inch stunning both as a courtesan and as a rebel fighting for ‘azaadi’ in her own secretive way, relaying the intelligence that she gathers from her British patrons to those fighting for the nation’s freedom. Her acting prowess contributes to the qualitative heft of the series.

But it is the power struggle play between Mallika Jaan and Fareedan, and their chess moves to outwit each other, that keeps the viewer glued to the screen.

It adds that tension to the script, which does show up some loose ends in the later episodes. Every moment Mallika Jaan and Fareedan are on screen, they just own it.

Then there is Sanjeeda Sheikh’s character Waheeda, who has a Midas touch but with a twist — everything she touches doesn’t turn into gold but dust. Right from the beginning, when she fight to become the ‘huzoor’, to wanting her own mahal named ‘Khwabgah’, to seeking revenge on Mallika Jaan or wanting to make an English high-ranking officer her ‘sahab’ — nothing ever works out for Waheeda.

The intertwining stories of the conflicting ambitions of Sharmin Segal (Alam Zeb), a courtesan dreaming of becoming a poet, and Taha Shah Badussha (Tajdar Baloch), a nawab and hotelier’s son torn between ‘ishk’ and ‘inquilab’, between his destiny as he sees it and the destiny chosen for him by his family, starts as a beautiful watch but slows down later.

In their star-crossed story, the adorable and ageless Farida Jalal, who plays Tajdar’s grandmother, Qudsia Begum, will make you fall in love with her all over again.

Bhansali’s debut OTT series is worth your time, with Manisha and Sonakshi, looking resplendent in their period outfits as they sink their claws into each other, making it clear that they are here to stay and take their crowns back.

There’s talk of a second season in the works and the scene moving to the transition of the courtesans into the world of Hindi cinema. The season that has just unfolded does certainly amp up the anticipation for it.

SHOW DETAILS

Web Series: ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’.

Streaming on Netflix, eight episodes.

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Cast: Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal, Shekhar Suman, Adhyayan Suman, Fardeen Khan, Taha Shah Badusha and Farida Jalal

Rating: ***

ALSO READ-Allu Arjun Clinches National Award for Best Actor

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Films Lite Blogs

Allu Arjun Unveils New Poster for ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’

Wearing heavy pieces of jewellery for a male protagonist, Allu’s Pushparaj sets his foot forward in style as the wooden logs and the cloud of dust occupy the foreground…reports Asian Lite News

Telugu superstar Allu Arjun, who is gearing up for the release of his event film ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’, shared a new poster from the film on Wednesday. The actor took to his Instagram and shared the poster, notifying his 25.6 million followers about the new song from the film.

The poster shows a flamboyant Pushparaj (Allu’s titular character) donning a maroon shirt paired with black pants as he stands against his red SUV.

Wearing heavy pieces of jewellery for a male protagonist, Allu’s Pushparaj sets his foot forward in style as the wooden logs and the cloud of dust occupy the foreground.

The wooden logs are wired to the character’s story and his business of smuggling the sandalwood.

Meanwhile, the first song titled ‘Pushpa Pushpa’ from the film is set to hit the airwaves at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The anticipation is naturally high considering that the Puhspa is returning to the silver screen after more than two years.

‘Pushpa Pushpa’ has been composed by Devi Sri Prasad who was feted with the National Award for his work in the first part of the film.

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