Mamata Banerjee faces do-or-die battle in high-stakes West Bengal polls

News Network
March 10, 2021

Kolkata, Mar 10: A decade after she scripted history by defeating the longest-serving democratically elected communist regime of the world, feisty TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is once again on the threshold of a watershed moment as she faces a do-or-die battle in the Bengal assembly elections.

Stakes are high for the tempestuous TMC boss as losing the elections might put a question mark on the very existence of her "ideology-starved" party that has ruled the state since 2011, and winning it would place her in the league of leaders who have engineered the defeat of the formidable Narendra Modi-led BJP.

One of the fiercest critics of the Modi brigade, Banerjee is not just single-handedly taking on the well-oiled election machinery of the BJP, but also grappling with unprecedented rebellion and exodus from her party just ahead of the elections.

Desperate to shed the tag of a "sinking ship", the TMC has upped its game with the poll slogan 'Bangla Nijer Meyeke Chai' (Bengal wants its daughter), even as it continued to play the Bengali sub-nationalism card by branding BJP as a party of outsiders.

"This time, the fight seems tougher as we are up against the BJP, which is using money, muscle and the central machinery to seize power in Bengal. Both 2011 and 2016 assembly polls were comparatively less stressful," senior TMC leader and spokesperson Sougata Roy said.

Several Trinamool Congress leaders have their fingers crossed as they believe the party's "political existence will be at stake" if it loses the assembly polls.

Notwithstanding the odds stacked up against her, which includes allegations of corruption and appeasement politics, Banerjee, however, has asserted that her party will smoothly sail to victory, and has set a target of bagging 220 of the 294 seats.

Elections in Bengal, poised to be a stiff contest between the TMC and the BJP, will be held in eight phases, beginning with polling for 30 seats on March 27. Votes will be counted on May 2.

Born out of the womb of the Congress in 1998, the TMC, after two unsuccessful attempts in 2001 and 2006, came to power by defeating the mighty Left Front regime in 2011, riding the crest of massive public outrage against the communists.

Banerjee further tightened her grip on the levers of power in West Bengal in 2016, when she beat the communists hollow, winning 211 seats.

Things, however, went haywire during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when the BJP, milking its pro-NRC and CAA campaign, bagged 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in Partition- scarred Bengal, just four less than the TMC.

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coastaldigest.com news network
November 5,2024

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Several videos have been circulating across social media platforms, claiming that football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is shown reading the Quran in a mosque. Several posts have gone further to claim that Ronaldo and his wife have converted to Islam. The videos have attracted millions of views and sparked widespread speculation. 

Is Ronaldo Reciting the Quran?

One such video shows a man reading from the Quran, with captions like "Cristiano Ronaldo Reciting Quran." Several posts, especially on TikTok and Facebook, claim that Ronaldo has not only read the Quran but has also embraced Islam along with his wife, Georgina Rodríguez. One of these TikTok posts amassed 1.7 million likes and over 58,000 shares, adding to the viral momentum of this claim.

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Ronaldo Lookalike from Iraq

Contrary to these claims, the man in the video is not Cristiano Ronaldo. The individual is Bewar Abdullah, a well-known Ronaldo lookalike originally from Iraq, who now resides in Birmingham, U.K. Abdullah has gained fame for his striking resemblance to Ronaldo and regularly posts content online imitating the footballer.

The Reality

The viral video was initially posted by Bewar Abdullah on his TikTok account (@bewarabdullah) on July 20, 2021, with the caption "Eat Mubarek🕌 (sic)." Abdullah has a large following of 1.7 million people.

Abdullah is frequently mistaken for Ronaldo due to his resemblance, and his name appears at the end of the viral video, confirming his identity.

Abdullah’s online popularity stems from his likeness to Ronaldo, and he regularly receives invitations to events and appearances due to this.

Apart from the video, there are also widespread claims that Ronaldo and his wife have converted to Islam. However, there is no credible evidence to support this. These rumors appear to have emerged from the same viral content surrounding Ronaldo’s lookalike, without any basis in fact.

Why the Confusion?

The confusion arises from Abdullah’s close resemblance to Ronaldo and the viral nature of social media posts that often mislead viewers. The presence of Ronaldo-related hashtags and captions like "#Ronaldo #CristianoRonaldo #CR7 #SaudiArabia" further fueled the speculation, making it seem more believable to the football star's global fanbase.

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News Network
October 26,2024

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Iran’s air defense force has confirmed Israeli attacks targeting positions in Tehran, Khuzestan and Ilam provinces, saying the aggression was successfully thwarted. 

The Zionist regime launched its strike against Iran early Saturday, weeks after the Islamic Republic’s massive ballistic missile barrage on Israel, with the Zionist military saying the “precise strikes” by the Israeli Air Force targeted strategic military sites — specifically drone and ballistic missile manufacturing and launch sites, as well as air defense batteries.

The Iran's integrated air defense system successfully intercepted and countered the act of aggression. 

“Despite the previous warnings of the officials of the Islamic Republic to the criminal and illegal Zionist regime to avoid any adventurous action, this fake regime attacked parts of military centers in the provinces of Tehran, Khuzestan and Ilam this morning in a tension-causing action,” the air defense force said in a statement on Saturday morning.

The attacks caused limited damage in some locations and the dimensions of the incident are under investigation, the statement added.

Earlier, security sources said the loud sounds heard by some people in the vicinity of Tehran were due to the activation of air defense systems.

Iran’s official IRNA news agency cited a security source as saying on Saturday morning some of the sounds heard in the capital were caused by “defense activity in Tehran.”

The news agency said there were no reports of incidents that required assistance and that the situation at Mehrabad International Airport and the Imam Khomeini International Airport was “normal.”

IRNA said Iranian air defenses “successfully shot down adversarial targets in the airspace around Tehran province.”

Footage shared online captured what appeared to be interceptions over the Iranian capital.

Tasnim News Agency reported on Saturday morning that the situation was normal at Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad Airport.

No missile strike or impact occurred on Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) military centers in the west and southwest of Tehran, the agency reported.

According to information obtained by the news agency, there has been no impact on IRGC military centers in the west or southwest of Tehran.

The sounds heard are related to the army’s air defenses engaging Israeli military actions in three areas around Tehran.

Informed sources told Tasnim that Iran is ready to respond to Israeli aggression, "as previously stated."

"Iran reserves its right to respond to any form of aggression, and there is no doubt that Israel will receive a proportional reaction to any action taken."

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News Network
October 27,2024

Mangaluru, Oct 27: Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta has been appointed to the consultative committee of the Ministry of Defence. 

This esteemed committee, led by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, comprises 14 members from the Lok Sabha, six from the Rajya Sabha, and two nominated members. 

Capt. Chowta is among the 14 members selected from the Lok Sabha to represent the voice of the people in this critical sector.

The committee is tasked with providing expert advice to the government on key defence policies, implementation strategies, and national security matters.

Meetings will be held regularly to ensure informed, timely guidance on these crucial issues, according to a press release from MP Chowta's office.

“With our country making strides towards self-reliance in defence under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it’s an honour to serve as a member of the Ministry of Defence Advisory Committee. As both a soldier and a parliamentarian, this role is a true privilege,” expressed Capt. Chowta.

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