Alia Bhatt has some interesting projects in her kitty right now and one of them is SS Rajamouli’s RRR. The film, which also stars Ram Charan, Jr NTR, and Ajay Devgn, is one of the most awaited films of the year.
On 15th March 2021, Alia will celebrate her 28th birthday, and the makers of RRR are all set to unveil the actress’ first look from the film.
The official Instagram handle of the movie posted, “Meet our #Sita in all her glory. ✨ First look of @aliaabhatt will be revealed on March 15, 11 AM. #RRRMovie #RRR.”
Alia plays the role of a girl named Sita, and reportedly the actress has an extended cameo in the film. She had started shooting for the film in December 2020.
When Alia had joined the team, the makers had posted, “A very warm welcome to our dearest #Sita, the supremely talented and beautiful @aliaabhatt on to the sets of #RRRMovie! ?❤️#AliaBhatt #RRR.”
RRR is a Telugu movie but it will be dubbed and released in various languages including Hindi. It is touted as one of the biggest pan-India films of the year.
Talking about other films of Alia, the actress has movies like Brahmastra, Gangubai Kathiawadi and Darlings. She was also supposed to star in Karan Johar’s Takht, but the film has been delayed. Reportedly, Karan will be first directing a love story starring Ranveer and Alia, but the movie is not yet officially announced.
Lotus Care, which operates 10 care homes across north-west England, allegedly forced employees to work double shifts due to staff shortages. Workers were reportedly denied sick leave and standard pay. Those who raised complaints were threatened with deportation.
Some migrant workers said they paid up to £10,000 to agencies for visas or placements, an eight-month long BBC investigation revealed.
The investigation found that a Merseyside-based agency arranging their jobs extracted thousands of pounds from them, despite promising free work visas—charging workers for a licence is illegal. According to government regulations, the employer must cover the £284 cost for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).
Lotus Care denied all allegations, stating that its recruitment processes strictly adhere to industry standards and legal requirements. The company said it is committed to the highest ethical standards and was unaware of any visa fees paid by workers, claiming it paid the Home Office directly for all paperwork.
However, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that five of the company’s facilities were rated inadequate in recent years. Since 2022, the CQC has documented multiple failings, including one incident in Liverpool where patients reportedly went unbathed for four weeks.
The firm says it is working to resolve the issues raised, and inspectors noted improvements in two of its homes in the past 12 months.
“There’s constant pressure and a climate of fear because management use the threat of cancelling visas and deporting staff to silence complaints,” said one male migrant worker. A female worker added that she could no longer bear the mental stress.
The BBC also reviewed messages from Lotus Care’s management WhatsApp group, through which migrant staff were informed that their CoS was being revoked.
If a CoS is cancelled, an employee has 60 days to find a new sponsor before facing deportation.
Requests for sick leave during extreme heat were reportedly dismissed as “unacceptable”, and workers with fever were advised simply to take paracetamol.
Lotus Care denied these claims as well, stating that the allegations were based on selected messages circulated by disgruntled former staff.
However, several senior figures within the company have been implicated in the claims, supported by migrant testimonies, leaked messages, and phone recordings.
“Allegations of visa abuse are taken incredibly seriously and will always be investigated thoroughly,” said a Home Office official.
Music is not only about performance—it's also about preservation. For those passionate about Indian classical music and the instruments that bring it to life, a rare opportunity awaits in West London this summer. On Sunday, June 15, The Bhavan, the UK’s leading institute for Indian arts and culture, will host a specialist sitar repair and maintenance workshop led by master artisans Shambhu and Punita Gupta. Held at 4A Castletown Road, London W14 9HE, this one-day workshop is designed to deepen your connection with the sitar through the lesser-known, yet essential, skill of instrument care.
The sitar, with its intricate design and complex construction, requires more than just skilled fingers to play—it demands precise maintenance to sustain its signature sound. Whether you're a student learning the basics, a seasoned musician, or a music teacher hoping to support your pupils, understanding how to repair and care for this revered instrument is invaluable.
Participants will receive detailed, practical instruction on sitar repair, covering common problems such as string issues, tuning peg malfunctions, sympathetic string adjustments, and resonance control. The workshop will also touch on how to assess wood damage, replace worn frets, and perform basic cosmetic restoration. Expert tutors Shambhu and Punita Gupta, who are not only skilled sitarists but also trained in the technical craftsmanship of Indian instruments, will guide attendees through each process with clarity and hands-on demonstrations.
This workshop stands out not only for its technical value but also for its cultural significance. The sitar is an emblem of Indian musical heritage, and learning how to maintain it is an act of respect toward that tradition. In an age where digital music dominates, the workshop at The Bhavan reinforces the importance of analogue craftsmanship and deepens participants’ appreciation for traditional Indian instruments.
Workshops like these are exceedingly rare in the UK. Most sitarists either ship their instruments abroad for repairs or rely on limited local knowledge. This session bridges that gap, empowering musicians with practical skills they can use for life. Moreover, it offers a chance to engage directly with expert artisans in a small, focused setting—something not easily found online or in general music education.
The Bhavan, as the home of Indian classical culture in the UK, continues to play a pivotal role in nurturing both the artistic and technical facets of Indian heritage. This workshop reflects its broader mission: not only to teach music, dance, and language but to ensure the survival of the knowledge systems that support them.
Spaces for the sitar repair workshop are expected to fill quickly due to limited capacity and high interest from the music community. Early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. For more details and registration, visit www.bhavan.net.
Whether you’re a musician, collector, or cultural enthusiast, this workshop offers a meaningful opportunity to engage with Indian classical music from a completely new angle. Come ready to learn, connect, and discover the artistry behind one of the most beautiful instruments in the world.
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At least 54,056 people might have lost their lives in Israel-Gaza conflict
Hundreds of lawyers have asked the UK government to come forward and put an end to the crisis in Gaza, using all their available means. They have urged the government to review the trade ties with Israel and impose sanctions as well as travel bans on Israeli ministers.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer received a 36-page letter signed and submitted by around 828 UK-based legal experts including former Supreme Court justices, on Monday. The group of legal experts consisted of former Supreme Court Justices Lord Wilson, former chair of the Criminal Bar Association of England and Wales, Lord Sumption, and Andrew Hall KC along with many professors from Oxford and Cambridge universities.
The letter reminded that “genocide is being perpetrated in Gaza” through the restriction of food and aid by Israel. Their new military has also murdered hundreds of Palestinians in the past fortnight. It also pointed put that this is a serious violation of international law.
The letter states all the countries including the UK are legally obliges to “prevent and punish genocide.” It also reminded the PM regarding Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's statement expressing their intention to “take control of all the territory of the Gaza Strip and conquer, cleanse and stay – until Hamas is destroyed."
Thus, the letter demands UK as a permanent member on the UN Security Council, to initiate proceedings that will result in the suspension of a member state.
Israel’s strong denial of these allegations are now studies by the International Court of Justice.
Israel’s western allies and its latest military offensive received massive criticism from mid-May, soon after the blockade. The letter came into the picture amidst this wave of criticism. The UK, France and Canada also issued a joint statement of disapproval last week, towards Israel’s increased military operations in Gaza.
Israeli PM Netanyahu criticized the British, French and Canadian leaders in return for supporting Hamas. The offensive was an attempt to free the 58 hostages held by the group, added Netanyahu.
However, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy opines that this act is “morally unjustifiable.” Therefore UK paused trade deal talks, summoned Israel’s ambassador and imposed fresh sanctions on West Bank settlers last week.
Yet, Netanyahu has announced their Insrael’s decision to take over the Gaza Strip and displace thee residents from the north to the south. At least a 100 Gazans were killed per day, in the first week’s attack for the same, as per Hamas-run rescue authorities and health ministry.
The Hamas-run rescue authorities informed that the war began in October 2023, in which1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. Since then, at least 54,056 people might have lost their lives.
Germany and Finland also responded saying Israel must allow humanitarian aid into Gaza immediately.
Sweden has summoned the Israeli ambassador to its foreign ministry, asking to “ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza as well.” They said Israel has all the right to defend itself but "the current way the war is waged is unacceptable".
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Pakistan's captain Salman Agha (R) and his Bangladesh counterpart Litton Das pose with the trophy at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on May 27, 2025. (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)
NEXT YEAR's World Cup is in sight as a new-look Pakistan under Mike Hesson host a young Bangladesh team in Lahore in three Twenty20 internationals from Wednesday (28).
The 2009 world champions Pakistan have endured a significant downturn in the last 12 months and crashed out in the first round of the World Cup in 2024.
They have won only three of their last 13 T20Is, two against minnows Zimbabwe, and slumped to eighth in the T20I rankings.
With a new head coach in New Zealand's Hesson they are looking to younger players with the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka just eight months away.
Star batsmen Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, and pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, have all been axed.
Salman Agha will lead the side, having lost a series in New Zealand 4-1 two months ago.
"We’ve been really clear around the style of play we want and then it’s about picking players that can do that,” Hesson, who coached New Zealand from 2012-2018, said.
"We’ve got a good number of T20Is between now and the World Cup.
"We will develop a depth of squad playing the way we want and the rankings will come in time because it is about the way we want to play."
Bangladesh, ranked ninth, are in the same boat.
They have won just four of their last 12 T20Is and lost series against lower-ranked United States (2024) and United Arab Emirates earlier this month.
They also have a new coach in West Indian Phil Simmons, who will be missing senior players including Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim, all either fully retired or from the T20Is.
"We’re aiming to improve our cricket by performing well in this series," said Simmons, who took over in October.
Frontline fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman are nursing injuries while new pace sensation Nahid Rana withdrew from the tour over security fears following the cross-border conflict between India and Pakistan.
The conflict put the tour in doubt but Bangladesh finally agreed to play three T20Is instead of the scheduled five.
The remaining matches are on Friday (30) and Sunday (1), also in Lahore.
(AFP)
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Ali, who represents Birmingham Hall Green & Moseley, allegedly used public money to do up his constituency office at the Gulzare Habib Islamic Centre in Sparkhill, Birmingham. (Photo: X/@TahirAliMP)
LABOUR MP Tahir Ali is being investigated by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) for alleged breaches of spending rules.
Ali, who represents Birmingham Hall Green & Moseley, allegedly used public money to do up his constituency office at the Gulzare Habib Islamic Centre in Sparkhill, Birmingham, The Times reported.
Three sources told The Times that the inquiry relates to “office costs, travel and accommodation” and concerns the office on College Road.
A source told The Times that Ali spent money renovating the office but was later asked to leave by mosque leaders after they backed independent candidate Mohammad Hafeez at the last general election.
Ali allegedly took office fixtures and fittings that were not his and threw them into a skip.
Ali paid £2,400 a quarter in office rent between August 2020 and January this year and claimed £11,987.20 in maintenance, recreation and repair costs in 2021. In 2023 he spent £2,760 replacing and installing sockets and paid £2,500 to Kaz Solution, a Birmingham-based decorating company.
Ali has told party officials the inquiry was about moving from an old office to a new one. He has said: “I am confident that I have been compliant with Ipsa rules and will fully co-operate with the investigation.” Ipsa has visited his new office and the mosque. An Ipsa spokesman said no further information would be published until the investigation concludes.
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