Asian Lite News Archive

Category: USA News

  • Obama names NRI to holocaust body

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      President Barack Obama is appointing Shefali Razdan Duggal, a top Indian-American fundraiser of his 2012 re-election campaign, as a member of the governing board of trustees of the US Holocaust Memorial museum that opened in 1993. Political activist Duggal’s appointment to the 55-member US Holocaust Memorial Council for a five-year term was announced by…

  • UN hail move by US on emission

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    United Nations officials today welcomed the initiative announced by President Barack Obama to limit emissions from power plants in the United States, voicing their hope that it will spur other countries to take concrete action to combat climate change. In a statement  issued by his spokesperson, Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon called the initiative “a significant step toward reducing…

  • US soldier freed by Taliban

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    A US soldier held by the Taliban in their custody for nearly five years in Afghanistan was released Saturday in a deal which included freeing five Afghan detainees in exchange, authorities here said. The detainees were released from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and handed over to Qatar, which mediated the transfer. US…

  • Jet-propelled car coming soon

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    Fasten your seat belts. A jet car that flies at 880 km per hour is being conceptualised that would fly you from New Delhi to Mumbai in less than two hours – and it may use a highway as a runway to take off! The concept vehicle, named GF7, is the brainchild of California-based engineers…

  • US accuses China of meddling

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    The US defence secretary has accused China of “destabilising” the South China Sea, saying its action threatened the region’s long-term progress, BBC reported. Chuck Hagel said the US would “not look the other way” when nations ignored international rules. Mr Hagel was speaking at a three-day summit – the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore – that…

  • US looks for more trade with India

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    With a new Indian government in place, key areas of growth and business opportunities in the US-India commercial and business partnership have been highlighted by trade bodies of the two countries. ‘Growing Opportunities for US-India Trade and Investment’ were highlighted at a seminar organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Indo-American Market…

  • US Telugus to raise funds for Andhra, Telengana

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    The Telugu Association of North America (TANA) is creating two special earmarked funds for the development of the new capital of Andhra Pradesh and for development of Telangana after the bifurcation of Andhra.The decision to set up Andhra Pradesh Capital Development Fund and Telangana Development Fund was taken by TANA Executive Committee at the request…

  • Godrej builds plant for US firm

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    Godrej Process Equipment here completed and shipped a 57-metre tall high pressure/low pressure flash column for a US fertiliser project, being constructed by Egypt’s Orascom, an official said. The stainless steel clad flash column has carbon steel as a base material and stainless steel internals and is a significant addition to the long list of…

  • Spelling Bee Win sparks racism

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    Washington-based journalist Arun Kumar says Indian-American wins in spelling contest stirs racial comments    As two youngsters of Indian descent spelled history by jointly winning the coveted Scripps National Spelling Bee for a record seventh year in a row, they also stirred storm of racially charged comments in the US. The fact that Sriram Hathwar and Ansun…

  • US Sikhs hire Hillary strategist

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    American Sikhs have hired a political consultant, who served as a strategist for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign, for the first-ever exploration of creating positive perception about Sikhs among Americans. Geoffrey Garin, who also served as the pollster and strategic advisor to Priorities USA, the super PAC supporting President Barack Obama’s re-election in 2012, will…

  • Indian-Americans spell history

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    Two Indian American youngsters made history as Sriram Hathwar and Ansun Sujoe were declared co-champions in the Scripps National Spelling Bee contest after 52 years and for just the fourth time in the contest’s history. “Whatever,” said Sujoe, 13, 7th grader from Fort Worth, Texas, as the seconds ticked down at the contest at the…

  • Obama advocates new military doctrine

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    US President Barack Obama has laid out a new doctrine of using “military force unilaterally” without permission when its own interests are at stake, but turning to “collective action” when Washington is not directly threatened. America would still lead using “military force unilaterally if necessary”, he told graduates at the US Military Academy at West…

  • Kerry congratulates Sushma

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    US Secretary of State John Kerry called up External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to congratulate her on ministerial posting and discussed “re-energising strategic” ties, an official said Thursday. Kerry called up Sushma Swaraj late Wednesday night. It was the first congratulatory call that she received from one of her counterparts around the world. “The US…

  • The Lancet triggers obesity alert

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    The Lancet, the leading medical journal, says a third of world’s population obese or overweight. Asian Lite, newspaper for NRIs and Indian diaspora regularly publishes health related articles.  Revealing how the obesity epidemic has spread globally, an alarming study has said that 2.1 billion – nearly 30 percent of the world’s population – people are either…

  • The caged bird stopped singing

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    Asian Lite pays tribute to one of the best soul ever lived in this earth   US President Barack Obama has led the tributes to Maya Angelou, describing the poet, author and activist as “one of the brightest lights of our time”, BBC reported. He hailed Angelou, who has died aged 86, as “a brilliant…

  • US applauds Modi-Sharif meeting

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      Welcoming the meeting between India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, the US said it supported all efforts to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the two neighbours. “We continue to welcome any and all steps India and Pakistan take to strengthen and deepen their dialogue and cooperation,” State Department spokesperson…

  • Obama makes surprise visit to Afghanistan

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        US President Barack Obama paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan Sunday, an Afghan official said. The US president arrived in the Bagram air base in north of Kabul, the main US base in Afghanistan, late Sunday,quoted an official source as saying on condition of anonymity. The aim of his trip is reported to…

  • California crime scene

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    US police have confirmed that a man who killed six people in a rampage in California was 22-year-old Elliot Rodger, BBC reported. . The student was the son of Hollywood filmmaker Peter Rodger, who was assistant director on The Hunger Games. At a news conference, police said Elliot Rodger had stabbed three male room-mates to…

  • Mayhem in California

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    A Hollywood filmmaker believes his son carried out drive-by shootings that killed six people in California late on Friday, a family lawyer says, BBC reported. Peter Rodger, who was assistant director on The Hunger Games, thinks the attacker was his 22-year-old son Elliot, the statement said. The gunman died of bullet wounds after going on…

  • Anime Culture – Canada

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     A cosplayer poses for photos during the 2014 Anime North at the Toronto Congress Centre in Toronto, Canada. Kicked off on Friday, the annual 3-day event celebrates anime, manga, music, games and all other forms of   

  • US-Cuba ties improving?

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    Former US interior secretary Ken Salazar has said he favours “normalising” relations between his country and Cuba, and expressed optimism at the chances of seeing that happen in the next few years. Salazar, who represented Colorado in the US Senate before joining President Barack Obama’s cabinet, took part in the Tribuna EFE-Casa de America forum…

  • Rohan bags Cincinnati title

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    Indian-orgin Rohan D’Souza won the 1st Singles Flight  A Champion in tennis at Cincinnati.  This tennis tournament  is organised by Greater Cincinnati Tennis Coaches Association.   The prestigious  Junior Varsity Coaches Classic tennis tournament finals was played on May 19th, 2014. Sycamore High School voted and nominated Rohan D’Souza Team Captain for Junior Varsity (JV) Tennis…

  • US to cement ties with India

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    Asian Lite, the best newspaper for NRI news, looks into Indo-US relations.  Did US put all its eggs in one basket by denying visa to Modi during his tenure as Chief Minister over the Gujarat riots? Denying that it had failed to reach out to the Bharatiya Janata Party before the elections, the US has…

  • US ready to engage Modi

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    With Narendra Modi set to assume office as India’s Prime Minister Monday, the US has expressed keenness to engage a man it had shunned for over a decade, following his “resounding” victory. President Barack Obama was quick to acknowledge the Indian people’s mandate and effectively ended the visa ban on him for his alleged role…

  • US offers defence engineering expertise to India

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    The US Army Corps of Engineers has offered India its expertise in fields ranging from water resource management to research and development, environmental issues and construction of facilities for soldiers and civilians. “I think it’s a wonderfully advanced country in many respects, and their engineers are some of the brightest, I think, in the world,”…

  • NRI wins National Geographic Bee

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      An Indian American student has won the coveted National Geographic Bee championship that includes a $50,000 college scholarship, National Geographic said.Akhil Rekulapelli, 13, hailing from Virginia, outclassed fellow Indian American Ameya Mujumdar in the final head-to-head round of the nationwide contest held in Washington Wednesday.The geography whizkid also received a trip to the Galápagos…

  • Modi – Victory celebrations

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    S Californians celebrate Modi triumph   Southern Californians gathered at the corner of Pioneer Blvd & 186th Street in Artesia Little India Village,  to celebrate BJP’s victory and Modi’s triumph at the parliamentary polls. Seen in the picture L to R are Neil Kothari, Lalit Patni, Suresh Balsara, Chandan Karmokar and  Chandrakant Shah. Organisers of…

  • US hails Indo-Pak engagement

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     The US Wednesday welcomed more engagement between India and Pakistan, as the two rivals show goodwill to each other before India’s upcoming inauguration of a new prime minister. State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki was responding to Indian invitation to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and leaders of other South Asian nations for the swearing-in ceremony…

  • India opens new visa centres in US

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     The Indian Embassy here has awarded the new contract for providing Visa/OCI/PIO/Renunciation of Indian Citizenship Certificate application support services to the Cox & Kings Global Services Pvt. Ltd.The new service provider will be operational from May 21, a day after the current service provider, BLS International Ltd. closes all its operations in the evening of…

  • Obama writes to Manmohan

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    After a farewell phone call to Manmohan Singh shortly after he demitted office, US President Barak Obama also wrote to the former Indian prime minister appreciating his role in strengthening the Indo-US strategic relationship. On May 17, Obama made a farewell phone call to Singh barely hours after the latter demitted office and described him…

  • US opens new chapter with Modi

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    After shunning him for over a decade, US is warming up to Narendra Modi with a fresh invitation to visit Washington and recalling its envoy headed home four days before he becomes India’s new prime minister. Normally an ambassador’s return would not be much of news, but analysts have linked Nancy Powell’s abrupt March announcement…

  • US to improve ties with India

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    Washington-based Arun Kumar looks on the future of Indo-US relations during the Modi rule Calling India a “very important strategic partner”, the US hopes that its “enduring partnership” with India will only grow under the new government led by Narendra Modi despite the flap over his visa. “Obviously, we have a long, enduring partnership with…

  • $50 million US aid to South sudan

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    US President Barack Obama Monday authorised up to 50 million dollars in fresh humanitarian aid to the conflict-ridden South Sudan. In a memo to Secretary of State John Kerry, the president said “it is important to the national interest” to provide the assistance to meet “unexpected urgent refugee and migration needs resulting from the crisis”…

  • US pin great hope in Modi

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    Calling India a “very important strategic partner”, the US hopes that its “enduring partnership” with India will only grow under the new government led by Narendra Modi despite the flap over his visa. “Obviously, we have a long, enduring partnership with India. That will continue and hopefully only grow in the future,” State Department spokesperson…

  • Obama bade farewell to Singh

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    US President Barack Obama Saturday bade farewell to Manmohan Singh, telling him it was a “pleasure” to have worked with him and there were few public figures he “admired or appreciated more” than the outgoing Indian prime minister. According to a release from the Prime Minster’s Office, Obama said: “It has been a great pleasure…

  • Biggest dinosaur ever discovered

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    Fossilised bones of a dinosaur believed to be the largest creature ever to walk the Earth have been unearthed in Argentina, palaeontologists say. Based on its huge thigh bones, it was 40m (130ft) long and 20m (65ft) tall, BBC reported. Weighing in at 77 tonnes, it was as heavy as 14 African elephants, and seven…

  • Pentagon refutes Israeli spying

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    US Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel said Thursday that he could not validate a recent media report of alleged Israeli spying in his country. “I have heard of that report. I’m not aware of any facts that would substantiate the report,” Xinhua quoted Hagel as saying at a press conference in Tel Aviv with Israeli…

  • 9/11 Memorial Museum opens

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    US President Barack Obama Thursday dedicated a Ground Zero museum commemorating the Sep 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the site of the collapsed World Trade Towers in New York, a media report said. Obama, who also went around the National September 11 Memorial Museum with First Lady Michelle Obama, remarked that “nothing can ever break…

  • US still cagey about Modi visa

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    Even as exit polls suggested that Narendra Modi may emerge as the next Indian prime minister, the US continued to act cagey on the issue of a visa for the Bharatiya Janata Party leader. “As you know, we don’t talk about visa applications. We’re looking forward to working with the new Indian government when they’re…