Asian Lite News Archive

Category: Asia News

  • British Sikhs back in Nepal

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    By Vishal Gulati   After rescuing flood victims and helping rebuild homes in Bosnia, British Sikhs are back to help – assisting Nepal to rise again from the debris of three nerve-rattling major earthquakes and many more aftershocks that have killed thousands of people and caused widespread destruction. They are middle-aged volunteers from the Slough-based charity…

  • Asia largest investor destination: Unctad

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    Asia has become, for the first time, the world’s largest investor region with $440 billion invested in 2014, followed by North America ($390 billion) and Europe ($286 billion), according to a report releasedby the UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad). The global investment trend monitor published by Unctad showed that among the 20 largest…

  • UK Aid helps rebuilding efforts in Nepal

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      Britain is leading the rebuild of thousands of hospitals in Nepal to get health services up and running and ensure vulnerable groups like girls and women are protected following the devastating earthquakes, International Development Secretary Justine Greening announced today, during her visit to the country. As the focus in Nepal moves to reconstruction, the…

  • Will not succumb under pressure: Khamenei

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    Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said  that Tehran would not accept “unreasonable demands” by world powers during negotiations over its disputed nuclear programme, and ruled out letting inspectors interview its atomic scientists. “They (P5+1 countries) are making new comments in the nuclear negotiations. Regarding the inspections, we have said that we will not allow…

  • North Korea cancels Ban’s visit

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    North Korea has cancelled UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s visit  to the Kaesong joint industrial complex, Yonhap News Agency reported. Ban said in a speech in Seoul that North Korea “suddenly” notified him of the cancellation through diplomatic channels earlier in the morning, adding that it was very regrettable. The UN chief arrived in South…

  • Kung fu nuns begin rebuilding Nepal

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    By Vishal Gulati   Trained in the ancient Chinese martial arts and second to none, these softhearted Buddhist nuns are fighting against all odds to help Nepal get back on its feet after last month’s devastating quake and a series of aftershocks. They are the 300 kung fu nuns from the Kathmandu-based Druk Amitabha Mountain nunnery,…

  • UN chief to visit North Korea

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    UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that he will visit the Kaesong industrial complex in North Korea  to promote trust and reduce tensions between the two Koreas, Efe news agency reported. Ban, who is attending the World Education Forum in Incheon in his native South Korea, confirmed his trip, making him the first UN chief to…

  • China unveils ‘Made in China 2025’

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    China’s State Council has unveiled a national plan, dubbed “Made in China 2025”, focusing on promoting manufacturing, Xinhua news agency reported. The plan was authorised by Premier Li Keqiang, the report stated citing a government notice issued in this connection. “Made in China 2025” is the first 10-year action plan designed to transform China from…

  • Pakistan, Afghan sign landmark deal

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    Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Afghan intelligence outfit National Directorate of Security (NDS) have signed a landmark deal for cooperation aimed at curbing terrorism. The agreement signed in Kabul some time last week, was officially announced by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Twitter, Dawn online reported . “MoU signed by…

  • India the new bright spot of hope: Modi

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India “is the new bright spot of hope” for the region and the world and that the country’s progress will help make the Asian dream “a bigger reality”. Addressing the Asian Leadership Forum, which was also attended by South Korean President Park Geun-hye, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and…

  • Seoul offers $10 bn for smart cities

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      South Korea offered to provide $10 billion for infrastructure projects in India, including smart cities and railways, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with President Park Geun-hye here on Monday and the two countries decided to elevate their ties to a special strategic partnership. Both sides agreed to increase their defence and security…

  • Nepal bans building houses above two storeys

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    By Anil Giri   Nepal has imposed a temporary ban on constructing houses more than two storeys tall following the devastating April 25 earthquake and restricted approval for house and building design until mid-July. Nepal’s local development ministry on Monday issued a circular to all 75 district development committees and 191 municipalities that are authorised to…

  • Pakistan condemns US drone strike

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    Pakistan condemned a recent US drone strike in the country’s North Waziristan tribal region which killed at least six people. Security officials said the US unmanned aircraft fired missiles on a compound in the mountainous Shawal area on Saturday. Sources said some foreigners were among those killed in the strike that was carried out after…

  • South Korea offers India $10-bn fund

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    By Rohit Vaid    As Prime Minister Narendra Modi commenced his two-day visit to Seoul , South Korea has offered to set up a $10-billion fund to support several of his ambitious projects, from bullet trains to smart cities, the country’s envoy to India Joon-gyu Lee has said. “My country is offering India a financial package…

  • India’s Smart Cities must be safe,habitable and smart

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    By Sanjiv Kataria Each time there is a mention of Smart Cities in India, I get concerned about the safety of women because there is a surfeit of news stemming from the vulnerability of women in our cities. A few incidents that shook India recently, include: * A police officer attacks an allegedly errant scooter-riding…

  • Modi’s temple message confuses monks

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    A message written by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his native language during a visit to a Chinese temple, went through three rounds of translation before it could be understood by monks, media reported. In his message to the Daxingshan Temple in Xi’an in Shaanxi province in the course of his three-day visit to…

  • India won’t forget Kargil war: Musharraf

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      Recalling the Kargil conflict of 1999 between India and Pakistan, former military strongman Pervez Musharraf said New Delhi would never be able to forget the three-month-long battle when his armed forces “grabbed India by the throat”. “There was a second line force, too, which caught India by the throat and that was latter given…

  • Modi signs $1 bn cheque for Mangolia

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      India and Mongolia  elevated their 60-year-old diplomatic ties to a strategic partnership as Narendra Modi became the first Indian prime minister to visit the landlocked northeast Asian nation, which has declared India as its “third neighbour and spiritual neighbour”. The two countries inked 13 agreements, including in the sphere of air services and cyber…

  • Racial balancing in Harvard admissions?

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    By Arun Kumar  A coalition of more than 60 Asian-American groups, including four Indian groups, have sought an investigation into what they allege are “discriminatory practices” in Harvard University’s admission process. In a complaint filed on Friday with justice and education departments, the coalition asked that Harvard be required to “immediately cease and desist from…

  • Gandhian philosophy can fight terrorism: Modi

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      Prime Minister Narendra Modi  inaugurated the Centre for Gandhian and Indian Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai and said Gandhian philosophy can help in the fight against terrorism and deal with climate change. “Historic launch of Centre for Gandhian & Indian Studies at Fudan University by PM @narendramodi,” tweeted external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas…

  • Modi bags $22 bn in new business

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    India is ready to do business and is constantly improving the ease of doing business, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday at the India-China Business Forum here that saw 21 business agreements worth $22 billion being signed. In his address to the India-China Business Forum, Modi said that India offers historic opportunity for Chinese…

  • Modi sells ‘Make in India’ to China

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi  met top Chinese CEOs, including Alibaba’s Jack Ma, and invited them to participate in the Make in India initiative. “I have come to say to you Make in India,” Modi told the CEOs, according to a tweet by external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup. “India and China can together give something…

  • Sikh community outraged over smoking cartoon

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    Sikhs in Australia have expressed outrage after a daily published a cartoon of a Sikh man smoking a cigar, a media report said. “You would never see a person of Sikh faith smoking — not even a cigarette, let alone a cigar, so it just seems out of context,” Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) quoted the…

  • Nepal quake damage put at $10 bn

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    By Anil Giri   Nepal has estimated that around $10 billion worth of damage been caused by the April 25 great earthquakes and the subsequent aftershocks that rattled the Himalayan nation. It is estimated that over one million private and public houses and buildings were damaged totally or partially. This includes damages in several other sectors…

  • Hindu group wants Sunny Leone deported

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    The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) demanded the deportation of former porn star Sunny Leone and barring her future entry into India for displaying what it terms vulgarity on her website and insulting the dignity of women. The HJS lodged a first information report (FIR) with Sunil Shivarkar, head of Ramnagar police station in Dombivali in…

  • Modi has a selfie with Chinese premier

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    Even as he was busy boosting bilateral ties with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Prime Minister Narendra Modi found time take a selfie with him on the second day of his three-day visit to China. Modi who is known for his passion for taking selfies, took to Twitter to thank Premier Li, tweeting “It’s selfie time!…

  • Joy and sorrow in Kochi for two families

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    By Sanu George  Strange are the ways of life as is evident in this commercial capital of the state: a Keralite family is weeping as one of its members was shot dead in Afghanistan, while in a nearby hospital, an Afghan national is elated as he has got a new pair of hands from a…

  • Kamath looks forward to establish BRICS bank

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    Days after being appointed as the head of the up-coming BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) New Development Bank, banker K.V. Kamath  said he looked forward to the establishment of the financial institution and commencement of its operations. “I look forward to the establishment of the bank and commencement of its operation for…

  • India, China to explore border solution

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      Prime Minister Narendra Modi said  that he had candid, constructive and friendly talks with the Chinese leadership and both sides agreed to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution to the vexed boundary question which has vitiated bilateral relations over decades. Addressing media after talks with Prime Minister Li Keqiang here, Modi said…

  • We are one in fighting terror, Modi to Ghani

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Afghan President Ashraf Ghani that both their nations were “one” in fighting terror, after a Taliban attack in Kabul killed 14 people, including four Indians. “Spoke to President @ashrafghani & offered condolences on loss of lives due to the Kabul attack. We are one when it comes to fighting terror,”…

  • Iraq survivor says ISIS killed Indian hostages

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    A man from Punjab who escaped from the clutches of the ISIS in June 2014 claimed that 39 Indians taken hostage have been killed. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in New Delhi that she did not believe the claims and her own sources felt the Indian nationals were still alive. Harjit Masih, 25, told…

  • Huge rise in pakistan terror deaths

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    Pakistan’s rising graph of terrorism-related deaths shows no sign of slowing, with 43 people dead and 20 injured when six motorcycle-borne terrorists raked a bus with automatic gunfire in the Pakistani port city of Karachi . Terrorism-related deaths in Pakistan increased 748.15 percent between 2005 and 2014. Over the same period, India saw a 70 percent decline in terrorism-related deaths. As…

  • Modi eyes $10-bn jackpot in China

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      Prime Minister Narendra Modi is looking to clinch $10 billion worth of deals, a leading English daily of China reported . “The two countries are likely to sign deals worth $10 billion during Modi’s first visit as prime minister that will also take him to Beijing and Shanghai as he attempts to attract investments…

  • Indian UN peacekeepers honoured

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    India was honoured for its significant contribution to UN Peacekeeping over the last six decades at an event to celebrate International Day of UN Peacekeepers on Capitol Hill, the seat of US Congress. India’s Ambassador to the US, Arun K. Singh, received the award in recognition for India’s commitment to peacekeeping at the event organized…

  • Indian suggests winning name for Mercury crater

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    Enheduanna, the name suggested by Gagan Toor of India, is one of the winners of a contest to name five new craters on the planet Mercury. Toor chose the name after Enheduanna, a princess of the Sumerian city of Ur in ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq and Kuwait), the first known poet and author, according to…

  • Indian envoy target of Kabul attack?

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     A top Afghan official has been quoted by an Afghan news agency as saying that militants attacked an upscale guesthouse in Kabul, thinking that Indian Ambassador Amar Sinha was inside. The attack at the Park Palace guesthouse in Kabul’s Kolola Pushta left five people dead, including two Indians and an American, officials were quoted as…

  • Modi visits ancient Buddhist temple in Xi’an

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     After a visit to the Terracotta Warriors Museum at Xi’an, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to the Da Xingshan temple and offered prayers. Modi stood with his hands folded in front of massive golden statues of the Buddha as orange-robed monks chanted prayers. “Sutra recitation at Grand Hall of Daxingshan Temple in presence…

  • Four Indians killed in Kabul attack

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     Four Indians were among 14 people killed in a suspected Taliban attack on a guesthouse in Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul overnight on, an Indian embassy source said . “Four Indians, including a lady, were killed in the attack,” the source said over telephone. “Nine other foreigners were also killed in the attack,” the source added.…

  • Pakistan mourns as victims laid to rest

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    A day after 45 people from a minority community were left killed in a deadly terror attack on a bus, Pakistan observed nationwide mourning on Thursday as the victims were laid to rest by people numb with grief. Funeral prayers for the victims of the gun-attack on the bus that was carrying members of the…

  • Modi wants to take the silk route with China

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that he wants to work on a roadmap to qualitatively upgrade economic relations with China. He also said that he was open to discussing regional connectivity, including the Silk Road concept, with Chinese leaders. “I look forward to working out a roadmap for qualitatively upgrading our economic relations and…

  • Anti-Shia attacks in Pakistan on the rise

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    Pakistan has seen a rising tide of sectarian violence in recent times, particularly against Shias — of which the Ismaili community is a sub-sect — who make up around 20 percent of the country’s predominantly Muslim population. In the past, there have been instances of anti-Ismaili violence in Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, mostly in the form…

  • No clue of missing US Marine chopper

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    By Anil Giri    The armies of Nepal and the US have launched a joint search operation to trace a Marine chopper that went missing from Sunkhani in Charikot district, 67 km northeast of Kathmandu. The US Defense Department said the missing UH-1 Huey, carrying six Marines and two Nepal Army soldiers, had dropped off supplies,…

  • North Korea executes its defence chief

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    North Korea has publicly executed the country’s defence minister after the regime accused him of treason, said a media report. Hyon Yong-chol, the chief of North Korea’s People’s Armed Forces, was executed by firing squad using an anti-aircraft gun at a military school in Pyongyang around April 30, Yonhap News Agency reported quoting South Korea’s…

  • Turning Chinese conflict into compromise

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    By Tarun Vijay Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s China visit has come at a time when his government is completing his first year in power and global strategic equations are fast rearranging. At a time when India’s economy is gaining strength and global economists are hailing Modi’s one year in power as the best India has…

  • Nepal toll in fresh quake rises to 65

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    The death toll in the powerful earthquake that rocked Nepal has reached 65, authorities here said. As many as 1,926 people sustained injuries in the May 12 quake which measured 7.3 on the Richter scale, according to the Home Ministry’s National Emergency Operation Centre. Geologists describe the May 12 temblor as an aftershock of the…

  • Karachi terror attack claims 43

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    At least 43 people were killed and 13 others injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire at a bus in Pakistan’s Karachi city on Wednesday. The incident took place near the city’s Safoora Chowk area, Dawn online reported.  Those travelling in the bus belonged to the Ismaili community of the city. Sindh Police Inspector General Ghulam…

  • Pakistan’s political drama end with hanging

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     Pakistan’s most famous death-row inmate was executed  in the high-security Machh jail in Balochistan province, weeks after a sensational videotaped confession that became the focus of a major political drama. Saulat Ali Khan, alias Saulat Mirza, was a former activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the political party that has its power base in…

  • Modi leaves on Thursday on three-nation visit

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    Several agreements, including in the field of trade and tourism, are lined up for inking during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s six-day visit to China, Mongolia and South Korea beginning on May 14. The prime minister, who will be in China on May 14-16, will land in Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi province and the hometown…

  • Hanged activist indicts MQM chief

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    Saulat Ali Khan, alias Saulat Mirza, admitted to carrying out several political assassinations of rival party leaders and government officials as well as attacks on security forces on orders from the MQM leadership, in particular London-based party chief Altaf Hussain   Pakistan’s most famous death-row inmate was executed on Tuesday in the high-security Machh jail…

  • Missing Bangla leader surfaces in Meghalaya

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    Missing Bangladesh ex-minister Salahuddin Ahmed was spotted in Meghalaya  Salahuddin Ahmed, a former Bangladesh minister and joint secretary general and spokesman of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who went missing over two months ago in Dhaka, has now been found in Shillong, capital of the northeastern state of Meghalaya. Ahmed, who identified himself as…