Asian Lite News Archive

Category: Asia News

  • India begins ‘Operation Maitri’ in Nepal

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      The Indian Army has named the aid to Nepal ‘Operation Maitri’ or friendship, a day after it started extending help to the neighbouring country that was hit by a massive earthquake just before noon on Saturday, leaving a trail of death and destruction. India is with the “sisters and brothers” of Nepal in its…

  • Over 1,800 killed in Nepal earthquake

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    The earthquake that hit Nepal  has killed at least 1,805 people, an official statement said. The earthquake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, had its epicenter in Lamjung district, around 75 km northwest of capital Kathmandu. Following the massive quake, over 50 aftershocks were also felt. The statement issued by the Nepal home ministry states…

  • US seeks ‘rebalance’ in Asia

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    By Arun Kumar  Citing President Barack Obama’s historic “good trip” to India in January, US officials have said that different partnerships it’s forging across Asia can contribute to the stability and prosperity of the broader region. In a conference call on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s state visit next week, Deputy National Security Advisor Ben…

  • Devastation in Kathmandu

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     A massive earthquake that rocked Nepal caused major devastation in the old area of the national capital. According to information available, there was widespread devastation in Hanmandhoka area in the old area of Kathmandu. Several casualties were feared as buildings collapsed. Authorities said they were still trying to assess the situation. Images that were tweeted…

  • British-Asian Mayor ousted in London

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    The judge said Mr Rahman had focused his electoral machine on the borough’s large Bangladeshi community – effectively bribing voters by targeting them with generous grants and using the influence of a senior cleric to tell Muslims it was their duty to vote for him…reports Asian Lite, UK’s No 1 newspaper for British-Asians Mr Lutfur Rahman,…

  • Stop hate speech on social media: India

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    To stop youth from turning to violent radicalism, nations should ensure that social media did not promote hate speech, India has told the Security Council. Participating in a Security Council debate on the “Role of Youth in Countering Violent Extremism ,” Deputy Permanent Representative Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi said religious fanaticism fueled the flames of violent…

  • Intelligence breakdowns behind Mumbai attacks: Report

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    By Arun Kumar  Citing what it called “hidden intelligence breakdowns” behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, a new investigative report has described Mumbai “as a tragic case study in the strengths and limitations of high-tech surveillance”. An analysis of documents leaked by Edward Snowden contradicted the US government’s claims that the National Security Agency had…

  • India urges for political settlement in Middle East

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    By Arul Louis  To bring peace to the Middle East, India has called for political dialogue to find solutions to the hostilities wracking the region while urging strong action against extremist groups whose deadly violence “strikes at our common humanity.” In a Security Council debate on the Middle East, Permanent Representative Asoke Kumar Mukerji touched…

  • Obama submits n-deal with China to Congress

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      US President Barack Obama has submitted to Congress a proposed 30-year agreement on cooperating with China in peaceful uses of nuclear energy. “In my judgement, it meets all applicable statutory requirements and will advance the nonproliferation and other foreign policy interests of the US,” Obama said in a message to Congress issued by the…

  • Headley joined LeT “full time” after 9/11

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    By Arun Kumar   A Pakistani-American key plotter of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks has revealed that he decided to join Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) “full time” following the 9/11 attacks in the US. Born Daood Gilani in the US to an American mother and a Pakistani father, David Coleman Headley makes the disclosure…

  • South-Asian women at risk of later stages of breast cancer

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    South Asian women in Canada delay seeking breast cancer care and they are more likely to be diagnosed with later stage of the disease compared to the general population, says a new study. The researchers found that Chinese women are more likely to be diagnosed with early stages of cancer. “Research has long suggested minority…

  • China plans $45 bn investments in Pakistan

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    In a massive boost to bilateral economic ties, Pakistan and China on Monday signed 51 agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for cooperation in diverse fields, and envisaged a whopping $45 billion worth Chinese investments in Pakistan. The Chinese investments are expected for the projects that constitute the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and foresee the creation…

  • World watching India’s contribution to climate change

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    India is being “closely watched” for its intended contribution towards the global response to climate change, US ambassadir Richard Verma said . “India’s size, economic growth projections and already significant greenhouse gas emissions means there is tremendous interest around the world” on its proposed contribution to mitigating climate change, Verma said at a CII event…

  • Operation ‘Rahat’ ends

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    INS Tarkash that participated in Operation Rahat, returned to a hero’s welcome at Mumbai harbor here, while two passenger ships with the last batch of Indians evacuated from Yemen reached Kochi, an official said. It was preceded by the return of another ship, INS Mumbai, which returned here last Friday, with the two ships helping…

  • Surya Bahadur Thapa 1928-2015

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    By Deepak Goel  A democrat even under a monarchy and a relentless crusader for the upliftment of the deprived sections of the Nepali feudal society, Surya Bahadur Thapa never yearned for power — yet he graced the office of prime minister of the Himalayan nation for an enviable five times, a record equalled only by…

  • India successfully test fires ballistic missile

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    India  successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Agni-III ballistic missile, with a range of over 3,000 km, from a base in Odisha, an official said. The surface-to-surface missile was fired from a launch complex at the Inner Wheeler Island off the coast of Dhamra in Bhadrak district, about 200 km from here. “It was a user trial.…

  • Lakhvi’s release challenged in Court

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    The Punjab government challenged in the Supreme Court the Lahore High Court’s order releasing Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. In a petition filed in the apex court by the Punjab home department, it was maintained that despite sufficiently strong evidence being present against Lakhvi, the Lahore court’s Justice…

  • India a land of great opportunities: Modi

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a busy schedule at Hannover , meeting top German CEOs — including of Daimler, Voith, Metro AG and Bombardier Transportation — whom he told that India is a land of great opportunities. Modi, who flew down to this German city after his two-day visit to France, also unveiled a bust…

  • Chinese daily berates India over Silk Road

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    India is trying to trip China’s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road as well as the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar and the China-Pakistan economic corridors but it will fail, a Chinese scholar said in comments published on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the three Indian Ocean countries of Seychelles, the Maldives and Sri Lanka showed that India…

  • Lahore HC orders Lakhvi’s release

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    The Lahore High Court ordered the immediate release of Mumbai terror attack’s alleged mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, evoking strong reaction from the Indian government which said “terrorists not being effectively prosecuted” constitutes a real security threat to the country as well as the world. The court dismissed the detention orders of Lakhvi, one of the…

  • India rank below neighbours in social progress

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      India has a low rank of 101 among the 133 countries measured for their social progress, even below some immediate neighbours such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, indicating the level of meeting basic human needs and well-being, among other factors. Conducted by Social Progress Imperative, a US-based non-profit organisation set up in…

  • Saudi invasion of Yemen a mistake: Iran

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     Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei  denounced the Saudi-led military operation against Yemen as a “mistake”, saying the invasion has “set a bad precedent in the region”. Khamenei, while comparing the Saudi-led aggression to Israeli atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza, slammed Riyadh’s attacks against the Yemeni people as a “crime and genocide” for which it…

  • Modi thanks Sharif for helping evacuate Indians

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      Prime Minister Narendra Modi  thanked his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif for his country’s assistance in evacuating 11 Indians from strife-torn Yemen. “I welcome our 11 citizens who’ve returned from Yemen with assistance from Pakistan. Thank you PM Nawaz Sharif for your humanitarian gesture,” according to an official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. “Service…

  • Iranian foreign minister in Pakistan

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    Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif arrived in Pakistan for talks over the Yemen crisis, according to media reports. Soon after his arrival, Zarif met Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, and shared details of the Iran-Turkey talks held in Tehran on Tuesday, Dawn online reported. Zarif’s two-day visit to Pakistan comes…

  • US approves $952 mn military hardware to Pakistan

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    By Arun Kumar    The Obama administration has notified the US Congress it’s selling Pakistan $952 million worth of attack helicopters, air-to-surface missiles and other military assistance saying it will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The State Department has approved the sale saying the “helicopters and weapon systems will provide Pakistan with…

  • Obama reiterates support for UNSC seat for India

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      BY ARUN KUMAR President Barack Obama has reiterated US support for India’s membership of a reformed UN Security Council as he considers it a foreign policy priority to continue to strengthen India-US relationship. “What the President said was that he said in the context of a reformed Security Council that the President would support…

  • Pakistan mulling Saudi request: Sharif

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      Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told parliament  that Islamabad will respond to Saudi Arabia’s request for military assistance after parliament concludes a debate on the crisis in Yemen. Sharif’s remarks came a day after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the Saudi kingdom has sought fighter jets, warships and ground troops from Pakistan as the…

  • South Asia’s concern of growing Pak nuclear arsenal

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    By Arun Kumar  Noting that “Pakistan, with the world’s fastest-growing nuclear arsenal, is unquestionably the biggest concern,” in South Asia, a leading US daily wants major powers to turn their attention towards it after finalising the Iran deal. Citing several recent developments, the New York Times said in an editorial that “These investments reflect the…

  • Pakistan must break terrorist links : US experts

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    By Arun Kumar Citing the case of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, two US experts want the US to push Pakistan to end its selective fight against terrorism. “Pakistan’s selective approach to fighting terrorism continues to undermine US national security objectives in the region,” wrote Lisa Curtis, a…

  • Kamal quits as ICC president over row

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     Bangladesh’s Mustafa Kamal said  he is resigning from the post of president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) over who should have given away the World Cup trophy to the fifth-time winners Australia. At a press conference here, Kamal said he was resigning to protest the “flagrant violation” of the ICC constitution, and his decision…

  • Pakistan undecided over troops to Yemen

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      Pakistan is holding a joint military drill with Saudi Arabia, but has remained undecided over sending troops to assist Saudi Arabia in the military campaign in Yemen, according to media reports. Pakistan Army spokesman Asim Bajwa said that the pre-scheduled joint military exercise “Samsam-5” was being held since March 19 in the Saudi Arabian…

  • Singapore bids farewell to its founding father

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    The funeral of Singapore’s founder and first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew was held  with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi describing him as “among the tallest leaders of our times” and a friend of India. Lee, 91, died on March 23 at the Singapore General Hospital where he was warded for severe pneumonia since February…

  • Australia to join Asian bank

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    Australia has decided to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which will allow it to become a founding member of the bank, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said. In a joint statement with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Treasurer Joe Hockey, Abbott said the MoU would enable Australia “to…

  • Lee was among the tallest leaders: Modi

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi  described Singapore’s founder prime minister Lee Kuan Yew as “among the tallest leaders of our times”. Modi arrived in Singapore early Sunday to join a host of world leaders for the funeral of Lee, who died at the age of 91 on Monday after a long battle with pneumonia. “The passing…

  • India puts navigation satellite in orbit

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    By Venkatachari Jagannathan  India successfully put into orbit its fourth navigation satellite with its own rocket in copy book style. Exactly at 5.19 p.m, the rocket – Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle – (PSLV-C27) standing about 44 metres tall and weighing around 320 tonne, tore into the evening skies with fierce orange flames at its tail.…

  • Decide Lakhvi detention in 5 days: Court

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      The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday ordered the Punjab government to take a decision within five days regarding the detention of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. Lakhvi had submitted an application in the LHC on Wednesday with two pleas — one challenging his detention and the other alleging that the federal…

  • Pakistan examining Saudi request for Yemen operation

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    Pakistan  said it was examining Saudi Arabia’s request to join the Gulf-led operation against Shia Houthi militias in Yemen. Advisor to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz confirmed that top Saudi officials had contacted the Pakistani leadership requesting it to join the Yemen operation, Dawn online reported. A decision has not…

  • ISIS releases Bangladeshi hostages in Libya

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    Two Bangladeshis, who were held hostage by the Islamic State (IS) terror group in Libya, have been released after 18 days, the foreign ministry here has confirmed. Helal Uddin of Jamalpur and Mohammed Anowar Hossain of Noakhali were released on Tuesday evening and were taken to Libya’s Sirte hospital for check-up, bdnews24 reported. The physical…

  • Conduct Unbecoming !

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    British politics is getting murkier and murkier. How can you blame the general public if they are not showing any interest in politics and politicians? After the Mail on Sunday splashed the story of Afzal Amin, I was inundated with phone calls. Elders in the community are asking about what will be the future of…

  • Sri Lanka gives back land to Tamils

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      President Maithripala Sirisena handed back land held by the military to its rightful owners in north Sri Lanka. The president assured Tamils in the minority Tamil-dominated North that the land issue would be resolved and the land used as High Security Zones will be returned, Xinhua news agency reported. During the 30-year civil war,…

  • Taliban deny reports of leader’s death

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      As unconfirmed reports of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mullah Fazlullah’s death circulated, different Taliban groups have denied that the terrorist was killed during a military operation. TTP spokesman Mohammad Khorasani claimed that reports regarding Fazlullah’s death were “absolutely baseless rumours”, Geo News reported. A spokesman for Taliban splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar also denied the report.…

  • N-deal needs revocation of sanctions: Khamenei

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      Removal of anti-Iran sanctions should be part of any possible nuclear deal between Iran and western countries, said Iranian top leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Anti-Iran sanctions should be discussed as a part of nuclear negotiations and should not be considered a result of those talks, state-run news agency IRNA cited Khamenei as saying…

  • Peace on border top priority: Mufti

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    Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed said  that firing from across the border was a great challenge and he would leave no stone unturned to ensure peace at the border with Pakistan. Speaking in the state legislative council on Monday, Sayeed said there was no violation of ceasefire from across the borders in…

  • Lee Kuan Yew 1923-2015

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      Lee Kuan Yew, the first prime minister of Singapore, and one of the most influential political figures in Asia died here on Monday after a prolonged battle with pneumonia. Born on September 16, 1923, he was widely considered as the father of the modern day Singapore and the leader who made the island nation…

  • India, China hold border talks

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    National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the special representative for the India-China boundary talks, sat down with his Chinese counterpart, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, for the 18th round of border talks here. Doval and Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, a former Indian envoy to China, are among the Indian team holding talks with the Chinese delegation at…

  • Pakistan envoy hopeful about IPI pipeline

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    Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit  said he is hopeful that the gas pipeline project involving Iran, Pakistan and India would resume once the issue of sanctions against Iran gets resolved. “The nuclear deal is struck between Iran and six countries – P5+1 countries – and as soon as sanction (scenario) is removed, we hope to…

  • Etihad unveils ‘Fast & Furious’ luxury plane

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      Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and Universal Pictures have unveiled a luxury Fast & Furious 777 airliner at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), in conjunction with the impending release of “Furious 7”. Actor-producer Vin Diesel was on hand as Etihad Airways Flight 171 arrived from Abu Dhabi to begin…

  • Swamy’s mosque comments create uproar

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    There was an uproar in the Rajya Sabha over comments by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in Assam where he reportedly said mosques are not religious places. “Secularism is the biggest strength of a democracy. If there is no secular character, there will be no democracy,” Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said, raising the issue soon after…

  • Lahore church bombing toll rises to 16

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      The toll in the deadly attacks on two churches in Pakistan’s Lahore city on Sunday has increased to 16, as one more person has died from injuries, a media report said . The man received severe multiple injures during the two powerful explosions that rocked the Catholic Church and Christ Church in the city’s…

  • Sharif condemn church bombings

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    Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has strongly condemned the bomb blasts at two churches in Lahore city that killed at least 15 people and injured over 70, a media report said . Two powerful explosions on Sunday rocked the Catholic Church and Christ Church in the city’s Youhanabad area, home to the country’s biggest Christian…