Asian Lite News Archive

Category: -Top News

  • Abu Dhabi to be resident friendly

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    Residents of Abu Dhabi will enjoy easy access to high-quality community facilities and services in the coming few years under new standards unveiled on Sunday by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC). The new Abu Dhabi Community Facility Planning Standards (CFPS) sets out the specific social, educational, cultural, recreational and healthcare facilities that must…

  • World News In Pictures

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  • Advt war in Haryana

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    A Rs.100 crore advertisement blitzkrieg from public money focussed on Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda – clearly aimed at next month’s assembly elections – is forcing other parties in Haryana’s dusty politics to step up their advertisement budgets. Hooda’s image building by the Haryana government has been ramped up to beat the Election Commission’s…

  • Tea goes cold in India

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     Erratic weather, scanty rains and high temperatures this summer have impacted tea production in India, as evident from 18 million kg (average) lower yield during the first six months of 2014. “Changing weather pattern in north India, especially in the eastern states resulted in tea production declining 22 million kg first half of this year…

  • In Colombia, Bollywood rocks

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    Colombia, a South American nation of 46 million, is known for its love of football. A lesser-known secret is its passion for Bollywood – one of India’s dominant cultural forces – which has triggered a sort of cultural invasion in a country thousands of kilometres away. With romantic and dramatic themes, foot-tapping songs and emphasis…

  • God comes in 3D prints

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     In a unique concept marrying art and science, Kolkata will, in this Puja, host a digitally sculpted goddess Durga and her family, courtesy the application of 3D printing technology on paper. As 3D printing diversifies across the world in fields of medical science, films, art, aerospace, architecture and design and even in organ regeneration, a…

  • ‘Food security no guarantee’

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    As the demand for food rises with a growth in world population, trade may not guarantee food security to countries heavily dependent on imports for their food supply, says a study. “The food security for rapidly growing populations in the world is increasingly dependent on trade,” said lead author of the study Paolo D’Odorico, professor…

  • Obama calls for Afghan unity

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    US President Barack Obama urged two Afghan presidential candidates to conclude a deal on a national unity government “as soon as possible”, the White House said Sunday. Obama spoke over phone with Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani Saturday, telling them the unity government is “in the interest of shoring up international support for Afghanistan and…

  • Naga music to thrill China

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    The mesmerising music of the Naga Hills in India’s northeast will soon reverberate in China, Italy and Romania. “Songs of the Blue Hills”, a feature-length documentary on contemporary Naga folk music directed by National Award-winning film critic-turned-filmmaker Utpal Borpujari has been invited to the Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival and the Silk Road International Film…

  • Indian wines charm visitors

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    Pleasing the palate of wine connoisseurs of central Europe, Indian wines made an impressive debut at Vino Ljubljana 2014 International Wine Fair in Slovenia with the entire stock sold out even before the event concluded, said their Italian importer. “My stock of Indian wines was completely exhausted well before the closing time of the Expo…

  • Search on for Pak sailor

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    The search for a Pakistani sailor, who was aboard a navy vessel and is believed to have jumped off in Australia’s Darwin Harbour, continued Monday. The sailor went missing from Pakistan Navy ship PNS Nasr Sunday morning, ABC reported. According to officials, police were alerted about the incident by the Australia Navy Sunday evening. “A backpack…

  • Israel wants deployment in Gaza

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    The Israeli foreign ministry has proposed the deployment of an international force in the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of Operation Protective Edge, the Ha’aretz daily reported Sunday. The proposal, submitted in a document to a security cabinet meeting Aug. 21, called for an international force to be deployed in the strip to help make…

  • Serena Williams wins sixth US Open title

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      World No.1 Serena Williams of the US beat 10th-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki to win her third straight and sixth overall US Open title. The 6-3, 6-3 win at Flushing Meadows here Sunday was the 18th Grand Slam victory for Williams. She is now tied with Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova for the fourth-most WTA…

  • Surendra Koli’s execution stayed

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    The Supreme Court has stayed the execution of Nithari killings convict Surendra Koli by one week. Chief justice designate H.L. Dattu passed the order in the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, staying Koli’s execution on his appeal. Koli was represented by senior counsel Indira Jaising. Koli was to be executed Monday at Meerut jail.…

  • BJP accused of poaching MLA’s

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      The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Monday released a video which showed some BJP leaders allegedly offering a plum post and money to an AAP legislator in a bid to form the government in Delhi. Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of indulging in horse trading, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said that he won’t allow…

  • Dhoni defends his decision

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      England beat India by three runs in the only Twenty20 international of the series at the Edgbaston here Sunday. Chasing a target of 181, India made 177 for five in 20 overs after Virat Kohli top scored with 66 and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni remained unbeaten on 27 in 18 balls. India captain Mahendra…

  • Modi offers help to Pakistan

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      Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday offered Indian assistance to Pakistan for flood relief operations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, but Islamabad said its relief and rescue operations were proceeding effectively. “It is a matter of great distress that the retreating monsoon rains have played havoc in many parts of our two countries,” Modi said in a…

  • Indian-Americans fared better during recession

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    Like other Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) including Indian-Americans were hit hard by the Great Recession, but they fared better than any other racial group, according to a new report. During the economic downturn, the unemployment rate more than doubled for Asian American workers from 3.2 percent in 2007 to 7.5 percent in…

  • Italian marine being treated for stroke

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    Massimiliano Latorre, one of the two Italian marines facing trial in India for killing of two Indian fishermen in 2012, was discharged from a hospital here Sunday where he had been admitted after he suffered a transient ischemic attack or a mini stroke. Italian news agency ANSA, quoting medical sources in New Delhi, said that…

  • Bahrain king lauds Indian expats

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    Bahrain’s King Hamad has lauded the Indian expatriate community for its contribution in pushing forward the island nation’s development. King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa made the remarks Saturday during the two-day visit by India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to attend a forum meeting held here on investment opportunities in India. “The Indian migrants are…

  • Saudi cleric’s fatwa on social media

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    Don’t put marital problems online, warns Saudi cleric Saudi Arabia’s top cleric has warned couples against publicising their marital problems on social networking sites, saying such publicity could create a scandal, media reports said. Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh, chairman of the Council of Senior Ulema and the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta…

  • Britain to resolve students visa issue

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      Britain’s Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Vince Cable is scheduled to visit India next month to resolve the matter of visas for Indians wanting to study in Britain. The move came following a sharp drop in applications from India, in contrast to a steep rise in the number of Chinese students coming…

  • Fashion: Traditional vs contemporary

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     In recent times, one can see fashion designers from the northeastern states being very experimental with the way they have portrayed the traditional ensembles. They have used traditional fabrics and designs to turn these into a contemporary outfit catering to today’s modern generation.With over 220 ethnic groups found in the eight northeastern states, the northeast…

  • Bolly celebs @ Vogue Fashion Night Out 2014

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    Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Kalki Koechlin, Neha Sharma and many other prominent Bollywood celebrities were present at ‘Vogue Fashion’s Night Out 2014’ in Mumbai. Sonam Kapoor spoke about women empowerment and shared her views on the same. Deepika Padukone and Arjun Kapoor were seen promoting their upcoming film ‘Finding Fanny’

  • Indian films @ Chicago festival

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    The Chicago South Asian Film Festival, which was started just over five years ago, by a dedicated group of Indian film aficionados, has grown to be a significant event in Chicago’s art and film landscape. The festival, the largest of its kind in the Midwest, will this year present over 25 films in downtown Chicago…

  • Destiny to hit cyderspace tuesday

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    Billed as the biggest video game of the year and also the most expensive one ever made, Destiny will be launched Tuesday to an expected 10 million players. Developed by US-based video game developer Bungie, the plot of the sci-fi game is set 700 years in the future, where players travel through space to prevent…

  • Kerala celebrate Onam

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    Despite light rain in some parts of Kerala, Onam was celebrated across the state Sunday with a lavish, 26-dish traditional vegetarian lunch, flowers and a degree of nostalgia. On the occasion of Thiru Onam Sunday, the most important day in the 10-day long Onam calendar, people were in a festive mood, while a few recalled…

  • Veggies prone to Vit B12 deficiency

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    Shweta Sharma says vegetarians prone to vitamin B12 deficiency Nupur De swore by a vegetarian diet which she said helped her keep “healthy and fit”. But what she did not know until recently was that such a diet could result in vitamin B12 deficiency which, health experts say, is a common condition among Indians. Thirty-two-year-old…

  • Modi reaches Jammu with Rs1000 cr aid

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      Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday arrived at the Jammu airport here, specially to conduct an aerial survey of the flood-ravaged areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Modi was received by Governor N.N. Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Accompanied by army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, Modi will conduct the aerial survey of the flood-affected…

  • Special Report: The plight of Bahais

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    Anando Bhakto looks in to the plight of Bahais. Persecuted in Iran, Baha’is worse off in Iraq  While the rising tide of arrests of Baha’is in Iran and destruction of their cemetery in Shiraz continues to grab headlines, the community – best known in India for their magnificent lotus-shaped marble temple here that is visited…

  • UK seeks Arab help to stem ISIS

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    British Prime Minister David Cameron will begin a diplomatic blitz this week to drum up support from Arab countries for airstrikes on Iraq, The Sunday Times reported. The prime minister’s move came after warnings from Labour and the Liberal Democrats that they will not back military action unless Saudi Arabia or Qatar are on board.…

  • Kissinger raps Obama policy

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    Dr Henry Kissinger, the former US secretary of state, challenged Presient Barack Obama’s foreign policy especially on Iraq and Syria, The Sunday Times reported. The veteran statesman has urged President Obama to “launch an all-out attack” on the terrorist group Isis in Syria and Iraq, warning that Americans have become “bystanders” in the Middle East.…

  • Scottish Race – Neck & Neck

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    Campaigners in the battle for Scotland’s future say the referendum result is too close to call with less than two weeks until the vote, BBC reported. The Sunday Times poll results exclude undecided voters or those who plan not to vote. When they are included, 47% backed Yes while 45% said they would opt to…

  • THE SAGA OF THE 6 STAR SHAVING CREAM

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    Daily Dose by Bikram Vohra Let me hear it from all you folks who are globetrotters and keep putting your profiles on Facebook showing yourselves in airport lounges and reclining in first class cabins. Clearly, you stay in swank 6 star hotels. So tell me, their rooms have these amenities, right? and they are all…

  • The Funny Side by Nury Vittachi

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    Nury Vittachi on the science of superheroes  Last week, my wife told me I “still had a lot of growing up to do”. I was so angry I refused to let her share this giant cardboard box I’d found. It had once contained some sort of giant TV, so was big enough for me, a pillow, the…

  • ‘Event cinema’ in India

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    Here’s a chance to experience global entertainment format, live performances and special acts at a cinema hall. Indian multiplex chain PVR Cinemas has launched PVR Live, an international concept of event cinema in the country. As part of its efforts to give a new cinematic experience, select PVR theatres across 17 cities will showcase live…

  • DIGITAL INDIA – One billion out of Net!

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    Treat lack of Internet connection as opportunity’  Though one billion people in India do not have regular access to the internet, that should not be perceived as a challenge — rather it should be treated as an opportunity, R.S. Sharma, secretary, Department of Electronics and Information Technology said. “Close to four billion people in the…

  • Marxists challenge Modi credentials

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    Communal clashes on the rise under Modi government: CPI-M Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat Saturday hit out at the Narendra Modi government at the centre saying the BJP’s victory has emboldened ‘Hindutva forces’ resulting in an upsurge in communal violence in the country. “The BJP’s victory has emboldened the Hindutva forces.…

  • Islamist backed Libyan govt. sworn in

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    Libya’s Islamist-backed cabinet was sworn in Saturday. The new cabinet is headed by Omar al-Hasi. It comprises 19 ministries and three supreme councils, Xinhua reported. According to Libya’s transitional plan, the House of Representatives elected in the June polls has already replaced the former interim General National Congress government. The GNC took over office in 2012.…

  • Agra bans idol immersion in Yamuna

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    Agra authorities prevented devotees from immersing Ganesh idols in the polluted Yamuna river, bringing cheer to environmentalists. The Agra Municipal Corporation set up three artificial tanks, along the river, for people to immerse the idols. “For the past 10 days, the administration has been working on plans and urging people to use the ‘Visarjan kunds’ (immersion…

  • Gaza needs $7.8 billion

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    $7.8 bn needed for reconstruction in Gaza; Israel’s war bill is $2.5 billion!   An estimated 7.8 billion dollars are needed for the Gaza Strip to reconstruct after being destroyed during the 50-day Israeli offensive on the coastal enclave, a senior Palestinian official said Thursday. “The direct and indirect losses resulted from the Israeli attack…

  • Erdogan ally wins trust vote

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    Turkish government wins vote of confidence in parliament The new Turkish government Saturday won a vote of confidence in parliament in capital Ankara. Turkey’s 62nd government won 306 votes from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) with 133 lawmakers from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) voting against…

  • Special Report: Tagore & Depression

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    A new book reveals Tagore’s battle with depression  Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore’s long battle with depression and loneliness can inspire people suffering from depressive illnesses to speak out and engage their near and dear ones to aid them in tackling the issue, a leading psychiatrist said. A prolific author and composer, Tagore witnessed deaths…

  • Egypt to try Morsi over Qatar links

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    Egypt to try Morsi for leaking security papers to Qatar   Ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, along with 10 others, will face trial over leaking security documents to Qatar, media reported. The former president is facing charges of handing national security files to the Qatari intelligence and Doha-based Al Jazeera news channel under orders from…

  • Ashok Tandon on Modi’s 100 days

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    Ashok Tandon says Modi govt is delivering tough messages and good policy directions  The jury is still out whether Narendra Modi has ushered in “achhe din” (good days) in the first hundred days of his government. But one thing about which there are hardly two opinions among political analysts of all hues is that after…

  • WHY THE BROWN IS THE NEW BLACK?

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    Daily Dose by Bikram Vohra Back in 2006, Joe Biden, then a Senate candidate ran into trouble for a remark that “you cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent.” Gaffe-prone Biden got away by explaining that it wasn’t a racial slur but “was meant as a…

  • Russia vows to react to sanctions

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    Russia will “certainly” react if the European Union (EU) imposes new sanctions against it for allegedly “destabilising eastern Ukraine”, Russia’s foreign ministry said Saturday. The EU Friday expressed its intention to formally adopt a new package of restrictive measures Monday against Russia, Xinhua reported. The statement also said the announcement of the upcoming expansion of…

  • India in tsunami mock drill

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      India, along with 23 other countries on the Indian Ocean rim, will participate in mock tsunami drill Sep 9 and 10 to test Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWS). This drill, organized under the auspices of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, is expected to increase preparedness, evaluate response capabilities in each country and…

  • Sania holds US Open mixed doubles title

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      India’s Sania Mirza and Brazilian Bruno Soares beat American-Mexican pair Abigail Spears and Santiago Gonzalez in the final to win the US Open mixed doubles title here Friday. Sania, who had faced defeat only a day earlier losing the women’s doubles semifinals, bounced back brilliantly to win her third Grand Slam title. The top…

  • Multiple voices in Congress

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    The Congress High Command, which is a pseudonym for party president Sonia Gandhi, must have realized by now that securing a clean chit for the mother-and-son duo in a report on the poll debacle by a servile loyalist will not put an end to constant carping by party members.Hence, perhaps, the decision by the admirers…