Asian Lite News Archive

Category: -Top News

  • Banks freeze Cage accounts

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    Cage,, a forum promoted by former Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg has claimed that its bank accounts have been closed. Cage, which campaigns on behalf of terrorism suspects, said Barclays and the Co-operative Bank had shut down its business accounts without any notice or explanation. The move appears to have coincided with Begg being charged in…

  • Jihadists urged to come back & rehab

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    The British  government is considering adopting a German scheme that encourages jihadists to return home from Syria and Iraq and sign up to de-radicalisation classes, The Times reported.A pilot programme, expected to be launched in London by September, will be modelled on Hayat, a scheme that offers those who return from Iraq and Syria the…

  • Recruiters blamed for labour abuse

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    A report commissioned by the Qatar Foundation alleged that the rights of migrants, mainly from South Asian cuntries, are flouted in their home countries from the moment they sign up for work. “Critics of human and labour rights violations most often shift the blame to Qatar in a rather generic manner,” said the report focused…

  • Malala dares Boko Haram

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    The most famous teen in the planet, Malala Yousafali, arrives in Nigeria to support the release of 200 girls abducted from their school by Islamic militants in April. The teenager, who was shot by the Taliban, defied security warnings to fly to Nigeria on her 17th birthday, The Times reported. “I want to highlight this…

  • Focus on Gaza conflict

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    The world’s focus is now on the conflict in the Gaza strip.   The UN says 17,000 people have sought refuge in its facilities as Israeli air strikes continue for a sixth day. The toll is reaching the 200 mark. A mortar shell or rocket fired from Syria hit the Israeli-occupied sector of the Golan Heights,…

  • ‘Sharif to learn from LTTE defeat’

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    Pakistan may not be able to replicate Sri Lanka’s success vis-a-vis the LTTE but needs to learn from it to overcome Islamist militants, a Pakistani police officer has said. “The Sri Lankan strategy shows that with military might and popular support the state can defeat insurgents,” Mohammad Ali Babakhel said in an article carried Sunday…

  • BRICS to form a bank

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    Modi arrives in Brazil for BRICS summit. BRICS bank on agenda In his first multilateral summit meeting since taking office May 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Brazil to attend the five-nation BRICS summit in Brazil, where he will have his first interaction with leaders of China and Russia among others. The Sixth BRICS Summit, being held…

  • Israeli navy raids Gaza

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    Israeli navy commandos raided Gaza in a first ground assault on the strip Sunday, stepping up its six-day offensive even as the UN called for a ceasefire between the two sides. It is the first time that the Israeli military acknowledged having entered the Gaza Strip since the deadly air campaign, dubbed ‘Operation Protective Edge’,…

  • Germany are the champions

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     Germany became the first European team to win the FIFA World Cup on South American soil, beating Argentina 1-0 in the final thanks to Mario Gotze’s extra time goal at the Maracana Stadium here Sunday.The last time the Germans, playing as West Germany, lifted the World Cup trophy was in 1990 beating Diego Maradona led…

  • WORLD CUP: Success of German Engineering

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    With a meticulous team effort, the German team won the 2014 world cup. This is the fourth time Germans were crowned world champions. Both sides wasted chances in normal time, Argentina’s Gonzalo Higuain and Lionel Messi both dragging wide. More analysis will follow. Keep reading Asian Lite

  • PICS – Guru Purnima

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    Indian classical flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia with Indian classical vocalist Prabhakar Karekar during a programme organised on Guru Purnima at Veer Savarkar Rashtriya Auditorium in Mumbai

  • GALLERY – INDIA NEWS N PICS

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  • Abbas requests UN protection

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     Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Sunday asked the United Nations for international protection to the Palestinian people amid escalating Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. In a meeting in Ramallah between Mahmoud Abbas and Robert Serry, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s envoy to the Middle East, Abbas handed Serry an official letter asking for UN protection…

  • India-England – First Test is a draw

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    India drew their first cricket Test with England thanks to some heroics from Stuart Binny, Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar on the final day at the Trent Bridge on  Sunday. India finished the day with 391 for nine declared in the second innings, a massive lead of 430 runs, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar unbeaten on 63, his…

  • Ukraine denies shelling Russian town

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    Ukraine said Sunday it had nothing to do with the shelling of a Russian town earlier in the day, which left one dead and two more injured. “Ukrainian servicemen did not, do not and will not deliver fire against the neighbouring country’s territory or residential areas,” Xinhua quoted Ukrainian foreign ministry as saying in a…

  • ISIS inspiring Pakistani militants

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     The ISIS in Iraq is influencing Pakistani militants, with at least one group declaring allegiance to the insurgents, a Pakistani security analyst has said. Muhammad Amir Rana said in Dawn Sunday that the Pakistani militant group Tehreek-i-Khilafats declaration of allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) “has surprised many”. The ISIS, now…

  • Violent cartoons and children

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    Shilpa Raina and Mudit Gupta analysing the violent in children’s cartoon series. How violent cartoon shows make children aggressive ? Children are unable to understand the thin line between reality and fiction, say experts who feel violent cartoon shows make them aggressive and less sensitive to pain and suffering.”Children don’t understand that the violence shown…

  • ‘ISIS inspiring Taliban in Pakistan’

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    Muhammad Amir Rana, security analyst, says ISIS inspiring Pakistani militants The ISIS in Iraq is influencing Pakistani militants, with at least one group declaring allegiance to the insurgents, a Pakistani security analyst has said. Muhammad Amir Rana said in Dawn Sunday that the Pakistani militant group Tehreek-i-Khilafat’s declaration of allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq…

  • Humour in the Battlefield

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    Vikas Datta in his weekly column Bookends analyses the Humour in the Battlefield War and humour – no two words can seem as divergent. But some incorrigibles, adept in uniting the most incongruous elements, have fashioned out quite a close relationship, manifested in some unforgettable depictions of armed conflict and combatants, bringing out the heroism,…

  • We should remember Homi Bhabha

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    K.S. Parthasarathy says this is payback time for India to the father of its nuclear power. The government must save Homi Bhabha’s home for posterity Homi Bhabha, the architect of nuclear India, lived the most productive part of his life in Mehrangir, the house his father bought in 1937. Scientists regret the disinformation campaign on…

  • BIG INTERVIEW: Arjun Kapoor

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    Radhika Bhirani talks to Arjun Kapoor. The young Kapoor arguing the Indian audiences ready for films like ‘Finding Fanny’ It’s an English language “offbeat” entertainer; made by an Indian director with three veteran and two young stars of Bollywood, and topped with one promotional Hindi song – that’s Homi Adajania’s “Finding Fanny”. Arjun Kapoor, who plays one…

  • WORLD CUP FINAL- Can he fix it?

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    Veturi Srivatsa pondering as the World Cup just hours way – Can Messi make it or mess it up?  Can Messi do a Maradona, screamed a headline to the 2014 FIFA World Cup final curtain-raiser. Lionel Messi partially answered the question by carrying the Argentines into Sunday’s final against Germany. Not many would like to…

  • GALLERY- Demise of a Soccer God

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    The Netherlands took third place at the FIFA World Cup thanks to a 3-0 victory over hosts Brazil at the Estadio Nacional on Saturday. Louis van Gaal’s side kept a clean sheet for the third match in a row. Captain Robin van Persie put his team ahead only three minutes into the game. With this Soccer giants…

  • PICS: CRY THE BELOVED GAZA

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     Since the beginning of operations, the Israeli army has targeted about 1,090 sites in Gaza, taking the death toll to over 100 people. Dozens of them were civilians. The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)  strongly condemned the Israeli offensive against the Palestinians, calling for its immediate end in the Gaza Strip. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, as the incumbent chairman…

  • Modi leaves for Brazil summit

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     In his first multilateral summit meeting since taking office May 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday left to attend the five-nation BRICS summit in Brazil, where he will have his first interaction with leaders of China and Russia among others. The Sixth BRICS Summit, being held in Fortaleza and capital Brasilia July 15-16, is expected…

  • India working on cheaper visas & air fares

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    Efforts are being made to control escalating air fares during the holiday season and to slash visa rates in order to compete with cheaper tourism destinations, Tourism Minister Shripad Naik said Saturday. The union minister of state for tourism (independent charge) was referring to cheaper destinations in South East Asia, Maldives and Sri Lanka. He…

  • TROUBLE IN THE TOILET 

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    DAILY DOSE By Bikram Vohra Most men have five or six items in their bathrooms. Toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving foam, a razor and a ragged towel and maybe a talc and a cologne. These could all fit into a travel bag. The stuff women have could fit into a tent and still there’d be some sans…

  • GALLERY: Pics from the ramp

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    India, a vast country with a over a billion people, is a home of varrious cultures. Fashion varies from regions to regions and cities. But there is a common thread weaves everything together- the Indianness

  • BIG INTERVIEW: Varun Dhawan

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    Subhash K. Jha talks to Varun Dhawan, th rising star of Bollywood. ” Want everyone to feel happy after watching my films,” Varun said Young actor Varun Dhawan, whose latest Bollywood release “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania” is entertaining movie-goers, says his aim as an actor is to leave viewers “happy” after they watch his films.…

  • Air India joins Star Alliance

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    India’s flag carrier Air India becomes 27th member of Star Alliance State-run Air India became 27th member of Star Alliance. The move will provide customers access to lounges of member airlines the world over and single-ticket travel across airlines and other such facilities. “From today, we open up a completely different world for our passengers,…

  • Five Taj hotels in global list

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    Five Taj hotels have featured in a list of world’s most luxurious hotels known for exceptional standards and impeccable hospitality, a statement said. The ‘Travel + Leisure USA World’s Best Awards List 2014’ included the Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur and the Rambagh Palace in Jaipur – both in Rajasthan, a statement issued by the…

  • Delhi to top populous city list

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    Delhi to be second most populous city till 2030 Delhi, currently the world’s second most populous city after Tokyo, is expected to retain the spot till at least 2030, according to a UN report. According to the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Delhi’s population — presently pegged at 25…

  • Lanka urged to free fishermen

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    India, Sri Lanka discuss fishermen’s issue, trade Repatriation of Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka and ways to speed up trade dominated discussions between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris who called on her. External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told reporters here that Sushma Swaraj thanked Peiris for Sri…

  • SPECIAL REPORT: Pakistan TV Shows

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    Pakistani TV shows are breaking down walls of mistrust, delusions  says Vikas Datta  “Mulk taksim huye, dil to abhi ek hai/Isi liye hamne khidkiyan kat rakhi hai deewaron mein (The nations were divided, but hearts are still one/That is why we’ve cut windows into the walls (between us))”, wrote an Urdu poet. Divided amid bloodshed, experiencing long spells…

  • Saeed Naqvi on Shia-Sunni schism

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    Saeed Naqvi says the new Caliphate opposed to Shia apostasy and, eventually to Sunni monarchies  The expanding Shia-Sunni conflict in the Muslim world is exposing vast gaps in popular understanding of the schism. For example when Zine El Abedine Ben Ali, the Tunisian strongman was ousted, people thought a Shia dictator had fallen. From this they extrapolated…

  • WORLD NEWS IN PICTURES

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  • Modi leaving for BRICS summit on Sunday

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make his first foray into international diplomacy when he leaves Sunday for the sixth summit of BRICS countries July 15-16, with the meeting expected to discuss creation of development bank and reforms of the UN Security Council. It will also provide the first occasion for Modi, who took office May…

  • Clegg joins Srebrenica Memorial

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    British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg commits to a Britain free from threats or harm on Srebrenica Memorial Day, 11 July   Today, 11 July, the international community remembers the Bosnian genocide, marking the 19th anniversary of when generations of families were wiped out. The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is one of many politicians Four Mothers of Srebrenica…

  • Obama for stronger ties with india

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    US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, who called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday, conveyed to him US President Barack Obama’s desire to strengthen economic relations with India, and handed him Obama’s letter inviting him to visit Washington in September. The Prime Minister’s Office said Obama reiterated his invitation to Modi to visit Washington…

  • UAE pledges $25 mn aid for Gaza

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    UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Thursday announced 25 million dollars aid for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, state media reported. The UAE president was donating the money as urgent humanitarian aid to support the Palestinian people, “who are exposed to the latest brutal Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip”, reported Xinhua citing an official…

  • Taxpayers lost £1bn on Royal Mail sale

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       MPs has criticised Vince Cable over his handling of the sale of Royal Mail shares. The government feared failure and acted on bad advice over the Royal Mail stock market flotation, reports the Business, Innovation and Skills select committee. The Department for Business said the MPs’ report contained “factual errors and misunderstandings”. Royal Mail…

  • Foreigners converge to listen to Dalai Lama

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    Over 5,000 followers of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama from aborad, including China, reached this mountainous town in Jammu and Kashmir to participate in the highly venerated two-day Kalachakra (Wheel of Time) ceremony beginning Friday. Event organisers said that around 140,000 people attended the preliminary empowerment ceremony Thursday. “We are gathered for Buddhist teachings in…

  • Indian mathematician wins Polya Prize

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    A young Indian mathematician, Nikhil Srivastava, has been named a joint winner of the prestigious George Polya Prize for finding proof of a riddle that had eluded mathematicians for more than half a century. Srivastava of Microsoft Research India and Adam W. Marcus and Daniel A. Spielman from Yale University will be presented the 2014…

  • Israel prepares for ground invasion of Gaza

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    The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Thursday told Palestinians living near the Gaza Strip border to evacuate their homes, media reports said. More than 100,000 Palestinians residing in areas adjacent to the border received notification from the IDF in a recorded message over the phone that they must evacuate their houses as quickly as possible, Xinhua…

  • UK rushes surveillance legislation

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    Prime Minister David Cameron and his Liberal Democrat deputy, Nick Clegg, have unveiled emergency surveillance legislation that will shore up government powers to require phone and internet companies to retain and hand over data to the security services, The Guardian reported. The emergency legislation – due to be debated on Tuesday and complete all its…

  • Zohra Sehgal passes away at 102

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    Veteran actress Zohra Sehgal died here Thursday of cardiac arrest at the age of 102, a family member said. A heart patient, Sehgal was admitted to the Max Hospital in south Delhi’s Saket area after being diagnosed with pneumonia Wednesday. She died of a heart attack at 4.30 p.m. Thursday. Born on the April 27,…

  • Burials in Gaza as Hamas and Israel trade fire

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    At least 81 Palestinians have died and more than 500 have been injured since Israel launched Operation Protective Edge two days ago to prevent rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials said Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled out any ceasefire. The number of injured was put at 567, 20 of them…

  • Germany expels top US spy in espionage row

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    The German government Thursday decided to deport a representative of the US intelligence agencies in Berlin in view of the emerging US spy row. The German government took US espionage cases “very seriously”, Xinhua cited German government spokesman Steffen Seibert as saying Thursday in a statement. The representative of the US intelligence agencies at the…

  • Modinomics is here, promise growth

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    Tax payers could save on their salaries and consumer goods like TVs, soap, footwear, processed food and computers will cost less as the Rs.18-lakh crore ($300-billion) maiden budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government promised to arrest price rise, boost investor mood, cut expenditure and restore India’s growth to 7-8 percent in three years. During…

  • Haryana move rocks SGPC

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     Jaideep Sarin  says Haryana’s move to create a Sikh body will undermine SGPC’s credibility. After Mahabharat and Panipat, it’s now the SGPC, a body which has an annual budget of Rs 950 crore  The land that is now called Haryana has been famous for epic battles like the Mahabharat and the three historic battles of Panipat.…