Asian Lite News Archive

Category: -Top News

  • Kerala Mocks Democracy

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    Kerala, the most literate state in India, mocks the democratic process as legislators go berserk as budget presented in assembly The Kerala assembly witnessed unruly scenes on Friday as members of the Left opposition broke the speaker’s chair and the electronic equipment. Finance Minister K.M. Mani tabled the 13the state budget amid the ruckus. The…

  • Modi pays homage at Aapravasi Ghat

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      Prime Minister Narendra Modi  paid homage to Indian indentured labourers during his visit to the Aapravasi Ghat, an immigration depot through which the ancestors of more than 70 percent of Mauritius’s current population arrived. Modi paid homage to the “brave” Indian indentured labourers who arrived in Mauritius in batches from 1834 till the early…

  • US Congress can’t modify n-deal: Kerry

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      US Secretary of State John Kerry  refuted the claim by a group of Republican senators in a letter that an agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme not approved by the Congress would lapse. Kerry said that the Congress could not modify the terms of a potential nuclear agreement between the world powers and Iran, according…

  • Pak journalist to be questioned in Sunanda murder

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    Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar is likely to be questioned in connection with the murder of Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, police said . “Tarar is a relevant person in the case… If necessary, she will be examined,” said Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi. Tarar’s friendship with Tharoor had reportedly led to a…

  • Khan seeks EU/Arab strategy to fight terrorism

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    North West MEP, Afzal Khan, has called for Europe and the Arab League states to pursue a joint strategy aimed at tackling terrorism and preventing the radicalization of young people, during a European Parliament debate on Wednesday evening (11th March). Speaking in the EP debate on terrorism, Afzal Khan MEP, said: “Terrorism is a global…

  • Farage’s UKIP =  BNP in New Bottle

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    Farage couldn’t understand why people kept calling him a Nazi…writes Yaseen Patel Hot on the heels of Channel 4’s The First 100 days of UKIP’ which was a fictional account, if the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) ever come into power- incidentally also the most complained about programme ever comes another. The BBC’s ‘Meet the UKippers’. This…

  • India needs habitable cities

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    By Sanjiv Kataria  Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his government’s plans to create 100 smart cities, there is a rise in the clamour by chief ministers to get the tag. From Ajmer to Allahabad and from Salem to Srinagar, the list of contenders grows, even as India gives shape to a plan and…

  • Pakistan urged to abolish death penalty

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    The Pakistan government should reverse its decision to lift its moratorium on death penalty for all capital crimes and move toward abolition, Human Rights Watch said . On Tuesday, government officials confirmed that the interior ministry had instructed provincial governments to proceed with executions according to law. “The Pakistani government’s ill-conceived decision to completely abandon…

  • INTERVIEW: Nawazuddin

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    By Siddharth Jha  His powerful avant-garde roles in offbeat Indian films have set Nawazuddin Siddiqui apart from the true-blue heroes of Bollywood. And that is why the actor, a ‘hero’ in his own right, suggests that newcomers never let go of their “uniqueness”. Nawazuddin, who was last seen as a Machiavellian villain in Sriram Raghavan’s…

  • Greenpeace activist Priya Pillai gets HC relief

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    Granting relief to Greenpeace activist Priya Pillai, who was stopped from flying to London in January, the Delhi High Court quashed the ‘look out’ circular issued against her. Justice Rajiv Shakdher also directed the central government to expunge endorsements made while offloading Pillai from a flight to London by immigration officials at the Delhi airport…

  • US scientist questions Indian hydel projects

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      A top American researcher has questioned the scientific accuracy of environmental impact assessment reports for India’s hydropower projects, criticising the process behind environmental clearances as being “manipulative”. Kelly D. Alley, a professor of anthropology, Auburn University, U.S. has carried out research in northern India for over twenty years, focusing on public culture and environmental…

  • Big B in London for unveiling of Gandhi statue

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      Megastar Amitabh Bachchan will attend an event in London, where a statue of late Indian icon Mahatma Gandhi, known for his non-violence movement against British rule, will be unveiled at Parliament Square. “We are delighted that @SrBachchan will read at the unveiling of the #GandhiStatue on Saturday,” DCMS-British Department for Culture, Media and Sport,…

  • HC refuses to lift ban on ” India’s Daughter”

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    The Delhi High Court  declined to immediately revoke the ban on the telecast of controversial BBC documentary “India’s Daughter” on the December 16, 2012, gang rape. A division bench of Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva posted the two public interest litigations (PILs) for revocation of the ban on the documentary’s telecast for March…

  • Violence erupt in Ferguson,two officers shot

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    Two police officers were shot and seriously wounded outside the police department in Ferguson, Mo. amid protests that followed the resignation of the town’s police chief. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar told a news conference just before 2 a.m. local time that a 41-year-old officer from St. Louis County was shot in the…

  • Congress pledge unstinting support for Singh

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      Congress president Sonia Gandhi  said former prime minister Manmohan Singh was a man of integrity and he had the “unstinting support” of the party. She along with senior party leaders – members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and members of the Congress Working Committee – led a solidarity march from the Congress…

  • UK pays tributes to Indian troops in WW

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    British Culture Secretary Sajid Javid led a multi-faith cultural evening at IWM North, part of Imperial War Museums, to mark the centenary of the second Battle of Neuve Chapelle – the first major engagement of Indian troops on the Western Front. The event, organised by Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) as part of the…

  • Long term unemployment rise among young ethnic minority

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    A large number young people from ethnic minority backgrounds who have been unemployed for more than a year has risen by almost 50% since the coalition came to power, according to figures released by the Labour party. There are now 41,000 16- to 24-year-olds from black, asian and minority ethnic [BAME] communities who are long-term…

  • India for inclusive economic growth: Richard Verma

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    Hailing India’s emergence as a leader in inclusive economic growth, US ambassador Richard Verma said  that it can play a leadership role in bolstering connectivity in South Asia. “It’s worth noting that India is emerging as a regional leader in creating policies to encourage inclusive economic growth. During his recent visit here, President (Barack) Obama…

  • Truth will prevail: Manmohan Singh

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    Former prime minister Manmohan Singh said he was “upset” by a court here summoning him in a case relating to the allocation of coal blocks, but was “sure truth will prevail.” “Of course, I am upset but this is part of life. I have respect for the judicial process. I have stated my position before…

  • Mani sues whistle-blower bar owner

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    Kerala Finance Minister K.M. Mani  filed a defamation case seeking Rs.10 crore as damages against whistle-blower bar owner Biju Ramesh who had accused him of accepting Rs.1 crore for re-opening shut down bars. On November 12, 2014, Mani sent a notice asking Ramesh to call a press conference to publicly apologise and withdraw the allegation…

  • Comic Relief raises awareness of FGM in the UK

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      A hard-hitting one-off documentary, ‘Stop Cutting Our Girls: A Comic Relief Special’, will this week shine a light on the issue of female genital mutilation (FGM) in UK communities. The hour-long special will see actress Zawe Ashton leading a compelling investigation across the UK and Kenya. She will uncover what the centuries-old practice, steeped…

  • US researchers develop custom blood cells

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      In a first, researchers from the Johns Hopkins University have successfully engineered custom blood cells after correcting a genetic error in stem cells from patients with sickle cell disease. “It may be possible in the not-too-distant future to provide patients with sickle cell disease with an exciting new treatment option,” said Linzhao Cheng, member…

  • Police watched Avijit Roy’s killing

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      The policemen on the Dhaka University campus did not act to save Bangladesh-born blogger-writer Avijit Roy but simply looked on while he was being killed, his widow Rafida Ahmed Banna said . “While Avijit and I were being ruthlessly attacked, the local police stood close by but did not act,” Banna, who survived the…

  • Katju’s remarks on Gandhi condemned

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      Rajya Sabha  unanimously condemned former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju’s comments calling Mahatma Gandhi a “British agent”. “This house expresses its unequivocal condemnation of the recent remarks of the former judge of Supreme Court Markandey Katju against the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, who led the Indian National…

  • Seychelles is a vital partner: Modi

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    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Seychelles as a “vital partner” and said the relationship between the two nations is “unique and special”. Modi, who reached here on the first leg of a three-nation tour, said the two countries share a good relationship. “It is founded on a deep sense of mutual trust and confidence.…

  • Jindal jumps into letter war with Obama

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    By Arun Kumar   Louisiana’s Indian-American governor Bobby Jindal has jumped into a war of words between the White House and Senate Republicans over a letter to the government of Iran on a potential deal over its nuclear programme. Jindal, who is testing the waters for a 2016 presidential run, issued a call on Tuesday for…

  • Punch knocks Clarkson out of Top Gear

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    The British Broadcasting Corporation, which supported a TV host who made racist anti-Indian jibes, has now suspended him over a fight he had with a producer. BBC announced on Tuesday that Jeremy Clarkson, the host of Top Gear programme, was suspended “following a fracas” with a producer. The terse statement said “no one else has…

  • Rushdie to join NYU journalism faculty

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      Indian author Salman Rushdie, who won the Booker Prize for his 1981 novel “Midnight’s Children”, will teach and advise journalism students at New York University as Distinguished Writer in Residence. Rushdie will serve on the faculty of the University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute for five years, Suketu Mehta, associate professor of Journalism at…

  • Court summons Manmohan Singh

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      A special court here  summoned former prime minister Manmohan Singh, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and former coal secretary P.C. Parakh in a coal block allocation case. Special Judge Bharat Parashar, after taking cognizance of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) final report in the case, also summoned Hindalco officials Shubendu Amitabh and D. Bhattacharya on…

  • Solar aircraft lands in Ahmedabad

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      The world’s first solar powered aircraft — Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) — on a global flight, landed here, officials said. The aircraft landed at the Ahmedabad airport around 11.45 p.m. The flight was received with loud cheers and clapping by a large group of people gathered at the airport to witness the historic landing.…

  • Lok Sabha pass land bill

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    The Lok Sabha here passed the contentious land acquisition bill amid a walkout by opposition parties even as the government moved nine amendments to address concerns raised by farmers. Shiv Sena, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party, abstained during the voting. The proposed legislation removes the need for obtaining consent of land-owners and carrying…

  • Holi @ Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Stanmore

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    More than 4000 devotees had attended the festival of colour called Holi at Shree Swaminarayan Temple at Stanmore in London. . The festival which marks and spreads the colour of spring and unity commenced from 6.30pm. Many devotees including young parents attended with their new-borns to seek blessings from the holy fire and from Lord…

  • Minister Honour Bradford Women

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    Communities Minister Stephen Williams presents certificates to 50 women who have taken steps to integrate into British life by learning to speak English. The women have completed a government-funded 10-week English language and integration course at the QED foundation in Bradford. Here they’ve overcome the first barriers to learning English and now feel more confident…

  • Palestinian students honour British MPs

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    Five Palestinian student leaders were in Westminster to show their appreciation for Members of the UK Parliament who voted in favour of recognising the state of Palestine in a debate in the House of Commons. They presented 44 MPs with inscribed commemorative shields made in Bethlehem out of olive wood to thank them for their…

  • Operation ‘Recapture Tikrit’ begins

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    Iraqi troops launched a military operation  in order to regain control of the city of Tikrit and liberate it from the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, Iraqi security sources told Efe news agency. Tikrit has been under the jihadi group’s control since June and is the capital of the strategic Salahuddin province, and so has…

  • TADA case against Tunda dropped

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     A Delhi court on  dropped charges under TADA Act and Explosive Substances Act against alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) bomb expert Abdul Karim Tunda in a 1994 case. Additional Sessions Judge Neena Bansal Krishna discharged Tunda, accused under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and Explosive Substances Act (ESA). Tunda was declared a proclaimed offender…

  • Reliance Industries tops in assets

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    Mumbai-based conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd. heads the list of India’s top 10 companies ranked in terms of their asset base as on March 31, 2014, parliament was informed on Tuesday. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley said Reliance Industries with an asset base of Rs.3,67,583 crore was ranked…

  • SHRUTHI HONOURS SOLIHULL MAYOR

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    Mayor of Solihull, Councillor Mrs Kate Wild, was honoured by Shruthi UK as part of International Women’s Day. IF YOU GOT A STORY TO SHARE, PLEASE SEND TO newsdesk@asianlite.asianlite.uk, Attn Pradeep Councillor Wild, who was a special guest at the Birmingham Thyagaraja Festival, was recognised for her invaluable contribution in empowering women of all cultures…

  • MMA Women’s Day Celebration

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    Nisha Pramod reports on Manchester Malayalee Association (MMA)’s International Women’s Day celebrations at St. Joseph’s Church Longsight in Manchester. IF YOU GOT A STORY TO SHARE, PLEASE SEND TO newsdesk@asianlite.asianlite.uk, Attn Pradeep Manchester Malayalee Association (MMA) celebrated International Women’s Day at St. Joseph’s Church Longsight. The celebrations commenced with an inaugural ceremony of  lamp lighting…

  • Breaking Bad – Manchester Style

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    What Jamshed Javeed showed was these ‘independent self taught revolutionaries’ are nothing but self centered suicidal narcissists hellbent not only on the annihilation of their own life but also of anybody else’s be that their own family and whoever else they’re in contact with…writes YZ Patel What the recent imprisonment of Levenshulme’s very own Walter…

  • Apple unveils smart watch

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    Arun Kumar   Apple on Monday unveiled its much awaited Apple Watch that lets one make calls, read emails, control music and keep up with one’s workout regimen all from one’s wrist. Unveiling the watch at an event in San Francisco, CEO Tim Cook talked about the watch’s time capabilities, choices of finish and watch faces…

  • India to launch navigation satellite

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     The Indian space agency plans to launch its fourth regional navigation satellite by March-end after replacing a faulty transmitter, a senior official said. “We are planning to launch the satellite by the end of this month. The replacement transmitter is getting ready and will be brought from our centre in Bangalore,” M.Y.S. Prasad, director, Satish…

  • Iraqi forces capture district outside Tikrit

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    Iraqi forces have captured another district and some oil wells outside Tikrit that were controlled by the Islamic State (IS) terror group, a media report said. Government troops, backed by the Iraqi air force and Shia volunteer fighters, have entered the district of al-Alam, said to be the last stop before Tikrit, Al Jazeera reported,…

  • INTERVIEW: Amit Trivedi

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    By Sandeep Sharma   National Award winning musician Amit Trivedi, who has composed for films like “Dev D”, “Wake Up Sid”, “Udaan” and “Queen”, says technology has enabled composers to explore a wider range of sounds via computers, and the effort required has reduced to a considerable extent too. “Technology is widening scope for musicians every…

  • Romney appreciates India after trip

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    By Arun Kumar  After a nine day trip to India with his family working with Charity Vision, former US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has returned home “with greater appreciation, both for India and for America”. The Provo, Utah, based Charity Vision, whose mission is to “bring an end to curable blindness” provides surgery for…

  • Musharraf faces arrest

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      A Pakistani court  issued a bailable arrest warrant against former president Pervez Musharraf regarding the murders of Lal Masjid cleric Ghazi Abdul Rasheed and his wife. Islamabad’s Additional Sessions Judge Wajid Ali Khan presided over the hearing and rejected four requests by Musharraf’s counsel and adjourned the hearing till April 2, Dawn online reported.…

  • Wipro voted world’s most ethical firm

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    Software major Wipro Ltd. said it has been recognised as the world’s most ethical company by US-based Ethisphere Institute for the fourth consecutive year. “We have been named as the world’s most ethical company by the Ethisphere for our commitment to ethical leadership,” the company said in a statement here. The Institute, which advances standards…

  • Saif to promote ‘Bollywood Britain’ in India

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     VisitBritain, the country’s national tourism agency, has announced actor Saif Ali Khan as the spokesperson for the ‘Bollywood Britain’ tourism campaign in India. He says he shares a deep connect with the country. With over 50 Hindi movies filmed in Britain, mostly themed around romance, the destination provides a perfect setting for couples to celebrate…

  • Indians spend big on foreign education

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    Indian students are spending between $6-7 billion annually on foreign universities due to dearth of quality higher education institutions in the country, a survey said on Tuesday. ‘Realigning Skilling towards Make in India’ – conducted jointly by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) and Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) –…

  • US, Iran continue n-talks

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      US Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to have more nuclear talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif next week, aiming to reach a potential deal by the end of this month. Kerry’s meeting with Zarif, their third in three weeks, is slated for March 15 in the Swiss city of Lausanne, US…