Asian Lite News Archive

Category: -Top News

  • India beat Ireland

    —

    in , ,

      Guided by Shikhar Dhawan’s dominating century, India’s smooth eight-wicket victory over Ireland here ensured that the defending World Champions will finish at the top of Pool B. India, who had already qualified for the quarter-finals earlier, will now play the fourth-placed Pool A team in the last eight, which is likely to be Bangladesh.…

  • Modi begins tri-nation tour

    —

    in , ,

      Prime Minister Narendra Modi sets off  on a five-day official visit to the three key Indian Ocean island neighbours – the Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka – in a bid to ramp up India’s profile in the crucial maritime region amid China’s looming presence. In the Seychelles – his first stop – Modi is…

  • Pakistan has more nukes than India

    —

    in , , , ,

    By Arun Kumar    Pakistan had about 120 atomic weapons, 10 more than India, in its nuclear arsenal last year, according to a new interactive infographic unveiled by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Designed by the Bulletin, founded in 1945 by University of Chicago scientists who had helped develop the first atomic weapons in the…

  • ‘Marigold Hotel’ opens strong at US box office

    —

    in , , , ,

    India-set comedy “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” opened strong at number three at the US box office with an estimated $8.6 million in its first weekend of release. India-themed films rarely climb this high on the US box office charts, according to data released by its distributor Fox Searchlight. Even Hollywood studio films such…

  • Chechen confesses to Nemtsov’s murder

    —

    in , ,

      Zaur Dadayev, the Chechen detainee charged with the assassination of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, has confessed that he was the sole actor behind the crime. Dadayev said he plotted Nemtsov’s murder because of the liberal activist’s criticism of Islam and his support for the French satire newspaper Charlie Hebdo, Rosbalt news agency quoted…

  • Modi launches India developed Rotavirus vaccine

    —

    in , ,

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi  launched Rotavirus vaccine Rotavac, developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech. Billed as one of the first novel vaccines to be developed completely in the developing world, it is expected to help in significant reduction in infant deaths due to Rotavirus diarrhoea in India and other parts of the world. Krishna Ella, chairman…

  • England knocked out of World Cup

    —

    in , ,

    Bangladesh created history  by ousting England from the cricket World Cup’s league stage and securing a quarterfinal berth for the first time with a 15-run victory in a Pool A game at the Adelaide Oval. In the process, they cleared the path for Sri Lanka to join New Zealand and Australia from their pool in…

  • Putin admits to ordering Crimea’s annexation

    —

    in ,

    Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted that he ordered the annexation of Crimea hours after the ouster of Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, and a week before the regional authorities of the peninsula rebelled against the government in Kiev calling for an independence referendum, Efe news agency reported. State-owned Russia TV released late Sunday the trailer of…

  • Nigerians flee gunbattle to Cameroon

    —

    in ,

      Thousands of northeast Nigerian residents took refuge in Cameroon’s Far North region to flee gunbattle between the Boko Haram Islamist group and the coalition of Chadian and Nigerian armies, a Cameroonian military source said . The source, declining to be named, told Xinhua news agency that more than 100 families, including a large number…

  • Cameron pledges 500 more free schools

    —

    in , ,

    New 500 free schools would be opened in England in the next five years under a Conservative government, David Cameron will pledge. He will commit to creating an extra 270,000 school places in free schools, if re-elected, by 2020. The prime minister says these state-funded, start-up schools are “raising standards and restoring discipline”. Shadow Education Secretary…

  • Dal Babu Slams UK’s Anti-Radicalisation Strategy

    —

    in ,

    Former senior Muslim police officer has said the Government’s anti- radicalisation ‘Prevent strategy’  is “a toxic brand”. Dal Babu, who was a chief superintendent with the Metropolitan Police before he retired two years ago, told the BBC most Muslims are suspicious of the scheme and see it as something used for spying on them. The strategy…

  • UN chief Ban Ki-moon outraged

    —

    in , ,

      UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that he “is outraged by the continuing destruction of cultural heritage in Iraq” by the Islamic State (IS), and urgently called on the “international community to swiftly put a stop to such heinous terrorist activity”. The secretary-general is outraged by the continued destruction of cultural heritage in Iraq…

  • Masrat released without consent: Modi

    —

    in ,

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi said  that Jammu and Kashmir separatist leader Masrat Alam was released without taking the central government into confidence. Making an intervention in the Lok Sabha, Modi said it was legitimate for the house to show its anger on the issue. “I assure the nation and the house that after the Jammu…

  • INTERVIEW: Dhanraj Pillay

    —

    in ,

    By Sandip Sikdar  Unhappy that a Dutch has been made the new chief coach for the men’s national team, legendary hockey player Dhanraj Pillay said an Indian would have been the best option for the post. In association with Hockey India (HI), the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has named that Paul van Ass will…

  • L&T shortlisted for submarine deal

    —

    in , ,

    Larsen and Toubro and Pipavav Defence, in which Reliance Infrastructure of Anil Ambani Group is acquiring a majority stake, have been shortlisted for the Rs.60,000-crore potential contract to build six submarines for the Indian Navy, sources said. “Project 75i, as we call it, is for purchasing six next-generation submarines with air independent propulsion (AIP) system…

  • MH370 probe find sleeping ATC controller

    —

    in ,

    A report of the probe into the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 that went missing last year revealed that the assigned air traffic controller (ATC) on the day of the incident was asleep when a call was made some four hours after the aircraft went missing. This information is in the nearly 600-page report…

  • India look to extend winning run

    —

    in , ,

     After completing their Australia leg of the group phase, India travel to New Zealand to play their last two World Cup Pool B matches, the first against Ireland at the Seddon Park here . The Irish team has been the most impressive and consistent among all Associate members with three wins in four matches. Though…

  • Slain Indian woman’s husband flies to Australia

    —

    in , ,

    The husband of an Indian IT professional who was stabbed to death in Australia flew to Sydney from Bengaluru to formally identify the body, a media report said. Prabha Arun, 41, employed with Bengaluru-based technology firm MindTree, was attacked at Amos Street in western Sydney on Saturday evening. She was on the phone with her…

  • Pakistan urge India to honour Indus water treaty

    —

    in , , ,

    Unless India honours the Indus water treaty, Pakistan will face a severe water shortage in a few years, a minister warned . The treaty, signed with India in 1961, stipulates that the flow from the three western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — will be for the exclusive use of Pakistan while the three…

  • Satyam case verdict deferred

    —

    in ,

      A special CBI court here o adjourned pronouncement of the judgment in the multi-crore Satyam scam till April 9. Special Judge B.V.L.N. Chakravarthi of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court, who was scheduled to pronounce the verdict, deferred it by a month. The court on December 23, 2014 had set March 9 as…

  • India objects to Lanka’s justification

    —

    in , , ,

    India said  that it had “strongly objected” to Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s comments justifying the killing of Indian fishermen by its navy. Making a statement after the issue was raised in the Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said she had taken it up with Wickremesinghe. The minister said she was in…

  • Rajya Sabha in turmoil over Masrat Alam

    —

    in ,

    The Rajya Sabha witnessed a ruckus over the release of separatist leader Masrat Alam in Jammu and Kashmir, with several members calling it a compromise with national security. Leader of the House Arun Jaitley made an assurance the government will not compromise on national security. However, Congress members trooped near the chairman’s podium, forcing a…

  • Solar Impulse begins epic journey

    —

    in , , , , ,

    A world record-breaking attempt to fly around the world in a solar-powered plane has got under way from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The aircraft – called Solar Impulse-2 – took off from the capital of Emirate, heading east to Muscat in Oman. Over the next five months, it will skip from continent to…

  • India’s Daughter: A Note of Dissent

    —

    in , , , ,

      By Rajeev Poduval The government of India recently banned the documentary film Storyville: India’s Daughter by British filmmaker Leslee Udwin breathing life into an international discussion on the supposedly growing connoisseurship of rape and violence against women in the country. Undoubtedly, the brutality the film depicts is gruesome and raw. As the film takes…

  • Our heads hang in shame: Modi

    —

    in , ,

      Prime Minister Narendra Modi on said “our heads hang in shame when we hear of instances of crime against women” and that his government has initiated several steps to help women who face violence and abuse. In a statement on the International Women’s Day, the prime minister said he “salutes the indomitable courage and…

  • Many in India share rapist’s comments: Ram Devineni

    —

    in , ,

    By Arun Kumar An Indian-American filmmaker and creator of ‘Priya’s Shakti’, a free-to-download comic book that tells the story of an Indian gang-rape victim-turned-superhero, was not surprised by a convicted rapist’s views on rape. Last September, while conducting research for his comic, he met many men in Delhi who shared convicted rapist Mukesh Singh’s opinions…

  • NRI surgeon who came to Harrison Ford’s rescue

    —

    in , ,

    Indian-American spine surgeon Sanjay Khurana was playing golf when a single-engine plane crashed on the course. The pilot was none other than famous Hollywood actor Harrison Ford. Khurana was among the first to pull out the injured star from the wreckage. When Khurana saw the plane crash on the course, next to Santa Monica Airport,…

  • Women are the stronger beings: Bachchan

    —

    in , ,

    Amid discussions on women’s safety in India, cinestar Amitabh Bachchan, who is the UN ambassador for the Girl Child, has demanded “respect of equality” for the “stronger beings”. “Women power! Women must have the respect of equality…they are the stronger beings…when they prosper, society prospers, mankind (and I use this word specifically to address the…

  • Onion extract lowers blood sugar, cholesterol

    —

    in ,

    Combined with the antidiabetic drug metformin, an onion extract can help lower high blood glucose (sugar) and total cholesterol levels among diabetics, says a study. The onion extract used for the experiment in rats was a crude preparation from onion bulb. “We need to investigate the mechanism by which onion brought about the blood glucose…

  • Fight against racism not over: Obama

    —

    in ,

    US President Barack Obama said  that the fight against racism in the US is not yet over, during a speech in Selma, Alabama on the 50th anniversary of the peaceful march of African Americans demanding the right to vote, which was the catalyst of the Voting Rights Act. “We know the march is not yet…

  • Vinod Mehta 1942-2015

    —

    in ,

      Vinod Mehta, one of India’s best known journalists, died here of multi-organ failure, doctors said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him “a fine journalist”. The 73-year-old Mehta, who at one time worked as factory hand in Britain, passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), its spokesperson Amit Gupta said. AIIMS…

  • Modi salutes courage of women

    —

    in , ,

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted women on on the occasion of International Women’s Day. “On International Women’s Day, I salute the indomitable courage and stellar achievements of women,” he said in a statement. “Our heads hang in shame when we hear of instances of crime against women.” “We must walk shoulder-to-shoulder to end all forms…

  • Kejriwal responding to treatment

    —

    in , ,

      Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is responding to the naturopathy treatment he is undergoing for chronic cough and diabetes at a private hospital on the outskirts of Bengaluru, a medical officer said . “Kejriwal is responding to our treatment and feeling better than when he was admitted here on Thursday. There is improvement in…

  • ISIS destroy Iraq’s ancient Hatra city

    —

    in , ,

    The Iraqi government  said the Islamic State (IS) militants destroyed the ancient remains of Hatra city in the northern province of Nineveh. “The terrorist Daash (IS militant group) has stolen and destroyed the city of Hatra,” which dates back to 2,000 years and is located some 110 km southwest of Nineveh’s provincial capital city of…

  • Saina enters All England final

    —

    in , , ,

     Saina Nehwal became the first Indian in 14 years to reach the final of the All England Open Badminton Championships by virtue of a straight games win over China’s Sun Yu here. The third seed became the first Indian woman to enter the summit clash of the prestigious $500,000 tournament by defeating the tall Chinese…

  • No arrest yet in Dimapur lynching

    —

    in ,

    The Nagaland government is yet to make any arrest in connection with lynching of a rape accused in Dimapur, as the central government on Saturday asked the state to take strict action against those behind the incident. A Nagaland Police official in Dimapur said efforts were on to identify those involved in the killing of…

  • Asian film fest opens at Dallas

    —

    in , , ,

    First South Asian film festival in US draws big crowds…writes Arun Kumar   The inaugural Dallas-Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival (DFW SAFF), featuring 14 documentaries and films, exploring unique circumstances and stories based on South Asia, attracted over 1,000 cinephiles. The three-day festival from February 27 to March 1 at the Angelika Film Centre in Plano,…

  • Smartphone makes you stupid!

    —

    in , , ,

    Frequent smartphone use has turned us into lazy thinkers, researchers report, adding that the convenience at our fingertips is making it easy for us to avoid thinking for ourselves. Smartphone users who are intuitive thinkers – more prone to relying on gut feelings and instincts when making decisions – frequently use their device’s search engine…

  • Dirty politics in Aam Aadmi Party ?

    —

    in , , , ,

    Surprise will be felt because it was believed that the party had learnt the right lessons from the suicidal tendencies which it displayed after its electoral success last year. The need for piping down was evident from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s call for eschewing arrogance during his speech after being sworn-in…writes Amulya Ganguli  For the Aam…

  • Archer flays docu ban

    —

    in , , ,

    British author Jeffrey Archer said the ban on airing of the BBC documentary on the December 16, 2012 gang-rape was not good in a democratic country like India. “It is not a good thing in a democracy (to ban) and things have changed so much…,” Archer told IANS here in response to a question on…

  • Creators of own destiny

    —

    in , , ,

    The trouble was her family was in continuous denial of what was happening to her and would often suggest not to confuse “marital discord” with “domestic violence”. And her husband believed he had successfully caged his wife in his prison forever…writes Shilpa Raina   For six years, Anna Marie Lope lived in constant fear and depression. Exhausted…

  • Women entrepreneurs of India

    —

    in , , , ,

    Balancing personal, professional worlds with pride…writes Nivedita From managing their family and children, fulfilling their ‘duties’ as a daughter, wife, daughter-in-law and more, to also setting up and running their own business – women across India are fighting stereotypes and challenging themselves to create their own individuality in a patriarchal society. Whether it’s via a fashion…

  • Saeed Naqvi on Modi’s Kashmir policy

    —

    in , , , ,

    Kashmir challenge: Modi could write history or blot it…writes Saeed Naqvi   A principal reason for Narendra Modi being swept to power in May was disgust with Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh – indecisive, short on ideas, bereft of charisma and supervising a government of scams. In a house of 543, the Congress had 209…

  • Has civilisation really passed India by?

    —

    in , , ,

    In my experience it is mainly the women in our society who condition their daughters to be controlled firstly in their fathers household and then in their husbands household. We are married and the subservience continues…writes Narender Kaur After the harrowing reports of the rapes recently in India the question of the backward mind set…

  • WHO to begin Ebola vaccination trials

    —

    in , ,

     The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that it will begin conducting Ebola vaccination trials in Guinea this week to test whether the vaccine is effective to prevent Ebola. The phase III trial in one of the world’s most affected countries by Ebola will start on March 7 to test the VSV-EBOV vaccine for efficacy and…

  • Ferguson family sue officer

    —

    in , ,

    The family of Michael Brown – the African-American youth killed by a white police officer in Ferguson in the US state of Missouri last year – has decided to sue the accused officer. The attorney for the family, Daryl Parks, made the announcement  at a press conference at a church near the town of Ferguson.…

  • YouTube blocks BBC documentary

    —

    in ,

     YouTube began blocking access to the controversial BBC documentary on the December 16, 2012 gang rape, citing court orders, while the government served legal notice to the top news channel after it ignored a court’s restraining order and aired the documentary carrying an interview with one of the rape convicts. The documentary “India’s Daughter”, by…

  • Identity Politics & Radicalisation

    —

    in , , ,

    Exploring this issue why someone is ‘radicalised’ gave no one universal answer why a individual decides to take the step into what is now known as ‘jihadism’ in the mainstream media. Investigating what makes a person inhabiting a seemingly comfortable existence with all the trappings and freedoms that are afforded to them, to partake in…

  • BBC DOCU – Don’t shoot the messenger!

    —

    in , , ,

    Without even watching the documentary “India’s Daughter” about the Dec 16, 2012, rape of the woman who has come to be known as ‘Nirbhaya’ or ‘Braveheart’ in a bus in New Delhi, critics have accused BBC of “voyeurism” and worse for interviewing one of the convicted rapists…writes Arun Kumar  India’s ban on a BBC documentary on…

  • Manchester United against racists

    —

    in ,

    Veteran labour leader Tony Lloyd, the Greater Manchester’s Police and Crime Commissioner, leading prominent Mancunians to stem the tirade of right-wing English Defence League in the city. About 500 members of the EDL will stage a rally at city centre on Saturday at 1.30.   A vigil will be held at Manchester Cathedral at 3.30pm on Friday 6 March bringing…