Asian Lite News Archive

Category: -Top News

  • Mysterious drones fly over Paris

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    At least three small civilian drones flew over Paris’s iconic landmarks in the early hours of  for a second night, Xinhua news agency reported citing French media. Citing its own sources, the local broadcaster Europe1 said the drones were spotted over La Place de La Concorde. The report added witnesses and police had filmed the…

  • Britain to study children from cradle to grave

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    Britain has launched an ambitious study that will follow 80,000 children from cradle to grave to prepare healthy individuals for the future. The “Life Study” project aims to track a generation of 21st century babies and work out which factors in their early lives are important in shaping their health and wealth as they grow…

  • Radioactive water leak at Fukushima reported

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      The operator of the tsunami-crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant has detected a new radioactive water leak through the drainage of one of its reactors that could have been spilling into the Pacific Ocean, Japanese media reported . The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) Tuesday announced having detected deposits of highly radioactive water…

  • American Sniper’s killer gets life

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    Former US Marine Eddie Routh has been sentenced to life in prison for the murders of Chris Kyle, who inspired Clint Eastwood’s box-office hit “American Sniper”, and Chad Littlefield two years ago. A jury of 10 women and two men Tuesday declared Routh to be guilty at the end of a trial that lasted two…

  • Shiv Sena hails Bhagwat remarks

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    The Shiv Sena has patted Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat for his remarks on Nobel laureate Mother Teresa terming them as a “national service” here . “What is wrong – Whatever he has said is the grim truth as ‘conversions’ is the main business of Christian missionaries in India and around the world since…

  • West Bank mosque torched

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    A mosque was set ablaze early Wednesday in the West Bank village of Jabaa near Bethlehem, in another suspected hate crime by Jewish extremists, officials said. No injuries to any person were reported, but the structure was damaged and Hebrew-language hate graffiti were spray-painted on the walls of the mosque, Xinhua news agency reported. Police…

  • Christians seek ban on Togadia’s Kandhamal visit

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    A Christian group  demanded a ban on the proposed visit of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) chief Pravin Togadia to Odisha’s Kandhamal district later this month saying it might disturb the peace in the area. Indian Christian Voice President Abraham Mathai said he has written to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urging him to intervene. Togadia…

  • Recession melts Himachal’s skiing business

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    By Vishal Gulati   The global financial meltdown and uncertainty has severely hit the heliskiing industry in this picturesque tourist resort in Himachal Pradesh, known for powder skiing. This winter, a majority of skiers from Europe and Russia cancelled their bookings. The gloomy economic outlook in Europe and the falling rouble have discouraged people from travelling…

  • A.R. Rahman’s band debuts

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    Music maestro A. R. Rahman’s band NAFS gave its maiden performance here at the fifth edition of Gionee Star Global Indian Music Awards (GiMA). The awards ceremony took place Tuesday in the presence of the crème de la crème of the music and film fraternity. The ceremony, hosted by singer Mika Singh and TV host-actor…

  • Verdict in Salman case deferred

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    A court here  deferred its verdict in a case relating to illegal possession and use of arms by Bollywood actor Salman Khan and posted the matter for March 3. The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Anupama Bijlani in Jodhpur deferred its verdict and started the hearing of four old applications which were moved by the…

  • Arrest warrant for Khaleda Zia

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    A court in Bangladesh has issued arrest warrants against ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and two others in two cases filed by the country’s anti-graft body. The Special Judge Court-3 of Md Abu Ahmed Jomadar scrapped bail for Khaleda Zia, chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) after she failed to appear in the hearing of…

  • Obama committed to boosting trade with India

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    By Arun Kumar  Asserting that President Barack Obama was committed to boosting India-US trade ties, the US has suggested that they work together in a way that benefits the economies and job creation in both countries. “There is an opportunity for us to try to advance the interests of both our countries by working together…

  • Storm over Bhagwat’s Mother Teresa comments

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      RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comments on Mother Teresa kicked up a furore as political parties and Christian groups demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi show that he meant every word of his assurance last week that he would not tolerate inciting of religious hatred. From Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who said Mother Teresa,…

  • Kejriwal slam ‘anti-farmer’ bill

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      The NDA government came in for strident criticism over the land acquisition bill which was introduced in the Lok Sabha Tuesday, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal joining Gandhian activist Anna Hazare in slamming the legislation as “anti-farmer” and demanding its withdrawal. The Rajya Sabha witnessed a ruckus as opposition members demanded a discussion…

  • Britain examining to create a Sikh regiment

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    British legislators are examining proposals to create a new British Sikh regiment like those which fought for the country in the two World Wars, according to media reports Tuesday. Former defence minister Nicholas Soames said in parliament Monday that the government should “do away with political correctness”, and praised “the extraordinary gallant and distinguished service…

  • Modi asked to walk the talk on religious freedom

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      The Delhi Catholic Archdiocese said the Christian community was in a state of shock over RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comment on Mother Teresa and that it was time Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked the talk on his assurance on not tolerating inciting of religious hatred. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Sambit Patra, however,…

  • Mohan Bhagwat’s comments evokes controversy

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      RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comments on Mother Teresa  evoked controversy but the organisation denied he had criticised the Nobel laureate who spent her life in the service of the destitute. Bhagwat, while addressing a function of a local NGO near Bharatpur, said Mother Teresa’s service to the poor was aimed at converting them to…

  • Mufti to be sworn in J&K CM March 1

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    Peoples Democratic Party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will be sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir March 1, a top source said here. “Yes, decks have been cleared for Mufti Sahib to be sworn in as the chief minister of the state March 1,”  sources said. “If all goes on schedule, the PDP-BJP…

  • Obama taps Indian Americans

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    By Arun Kumar  President Barack Obama, with the largest number of Indian Americans in his administration, keeps dipping into the expanding talent pool of the three million-strong Indian American community, to take care of issues ranging from combating terrorist propaganda abroad to nation’s health at home. Last week, after an international conference on terrorism, Obama…

  • ISIS serious threat to Pakistan:FS

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        Shortly after Pakistan Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan denied the presence of the Islamic State (IS) in South Asia, particularly Pakistan, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry has said the militant group poses a serious threat to the country. “The government is on alert to the IS threat in the region,” Chaudhry said…

  • Palestine to pay $218 mn to victims in Israel

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    A federal jury in New York has ordered the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organisation to pay $218.5 million to victims of several attacks in Israel between 2002 and 2004, media reported. The court considered the two organisations responsible for the attacks and ruled in favour of a group of American victims seeking compensation…

  • Land bill introduced amid uproar

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    The government  introduced the land acquisition amendment bill in the Lok Sabha amid an uproar by the opposition. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill 2015 will replace an ordinance which had been promulgated by the NDA government Dec 30, 2014. The opposition parties, led by the…

  • Gayle whirlwind knocks Zimbabwe

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     Powered by Chris Gayle’s whirlwind 215, the West Indies zoomed to 372/2 against Zimbabwe in a World Cup Pool B encounter at the Manuka Oval here . This is the highest individual score and the first double hundred in a World Cup match with the previous best being South African Gary Kirsten’s 188 against the…

  • Mysuru adopts Yaduveer as Wodeyar heir

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     Mysuru’s erstwhile royal family adopted 22-year-old Yaduveer Gopal Raj Urs as the heir to the Wodeyar dynasty. “The adoption ceremony took place at the auspicious moment (1.15 p.m.) in the spruced up Amba Vilas Palace amid chanting of Vedic hymns and prayers,” a member of the erstwhile royal family said here, about 150 km from Bengaluru.…

  • Gandhi statue to be unveiled next month

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    A statue of Mahatma Gandhi will be unveiled in Britain’s prestigious Parliament Square in London next month, a media report said. The memorial will be unveiled March 14 and will stand alongside those of Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela. The Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust has given one million pounds (over $1.5 million) for the sculpture.…

  • Indian tax department probing HSBC

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    HSBC bank is being probed by tax administration, regulatory and law enforcement authorities around the world, including India, and Europe’s largest lender is concerned about the amounts of penalties that could be imposed on it for its alleged money-laundering activities, the bank said in its annual report . The UK-based bank separately said it has…

  • Modi assures discussion on issues

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi  reached out to the opposition and said the government will try and ensure that all important issues are discussed in the budget session of parliament. The opposition Congress, while assuring it would play a “constructive” role during the session, also warned the government that the support should not be taken for…

  • ‘Birdman’ flies high at the Oscars

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     “Birdman”, a satirical tale of an ageing movie star attempting to reinvent himself via Broadway, clinched key honours Sunday night at the 87th Academy Awards, where India had a no show this time. “Birdman”, which was nominated in nine categories, picked up four honours – Best Picture, Best Director (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu), Best Writing (Original…

  • Rahul Gandhi to skip budget session

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      Ahead of the crucial budget session, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi took “leave of absence” to reflect on a series of electoral defeats and deliberate on the future course of the 130-year-old party, top sources said here. “Rahul Gandhi has been granted leave of absence for ‘aap chintan, aap manthan’ (introspection),” a party leader…

  • Arsenic risk high with formula milk

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    In the first study of urinary arsenic in babies, Dartmouth College researchers have found that formula-fed infants had higher arsenic levels than breast-fed infants. The researchers measured arsenic in home tap water, urine from 72 six-week-old infants and breast milk from nine women in New Hampshire. Urinary arsenic was 7.5 times lower for breast-fed than…

  • NRI awarded top US chemistry award

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    Purnendu Dasgupta, a Jenkins Garrett professor of chemistry at The University of Texas at Arlington, has been awarded the 2015 American Chemical Society Division of Analytical Chemistry J. Calvin Giddings Award for Excellence in Education. The national award recognises a scientist, who has enhanced the professional development of analytical chemistry students, developed and published innovative…

  • Miffed Achuthanandan to skip CPI-M meet

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      Disgruntled veteran CPI-M leader V.S.Achuthanandan has expressed his inability to participate in the ongoing party meet here  in the light of allegations levelled against him of being an anti-party person. In a statement issued to the media, Achuthanandan said since his differences with the party still persist, he is unable to attend the concluding…

  • INTERVIEW: Sachin Tendulkar

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    Cricket World Cup 2015 brand ambassador Sachin Tendulkar Monday predicted that the 14-nation tournament will be even more competitive as it progresses after the first 10 days produced exciting and entertaining cricket. Talking on the sidelines of India-South Africa match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG Sunday, the former Indian batting superstar advised the sides…

  • Fresh arrest exposes new espionage racket

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      The Delhi Police confirmed it had arrested another person in the case relating to the leak of petroleum ministry documents which, an officer said, has helped in busting another espionage racket. “We have arrested one more person, Lokesh, who used to provide stolen documents of coal and petroleum ministry to some corporate houses. His…

  • Straw and Rifkind falls for the trap

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    Former Foreign Secretaries Jack Straw and Sir Malcolm Rifkind say they have broken no rules after being secretly filmed apparently offering their services to a private company for cash. Reporters for the Daily Telegraph and Channel 4’s Dispatches posed as staff of a fake Chinese firm. Mr Straw said he had fallen into a “very clever trap”…

  • British actor Eddie wins Oscar

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    Eddie Redmayne was announced the Best Actor for his performance in “The Theory of Everything” at the 87th Academy Awards here. The Best Actress trophy went to Julianne Moore for “Still Alice”. Redmayne played the role of theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking in the British biographical romantic drama film, directed by James Marsh and adapted by…

  • EXTREMISM: The tentacles are far reaching

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    What interfaith relations can be built when you hold every other faith with disdain and a total lack of respect is a anathema to me…writes YZ Patel Extremism as ITVs programme showed last week is not exclusive to the Islamic faith. The instant connection which is made by most would only link it to the…

  • ‘The Ballot Is Stronger Than The Bullet’

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    Dr. Alon Ben-Meir, professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU, comments on the latest developments in the Middle East The Israeli general election, scheduled for March 17, can be fateful for the Israeli Arabs as their voting en masse could change the political map and potentially prevent Netanyahu from forming the…

  • Prince Charles to Rescue River Periyar

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    A delegation from Aluva, Kerala, India meets Prince Charles and explained the UK aided project. Preserving the Past, Presenting a Pleasant Present and Protecting the Future was the theme Aluva adopted to present its project at the INTBAU World Congress on Sustainability in London…writes Anasudhin Azeez Prince Charles, Britain’s heir to the throne, offers support…

  • ISIS militants burn over 40 people alive

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    The Iraqi security forces  launched a major offensive in the western province of Anbar to free a town from where the Islamic State (IS) militants abducted around 43 people and later burned them alive inside iron cages, a provincial security source said. Iraqi soldiers, police and allied Sunni tribesmen, backed by the US-led coalition and…

  • Nigeria flush out Boko Haram

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    The Nigerian security forces operating in northeastern part of the country said a large number of Boko Haram terrorists have drowned in the Lake Chad area of northeast Baga town. Terrorists met their fate as they fled the heavy bombardment by Nigerian Air force heralding the advance of troops on mission to flush them out…

  • Which way will Rajan go?

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    By Biswajit Choudhury  With economic data before the union budget on Feb 28 showing inflation at a five-year low, Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan can perhaps indulge in a belated celebration of his birthday that fell Feb 3 when he maintained the RBI repo rate at which it lends to commercial banks at…

  • Israeli FM calls for execution of Palestinian prisoners

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    A senior Palestinian official condemned Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman for calls to execute Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails. Issa Qaraqe, chief of the Palestinian corporation for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, told Xinhua that the statements of Lieberman “represent racism, incites for murder and express hatred and hostility.” He added that these statements “give…

  • Eggs, meat won’t give you bad cholesterol: Study

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    Much to the delight of egg and meat lovers, a US advisory health panel has determined that dietary restrictions may not affect the level of bad cholesterol in the blood. The recommendations may mark a major shift in dietary habits of some people as they have long been warned against eating high-cholesterol food such as…

  • BJP feels the pinch in Maharashtra

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    By Quaid Najmi As the second alliance government of the BJP-Shiv Sena combine, formed in Maharashtra after a brief period of bickering between the partners of 25 years, completes 75 days in power, it is clear that the Shiv Sena has sharpened its attack on the BJP. The short journey since Dec 5 has already…

  • Kerry slams Bangladesh on civilian attacks

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    US Secretary of State John Kerry has condemned the targeting of innocent civilians in the ongoing political violence in Bangladesh and called for an immediate end to such attacks. Kerry, following his meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali in Washington Thursday, stated that there could be “no tolerance” for tactics that target…

  • Manjhi quits, blame threat to life

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      Embattled Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi  dramatically resigned just ahead of a floor test, the move coming despite the BJP extending support to him. Manjhi said that he did not get respect as chief minister. “I have submitted my resignation letter to the governor. I should have quit before,” said Manjhi soon after…

  • Swine flu have claimed 703 lives in India

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi  has asked health officials to ensure necessary treatment and adequate medicines for swine flu patients while affected states have been offered central assistance even as the death toll due to the disease reached 703. A high-level meeting, chaired by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, was convened here to review the situation and…

  • Massive push against ISIS in April

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    massive ground offensive involving 20,000 to 25,000 troops may be launched by the Iraqi forces as early as April to retake Iraq’s second largest city of Mosul from the Sunni radical group Islamic State (IS), a US military officer has said. The US Central Command (Centcom) officer said that the IS was on the defensive…

  • NRI workers in US awarded $14 million

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    By Arun Kumar   After seven long years, five Indian ‘guest’ or temporary workers who were allegedly defrauded and exploited in a labour trafficking scheme have won $14 million in compensatory and punitive damages by a US court. The workers were allegedly exploited by Signal International, an immigration lawyer and an Indian labour recruiter who lured…