Asian Lite News Archive

Category: UK News

  • Top Asian Doctors Defend NHS Services

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    Asian Lite published a column by Dr Kailash Chand, deputy chair of the BMA council and a GP of 30 years service, challenging the NHS reforms of the coalition government. Here four prominent doctors –Dr Sheo B Tibrewal, Dr Johnson D’souza,  Dr Priyada Pandya and Dr Bashir Qureshi – supporting the reforms introduced by the…

  • Victoria Cross for L/Cpl Josh Leakey

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    The paratrooper who showed “complete disregard” for his own safety during a Taliban attack in Afghanistan has been awarded the Victoria Cross – the highest British military honour. L/Cpl Joshua Leakey, 27, of the Parachute Regiment, was recognised for his valour during the 2013 attack. He is the third serviceman – and the first living servicemen…

  • Everybody’s responsibility is nobody’s responsibility

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    The girls were being ‘wilfully groomed’ in effect to buy into an ideology which seemed exciting and a world away from the everyday drudgery of school and all this was being done in the safety of their bedrooms…writes YZ Patel The eloping of Kadiza Sultana, 16, Amira Abase, 15, and Shamima Begum, 15,  the three…

  • Bangladeshi parents to consider early education offer

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    The Department for Education (DfE) is encouraging Bangladeshi parents to consider taking up the opportunity of free early education and childcare for their two-year-old children. The scheme enables families with an income of less than £16,190 per year from either work or benefits to apply for 15 hours of free early education and childcare a week. If…

  • NHS budgets going local

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    The £6bn health and social care budget for Greater Manchester is to be taken over by the region’s councils and health groups, it is understood. The devolved power agreement is expected to be confirmed by the Chancellor George Osborne reported BBC. It will see NHS England hand spending decisions on regional healthcare to local politicians,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • British Muslim Women Unite to Make a Stand Against ISIS

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    Muslim women are set to come together at #MakingAStand events, being held across the UK, as they look to make a united stand rejecting the barbarism of ISIS and take the lead in combating extremism and radicalisation in their communities. The women, from across local communities, will attend a series of events in key cities…

  • Iraqi Airways launch two new services from Manchester Airport

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    Iraqi Airways, the national flag carrier of Iraq, has announced the commencement of two new services from the UK’s third biggest airport, Manchester. Starting on March 15, the airline will begin services to Sulaymaniyah and Erbil, flying from Terminal One at the global gateway to the North. rhe flight to Erbil will depart Manchester on a Wednesday at 22:00 and the flight to Sulaymaniyah…

  • British Muslim women unite to combat ISIS atrocities

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    Muslim women are set to come together at #MakingAStand events, being held across the UK, as they look to make a united stand rejecting the barbarism of ISIS and take the lead in combating extremism and radicalisation in their communities. The women, from across local communities, will attend a series of events in key cities…

  • RAF jets escort Russian bombers seen off Cornwall

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    RAF jets were scrambled on  after two Russian military aircraft were seen off the Cornwall coast, the Ministry of Defence says. The Russian Bear bombers were escorted from the UK area of interest, but did not enter sovereign airspace, it said. On the same day, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon warned that Russia’s President Putin posed…

  • Hot bath for Indian mangoes

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    By Ranjana Narayan    India’s prized Alphonso mangoes will be treated with “hot water” as part of procedures to remove any contaminants like fruit flies before being exported to Europe, especially Britain, where they have a large market, a top EU trade official said. Maurizio Cellini, First Counsellor, Head of Trade and Economic Affairs team of…

  • London to host Dubai property show

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    First Annual Dubai Property Show Hits London on Feb 27th  at London Olympia. The exhibition will last till Sunday Sumansa Exhibitions, the producer and organisers of global property and consumer shows, have announced the first annual Dubai Property Show (DPS), taking place at the iconic London Olympia from February 27th-March 1st.  The free event will host over…

  • Women politicians can raise uncomfortable issues: Baroness D’Souza

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    Women politicians are often able to raise “uncomfortable” issues in the public domain which their male counterparts have not thought of or don’t wish to bring up, said a British woman parliamentarian. “It may well be that women have a particular interest and they are able to bring up uncomfortable subjects in public arenas because…

  • HCI London announce outsourcing Visa, OCI and Passport

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    The High Commission of India, London, has announced the Outsourcing of Visa, OCI, Passport and select consular services to VFS will come into effect from 1 March. VFS will be opening 14 application centres across UK for the convenience of applicants for Visa, OCI, Passport and other consular services. Ten offices will be operational from…

  • Cathy Newman – No place to hide

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    The Cathy Newman debacle is something that refuses to go away. Emails are constantly in my inbox since it was first published in the Huffington Post that the Channel 4  journalist had actually lied during the Muslim Council of Britains visit a mosque day initiative…writes YZ Patel People say to me.. Your columns carry a…

  • India-Britain to minimise antibiotics abuse

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      In a landmark India-Britain collaboration, scientists are seeking to address the problem of antibiotics abuse. The UK-Indian Centre for Advanced Technology for Minimising the Indiscriminate use of Antibiotics (UKICAT-MA) will focus on research in anti-microbial resistance (AMR). This will be led by the University of Sheffield and University of Bradford to establish smart materials for…

  • Kate Pledges Support For childrens Mental Health

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    The Duchess of Cambridge has recorded a video message in support of the first ever Children’s Mental Health Week. She says that stigma around mental health means that many children do not get the help they need reported BBC. The duchess recorded the message for the Place2Be charity, which is organising the mental health week. Kensington…

  • British women at higher dementia risk

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     Dementia is now a leading cause of death among British women and they are far more likely to end up suffering from physical and emotional stress, and consequent job losses, find researchers. “Women are dying from dementia but not before it has taken a considerable toll on minds and bodies. In Britain, dementia hits women…

  • Curry is King in Britain

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    By Natalia Ningthoujam She comes from a family of chefs and co-owns Southall-based Brilliant Restaurant that specialises in Punjabi cooking with a Kenyan twist. Dipna Anand, a London-based Indian chef, says the city has welcomed Indian curries with open arms. “Indian cuisine is pretty big in the UK. So much so that the national dish,…

  • Jaso defies odds, finds ‘gold dust’ donor

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    The family of Jaso Manokaran, who launched a campaign for more Sri Lankans to sign up to the Anthony Nolan, are completely over the moon, after receiving the news that a match has been found for him. The 29 year old father of two from Harrow, described potential donors as being like ‘gold dust’ after…

  • Meat is murder!

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    Did the Muslim Council of Britain come out and defend the perpetrators of this cruelty who purport to be their co religionists? No. They came out immediately and unequivocally condemned it. Calling them ‘abhorrent in Islamic Practice’ The evidence for what was going on was all to see as secret cameras filmed what was going…

  • Britain withdrawing diplomatic staff from Yemen

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    The embassies of the US, France and Britain announced  that they will withdraw their diplomatic staff from Yemen due to the security situation. The US embassy posted a statement of the State Department on its website saying that the US government has decided to suspend embassy operations in Sanaa and “will explore options for a…

  • Britain approves test of driverless cars

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    The British government gave the go-ahead to test driverless cars on public roads in a bid to take an international lead in the development of the new technology. Companies wishing to conduct tests in the country are not limited to the test track or certain geographical areas, do not need to obtain certificates or permits,…

  • 1st legal guide dedicated to Hindu communities

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    On February 22, the Hindu Lawyers Association (“the HLA”) will conduct a presentation in respect of its first ever legal guide dedicated to Hindu communities in Oldham. The guide is aimed at providing communities with an insight to their rights and responsibilities so that they can spot potential legal issues and obtain advice. The event…

  • Tara Art’s Macbeth brings something wicked

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    Many call him the Godfather of British Asian Theatre. His tireless commitment to Asian theatre in the UK has been commendable….writes Anjana Parikh Meet Jatinder Verma, the founder of South London-based Tara Arts, is now ready for his next play ‘Macbeth’ which brings  the tale of a modern-day UK setting with an Asian flavour on…

  • ‘British values are Muslim values’

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    The Prince of Wales also spoke of his anxiety at the number of young British Muslims being radicalised by extremist preachers and the internet and the continued persecution of Christians in the Middle East. These concerns are deeply shared by British Muslims and British Imams have been very vocal in propounding that a sincere, intelligent and…

  • WORLD CUP: A ONE HORSE RACE

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    The BCCI is intent on suing the West Indies Cricket Board for $42 million as reparations for the ‘walk out’ by its players during its tour of  India last year and ‘freezing’ all bilaterals till they cough up that sum…writes Bikram Vohra Now, I am all for hope springing eternal in various parts of the…

  • MANSION TAX – A Tax of Envy

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    Labour’s proposed Mansion Tax to raise funds to shore up NHS is a tax of envy on the aspirations of hard working Britons…writes Dr Rami Ranger The British Labour party’s method of coming to power is by promising voters more than the nation can afford in terms of public services or benefits. Their solution is…

  • 1st female bishop backs anti-human trafficking campaign

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    The Church of England’s first female bishop, The Right Reverend Libby Lane, who made history last month when she was ordained as the new Bishop of Stockport, made one of her first official public appearances in her new role, to launch Manchester Airport’s TRAVEL SAFE WEEK, an initiative to help identify vulnerable passengers and put…

  • Loneliness haunts most people in England

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    Loneliness and isolation were the most widespread social problems in England, afflicting wealthy and deprived sections alike, the country’s clergy said in a survey. According to the survey published by the Church Urban Fund and the Church of England, social isolation was listed as a more common problem than unemployment, homelessness and poor housing by…

  • British accent world’s most attractive: Poll

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      A poll conducted among 11,000 people across 24 cities says that the British accent is the most attractive in the world, a media report said. The Time Out Global Dating Survey found that more than a quarter of respondents preferred a British accent compared to people from Paris, New York and Sydney, The Independent reported.…

  • Beckham supports Unicef’s ‘7’

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    David Beckham and UNICEF are today launching a groundbreaking initiative, 7: The David Beckham UNICEF Fund, to protect millions of children around the world from danger. Marking Beckham’s 10th year as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, ‘7’ is David’s personal commitment over the next decade to helping the world’s most vulnerable children. Through ‘7’, David will…

  • ‘Boyhood’ wins top honours at BAFTA

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    “Boyhood”, a coming-of-age story about growing up, won the top honours of Best Film and Best Director at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards, where “The Grand Budapest Hotel” walked away with five trophies. Directed by Richard Linklater, who was absent from the ceremony, “Boyhood” is a groundbreaking film about growing…

  • Britain pledges millions to Ebola fund

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    The British government has pledged nearly 33 million pounds (approx $50 million) to a new Ebola fund, BBC reported. The money will allow the three severely affected West African countries – Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone – to devote more spending to fight the outbreak. Chancellor George Osborne said Britain was the first country to…

  • Indians have $100 Billion in black money in HSBC accounts

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      The central government has completed assessment of 350 foreign accounts while tax-evasion proceedings have been initiated against 60 such holders as part of its crackdown on black money accounts, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said. Reacting to a media report that over 1,100 Indians were in the list of clients who held accounts in HSBC…

  • The Great Chasm

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    Why does the north/south divide in Great Britain continues to grow and what can be done to stop it? The reasons for this disparity are well documented. Economic prosperity in the south ? particularly in the Home Counties ? leads to better health, better education, better employment and life expectancy of nearly 20 years more…

  • Cameron visits Gurudwara

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    Prime Minister David Cameron visited the Sikh Temple in Leamington Spa which serves the 4,000 local Sikhs. The Prime Minister took part in the prayer ceremony and spoke to members of the community.  He joined the volunteers to do Seva. He discussed a number of key issues with the Sikh community, which is one of the most…

  • Julian Assange policing costs Britain $15 mn

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    Scotland Yard has spent about 10 million pounds ($15 million) providing a 24-hour guard at the Ecuadorean embassy in London since Wikileaks founder Julian Assange claimed asylum there, figures show. Between June 2012 and October 2014, direct policing costs were 7.3 million pounds with 1.8 million pounds spent on overtime, BBC cited the police as…

  • Beckham to present BAFTA Award

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     David Beckham will take to the stage at the BAFTA Awards ceremony along with actors Henry Cavill and Julie Walters to hand out an allocade. Actors Holliday Grainger, Mark Strong and Martin Freeman will also attend the star-studded EE British Academy Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) ceremony at London’s Royal Opera House, reports femalefirst.co.uk .…

  • Birmingham City varsity honours Asian nurse

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    Raj Jhamat, a nurse from Birmingham Children’s Hospital has been recognised for her work in the South Asian community. She was crowned as one of Birmingham City University’s Alumni of the Year in the ‘Community Engagement and Leadership’ category, recently….writes Anjana Parikh She said: “For me, the recognition I have received from various people, including…

  • Residents learn about hate crime against deaf people

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    Longsight residents found out how deaf people are subjected to hate crimes as part of a week of action to raise awareness of the problem. More than 100 residents attended the event at Longsight library opened by Chief Inspector Helen Caldbeck who explained what hate crime is and how Greater Manchester Police tackle it. Richard…

  • Touching the hearts of millions

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    Diagnosed with polio at the age of one, Arun Vaghjibhai Patel today stands tall as he goes on to change the lives of over 1,000 children living in the same condition, writes Anjana Parikh. As a mark of recognition for his extra-ordinary contribution to the society, Patel has been conferred the prestigious British Citizens Award…

  • Youngest Donor Gives £100,000 to the Gandhi Statue

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    Vivek Chadha , a 26 year old UK-based follower of Mahatma Gandhi has become the youngest donor so far to contribute £100,000 to the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust.Vivek Chadha, Director of Nine Hospitality Ltd is a hotel owner, residential developer and major commercial investor in UK real estate. Vivek graduated as a civil engineer in…

  • Carnatic music at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections

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    The sound of music is back with its largest, annual, winter, music festival as musician and artists around the world gathered in Glasgow to bring the city to life for a period of 18 days, writes Jasmine Patel. Celtic Connections has seen Indo-Scottish fusion as two classical musicians flew a long way from home. The…