Asian Lite News Archive

Category: UK News

  • Ghoncheh Ghavami on second hunger strike

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      A British Iranian woman held in Iran after attempting to watch a men’s volleyball match is on hunger strike for the second time. Ghoncheh Ghavami, 25, was part of a group of women who tried to watch Iran play Italy in a match June 20, BBC reported. The women were arrested and allegedly beaten…

  • Norman Baker Quits

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    Norman Baker has quit as a Home Office minister, complaining that working under Home Secretary Theresa May was like “walking through mud”. The Liberal Democrat MP accused the Tory Cabinet minister of viewing her coalition colleagues as “a cuckoo in the nest rather than part of government”. His decision comes days after he became embroiled…

  • Friends with wings disappear

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    Bird populations across Europe declining rapidly….reports Alex Thmpson Bird populations across Europe have experienced sharp declines – a staggering 421 million birds over the past 30 years – with the majority of losses from the most common species, a research shows. The decline in bird populations can be linked to modern farming methods, deterioration of…

  • Teacher killer gets 20-year jail

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    A 16-year-old British school boy has been given 20 year prison sentence after he admitted murdering Leeds teacher Ann Maguire, BBC reported.. Will Cornick stabbed Mrs Maguire, 61, seven times in the back and neck at Corpus Christi Catholic College, then sat down and said “good times”. Leeds Crown Court heard he had told other pupils…

  • Merkel ‘would accept UK exit from EU’

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    Chancellor Angela Merkel has reportedly warned David Cameron she would rather see the UK leave the EU than compromise over the principle of free movement. Der Spiegel news magazine quotes German government sources as saying she feared Britain was approaching “the point of no return”reports BBC. Downing Street has not commented on the reports. Mr…

  • One dies in Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShip crash

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    One person was killed and another badly injured when Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo exploded over southern California’s Mojave Desert after takeoff on a test flight, the California Highway Patrol said. The spacecraft normally flies with two pilots. “During the test, the vehicle suffered a serious anomaly resulting in the loss of SpaceShipTwo,” Virgin Galactic said on…

  • J.K. Rowling reveals story characters

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    British author Joanne Kathleen Rowling, the author of the “Harry Potter” series, has revealed previously undisclosed background details of the saga’s characters on her website, Pottermore, media reported. The author is immersed in writing short stories relating to places and characters that appear in the Harry Potter series on her site. Some pieces provide additional…

  • Virgin Galactic’s spaceship crashes

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      A passenger rocket plane developed by Virgin Galactic’s crashed after suffering an “in-flight anomaly” during a powered test flight over the US state of California, the company said. “SpaceShipTwo has experienced an in-flight anomaly. Additional info and statement forthcoming,” Xinhua quoted Virgin as saying on Twitter, giving no further details. Two pilots were on…

  • Britain to repay WWI debt

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    British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced that the British government will pay off part of the country’s First World War debt as part of the redemption of bonds stretching as far back as the 18th century. The Treasury will redeem 218 million pounds ($350 million) of debt from the 4 percent Consolidated Loan…

  • West Bengal seeks global investment

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    Fiannce Minister Dr Amit Mitra unveils raft of investment opportunities in West Bengal. The veteran leader invites investors to join ‘Bengal Global Business Summit – Bengal Leads 2015’ Dr. Amit Mitra, Minister- in-Charge, Finance, Excise, Commerce & Industries, Public Enterprises, Industrial Reconstruction and Information Technology & Electronics Departments, Government of West Bengal, today unveiled the…

  • Tributes to fallen WW I Heroes

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    The ceramic poppies, part of an art installation “Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red” in the moat of the Tower of London, in London, Britain. By its completion on Armistice Day in 2014, the moat will contain 888,246 ceramic poppies, each of which symbolizes a military fatality in the World War I

  • DULMIAL: The Village with the Gun

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    Dulmial, Pakistan, popularly known as  ‘the Village with the Gun,’ paying tributes to  the Soldiers of the First World War, 100 years on…reports Dr Irfan Malik and Michael Noble, The Centre for Hidden Histories, University of Nottingham A nineteenth century cannon sits at the centre of a Pakistani village. Here we take a look at the…

  • Call to remember Muslim troops in WW I

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     Khudadad Khan, the first Muslim soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross, should be more widely recognised General Lord Dannatt and General Lord Richards lead a group of peers, MPs, historians and religious leaders who say children should be told about the role played by Muslim troops in the First World War. In a letter…

  • Star Plus retains the best channel award

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    Star Plus was named TV Channel at the second Asian Media Awards 2014 It was the second year running the channel had been presented with the accolade. The Asian Media Awards were held at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate and were sponsored by the University of Salford and Asons Solicitors. The channel has had another outstanding…

  • National sperm bank opens in Birmingham

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    A UK national sperm bank – charged with reversing a growing shortage of donor sperm – has started work in Birmingham. Fertility clinics have become increasingly dependent on imported sperm giving rise to the so-called “Viking babies” phenomenon. Meanwhile, data from the fertility regulator shows a 10th of IVF cycles are dependent on donated sperm or…

  • Labour face wipeout in Scotland

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    Ed Miliband has admitted that his party must “fight for every hour and every day” to hold on to its Scottish MPs after a shock poll predicted Labour could be wiped out by the Scottish National party next year. The dramatic poll for STV said the SNP could win up to 54 Scottish seats and…

  • Child suicides on the rise in Britain

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    The number of children who have admitted to attempting suicide has soared by 43% in a year, ChildLine has revealed . The counselling service said it has received more than 34,000 consultations with children who talked about wanting to kill themselves in 2013/14 – an increase of 116% since 2010/2011 reported Huffington Post. Nearly 6,000…

  • S.Asian urged to check blood in urine

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    Be Clear on Cancer campaign highlights blood in urine is a key symptom of bladder and kidney cancers   Latest figures reveal that only 1 in 3 people survive bladder or kidney cancer beyond 12 months if diagnosed at a late stage, compared with more than 9 in 10 who survive at least a year…

  • Britain honours Indian WWI soldiers

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    Britain honoured the over a million Indian soldiers who fought in World War I, as British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon laid a wreath at the war memorial at India Gate and praised the “enormous contribution” of India. Fallon, who arrived here on a two-day visit, handed over a digitised version of the war diaries and…

  • Britain holds out hope for Indian deal

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      Britain  held out hope that the European consortium could bag the multibillion Indian deal for 126 fighter jets with its Eurofighter Typhoon in case the Narendra Modi government’s negotiations for the French Rafale jets falls through. British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, in answer to a question, said the his country “respects the position the…

  • India and Britain to tackle security challenges

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      There was considerable scope for Britain and India to work together “to tackle many security challenges” globally, British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said  on meeting Defence Minister Arun Jaitley. A statement from the British High Commission said the meeting with Jaitley reaffirms Britain’s defence and security partnership with India. On a three-day visit to…

  • Asian Media Awards Announced

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    The 2014 Asian Media Awards took place at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate in front of journalists, actors, presenters and marketing professionals from across the world. As well as rewarding new and emerging talent, the awards recognised the achievements of the pioneers within the media industry. The much coveted Media Personality of the Year was presented…

  • Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt  in Oxford

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    The Oxford India Society will play host to one of the finest musician in the world – Grammy Award winner, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt on  Wednesday 5th November, 2014 The concert will be held at the Holywell music Room in Oxford – a purpose built concert hall in the heart of Oxford and among the oldest in Europe.…

  • Asylum backlog troubles Home Office

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    The Home Office has “failed to deal” with the UK’s backlog of asylum cases, with 29,000 applications dating back at least seven years still waiting to be resolved, MPs have warned reports BBC. The Public Accounts Committee said 11,000 of those applicants had not even received an initial decision on whether they could remain in…

  • Airbus-Tatas unite to bid for IAF

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    Airbus-Tatas bid for Rs.20,000 crore IAF transport aircraft order… reports Fakir Balaji European consortium Airbus Defence and Space has made a joint bid with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) for a 56 medium transport aircraft order of the Indian Air Force (IAF) valued at Rs.20,000 crore ($3 billion). “We have submitted a joint bid October 22…

  • London Intl. Arts Fest Gathers Momentum

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    The London International Arts Festival (LIAF) had a successful start on 26th October. The second week of the festival features an interesting band, Sunday Driver at the Brunel Museum on 29th October at 7.30pm, dont miss them! Curated by the South indian violinist Jyotsna Srikanth, 2014’s five day line up spotlights the capital’s best up…

  • Swire lauds Asian businesses

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    Hugo Swire, Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office , praised the entrepreneurship of Asians and suggested Asia will define the next century. “It is clear too that Asia – a lively and diverse mix of ethnicities, religions and political beliefs; home to half of humanity and increasingly the world’s economic power house…

  • Cameron attends London Diwali Fest

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    British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife celebrated Diwali at a special event hosted by the ruling Conservative party. The event opened with the lighting of the lamp by the prime minister and his wife Samantha, cladded in a royal blue sari. The prime minister also launched 11-volume encyclopedia of Hinduism. “This encyclopedia is…

  • Students Forum seeks more support

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    National Indian Students Union UK President Sanam Arora addressed the Mini Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in London. Miss Arora participated in the session on Issues concerning Indian diaspora in the UK. She spoke about the challenges faced by the Indian youth population in the UK, focusing on faced by both homegrown youth and those from…

  • PROMO: ROAR Arrives into UK

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    Ground-breaking cinematic feast by Kamal Sadanah and Abis Rizvi, set in Bengal’s beautiful and forbidding Sundarbans National Park pits man against majestic and mythical beast With its lush mangrove forests and endless square miles of mudflats, wetlands and tidal waterways, the Sundarbans National Park of West Bengal has long been fascinating and forbidding at once, not least…

  • ‘UK is afraid of foreign students’

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    Britain’s most influential Asian politician urged the government to change its immigration policies to allow more foreign students come and  study in the UK for the sake of economy. Beacuse of the tough rules, the number of postgraduates from India and Pakistan halved in Between 2010 and 2013. The government – and not the public…

  • Shrien Dewani accused of meeting gay escort

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    An Indian-origin businessman from Britain accused of arranging the murder of his wife in South Africa, met a gay escort three times. Shrien Dewani, 33, is accused of ordering the murder of his wife, 28-year-old Anni Dewani, who was shot on the outskirts of Cape Town in November 2010. On Monday, during Dewani’s ongoing trial…

  • The relevance of Dylan Thomas

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    Dylan Thomas: Still a monumental figure 100 years after birth…a special report A century after his birth and six decades after his death, legends still haunt the tragic life of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, whose prolific writing helped knock down the walls between popular literature and that of the elites. Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October…

  • Manchester school teacher admits terror offences

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    A chemistry teacher of a school in Manchester pleaded guilty at a court here Monday to two Syria-related terrorism offenses. Jamshed Javeed, 30, who taught at Sharples High School in Bolton, admitted to two counts of engaging in conduct in preparation of terror acts at Woolwich Crown Court in southeastern London, Xinhua reported citing British…

  • Infosys handles British school admissions

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      Indian IT bellwethe Infosys Ltd helped Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) to admit a record 400,000 students in British colleges and universities on a single day recently, the company said . “We worked with UCAS to ensure the systems were ready for students to take the next important step in their life on…

  • Priti Joins Diwali in Leicester

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    Priti Patel MP, the Prime Minister’s UK-India Diaspora Champion, has spoken of the contribution made by Hindus and Indians living in the UK while visiting Leicester’s BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir for Diwali . Priti was joined at the Mandir by Leicester East’s Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Kishan Devani and met with local community leaders and…

  • Pakistan’s ‘Million March’ flops in london

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    Pakistan’s efforts to stage a march against Indian human rights violations, with a million people on the streets of London proved to be a monumental failure. Far from a seven figure, the march’s attendance did not even reach five figures. One of the organisers claimed the march was “to protest against human rights violations by…

  • Headteachers set new leave rules

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    The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) in Engalnd unveiled guidance for on the situations in which pupils can be given time off during term time have been drawn up. A crackdown has seen a rise in fines for unauthorised absences, but parents have said the rules are confusing, BBC reported. The existing rules spark…

  • Indian Encounters in Scotland

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    National Museum of Scotland to showcase the works of the Singh Twins – Amrit & Rabindra Kaur Singh A new exhibition Indian Encounters will open at the National Museum of Scotland showcasing a newly commissioned painting Casualty of War, by renowned contemporary British artists The Singh Twins. Alongside the commission, beautifully crafted 19th century jewellery and…

  • Cameron rejects EU £1.7 billion bill

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    British Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK will not pay £1.7bn being demanded by the European Union. “If people think I am paying that bill on 1 December, they have another think coming,” the prime minister said in Brussels, BBC reported. “It is not going to happen.” But Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the…

  • Scottish Labour Leader Quits

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    Scottish Labour Party  leader Johann Lamont quit after accusing the party leadership of treating Scotland as a “branch office”, BBC reported.Ms Lamont’s deputy, Anas Sarwar MP, 3, will take over the leadership on a temporary basis. Anas is son of Punjab governor and former Labour politician Mohammed Sarwar. Labour’s tally of 41 Scottish MPs at risk from…

  • Met Police undercover agent’s victim compensated

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    The London police department has paid 425,000 pounds in compensation to a woman who discovered that the man with whom she bore a child was actually an undercover police agent whose job was to spy on her activities, officials said. Scotland Yard, also known as the Met, apologised “unreservedly” for causing pain and suffering to…

  • Desi Help for ‘Year of the Bus

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    Deven Bhurke, a freelance graphic designer and artist based in Hampshire, has contributed to a major street art project in London to celebrate “Year of the Bus.” The event is to mark 60 years since the first appearance of the iconic Route Master besides the 75 years since the launch of the RT-type bus and 100 years since…

  • Labour Conveys Diwali Greetings

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    The opposition Labour Party hosted a Diwali reception with Labour Leader Ed Miliband MP at the Conrad Hotel in St James’s Park, London.   There were over 300 people in attendance from various community groups and temples, to celebrate the festival with Mr Miliband. Other senior Labour Party politicians in attendance included Harriet Harman MP,…

  • Cameron Hosts Diwali Reception

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    Diwali celebrations at Number Ten with Prime Minister David Cameron and Indian Diaspora Champion Priti Patel MP   Prominent figures from the Indian community in Britain celebrated Diwali with Prime Minister David Cameron and his UK-India Diaspora Champion Priti Patel at Ten Downing Street . The reception was held in advance of Diwali and celebrated…

  • MY DIWALI DELIGHT

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    Happy Diwali to all readers of Asian Lite ….BIKRAM VOHRA I have received 23 I-cards or E-cards on the net with diyas in them and you’ll be surprised how quickly the novelty of exulting over the same flickering electronic flame wears off. After you have ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ over the first two or three and…

  • Dame Asha Bags DN Award

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    Leading educationalist Dame Asha Khemka receives special award from Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg Principal and chief executive of West Nottinghamshire College Group, Dame Asha Khemka, has received a special award from Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in recognition of her contribution to furthering UK-India relations. Dame Asha was presented with the inaugural Dadabhai Naoroji…

  • ALL I WANT TO DO TO IS RELAX!

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    DAILY DOSE By Bikram Vohra However, in recent years, I noticed a marked craving for relaxation. It’s almost a fetish. Visualise the hurried executive at work. He looks at his watch, “I’m off”, he says, leaping up. “I have 90 minutes relaxation period now”. “Come on”, he exhorts body, “ree-lax, hurry up”. “I’ve got to…

  • Bale doubtful at Anfield

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    Real Madrid footballer Gareth Bale is doubtful for Champions League away match against Liverpool FC at Anfield as he is struggling to shake off a muscle injury picked up on international duty with Wales. A problem with his gluteus muscle will be tested Tuesday to see if Bale will be able to make the trip…

  • Royal baby due in April 2015

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     The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, are expecting their second child in April next year, Kensington Palace said . The pregnancy had already been announced but the due date had not been released, BBC reported. In a statement, the palace said the duchess continued to suffer from extreme morning sickness…