Asian Lite News Archive

Category: UK News

  • ‘Unlimited holidays for Virgin staff’

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     Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin Boos, is offering his personal staff as much holiday as they want. In a blog on his website, Sir Richard said that his staff of 170 could “take off whenever they want for as long as they want”. He added that there was no need to ask for approval, nor say…

  • Cameron convenes cabinet

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    British Prime Minister David Cameron will convene his cabinet Thursday after an early return from a UN meet in New York to prepare for a debate in parliament over threat from the Islamic State (IS) Sunni radical group, a media report said. Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Cameron described as “medieval” the cruelty of…

  • Anjem Choudary and others arrested in terror raids

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    Nine people were arrested in London on suspicion of being members of an outlawed group, a media report said . The arrests were made after police raided at least 18 properties in London and one in Stoke-on-Trent, BBC reported, adding that it was part of an ongoing probe into Islamist-related terrorism. Those arrested included radical…

  • Obama praises ‘#notinmyname’ campaign

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      President Barack Obama today singled out and praised a group of young British Muslims who launched a powerful campaign rejecting the actions of Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Obama pointed out the #notinmyname campaign started by the ACF who have come together to take a stand…

  • Tata Steel UK faces protest strike

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    Tata Steel UK at centre of Middlesbrough dispute over ‘arm’s length’ move for R&D staff Tata Steel UK could become embroiled in a nationwide dispute, if its research and development staff in Middlesbrough are forced to work for an arm’s length organisation where their pay and pensions could be under threat. The staff, members of…

  • Indian scientists more religious than British peers:Study

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    Indian scientists are more religious than their British counterparts but they are more likely, than the general population, to not participate in a religious service or rituals, says a cross-national study of religion and spirituality among scientists. The surveys and in-depth interviews with scientists revealed that while 65 percent of British scientists identify as non-religious,…

  • British Parliament recalled

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    British Parliament will be recalled  to debate on airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) Sunni radical group in Iraq, Downing Street announced Wednesday. Britain’s speaker for the House of Commons has agreed on Prime Minister David Cameron’s request to recall Parliament this Friday to debate on Britain’s response to the request from the Iraqi government for…

  • Cameron meets Iranian president

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    British Prime Minister David Cameron and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met here Wednesday for the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Cameron and Rouhani held the meeting at the office of the British Mission to the UN, a few blocks from the UN headquarters in downtown New York, Xinhua reported. The meeting took place…

  • British Muslim school girl banned over Islamic veil

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     One of Britain’s top state schools has courted controversy after banning a student because she wears an Islamic veil to cover her hair and face. Camden School for Girls, in London, which describes itself as one of the top 100 schools in the country is refusing to allow the Muslim teenager to start her A-levels…

  • Paxman to anchor C4 poll coverage

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    Channel 4 confirms that former BBC Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman will anchor the channel’s 2015 general election night coverage. In 2010 Channel 4 won critical-acclaim and impressive ratings for its coverage of the General Election (“The Alternative Election Night”). Broadcast live, it attracted a 10.4% audience share – and outperformed ITV1’s coverage. The programme also…

  • Indian charity gets £1 million

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    A host of the UK and India’s most esteemed dignitaries, social glitterati, charity ambassadors and Indian film royalty gathered at the iconic Four Seasons Hotel in Park Lane, London for a night of fun and fundraising at the AkshayaPatra Foundation UK’s annual The Sparkle Ball charity event.The event had as its lead sponsorInteriors With Art, a niche design, construction and lifestyle company,…

  • Barbara Henning pleads to ISIS

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    The wife of British hostage Alan Henning, who is being held by the Islamic State Sunni radical organisation, has urged the group to free her husband after receiving an audio message in which he pleads for his life, British officials said . In a statement released by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Barbara Henning…

  • Diwali at Trafalgar Square

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    Children’s parade to kick off the Mayor’s Diwali celebrations in Trafalgar Square Schoolchildren will lead a parade on Sunday 12 October to launch the Mayor of London’s Diwali Festival in Trafalgar Square. Leaving from Hungerford Bridge on the Southbank, the children’s parade will be a colourful procession promoting a message of hope and happiness on…

  • Indika! – A Musical Dance Spectacular

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    Kala Sangam, in association with Siri Productions, presenting another Musical Dance Spectacular – Indika! Indika is a breath-taking odyssey that brings to life, the story of one land. Featuring vibrant classical choreography to a hauntingly beautiful score, this joyous production brings together on stage, a whirlpool of colors and a abundance of energy. An international…

  • Asian Achievers Awards, London

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    London-based ABPL Group, which publishes weeklies such as Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice, honours several prominent people from the British-Asian Community for their excellence in respective fields. CB Patel, veteran journalist and the editor of the group, welcomed the august gathering which includes cabinet ministers, politicians and key members from the business community. The lifetime…

  • Scottish Referendum Opens Pandora’s Box

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    Things are very strange in Britain nowadays. People are talking politics! Pubs, supermarkets, hospitals, offices …people are more engaged in political debate than gossiping…writes Kaliph Anaz Things are very strange in Britain nowadays. People are talking politics! Pubs, supermarkets, hospitals, offices …people are more engaged in political debate than gossiping! Thanks to Scottish referendum. A record…

  • Gandhians oppose George Orwell’s home renovation

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    A group of Gandhians, family members of freedom fighters and local groups in a Bihar town are opposing renovation of a park and house in memory of British author George Orwell as they were denied land to set up a Satyagraha Park. Nearly a month after renovation of Orwell’s house in East Champaran district’s Motihari…

  • Wife of British hostage pleads to ISIS

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    The wife of a British taxi driver kidnapped by the Islamic State (IS) Sunni extremist group last December Sunday asked the jihadis to show compassion and set him free. Barbara, the wife of hostage Alan Henning, said her husband was driving an ambulance loaded with food and water at the time he was abducted in…

  • Cameron and Abbott to follow Xi to Gujarat

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    After Chinese President Xi Jinping, the British and Australian prime ministers are likely to visit Gujarat in January for a summit to tap investments and resources, sources said Saturday. The Gujarat government hosts the Vibrant Gujarat summit every two years to attract investments from across the world, and the seventh edition will be held in…

  • Jaitley-led delegation due in London

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    High-level Indian ministerial visits to London next month to seek investments in key sectors  India’s Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley is scheduled to visit London Oct 13-14 for an interface with financial institutions to persuade them to invest in India. The trip by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Oct 17-18 to inaugurate the Regional…

  • NHS facing brain drain crisis

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    Several NHS Trusts in Britain are heading for crisis and senior doctors and nurses seeking lucrative post in the Middle East and Australia The National Health Services (NHS) in Britain is facing a brain drain crisis as more and more senior doctors seeking permission to take lucrative jobs in the Middle East, Australia and New…

  • Gujarat to greet PM, Tony

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    British, Australian PMs to attend Gujarat summit in January? After Chinese President Xi Jinping, the British and Australian prime ministers are likely to visit Gujarat in January for a summit to tap investments and resources, sources said . The Gujarat government hosts the Vibrant Gujarat summit every two years to attract investments from across the…

  • British clerics appeal to ISIS to free hostage

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    Two clerics from Britain have made a direct appeal to the Islamic State (IS) to free British hostage Alan Henning. In a YouTube video, Shakeel Begg, Imam at Lewisham Islamic Centre in south London and Haitham al-Haddad, Imam from the Islamic Sharia Council, said that there was no justification for holding the 47-year-old, who was…

  • Salmond quits after Scottish verdict

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    Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond Friday announced his resignation after his Yes campaign’s defeat in the independence referendum, Xinhua reported. Addressing a press conference broadcast live by SKY TV, Salmond said he will be stepping down as Scotland’s First Minister and leader of the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP). Salmond said his term ends after…

  • British Muslims hold prayers for David Haines

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    In a heartfelt response to the murder of humanitarian David Haines, British Muslims across the UK are being called upon to come together in a national day of prayer for all humanitarians on Friday 19 September – facilitated by Imamsonline The letter is expected to see a significant turn out of Muslims attending mosques across the…

  • Afzal Khan MEP Calls For An End To ISIS

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    North West MEP and Vice Chair of the European Parliament Security and Defence Committee, Afzal Khan MEP, called for an end to ISIS ‘barbarity’ yesterday in a Parliamentary Plenary Speech on Wednesday. He described the onslaught of ISIS against Christian and other minority sects in Iraq and Syria as ‘deeply disturbing’ and renounced them as…

  • Gandhi Statue Trust unveils website

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    The Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust launches the website it will use to gather donations for the proposed statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Westminster’s Parliament Square. The website will tell people about Gandhi’s life and teachings, and will also post updates on the progress of the statue. The idea of a statue of Gandhi opposite the…

  • Lord Paul to speak at IAB dinner

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    One of the speakers at this year’s Institute of Asian Businesses (IAB) annual dinner is the man whose company contributed to the construction of one of the world’s most expensive and complex experimental facilities to date, the Large Hadron Collider, which created Higgs bosons and other particles for observation and study. Lord Paul of Marylebone,…

  • Cameron assures ‘more power’ to Scots

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      As Scotland Friday chose not to break away from the UK, with the Scots decisively rejecting a historic referendum on independence, the British prime minister said it is time for “our United Kingdom to come together, and to move forward”. David Cameron also assured delivering on his promise of “more powers” while having also…

  • It is time to move forward: Cameron

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    It is time to move forward, said British Prime Minister David Cameron Friday after Scotland voted to stay with the United Kingdom. “The matter has been settled now for a generation. Or, as (Scottish First Minister Alex) Salmond once said, ‘for a lifetime’,” Cameron said after Scots decisively rejected an independence referendum. “Now it is…

  • Scotland decides to stay

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    Scotland Friday voted to stay in the United Kingdom after voters decisively rejected an independence referendum. With 31 of the country’s 32 council areas having declared results after Thursday’s vote, the “No” side has an unassailable lead of 1,877,252 votes to 1,512,688, BBC reported. The winning total needed was 1,852,828. Nationally, the margin of victory…

  • Bill Gates: Be Optimistic

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    Microsoft founder Bill Gates said he was extremely optimistic and impatient in life and through his philanthropic work has been able to understand new things about immunisation. “I am very optimistic and very impatient about our work. I am getting to learn things and understand new frontiers. I am getting to know the immune system…

  • Simon to contest from Feltham and Heston

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    Feltham and Heston Conservative Association has selected Mr Simon Nayyar to stand as the constituency’s Parliamentary Candidate at next year’s General Election. Paul Jabbal, the Association’s Chairman, said:  “Simon brings with him invaluable experience of political campaigning and media relations.  As a former Parliamentary Candidate in 2010 and having served on the boards of Conservative Friends…

  • NRI develop new quality control system

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    An Indian-origin researcher Mitul Tailor from the Loughborough University in Britain has developed a computer software system that can be used in quality control in virtually any industry — from car and aerospace to beauty treatments. The computer algorithm can detect surface irregularities as small as 10 micro-metres in any component and even tell whether…

  • Call to release Alan Henning

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    Britain’s Muslim community stands united with Alan Henning’s family and reject terrorism and extremism.” Here is the copy of the letter in today’s Independent newspaper We, the undersigned British Muslim Imams, organisations and individuals, wish to express our horror and revulsion at the senseless murder of David Haines and the threat to the life of our…

  • Young British Muslims Rap ISIS

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    Young British Muslims, have come together to launch a social media campaign against ISIS using #notinmyname, to register their revulsion and rejection of the terrorist group’s actions which they claim are in the name of Islam. The campaign, which gives a voice to young Muslims united against the rhetoric of hate and extremism propagated by…

  • Protect your valuables during Diwali/Navratri

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    Police from Brent borough in London are urging local residents to take care of their valuable jewellery, especially when they are out of their homes during forthcoming festivals such as Diwali and Navratri. Brent officers are stepping up their patrol strategy around community areas and temples where members of the Asian and Hindu communities congregate in…

  • British civil services lure BAME candidates

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    Two hundred apprentices join the fast track to careers in government   Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude welcomed to government 200 talented school-leavers who are starting their Civil Service careers as Fast Track Apprentices. Launched in 2013, the Fast Track Apprenticeship scheme offers 18-to-21-year-olds who don’t want to…

  • How the Scots changed our world forever

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     As the Scottish referendum gets underway in Britain Thursday, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the country’s contribution to the present day world, The Independent reported. Some of these are: Adam Smith: One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is best known for two classic works: “The Theory of Moral Sentiments”,…

  • Murdered British couple’s friend held

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    DNA tests have failed to provide a match and police are still investigating to identify the killer of a British couple in Thailand, media reported Thursday. David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were found semi-naked and beaten to death early Monday near a beachside bungalow on the island of Koh Tao, the Bangkok Post…

  • Europeans have three ancestries: Study

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     By comparing nine ancient genomes with those of modern humans, scientists have shown that modern Europeans descended from three groups of ancestors. “There are at least three major, highly differentiated populations that have contributed substantial amounts of ancestry to almost everybody that has European ancestry today,” explained David Reich, an investigator at the Howard Hughes…

  • Voting begins with high stakes

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    Voting began this morning at 7.am in Scotland to decide their future alone or together. The Scottish independence referendum started Thursday as polling stations opened for voting on the question “Should Scotland be an independent country?” From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., ballots for the choice of “Yes” or “No” would be cast at 32…

  • Peace selfies from MP Bob Blackman , Sri Sri

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    In the current situation the world is undergoing through with natural disasters, conflict, war, financial turmoil, health epidemics, and the list is endless .what is the rescue to the multitude?! “Make people experience Peace together” is the answer that echoes from various corners of the world. The Art of Living and the International Association for…

  • Gordon Brown hero of ‘No’ campaign

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    Former British prime minister Gordon Brown, culminating a series of rousing speeches before Scotland decides whether to become independent of the United Kingdom or not, has passionately appealed to fellow Scots to reject separation in Thursday’s referendum. Targeting an estimated half a million undecided voters, Brown, a lifelong Labour party activist, asked them “to be…

  • ‘No’ has a slight edge

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    Three new opinion polls published Wednesday have shown a slight lead for the “no” vote on Scottish independence. Meanwhile, politicians from both sides made last minute appeals before Thursday’s referendum seeking to convince those who have not yet made up their minds. The polls by Opinium for the British newspaper Daily Telegraph, ICM for the…

  • Alex Salmond insists of using pound

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    Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond Tuesday insisted that an independent Scotland could not be prevented from using the pound. In an interview with Sky TV news, Salmond reiterated his desire to hold on to sterling, saying that the words about “being able to be vetoed from using the pound” actually is not true and no…

  • Chai is back in London

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    As part of the Darbar Festival – Southbank Centre’s annual celebration of Indian Classical music –  Roti Chai’s ‘Chaat Shack & Chai Bar’ returns as restaurant-in-residence, from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 September. The pop-up shack will take over Festival Village, a great space hidden away underneath the Queen Elizabeth Hall and built by volunteers…

  • Britain and Foreign Students

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    Mohammad Touseef looks in to the decline of the arrival of foreign students The past 14 years have witnessed the rise and fall of independent and further Private Education Industry in United Kingdom. The reports of Quality Education Agency and Independent Schools Inspectorate have played a major role in reshaping the current immigration policy and…

  • London’s Muslims call for peace

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    London’s Muslims are fearful of a backlash from indigenous Britons following the beheading of British national David Haines in West Asia by militants of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group. To pre-empt such attacks, they plan to stand united in peace and prayer Friday. Scotland Yard disclosed the London Muslim Communities Forum has appealed to…

  • LONDON TO HOST PRAVASI MEET

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    Sushma Swaraj, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, will inaugurate the event on 17th October, Friday The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs of the Government of India has decided to hold the 2014 Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (RPBD) Convention in London over three days from October 16 to 18, 2014. The main events will take place…