Asian Lite News Archive

Category: World News

  • Jordan executes two terrorists after ISIS kills pilot

    —

    in , ,

      Jordan executed two convicted jihadis in retaliation for the killing of one of its air force pilots by the Islamic State (IS) militants, BBC reported . The executed terrorists included Sajida al-Rishawi, a woman, whose release the IS had demanded as a condition for releasing Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh. Al Qaeda operative Ziyad Karboli…

  • Jordanian pilot burnt alive by ISIS

    —

    in , ,

      The Islamic State (IS) claimed in an online video to have burnt alive Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh, who was captured by the Sunni radical group after his plane crashed in Syria in December last year, media reports said. The video, which could not immediately be verified, shows a man standing in a cage and…

  • Al Jazeera journalist gives up Egypt passport

    —

    in , ,

    Mohamed Fahmy, one of two al-Jazeera journalists still held in Egypt, has renounced his Egyptian citizenship to secure his release, his family said. Fahmy’s brother said the journalist, who is also Canadian, was told to give up either his nationality or his freedom. Canada says his release is imminent. The status of his Egyptian colleague…

  • More bodies of AirAsia victims found

    —

    in ,

    Rescuers have found 90 bodies of victims of crashed AirAsia plane from Indonesia’s waters, rescuers said . “So far, as many as 90 corpses have been discovered,” said Nurul Karlina, official in charge at National Search and Rescue Office. Search and rescue operation continues and is now undertaken by rescuers from the office and local…

  • US hails Sri Lankan agenda

    —

    in , ,

    The US said that despite some difficult challenges ahead for Sri Lanka, the country has put forward an ambitious agenda for their first 100 days, the Sri Lankan president’s office said . Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Biswal made the comments while meeting Sri Lanka’s newly elected President…

  • US shifts stance on Ukraine military aid

    —

    in ,

    The US is now considering sending lethal aid to help the Ukrainian government to fend off attacks from pro-Russian rebels in the eastern part of Ukraine. This assistance would come in the form of so-called “defensive lethal aid”, which could include anti-tank, anti-air and anti-mortar systems, CNN reported. A US official said that military leadership…

  • Tobacco biggest cause of cancer

    —

    in , , ,

    Tobacco is the single most important factor which causes cancer, but the disease can be prevented by taking simple steps like eating a healthy diet, managing obesity and proper exposure to the sun, say experts. Vinit Talwar of the capital’s Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute said while in women, cancer is caused due to over exposure…

  • Australian journalist released

    —

    in , ,

    The family of Australian journalist Peter Greste  said they were delighted to learn that he has been released from Egyptian prison and is flying back home, a media report said. Peter Greste, freed after reportedly spending 400 days in prison, worked for the Doha-based Al-Jazeera channel. His two other colleagues and prison inmates — Egyptian…

  • Khaleda sued for 42 murders

    —

    in , , ,

    Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia  was sued for the murder of 42 people during the anti-government movement led by her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) since Jan 5. Besides Zia, three other BNP officials — standing committee member Rafiqul Islam Mia, vice chairman Shamser Mobin Chowdhury and pro-BNP intellectual Emajuddin Ahmed — have also been…

  • Romney not running for president

    —

    in , ,

      Republican Mitt Romney, who had lost to Democrat Barack Obama in the 2012 US presidential election, said he would not seek nomination from his party to run for the presidency in 2016, media reports said Friday. The former Massachusetts governor shared his decision on a conference call with a small group of advisers, The…

  • Egypt’s Sinai attacks reaches 33

    —

    in , ,

      The toll in mortar attacks that targeted security premises in Egypt’s North Sinai province rose to 33, a security source told Xinhua news agency . “The injured people include 31 military men and two civilians and they are being transferred from Arish to Cairo by air-ambulances for better treatment,” the source added. On Thursday…

  • Obama to raise spending in budget

    —

    in , ,

    By Miriam Burgues   US President Barack Obama will present his annual budget proposals for the 2016 fiscal year next week, with proposed boosts in expenditure on defence, health and education programmes. In an article published in “The Huffington Post” , Obama said his budget would “fully reverse” the spending cuts known as sequestration that took…

  • Jordan follows up on pilot’s situation

    —

    in , ,

     The Jordanian army said it was following-up on the situation of a pilot captured by the Islamic State (IS) terror group. In a statement, the army said it was working with all the state institutions to follow up on the situation of the Jordanian pilot, Lt. Mu’ath al-Kaseasbeh, Xinhua reported. The army’s remark came after…

  • Israel expand homes in West Bank

    —

    in , ,

    Israel published tenders for 450 new settlement units in West Bank’s Jewish settlements. The tenders include 102 housing units in Kyriat Arba, a stronghold of radical right-wing settlers; 78 units in Alfei Menashe, one of the largest settlement cities; 114 units in the settlement of Adam; and 156 in Elkana, Xinhua news agency reported. “Another…

  • Pakistan opposes UN Council permanent seat to India

    —

    in , , , ,

    Pakistan reiterated its opposition to grant a permanent seat on UN Security Council to India and insisted on reforms to make the forum more democratic. Pakistan contested the Indian move after US President Barack Obama announced support for India to seek permanent Security Council’s seat during his recent visit to New Delhi. Foreign ministry spokesperson…

  • Co-pilot flew AirAsia aircraft before crash

    —

    in ,

    The French co-pilot was flying the AirAsia flight QZ8501 before it crashed into waters off Indonesia last month, investigators said here . Head of the investigators from the National Transport Safety Committee (KNKT) Mardjono Siswosuwarno said: “The second-in-command, known as co-pilot, who usually sits to the right of the cockpit, was flying the plane at…

  • Obama snubs Netanyahu

    —

    in , , ,

     US President Barack Obama said that he will not meet the visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in March, because the Israeli leader’s US trip would be too close to the elections in his country. “I’m declining to meet with him (Netanyahu) simply because our general policy is (that) we don’t meet with any world…

  • Ebola toll nearly 8,800: WHO

    —

    in , ,

     The number of people killed by the Ebola virus disease has reached 8,795, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said. A total of 22,057 cases of the Ebola virus disease have been reported, WHO said in a statement Tuesday. In line with statistics, the maximum number of Ebola-related deaths has been registered in Liberia. There…

  • US media sees geopolitical implications

    —

    in , , ,

    By Arun Kumar  Taking a generally positive view of US President Barack Obama’s India visit, the US media has suggested that his personal chemistry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi had opened a new chapter in India-US relations. “After years of near misses and unfulfilled promises,” Obama and Modi “appear to have set relations between their…

  • ISIS threatens to kill Japanese and Jordanian

    —

    in , ,

    The ISIS terrorist group has threatened to kill a Japanese correspondent and Jordanian pilot within 24 hours if a female suicide bomber imprisoned in Jordan is not released. In a video posted online Tuesday afternoon, Japanese war correspondent Kenji Goto appeared with a message to the Japanese government, Xinhua news agency reported. Goto asked the Japanese…

  • Fidel Castro cautiously backs US ties

    —

    in ,

        Former Cuban president Fidel Castro has broken his silence for the first time on normalising ties with the US, supporting the development with a touch of caution. In a message to students at the University of Havana, he said he did not trust US policy, although he supported negotiations and peaceful solution to…

  • World remembers Auschwitz

    —

    in ,

    German President Joachim Gauck  urged all Germans never to forget the Holocaust. “There is no German identity without Auschwitz,” Gauck said in his speech to the nation’s parliament, Bundestag, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Gauck said: “The remembrance of the Holocaust remains something for all…

  • Many killed in attack on Libya hotel

    —

    in , ,

    Several Islamic State (IS) affiliates launched an attack on Libya’s biggest hotel in the capital Tripoli, killing three hotel guards and five foreigners, according to security sources. Some witnesses said a bomb was detonated at Corinthia Hotel’s parking lot around 10 a.m., shaking the whole central area of the city. Then two men firing guns…

  • ISIS ‘driven out of Kobane’

    —

    in , ,

      Kurdish forces have driven Islamic State (IS) militants from Kobane, officials say, ending a four-month battle for the northern Syrian town. Fighters from the Popular Protection Units (YPG) were said to have entered outlying areas in the east of the town after the jihadis retreated, BBC reported. The US said anti-IS forces were in…

  • Would cheat again: Armstrong

    —

    in , ,

      Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has said he should be forgiven after suffering a lot of public humiliation for doping and lying, but defended his conduct, insisting he would do it again. Armstrong was stripped of his record seven Tour de France titles and banned from the sport for life by the United States Anti-Doping…

  • A defining partnership of the century: Obama

    —

    in , ,

      US President Barack Obama said  the India-US relationship could potentially emerge as the defining partnership of the century. “I believe that the relationship between India and the US can become the defining partnership of the century,” Obama said in a town-hall style lecture at the Sri Fort Auditorium here. The US president said he…

  • Proud to be India’s partner: Obama

    —

    in , , ,

    “Sisters and brothers of India”, is how US President Barack Obama addressed a town hall style gathering here, stressing that the ties between the two countries can be the “defining partnership of the century”. In his speech at the Siri Fort Auditorium before a gathering largely comprising young people, students, NGOs and diplomats, Obama said:…

  • Church of England consecrates its first female bishop

    —

    in , ,

    The Church of England consecrated its first female bishop, the Reverend Libby Lane, at a historic ceremony in the Cathedral of York, in northern England. Lane, who was appointed to the post December 17, 2014, will become the eighth bishop of Stockport, a city in northern England, in an event witnessed by a thousand guests.…

  • US media makes a splash of Obama visit

    —

    in , , ,

    By Arun Kumar President Barack Obama’s historic visit to India received prominent coverage in US media with major newspapers focusing on the breakthrough on the nuclear deal and splashing pictures of the pomp and pageantry. The influential New York Times carried on top of the front page a four-column picture of Obama reviewing the guard…

  • Attempt to lift AirAsia wreckage fails

    —

    in , ,

      A new attempt to lift the submerged fuselage of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 failed when a wire rope snapped after the wreckage reached the surface of the water, Indonesian officials said. “The fuselage appeared at the surface, but the rope broke and it fell down again,” said Suryadi B. Supriyadi, director of operations and training…

  • US braces for ‘historic blizzard’

    —

    in , ,

    Residents of the states of the northeastern US were preparing for what meteorologists said would be a “historic blizzard” that would affect the region from onward. Weather authorities have issued a blizzard warning for Philadephia, Pennsylvania and the east coast including New York, New Jersey and New England, as well as Canada, from Monday afternoon…

  • Abbott criticised for knighting Duke of Edinburgh

    —

    in , ,

    Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has come under harsh criticism after granting Australian knighthood to the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, Consort of Queen Elizabeth II, one of the highest awards in Australia, media reported . Abbott decorated the Duke of Edinburgh because “the monarchy has been an important part of Australia’s life since 1788”,…

  • Iran ‘resolute’ over peaceful nuclear rights

    —

    in , ,

    Iran is firm and resolute over its nuclear rights and is ready to prove that its nuclear activities are peaceful, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said here. “As for the nuclear issue, the Iran is after the peaceful use of nuclear energy and wants to enjoy its rights within the framework of international regulations and the…

  • Yemeni president to withdraw resignation

    —

    in ,

    Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi has decided to withdraw his resignation, an official said. Hadi made the decision to withdraw his resignation due to international efforts led by United Nations envoy Jamal Bin Omar, as well as representatives of the political parties in the country, Xinhua quoted a presidential advisor as saying. Hadi has six…

  • Moving towards commercial nuclear cooperation: Modi

    —

    in , ,

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India and the US are moving towards commercial cooperation of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal. “Civil nuclear deal was the centerpiece of our transformed relationships which demonstrated new trust. It also created new economic opportunities and expanded our options for clean energy,” Modi said, addressing a joint press conference with…

  • Khaleda Zia charged with ‘instigating arson’

    —

    in , , ,

      Bangladesh Police have registered a criminal case against former prime minister Khaleda Zia for “instigating arson” here that left 27 people seriously injured, the media reported . Zia was booked over petrol bombs attack by suspected members of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which she heads, on a passenger bus at Jatrabarhi area during the…

  • Obama begins India visit with a bear hug

    —

    in , , ,

      US President Barack Obama, accompanied by his wife Michelle, arrived here on a three-day India visit – his second in four years – during which he will be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade Jan 26. Breaking with protocol, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received him at the VVIP terminal of the Indira…

  • Obama accorded ceremonial welcome

    —

    in , , ,

    US President Barack Obama, who was accorded a ceremonial red carpet welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan , said it’s “a great honour” to be back in India. “It’s a great honour to be back in India. I am grateful for the extraordinary hospitality,” Obama told reporters in the forecourt of the magnificent presidential palace where he…

  • Maharashtra to buy Ambedkar’s London home

    —

    in , , , ,

    Maharashtra is to buy the residential property in London where Dr B R Ambedkar lived while studying at the London School of Economics in 1921-22. The Maharashtra government has written to the Centre expressing its wish to acquire a residential property at 10 King Henry Road, Chalk Farm, London. The Maharashtra government has decided to buy…

  • King Salman takes charge in Saudi Arabia

    —

    in , ,

    Saudi Arabia’s former Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud  took the pledge of allegiance as the new king following the death of King Abdullah, the ruler of the world’s largest oil exporter for nearly a decade. Within hours of his accession to the throne, the 79-year-old Salman, who is half-brother of King Abdullah, vowed…

  • India condole King Abdullah’s death

    —

    in , , ,

        Indian leaders, led by President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, condoled the death of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, saying he was a “guiding force” and a “close friend” of India. In a condolence message, Mukherjee said: “My heartfelt condolences to the government, royal family and people…

  • Obama warns Pakistan over terror havens

    —

    in , , ,

    Sending a clear message to Pakistan, US President Barack Obama has said “safe havens” of terrorism within that country were not acceptable and described India as a “true global” partner. Obama also called for those behind the Mumbai terror attacks to be brought to justice. “I have made it clear that even as the US…

  • UN chief calls for fight against anti-Semitism

    —

    in , ,

    UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon voiced support for the fight against anti-Semitism, saying the world body has as a duty to speak out on this matter and prevent it, a media report said. “Our efforts to build a world of mutual understanding are being severely tested today by rising extremism and barbaric acts,” Ban said…

  • King Abdullah dies

    —

    in , ,

    Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has died in hospital, state TV says. The announcement, made early , said his brother, Salman, had become king reports BBC. Before the announcement, Saudi television cut to Koranic verses, which often signifies the death of a senior royal. King Abdullah, who was said to be aged about 90, had…

  • Pakistan freezes bank accounts of Hafiz Mohammad

    —

    in , , , ,

      In an apparent move towards swift implementation of anti-terror acts, Pakistan Thursday froze the bank accounts of now banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), and restricted its leader Hafiz Mohammad Saeed from foreign travel. “Pakistan took this decision under the UN obligation and not under pressure from any other quarter, including John Kerry,” Pakistan foreign spokesperson Tasneem…

  • Pakistan bans Haqqani network

    —

    in , , ,

      Pakistan has banned the Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) and the Haqqani network after the US insisted it do so, a media report said . “The US has sought a ban on the Haqqani network and the Jamaat-ud Dawa but the matter was being delayed,” Dawn online quoted an interior ministry official as saying The Pakistani…

  • Four charged for Paris attacks

    —

    in ,

      Four men were charged with having links to the terrorist strikes in France earlier this month, which killed 20 people, including three gunmen, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office, media reported . According to The Independent, Paris Prosecutor, Francois Molins, said that the accused were handed preliminary charges of association with terrorism. The men,…

  • Palestinian stabs nine in Tel Aviv

    —

    in , ,

    At least nine people were injured y when a Palestinian man stabbed bus passengers in Tel Aviv, Israel police said. The incident took place when a 23-year-old Palestinian from the West Bank, who has not been identified, attacked the passengers on a bus running in the southern area of the city, said police spokesman Micky…

  • France grants citizenship to its ‘supermarket hero’

    —

    in ,

      A Muslim man, Lassana Bathily, who saved several shoppers’ lives during the Paris terrorist attack has been granted French citizenship. Bathily, an employee at Hyper Cacher kosher supermarket in Vincennes, helped to guide a group of hostages into a downstairs walk-in freezer while the gunman was preparing to kill them Jan 9. Bathily, who…

  • A defiant Obama, bats for middle class

    —

    in , ,

    By Arun Kumar  Noting that he had no more campaigns to run, a defiant Barack Obama set out to seal his legacy in his final two years with a blunt veto threat against any attempts to undermine his legislative achievements. “I have no more campaigns to run,” he reminded the Republican controlled Congress as he…