Month: May 2022

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India News

‘Yoga for Humanity’ theme of 8th edition of Int’l Yoga Day

The Ayush Ministry said that focusing on Yoga for Humanity, special programmes have been designed this year for specially abled people, transgender population, women and children….reports Asian Lite News

The 8th edition of International Day of Yoga will be celebrated with the theme of ‘Yoga for Humanity’. The event will be organised in India and across the globe on June 21.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the theme in his ‘Maan Ki Baat’ address to the nation.

Union Ayush Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday said that Prime Minister Modi has suitably announced this year’s theme as ‘Yoga for Humanity’.

“As we are aware, Yoga is a practice that brings joy, health, and peace from within, and it deepens a sense of continuous connection between an individual’s inner consciousness and the external world. I will be successful in propagating this theme appropriately,” he said.

The Ayush Ministry said that focusing on Yoga for Humanity, special programmes have been designed this year for specially abled people, transgender population, women and children.

The Gram Panchayats will also see huge participation as, the Common Service Centres are promoting practice and training of Common Yoga Protocol.

The 8th edition of International Day of Yoga will see many firsts, one of them is an innovative programme named ‘Guardian Ring’, which will showcase the movement of the sun, participation of people performing Yoga will take place along with the movement of the sun from different countries, beginning from east and marching towards west, the Ayush Ministry said in a statement.

ALSO READ: India, Pak resume backchannel contacts 

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-Top News India News PAKISTAN

India, Pak resume backchannel contacts  

The contacts have largely been overseen by security officials from both sides since they began more than two years ago, with meetings being held in third countries in Southeast Asia and Europe….reports Asian Lite News

India and Pakistan have resumed backchannel contacts as part of efforts to bridge differences between the two sides on a host of issues though there are no signs of any imminent breakthrough, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.

One of the most significant outcomes of these contacts in recent years was the revival of the 2003 ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC) in February last year, though there was a break in exchanges after Pakistan’s focus shifted to Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover in Kabul last August, the people said.

The contacts have largely been overseen by security officials from both sides since they began more than two years ago, with meetings being held in third countries in Southeast Asia and Europe. The backchannel talks also contributed to management of tensions between the two sides, the people said.

However, significant differences remain between the two countries on a host of issues. The Indian side is unsure whether the new government in Islamabad, formed after the ouster of former premier Imran Khan in a vote of no confidence, will be able to complete its full term till 2023.

India also has significant concerns about the threat from terror groups based on Pakistani soil, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, that have a presence in Afghanistan.

The Pakistani side, the people said, has been seeking some signal from the Indian side on the Kashmir issue so that the two countries can move things forward. “This could be a sign about the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir or the demographic structure,” one of the people cited above said.

There was no response from Indian officials on the matter. New Delhi has maintained that the onus is on Islamabad to create conditions for a dialogue.

The backchannel contacts have been facilitated by several countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the UK and the US, the people said. The ouster of Khan, whose regime had a hawkish stance on India, and the formation of the new government headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is seen as more pragmatic, has facilitated the process, they added.

Pakistan downgraded ties with India after New Delhi’s decision to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, including withdrawing its high commissioner from New Delhi. Bilateral trade was suspended, while the two sides have not held any structured dialogue since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Following the revival of the LoC ceasefire, some work was done on limited resumption of trade with India last year. The former government announced a move to allow imports of sugar and cotton from India to control prices and overcome a shortage in March last year, but the move collapsed within days when it was opposed by hardliners such as former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Former ambassador TCA Raghavan, who served as the envoy to Pakistan during 2013-15, said: “Backchannel contacts have been quite helpful in the past, including in 2003 and during 2005-08, and before that in the 1980s, but a lot depends on the overall context and what the respective heads of government want.”

When there is a general agreement between the two sides, such contacts are helpful in moving things forward by formulating concrete steps, he noted. “On their own, backchannel contacts cannot move mountains,” he added.

ALSO READ: Boris, Sharif discuss UK-Pakistan trade

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-Top News PAKISTAN UK News

Boris, Sharif discuss UK-Pakistan trade

Johnson thanked Pakistan for their help in relocating Afghans to the UK after the Taliban takeover of Kabul…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday and discussed a range of issues including trade, the human rights situation in Afghanistan and the Ukraine conflict.

“The Prime Minister spoke to Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, today following his recent election. Welcoming the United Kingdom and Pakistan’s strong partnership over the past 75 years, the Prime Minister said the relationship is incarnated in the close ties between our people,” the UK Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.

In a phone conversation, they agreed to strengthen those ties further and boost trade and investment, with the Prime Minister highlighting the appointment of a new UK Trade Envoy to Pakistan to drive those efforts.

Both Prime Ministers discussed the ongoing situation in Ukraine and other matters of mutual interest. “On international affairs, Sharif recognised the UK’s efforts to address the crisis in Ukraine, and the leaders agreed on the importance of ending the immense human suffering and global economic instability caused by the invasion,” Downing Street said.

Johnson thanked Pakistan for their help in relocating Afghans to the UK after the Taliban takeover of Kabul.

“The leaders welcomed ongoing cooperation and committed to work together to support a more peaceful and tolerant Afghanistan, noting the importance of ensuring girls can go to school,” the UK PMO said.

The Pakistan PM passed on his congratulations on Her Majesty the Queen’s upcoming Platinum Jubilee, and the leaders looked forward to meeting in person in the near future.

According to Pakistani media, Shehbaz also invited Johnson to visit Pakistan on mutually convenient dates. The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact.

ALSO READ-Shehbaz seeks investments from ‘Chinese friends’

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India News UK News

Indian journo’s exhibition in UK brings back dark memories

It is also exhibiting work during the Indian emergency days from 1975 to 1977. The exhibition started from April 28 and would continue till September 3….reports Asian Lite News

It is rare that a Hindi journalist from the Hindi heartland makes his mark in the UK.

Ram Dutt Tripathi, former senior journalist with BBC and based in Lucknow, has done just that.

His work is being prominently displayed at a four-month long exhibition, currently underway at the SOAS, University of London titled, ‘Crafting Subversion: DIY and Decolonial Print’ at its Brunei Gallery.

It is also exhibiting work during the Indian emergency days from 1975 to 1977. The exhibition started from April 28 and would continue till September 3.

Exhibition curator Dr Pragya Dhital, whose interest in print history and experimental literature stems from her research on censorship in India during the colonial period and the internal Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, explained the theme and title of the exhibition.

“DIY is a common acronym that means ‘do it yourself’. These journalists worked without the assistance of a commercial entity. They worked without commercial support and were not financially dependent on anyone else,” said Dhital, a British Academy postdoctoral research fellow at London’s Queen Mary University.

“This exhibition also includes a section on how journalists and activists published underground/ cyclostyled news bulletins to connect with their colleagues and masses during the emergency and communicated among prisoners,” Dhital said.

Ram Dutt Tripathi, at 22, was the managing editor of a fortnightly Nagar Swarajya published from Allahabad which is now being digitised by the University of Goettingen’s ‘Long Emergency’ project.

He showed how simple duplication technology could be used to produce news, focusing on the ‘Gestetner’ stencil duplicator.

This collection also contains legal documents from his arrest, trial, and imprisonment.

Tripathi said, “I am glad that my work has been displayed in London, a city known for its democratic and free-expression values. Even today, many countries tend to use more indirect and sophisticated tools to restrict freedom of expression. It was unfortunate what happened to a journalist covering the Hapur incident. People should be aware of how they attempt to communicate during a difficult time, as I did in 1975. In India, we never know if we will have to deal with it in the near future.”

The exhibition includes items from the Asia Art Archive, the Bruce Castle Museum’s Gestetner archives and pamphlets from the British library’s collection of publications proscribed in colonial India.z

ALSO READ: Indian-origin British cop to sue UK govt over ‘institutional racism’

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UK News

WW I bomb found by boy on beach

According to The Independent, the Mills bomb grenade was the first-hand grenade issued on a large scale in Britain when it was developed in 1915…reports Asian Lite News

A young boy recently discovered a World War One live grenade on a Northern Ireland beach, UK. Taking to Facebook, cops informed that the boy contacted the Police Service of Northern Ireland after spotting the device – that was “capable of exploding” – on Cultra beach.

An Army technical officer, who went to the scene to inspect, confirmed that it was a live WW1 “Mills Bomb” hand grenade. As per the social media post, the grenade was taken to Crawfordsburn Country Park where it was detonated in a controlled explosion.

In the caption, the officers said, “We contacted ATO who attended and confirmed it was an unexploded World War 1 “Mills Bomb” hand grenade. We accompanied ATO to Crawfordsburn Country Park where a controlled explosion was carried out.”

They added, “This was a live grenade that was capable of exploding. A big thank you to the young lad who found the grenade and alerted police and thanks to all involved.”

According to The Independent, the Mills bomb grenade was the first-hand grenade issued on a large scale in Britain when it was developed in 1915.

Even though it is rare, unexploded bombs from WWI and WW2 are still discovered from time to time. Earlier this year, a World War II-era grenade was picked up on a conveyor belt at a hot chips factory in New Zealand.

Back in 2020, parts of Soho in Central London were evacuated after a suspected unexploded WW2 bomb was found. In 2019, a 7 feet German explosive was also detonated off the coast of the Isle of Wight after being picked up by a fishing net.

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-Top News India News

New ‘high potential’ visa to help Indian students

The new HPI visa route will cost around GBP 715 and have the option to bring in dependents or close family members…reports Asian Lite News

Graduates from the world’s top 50 non-UK universities, including Indian students, can now come and work in Britain through a new High Potential Individual (HPI) visa route launched in London on Monday.

In a joint announcement, Indian-origin UK Cabinet ministers Rishi Sunak and Priti Patel said the new “exciting” category under the post-Brexit points-based system is aimed at attracting the “best and brightest” talent from around the world, regardless of nationality.

Successful applicants will be given a two-year work visa, with a three-year visa offered to those with a PhD, without the need for a specific job offer in hand.

“This new visa offer means that the UK can continue to attract the best and brightest from across the globe,” said Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

“The route means that the UK will grow as a leading international hub for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. We want the businesses of tomorrow to be built here today – which is why I call on students to take advantage of this incredible opportunity to forge their careers here,” he said.

“The UK is already home to some of the most ground-breaking start-ups, on the forefront of R&D and an incredibly diverse and exciting place to live – come and join in,” added UK-born Sunak, himself an MBA from Stanford University in the US.

Under the new route, the world’s top graduates in subjects such as science, engineering and medical research will be encouraged to bring their skills to the UK after graduating from prestigious universities such as Harvard, Stanford and MIT.

“I am proud to be launching this new and exciting route as part of our points-based immigration system which puts ability and talent first – not where someone comes from,” said UK Home Secretary Priti Patel.

“This government is delivering for the British people by bringing in the high skills and talent our country and businesses need,” she said.

The top 50 list of universities has been identified from the rankings lists produced annually by ‘QS’, ‘Times Higher Education’ and the ‘Academic Ranking of World Universities’ and covers universities from the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, France, Sweden and Switzerland.

The new HPI visa route will cost around GBP 715 and have the option to bring in dependents or close family members. According to the UK Home Office, an applicant applying under this route must have funds of at least GBP 1,270 and to be eligible, an institution must be outside of the UK and must have featured in the top 50 of at least two of the three rankings for the year in which the applicant was awarded the qualification.

“Graduates from the listed universities are eligible for the High Potential Individual route scheme regardless of nationality,” a Home Office spokesperson said.

“Each of the eligible universities attracts students from across the globe to study. There are several other routes eligible for graduates from other universities including the Graduate, Skilled Worker and Global Talent route,” the spokesperson said.

The Home Office notes that the list of the top 50 Global Institutes has been identified from three of the world’s most reliable university rankings lists, which are widely cited by the education system and used in immigration systems globally.

“Using a combination of these lists provides independent validation for institutions and opens up the opportunity for new international universities to move up the ranks and join this list in the future,” the spokesperson added.

The HPI visa is intended to attract an unlimited number of talented graduates at the early stages of their careers, who “demonstrate exceptional promise, providing a highly desirable and able pool of mobile talent from which UK employers can recruit”.

Meanwhile, international students, including Indians, who are studying in the UK at any of the top universities are already eligible to stay for up to three years through the Graduate visa – popularly referred to as a post-study work visa – opened in July last year.

ALSO READ-‘Vietnam key partner in India’s Act East Policy, Indo-Pacific Vision’

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-Top News China

Pacific journos barred from questioning Wang Yi

At each stop, Wang has signed bilateral deals but he is yet to take a single question from a Pacific journalist, who are instructed at the beginning of the press conferences that no questions will be permitted…reports Asian Lite News

Journalists covering Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s tour of the Pacific said they have been blocked from filming or accessing events, and that not a single question has been allowed to be asked to the top diplomat.

The allegations raise serious press freedom concerns and alarm about the ability of Pacific journalists to do their jobs, particularly as the relationship between the region and China becomes closer, the Guardian reported.

Wang is midway through a marathon trip visiting eight countries in 10 days. He has held bilateral meetings in the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji to date, with trips to Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste to come.

At each stop, Wang has signed bilateral deals but he is yet to take a single question from a Pacific journalist, who are instructed at the beginning of the press conferences that no questions will be permitted, the Guardian reported.

Lice Movono, a Fijian journalist who has written for the Guardian, said she witnessed multiple attempts by Chinese officials to limit journalists’ ability to cover the event.

“From the very beginning there was a lot of secrecy, no transparency, no access given.”

Movono said that media who had been granted permission to cover the visit, including her, had their media passes revoked without explanation, and that she and her camera operator were ordered by police to leave the lobby of the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, where they were set to film the beginning of the meeting between Wang and Fijian Prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, on Monday, the Guardian reported.

On Sunday, as the media set up to film the arrival of Wang at the Pacific Islands Forum building for a meeting with its secretary general, Henry Puna, the ABC was blocked from filming, despite having been given permission to do so.

The Pacific Islands Forum intervened to allow the filming to continue, but Movono said that Chinese officials stood in front of the camera, trying to block the shot.

She added that the joint press conference from Wang and Bainimarama on Monday afternoon was managed by Chinese officials.

ALSO READ: Pacific nations rebuff China’s push for security pact

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-Top News Europe UK News

Climate change could impact 7.4% of Britain’s GDP

They would also provide a further boost of 2.8 per cent to the UK’s economy by stimulating investment in green industries and infrastructure…reports Asian Lite News

Climate change impacts could cause damage to the UK, equivalent to cutting the size of the economy by at least 7.4 per cent by the end of this century, unless there are stronger reductions in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a research published on Monday said.

A team of researchers in the UK and the US analysed a range of previous studies to estimate the likely consequences of climate change from “catastrophic disruption to the global economic system” and direct effects across nine “impact channels”, including agriculture, livestock and fisheries, drought, flooding, and coastal damage.

“Assuming that the current climate policies worldwide would lead to a global temperature that is 3.9 degrees Celsius higher than its pre-industrial level by 2100, total climate change costs were found to increase from the equivalent of 1.1 per cent of UK gross domestic product (GDP) at present, to 3.3 per cent by 2050, and 7.4 per cent by 2100,” the study – published by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science – said.

Cutting global emissions to net zero by 2075 would limit warming to 2.1 Celsius degrees by 2100 compared with pre-industrial level, and would slash the costs the damage to the UK from climate impacts to the equivalent of 2.4 per cent of GDP, a decrease of 5.0 percentage points compared with climate change losses to the UK economy resulting from current policies worldwide.

Dr James Rising, who led the analysis at the University of Delaware, said: “These estimates provide both a stark warning of the future economic damage to the UK resulting from a lack of climate actions, and a comparison between the costs of climate change impacts and the costs of reducing emissions.”

“We estimate that the mitigation costs involved in the UK’s pathway to Net Zero by 2050 are unlikely to exceed the equivalent of 2 per cent of GDP over the transition period. Furthermore, climate mitigation policies bring additional benefits, for example, by improving health and invigorating of the economy through investment, equivalent to an increase of 6.1 per cent in GDP by the end of this century.”

The researchers found that achieving the UK’s Net Zero target would provide added benefits to the UK beyond avoided climate impacts that would be equivalent to an increase of 3.3 per cent in GDP. They would also provide a further boost of 2.8 per cent to the UK’s economy by stimulating investment in green industries and infrastructure.

“Altogether, a scenario in which the UK reaches net zero emissions by 2050, and the world as a whole achieves the same target by 2075, would result in net economic benefits to the UK economy by the end of the century that would be equivalent to an increase in GDP of 9.1 per cent,a he said, adding, “The largest economic risk under current policies is from acatastrophic disruption to the global economic system’, which could cause losses to the UK by 2100 equivalent to 4.1 per cent of GDP by 2100.”

ALSO READ-World Bank approves $700 million to support Lanka

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India News

Hardik Patel to join BJP 

Shweta Brahmbhatt, who had contested Assembly elections from Maninagar constituency on Congress symbol, is also set to join the BJP the same day…reports Asian Lite News

Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener and former Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel will join the BJP on Thursday.

Confirming the development, BJP spokesman Bharat Dangar said that Patel, along with his supporters, will join the saffron party in the presence of the party state president C.R.Patil and former Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel at 12 p.m.

Shweta Brahmbhatt, who had contested Assembly elections from Maninagar constituency on Congress symbol, is also set to join the BJP the same day, party sources said.

Last month, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Gujarat visit, she had a one-on-one with him.

Reacting to this development, PAAS leader Alpesh Kathiriya said: “I got to learn about it from the media. Hardik has not spoken to me regarding this. I wish him luck for the new journey, but the road ahead will be bumpy as he has to address pending issues of the community and ensure that cases against the Patidars are withdrawn and a family member of those who lost their lives during agitation get a government job.”

Calling him an “opportunist”, Sardar Patel Group leader Lalji Patel said that because of Hardik Patel, those leading the Patidar movement were targetted by the community members when he joined the Congress. Now that he is joining the BJP, the leaders will have to face more problems, he added.

Political analyst Hari Desai opined that it is going to be a tight rope walk for Hardik in BJP and doubted whether he will enjoy the same power and authority in BJP as it already has several stalwart Patidar leaders.

Another important factor which might not work in his favour is that the fact that the BJP has not invited him to join the party, it was his desire. This was apparent from party general secretary Pradipsinh Vaghela’s recent statement: “Neither the party has approached Hardik Patel, nor has he contacted the leaders to join us.”

ALSO READ: BJP cautions state units over AAP expansion plan

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-Top News World News

World to gather for exponential climate action at Stockholm+50

The two-day meeting will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, which marked a new era of global cooperation…reports Asian Lite news

This week world leaders and representatives from government, business, international organisations, civil society and youth will gather in Sweden for Stockholm+50, an international meeting to drive action towards a healthy planet for the prosperity of all.

The event on Thursday and Friday comes at a crucial time as the earth is in emergency mode, and urgent action is needed to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.

So what exactly is Stockholm+50, and why is it important?

Co-hosted by Sweden and Kenya, Stockholm+50 will take place under the theme “a healthy planet for the prosperity of all, our responsibility, our opportunity”.

The two-day meeting will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, which marked a new era of global cooperation.

At the 1972 conference, 113 countries adopted the Stockholm Declaration and Action Plan for the Human Environment, placing environmental issues at the forefront of international concerns.

The conference also led to the creation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and began an important dialogue between industrialised and developing countries on the links between the environment, economic growth and human well-being.

Stockholm+50 marks a milestone in the collective journey toward a healthy planet. It offers the opportunity to reflect on, celebrate and build upon 50 years of environmental action.

The meeting will be organised around plenary segments, three leadership dialogues and side events that will focus on the importance of multilateralism in tackling the triple planetary crisis.

It will also reinforce the outcomes of the fifth UN Environment Assembly, which took place earlier this year in Nairobi, Kenya. As decision makers and business leaders meet, the Exponential Roadmap Initiative

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