Central News Hub

Month: December 2024

  • Council panels to be bypassed in bid to build more homes 

    Council panels to be bypassed in bid to build more homes 

    Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the planning process was acting like a “drag anchor” on aims to deliver more housing and vowed to bring a “sweeping overhaul” of the local committee system…reports Asian Lite News

    The government will be given the power to bypass council planning committees in England under plans to make it easier to build new homes. Officials will be allowed to speed up the process by rubber-stamping proposals that comply with existing council strategies without getting permission from a committee. 

    Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the planning process was acting like a “drag anchor” on aims to deliver more housing and vowed to bring a “sweeping overhaul” of the local committee system. House builders broadly welcomed the streamlining, but councils said a better way would be to give them more resources. 

    A Conservative spokesman said the government’s plans are “nothing more than a list of empty promises which will do nothing to ensure that Britain has the housing it needs where it needs it”. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer restated his pledge to build 1.5 million new homes by 2029 despite accepting it could be “a little too ambitious”. 

    The fast-track planning process would apply to housing proposals and associated infrastructure such as schools, if they had already been broadly agreed as part of local development plans where councils set out a strategy for land use in their areas. If the proposals “comply” with these plans, the government said, they could “bypass planning committees entirely to tackle chronic uncertainty, unacceptable delays and unnecessary waste of time and resources”. 

    Rayner said building more homes and infrastructure meant “unblocking the clogged-up planning system that serves as a chokehold on growth”. “Building 1.5 million homes over five years means tackling the housing crisis we inherited head-on with bold action,” she added. 

    According to government planning statistics, between January and March 2024 only 19% of major applications were determined within the statutory 13-week period and only 38% of minor applications were determined in the statutory eight-week period. 

    The push for more homes may be popular among those voters struggling to get on the housing ladder. But even small housing projects are often opposed by people living nearby for a variety of reasons, including concerns about the impact on local schools, doctors, roads and parking. 

    Taking away the option for local people to prevent a development by making a case at a planning committee may result in a political backlash, particularly in rural areas. Labour has already angered farmers by bringing agricultural land within the scope of inheritance tax, and needs to nurture support outside cities if it is to maintain political strength. 

    The Local Government Association (LGA) said that, far from planning delays being to blame for holding up house building, a million proposed homes had in fact been agreed in principle by councils in their local strategies but developers had not brought forward plans. Councillor Adam Hug, housing spokesperson for the association representing councils, said local authorities and communities “need to be full partners in tackling the housing crisis together”. 

    He added this could be achieved with “new development supported by the infrastructure needed to make communities thrive and proper consultation and engagement that can help ensure local people are able to benefit”.  

    The Home Builders Federation (HBF) said that while “democratic involvement and oversight of planning” was a “fundamental element of the process” it could be “very frustrating for applicants to have the principle of development debated over and over again”. 

    The housing ministry also hopes to streamline the strategic planning process and introduce a requirement for better training for members of planning committees. A Planning and Infrastructure Bill will be introduced next month. 

    Many in local government and the housebuilding industry believe the now-mandatory target of 1.5 million new homes by 2029 will be impossible to meet. 

    A Conservative spokesman said the government had “set a house building ‘target’ that the OBR has already said they can’t achieve because of their own Budget”. 

    The HBF agreed with the LGA that councils needed more planning resources and also called for more financial help for young home buyers. Kate Henderson, the National Housing Federation’s chief executive, said the industry needed a “significant boost in funding for social rented homes and equal access to building safety funding for social landlords” at the upcoming spending review “as part of a package of long-term measures to help the social housing sector rebuild its capacity after decades of cuts”. 

    Next week the government will announce further reforms by updating England’s planning rulebook, the National Planning Policy Framework. 

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  • Storm Darragh rages 

    Storm Darragh rages 

    Gusts of 35-45mph are more widely expected inland, and up to 70mph in coastal areas, meaning some travel disruption and further power cuts are possible  

    Forecasters say strong winds will continue to batter the UK on Sunday in the wake of Storm Darragh which left two men dead and thousands left without power. 

    The Met Office has issued four yellow weather warnings for wind across much of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, along with south-east Scotland. 

    Gusts of 35-45mph are more widely expected inland, and up to 70mph in coastal areas, meaning some travel disruption and further power cuts are possible. 

    The Met Office issued a rare red weather warning for wind on Saturday as Storm Darragh brought gusts of up to 93mph as it swept across the UK. 

    The two victims of Saturday’s storm were killed in separate incidents when trees fell on their vehicles in Lancashire and the West Midlands. The Energy Networks Association said on Saturday evening that 259,000 customers were still without power. 

    It added that engineers would be working through the night said they would be working through the night and into Sunday to restore power. 

    Northern Ireland Electricity Networks said more than 20,000 properties were without power on Saturday evening and warned it may take days for supplies to be fully restored. At the storm’s peak, more than 48,000 premises were affected. Sixty-four flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected – and 147 flood alerts are in place for parts of England following heavy rain, according to the Environment Agency. 

    In Wales, which is still recovering from the flooding left by Storm Bert last month, Natural Resources Wales says 25 flood warnings and 49 alerts are in force. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has two flood warnings in place. 

    Disruption to train travel is also expected to continue, with National Rail warning passengers to check their journeys before travelling. 

    It said there is likely to be “significant disruption with heavy rain and wind” to services in south-west Scotland, north and south-west England and Wales. Operators including Chiltern Railways, Great Western Railways, Northern, LNER and Transport for Wales currently face delays and cancellations. 

    Belfast International Airport said that a full flight schedule is planned for Sunday but it could be subject to delays. Storm Darragh was the fourth named storm of the season following Bert and Conall last month. 

    Millions sent alert 

    Around three million people in parts of Wales and south-west England were sent an emergency alert from the government as Storm Darragh approached. It was the largest use of the warning system yet and has been sent to the mobile phones of people in areas covered by the Met Office red weather warning for the storm. 

    The alert made a loud siren-like sound when it was delivered to devices, even if they were set on silent, and lasted for around 10 seconds.  

    Red weather warning issued 

    A rare red warning for wind for parts of North Wales, has been issued by the Met Office as Storm Darragh sweeps in. The eight hour top Met Office alert comes into force tomorrow (Saturday) at 3am, lasting until 11am, covering Anglesey, Conwy and Gwynedd. It also covers other parts of west and south Wales. 

    Weather forecasters have urged people to take extra care. A Met Office statement said: “A period of extremely strong winds will develop during the early hours of Saturday morning as Storm Darragh moves across the Irish Sea. 

    “Gusts of 90 mph or more are possible over coasts and hills of west and south Wales, as well as funnelling through the Bristol Channel with some very large waves on exposed beaches. 

    “The strongest winds will begin to ease from late morning, though it will remain very windy with Amber wind warnings still in force until the evening.” 

    The statement added: “Keep yourself and others safe; avoid travelling by road during potentially dangerous conditions. It is not safe to drive in these conditions. Don’t risk injury to others or damage to your property. If you can do so safely, check for loose items outside your home and secure them. Items include; Christmas decorations, bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences. Being outside in high winds makes you vulnerable to injury. Stay indoors if you can. ” 

    Over 200 flood alerts 

    As the winds subsided, the rain poured down. Natural Resources Wales issued 27 flood warnings and there were 17 more in England. There were also more than 200 flood alerts, where flooding was possible. In Scotland, where an amber warning was in place, there were warnings in the Borders and Tayside. 

    Most people avoided the roads, but a few took a risk. Woodbine, who runs Woody’s Glamping, a site in the foothills of Snowdonia, said a family with four children had turned up unexpectedly, asking to stay in one of his tents. He put them up in a more secure lodge instead. 

    “My wife said to them: ‘there’s a warning – please, if you’re leaving, you’re going to have to take it very, very carefully’.” 

    Traffic cameras showed mostly empty roads yesterday. Even the M25’s “road to hell” section near Heathrow was comparatively quiet – the airport had suffered 83 cancellations by Saturday afternoon, according to Flightaware, a tracking service, with dozens more flights cancelled elsewhere and ferry crossings at Stranraer, the Western Isles, Holyhead and Fishguard also halted. Network Rail listed 14 disruptions. 

    People who did venture out found few places to go in the worst affected areas. Events were cancelled and businesses stayed shut after the storm knocked out power. The Energy Networks Association said 177,000 homes in mainland Britain were without electricity yesterday afternoon, and its member networks’ online incident maps showed a sea of dots stretching from Eastbourne on the south coast to Bamburgh in Northumberland. 

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  • Fresh Israeli Airstrikes Hit Lebanon, Kill Five

    Fresh Israeli Airstrikes Hit Lebanon, Kill Five

    A ceasefire, brokered by the US and France, went into effect on November 27, aiming to halt nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah….reports Asian Lite News

    Four people were killed and six others injured in an Israeli airstrike on the village of Beit Lif in the Bint Jbeil district in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported.

    Meanwhile, a person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a motorbike in the village of Deir Siriane in southern Lebanon, Xinhua news agency reported quoting NNA.

    The NNA also reported that Civil Defence teams retrieved the bodies of four Syrians who were killed on November 24 in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a residential building in the Basta neighborhood in Beirut.

    A ceasefire, brokered by the US and France, went into effect on November 27, aiming to halt nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

    Under the agreement, both sides agreed to a 60-day cessation of hostilities, with Israel gradually withdrawing its forces from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah retreating north of the Litani River.

    Despite the truce, tensions remain high as both sides exchange accusations of ceasefire violations, raising concerns about the agreement’s durability.

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  • Chhetri Does It Again 

    Chhetri Does It Again 

    Chhetri inspired the Blues to clinch all three points in this edition of the Southern Rivalry as he scored thrice and at 40 years and 126 days, became the oldest hat-trick scorer in the ISL…reports Asian Lite News 

    Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri made another glorious addition to his plethora of records by becoming the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the Indian Super League as he helped Bengaluru FC decimate Kerala Blasters 4-2 in a Season 2024-25 clash at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Saturday.  

    Chhetri inspired the Blues to clinch all three points in this edition of the Southern Rivalry as he scored thrice and at 40 years and 126 days, became the oldest hat-trick scorer in the ISL, surpassing Bartholomew Ogbeche, who did it for Hyderabad FC against FC Goa at 38 years and 96 days old in January 2023. 

    Despite holding only 36.4% of total possession, Bengaluru FC were clinical in converting the limited opportunities that they created – as four of their five shots on target resulted in goals. 

    The duo of Chhetri and Ryan Williams were critical in helping the Blues take a 2-0 advantage in the first half of the game. 

    The home side was pressing forward from the onset, exploring a host of opportunities to find the back of the net. Williams was central in that endeavour, driving to the flank with the ball before lobbing in a precise cross for Chhetri in the eighth minute. The striker timed his run to perfection and thundered in the assist to break the deadlock. 

    From provider, Williams turned the scorer in the 38th minute. Operating in the final third, Williams received a pass from Edgar Mendez at the edge of the box on the right side. Instead of playing a short pass forward, the former curled in an excellent shot into the top left corner to add another goal to his side’s tally. 

    Kerala Blasters FC entered the second session of the match with arguably greater intensity, taking the game to the opposition. Noah Sadaoui played a key role in that, setting up an assist for Jesus Jimenez in the 56th minute. Whilst the pass was straightforward, Jimenez’s left-footed effort found its way into the centre of the goal to cut the deficit. 

    With momentum swaying in their favour, Kerala Blasters FC equalised the scores in the 67th minute. Freddy Lallawmawma’s exceptional aerial abilities came to the fore as Adrian Luna’s cross following a corner was met accurately by the former from the left side of the six-yard box to the bottom left corner. 

    Bengaluru FC immediately got together and their seasoned frontline took the lead in that. Six minutes later, Jorge Pereyra Diaz and Chhetri interlinked in the attacking half, as the Argentine orchestrated the goal with his accurate pass from a fast break, picking the latter on the centre of the box. Chhetri deposited the ball into the bottom left corner. 

    To his credit, Chhetri kept finding himself in goal-scoring opportunities and that was consistent right until the end of the game. In the added time of the second half, Chinglensana Singh turned to Chhetri following a set-piece scenario and the striker was perfectly positioned in the middle of the 18-yard area. His finishing finesse was visible again, as he slotted the ball into the bottom left corner to complete a treble of goals. 

    Kerala Blasters FC will play their next match against Mohun Bagan Super Giant on December 14. Bengaluru FC will be squaring off against FC Goa on the same day in a Saturday doubleheader. 

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  • RBI’s New Game Plan 

    RBI’s New Game Plan 

    The move is aimed at attracting more foreign capital at a time when the Indian rupee has come under pressure as foreign investors have been pulling money out of the Indian stock markets…reports Asian Lite News 

    The RBI on Friday increased the interest rate ceilings on Foreign Currency Non-Resident Bank deposits or FCNR (B) deposits which will enable NRIs to earn more on their savings.  

    The move is aimed at attracting more foreign capital at a time when the Indian rupee has come under pressure as foreign investors have been pulling money out of the Indian stock markets resulting in hot money outflows. 

    FCNR(B) deposits are accounts where Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) can hold their earnings in foreign currencies like USD or GBP, protecting them from exchange rate fluctuations. 

    “In order to attract more capital inflows, RBI has decided to increase the interest rate ceilings on FCNR (B) deposits. Accordingly, with effect from today (December 6, 2024), banks are permitted to raise fresh FCNR(B) deposits of 1 year to less than 3 years maturity at rates not exceeding ARR plus 400 bps and deposits with maturity between 3 to 5 years at rates not exceeding ARR plus 500 bps. This relaxation will be available till March 31, 2025,” an RBI statement said. 

    Until now, interest rates on Foreign Currency Non-Resident Bank (FCNR(B)) deposits were subject to ceilings of Overnight Alternative Reference Rate (ARR) for the respective currency/swap, plus 250 basis points for deposits of 1 year to less than 3 years maturity and overnight ARR plus 350 basis points for deposits of 3 years and above and up to 5 years maturity, according to an RBI statement. 

    Banks have now been allowed to offer higher interest across the tenors. 

    The RBI has also decided to move ahead with the introduction of the Secured Overnight Rupee Rate (SORR), a benchmark based on the secured money markets. 

    Financial Benchmarks India Ltd (FBIL) is being requested to take the proposal forward. 

    The proposal is being taken up in line with the recommendation of the RBI’s Committee on the MIBOR Benchmark. 

    The Reserve Bank had set up the Committee on the MIBOR Benchmark headed by Ramanathan Subramanian to review the rupee interest rate benchmarks in the country, especially the usage of Mumbai Interbank Outright Rate (MIBOR), and to examine the need for transition to new benchmarks. The Committee recommended several important measures to further develop the interest rate derivative market and improve the credibility of interest rate benchmarks. The Report of the Committee was published on the RBI’s website inviting comments from members of the public. The Reserve Bank has examined the recommendations of the Committee as well as the feedback received. 

    “The other recommendations of the Committee are under consideration,” the RBI statement said. 

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  • Syrian opposition claims rebel fighters entered Damascus

    Syrian opposition claims rebel fighters entered Damascus

    Multiple media outlets have reported that Syrian President Bashar Assad has left the country, citing rebel forces…reports Asian Lite News

    Syrian Opposition said the rebel fighters entered the capital of Damascus at dawn Sunday, according to the Britain-based war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

    The monitor said hundreds of government soldiers were ordered to withdraw from Damascus International Airport, and were seen removing their military uniforms and donning civilian clothing, Xinhua news agency reported.

    Multiple media outlets have reported that Syrian President Bashar Assad has left the country, citing rebel forces. The Syrian presidency had said on Saturday that Assad was still performing his constitutional duties in the capital.

    Xinhua reporters in Damascus witnessed intense gunshots reverberating through the streets with heavy traffic caused by cars departing the capital.

    Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali said in a speech published on Facebook shortly after the rebels’ claim of entering Damascus that he was ready to “cooperate” with any leadership chosen by the people and urged citizens against vandalising public facilities.

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  • Moscow Rejects Opposition Control in Syria

    Moscow Rejects Opposition Control in Syria

    Since November 27, Syrian rebel groups, led by the HTS, have launched major offensives on multiple fronts in Syria…reports Asian Lite News

    Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the Syrian opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is a “terrorist organisation,” and such groups must not be allowed to take control of Syria.

    While attending the Doha Forum 2024 in Qatar, Lavrov highlighted the role of the Russian Air Force in assisting the Syrian government to combat opposition forces, Xinhua news agency reported.

    In a trilateral meeting with Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers, Lavrov said the three parties had reached a consensus on the need for coordinated efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution, emphasising that hostilities in Syria must come to an immediate end.

    Since November 27, Syrian rebel groups, led by the HTS, have launched major offensives on multiple fronts in Syria, advancing further on government-held territories after seising key cities like Aleppo and Hama.

    The Doha Forum is an annual event focusing on regional and international issues and global challenges. This year’s forum, themed “The Innovation Imperative,” is taking place on Saturday and Sunday.

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  • Hamas Issues New Hostage Video, Calls for Truce

    Hamas Issues New Hostage Video, Calls for Truce

    Darwish said Hamas is open to mediator proposals, provided they prioritise the interests of the Palestinian people and work to ease their suffering…reports Asian Lite News

    The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, released a new video showing an Israeli hostage alive and held in Gaza, in which he called for a prisoner exchange deal.

    “I was held captive by Hamas for over 420 days … To Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, I heard about your new plan to bring us home, offering 5 million dollars to anyone who ensured our safe return and exit from Gaza,” said the hostage identified as Matan Zangauker.

    “The (Israeli) government neglected us and continued to do so every day. I hoped you would do everything you could to change the situation and bring me and the other prisoners back alive, in good health, and safely,” Zangauker said.

    His mother, Einav Zangauker, is one of the prominent activists in the struggle for the release of the hostages, including pressuring the Israeli government to advance a deal with Hamas, Xinhua news agency reported.

    Einav Zangauker spoke at a demonstration in Tel Aviv after the video was released and addressed Netanyahu, “The fact that Matan is alive today does not mean that he will survive the winter or the continued military pressure. The only way to return Matan and everyone is through a deal, even at the cost of ending the war.”

    Also on Saturday, Hamas said in a statement that ending the war and Israeli “aggression” is the core of any agreement in Gaza.

    The statement was issued following a meeting in Doha between Mohammad Darwish, chairman of Hamas’s Shura Council, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

    Darwish said Hamas is open to mediator proposals, provided they prioritise the interests of the Palestinian people and work to ease their suffering, and urged increasing support for Gaza’s residents and countering Israel’s “malicious plans” of killings, blockade, and starvation in the enclave.

    Darwish also highlighted the outcomes of recent meetings in Cairo between Hamas and Fatah delegations held under Egyptian sponsorship. On Thursday, Hamas announced its approval of the Egyptian proposal to form a joint committee with Fatah to run the post-war Gaza Strip.

    According to the Saturday statement by Hamas, Araghchi reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to the Palestinian cause and emphasised efforts to strengthen the Palestinian people’s resilience through all possible means and platforms.

    Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage.

    The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza has risen to 44,664, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Saturday.

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  • UN Chief Demands Immediate Release of Aid Workers Held by Houthis

    UN Chief Demands Immediate Release of Aid Workers Held by Houthis

    The United Nations, NGOs and other relevant international partners are working through all possible channels and authorities to secure the immediate release …reports Asian Lite News

    UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for the immediate and unconditional release of the humanitarian personnel detained by the Houthis in Yemen.

    It has been six months since the detention of more than 50 humanitarian personnel from the United Nations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society and diplomatic missions, in addition to four other UN personnel detained since 2021 and 2023, Xinhua news agency reported quoting Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN chief.

    The Secretary General acknowledges the recent release of one UN staff member and two NGO personnel, but recalls that the continued arbitrary detention of dozens of others is unacceptable and constitutes a violation of international law, the statement said.

    “These detentions threaten the safety of humanitarian personnel and significantly impair efforts to assist millions of people in need. These actions are inconsistent with genuine engagement in peace efforts,” it added.

    The United Nations, NGOs and other relevant international partners are working through all possible channels and authorities to secure the immediate release of those arbitrarily detained, the statement said.

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  • Pakistan: New Gwadar Airport Set to Start Ops

    Pakistan: New Gwadar Airport Set to Start Ops

    The airport, a donation by China, is a 4F-grade state-of-the-art facility that can handle the largest civil aircraft…reports Asian Lite News

    The New Gwadar International Airport is set to commence operations by the end of December, Acting Director General of the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), Air Vice Marshal Zeeshan Saeed, said.

    During his visit to the airport, the officer was briefed about the airport’s cutting-edge features and the promising business and investment opportunities it is expected to generate in the future, Xinhua news agency reported quoting PAA.

    The airport, a donation by China, is a 4F-grade state-of-the-art facility that can handle the largest civil aircraft. Its 3,658-metre-long, 75-metre-wide runway, with specialised foundation treatment, sets a benchmark in engineering standards.

    Designed to transform connectivity, the airport features a spacious apron with five slots for wide-body aircraft and plans for extensive cargo operations with a dedicated cargo shed and future expansions.

    Addressing previous connectivity challenges, the airport will enable modern airlines to serve Gwadar, enhancing regional economic growth and positioning Gwadar as a transhipment hub linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

    Launched in 2013, CPEC, a flagship project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, is a corridor linking the Gwadar Port in southwest Pakistan’s Balochistan province with Kashgar in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which highlights energy, transport, and industrial cooperation in the first phase, while in the new phase expands to fields of agriculture and livelihood, among others.

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