“In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away”     VBA's Positive News Cuba migration change eases return for defectors Cuba is 'normalizing the temporary entrance into the country of those who emigrated illegally following the migratory accords of 1994 if more than eight years has gone by since their departure,' Homero Acosta, secretary of the governing Council of State, said in a recent television programme examining the changes announced last month. The migration accords with the US called for 20,000 immigration visas to be issued to Cubans each year, and for the repatriation of islanders caught at sea before reaching American shores.     FARC declares ceasefire as peace talks start with Colombia Colombia's FARC rebels announced on Monday a two-month unilateral ceasefire, the first truce in more than a decade, as peace negotiators met in Cuba in the latest attempt to end the five-decade war. The FARC said it would halt all offensive military operations and acts of sabotage against infrastructure beginning at midnight on Monday night and running through 20 January.      US President Obama gets taste of Thailand at Buddhist temple Leaving behind chants of 'Obama, Obama' by adoring crowds on the streets, the President of the United States stepped into the serenity of Thailand's most famous temple compound to marvel at its centrepiece -- a gigantic, golden statue of a reclining Buddha propped up on one elbow before passing into nirvana. Parts of the temple date to Thai King Rama I in the 1700s. Neuroscience says buildings can reshape our brains A group of scientists believe that our brains are deeply affected by the spaces around us. Led by the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture, an organization of neuroscientists and architects, a growing body of evidence proves that certain types of spaces actually promote the growth of new neurons. Such an insight could have huge implications.       Video of the Day:

World Round-Up

Political + Congress confident of defeating a no-confidence motion        Seventy two hours ahead of the winter session of Parliament, the Congress said it was certain it could defeat a no-confidence motion brought against the United Progressive Alliance government. Indeed, the idea of facing a no-confidence motion --something that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Bannerjee wishes to sponsor -- bothers them far less than a resolution opposing foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail under a rule that entails voting. “We will prove our majority on the floor of the Lok Sabha whenever any such motion comes,” party spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit said, adding, “We have more than 272.” The Congress’ confidence about its ability to muster the numbers in case Ms Bannerjee rustles up the 54 MPs she needs to back a no-trust move (she has just 19 MPs) springs from the fact that most political parties are not keen to face elections at this moment. Indeed, on Monday, two days after Ms Bannerjee first issued her threat, both the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance and the Communist Party of India-Marxist stressed that they had no intention of backing a no-confidence motion. Such a move, the BJP-led NDA feels, will help the Congress to mobilise parties that have publicly opposed `unpopular’ government decisions, and allow it to claim that Parliament has endorsed them all, including FDI in multi- brand retail. Moreover, once a no-trust motion is defeated, the opposition cannot bring another for at least six months. Publicly, thus far, NDA leaders are reluctant to outright reject the proposal of the Trinamool chief, a potential ally for 2014, now that she has split with the UPA: Ms Bannerjee has after all, held both the railways and coal and mines portfolios in an NDA government. A nuanced formal response on the subject, explaining why a no-confidence motion at this juncture is not a good idea, is likely to emerge from the NDA camp only after the BJP’s parliamentary party executive meets on Tuesday morning and NDA leaders give final shape to its strategy for the session in the evening. The CPI (M), on its part, has openly rebuffed the Trinamool ’s suggestion: “A no-confidence motion (in Lok Sabha),” CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said on Monday, “will only help the government cover up all the wrong measures it has taken and claim a parliamentary mandate, as it has the numbers to defeat such a motion.” But while Mr Karat made it clear that he opposed a no-trust move, he said he hoped the Left parties would be able to mobilise support among opposition parties to sponsor a motion on a specific set of issues to “put the government in the dock”. CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury, elaborating on why the Left preferred a motion on a specific issue with voting, said that while a no-confidence motion “cannot be issue-specific,” a Left-sponsored motion entailing voting, opposing FDI, would be “a much better strategy to defeat the government's move”. Astrology Aries March 21 to April 19 If your relationships have been stormy lately, you may feel the Sun breaking through the clouds. Taking a broad, philosophical view of the situation may give you the perspective you need to find a solution that works for you and your partner. It may take a few days for you to come up with the right words, but when you do, it will start a clearing trend. If you feel like you are being heard, it may also become easier for you to listen.                                           Taurus April 20 to May 20 A shared worldview may be an unspoken part of what binds people together - until you realize that you don't see things in the same way you thought your special someone did. If you realize that your expectations have been challenged and not necessarily your values, you may find that patience, tolerance and understanding come more quickly. With that in mind, exploring your diversity may enrich you in ways you hadn't considered.                                   Gemini May 21 to June 20 Life is a balancing act between caring for the needs of others and caring for yourself. Love, compassion, and sharing give meaning to life. But if you don't put your own oxygen mask on first, you won't be available to be present to other people. If you find yourself struggling to maintain the right equilibrium, be gentle with yourself. You may be trying to do too many things at once. Slow down a little, and the balance you've been seeking may come to you more naturally.                               Cancer June 21 to July 22  When was the last time you had a good deep belly laugh? Studies have shown that children laugh on average 400 times a day; adults average only fifteen. Yet laughter is truly the best medicine, responsible for a wide range of health benefits. Someone close to you might face challenges now, and your kind heart will respond with ways to lighten the mood. If your own reserves run low, seek rejuvenation in that which makes you laugh - or at least smile.                                                             Leo July 23 to Aug. 22  Last week's eclipse occurred in the area of your chart traditionally associated with your roots and your home and family. If you find yourself pondering these things, the deeper question you may consider is this: how do you nourish yourself? What you sow in your subconscious, and cultivate with repetition and passion is what you will grow. Plant those things that give you pleasure, and you shall reap a beautiful harvest.                                 BUSINESS+VE                                                                              India ready to sign FTA in Services, Investment with ASEAN: PM       Prime Minister Manmohan Singh responded to the urging of Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) by promising to finalise the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in services and investment before leaders from this 10-nation bloc arrive in Delhi next month for a summit with India. On Sunday, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong and President of Philippines Benigno Aquino during meetings with Dr. Singh were the most recent to press for an early conclusion of a comprehensive FTA. India had signed the FTA in goods in 2009 and has since been negotiating its extension into the services and investment sectors. Although Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma rolled out figures to assert that trade with ASEAN was growing in leaps and bounds, the fact remains that the dollars 75 billions in bilateral trade clocked last year was only 2.9 per cent of this block’s total trade. Even the FTA in goods covers only 80 per cent of tariff lines compared with 90 per cent in ASEAN’s FTAs with other countries. "India is prepared to conclude the agreement on trade in services and investment promotion before the commemorative summit in Delhi in December. This will be a strong signal of our deepening economic engagement, and will allow for rapid expansion in trade and investment flows in both directions,” Dr. Singh said in his opening remarks at the one-hour India-ASEAN summit here on Monday. During his response statement later, he felt a comprehensive FTA would be the "springboard" for rapid expansion in economic relations with ASEAN. With the US backing the initiative, Dr. Singh said the India-Myanmar-Thailand highway would be operational by 2016 thus opening North East India to South East Asia. He also spoke about another alternative route through central or north Myanmar to connect Guwahati to Hanoi. US and Japan at their recently held second trilateral meeting with India had supported this initiative and the issue would be discussed at their next meeting in depth to be held in Washington. "The route will be through virgin territory. With the big boys [Japan and the US] backing it, we would like to give the proposal a try," said Government sources. “These are welcome steps in implementing the vision of India-ASEAN connectivity. We await route alignments on the extension of the Trilateral Highway and the proposed new highway to Vietnam so that these can be examined in an integrated manner. I look forward to early completion of the feasibility studies,” Dr. Singh said in this respect. The Prime Minister pointed out that the importance of surface and sea connectivity with the east was being highlighted by the India-ASEAN car rally that will cover eight ASEAN countries over a route length of 8,000 kms and the sailing expedition by the naval ship Sudarshini which set off from Kochi. Dr. Singh also mentioned other India-ASEAN initiatives that tend to get eclipsed by more attractive initiatives. These include the upcoming business fair in Delhi, a past meeting between the heads of space agencies in Bengaluru and a meeting of ASEAN economic ministers in Guwahati next month. He appreciated Cambodia’s constructive and supportive role for the last three years as the coordinator for India and welcomed Brunei which has taken over this function. The Prime Minister’s assurance of across-the-board FTA with ASEAN by mid-December was welcomed by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) which pointed out that the two were among the biggest beneficiaries of the shift in global economic equations and should jointly leverage their large markets and development endeavors. HEALTH+VE                                                              'Chewing betel leaf may help fight cancer'       Chewing 'paan' or betel leaf could help fight a form of bone marrow cancer, a group of Indian researchers say. A molecule derived from betel leaf may be beneficial to patients suffering from a cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many white blood cells and the body refuses to respond to common drugs, said a study by scientists in Kolkata and Mumbai. An alcoholic extract of the betel leaves helps patients suffering from chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) -- the most common form of leukaemia in adults in India -- holding out hope of improved treatment. The research was carried out by the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), the Institute of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, Kolkata, and Piramal Life Sciences, Mumbai. "We have conducted a study and seen that the compound hydroxychavicol (HCH) is the major component of the alcoholic extract of the betel leaves and it might contribute, at least in part, to the observed anti-CML activity of the leaf extract," Santu Bandyopadhyay of the department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders at IICB, an institute under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, told us. The research was based on a 2011 report in journal Frontiers in Bioscience (Elite Edition). According to the study, published this year in the Cancer Science journal - the official journal of the Japanese Cancer Association - HCH and its analogues not only induced killing of the cancerous CML cells but also led to the death of the drug-resistant cancer cells with minimal harm to normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). PBMC are blood cells that are an important component of the immune system. CML is principally an adult disease with a yearly incidence of one in 100,000 in India. Men are affected more often than women. The slow-progressing blood and bone marrow disease usually occurs during or after the middle age, and rarely occurs in children. The leukaemia cells can build up in the blood and bone marrow. So there is less room for healthy white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. When this happens, infection, anaemia or easy bleeding may occur. So far, the drug imatinib has been used successfully to treat CML, but mutations have made the leukaemic cells unresponsive to the medicine. None of the available approved drugs has been effective in dodging the responsible mutation - called T315I. According to the report in Frontiers in Bioscience (Elite Edition), the alcoholic extract of paan leaves causes the imatinib-resistant cells to undergo a self-destructive process called apoptosis. The extract also shows activity against T315I mutation, the report said.     Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22  Begin again by choosing what to do in this moment. By choosing where to focus your mental energies, rather than trying to do everything, you will reap the greatest rewards. Communicating what you want and need - to others and to yourself - will be key to the process. Your natural desire may be to say yes when you are asked to help, but when you commit to others when you don't have the time or energy, no one is helped. Saying no lovingly sometimes will be your best option.                                     Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22 Partnerships thrive on equality, but maintaining a healthy balance is a complex affair, especially through life's unexpected twists and turns. If you are in a relationship, be careful not to assume you know what your partner wants, or know what you want - clear, straightforward communication will be best in uncertain times. If you are single, the same will apply. Romantic mystery has a place, but self-awareness also may be alluring.                                    Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21 In this economy, you might hold off on asking for a monetary raise. Still, remember to appreciate your own self-worth, and allow that to fill you with faith in what you can achieve when you set your mind to it. Your charm and confidence may inspire others to help you in ways you might not have considered. Accept the validation with gratitude, and have faith that there is more to come.                                 Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21 Have you daydreamed about escaping to a desert island? If so, you may have tuned into to your soul's need for a rejuvenating retreat. Everyone needs down time to heal and recharge. If a holiday is not feasible, find time for mini-retreats. Whatever works for you - a walk in the woods, time at the spa, a warm bath or sauna, silent meditation - a short getaway may be just what you need to soothe your psyche.                                                  Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19 In between rest and action, there often will be observing and planning. If you've considered your long-term wishes and goals, in between is where you may find yourself. Such spaces may not always be comfortable, but they can be very creative. If you look at all of the options and possibilities, you will have a better view from which to choose the healthiest and most meaningful options. In the long run, whatever is important to you may be a better choice than what's urgent.                                  Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18    Look for the pleasure and joy in what you are doing. Appreciating the little things, such as completing a task that gives you satisfaction or sharing coffee with a co-worker who makes you smile, are moments that may brighten your entire day. Even better, a positive outlook may be contagious. Your random acts of gratitude and kindness may start a trend that ripples out and touches everyone around you.                             Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20  Last week's solar eclipse cast a spotlight on your house of new horizons. If foreign travel or other learning opportunities present themselves, it may be exactly what you need to further your career goals. In the long run, investing in your own educational development will help you shine as an employee, a manager or an entrepreneur. Now may be the time to take the leap of faith and go for what you want.                                 Moral Story     SMS     “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment..”      LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS     "True love doesn't mean being inseparable; it means being separated and nothing changes."     LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS      The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.          A man was complaining to a railroad engineer. What's the use of having a train schedule if the trains are always late. The railroad engineer replied. How would we know they were late, if we didn't have a schedule?

EDUCATION +VE Software to help rural students access lectures               HUBLI: Karnataka State Law University is using the help of technology to help law students in the state, especially in rural parts of the state, benefit from seminars, lectures and conferences held in the university. With the help of A-View (online) software, KSLU is ensuring students in other parts of the state are able to access its events. Not all colleges can afford to have legal luminaries and other distinguished guests deliver lectures and attend seminars in their colleges. In such cases, KSLU facilitated video recordings of its lectures and educative seminars. But the new software will make things only easier. In case a guest is invited to the university or particular college, he can directly deliver his lecture with the help of online software A-View. Students of all law colleges can watch it live, sitting in their colleges and also interact with the guest online. In the first phase, KSLU has begun beaming live seminars and special lectures using the online software. So far it has provided the login ID and password to 30 principals of law colleges in the state. More colleges are expected to come under the ambit. Around 92 law colleges come under KSLU's jurisdiction. Karnataka State Law University VC J S Patil told TOI, "Already we have finished first phase of work. More colleges will be provided login ID and passwords in coming days." This initiative will enhance the law knowledge of the students studying in rural law colleges in the state and bridge the divide in learning between urban and rural students. Students can watch live the guest lecture and seminar by sitting in their colleges and interact with the speakers online, the vice-chancellor added. SPORTS +VE Cheteshwar Pujara can be tried in shorter format: Sunil Gavaskar        NEW DELHI: Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar on Monday said that young Cheteshwar Pujara has got his basics right and the Saurashtra batsman could be tried in limited overs of cricket. "Something that certainly can be given a try, because he has got the basics right. If you have the basics right then expanding your shot-making capabilities is not so much of a problem," Gavaskar said when asked about Pujara scoring at a faster rate than Virender Sehwag during India's chase on the final day of the first Test against England on Monday. "You have the licence to play lot more shots in the limited overs cricket than in Test cricket. It is just a matter of confidence. He has been in the IPL teams... he hasn't really got an opening. Even there he bats down the order, where he has got to come in and start hitting the ball in the air soon enough. That is not something that he is comfortable with," he told a news channel. "What he showed by hitting the ball down the ground and getting boundaries, he can also score at a fast pace," Gavaskar said about Pujara who was adjudged player-of-the-match for his unbeaten innings of 206 and 41 in the series opener against England which India won comfortably by nine wickets. Asked whether the Indians were able to exploit the conditions better than the visitors, Gavaskar said: "Indian pitches are generally very-very good to bat on the first couple of days, then they sort of slow-down and have a bit of spin. Sometimes the ball keeps low. So you win the toss and you bat first." "You have the opportunity to put up a decent total on the board and India did more than decent. They scored more than 500 runs. Batting first becomes an important aspect on Indian pitches." On Indian bowlers' performance in comparison to their English counterparts, Gavaskar felt that the visitors bowled a bit short. "England bowlers are perhaps not used to bowling with the SG ball and that is one of the reasons they were not able to get the contrast swing which Umesh Yadav and Zaheer Khan were able to get," he said. "Zaheer and Umesh were bowling a much fuller length while the English bowlers were bowling just short of length than they are used to in England or on Australian surfaces.   If you want to succeed as a bowler in India you got to bowl a much fuller length. You got to get the batsman committed on the front-foot, committed into playing attacking shots. That is where you can get wickets," Gavaskar insisted. Gavaskar, meanwhile, dismissed the exchange of words between Pragyan Ojha and Stuart Broad as a "storm in the cup".Harbhajan Singh making a comeback into the Indian team, Gavaskar said: "He certainly seems to be very keen on making a comeback to the team and given that (Ravichandran) Ashwin was not as effective as he is used to, Harbhajan may be sniffing a small opportunity."Gavaskar said that was only possible if India goes in with just five batsmen, which is quite unlikely to happen.     Talaash Talaash  Movie Name :   Talaash   Release Date :   November 30, 2012 Genre :  Suspense, Drama Producer : Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Aamir Khan Director :   Reema Kagti Music Director :  Ram Sampat Cast : Aamir Khan, Rani Mukherji, Kareena Kapoor, Shernaz Patel, Raj Kumar Yadav, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vivek Madan.   Synopsis: It is after Sarfarosh (1999) that Aamir gets to don the khaki again and looks like he isn’t playing the goody-two-shoes cop this time. Complete with a roguish stubble, Aamir will take on the bad guys as a Crime Branch officer in Reema Kagti’s film. Shooting for ‘Talaash’, also starring Rani Mukerji and Kareena Kapoor, has already begun. In fact, Aamir, Rani and Kareena have already started attending workshops as part of their preparation for their roles. In an interview with The Indian Express, Kagti revealed that a few months before casting Khan in the film, she had approached him with another project. Later, Rani Mukerji and Kareena Kapoor were signed on to star opposite Khan. Prior to the start of principal photography, the actors attended acting workshops and signed a non-disclosure agreement. The principal photography for the film started in March 2011 with Khan and Mukerji in Mumbai. For a scene involving Khan and Kapoor, it was reported that both the actors would shoot in a red-light district. However, Kagti dismissed it and explained that it wouldn't be safe to do so. The scene was later shot at the Leopold Cafe on Colaba Causeway. The film's second phase continued with the entire cast in Pondicherry and was completed by the end of August.       the names of all continents both start and end with the same letter. " INSPIRING STORY "   Importance of keeping one’s word   We all know that the pandavas left their kingdom for 13 long years for keeping up their word! Well, for Arjuna going away from the bhogas of a king, for the sake of truth, was not new. He did it once well before the aranyavaas. The story goes like this: The kalyaanam of pandavas with Draupadi was an unusual one. However, it was perfectly according to dharma shastras. Infact Draupadi is one of the greatest pativratas and praised even by Lord Krishna for her Dharma vartana. A few reasons to justify the kalyaanam:     Kunti Devi, the mother of pandavas, who never knew what a lie was, gave her will.     Vyaasa Maharshi, one of the avataar of Lord Vishnu, ordered the kalyaanam to be done.     Lord Shiva, pleased with her tapas, gave a boon to Draupadi to marry the pandavas.     Pandavas, though were five physically, were all amshas of Indra, the King of the Gods. Hence, pandavas were actually one. Naarada, again an avataar of Lord Vishnu, suggested some rules to be followed by pandavas and Draupadi for living together. This is because, though they were amshas of Gods and Godesses, since they had a human form some addition rules according to dharma shastras needed to be followed. One of the rules was that: Draupadi should spend one year with each of the pandavas and while she was with one of them, no other pandavas should visit the palace where they might be. In case of any breach of their rule, one-year pilgrimage was prescribed by way of penance leaving the kingdom.The pandavas and Draupadi were living happily until one day: a brahmana came running to Arjuna saying that the thieves had stolen his cows. Arjuna wanted to rush with him to catch the thieves but he realised that his bow and arrows were kept in Yudhisthira's palace and he was there in the company of Draupadi. He hesitated for a while, then seeing brahmana's plight he rushed in to Yudhisthira 's palace took his bow and arrows and ran to catch the thieves. After he caught the thieves and punished them, after restoring the cows of the brahmana, Arjuna came back to Yudhisthira and told him about his transgression of the rule. Yudhisthira, knowing the reason of the breach of their rule, said their is no need for Arjuna to take the pilgrimage. Since it is a mistake committed towards him, and that too for a good reason, he will pardon arjuna . However, Arjuna would never break his word. He immediately set out for a one-year pilgrimage. May be this is why Arjuna is such a favourite sakha of Lord Krishna. Morals in the Story:     The story shows how important it is to keep up ones word, whether it is of any consequence or not, how much ever difficult it is.    Arjuna, knowing that he will be punished for breaching the rule, did not stop doing his duty as a king to protect his people and punish the theif. Thus, one must always perform his duty without any laziness or any kind of fear. Rewards for such people do show up as immediate difficulties, but in the end – it is truth is what always wins (Satyameva jayate). Arjuna's win was in the way of gaining eternal friendship with the Lord.

“When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile."