“If I told you I’ve worked hard to get where I’m at, I’d be lying, because I have no idea where I am right now.”     VBA's Positive News EU to ban neonicotinoid pesticides related to bee deaths A vote in the EU has paved the way for the European Commission to restrict the use of pesticides linked to bee deaths in scientific studies. Neonicotinoid chemicals in pesticides are believed to harm bees and the European Commission says they should be restricted to crops not attractive to bees and other pollinators. Fifteen countries voted in favour of a ban -- not enough to form a qualified majority. According to EU rules the Commission will now impose a two-year restriction on neonicotinoids -- and the UK cannot opt out. Some restrictions are already in place for neonicotinoids in France, Germany, Italy, and Slovenia.    South Africa: Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons states strengthen stance against use of nuclear weapons In the interest of the very survival of humanity, parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) have made a call that nuclear weapons should never be used again, under any circumstances. In a joint statement by state parties, which was delivered by the Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations, Abdul Samad Minty, during the Second Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in Geneva, the countries said the only way to guarantee that nuclear weapons will never be used again is through their total elimination.      .     India: Sensitive Index near one-month high; blue-chip earnings key The Bombay Stock Exchange Sensitive Index closed near its highest level in a month on Monday led by gains in the country's largest consumer goods maker Hindustan Unilever Ltd and the largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp Ltd after their profits beat market estimates. Gains also tracked European shares which rose as investors counted on easy money from central banks in the euro zone and United States to offset the risk of further disappointing global economic data, which still kept commodities under pressure. 'Blue-green' revolution could boost food security in Bangladesh A new method of farming is helping farmers in Bangladesh produce more food in less space, and could improve the country's economy and food security in the face of climate change, a new report says. According to the report, published in the journal Ocean & Coastal Management, a process combining rice and fish farming produces more food on the same area of land, without negative environmental impacts. The fish act as a pest management system by eating insects that harm crops, in turn reducing the need for pesticides.     Video of the Day:

World Round-Up

Political + Changes made in CBI's coal report after meeting with Law Minister: Sources        New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will tell the Supreme Court on Tuesday that changes were made in the status report on the coal block allocation scam after a meeting between the probe agency and Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, sources said. The probe agency is not going to hide anything from the apex court, according to CBI sources. The CBI had on Friday filed its affidavit on the coal block allocation scam report with the Supreme Court, in which agency's director Ranjit Sinha had said that the draft report was shared with the Law Minister, a charge the Congress has been rejecting. The director had also said the draft of the report was even shared with the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Coal Ministry officials. CBI is set to submit both the status reports to the Supreme Court on Tuesday in a sealed envelope, sources said. In March, the probe agency had said in its status report that many companies were given coal blocks through false representations and that there was no rationale for allocation of the blocks. The Supreme Court had ordered the CBI not to share the report with the government. It has also asked the Centre to explain why a small group of companies were favoured. The government is likely to say that any meeting between the CBI and the Law Ministry happened before that assurance. The CBI in its affidavit had said that Kumar and two officials in the PMO and the Coal Ministry had seen its first status report. The government is left red faced in the coal scam as on one hand the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) plans 'not to hide anything' from the Supreme Court while on the other its two top law officers are engaged in an all out war in the case. The Opposition is demanding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation after Additional Solicitor General Harin P Raval wrote a letter to Attorney General GE Vahanvati accusing him of interfering with the CBI's case in the scam. Raval in his letter has alleged that he has been made a scapegoat in the case and goes on to says that Vahanvati interfered in the CBI case. Raval also narrates the sequence of event of the meeting between Vahanvati and Law Minister Ashwini Kumar in preparing the report coal scam. "On 6th March, I received a message from your end, asking me to see the Law Minister. During the course of discussions, the draft of one of Status Report of one of the preliminary inquiries was shown to the Law Minister and was perused by him as well as by you. Other status reports of the investigations of the 9 regular cases were requested to be shown to you at your residential office. Despite the above facts while replying to queries you took a stand that the contents of the Status Report were not known to you. On account of your statement, I was forced to take a stand, in court, consistent with your submission. I have a feeling that I am sought to be made scapegoat," Raval said in the letter. Raval's outburst has given the opposition more ammunition to target the UPA government and Manmohan Singh. "The Government of India colluded with Raval in willful misinterpretation of facts before the SC. We are more concerned to know what the accountability of the Prime Minster is because the Prime Minister himself is an object of investigation," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said. Astrology   Aries March 21 to April 19 Your finances will be in the spotlight. With four planets in your money sector, you may splurge on a luxury item that happens to catch your eye. You may also decide to consult a financial expert for tips to help you stretch your income and build up your nest egg. On the career front, confidential news about a job opportunity may come your way. If you keep this news to yourself, it may give you an edge over the competition.   Taurus April 20 to May 20 Achieving your goals may be your primary focus. Group activities may open the door to helpful professional relationships. While networking for business, you may meet someone who finds you very attractive, and this may lead to a romantic opportunity. These social interactions may inspire you to improve your appearance with a new hairstyle or the latest fashions. If you go shopping, you may need to be mindful of your budget because you may be tempted to buy a brand new wardrobe.                                       Gemini May 21 to June 20 Your creative juices may be flowing, and with Saturn and Neptune making beautiful music, this may be the perfect time to work on an artistic project. With four planets huddled in the most private sector of your life, you may prefer working alone during this time. You may also enjoy quiet meditation, listening to music, or expressing your thoughts in a journal. As you become more in touch with your inner thoughts, you may have flashes of insight about your job that may help you move ahead in your career.                         Cancer June 21 to July 22  Large groups, charities, or civic associations may play a significant role in your life during this time. If there is an opening for an officer or project leader, your name may be on everyone's lips when next week's new moon solar eclipse activates this area of your life. Another possibility will be that a colleague may seek you out in connection with a new job opportunity. If your work involves writing, publishing, or advertising, you may enjoy a steady flow of creative inspiration.            Leo July 23 to Aug. 22  Your career may be in high gear as four planets will occupy the professional sector of your life. You may receive recognition or some type of honor for your work next week as the new moon solar eclipse will trigger this area. On the domestic front, you may feel heartened by a strong show of support from your family. There may also be some welcome news connected to an insurance claim, mortgage, or other home-related loan.                                BUSINESS+VE                                                                              Airlines allowed to charge for services including check-in baggage       New Delhi: India’s aviation ministry said on Monday it will allow airlines to unbundle charges for services such as preferential seating, meals, snacks, drinks (except drinking water), the use of lounges, baggage, the carriage of sports equipment and musical instruments, and the treatment of valuable items. The ministry had, in 2011, barred airlines from charging for extras such as preferential seating, prompting low-fare carrier IndiGo and others to include this in a “special services” category.   The ministry’s latest move comes a month after the government cleared AirAsia Bhd’s proposal to invest Rs.80.98 crore in a domestic passenger airline that it plans to launch jointly with Tata Sons Ltd. Malaysia’s AirAsia, and many other global low-cost airlines, derive a significant portion of their revenue from charging for these services. AirAsia will hold a 49% stake in the Indian venture, which is expected to launch services this year once it gets all the necessary approvals, while Tata Sons will own 30% and Arun Bhatia of Telestra Tradeplace Pvt. Ltd the rest. In a statement, the ministry said its decision was based on recommendations by Nathan Economic Consultants. Allowing airlines to unbundle charges has “become a necessary aspect of exercising more control over operational costs and running a successful airline”, Nathan said in its report. Most countries allow airlines to unbundle services and levy a charge for each of them. This is known as ‘a la carte’ pricing. The ministry said the list of services will be reviewed every six months. The objective of the decision is to allow airlines to offer a low base fare to price-sensitive travellers, while allowing those who want more services to pay for these, the ministry said. “This will allow the passengers to benefit from lower base fares and to customize the product to better suit their requirements and budget while allowing airlines to develop more sustainable operations in an environment of wafer-thin margins,” it said. The ministry said the regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, is empowered to monitor the levy of such services. The charges for unbundled services will be fixed and announced in advance by the airlines, the ministry said. They won’t vary in line with the base fare for a particular flight. “The key guiding principle shall be adequate disclosure and transparency on the part of airlines on the websites, online travel portals and travel agents so that the consumers maximize the informed choice,” the ministry said. “DGCA may not fix fee for unbundled services, but shall have the right to intervene and stop charging if regulatory principles are violated by the airlines.” . HEALTH+VE                                                              Top 10 summer sports to get you in shape       Bored of hitting the gym every day this summer? Don't fret! Fitness can be achieved through fun sports too. There are several fun sports that can help you achieve great health and fitness. We got, R.G More, Sports Director at St. Andrew's College, Mumbai, share a list of top 10 summer sports you can play to maintain your fitness. Tennis Tennis is undoubtedly the best way to pass your time leisurely and improve your health. Playing tennis helps in moving your body and keeps your mind alert. Since it is a low-impact sport, you don't need a lot of strength and skills to play the game. Hence a good option for toning. Football Football or soccer is one of the best summer sports, as it engages players to run fast and slow - with sudden balance shifts. This helps to build stamina and works for interval training too. Being a continuous game, it is extremely effective for fitness and cardiovascular health. Cricket This favourite Indian sport provides a number of benefits to its player along with gallons of excitement. Cricket helps in endurance, stamina, balance and co-ordination and physical fitness. It also improves hand-eye co-ordination. Frisbee Frisbee is a swift and easy sport which can be played with anyone, anywhere. Besides adding the fun quotient, this has health benefits too. Throwing a frisbee is a good cardio-vascular workout, it uses your thigh muscles and arms too. It improves balance and helps to develop better landing skills. Volleyball Summer volleyball is one of the best sports workouts. This sport helps you burn calories and improves your muscular system. Cycling Cycling is a good summer sport option, because you don't need company. All you have to do is pick your bicycle and race for good health. Cycling helps to build strength, tones muscles, builds stamina, burns calories, improves heart health and reduces stress. Swimming Swimming is the best way to help your body cool down during summer. Since, swimming involves your entire body; it is the best full-body workout. It helps you to relax, builds endurance, tones your muscles, maintains a healthy weight and improves flexibility. Dancing Dance is an amazingly fun activity. It allows people to enjoy, socialise and develop creative skills. Dancing for 30 minutes helps to keep the body active, helps to improve strength and flexibility, improves posture and balance, reduces stress levels and burns calories. Badminton Racquet sport is good for people of all ages. Badminton helps to burn calories, maintains healthy weight, and improves cardiovascular fitness. Hiking Hiking is a good recreational activity. It helps to improve muscular fitness, reduce depression, maintains healthy weight and lubricates your joints well. So, plan a trek this weekend to enjoy a peaceful traffic-less zone.         Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22  A desire to visit a foreign country may prompt you to research travel destinations or brush up on a foreign language. If your budget is a bit tight, you may be able to recruit some friends to come along and split the cost. At work, you may need to deliver a presentation to a diverse audience. At first this may seem challenging, but a supportive angle between Saturn and Neptune may help you discover the perfect combination of colorful graphics, special effects, and video clips to capture their attention.                                    Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22 Loans, mortgages, retirement plans, and credit cards may be uppermost in your thoughts as four planets gather in the financing sector of your horoscope. You may order your credit report, research the best interest rates, or seek expert advice about a small business loan. With a happy alliance between Saturn and Neptune adding support for your finances, you may be able to resolve a credit dispute or stretch your budget. This may inspire you to schedule a meeting with a certified financial planner to help you achieve your investment goals.                               Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21 Your significant relationships will be in high focus as four planets activate your partnership area. If you are involved in a serious romance, next week's new moon solar eclipse in this sector may coincide with an engagement. This eclipse may also announce an opportunity for a professional collaboration. On another note, your friends may vie for your company with invitations to see a movie, visit a museum, or go for a bike ride. Their attention may make you feel popular, which will increase your confidence.                               Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21 The emphasis at this time will be on self-improvement, and you may have a strong desire to incorporate healthy changes into your lifestyle. You may check out a new gym, buy exercise videos, or take power walks with a friend. You might spend several happy hours downloading nutritious recipes from the Internet to improve your diet. Yoga, meditation, or other activities that strengthen the mind as well as the body may also appeal to you.                                                   Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19 A number of social invitations may arrive in your inbox during this time. Thanks to a quartet of planets heating up your sector of fun and leisure activities, you may feel an urge to show up at every one of them. Attending parties, activities, or sports events may lead to new friends or a romantic opportunity with someone who shares your interests. When next week's new moon solar eclipse ignites this sector, your love life may catch fire.                              Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18  Your home may be bustling with activity as four planets activate this sector of your life. You may paint a room, hang colorful artwork, add a new piece of furniture, plant an indoor herb garden, or make plans for a major home improvement project. Siblings or parents may pay a surprise visit, and you may celebrate with a party. Career-wise, you may hear of an opportunity through the grapevine for a promotion with a hefty pay raise, but the information may be unreliable.                            Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20  Making plans for a short trip to visit family, attending a reunion, or escaping with your partner for a romantic weekend may be at the top of your to-do list. A hotel or resort featuring a spa, gourmet restaurant, and social activities may appeal to you, and you may invest a considerable amount of time researching the best rates and the most fuel-efficient travel routes. With Saturn and Neptune in a lovely angle that promotes creativity, you may feel inspired to start a travel diary.                        Moral Story       SMS     “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”      LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS     Love will not serve those who do not live for her, and in her, and to whom she is not the breath of life.   LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS      Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.     Wife comes home late at night and quietly opens the door to her bedroom. From under the blanket she sees four legs instead of two! She reaches for a baseball bat and starts hitting the blanket as hard as she can. Once she's done, she goes to the kitchen to have a drink. As she enters, she sees her husband there, reading a magazine. :s "hi darling", he says, "your parents have come to visit us, so I let them stay in our bedroom. Hope you have said hello to them.

EDUCATION +VE 74 students placed from first batch of IIM-Tiruchirappalli       TIRUCHIRAPPALLI: A total of 74 students from the first batch (2011-13) of IIM Tiruchirappalli (IIM-T) have been placed with companies such as Cognizant, KPMG and BPCL, among others, at annual salaries ranging from Rs 11.5-18.25 lakh, the premier management institute has said. These successful placements for the 2011-13 batch were notwithstanding the difficult economic environment, an IIM-T release said, adding that this was the largest first batch among new IIMs in India to have registered for final placements. Prominent recruiters like Cognizant Business Consulting, KPMG, Perfint Healthcare, BPCL, Indian Bank and Berger Paints recruited four or more students each, it said. It was a good mix of profiles to choose from, both in terms of broad domains and specific roles like Corporate Banking, Product Liability Management, International Sales, General Management, Operations Consulting and Supply Chain Planning, the release added. Six students opted out of the placement to pursue specific interests in niche sectors/roles such as dental healthcare management and product management, it said. SPORTS +VE Oppositions should fear coming to Mumbai: Rohit Sharma          MUMBAI: Their "fortress" was almost breached by a spirited Kings XI Punjab and relieved to have avoided the debacle by a narrow margin, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma said his team would now focus on making its home ground a den where oppositions would be scared to play in the IPL. Watch IPL Videos "Home games are very important because you don't know what you are going to get outside. You have to win as many as possible when you play at home and we are trying to make full use of that," Sharma said after the four-run win over Punjab at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday. "We want to make it our fortress. We want to make it our den and people should fear coming to Mumbai and playing," he added. Rohit played a captain's knock of unbeaten 79 off just 39 balls but the young Mumbai Indians skipper admitted that he was nervous when Punjab almost chased down their total of 174. "I wasn't worried but I was nervous because as a captain you would be obviously. But I just wanted to hold my nerves. I didn't want to make any mistakes on the field. But it worked out pretty well. "I rotated the bowlers well, which was the key. At the end I am happy that we won," Sharma said. Sharma said the dew factor came into play in the second innings and the bowlers found it difficult with the wet ball. "The dew comes a lot over here. It is not easy. Spinners find it difficult to grip the ball but our spinners bowled well. Dew makes a lot of difference but we still defended the total of 174. Whether you win by 4 runs or 50 runs, a win is a win," he said. Kings XI Punjab came close to winning the match despite losing early wickets but captain David Hussey felt the Mumbai spinners took the match away from them. "I have got great faith in our lower order. They have been saving the team most of the season. A little bit disappointing that not an in batsman was there like David Miller or myself," Sharma said. "But full credit goes to Mumbai Indians spinners. Their two spinners really changed the game," he said. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh picked up three wickets for just 14 runs in his four overs, while left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha picked two for 22 off his three overs. Hussey had bowled the last over off which Sharma had scored 27 runs and the Australian said that probably cost them the match. "I wasn't going to bowl. Yeah it is one of those things. PC (Piyush Chawla) has bowled in the death overs in the last few years and has done particularly well. But tonight it wasn't coming out for him. So I took the wrong one and sadly went for 27, probably cost us the game," Hussey said. Sharma felt it was a gamble they took in the last over. "That really was a gamble because they didn't have much option. They could have gone either with Piyush Chawla or David Hussey. David Hussey considering he can get those yorkers, he thought he is the best man. I don't know what was the idea," Sharma said. Hussey praised pacers Praveen Kumar and Parvinder Awana for their effort with the ball but said they would have to shrug off the disappointment of this loss when they play their next match against two-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings. "We played very well in the Kings XI team, sadly we are on the wrong side of the result tonight. I think we can take a lot of positives out of here tonight. Our bowling upfront was sensational to me," he said. "Praveen Kumar, Awana were outstanding. It will be disappointing with the result, but we just have to dust ourselves off when we go to Chennai in a couple of day's time," Sharma added. Mumbai seamer Dhawal Kulkarni conceded 44 runs in his four overs but the skipper defended him and said it was not easy to bowl with the dew. "Anybody can have one bad game. See how good he bowled in the last game. It is not easy to bowl with the dew. You have got to give some time to him. This was his second game and he still got two wickets. He came and bowled pretty alright I would say," he said. Sharma also lavished praises on the big West Indian Kieron Pollard for his brilliant effort to catch the ball at the ropes to get rid off Shaun Marsh. "He (Pollard) has been magnificent for us. He has taken a couple of great catches this year. He always does it for us. He is brilliant on the field. "That is what we look for from each and everybody to contribute on the field. We want to be the best fielding team in this competition," Sharma said.      Bombay Talkies    Movie Name :   Bombay Talkies   Release Date :   May 3, 2013 Genre :  Anthology   Producer : Viacom 18 Motion Pictures & Ashi Dua Director : Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar Music Director : Amit Trivedi Cast : Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Randeep Hooda, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sadashiv Amrapurkar, Saqib Saleem, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor.   Synopsis: Bombay Talkies is a 2013 Indian anthology film consisting of four short films, directed by Anurag Kashyap, Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar and Dibakar Banerjee. The film will release on May 3, 2013, to mark the centenary year of Indian cinema. Dream Desire Thought Joy Pain Want Love Sorrow - Four story tellers come together to celebrate the emotion of cinema.The film's story revolves around the lives and problems of common people of our society while all the actors who played their roles looks much perfect and real.          The most commonly used letter in the alphabet is E " INSPIRING STORY "   Keep your dream   I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch in San Ysidro. He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events to raise money for youth at risk programs.   The last time I was there he introduced me by saying, “I want to tell you why I let Jack use my horse. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses.   As a result, the boy’s high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up. “That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch.   He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track.   Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch. He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back.   On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, `See me after class.’ “The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, `Why did I receive an F?’ “The teacher said, `This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources.Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land.   You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you’ll have to pay large stud fees. There’s no way you could ever do it.’   Then the teacher added, `If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’ “The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, `Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this.   However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’ “Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He stated, “You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.”   Monty then turned to the assembled group and said, “I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace.” He added, “The best part of the story is that two summers ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week.” When the teacher was leaving, he said, “Look, Monty, I can tell you this now.   When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids’ dreams. Fortunately you had enough gumption not to give up on yours.” “Don’t let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what.”

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. ”