“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 Cuba to offer public Internet at salons islandwide Cuban authorities said Tuesday that they will begin offering public Internet access at more than 100 cyber-salons across the island, though home Web service remains greatly restricted. Until now, the Internet has been limited to places such as tourist hotels that charge $8 an hour for creaky Wi-Fi, foreign-run companies, and some sectors of Cuban business and government. Residential dial-up accounts are rare and restricted.   Irish government backs ban on cigarette pack branding Ireland is to become the first country in the European Union to ban branding on cigarette packages by using plain packaging and uniform labeling, the government said on Tuesday. Smoking was a central part of Ireland's pub culture until the country became the first in the world to ban smoking in all enclosed public places, public transport, and workplaces in 2004.      North Korea says South Koreans can re-enter Kaesong complex North Korea says South Korean businessmen can enter a jointly run industrial park in the North that has been emptied since April after tensions between the two countries soared. Rising home and stock prices boost US confidence Americans are more confident in the US economy than at any point in the past five years, thanks to surging home prices, a brighter job market, and record-setting stock prices. Stock averages on Tuesday extended the year's explosive rally. Consumer confidence jumped in May to the highest level since February 2008, the Conference Board, a private research group, said Tuesday. A separate report Tuesday showed that home prices jumped 11 per cent in March compared with a year ago, the sharpest 12-month increase since April 2006. Surging stock prices and steady home-price increases have allowed Americans to regain the $16 trillion in wealth they lost to the Great Recession.      Video of the Day:

World Round-Up

Political + BJP is on the verge of committing suicide: Ram Jethmalani         New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday expelled dissident leader Ram Jethmalani for six years. Jethmalani was expelled for various reasons including speaking out against former party president Nitin Gadkari. Jethmalani reacted to his expulsion by saying that it had no legal validity and breached the BJP's constitution. He said he will continue to fight corruption and warned that the BJP was on the verge of committing suicide. BJP President Rajnath Singh took the decision during the party's Parliamentary Broard meeting. The Rajya Sabha MP will for the moment, however, continue to serve in the Upper House of Parliment as an independent candidate. The expulsion of 89-year-old Jethmalani, who is a member of Rajya Sabha, by the BJP Parliamentary Board comes weeks after he had barged into a Parliamentary Party meeting and questioned his continued suspension. He had also asked if he could be issued a whip when he has been suspended. In a letter to Jethmalani, BJP leader Ananth Kumar said the party's Parliamentary Board had taken a unanimous decision to expel him from primary membership of the party, after going through his replies made in response to a show cause notice in November, 2012. "The Central Parliamentary Board after considering all your replies, responses and letters was of the unanimous opinion that you have indulged in a breach of discipline. The Parliamentary Board, therefore, decided to expel you for a period of six years from the primary membership of the party," the letter said. The noted lawyer has often courted controversy by making anti-BJP comments. He was suspended from the party after he opposed a second term for Gadkari as BJP President, saying he has to first come clean on allegations of corruption against his Purti group of companies. He had criticised the BJP for opposing the appointment of Ranjit Sinha as CBI chief, and praising the government over the move. He had also said that the BJP was soft in attacking Congress in Parliament. In the letter, Jethmalani was also told that he defied the party whip by not voting for the election of the members of the Committee on Public Undertakings. "The above action is without prejudice to any action that may be initiated against you under Tenth Schedule of the Constitution," the letter read.   Astrology   Aries March 21 to April 19 Phone calls, emails, and appointments may keep you busy at this time. If a co-worker is out of town, your boss may ask you to take his or her place at an important meeting. You may not have much notice, but you may welcome the opportunity to show your superiors that you're a team player. On a personal note, you may have to choose between competing social invitations for the coming weekend. One may be work-related while the other may involve family. You may ask a friend to help you decide which one to attend. Taurus April 20 to May 20 A new financial strategy may be in the works. With Mars poised to join four other heavenly bodies tomorrow in your income sector, you may be on the cusp of a new business venture. However, there may be a few loose ends to tie up first that may require you to consult with legal, financial, or insurance professionals. Since friends and colleagues may be supportive now, they may be able to recommend you to experts in these fields.                                       Gemini May 21 to June 20 Promoting yourself may be your main focus and you might have the opportunity to pitch a creative idea at work. Your vision and enthusiasm will make a big impression on those in authority. As a result, you may spearhead a marketing campaign or public relations. On another note, if you work in a profession with continuing education requirements, this would be a good time to fulfill your obligation. As you research available classes, you may find an interesting online course you can attend from the comfort of your home.                       Cancer June 21 to July 22  You may prefer to be alone with your thoughts, so at lunchtime you may decide to take a walk by yourself. While on your walk, you may spend a good deal of time thinking about your personal goals. Some form of creative visualization such as meditation or a vision board may help you achieve them, but you might feel you need to learn more about these techniques. When you get home, you'll likely go to straight to the computer to search for articles on this topic.                                                       Leo July 23 to Aug. 22  Large groups and organizations may offer professional and personal opportunities as four heavenly bodies support this sector of your chart. For example, you may exchange business cards at a networking event with someone who may be helpful to your career, or you may meet someone you find attractive at a fundraiser. Turning to finances, you may pay off a personal loan, purchase life insurance, or fill out an application to refinance your home at a much better rate.                                 BUSINESS+VE                                                                              Hindalco shares drop after Q4 net falls 25%       Hindalco shares started lower on Wednesday despite the company reporting better margins on a sequential basis. The stock traded 0.8 per cent lower at Rs. 109.15 as of 09.22 a.m., underperforming the broader Sensex, which traded 0.17 per cent lower at 20,125. (Track stock) Hindalco's net profit dipped 24.68 per cent to Rs. 482 crore in the fourth quarter ended March 31. Weak aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange, rising input costs and smelter disruption put pressure on the bottomline of the Aditya Birla Group's flagship firm, Hindalco Managing Director D Bhattacharya said. Prices of coal, caustic soda and furnace oil were higher by 10-30 per cent compared to the previous year, he added. However, existing operations have stabilised after setback in the first half of last fiscal, with Hindalco reporting sequential improvement in margins in both Q3 and Q4, he said. Net sales were down 8.5 per cent at Rs. 6,994 crore during Q4 compared to Rs. 7,647 crore a year ago as both the business segments of the company, aluminium and copper, reported decline in revenues. While the gross revenues from aluminium was down 4.10 per cent to Rs. 2,396 crore in the last quarter, copper revenues declined by 10.63 per cent to Rs. 4,607 crore. Besides, its finance costs increased nearly 97 per cent to Rs. 158 crore. For the full year (FY13), the metals producer reported an over 24 per cent drop in standalone net profit to Rs. 1,699 crore from Rs. 2,237 crore in FY12. Standalone net sales declined to 2.16 per cent to Rs. 25,784 crore. On a consolidated basis, Hindalco's net profit fell 10.89 per cent at Rs. 3,027 crore in FY13 from Rs. 3,397 crore of FY12. Consolidated net sales also declined marginally by 0.86 per cent to Rs. 79,705.51 crore in the last fiscal. The consolidated results included performances of Novelis Inc, its US subsidiary, and Aditya Birla Minerals. Hindalco said it has employed capital of Rs. 31,942 crore in aluminium business as on March 2013, which includes around Rs. 22,500 crore relating to the greenfield investments in Mahan, Hirakud flat rolled products and Aditya Aluminium projects. The company has planned capital expenditure of Rs. 10,000 crore in FY 14, Bhattacharya said. The performance of its wholly-owned subsidiary Novelis was negatively impacted by pricing pressure from competitors, supply chain disruptions due to implementation of a new ERP system in its two North American plants as well as production challenges and softer demand, he said. Shipments of flat products of Novelis were marginally lower at 2,786 KT for the year ended March 2013 as compared to 2,838 KT in FY12. Net sales were 11 percent lower primarily due to a 15 per cent decline in average aluminium prices and a fall in flat rolled products volumes by 2 per cent. Commenting on future growth plans, Bhattacharya said despite LME prices at consistently depressed levels, the long-term prospects for aluminium is bright in both local as well as international markets. HEALTH+VE                                                              Health benefits of Amla (Indian Gooseberry)       Everyone is familiar with amla or the Indian gooseberry, it is used in a variety of products like sweets, jams, powder, pickles, while some simply like to pluck and eat them. But are the health benefits of amla overrated? Along with Dr. Jaishree Bhattacharjee, Ayurvedic consultant with Satvikshop, we explore this popular Indian fruit. Amla is known as a good source of vitamin C, but is that all? What are the other health benefits of the Indian gooseberry? Dr. Jaishree gives us a detailed list, "Amla has loads of benefits. It is a super food of Ayurveda due to its antioxidant property. It has beneficial effects on almost all the systems and organs of body." She explains: -It controls blood sugar in diabetes -Lowers cholesterol level -It is a natural anti ageing agent for skin; nourishes scalp and hair roots and encourages hair growth -It improves digestion and alleviates constipation -It improves blood circulation -It ensures proper functioning of liver. -It is a strong immunomodulator and protects from the onset of many diseases if taken regularly -Amla is a good hematinic as it raises hemoglobin level She also goes on to list out other sources of vitamin C, "There are many good sources of vitamin C beside amla: -All leafy vegetables like palak, bathua etc. -All kind of peppers have loads of vit-c -Fruits like mangoes, pine apple, oranges, kiwi, strawberry, berries, papaya, -Vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, red cabbage, etc -Herbs like basil, mint, coriander, rosemary" You can get these health benefits by including amla and the other vitamin C rich foods in your diet. On the other hand, if fresh produce is a problem, you can invest in some organic amla products.         Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22  You may receive some type of public recognition for a personal or professional achievement that may be connected to your career or a community project. It may be a tangible award or it may come in the form of publicity such as a news article. As a result, you may have an opportunity to teach a class or speak at a conference. Your partner may be so proud of your accomplishment that he or she may plan a party to celebrate your success.                                    Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22 The current emphasis on faraway places and foreign cultures means that making work-related travel plans may be on your agenda. You may be so excited about this destination that you may decide to use some vacation days to extend your stay there. As you search online for sightseeing options, you may come across a luxury tour that features a visit to a spa as well as shopping and fine dining. This may be exactly what you need to ensure a great time.                               Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21 Mortgages, loans, and credit cards may be uppermost in your thoughts as four planets activate the financing sector of your horoscope. If you are engaged in a credit card dispute or have been the target of identity theft, the matter may be resolved soon. On a different note, you and a partner may decide to start a business. As a first step, you may schedule a meeting with a banking professional to learn about commercial accounts and small business loans.                               Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21 There may be happy news in connection with your significant relationships. If you have been dating someone for a while, you may decide to make it exclusive. Similarly, if you are involved in a serious romance, you may announce your engagement. It is also possible that a close friend will ask you to be in her bridal party. Although this may place a bit of a strain on your finances, you may be more than happy to cut back on movies and dining out to be part of this special occasion.                                                  Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19 You may feel motivated to improve your physical health through exercise. However, rather than working out on your own, you may prefer to sign up for a class because a regular schedule will help you stick with it. After much research, you may decide that you prefer a discipline that also strengthens the mind such as yoga or tai chi. Turning to work, you may be recruited to work on a confidential project that may give you access to sensitive information about some of your co-workers.                                Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18  The emphasis today will be on creative self-expression as four planets highlight this sector of your chart. You may feel inspired to write a short story, take vocal lessons, or try your hand at designing clothes or accessories. Your love life may also be in the spotlight. If you are in a new relationship, you may be making plans to do something special this weekend. If you are single, social gatherings may offer an opportunity for romance or a friend may introduce you to someone who makes your heart skip a beat.                           Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20  Plans for a home improvement project may be on your agenda for the coming weekend. You may wish to convert a basement or den into an entertainment room and furnish it with state of the art electronics. However, your budget may not be able to live up to your wish list. Although you may be tempted to use your credit card, you may decide to ask family members to chip in for these items since it's for their enjoyment as well.    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 Delhi University’s Academic Council okays ideas to help out disabled       NEW DELHI: Delhi University's Academic Council, which met on Monday, cleared the recommendations of the empowered committee constituted to examine the foundation courses to ensure all parts are accessible to students with disabilities, especially the visually impaired. In addition to making suggestions, the committee has also sought Rs.1.8 crore as funds for "providing support to students with disabilities during Four-Year Undergraduate Programme". There were five dissents recorded. The committee had sought the inputs of A K Mittal, president, All India Confederation of the Blind, and George Abraham, CEO of Delhi-based Score Foundation "to obtain their perspectives on visual impairment with regard to the new UG programme on the basis of their expertise and lived experiences". The committee also considered suggestions made by Kartik Sawhney, a blind student who's passed the Boards with a 95% aggregate in science and is going to Stanford to study computer science. The committee, while maintaining that "no modification in the curricula... called for", has suggested that for students who can't at all handle the two courses—Science and Life and Building Mathematical Ability—that disability rights group Sambhavana Organization had raised questions about, these can be replaced with History of Science and Communication and Personality Development. The vice-chancellor has been requested to get the syllabi for these prepared. Sambhavana had taken DU to court over the compulsory science course which, they argued, would further alienate the already marginalized blind students, most of whom would not have been allowed to study science beyond Class VIII. In response to the recommendations made by Sambhavana, the reports points out that "the course does not involve teaching of hard core science nor of different scientific disciplines... students with disabilities including the visually impaired will be able to do the course fully for which they would, of course be provided all requisite technological support as also peer-tutoring." Sambhavana had also suggested a "bridge course" but the committee chose to go with "remedial teaching/tutorials throughout the first year." As for equipment, they'll get an abacus for each visually-impaired student, Taylor frame, tactile geometry kit, Brailer (one for each college) and necessary software.    SPORTS +VE Jyotiraditya Scindia becomes first neta in BCCI to say Srinivasan should resign          NEW DELHI: The conspiracy of silence within the BCCI was broken on Tuesday when board heavyweight and Union power minister Jyotiraditya Scindia publicly said president N Srinivasan should quit. Speaking on the day TOI led its front page with a piece titled 'Why are they so silent?' on the seeming spinelessness of the board's high-profile political leadership to confront Srinivasan even after his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan's arrest on charges of betting and fixing, Scindia said, "I would have stepped aside (in a similar situation). If you combine the fact that (there is a) conflict of interest and his own family member is involved in an ongoing investigation, it's in the fitness of things, from a point of view of propriety, that he should step aside until this matter reaches a conclusive end in terms of an inquiry...We are responsible for the actions of our family members." "I do believe that cricket has suffered," Scindia added, contradicting Srinivasan who has been brazen enough to claim that all the criticism about his conflict of interest, his son-in-law and the betting-fixing scandal stemmed only from the media and certain vested interests. Scindia's hard-hitting statement came on a day when the other political worthies in BCCI - BJP's Arun Jaitley and Congress' Rajiv Shukla, who's also IPL commissioner, and CP Joshi - side-stepped the burning issue that's eroding public faith in cricket with terse "no comments" while Narendra Modi's office told this paper he did not wish to say anything. Since May 16, he has tweeted 48 times but not once on the betting-fixing scandal or on the BCCI boss's flagrant defiance of public opinion. However, the chorus of public opinion against Srinivasan's continuance is reaching a crescendo. When contacted by TOI, eminent citizens such as Gopal Gandhi, J M Lyngdoh, Harish Salve, Ramchandra Guha, Julio Ribeiro and KT Thomas, and top sportspeople like PT Usha, Erapalli Prasanna, V Bhaskaran and Bishen Singh Bedi were unanimous in deploring Srinivasan's stubborn refusal to quit and said that his behaviour was bringing the game of cricket into shame. Meanwhile, there are indications that the Congress was firming up a strategy to nudge Srinivasan out and usher in a process for cleansing the game. When asked by TOI, sports minister Jitendra Singh appeared disturbed by the turn of events but declined to comment on whether Srinivasan should resign. "It is his morality. He has to look deep into his heart and see if he should step down given the scandals that have come out in the public domain. I would refrain from commenting on whether he should resign since it is an issue within the BCCI and I am not part of the board." But Scindia, whose father Madhavrao in 1992 unilaterally resigned as civil aviation minister after an air accident (in which no lives were lost), was less guarded. "Cricket is a sport that's loved by every single individual across the length and breadth of India. Therefore, when something like this comes to the fore, it hits the core of our sporting spirit," he said. On being asked about Srinivasan's claim that he enjoyed the unanimous support of the BCCI board, Scindia said, "No one has asked me for my opinion." He hoped that BCCI wouldn't have to take the extreme step of removing Srinivasan. "I hope his conscience does make him take the right step. If required I will speak to him because it is the right thing to do... That example has to come from the top." Asked about the BCCI inquiry committee, he said, "It should be composed of people whose reputation is impeccable and who are not questionable. Pending this committee's report he (Srinivasan) should step aside." He added, "And if he and his family members or rather his son-in-law is absolved then surely he can come back. But considering the environment that cricket is in today, he should step aside." On Srinivasan's statement that his son-in-law was not the CSK team principal or owner, Scindia said, "I don't want to get into the nitty-gritty of issues. I don't believe that the nitty-gritty is important now. I believe that propriety is important. And in the sense of propriety he should step aside, not only for himself, and for CSK, but for spirit of cricket per se."       Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani   Movie Name :   Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani  Release Date :   May 31, 2013 Genre :  Rom Com  Producer : Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta Director :   Ayan Mukerji Music Director : Pritam Cast : Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Aditya Roy Kapur, Kalki Koechlin.   Synopsis: When Dharma Productions announced YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI no one expected it to be hyped the way it is at this stage. Despite boasting of the successful reunion of Ranbir Kapoor and young talented, director Ayan Mukerji, after WAKE UP SID, the film was more in the news for its lead stars, real life ex-couple, Ranbir-Deepika, back together on the big screen. However it was Pritam's music, especially Badtameez Dil, (and Ranbir's dancing!) that just took the nation by storm and hyped the movie to great heights. So let's check out the audio which is being touted as the first real blockbuster album of the year. It's all out fun, frolic, celebration and innocent naughtiness that one encounters in the chartbusting party trumpet loaded number, 'Badtameeez Dil', that is so very addictive that even when one fails to grab the mad gibberish but highly endearing lyrics at one go, still one gets instantly hooked to it. Benny Dayal is outstanding and it's his show all the way, although Shefali Alvares does join him briefly and does a good job. The song is already a chartbuster and is appealing to one and all, eight to eighty! Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks or it will digest itself. " 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. ”