“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 Thailand recognized for its role in promoting the rights of the disabled Thailand has been recognized for its commitment to promoting the rights of persons with disabilities. The Thai government hosted a regional consultation of Asia-Pacific countries on 15-16 May 2013, when Thailand presented its report under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process in the Thai Braille version. This publication would enhance accessibility and engage the visually impaired in Thailand's UPR process.     Universitas 21 ranking of national higher education systems 2013 Following on from the successful 2012 project, U21 has now published the 2013 Rankings report, which gives an overview of higher education systems across the world. The project aims to highlight the importance of creating a strong environment for higher education institutions to contribute to economic and cultural development, provide a high-quality experience for students and help institutions compete for overseas applicants. Overall, in the 2013 Universitas 21 Ranking of Higher Education Systems, the top five countries were found to be the United States, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and Denmark.      UN human rights chief welcomes signing of Bangladesh work safety accord by major companies The United Nations human rights chief has welcomed the decision of dozens of international companies to sign on to an fire-and-safety agreement in the aftermath of the deadly factory collapse in Bangladesh, while calling for additional actions to overhaul the entire garment sector. The companies that sign on have 45 days from the signing to develop and agree on an implementation plan to monitor their textile production in Bangladesh. Speaking on behalf of the Office of the High Commissioners for Human Rights (OHCHR), Mr Colville said measures taken so far may mark 'a turning point' in the history of Bangladesh's clothing industry but should only be a beginning. South Africa: Construction of MeerKat satellite dishes kicks off  The construction of the 64-dish MeerKat satellite dishes -- a precursor of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project -- had commenced, the Minister of Science and Technology Derek Hanekom said on Thursday. Government has injected R2 billion in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project over the next three years and Hanekom said the MeerKat would be completed by 2016.       Video of the Day:

World Round-Up

Political + Amit Shah made in charge of UP BJP, Varun Gandhi to lead party in WB        New Delhi: In a run up to the Lok Sabha elections, BJP President Rajnath Singh on Sunday reorganised the party's poll machinery. Rajnath made Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's close aide Amit Shah in charge of the party's affairs in key state Uttar Pradesh. Shah will be assisted by party members Trivendra Singh Rawat, Rameshwer Chaurasiya and Satyendra Kushwaha. The BJP President also made Varun Gandhi in charge of the party's affairs in West Bengal. In a list of state in-charges, convenors and in charge of its various fronts announced today, BJP appointed its Andhra Pradesh strongman Bandaru Dattatray as one of its Vice Presidents. He has also been made the in charge of Kerala. Dattatray was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. Shah, know for his organisational skills, will be in charge of UP which has 80 Lok Sabha seats. If BJP wants to return to power at the Centre, it will have to concentrate on Uttar Pradesh. Party leader Ananth Kumar has been moved out Bihar and made in charge of Madhya Pradesh which will go for assembly elections in the next few months. BJP's Rajya Sabha member JP Nadda has been appointed in charge of Chhattisgarh which will also go for assembly polls shortly. Former Uttar Pradesh unit chief Ramapati Ram Tripathi, considered close to party President Rajnath Singh, has been made in charge of Jharkhand. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who was recently elevated as General Secretary, has been appointed in charge of crucial Maharashtra where Congress and NCP are in power for the past several years. Rajasthan, which also goes for assembly polls, got a new party in charge in Captan Singh. Actor-turned MP Smiriti Irani will be the in charge of Goa while another party leader SS Ahluwalia will be in charge of Assam. Astrology   Aries March 21 to April 19 Things should be really expanding and getting much livelier in your daily routine. You may be sending lots of emails and other correspondence. You may be in demand. Everyone may want your attention, and you may be in just the right mood to be completely available. An end-game process may be unfolding in setting up plans for a trip or investigating a new territory. Either way, you are on top of the scene, and the information may flow.                                            Taurus April 20 to May 20 Investments, revenue sources, and money matters may be on the top of your to-do list today. The times may be right for researching new opportunities or negotiating a contract with a much better payout. Jupiter and Venus are both working for you in your financial sector, so it may be worth your while to do a little background work. A careful review of your portfolio positions may prove to be quite beneficial, especially if you can exercise caution and heed the advice of a trusted expert.                                    Gemini May 21 to June 20 Today could prove to be quite an action-packed time with lots of animated conversations between you and your friends. Your phone may be lit up all day with text messages and quips from all your closest contacts so be sure to keep your charger handy. This should also be an excellent time to reach out to people in business situations, such as meetings and conference calls. With all this positive activity, your head may be spinning, so try to keep track of all the things that come your way today.                              Cancer June 21 to July 22  This should be an opportune time to bring plans to conclusion. Venus and Jupiter align to help you toward completing your goal. They can both be beneficial planets to have on your side so you may finally be able to deliver on a long-term promise or reach that deadline. There may be nothing so satisfying as coming to a successful point of closure, where everyone seems content, and you can look back with pride at what you have delivered.                           Leo July 23 to Aug. 22  Working with others should be favorable, as Jupiter and Venus gather in your business sector. This may be the area where you find great reward in collaborating on a project. The spontaneity of sharing ideas and working together can be quite rewarding, especially since it may provide you with an opportunity to lead the way. Your creative spirit may run at top speed so be sure to tap into that rich pool of ideas, and see what happens.                                  BUSINESS+VE                                                                              Brokerage views on why investors should subscribe to Just Dial IPO       NEW DELHI: Local search engine Just Dial hit the capital markets on Monday with an initial public offering through which the company intends to raise up to Rs 950 crore. Last week, the company raised over Rs 208 crore through issue of shares to anchor investors including Goldman Sachs and HSBC. Just Dial, which plans to list on BSE, NSE and MCX-SX, would see promoters and other investors selling 17.49 million shares or 25.2 per cent of the paid up equity capital. Post issue, promoters would have 33 per cent stake and the issue does not involve the company issuing fresh shares. The issue will close on May 22, Wednesday. The company is issuing shares in the price band of Rs 470-543 per share. It is offering 10 per cent discount on issue price to retail investors. The company, which provides search service through multiple platforms such as internet, mobile internet and telephone (voice), is likely to use IPO proceeds to enhance its brand name and provide liquidity to existing shareholders. We have compiled views from various brokerages which are positive on Just Dial IPO: Emkay: Investors can subscribe to Just Dial IPO Emkay Global Financial Services has recommended investors to subscribe to the issue, but added that the "IPO pricing is on higher side". According to its report, the company, with no close competition on the horizon and high quality product offerings, is well placed to capitalise the high growth local content search and classified market in India. Analysts at Emkay expect the company to double its Free Cash Flows (FCF) to Rs 1.3 billion by FY15. JD also has negative working capital since it collects sales in advance, giving no credit to clients. With no inventory and debtors, growth in business would lead to higher cash generation from the balance sheet. Crisil Research assigns IPO grade '5/5' to Just Dial Crisil Research has assigned IPO Grade "5/5" to the proposed initial public offer of Just Dial. This indicates that the fundamentals of the IPO are strong relative to the other listed equity securities in India. The grade is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold the graded instrument, or a comment on the graded instrument's future market price or its suitability for a particular investor. The company has received funding from SAIF II Mauritius Company Ltd, Tiger Global Four Holdings, Tiger Global Principals Limited, SAPV (Mauritius) and EGCS Investment Holdings. HEALTH+VE                                                              A-Z of superfoods for weight loss       Take inspiration from this list of nutritious and delicious superfree foods and watch the pounds drop off without sacrificing on taste. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, eating fruits and vegetables, which are low in energy density (i.e they provide fewer calories per gram) has been shown not to just help lose weight but also to keep it off long term. This means you can eat as much of them as you fancy without having to weigh, count or measure them. Dr Jacquie Lavin, Head of Nutrition and Research at a slimming centre, reveals, "By filling one third of your plate with 'Superfree' foods (most fruit and vegetables) and making them your first choice between meals, you'll satisfy your appetite without feeling guilty and naturally limit your energy intake without counting a single calorie. It's a great way to enjoy a really healthy diet while making your weight loss easy." Ais for apple, which contains slow-acting sugars to keep you fuller longer. Bis for blueberries, rich in healthy compounds, said to help prevent obesity. Cis for carrots. Natural sugars make them sweet. Cook whole before chopping. Dis for damsons that belong to the plum family and lower blood cholesterol levels. Eis for eggplant or aubergines, they contain dietary fibre, helping digestion. Fis for figs, which are high in cholesterol-lowering pectin and a source of calcium. Gis for grapes, said to do wonders for high blood pressure and cholesterol. His for Hubbard squash, great for healthy skin and good immunity. Iis for iceberg lettuce — its high water content makes it low in energy density. Jis for jalapeno peppers. Nutritious and spicy, they give zing to recipes. Kis for kiwi. Virtually fat-free and even richer in Vitamin C than oranges. Lis for leek. The Ancient Greeks and Romans said leeks were therapeutic. Mis for melon, which contains an enzyme that reduces stress. Nis for nectarines. One large nectarine provides your whole day's Vitamin C. Ois for onions. Experts say just two or three a week can help your health. Pis for peppers, with three times the Vitamin C of citrus fruits. Qis for quince, related to apples and pears. Ris for raspberries. Ask your local vendor to get you some. Sis for strawberries. Absolutely jampacked with Vitamin C. Tis for tomatoes. The red colour comes from super healthy antioxidant lycopene. Uis for ugli fruit. Exotic hybrid of grapefruit, orange and tangerine. Vis for vine leaves. Fantastic source of iron to boost your energy levels. Wis for watercress. High in Vitamin B to improve mental function. Xis for Xigua (watermelon). Refreshing on a summer's day. Yis for yellow plums. All types of plums are packed with goodness. Zis for zucchini. They're 90% water and low in calories.     Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22  Your workplace may be buzzing with all sorts of intellectual activity. Conversations, ideas, and other flashes of inspiration may be quite common during this time. What better way to get your idea out and to be open to others at the same time? You may find that meetings and conference calls are especially effective, as you may find yourself particularly articulate and clear in your thoughts and actions. This marvelously positive time could prove to be quite beneficial for sharing your ideas. Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22 The world of travel may be all you need to keep your imagination in tune. The thought of new vistas and cultures may be especially appealing to you under this current climate. If you can't get yourself to an airport, you might find the same sort of stimulation from a new online course or an adult education class. New skills and activities are favored, as you may find yourself adept in understanding anything new. You may feel like a sponge wanting to soak up information and ideas to enrich your colorful imagination.                                  Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21 One area in which you have a special aptitude is large organizational investigation. You have a natural ability to delve beneath the surface and find just the right piece of information. Having that discernment can be quite handy, especially when others come to you for the facts. A simple exploratory look at some data may be all you need to provide a well-conceived summation. Reports, charts, and all things legal are all a part of your special gifts, so be certain to use them while they are so active. Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21 The look of love may be in your eyes, as Venus and Jupiter light up your romance sector. This wonderfully warm period will bring about good feelings for you and your partner. Things just seem to be flowing smoothly. A light and breezy tone may be all you need to make the day complete as you slip into a cozy restaurant and have a good laugh over an exotic dinner. The times are right, so indulge yourself.            Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19 The changing light and the shift of the seasons may be helpful when it comes to shedding your seasonal skin. New diet plans and exercise routines may prove to be quite helpful as you look to improve your health. Any focus on adopting new habits and shedding the old can be fruitful at this time. Jupiter may provide the power, but Venus can bring along the glow, as they both move through your health sector. This should be a great time to tone up and tune in to your body. Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18  You may feel a warm and soothing creative desire sweep over you as Venus and Jupiter stop by your creative sector. This could be a wonderful time for getting together with friends and breaking out some instruments or heading to an outdoor concert. How much fun can you have in a day? Let your imagination run wild and see what comes up. You have the support of great planetary energy, so tap into it and go for a ride.                              Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20  A family dinner tonight might have all the charm you could possibly imagine. Lots of laughter, lively conversation, and that warm glow of familiarity may provide you with a soothing backdrop for your day. You may have plans to meet everyone at a favorite restaurant or simply gather at one of your siblings' apartments for a potluck meal. The talk may be fast and funny, and you may leave with a broad smile as you look back at a day filled with love.         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 PM tells DU delegation he will look into four-year undergraduate programme matter               NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday evening told a delegation of senior teachers of that he would reflect on their demand for intervention in the proposed four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) and talk to the human resource development minister. The delegation met the PM for nearly an hour. Sources said the PM gave the delegation a patient hearing and asked how an overwhelming number of teachers were in support of FYUP. The delegation told Singh that the process was followed "nominally but not substantially". For instance, it was brought to the PM's notice that 34 staff associations of colleges had passed resolutions against FYUP but the vice-chancellor had now warned college principals that staff associations could not pass any resolution. The PM was also told that in the meetings of DU's executive council, agenda papers were not circulated in advance but given at the time of the meeting. According to sources, Singh maintained that he should not be seen as interfering in the affairs of autonomous educational institutions. He asked the delegation about University Grants Commission's view on the matter. He was told that UGC was no longer what it used to be and worked mostly at the behest of the HRD ministry without any independent view. The delegation impressed upon the PM the need to intervene as well as set up an independent fact-finding committee. Singh was told that as the head of an elected government, he should intervene and not allow lakhs of students to suffer to cater to the whims of one individual. The delegation told the PM that HRD ministry was in the habit of relying on information provided by Delhi University. It was pointed out that even Rajya Sabha was misled. To a question on vacancies in DU, the upper House was given the figure of a little over 300 vacancies whereas more than 4,000 vacancies exist in the university's departments and colleges. Departments themselves have nearly 700 vacancies, the delegation told the PM. SPORTS +VE Ferguson bows out as United share 10-goal epic        WEST BROMWICH (United Kingdom): English football witnessed the end of an era on Sunday as Alex Ferguson signed off as Manchester United manager with an extraordinary 5-5 draw at West Bromwich Albion in his 1,500th and final game. Results | Points Table On a sun-kissed afternoon at The Hawthorns, the ground with the highest altitude in the Football League, the 71-year-old Scot who propelled United to the summit of English football on 13 occasions bowed out with a hectic game full of the attacking football that he loves. The champions led 3-0, and then 5-2, but West Brom scored three times in five minutes, with substitute Romelu Lukaku completing a second-half hat-trick in the 86th minute to prevent Ferguson from signing off with victory. Ferguson, who amassed 38 trophies in 26 and a half years at Old Trafford, will be joined in retirement by 38-year-old midfielder Paul Scholes, who made his 718th and final appearance for the club as a 69th-minute substitute. Prior to kick-off, fans queued to buy souvenir edition match-day programmes, which contained a fulsome 40-page tribute to Ferguson from West Brom. The Scot was welcomed onto the pitch with a guard of honour from both sides and the hosts' generosity did not stop there, as slack defending enabled United to establish a 3-0 lead inside 30 minutes. In the sixth minute, Javier Hernandez crossed from the right and the untracked Shinji Kagawa beat United old boy Ben Foster with a near-post header. Three minutes later, United were again afforded space on the hosts' left flank and a drilled cross from Antonio Valencia was inadvertently turned in by floundering defender Jonas Olsson. United's fans were predictably boisterous, throwing a red flare onto the pitch at one point, but their exuberance provoked an angry reaction from the home support, with stewards and police obliged to intervene. In contrast, the game itself was almost completely devoid of needle, and Alexander Buttner exploited further inattention from the home defence to dispatch a crisp shot into the bottom-right corner from Tom Cleverley's pass on the half hour. James Morrison pulled a goal back in the 40th minute by sweeping in a Graham Dorrans cross and Lukaku cut the deficit to a single goal by steering a low shot past United goalkeeper Anders Lindergaard five minutes after coming on at the break. United responded immediately, however, with Robin van Persie converting a Valencia cut-back to claim his 26th league goal of the season before Hernandez turned in a low cross from substitute Ryan Giggs to make it 5-2. Olsson compounded a dreadful afternoon by hoisting a volley over the bar from only four yards, before the self-effacing Scholes came off the bench for the final game of his long and distinguished career. Victory would have seen United equal their best-ever Premier League points tally of 91 in a 38-game season, but instead, Youssouf Mulumbu and Lukaku scored twice within a minute before Lukaku bundled in Marc-Antoine Fortune's cross with four minutes left to complete an incredible comeback. It was a disappointing end to the game for Ferguson, who wore a rueful smile as he shook hands with opposite number Steve Clarke before walking onto the pitch to say goodbye to the United fans for the very last time.     I Love New Year I Love New Year  Movie Name :   I Love New Year  Release Date :   May 24, 2013 Genre :  Rom Com Producer : Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar Director :   Radhika Rao, Vinay Sapru Music Director :  Pritam Cast : Sunny Deol, Kangana Ranaut, Navin Choudhary, Tannishta Chatterjee, Prem Chopra, Reema Lagoo, Maya Alagh, Manoj Joshi, Jiten Mukhi, Virag Mishra, Arbaaz Khan   Synopsis: I Love New Year is an upcoming romantic comedy film starring Sunny Deol and Kangana Ranaut in the lead. It's a story on what happens between two people in a span of two days over the New Year's Eve. The movie follows two strangers, a beautiful musician (Kangana Ranaut) and a serious Wall Street banker (Sunny Deol), that have a chance encounter on New Year's Eve that the banker can't seem to remember and the events that come about as a result of the two meeting. In 2011 directors Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru announced their intent to begin work on I Love New Year. The film originally had the working title of Happy New Year, but had to change the title due to Shahrukh Khan who also was using the title for a film he was working on during the same time period. Actors Sunny Deol and Kangana Ranaut are starring in the film, with Ranaut stating that she trained over a month in order to gain the correct expressions and body language of a musician. Filming commenced in summer of 2011 at Filmalaya Studios in Mumbai, with the final scenes having to be filmed in New York City.           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.

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