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“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”
| VBA's Positive News |
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Boom spreads wealth wider in the Philippines
The Philippines' economy has unexpectedly boomed, putting middle class comforts within tantalizing reach of many, who credit the new vitality to the policies of President Benigno Aquino III, elected in 2010 on promises of eradicating graft and fighting poverty. He introduced new taxes, reformed the judiciary, and set the country on a path that shows sign of enduring -- it has now enjoyed three straight quarters of economic growth above 7 per cent. Standard and Poor's and Fitch Ratings earlier this year upgraded the Philippines' credit rating to investment grade for the first time.
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US unemployment benefit applications fall as hiring increases
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 343,000 last week, a sign that employers are adding jobs at modest pace. Job growth has been stable. A separate report showed that companies stepped up hiring in June, a hopeful sign ahead of Friday's employment report for last month.
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India: Steel giant takes to organic farming
In a one-of-its-kind initiative, iron and steel giant Shyam Group has started organic farming in its plant at Jamuria in Burdwan district to cater to the kitchen requirements of around 3,000 staff who work in the plant. The farm produces cauliflower, brinjal, cabbage, cucumber, ladies finger, papaya, gourd, and other leafy vegetables. Company officials, buoyed by the success of the project, now plan to replicate the idea in all their future plants.
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Canada: Edmonton welcomes new Canadian citizens with open arms
Monday marked Canada's 146th birthday and for Ric Magdato, an immigrant from the Philippines, the day was 'a dream come true'. Magdato was one of 60 people who celebrated Canada Day by receiving his Canadian citizenship at the Alberta Legislature Building on Monday. 'It's awesome. It feels really good to finally be a Canadian,' Magdato said. 'This is one of the greatest things about Canada Day,' said Edmontonian Jack Lackey. 'Welcoming these new people is what our great nation is all about.'
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Video of the Day:
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World Round-Up
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BJP may field Narendra Modi from Varanasi to win over Uttar Pradesh
NEW DELHI: Narendra Modi is likely to contest the next Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi, a move that points to the strategy of BJP's presumptive prime ministerial candidate to help the party recapture its lost ground in the Hindi heartland.
Confirming the choice of the holiest of cities for Hindus, after months of speculation over constituencies, including Lucknow and Allahabad, a senior leader said the Gujarat chief minister was willing to step out of his comfort zone to make a larger impact by contesting from the most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for 80 Lok Sabha seats. The constituency is currently held by former BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi, who is likely to be offered an alternative seat as he makes way for Modi.
BJP, which had won just 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the 2009 polls, is banking on a campaign around Modi in the state, said the leader, who did not wish to be named.
The state had swayed in BJP's favour in the 1990s when the party approached the electorate with the message of Hindutva, but it has steadily slipped out of hand.
Upper caste voters
This was after the ascendancy of the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party and Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party. The Congress' meltdown that helped the BJP's growth in the last decade has been working in favour of the two regional outfits.
But with Modi entering the fray in Varanasi, BJP's strategists expect the upper caste voters to return to the party fold, especially since both the SP and the Congress aggressively woo the numerically preponderant Muslim community in the constituency.
"The upper castes, which had gravitated to other outfits, will get a new option with the BJP coming up with a credible face in the state after a long time. Modi's candidature will increase our capacity to reach out," said a BJP leader, adding that the party will also get an opportunity to flaunt Modi's identity as a leader from the Other Backward Classes. "The non-Yadav backward voters that supported the BJP in the past will also find Modi appealing," the leader said, pointing to Bihar, where the BJP is using the same ploy to undercut JD (U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's hold over the community.
Modi, who has been struggling to live down the anti-Muslim riots under his watch in Gujarat in 2002, has fashioned his campaign around good governance and economic development. BJP's strategists, however, believe the subtext of communal and caste appeal will resonate with the party's traditional voters in not just Uttar Pradesh but the entire Hindi heartland.
Modi's candidature can be troublesome for the ruling SP, which is eyeing the entire chunk of Muslim votes, a BJP strategist said, reasoning that in a direct combat between the BJP and the Congress, the Congress could emerge as a claimant for the community's votes.
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Astrology
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Aries March 21 to April 19
This may be an excellent opportunity to bring out something from your past and share it with the rest of your family. Because of all the wonderful emotional energy currently swirling in the universe, it would be the right time to reach out for meaningful time together. The past may be particularly relevant because you may recognize it as the foundation for where you are today with your family. Maybe you will find a way to bring positive closure and a new beginning as a result.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
A significant relationship or friend may be on your mind. You may have had an impasse that has blocked you from moving forward. A simple conversation might help clear the air and reset the dialogue. You may find an easy method for both of you giving something back to the relationship so that it becomes more grounded and equal. You may take this on with dutiful honesty and genuine concern for patching up differences and making light of the past in an effort to move to a new space.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
 You may be in the process of due diligence with regard to financial matters. The times may be right for working with others to stretch resources and find the necessary funds to carry on. This may be one of your ongoing projects during this time, especially on the job where recent ambiguity may have prevented you from clearing things up. Clarity may be one of the most important qualities to seek as you find new ways to be efficient and prosperous.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
A light and lively time may be in store for you over the next few days as you seek out like-minded friends to enjoy each other's company. One of the more rewarding areas for you may be a creative workshop. This could be a wonderful opportunity to get together with others and learn a new skill or creative outlet. You may be pleasantly surprised by how effortless this may feel and how enthusiastic you feel about it all.
Leo July 23 to Aug. 22
 This may be a wonderfully rich time for you to bring some closure to a long-standing concern. Something may have been nagging at you, and this may be the perfect time for bringing it to completion. You may find clarity to a once-uncertain event, which could be incredibly intriguing, and it may even feel like finding a long-lost friend. Time may have played a significant role in distance, but you may now be able to come to terms with events as they have unfolded.
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Citibank India profit grows 41.4% to Rs 2,718 crore
NEW DELHI: Buoyed by robust growth in its commercial banking and mortgage businesses, Citibank India today reported a 41.4 per cent rise in profit after tax for 2012-13 at Rs 2,718 crore.
Citi India, part of US-based global banking giant Citibank, it also helped Indian clients raise USD 18 billion from equity and debt markets and advised on merger and acquisition deals worth USD 10.4 billion during the year.
Besides, it was a leading arranger of capital for the India financial system with close to USD 8.5 billion raised and played a key role in the Indian government's disinvestment programme, the bank said while announcing its financial results.
Citibank India's profit after tax rose by 41.4 per cent to Rs 2,718 crore during the financial year ended March 31, 2013, while profit before tax rose 39.2 per cent to Rs 4,589 crore.
At the end of last fiscal, Citibank India's total assets were Rs 1,28,380 crore, with advances growing by 10 per cent to Rs 52,036 crore and deposits rising by 3 per cent to Rs 66,559 crore.
The bank said that its capital adequacy ratio stood at a healthy rate of 15.90 per cent and the net NPA ratio was 1.47 per cent.
Commenting on the results, Citi India's Chief FInancial Officer Abhijit Sen said the bank has delivered high quality earnings despite a challenging environment.
"During the financial year 2012-2013, we have seen sustained expansion in the commercial banking segment, high off-take of trade loans by global banking customers and growth in our mortgage business. Our capital position remains robust as it supports a larger balance sheet.
"It is critical for us to maintain focus on being a stable, efficient and strong institution," Sen added.
The bank opened three Smart Banking branches in Noida, Mumbai and Bangalore, while its cards business maintained a leading position in terms of spending per card with about 18.4 per cent market share.
The bank's mortgage book grew 16.7 per cen to Rs 9,949 crore in the year, while the overall Asset Under Management in its wealth management business stood at Rs 16,059 crore at the end of the last fiscal.
The bank said it also made 135 new hirings, under its Associate Program, from B-schools in India during the year, while the bank's Corporate Citizenship program made grants totaling Rs 12.68 crore during the fiscal.
One of the largest banking groups in the world, Citi has businesses across more than 160 countries and it has been present in India for over 100 years. Currently, it has 42 branches across 30 cities in India.
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6 smart ways to overcome gloom in life
Your body is the first to signal that you're depressed. 10 smart ways to get over the sullenness
Studies suggest more than 65 per cent of women suffering from depression don't actually feel all that miserable. Instead, they show physical signs including experiencing strange niggles, drowsiness post noon and excessive eating (see box). According to the University of Washington researchers, struggling with two or more of these symptoms is your body's way of signalling that you are depressed. So, in order to combat depression before it takes you down, follow these simple tips to a happier you:
Get your Vitamin D
Vitamin D, also known as vitamin sunshine, helps your brain produce antidepressant hormones like serotonin and oxytocin, boosting your mood by at least 30 per cent. According to researchers at the University of Texas, mornings are the best time to absorb nutrients — soaking in your quota of vitamin D in the AM hours can cut your risk of depression by half. In fact, studies show, it improves people's outlook for five hours straight.
Be less tidy
Lowering your cleanliness standards allows you to spend more time relaxing and unwinding. This helps down your production of cortisol, which is a stress hormone that sabotages brain function and saps your ability to produce antidepressant hormones. Being less tidy, on the other hand, can make your serotonin production creep up in as little as one week. So, the next time your mum is after you to clean up the room, you have an excuse.
Tweak the lighting
There's a direct nerve connection between your eyes and the biological clock that you're used to. Keep your home and workplace cheery and bright during the day by using high wattage light bulbs and opening the curtains. Dim the lights and switch off your computer and other light emitting electronics one hour before bedtime.
Dance to happiness
Dancing is a combination of exercise and rhythmic motions. This kind of activity prompts your brain to produce a larger, steadier supply of mood-steadying hormones. For best results, dance for 30 minutes, four times a week. In a recent Swedish study, it only took nine weeks of dancing to cut subjects' depression scores by 67 per cent — an improvement that's tough to match even with antidepressant meds.
Sing along too
And while learning steps, learn to croon to the numbers. Singing kickstarts your brain's production of calming, mood-boosting alpha brain waves. Women who include music into their daily lives — by spending 10 to 15 minutes singing along to their favourite songs — recover up to 55 per cent faster from the blues, plus they cut their risk of relapses by half.
Eat avocados
Research shows, eating half an avocado (available at Pali Market in Bandra and Crawford Market) daily cuts your risk of depression and its symptoms by 25 per cent. This is because they are loaded with monounsaturated fats — nutrients that prod your brain to make the blues-busting hormone dopamine.
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Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
You may find yourself having a rather important discussion with one of your friends or business associates. You may have different views on a topic. The wonderful part of this discussion may be that you both discover that your ideas are closer than you originally thought. A frank talk may be all that you need to set the record straight and move forward. Compromise may also be the most productive way since you may both be able to see the other's view.
Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
Your job may be the focus of your day as the Sun, Mercury, and Jupiter all gather in that sector of your life. You may want to focus on gaining clarity especially during any conversation that involves money or budgets. With Mercury stationing retrograde, you may want to simply double-check your figures to resolve any potential discrepancy. This may also be an opportune time to resolve future plans for upcoming programs. Better to solve the problems before they happen.
Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
 A little creative investigation may feel right to you now. Learning new skills or subjects may also be of interest to you, as your education sector appears quite active with three supportive planets there. This type of energy may prove to be useful and especially creative. Exposing yourself to new methods, thoughts, and philosophies may be wonderfully liberating and actually quite inspiring. All you need to do next is find a useful way to put what you learn into practice.
Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
This could be a particularly imaginative time for family discussions. You may want to inject some levity into your conversations simply because Mercury in retrograde can sometimes cloud the talk with misheard statements and surprise comments. A family-oriented talk may allow you to make plans for the future in a responsible and orderly fashion. The best way forward may be to assign the work across several family members so that the effort is equal.
Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
 With the Sun, Mercury, and Jupiter occupying your relationship sector, you may be feeling talkative and playful. You may need to check with your partner about plans and make certain you are both in alignment with what you are doing. With Mercury in retrograde you may find that your wires get crossed and you each see things differently. If you can find a way to make sure that you are both on the same page you may find your plans fall into place much easier.
Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
 One area that may be your special talent is charity and service to others. Your humanitarian spirit may easily rise to the occasion whenever someone is in need. This may be especially true in your work sector where you may feel a certain obligation to lend a hand. You likely will help out with budgetary matters and a clear division of resources. You may possess special insights that could be quite useful on the job.
Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20
This could be a wonderful time for gathering your friends and family together for an unusual outing. That may include theater, an amusement park, or some fantasy escape adventure. You may be able to combine an educational event that has all of these qualities, while delivering a fun and memorable time for everyone. Be certain you check times and prices before you embark, since facts and figures may be easily confused under the influence of Mercury in retrograde.
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Moral Story
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SMS
“Every king was once crying baby,
& every building was once a map..
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its not important what u r today..
but where u reach tomorrow.. = ).”
LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
Relationship is like a violin,
Music may stop now n then,
But strings are attached forever.
So if u r in touch or not,
U r always remembered. .
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS
“There is great comfort and inspiration in the feeling of close human relationships and its bearing on our mutual fortunes – a powerful force, to overcome the “tough breaks” which are certain to come to most of us from time to time. All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.”
2 sardar were fixing a bomb in a car.
Sardar 1: What would you do if the bomb
explodes while fixing.
Sardar 2: Dont worry, I have one more.
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Toppers set sights on Bombay, Delhi, few choose IIT-Madras
CHENNAI: Now that IIT's Joint Entrance Exam (Advanced) results are out, the race has begun for admission to the best branches of these institutes.
IIT-Bombay and IIT-Delhi lead the rest when it comes to attracting the top 100 rankholders . Sixty-seven students of the top 100 opted for IIT-B and 29 chose IIT-D , but only four students have decided to join IIT-Madras . Though this is pretty much in keeping with the trend over the past two years, when only three students joined IIT-M from the top 100, it highlights a tilt in preference even though there is little to separate the IITs in terms of academics.
Sai Praveen Bangaru of Maharishi International School in Chennai is hopeful of getting into computer science at IIT-B . "It is the best place for computer science. If I don't get through, I will apply for the same course in IIT-M," he said.
Two other students from the city have made it to the top 10 this year. Nithin Seyon Ramesan from Chettinad Vidyashram has chosen BTech (electrical engineering) at IIT-M and Sooraj Narayan from Maharishi Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School has opted for mechanical engineering at IIT-M .
Academics say the tilt in favour of IIT-D and IIT-B could in part be due to the major coaching centre hubs being in Kota in Rajasthan and in Hyderabad . Most students from Kota are keen on getting into IIT-B and IIT-D because IIT-M is much farther away, they say.
The top two rankers, both from Hyderabad, have also opted for IIT-B . The IITs in Bombay and Delhi have bigger computer science departments in terms of seats available and faculty.
These factors influence the top rankers, most of whom choose computer science, a senior professor said. Word of mouth does play a part, especially when it's about the weather, food and job prospects in a city. But professors say that a combination could influence a student's decision.
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Selectors to discuss if seniors need to be rested for Zimbabwe tour
MUMBAI: Indian selectors will deliberate if injured skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni along with some other seniors should be rested when they pick squad on Friday for the upcoming five-match ODI series in Zimbabwe.
The selectors had retained the victorious Champions Trophy squad for the tri-nation series but Indian players have played non-stop cricket in the last few months and the discussion is likely to centre around who needs to be rested.
Dhoni was ruled out of the series in the West Indies due to a hamstring injury and it is not known if he will be available for the series against Zimbabwe commencing, July 24.
If Dhoni is rested, Virat Kohli will have to continue leading the side.
The selectors may look at the option of recalling senior opener Gautam Gambhir, also named among the reserves, to lend some more experience to the team, especially if Dhoni is unavailable.
Left-handed Gambhir lost his place in the team due to his recent poor form with the bat.
But with Murali Vijay - named as the opening partner for his Delhi mate Shikhar Dhawan - being sidelined after Rohit Sharma's promotion, a case could be made for Gambhir's recall.
Vijay did not play a single game in the Champions Trophy and when included in the second match against Sri Lanka in the Tri-series could not capitalise on the good start and fell for 30.
His place could go to Gambhir.
Gambhir was named among the probables for the Windies series by the selectors and has a strong chance of getting a call-up to resume his interrupted ODI career in which he has scored 5238 runs from 147 matches.
An injury to Irfan Pathan forced the selectors to bring in Shami Ahmed, one of the probables named for the Windies tour, and later they had to substitute Dhoni by including another reserve player Ambati Rayudu.
The two players may keep their place if selectors choose to rest one or two bowlers along with senior batsmen.
Cheteshwar Pujara, who was not in list of the reserves as he was recovering from injury, would be fancying his chances, as he can lend substance to the middle order due to the unavailability of Manoj Tiwary, another probable, who has been ruled out of action for four months with a knee injury.
A few more changes could be made to the line-up, especially in pace bowling, with Praveen Kumar likely to get a call-up to replace one of the jaded-looking pacers after having been named in the probables list for Windies tour.
Rahul Sharma is the sixth reserve player, but with Amit Mishra already in the squad for the West Indies and yet to play a game, is unlikely to be considered by the selectors.
The rest of the squad is expected to be retained for the bilateral series against Zimbabwe in which India play the first three games at the Harare Sports Club and the last two in Bulawayo before finishing their engagements on August 3.
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LOOTERA
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LOOTERA
Movie Name : LOOTERA
Release Date : 5 July 2013
Genre : Romance drama film
Producer :Ekta Kapoor,Shobha Kapoor,Anurag Kashyap,Vikas Bahl
Director : Vikramaditya Motwane
Music Director : Amit Trivedi
Cast : Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi Sinha
Synopsis:
The year is 1953. A visiting archaeologist called Varun Shrivastav comes to the village of Manikpur in West Bengal to excavate the temple grounds of the local Zamindar. With knowledge and experience beyond his young demeanour, Varun greatly impresses the Zamindar and his family. Especially Pakhi, the Zamindar’s feisty and only daughter, who finds herself irrevocably drawn towards him.
But Varun isn’t all he seems on the surface. And as the simmering attraction between him and Pakhi leads to a tender and deep love, he is forced to choose between her and his past.
Making his choice, Varun disappears. Pakhi struggles to move on with her life, determined to forget him and their relationship. Until one day, when he returns under the most extraordinary circumstances.
Inspired from O. Henry’s “The Last Leaf”, Lootera is the uplifting story of two lovers. Of heartbreak, betrayal… and ultimate redemption.
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Australia was originally called New Holland
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" INSPIRING STORY "
A story for Passover
A good Passover story should always involve cakes. Austrian baker Manfred Klaschka is the subject of this year’s story. He was in the news because of his most recent catalogue of cake designs; Klaschka is a pastry specialist.
Of course, Austrian pastries are famous the world over. Now, pastry baker Manfred Klaschka’s most recent catalogue of such tasty delights was in the news this week because it included cakes decorated with swastikas – as well as one with a baby raising its right arm in a Nazi salute.
Herr Klaschka insists he is not a Nazi. After the news story broke, he even met with a Holocaust awareness group, and apologized for what he had done, and he then baked a cake to say he was sorry – a cake with Jewish and Christian symbols. The point of the story – the bit I found interesting – is Herr Klaschka’s explanation for what he did.
"I see it was a mistake, anyone who knows me knows what kind of person I am. I am no Nazi", said Klaschka, who had earlier said he was just a pastry maker fulfilling his customers’ wishes. Fulfilling his customers’ wishes?There is a market in Austria in 2011 for cakes with babies raising their arms in Nazi salutes, cakes with swastikas on them? There are parties where people serve such cakes? Maybe birthday parties for babies?
Of course there are such people, and there are such parties, and because of that, there is a market – there is consumer demand – for swastika cakes. Which is why Herr Klaschka was happy to bake them. And not only in Austria.You may remember the case of the Campbell family from New Jersey.
When Kurt Waldheim was exposed as a war criminal his popularity rose. The neo-Nazi Freedom Party headed by the late Jorg Haider, won 27% of the vote in the 2000 elections and became part of the coalition government – the first time since 1945 that Nazis had sat in a European government.
But this never happened in New Jersey – which is why I want to talk about the Campbell family. The Campbell family in New Jersey made the news back in 2008 when they tried to get a birthday cake made for their son — they have a son and two daughters — at the local Shop Rite in Holland Township.
The store refused their request. And the reason was that Mr. Campbell wanted the cake to read "Happy birthday Adolf Hitler". Because, you see, his son’s name was Adolf Hitler Campell. One of the daughters is named is named JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell. Well, you get the point.
When I read about the Austrian baker Manfred Klaschka, I thought – here was a marketing opportunity for him.He would have happily baked a cake for the Campbell family. So what does all this have to do with Passover?
This week, when we are forbidden to eat Sachertore or Linzer tort or even the delightfully named Punschkrapfen, we might want to pause and think about something we say every year at the Passover seder: 'In every generation it is the duty of man to consider himself as if he had come forth from Egypt'.Because in this generation, as in all others, there are those who order custom-made swastika cakes. There are those who name their children after Adolf Hitler. And there are others who fire anti-tank missiles at school busses with Jewish children in them.
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“Action is the foundational key to all success.”
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