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WORLD ROUND UP- 09 August 2013
WORLD ROUND UP- 09 AUGUST 2013



 





 “Never compare your love story with those in the movies, because they are written by scriptwriters. Yours is written by God. ”    


VBA's Positive News


North Korea says to reopen factory park, proposes talks with South

North Korea said on Wednesday it was reopening the shuttered Kaesong industrial zone run jointly with the South to South Korean businesses and proposed new talks on normalizing the troubled project to be held next week. The North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, which handles Pyongyang's ties with Seoul, said the safety of South Koreans visiting the factory park will also be guaranteed in a statement carried by KCNA news agency.     

Australia: North Queensland sugar crush the best in years

Australia's largest sugarcane growing region is having its most productive crush in years. The Burdekin, south of Townsville, is crushing 100 per cent to its original crop forecast of 7.4 million tonnes of cane. Phil Marano, the chairman of Canegrowers Burdekin, says this season's success is due to improved mill performance and good weather.  

China's climate change initiatives gain ground 

While US lawmakers continue to debate whether climate change even exists, sweeping climate change reforms are starting to emerge from a surprising source -- the People's Republic of China. From massive investments in clean energy to sweeping environmental legislation, China undertook swift action in the wake of this year's record-breaking smog. These actions provide a clear message: the rest of the world isn't willing to keep waiting for the US to lead the charge against global warming. 

Tide might be turning on US childhood obesity - CDC

The obesity rate among low-income children between the ages of 2 and 4 is falling in 19 US states and territories after having doubled in the past 30 years, a report released Tuesday shows. Although the declines were small in most cases, officials from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they were a sign of progress.    





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World Round-Up 


Political +
LoC killings: Antony to clarify that he didn't give clean chit to Pak 


 

 

 

New Delhi: The UPA government is in a damage control mode after the row over Defence Minister AK Antony's statement on the Poonch LoC killings.

Sources say that government will announce on Thursday that Antony made his statement on the basis of the information he got at 2 am on Tuesday night, right after the incident took place, which was why he couldn't name the Pakistani Army.

The Defence Minister is expected to make a new statement in Parliament at noon on Thursday after being briefed by Army Chief General Bikram Singh who had visited the 16 Corps headquarters in Nagrota near Jammu to get details about the LoC attack by his commanders.

Antony is expected to issue a clarification that he did not give a clean chit to anyone.


Earlier, Defence Ministry sources said that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) vetted Antony's statement to suit Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in September.


But a PMO spokesperson told news agency PTI that the allegations are mischievous and have no basis.


The killing of five Indian soldiers on the LoC disrupted Parliament for the second day on Wednesday with the BJP targeting Antony for almost providing an alibi to Islamabad and differing with the Army on Pakistan's role in the attack. The government, in turn, accused the Opposition of playing politics.

A united opposition launched a multi-pronged attack on the government on Wednesday.


NDA Parliamentary Party chief LK Advani, who demanded an apology from Antony, led a party delegation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and made it clear that they will not relent on their position when Parliament meets on Thursday.


The BJP leaders, who included party chief Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and her counterpart in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, also told the Prime Minister that he should not meet his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York in September in the current situation.



At the heart of the controversy are the two statements - one by the Defence Minister, where he blamed it on approximately 20 heavily-armed terrorists along with persons dressed in Pakistan Army uniforms, the ambiguity on the role of the Pakistan Army was apparent.

Almost simultaneously, the Army in its press release blamed heavily-armed terrorists along with regulars of the Pakistan Army.


With the matter heating up soon after, as the discrepancy was pointed out, the Army retracted and revised its version to fall in line with Antony's statement. The Congress, though, stood by the Defence Minister, accusing BJP of politicising the issue.  


Astrology


 

 

Aries March 21 to April 19
You are now in the new moon period that runs from June 8 until June 21. You will benefit from any travel you take, whether to see family, to conduct business, or to simply have fun. Spin your compass and book a sweet hotel in a location not far from home over June 15-16. Mercury was not favorable to Uranus at that new moon, so you might have last-minute delays. Do your best to nail down all details. If driving, before you head out, have your car tuned up by a mechanic.                                

 

Taurus April 20 to May 20
You are now in the finest time of all of 2013 for increasing your salary, or if self-employed, to bring in more business. The new moon appeared in your earned income sector on June 8, so the actions you take now will have the power to influence your financial year to come. Good-fortune Jupiter is now touring your money sector in a rare visit, but is due to leave on June 25. Once gone, Jupiter won't be back to this house another twelve years. While you have the most ideal situation possible for raising your income, craft a persuasive argument and present your case. Don't undersell your services or your product.                                


 

Gemini May 21 to June 20
geminiThis has all the makings of a banner week. Choose one big initiative (whether business or personal) to launch. You have the staunch support of almost all of the planets now, so with a smile and a shrug, tell yourself that it's now or never. The vibrations of planets in Gemini, including Mars, Jupiter, the Sun and new moon of June 8 (still strong) are spectacular. It would be a shame not to use this week to your full advantage.                          

 

Cancer June 21 to July 22 
With four important planets in the area of your chart ruling privacy, creativity, strategy, and work done in solitude, arrange an easygoing schedule that gives you plenty of time to think about the future and to concentrate on creative pursuits. Jupiter, giver of gifts and luck, will enter Cancer on June 25, to stay twelve months, bringing all sorts of exceptional opportunities. Visits from Jupiter are rare; you've not had a visit from Jupiter since mid-2001 to mid-2002.

 


Leo July 23 to Aug. 22 
leoThis week will be enormously social, and it looks like you'll get a number of calls from friends suggesting you get together. Your pals will be good for you now, so turn away from routine work and make time for them. The only area that won't go well would be a blind date if you are single - it seems your friend doesn't quite know your taste after all. If you've been thinking of joining a new (real life) club, send your application now, and attend functions. You need to add new elements to freshen things up.

   

 

 







BUSINESS+VE                                                                             

DGH rejects finance ministry idea of old price for Reliance Industries

 


 

 

NEW DELHI: The technical arm of the oil ministry, the Directorate General of Hydrocarbon (DGH), has said there are technical problems in the suggestion that Reliance IndustriesBSE -0.48 % should not be allowed to raise natural gas prices until additional output makes up for the huge shortfall in supplies at the old rate.


After the government decided to double the domestic natural gas price from April, the finance ministry wrote to the oil ministry to examine whether RIL could be asked to sell the deficit gas at the old rate of $4.2 per unit.

 

Gas output from the D6 block has fallen to about 14 million metric standard cubic metres a day (mmscmd) from a peak of 62 mmscmd in mid-2010.

 

As per the approved plan, the output should have increased to 80 mmscmd.

 

"The 'shortfall' will essentially be the cumulative 'targeted production up to March 30, 2014 minus the actual cumulative production during the same period.

 

However, there are certain difficulties in estimating both the targeted production as well as actual production," DGH wrote to the oil ministry.



It said output estimates could vary in a dynamic situation, and could be revised. "In most cases, the projected production in the PSC (production sharing contract) in the FDP/DWP (field development plan/development work programme), and the annual work programme would not be identical.

 

This is because of the dynamic nature of exploration and production activities which need to be adapted to suit the ground realities and operational requirements. So, a decision would have to be taken as to which of the projected production figures would constitute targeted production," it said.



DGH said that the contract gives "full freedom" to energy firms to revise development plans of the oil or gas fields often with the approval of the management committee comprising representatives of the government and the contractor.

 

"In such a scenario, calculating the shortfall quantities to be billed at the old gas price would become difficult due to the shifting nature of goal posts," DGH said in the letter reviewed by ET.



DGH also highlighted difficulties in adhering to the production deadlines because of "various operational reasons".

 

The technical adviser of the ministry also found it difficult to monitor the actual output vis-a-vis targets because one gas field in a block could produce more than envisaged and output from the other could be less, and accumulative figures for the entire block could be totally different than initial estimates.



"Under these circumstances, if it is to be considered to allow the old gas price for shortfall quantities and new gas price for the incremental quantities, then decisions on operational issues mentioned above will also have to be taken simultaneously," it said.



In the letter, DGH also recommended to raise the penalty amount for creating facilities in excess of actual production to $1.786 billion from $1.005 billion because of continued production shortfall in 2012-13.  


HEALTH+VE                                                             

Raspberry supplement may help you lose weight

 

 


 

 

 

Raspberry ketones can help you lose weight and boost levels of a metabolism-regulating hormone, a report has claimed.

 

Raspberry ketones are fragrant compounds that occur naturally in raspberries and other fruits. The compounds can boost levels of adiponectin hormone, which regulates metabolism.

 

Higher levels of this hormone are associated with fewer fat stores, the Daily Mail reported.

 

The ketones are normally used to give a fruity smell to cosmetics and foodstuffs but, because you only get between one and four milligram from every kilo of fresh fruit, a synthetic version is often used to get the same result.

 

And now these ketones are being sold online, in supplement form, as a slimming aid, the report said.

 

Millions of Americans have become convinced of powers of raspberry ketones to ‘melt’ away fat after they were recommended by Dr. Mehmet Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

 

He said raspberry ketones are ‘the number-one miracle in a bottle to burn your fat’.

However, Ann Ashworth, a spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association, urges caution, pointing out that the only published research into the effects of raspberry ketones on weight loss is small studies on mice.

“Although this sounds very exciting, this evidence cannot be transferred to humans without further clinical trials,” she said.  




 

 

Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22 
You are entering one of the most important weeks of the year for scoring a key career victory. The new moon that lit your house of fame and honors on Saturday, June 8, will stay strong during this coming week, so talk to friends and colleagues about possible position openings, view listings, and call your headhunter. Something big is likely to turn up. If self-employed, a prestigious new client is likely to walk through the door.

           

Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
With four planets encouraging you to spread your wings, you may be off to an important vacation or business trip now. Any travel you take is likely to have a strong and positive impact on your life, so be optimistic. Pursuits for higher education will also be rewarded, so if you are working on a thesis, taking high-level exams, or interviewing for admission to a college for the future, you will do well. Legal matters will tend to work to your favor now too.


Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
Scorpio
You seem to be quite a money machine this week. Men with little wheelbarrows full of money seem to be heading straight to your door. In this extraordinary week, you have Jupiter, the giver of gifts and luck, Sun, ruling authority figures, Mars, planet of energy (and your ruler), and the new moon of June 8 to exert powerful rays all this week. They will blend their considerable energies to see that you receive a generous check soon. Keep working toward crystallizing your deal. Be careful with any legal document you need to sign, however as Mercury (contracts) was in hard angle to Uranus (surprises) at the new moon.    

                     

Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
As a Sagittarius, you always like to take your time to think carefully before committing to any promises, but this week, you seem closer than ever to making a fateful promise to a partner, whether for marriage or a new business alliance. As it will soon become apparent, this week favors those members of Sagittarius who are already attached. If you are newly dating or hope to meet someone new, be wary on Wednesday, June 12, a day that may bring unexpected turbulence, due to a conflict between Venus and Uranus.   

   

Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
capricon.jpgYou seem very motivated to exercise and get into good condition. This is your very best time to begin. The new moon that appeared on Saturday, June 8, can help you reach your fitness goals. Call to make medical and dental appointments. You know you should have done this earlier this year - you are running out of excuses, little Goat. Make a conscious effort to improve your diet and sleep schedule while you are thinking about finding ways to boost your health. Your work life will be very busy this week too, with two assignments coming in nearly simultaneously. Your skills in communicating will be prized, and if you can find ways to show off those skills, you'll make a name for yourself. Your best days this week: Friday and Saturday.                            
  


Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18 
aquarius.jpg The new moon that occurred on June 8 will bring outstanding possibilities for your love life throughout the coming week. With the help of Mars, Jupiter, the Sun, and that new moon's power, each in friendly Gemini, you'll have one of your best chances of 2013 to meet someone new, if single. If you're attached, you can now have much more fun with your one and only - and get the one-on-one attention you've craved. This week is also a good time to invite the stork - be careful if you're not ready to be a parent. Your only difficult day for work- and home-related efforts: June 12, when your ruler, Uranus, faces off with Venus. At work, if artistic, your creativity will blossom more with each passing day, impressing VIPs.        

   

Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20 
You've had plans for your home, but things kept getting in the way, or you've not been able to find the right options. Now all obstacles will fall, and you can make your home life precisely as you want it to be. With the new moon of June 8 still strong for more than a week, and Jupiter, planet of good fortune, standing by to help your timing and financial luck, seize the moment and get busy. Energetic Mars is also at your side in home matters, helping you start a two-year cycle. What more could you want? It's time to cut the deal or make your choices. You have no reason to hold back. Later, other parts of life will become more vital - use this time now to get real estate and family matters launched or settled while you still have Jupiter in your home sector, to leave June 25, not to come back for 12 years..  


 

 Moral Story  

 




SMS

Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.

 

 

LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

 

 

LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS

 

 Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better. 


 

 A Three legged dog walks into a Saloon in the Wild West, the barman asks him what he
wants.
The dog replies "I'm looking for the man that shot my paw"

 



 

 

 

 

 

 


 
EDUCATION +VE

AICTE revising scheme for PPP polytechnics

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW DELHI: The AICTE has set up a committee to revise the scheme for setting up polytechnics in the public private partnership (PPP) mode, minister of state for human resource development Shashi Tharoor said on Wednesday.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Tharoor said the government had approved a scheme to provide financial assistance to set up 300 polytechnics in the PPP mode during the 11th Five Year Plan period (2012-17).

"However, the response of the private partners to the scheme is poor," Tharoor said.

"The AICTE ( The All India Council for Technical Education) estimated the total cost to be Rs 15 crore per polytechnic, excluding land.


The scheme provides for Rs 3 crore central government fund towards capital assets, Rs 2 crore by the state government and a minimum of Rs 10 crore by the private partner," he said.

"The land is to be provided by the private partner; alternatively, the state government will provide land.


The admissions are to be made under the aegis of state government based on the procedures being followed in the state.

 

Appointments will be made by the Institute Management Committee," he said.


SPORTS +VE

Serena Williams makes successful return to hard courts  

 


 

 

TORONTO: Top ranked Serena Williams made a successful return to hard courts with a 6-3, 6-2 thrashing of former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone in the second round of the Rogers Cup on Wednesday.

Williams was joined in the third round by three other high seeded players who were making their first appearances on the North American hard courts after the season shifted from Europe.

Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli beat American Lauren Davis 6-0, 6-3, fourth seed Li Na of China joined her following a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia while fifth seeded Italian Sara Errani accounted for Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 7-6(2).

Williams played an aggressive and consistent match to beat Schiavone, whose attempts to serve and volley and mix up her attack had little effect on the 16-times Grand Slam champion.

"Usually I have a lot of nerves going out there, but in the beginning, I was so relaxed," Williams, who won a clay court tournament in Sweden after Wimbledon, told reporters.

"I always feel that way when I'm playing a Grand Slam champion. I just feel a little bit more relaxed and ready to play."

Williams will face Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium in the third round after the 13th seed beat Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 7-5, 3-6, 6-2.

Bartoli played as well as she did in winning Wimbledon with power hitting and never allowing Davis to grind her down.

"I never played against Lauren before," Bartoli said.

"I think overall I did pretty well considering the amount of pressure I was under, being the Wimbledon champion and have to step on the court in a tournament where I lost first round the last two times I played."

The Frenchwoman will face the unseeded Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia.

Li, who spent five days after Wimbledon in Munich undergoing medial checks to ensure she was not carrying any significant injuries, did not always employ the high-risk attack her coach Carlos Rodriguez is encouraging her to try out, still managed to out-hit Pavlyuchenkova.

"I was fighting a lot on the court," said Li, who will face 16th seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Flavia Pennetta.

"I tried to use more serve/volley but the serve didn't go in. I was feeling pretty good, because today I tried so many things like not only stay on baseline."

Sixth seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic ended the hopes of Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard 6-3, 6-2, while ninth seed Caroline Wozniacki was upset 5-7, 7-6(0), 6-4 in nearly three hours by Romanian Sorana Cirstea.

France's Alize Cornet also ended 11th seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko's tournament with a 7-5, 7-5 victory. 



 


 

Chennai Express


Movie Name :   Chennai Express

Release Date :   August 9, 2013

Genre :  Comedy

Producer : Gauri Khan

Director :   Rohit Shetty

Music Director :  Vishal-Shekhar

Cast : Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Sathyaraj, Manorama

Synopsis:

The filming began at Mehboob Studio in Mumbai on 5th October 2012 . The lead actor was dressed in black casuals and the actress in a South Indian attire, wearing Kanjeevaram saree. Filming was done at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station with minimum crew members. These working stills of the lead actor were unofficially released in mid-October 2012. In November 2012, the cast and crew was off to Goa for the first filming schedule. The railway station of Vasco da Gama was used as a double up, portraying Kalyan. A romantic scene on board a train passing next to Dudhsagar Falls was also shot. In December 2012, the team was off to Jakarta for some scenes. By early January 2013, the next schedule was supposed to happen in Ooty but Khan opined that the opted place would be too far from commercial venue, Mumbai. Hence, recreation of the lanes of Ooty along with some of its tourist spots, was constructed as a set on the outskirts of Panchgani in Wai by art director Narendra Ruharikar.

 

 

 

 

 

 




8% of people have an extra rib


INSPIRING STORY "

 


  The Ship of Friendship 

 



A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island.



The two survivors who have been a good friends, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they had no other recourse but to pray to God.

 

However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.



The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man’s parcel of land remained barren.



After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing.

Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing.

Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island.

He considered the other man unworthy to receive God’s blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, “Why are you leaving your companion on the island?”

“My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them,” the first man answered. “His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything.”

“You are mistaken!” the voice rebuked him. “He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings.”

“Tell me,” the first man asked the voice, “What did he pray for that I should owe him anything?”

“He prayed that all your prayers be answered “
 

 






 

 







 “The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs…. One step at a time. ”    
 

 

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