|
|
|
|
|
|
|
“If your success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not feel good in your heart, it is not success at all.”
|
VBA's Positive News
|
| |
South Africa Tourism targets domestic travellers
South African Tourism has marked the imminent start of Tourism Month with the launch of a new marketing campaign, combined with various affordable holiday packages, aimed at growing the number of domestic travellers in the country. Speaking at the official Tourism Month launch at Amazingwe Lodge in the North West province on Wednesday, Tourism Minister Marthinus Van Schalkwyk said South Africa was an exceptional global destination whose tourist arrivals growth consistently tracked higher than the worldwide average.
|
Norway approves $3 billion for wind power plants to triple capacity
Norway has awarded concessions to build eight new onshore wind farms for about 20 billion kroner ($3.3 billion) in a bid to triple the country's capacity to more than 2 gigawatts by 2020. Norway aims to have 67.5 per cent of its energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020, and has established a common green certificate scheme with Sweden under which the two Nordic countries plan to build additional renewable energy capacity of 26.4 TWh by the end of the decade.
|
Papua New Guinea holds new Bougainville peace talks, 10 years on from end of civil war
Papua New Guinea politicians, academics, and community leaders have gathered in the capital Port Moresby to discuss the future of the country's autonomous province of Bougainville, more than 10 years after the signing of the island's peace agreement. Signed in 2001, the Bougainville Peace Agreement formally ended the island's civil war in Papua New Guinea -- a decade-long conflict that had been sparked by local opposition to the Australian-owned Panguna copper mine.
|
US President Obama inspires many in 50th-year King remembrance
For many among the tens of thousands of Americans who thronged to the National Mall to mark the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, President Barack Obama's challenge to seize the cause of racial equality from the 'glorious patriots' of the tumultuous 1960s struck a deep generational chord.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Video of the Day:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
World Round-Up
|
|
|
|
|
|
They dreamt, they conquered. Meet the most powerful women in Indian business
The energy was infectious at ITC Grand Central, where more than 30 businesswomen were felicitated at Business Today's 10th edition of 'The Most Powerful Women in Indian Business' on Friday.
With Xerox Corp chief executive officer (CEO) Ursula Burns as the chief guest, it was an occasion to remember.
Burns, along with Ashish Bagga, India Today Group CEO, and Chaitanya Kalbag, editor, Business Today, gave away the awards to the powerful entrepreneurs, who included Swarupa Sanyal, head (strategy and corporate initiatives) Genpact; Asha Gupta, managing director (MD), Tupperware India; Nina Lath Gupta, MD, National Film Development Corporation; and Zarin Daruwala, president (wholesale banking) ICICI Bank.
Women from varied fields ranging from banking to law to social media were honoured.
Sixteen of the 30 women honoured figured in the list for the first time.
Three eminent women having figured in the list, at least, seven times in the past moved into the hallowed 'Hall of Fame'-Vinita Bali, MD, Britannia Industries; Renuka Ramnath, MD & CEO, Multiples Alternate Asset Management, and Renu Sud Karnad, MD, HDFC.
MUST SEE: Most powerful women in business 2013
Burns' witty comments kept the audience in great spirits.
She noted, for instance, that 'photocopy' and 'Xerox' have become synonymous but she wished people only refer to photocopies as Xeroxes when they came out of xerox machines and not those from other brands.
Having worked with Xerox all her life, Xerox all her life, Burns said that her company never expected her to change herself for the sake of her work, but simply to do it well.
The panel discussion 'The importance of impatience in business', which preceded the chat with Burns, also emphasised that to be successful, women should perform to the best of their ability and never give up.
Many agreed that patience is a good quality in the long run.
"One should be impatient with the steps one takes, but be patient about the outcome," said Naina Lal Kidwai, country head, HSBC India.
Others noted that things are changing, but it is slow and people should have no patience with such tardiness.
Asked about the current economic situation, Zia Mody, managing partner, AZB & Partners, said, "We have been patient enough.
Now, is the time to be completely impatient.
"Many felt that issues like women's education, opportunities, and change of mindset need to be taken up strongly.
|
|
|
Astrology
|
|
Aries March 21 to April 19
You may be itching to make some changes around the house. It may be something as simple as adding new curtains or an area rug, or it may be something more involved such as painting your residence with a brand new color scheme. Another possibility is that you may want to create a home office or exercise room for yourself. If you're short on space, this may require some creativity. Since two heads are often better than one, you may ask a sibling for suggestions and ideas.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
Personal enrichment will be favored today and you may decide to pursue a creative interest. For example, you may look into taking music lessons, enroll in an art class, or join a community theatre. If you have a romantic partner, the two of you may sign up for a series of dance lessons. If you're single, you'll want to be out and about starting September 5. On that day, the new moon will activate the romance sector of your horoscope, and its influence will continue for the next 10 days.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
 If you hope to rent a new apartment or purchase a new home, you may use part of today to drive through different neighborhoods to learn what type of shopping, transportation, and leisure activities each one has to offer. By doing this research now, you may be able to take greater advantage of the upcoming new moon on September 5, which will light up this sector of your chart. Not planning a move? This energy is also fortunate for gardening, interior decorating, and family relationships.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
If you are enjoying a long weekend with your partner, you may spend some quality time together. You may go for a bike ride, enjoy a picnic lunch in a nearby park, or just go for a long walk. If you happen to pass a travel agency, stop in to pick up some brochures and step into a coffee shop to look at them. After all, just because a vacation may not be in your budget right now doesn't mean that it won't be soon.
Leo July 23 to Aug. 22
 A financial windfall may be on the horizon. As the September 5 new moon will trigger the income sector of your chart, you may learn that a raise or bonus is coming your way. Another possibility is that your benefits may increase. For example, your employer may add a dental or prescription drug rider to your health insurance plan. There is a good chance that the information may be confidential. If so, you may need to exercise discretion until a formal announcement is made.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dinesh Sarraf to be next ONGC chief
NEW DELHI: The Public Enterprises Selection Board on Friday recommended Dinesh K Sarraf as the next head of the country's most valuable company, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). The government headhunter's decision signals support for the ONGC Videsh MD's aggressive stance on overseas acquisitions and preference for a person with a clean image to steer a company with $6-7 billion annual expenditure.
Sarraf, 56, was director (finance) in ONGC before taking over the reins of the company's overseas investment arm.
A post-graduate in commerce from Delhi's Shri Ram College of Commerce, he will succeed Sudhir Vasudeva, who superannuates in February next year.
Sarraf hides a no-nonsense personality behind his humble demeanour. He is known as an honest person and a hard taskmaster, with an eye for detail as well as ability to read between the lines. As the head of ONGC Videsh, he changed the company's "sarkari" mindset to push acquisitions worth over $11 billion in the past one year alone against the company's $17-billion investments made in 32 assets in 15 countries till 2011.
Last week, Sarraf sealed a deal to buy US energy major Anadarko Petroleum Corporation's 10% stake in a giant Mozambique gas field for $2.64 billion. In June, he finalized up a $2.4-billion transaction to buy Videocon's 10% stake in the same field, which may hold as much as 65 tcf (trillion cubic feet) of gas reserves.
The choice of ONGC head is always watched closely by the oil industry, especially by the various field and technical service providers, due to the company's mammoth annual capital expenditure outlay. Selection of Sarraf clearly indicates the government's desire to clean up the huge contracting system.
But as ONGC chairman, Sarraf's main task would be to increase oil and gas production from domestic fields and quickly bring to production new finds that are running behind schedule. He would also need to improve the working of company board as a cohesive unit and drive the company to find tangible oil and gas reserves.Sarraf has experience of almost three decades in the oil and gas industry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Health benefits of having oats daily
Oats are rich in fibre and a good source to boost your energy. But there are several other reasons why you must include oats in your daily diet.
We give you 13 reasons to have oats daily, whether it is for breakfast or as a snack.
Improves immune system
Oats contain a fibre called beta glucans which has been extensively studied over the years. Beta glucans is also present in yeast, barley and different mushrooms. Why is it important? Well, beta glucans is known to fight viruses, bacteria and parasites there by boosting your immune system.
Great for weight loss
Oats and fibre are synonymous with each other. Digestion of oats is a slow process; when you consume oats the body will absorb it steadily. Since the process is a slow one you feel satiated and full for a longer duration. In simple words, oats reduces your hunger pangs and prevents you from indulging in oily and salted food.
Improves digestion
Since oats have a rich source of fibre, it aids digestion. It works for constipation and also works as a natural laxative. While over the counter laxatives may provide quick relief it tends to reduce body weight drastically too, but oats maintains healthy body weight. Consume oats to improve your bowel movements, as it acts like a natural scrub for the intestines.
Oats for diabetics
Oats contains the lowest amount of glycemic index, that is, it has the least effect on blood sugar levels. For diabetics, it is important to increase your intake of oats as it controls the glucose levels in the blood. Oats also absorbs sugar which reduces the dependence of releasing insulin.
Cuts the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes
Oats reduces your dependence on insulin and can improve insulin sensitivity. In a study, there was approximately 40 percent reduction of insulin dosage. Oats are one of the diabetes friendly ingredients you must have.
Reduces high blood pressure
Consuming oats on a daily basis can help in lowering systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. Under the supervision of a doctor, you may be able to completely stop having medication if you continue to have oats.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
A friend or sibling may introduce you to a new romantic interest. To your delight, you may share many common interests. You may also find that you share a mutual friend or that you both volunteer for the same charitable organization. When you make plans for a date, however, it may turn out that your schedules are not compatible right now. Consequently, you may need to wait a week or so to go out together, but make plans to speak frequently on the phone.
Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
You and a partner may be at odds over your living arrangements. Your partner may want to move to a bigger space in a different neighborhood, but you may prefer to stay where you are because it's closer to your job. You may be in a stalemate, but one of you may suggest a compromise: staying in the same neighborhood but agreeing to move to a bigger residence. You both may feel it's the perfect solution.
Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
 A cherished dream may soon become a reality. With the September 5 new moon falling in the hopes and goals sector of your chart, you may publish an article, sign a book contract, visit a foreign country, or teach a course at a college or university. Also, a family memento may inspire feelings of nostalgia. This may prompt you to call a sibling, and as the two of you discuss your childhood days, you may relive some happy memories.
Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
Relaxing in the comfort of your home may appeal to you now. In fact, you may prefer to spend much of this leisurely day by yourself reading, listening to music, or working on a creative project. Another possibility is that you may use some of this time to contemplate your career. If you feel you should speak to your boss about a raise or promotion, you may explore creative visualization to help improve your confidence.
Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
 A family get-together may be on your agenda. A sibling may invite you and your partner to spend a day at his or her home along with other family members. You'll welcome this opportunity because some of them may be visiting from out of town. If someone suggests bringing wine, you may listen to your sweet tooth and opt for a decadent dessert instead.
Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
 You might hear news of a pregnancy today. If you have been trying to conceive, you may be the one making the announcement. If not, a close friend may confide that a baby is on the way. Although you may be very excited about this happy news, your friend may want to keep it a secret for a while. As a result, you may have to monitor yourself to make sure you don't accidentally spill the beans.
Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20
Romance may be on the horizon, thanks to the September 5 new moon, which will light up your sector of committed relationships. If you're single, a new romantic interest may cross your path. If you are dating someone, this new moon might coincide with a deeper commitment. For example, you may agree to be exclusive with each other or invite your sweetheart over to meet your family. If you have been dating a long time, one of you may pop the question.
|
|
|
|
Moral Story
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SMS
“Each successful person has a painful story.
Each painful story has a Successful ending.
Accept the pain and Taste the success..”
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.
Manager asked to santa at an interview
Can you spell a word that has more than 100 letters in it?
Santa replyed: -P-O-S-T-B-O-X.
|
|
|
|
|
|
IIIT-Allahabad chief cites `illegal' amendment to hold on to his chair
NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT)-Allahabad, a deemed to be university, is caught in a peculiar situation.
M D Tiwari, the director of the institute since its inception in 1999, whose term ended last December and six months extension got over in June has amended the Memorandum of Association (MoA) of IIIT so that he continues till the new director is appointed.
Even as the HRD ministry cries foul and the UGC says amending MoA is patently illegal, Tiwari maintains he has merely followed the law.
Chancellor of IIIT-Allahabad, Goverdhan Mehta, has sent a report to the HRD ministry on the latest development. "I have taken an appropriate step. I have written in as much objective and reasonable fashion as possible," he told the TOI.
The matter came to head when Tiwari's six-month extension ended in June. HRD sources said instead of demitting the office he flashed the institute's MoA that was amended in November, 2011.
It was discovered that MoA stated that the director can continue in office for six months after expiry of his tenure till a new director joins, whichever is later. The crucial change was introduction of the term 'later' instead of 'earlier.' UGC's 2010 regulation for deemed universities states that after expiry of five-year term a person can continue for six months or till the successor is appointed, whichever is earlier.
HRD ministry's additional secretary protested against the amendment and pointed out relevant portions of UGC's regulation that said no rules or bye law governing the functioning of any deemed university can be altered without the prior approval of the UGC.
Tiwari contests ministry's claim. He asks, "Why was ministry silent for two years? Moreover, additional secretary's protest letter against amendment has been written not as ministry official but as a member of IIIT Society.
" Education secretary and financial advisor of the ministry are other members of the society. He also says amendment was endorsed by 26 members of the society. But ministry sources say amendment in the MoA is illegal, and the matter would be taken to its logical end.
IIIT faculty members also blame the HRD ministry for not fast-tracking the appointment of the new director.
"It has been more than eight months and a replacement could not be found. Instead, the process is mired in litigation. We are repeatedly told the process will get over soon."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Williams win sets up all-American fourth-round match
NEW YORK: World number one Serena Williams will have the chance to avenge her ouster from the Australian Open when she faces Sloane Stephens on Sunday in an emotional fourth-round showdown at the US Open.
Defending champion Williams, whose relationship with Stephens was strained after the prodigy upset the 16-time Grand Slam champion at Melbourne, advanced early Saturday by beating 78th-ranked Kazakh Yaroslava Shvedova 6-3, 6-1.
"It's going to be tough," Williams said. "Sloane is playing so well. I'm always so happy for her. She's doing great. I'm really proud of Sloane. It's going to be a really good match."
US 15th seed Stephens eliminated US 23rd seed Jamie Hampton 6-1, 6-3, Friday and now faces the superstar she accused of disrespectful intimidation tactics and mind games for a quarterfinal berth on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts.
"It'll be epic and something a lot of people will be looking forward to," Stephens said. "I'm excited about it."
Williams, who at 31 could become the oldest US Open women's champion, and Stephens have not played since the 20-year-old phenom beat the four-time US Open champion 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 in an Australian Open quarter-final last January.
Stephens was friendly with Williams a year ago at New York but the relationship soured after Williams beat her in a Brisbane quarter-final 6-4, 6-3 and then suffered the shock Grand Slam defeat.
Williams did not refer to Stephens by name after the Brisbane match and Stephens later derided that, plus her rival's loud screams of "Come on" during their matches and even that Williams had dropped off her list of Twitter followers.
Stephens now says the relationship has been repaired. "Love her," Stephens said. "We're all good. We're competitors, co-workers. It's definitely tough but now we're in a good place. That's all old news now and we've moved on. We're fine. I think that's all that matters."
When it comes to the spat, Stephens she has learned from it but also has no regrets about her comments, either.
"Stay true to yourself and that's all you can do. A lot of lessons learned," she said. "I don't regret anything and I'm happy with where I'm at right now."
Stephens, ousted by eventual winner Victoria Azarenka in the Australian Open semi-finals, credits the challenge of facing Williams with sparking her to the French Open fourth round and Wimbledon quarter-finals later in the year.
"I needed to feel her taking the ball early, hitting aces, making her shots. I think that was able to help me all year," Stephens said.
"It was very important for me the first time to just get out there and be like, 'OK, it's not as scary as I thought.'"
For her part, Williams praised Stephens during her run to the French Open title, again at Wimbledon after she crashed out before Stephens and this week.
"She's such a good player and she's so smooth," Williams said. "She just has this game and this confidence that's not easy to get. It's so good to see her doing so well. It's an honor to watch, really."
Stephens takes such remarks in stride. "Coming from one of the greatest players to ever play the game, that feels really good. It's awesome," Stephens said. "But if you don't really live up to it, it's a wash."
Trying to do that will spice their US Open matchup. "She is a fierce competitor. She's going to bring it to you every single time. I love her fight," Stephens said.
"She's number one in the world for a reason. She's very aggressive. She stays on top of you, doesn't give you any room to breathe. She's intense."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Zanjeer
|
|
|
|
Zanjeer
Movie Name : Zanjeer
Release Date : September 6, 2013
Genre : Action, Thriller
Producer : Reliance Entertainment, Puneet Prakash Mehra (Hindi) ,Sumeet Prakash Mehra (Hindi), Amit Mehra (Telugu), Flying Turtle Films
Director : Apoorva Lakhia
Music Director : Anand Raj Anand, Meet Bros Anjjan, Chirantan Bhatt
Cast : Ram Charan, Priyanka Chopra, Sanjay Dutt (Hindi), Srihari (Telugu), Prakash Raj, Mahi Gill, Ankur Bhatia, Atul Kulkarni , Tanikella Bharani (Telugu)
Synopsis:
Zanjeer (English: Shackles; titled Toofan in Telugu) is an upcoming Indian action film directed by Apoorva Lakhia, shot simultaneously in Hindi and Telugu. The film marks the Bollywood debut of popular Tollywood actor Ram Charan in the lead role along with Priyanka Chopra. Prakash Raj joins the cast after success in Hindi films, like Wanted, Singham, and Dabangg 2. It is a remake of the 1973 Hindi film of the same name. The Hindi version of the film is to be dubbed in Chinese as Chialo Kaxlaug. The Telugu version of the film is to be dubbed in Tamil and Malayalam. The release date is scheduled for September 6, 2013
Zanjeer in USA by BlueSky. The first look and official theatrical trailer of Toofan (Telugu version) have been launched by Reliance Entertainment on its YouTube Official Channel on 25 March 2013 to rave public response, featuring Ram Charan, Priyanka Chopra, Prakash Raj and Srihari. Ram Charan's Toofan First Look Trailers and Wallpapers have been released on March 25, 2013
The First look and theatrical trailer of Zanjeer (Hindi version) was released on 4 July 2013. The dubbing process started from 26 March 2013, where Sanjay Dutt plays the role essayed by Srihari. Sanjay Dutt finishes Zanjeer filming - with only a few days left at his disposal before he returns to jail.
The Telugu version of the film is titled Toofan and is in Post Production stage. The director planned in for a 25-day schedule in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh from November 14 to December 5, 2012. Priyanka Chopra joined the shooting, her first schedule for this film. It was reported that Ram Charan has done some risky stunts for Zanjeer.
|
|
|
|
|
The smallest bones in the human body are found in your ear.
|
|
" 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.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
“Every failure redirects and opens a new path; every step on the new path, after failure, will turn into success. So the beginning of success starts with failure.”
|
|
|
