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“If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress. ”
| VBA's Positive News |
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At high-level forum, top UN officials stress importance of individual in 'culture of peace'
On 6 September, at UN Headquarters in New York, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told a high-level forum to discuss the implementation of the UN Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace that in a world of profound challenges, religious leaders, public office-holders, and others must set an example by rejecting violence and promoting dialogue. 'This is a moment in history when we need a culture of peace -- not just the absence of war, but a fully formed culture of peace -- so that we can pull together as a single human family to meet our shared challenges,' he said.
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China's August exports accelerate
China's August export growth accelerated, adding to signs of a gradual recovery for the world's second-largest economy. Stronger sales of Chinese goods abroad are a positive sign for the government, which wants to avoid job losses in export-driven manufacturing. 'The combination of steady growth and muted inflation provides a good environment for the authorities to push forward long-term structural reforms,' said UBS economist Tao Wang in a report last week.
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Democratic Republic of Congo rebels to return to talks, but not to army
Democratic Republic of Congo's M23 insurgents said on Sunday they are ready to return to peace talks and would not make integration into the national army, which has not proved successful in the past, part of the deal. M23's leader Bertrand Bisimwa said on Sunday that the rebels would send a delegation to talks which are due to reopen in Uganda's capital Kampala on Monday. But he said they were not interested in pursuing a new reintegration deal. 'We are not demanding integration into the FARDC or into politics,' he told journalists in the town of Bunagana, a rebel stronghold near Congo's eastern border with Uganda and Rwanda.
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Canada July building permits hit record
Canada's construction sector showed surprising strength in July, mainly because of a sudden jump in plans for commercial buildings, with housing showing just a modest rise, according to Statistics Canada data released on Monday.
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Dress code for Muslims attending Narendra Modi's Jaipur rally on Tuesday
Narendra Modi's rally on the 10th of September in Jaipur has already got mired in controversy. BJP's minority cell has issued a diktat asking Muslims to follow a particular dress code for the rally.
BJP is expecting a mammoth turnout for the rally in Jaipur where BJP's National President Rajnath Singh and former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje will also be present. BJP's minority cell has asked people from the Muslim community to come dressed in a specific attire.
Men have been asked to wear sherwanis and topis and females have been asked to wear burqas. Whether this is Modi's attempt to reach out to the Muslim community is anyone's guess.
However, BJP leaders refuted that the party was trying to entice the minority community. Party spokesperson Nirmala Sitaraman said,...people from all sections of the society are invited to come and therefore, there is nothing specific to be said about any one particular community.
State BJP leaders claimed that it was the party's minority cell which had issued directions and they have the right to do so...the minority cell has the right to make a call own its own , said party leader Bhavani Singh Rajawat .
However , the Congress has latched on the issue claiming that it shows the party's duplicity in its conduct with the minority community. Congress spokesperson Dr. Archana Sharma hit out at the BJP claiming...for the person whom they are holding this meeting, he himself publicly refused to accept the cap offered by religious leader in his state...
BJP leaders claim that the party does not differentiate amongst different sections of the society. However, the party's latest attempt to woo the community may appear to be only a facade to many.
Elections are due in Rajasthan this year with Vasundhara and Gehlot pitted against each other in what several claim to be a closely fought contest. BJP, it seems, is focusing on the upcoming Assembly election alongwith the next General election. The invitation sent out to lakhs of people by Vasundhara Raje for the September 10 rally does not even mention Narendra Modi's name.
When Modi ji himself is going to be addressing here, that itself shows the importance every leader who is...invited here, inclusive of Rajnath ji, who is the National President of the BJP..., said party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman. The rally is likely to be a show of strength by Vasundhara Raje in Jaipur.Even the hoardings on display has mostly Vasundhara Raje in them with only some of them also showing Modi, Rajnath, Advani, Vajpayee. However, strangely, given the scale, party patriarch L K Advani has not even been invited for the rally.
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Astrology
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Aries March 21 to April 19
Your creativity may be on fire. In fact, you may be passionate about more than one idea. While this is exciting, your current schedule may not allow you to work on both of them at the same time. Choosing between them may not be easy, so you may ask your partner or a trusted friend for his or her opinion. On another note, your physical energy may be stronger than usual, and you may feel inspired to take a brisk walk.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
Romantic happiness may come to you at this time. If you're single, you may meet someone attractive while participating in a group activity. It may be a social gathering, or it may be work-related, such as a networking event. You may find yourself very drawn to this person, so you may initiate a conversation with him or her. If you're already part of a happy couple, your sweetheart may surprise you with a special home-cooked meal.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
 A sudden or unexpected opportunity to travel may arise at this time. Your job may require you to attend a conference or business meeting at an attractive location. In fact, the destination may appeal to you so much that you may decide to use vacation days and turn it into a pleasure trip. Since you may feel it will be more fun if you have company, you may invite a friend or sibling to come along.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
A luxury item that catches your eye but is beyond your budget may motivate you to increase your disposal income. Consequently, you may decide to search for a temporary or part-time job so you can earn extra money. You may find a customer service position that allows you to work from home at night or on weekends using your telephone or computer. This may put a dent in your social life but since it's only temporary, you may not mind at all.
Leo July 23 to Aug. 22
 You may enter into a home-related contract at this time. For example, you may sign a new lease or execute a real estate sales agreement. Another possibility is that you may purchase new furniture or hire a contractor for a home improvement project. There is a good possibility that the cost may be higher than you anticipated, so you may also need to apply for a bigger mortgage, set up a payment plan, or sign a credit agreement.
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Hero MotoCorp's Haridwar labour pain spreads to Gurgaon
Hero MotoCorp’s labour troubles have spread to multiple fronts, with both Gurgaon and Haridwar plants now embroiled in disputes.
While protests by workers in Haridwar over the suspension of 16 of their colleagues continued into the 11th day on Monday, the Gurgaon union too has threatened a strike over the suspension of nine of its office bearers over the weekend, if the company does not take them back.
Discussions between the management, workers and district labour department officials at Haridwar are now scheduled for Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, a meeting with the deputy labour commissioner Gurgaon on Monday did not result in any compromise.
While multiple sources close to the development told FE that daily production at the Hero MotoCorp Haridwar plant continues to be lower than capacity by about 50-60%, company officials claimed that output at the plant was “normal”.
The Haridwar plant is Hero MotoCorp's largest, which at full capacity, makes about 9,000 units a day of popular bike models like the Splendor and Passion.
Production at the Gurgaon plant, which makes about 6,000 units a day, was uninterrupted on Monday.
“The company is unwilling to discuss reinstatement of these 16 workers.
But we are hoping for a resolution when the management meets local labour authorities on Tuesday.
At present, most workers are protesting and are yet to resume work; so, the company is making about 1,500 bikes a day with the few workers who are in inside,” a protesting worker at the Haridwar facility said.
A Hero MotoCorp union member added: “Nine of us have been suspended because we protested after the company did not increase our wages by 20% in the first year as promised under the wage agreement signed in April.
We will go on strike if the matter is not resolved soon, but are hoping for a conciliation.”
Responding to emailed queries, a Hero MotoCorp spokesperson said: “At the time of entering into an agreement for wage enhancement, union representatives at our Gurgaon plant had promised to ensure that all workmen put in honest work.
However, some workmen have continuously refused to fulfill their side
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Oddball Indian wedding rituals
If you thought wedding ceremonies can't get more bizarre than the groom breaking a wine glass by stepping on it at a Jewish wedding, or the Finnish bride going from door to door with a pillowcase to collect her wedding gifts accompanied by an old man with an umbrella, think again.
Not only are Baltic or Greek wedding traditions peculiar, some of our very own rituals surrounding the wedding can be as off-the-wall. True, a wedding brings happy tidings to the family, but it is after all the eclectic rituals associated with it that make for real memories.
The most common perception of a Hindu wedding is the lighting up of the Vedic fire around which the bride and groom walk seven times while the priest chants mantras. Assumingly for the sake of brevity, almost all television series or cinema dealing with a Hindu wedding conjures up an image similar to this.
Then what about the many awkward and flamboyant rituals that precede or succeed it, rituals that are unique to every culture, rituals that are perhaps relevant no more but lovingly adhered to.
With the wedding season upon us, let's vet some truly obscure Indian wedding traditions that evoke emotions ranging from laughter, grimace, scorn, tears, to sheer amusement.
Bengali weddings: That the mother of the bride is not supposed to see the wedding is common knowledge. But did you know that on the day of the wedding, married women from the bride's family rise at the break of dawn and arrange a plate of aarti complete with sweets, twigs and incense, and go over to invite the Ganges to the wedding of their daughter. The holy river is believed to bless the girl in her future life.
Bihari weddings: This could be a rather curious post-wedding ritual performed by any groom's-side-of-the-family on bringing the bride home. Here an eager, expectant bride suddenly finds herself grappling with a huge earthen pot set on her head by her mother-in-law.
Without losing time, few more pots are added to the pile while she is expected to bow down and touch the elders' feet. As the dramatic scene is played out, all and sundry gather to see how many pots the new bride actually balances, which is ostensibly an indicator of her skills at striking a balance in the family.
Tribal wedding in UP: Sarsaul, a small town in Kanpur district has given a new dimension to wedding hospitality. In keeping with the tradition, the baaratis here are not greeted with flowers and rose water spray, instead tomatoes and potatoes are hurled at them followed by a round of choicest abuses.
Your sides might hurt imaging such a welcome, but the tradition takes root in the belief that a relationship that doesn't begin on a not-so-happy note always culminates in love.
Rabha weddings in Assam: The weddings of the Rabha tribes of Assam is an aesthetic affair. Performed as per Gandharva marriage tradition, the ceremony involves a simple exchange of garlands - no pheras around the fire, and a lavish feast to round it up with. An extremely patriarchal ritual, the newly wed on their first day together at the boy's family home is expected to give a hand in cooking the afternoon meal and serve only to the male, elderly members of the family. For the rest, food is served in subsequent batches by the helpers.
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Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
A weekend getaway may be on your agenda. Although you and your partner may prefer an all-inclusive resort or a luxury spa, it may be too expensive. As you search for an alternative, you may remember hearing about a romantic inn from a friend. When you call him or her to ask about it, you may learn that the rooms have beautiful views and relaxing Jacuzzi baths. Best of all, it may be very affordable so your search will be over.
Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
A friend may invite you to join a meditation group, take an aquatics class, or attend a lecture on healthy eating. Although you like to spend time with your friend and appreciate the invitation, you may take a rain check because you prefer to go for a relaxing massage. On another note, if an unexpected home repair such as a leaky faucet occurs at this time, a friend or colleague may be able to fix the problem for you.
Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
 There may be changes at your place of employment. For example, your department may implement a new software program, and you may need to take a training course, or your boss may allow you to work from home a certain number of days each month. On another note, you may want to spend more time with your sweetheart so you may also invite him or her to meet you for breakfast or lunch during the week.
Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
You may invite a group of friends to an informal cocktail party at your home this coming weekend. A few of your guests may be co-workers, but most may be college chums and childhood friends. You may have wanted to introduce these friends to each other for some time because you feel they would get along well with each other. Additionally, you may be inspired to write a novel, short story, or screenplay in the fantasy or science fiction genres.
Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
 A parent may seek your guidance about a financial matter that may affect his or her estate. For example, he or she may want to revise a will, create a trust, or transfer assets to reduce or avoid a taxable estate. On the other hand, if your parent finds it hard to make ends meet, he or she may want to cash in an annuity or take out a reverse mortgage. Since these are complex issues, it may be best to schedule an appointment for your parent with an estate-planning expert.
Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
 You may have an opportunity to become part of a joint venture. This may be a professional undertaking, or it may be a creative one, but either way you may need to sign a confidentiality agreement before you can learn the details. Once you do, the idea may captivate your attention, and you may be eager to become part of this endeavor. Thanks to a fortunate angle between Mercury and Mars, you may be able to negotiate a sweet deal.
Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20
You may be prone to overspending at this time. This is especially true if there is a new baby in your family or circle of friends, because you may have difficulty curbing your impulse to buy cute bibs, outfits, and stuffed toys. It is also possible that this new arrival may inspire you to start your own family or add to your existing one. If your partner feels the same way, you may soon be purchasing these items for your own bundle of joy.
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Moral Story
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SMS
“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
Love--that divine fire which was made to light and warm the temple of home--sometimes burns at unholy altars.
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS
The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men, the conviction and the will to carry on.
KID :- Why some of ur hair are
white dad ?
DAD : - Every time a son make his dad
unhappy ,
one of his father's hair turns white .....
KID :- Now understand why
grandpa's hairs are all white.
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Times NIE earns India WAN-INFRA country of the year award
Adding another feather to its cap on the special year commemorating The Times of India's 175 year journey, the Times Newspaper in Education Programme (NIE), has been awarded by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) for helping make India the WAN-IFRA World Young Reader Country of the Year.
This is a hat-trick for The Times' Newspaper in Education Programme, which was awarded the World Young Reader Newspaper of the Year prize by the WAN in 2006 and 2007, and an additional The Young Reader Newspaper of the Year in 2007. The newspaper has been hailed for excellence in engaging students and given a thumbs-up by schools across the country for spreading top-notch education in an innovative newsy way. These endeavours have fructified - this year, yet again; Times NIE has been pivotal in making India, the WAN-INFRA World Young Reader Country of the Year. The award will be presented at the WAN-IFRA Youth Engagement Summit set for 2 to 4 December in Warsaw, Poland.
This is only the second time that a country has been honoured with such an award, congratulating the news publishers that have found innovative ways to attract young people to news. The previous such award went to Brazil in 2005.
Hailing India's initiatives in youth engagement, Aralynn McMane, WAN-IFRA executive director for youth engagement and news literacy, said, "Indian news publishers continue to make clear their commitment to youth on all possible fronts by being right there every time there is a first in a person's life."
"As a combined group, the entries from The Times of India, The Telegraph, Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhumi, Dainik Bhaskar newspapers, i-next, The Hindu and Ebela exhibit a powerhouse of creativity and real commitment to the young people of your country," said the jury members, while announcing India as the WAN-INFRA Young Reader Country of the Year.
The jury is composed of an international array of youth engagement specialists who are either past multiple winners of the prize or world-class experts on the topic. The WAN, which represents over 18,000 newspapers from 102 countries, awards the World Young Reader Prizes annually to the newspapers that devise the most innovative projects to develop young readership and effectively connect to the young audience.
The TOI Student Newspaper, which has been a pioneer in educating students since 1985, is a part of the overall Times NIE programme which is designed to help students evolve into well-informed individuals capable of recognizing their talents and 'staying ahead' at all times. Giving education a new dimension, the Times NIE programme is constantly evolving to keep pace with the changing requirements of the 21st century child; making learning fun and informative. The newspaper believes that teenagers don't go anywhere for news. They will look at it only if it catches their eye and stimulates their mind. Hence, it has evolved its award-winning formula which grabs young eyeballs with its comprehensive blend of infotainment and modern design. More importantly, it emphasizes interactivity, inviting teenagers to write and report exhaustively for the newspaper, thereby becoming truly reflective of the mindset of the young India and appeals most to the New Millennials.
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SC notice to Centre and BCCI on tricolour misuse
NEW DELHI: Does unbridled enthusiasm in using the national flag to express support for the Indian cricket team sometimes amount to a violation of the flag code?
Supreme Court on Monday sought answers from the Centre and the Indian cricket board about a few such instances brought to its notice.
A bench of Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Ranjana P Desai, hearing an appeal against an order of the Calcutta High Court, weighed spectator enthusiasm versus dishonour of the national flag and asked the Centre, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), West Bengal government and Kolkata Police commissioner for their responses.
Petitioner Kamal Dey had moved the Calcutta HC complaining of flag code violation and submitted photographs of spectators using the national flag as a turban, towel and displaying it in various ways during India's Test match against England in Kolkata in December last year and again during the ODI between India and Pakistan at the same venue on January 3 this year.
He found no support from the Calcutta HC which dismissed his petition saying, "Considering the event of national importance during the cricket matches between India and England and India against Pakistan, the spectators were carrying the flag to mark their expression of Indian pride. Their intention was not to disrespect the same."
The high court further observed, "They have not used it as only a cloth to wrap the body, however while carrying it they might have unintentionally put it on shoulders etc. However, such act in the facts and circumstances of the case cannot be treated as such amounting to deliberate disrespect in violation of Flag Code, 2002 and the National Honour Act, 1971."
While entertaining Dey's appeal against the HC order, Justices Sathasivam and Desai asked, "Suppose the flags are waved by the spectators who are in a good mood when India wins. Will that also be in violation of the flag code?'
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Grand Masti
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Grand Masti
Movie Name : Grand Masti
Release Date : 13 September 2013
Genre : Bollywood adult comedy
Producer : Ashok Thakeria,Indra Kumar
Director : Indra Kumar
Music Director : Anand Raj Anand,Sanjeev Darshan
Cast : Vivek Oberoi,Ritesh Deshmukh,Aftab Shivdasani,Sonalee Kulkarni,Bruna Abdullah,Karishma Tanna,Kainaat Arora,Maryam Zakaria,Manjari Fadnis
Synopsis:
Three married guys Vivek Oberoi as Meet,Aftab Shivdasani as Prem and Riteish Deshmukh as Amar go out on fun experience in their college reunion in Shree Lalchand University of Technology and Science(SLUTS),finally to be trapped in a danger.
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The Statue of Liberty's tablet is two feet thick.
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" INSPIRING STORY "
Hospital window
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.
His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats.
Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn’t hear the band – he could see it.
In his mind’s eye as the gentleman by th! e window portrayed it with descriptive words.Days and weeks passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.
She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window.
The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”
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“Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. Courage is what counts. ”
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