How to get over a break-up

Melbourne, June 11 (ANI): With hotels offering packages that can help one beat the blues of a break-up, a psychologist has offered some tips on how one can get over the pain without spending a penny.

John Aiken, psychologist and author of Accidentally Single, has given ten tips on how one can get over a break-up, reports News.com.au.

The first tip is to avoid all contact with one’s ex-boyfriend or girlfriend.

The second is to begin a healthy lifestyle, by keeping fit, dieting and getting a good sleep.

The third step is to understand what went wrong in the relationship, and to analyse problems of both sides.

The fourth would be to identify what one would like in their next partner.

The fifth is to be aware of any problem patterns, such as communication, style, intimacy, or work hours, one had in the relationship and to change them.

The sixth point is to move on positively and not keep bring up the past.

The seventh tip is to avoid contact with social networks and places that one used to hang out with one’s partner.

The eighth suggestion is to spend more time with friends and family.

The ninth is to pursue independent interests previously put on hold like yoga, travel, and cooking.

And tenth, one needs to get some counselling if break-up problems/issues carry on for more than three months. (ANI)

Fergie says Man U will bring back Premier League title in 2011

London, May 10 (ANI): Manager Alex Ferguson has said that Manchester United will strive to bring back the Premier League title in 2011, after narrowly losing it to Chelsea this year.

“We have won it the last three years, so we know how hard it is. So, I congratulate Carlo (Ancelotti) who is a good manager and a good guy. Of course we”ll be back next year – that is what Manchester United do,” the Daily Mail quoted Fergie, as saying.

“Next year we will go again and try and bring back the title to the best place in the world,” he added.

Fergie said he had given up on a final-day upset when he heard Chelsea were 2-0 up at half-time and Wigan had a man sent off – the Blues went on to add another six goals.

He said: “I think it was always going to be a hard ask to expect Wigan to get something and when they went down to 10 men all our hopes evaporated.”

He said: “How you view the season depends on whether you focus on the low moments or look at the positives. It”s the old conundrum as to whether you see the glass as half empty or half full! My job as manager is to assess and analyse in the cold light of day and get things into perspective.”

“I have to separate fact from fiction, like the suggestion we have not seen the vintage football associated with Manchester United. It is a tougher and more competitive league nowadays and it is not easy to impose the kind of football we all want to see against every opposing team,” he added. (ANI)

Parents wary on national testing

Tasmania’s state school parents want details about a Federal Government suggestion they could run national tests.

The teachers’ union wants to ban members running the Federal literacy and numeracy or NAPLAN tests to protest against the My School Website.

Federal Education Minister Julia Gillard says if that happens, parents might be asked to supervise the test.

The Tasmanian Council of State School Parents and Friend’s Jenny Grossmith says without details, parents can not make informed decisions about the proposal.

“We would see the choice should be available to parents,” she said.

“So that if they do choose for their kids to do the NAPLAN testing, then if the teachers aren’t going to be available to supervise the tests, then if parents see that they want to do that we would support that,

“As I say though it’s all about the way it’s implemented that we would be most concerned with.”

Ms Grossmith says the tests are due next month.

“We’d want to see exactly how they (the parents) would be chosen for the roles, obviously there’d need to be specific parents who had training and skills in certain areas,

“Obviously we’d also want to know about how they would get the police clearances done because they’re not always quickly obtainable.”

The Education Union is expected to vote on the boycott at a meeting of its federal executive in Melbourne today.

Merged councils mull name change

Four local governments in the Mid West have put forward a suggested name for the new municipality that will be created when the shires merge.

The shires of Perenjori, Three Springs, Mingenew and Morawa are proposing they be known collectively as the Shire of Billeranga when the amalgamation is complete.

The name comes from the Billeranga Ranges, which border the four towns.

Mingenew Shire president, Michelle Bagley, says the suggestion is open for public comment until a structural reform meeting next week.

“It’s something that we really want to do because we need an identity, something to hang our hats on as such,” she said.

“We’re hoping that we’re going to be able to make that decision at the meeting next Wednesday in Perenjori.”

Ms Bagley says it is important a completely new name is decided upon.

“This is a new entity and it needed a new name so that we’re all working towards it,” she said.

“While we’ll still have the towns of Mingenew, Morawa, Perenjori and Three Springs, we still felt that we wouldn’t really want to use one of those names because this is a new shire and we want to be able to look at it as a new shire.”

New Zealand lacks self-belief to beat Australia in Test matches: Vettori

Hamilton, Mar 27(ANI): New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori has accepted the suggestion that his side lacks self-belief to beat Australia.

New Zealand lost the first Test against Australia in Wellington by 10 wickets to go 1-0 down in the two-match series.

“Maybe in the Test match form of the game, that’s fair. I think we’ve proved ourselves in the other forms of the game, but Test matches have been the part of the game that we’ve struggled in,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Vettori, as saying.

“Coming up against one of the best teams in the world is a real test of that ability. Our ability to hang in there longer and persevere longer is the only way we’re going to compete against Australia,” he added. (ANI)

Horticulture shock over water rights grab

The Northern Territory Horticultural Association is shocked by news that Indigenous groups are seeking to claim water rights.

Aboriginal groups from across the north of Australia are calling for the legal ownership of water in rivers, lakes and aquifers.

If the rights are granted to traditional owners, developers would need to get permission and pay royalties.

The NT Horticultural Association president, Jan Hintze said its too early to predict any outcomes … but hopes there’ll be extensive consultation.

“I’m absolutely amazed,” Ms Hintze said.

“I had not heard of any suggestion such a claim was going to be made.

“The implications of it all are very vast.

“I mean how many years it took to sort out Aboriginal land rights.

“I don’t know how many years it would take to sort out water rights over such an extensive area.”

She said it was unclear how a claim might affect the industry.

“Well almost any growing crop that is produced during the dry season needs quite a bit of water everyday, and here of course it doesn’t rain,” Ms Hintze said.

“Most of the water that we use comes from underground aquifers.

“The water resources people are operating very carefully to make sure that we don’t overdraw the water that is available.”

Council rejects merger idea

The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is rejecting the Western Australian Government’s suggestion to form a regional transition group with neighbouring councils.

The Minister for Local Government, John Castrilli, asked the city to consider forming the group with a view to eventually amalgamating.

Mayor Ron Yuryevich says the council has instead opted to form a collaborative group that would encourage more cooperation and resource sharing with its neighbours.

He says amalgamations are not a practical option for many local governments in the Goldfields.

“Kalgoorlie-Boulder, for argument’s sake, is 95,000 square kilometres. Coolgardie’s not much smaller than that and the others are very similar,” he said.

“So it makes it very hard to go forward and look at a larger council taking in something 300,000 square kilometres.”

Telangana panel extends dates to receive views

New Delhi, Mar 22 (ANI): Justice Sri Krishna Panel on Monday extended dates to receive views and suggestion on creation of separate Telangana state from political parties and public to April 10.

According to an earlier advertisement, the panel asked interested parties to submit their views on creation of separate Telangana by March 21.

The panel took the decision in view of requests from some parties asking for more time, as the matter requires in-depth study and examination.

Panel’s member secretary V K Duggal said: “The committee has considered the requests made and agreed to extend the date for submission of responses by April 10.”

The panel also requested stakeholders to furnish the details at the earliest so that it “can start holding consultations” with the parties, organisations and groups concerned “as quickly as possible”.

The panel is mandated to “examine the situation in the state of Andhra Pradesh with reference to the demand for a separate state of Telangana as well as the demand for maintaining the present status of a united Andhra Pradesh”, is slated to submit its report to the central government by the end of this year. (ANI)

Council: Sandbar not to blame for diverted ship

Eurobodalla Shire Council’s General Manager says an un-dredged sandbar is not to blame for this week’s failed cruise ship docking at Batemans Bay in the New South Wales South East.

The Dutch liner, Volendam, was supposed to have docked at the town with 1500 crew and passengers, but unexpectedly moored at Eden.

Passengers were told they could not be ferried to shore because the sandbar was too shallow.

But General Manager, Paul Anderson, says a meeting between the ship’s agents, the Council and Maritime New South Wales has dismissed that suggestion.

“The issue is not really with the bar itself,” he said.

“There were some concerns and there were some misunderstandings with respect to the depth of the bar and what that actually meant.

“The issue is really about safety of the passengers, getting them on and off the tenders that will bring them in and out of the bay and onto the wharf structures.

“We need to do some work on that.”

For more, go to the South East News blog at http://bit.ly/dgL1SN

DSE denies siding with VicForests

The Department of Sustainability and Environment’s (DSE) director of forests has denied suggestions he acted in the best interests of logging company VicForests, rather than threatened animals, in relation to logging at Brown Mountain north of Orbost.

Lee Miezis told the Supreme Court sitting in Sale, he had seen a video of an endangered long-footed potoroo, which conservation group Environment East Gippsland said was filmed at Brown Mountain.

But Mr Miezis told the court he did not think that was enough for the DSE to impose interim protection measures.

In September last year, the Supreme Court ruled concerns about the impact of logging on threatened species were enough to suspend logging at Brown Mountain.

Under cross-examination, Mr Miezis denied lawyer Debbie Mortimer SC’s suggestion that his actions were designed to ensure VicForests in the area could proceed.

Mr Miezis said he wanted to be sure the potoroo footage was genuine.

The hearing continues today.

Lawyers defend justice system over McGee verdicts

The Law Society and Lawyers Alliance have defended the verdicts against the McGee brothers and deny they indicate that anything is wrong with the justice system.

Lawyer Eugene McGee and his brother Craig have been found not guilty of conspiracy to attempt to pervert the course of justice over the hit-run road death of cyclist Ian Humphrey six years ago.

This week’s verdict has led to a wave of criticism of the justice system, including a suggestion that those who know the legal system and have enough money get a better outcome.

Tony Kerin from the Lawyers Alliance says an emotional response is driving opinion.

“What’s happened in the McGee case is obviously tragic to the family of the victim and that’s to be expected,” he said.

“But if you really have a look at what was happening here, there was a lot of legal commentary to say that these charges were misplaced.

“Conspiracy to attempt to pervert the course of justice is quite a peculiar charge and takes quite a lot of effort to prove.”

Richard Mellows from the Law Society of South Australia is confident the judge arrived at the right verdict.

“There’s a lot to be gained by reading it and getting the full context of it and it’s clear that his honour came to the conclusion that the charges hadn’t been made out and he did so on the evidence before him,” he said.

Eugene McGee, a former police prosecutor, was fined over the hit-run death of the cyclist, then faced new charges arising from a royal commission.

‘Ashley Cole requests Cheryl to separate after World Cup’

London, March 16 (ANI): Ashley Cole asked estranged wife Cheryl to delay separation plans until the soccer World Cup, sources say.

The English footballer’s multiple affairs were exposed earlier this year.

Cole apparently asked the Girls Aloud singer to wait to split till he was back from the tournament in South Africa.

However, the beauty gave a firm “no” in reply, sources say.

“Cheryl hit the roof. She flew off the handle and he knew instantly he”d said the wrong thing once again,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.

Cole had made the suggestion earlier via text as well. (ANI)

Colin Farrell’s bust-up with photog over sis

London, Sep 14 (ANI): Irish actor Colin Farrell reportedly became very furious with a photographer at the premiere of his new movie ‘Triage’ after the latter shooed his sister off the red carpet.

Farrell, 33, was at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada on September 12 with his sister and personal assistant Claudine when the incident took place.

The snapper had asked Farrell’s sister to step away from his side so that he can get a clear shot, but the actor became infuriated with the suggestion and confronted the photographer.

“I was just saying, ‘Please can everyone clear the carpet, move on’. He took it personal. He said, ‘Do not shout at my sister like that, do not ever speak to my sister like that ever’,” the Daily Express quoted Joe Alvarez as saying. (ANI)

Nepal home ministry report says only 12 out of 110 armed groups political

Kathmandu, Sep 7 (ANI): According to a report prepared by the Nepal home ministry, only 12 out of 109 armed groups active in the country are political, while 70 of them are purely criminal groups.

The report entitled ‘Categorization of armed groups and suggestion on talks’ prepared after a close scrutiny of the armed groups for almost a year.

According to Nepalnews, the government is preparing to launch stern operations against such armed groups based on the report.

It has already decided to add about 10,000 personnel each to the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force.

The report has divided the armed groups as political, religious, political criminal, religious criminal and purely criminal.

Twelve groups including the Akhil Terai Mukti Morcha (Jaya Krishna Goit), the Kirant Janbadi Workers Party and the Tharuhat Swayatta Rajya Parishad have been divided as political groups.

However four groups including the Cobra (Nagraj) and the Nepal Defence Army have been divided as religious criminal category, while 11 others have been divided as political criminal groups.

The nature of eight armed groups could not be established, the report said. (ANI)

Karzai slammed his karakuli cap on table during explosive meeting with Holbrooke

Lahore, Aug. 31 (ANI): During the recent ‘explosive’ meeting between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and US special envoy Richard Holbrooke, Karzai is reported to have whipped off his distinctive karakuli cap and slammed it onto the dinner table.

“For an Afghan man to do that, it’s a big gesture,” a local businessman was quoted. “It’s like throwing down the gauntlet,” the Daily Times quoted an Afghan businessman, as saying.

According to reports, Holbrooke suggested holding a second round run-off following reports of massive fraud during the recent presidential elections.

Sources said, Karzai reacted very angrily at Holbrooke’s suggestion and the meeting ended shortly afterwards.

“They were discussing different scenarios and one of them was the possibility of a run-off,” the paper quoted a Karzai insider as saying. “That’s when there was a misunderstanding. There were strong words from both men.”

The Obama administration has not hidden its “disdain” for Karzai for running a corrupt government, the Sunday Times had reported.

US officials had downplayed the row and said they believed “Karzai’s agents leaked a selective version of the meeting to make it look as if he was resisting US pressure to force him to hold a second round when he was already the winner”, the report added.

However, the spokeswoman for the US embassy in Kabul has denied of any such altercation.

She denied reports about Holbrooke storming out of the meeting, and also refused to divulge details of the meeting. (ANI)

Our relation with BJP is that of mother and child: Bhagwat

New Delhi, Aug 28 (ANI): Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh Chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Friday that the relation between the RSS and the BJP is like that of a mother and a child.

Addressing a press conference at the Sangh headquarters here, Bhagwat said, “Our relation with BJP is like mother and child. Now, the child has become elder, and it is capable of taking its own decisions.”

Bhagwat said if the BJP asks for any suggestion of the RSS, it will give, ” If they want any help to reconstruct the party, we will certainly help them, but they have to ask for that.”

Responding to a question, Bhagwat said that the Sangh’s commitment’s to the building of the Ram temple in Ayodhya is intact.

“In 90s, we assured Ram Mandir Andolan leaders that the Sangh will stand with it in building a temple in Ayodhya, and we are still committed on it, we will take the Andolan till we construct the temple at the same site,” he said.

Rejecting the formation of two streams of thoughts in RSS ranks, Bhagwat said: “I don’t see any such deviation.”

” We expect our swayamsevaks (volunteers) to be committed to one nation and one culture, if any one goes beyond this thinking we will not consider him as Swayamsevak,” Bhagwat said.

“Sangh never considered power as ultimate way to achieve the ideological commitment, but power is also a mean to achieve it,” he said.

Bhagwat said it is for the BJP to decide on their way forward, and RSS will not dictate it.

Regarding RSS -Muslim relations, he said there are many Muslim workers who are also regularly attending Shakhas (Branches) and we haven’t stopped or restricted any one from coming to shakhas, “But I agree that the number is not visible at the higher level.”

Comparing the views of Sangh ideologue H.V.Sheshadri and the recent statement of former RSS chief Sudarshan on Jinnah, Bhagwat said, “They (Sheshadri and Sudarshan) did not praise Jinnah at all, they were evaluating a particular context in history with a scholarly touch.”

He also said that the banning of books represents a bad trend,

“We cannot stop others from having different thoughts. The RSS believes in taking all thoughts together in achieving national unity, Bhagwat said. Shreeraj Gudi (ANI)

Holbrooke holds ‘explosive’ talks with Karzai

Kabul, Aug.28 (ANI): Concerned over the reports of massive fraud during the recent Afghan elections, the US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke had an ‘explosive’ meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai recently.

According to the BBC, Holbrooke raised concerns over reports of ballot-stuffing and fraud, by a number of candidates’ teams during the election.

Sources termed the meeting, which was held on August 21, a day after the election, as ‘explosive’ and ‘a dramatic bust-up’, where Holbrooke suggested holding a second round run-off because of concerns about the voting process.

Sources said Karzai reacted very angrily at Holbrooke’s suggestion and the meeting ended shortly afterwards.

However, the spokeswoman for the US embassy in Kabul has denied any such altercation taking place.

She denied commenting on reports about Holbrooke storming out of the meeting, and also refused to divulge details of the meeting.

One of Karzai’s opponents Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai is believed to have complained about the use of fraud and ballot stuffing by some members of the president’s campaign team, as well as other candidates. (ANI)

Rajnath stays mum on Jaswant, says Advani will continue to lead BJP

Shimla, Aug 21 (ANI ) : Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) President Rajnath Singh, on Friday refused to take any questions from the media on the issue of expulsion of former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh from the party and said L.K Advani will continue to lead the party “forever.”

” Advaniji will lead the party for longer time.”

Addressing the media at the end of the three-day Chintan Baithak here, Singh said “Don’t bring up the old issues again, and I told whatever I can on day one.”

Singh said the members attending the Chintan Baithak had decided to be tough on the ideological and individual discipline of party leaders and workers.

He urged party leaders and workers to adopt a model life style in their public as well as personal life.

Singh also said the BJP has decided to stick to its core ideology of cultural nationalism as said in the ideological draft of “Integral Humanism.”

Integral Humanism is a draft of five speeches made by Jan Sangh President Din Dayal Upadhyaya. The BJP adopted Integral Humanism as its philosophy in place of Gandhian Socialism at Party’s National Executive of 1984 held at Kolkata.

The analysis of party’s performance on all the fronts made at the Chintan Baithak would be discussed at a general secretaries meeting soon.

He also said that the party would constitute a committee to draft the “road ahead” map for the party, which would be placed before party’s National Executive in September – October.

” I will call a meeting of senior leaders and all general secretaries to discuss the analysation made here, and a committee will be formed to prepare a road map draft for the party, which will be placed before the national executive,” Singh said.

Singh also rebuffed allegations of any leakage of the draft of the party’s performance.

“Both Bal Apte and Ram Lal were assigned to analyse the party performance based on the reports given by various state units, and accordingly they put their views before the meeting. And they brought all the points in their diary and no draft was prepared, “Singh explained.

Considering RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s suggestion to give preference to youngsters, Singh said : ” The meeting considered the sarsnghchalkji’s statement and decided to give preference for youngsters from Mandal level to the Central level.”

Rajnath read out the points of the resolutions adopted by the meet, which states, (1) The BJP will be committed to the ideology of cultural nationalism and Integral Humanism, (2)Stress on expansion of party’s geological and social base, (3) Preference to women, youths, farmers in party leadership (4) Strengthening NDA, (5) No compromise on discipline (6) Role model administration by the party’s governments at the state level, (7)Constructive and aggressive opposition at the centre and (8) Leading model life by leaders and workers of the party.

Singh said no one is responsible for party’s debacle, ” No one is responsible for election debacle. If at all any one is responsible, its Rajnath Singh, I owe my responsibility being party chief.” (ANI)

Ronaldo may soon crush Becks in battle of brands

London, August 21 (ANI): Football ace Cristiano Ronaldo, 24, may soon outstrip ageing England hero David Beckham, 34, for the number of commercial deals to his name, says a report.

The suggestion came after LA Galaxy fans heckled Beckham and his wife Victoria at the weekend.

“Beckham, because of his age and the stage of his career, has lost it. And Ronaldo is ideally placed to ass-ume the mantle of ‘brand Beckham’, especially among young kids and teenagers,” the Daily Star quoted sports branding expert Prof Simon Chadwick, from Coventry University, as saying.

Ronaldo has already bared his chest in ads for Pepe Jeans. He has also campaigned for Nike, Coca-Cola, video game FIFA Street 2, and energy drink Extra Joss.

The news report further reveals that Ronaldo raked in 12million pounds a year at Manchester United from product endorsements, compared with Becks’ 25.5million pounds in his heyday.

He has also been snapped up as a “global ambassador” for engine oil firm Castrol.

However, how much money goes into his banks will eventually depend on his performance on the pitch, says the report.

Veteran football agent Jon Holms said: “Ronaldo is probably a better player than Beckham. Beckham is a workhorse of a player, while Ronaldo seems to be more natural.” (ANI)

Now, Sikhs accuse BBC’s Asian network of religious bias

London, Aug.20 (ANI): The BBC’s Asian Network is at the center of a race row after Sikhs accused the digital radio station of being insensitive towards their religion.

The BBC were forced to remove a show from their website after Adil Ray, a popular Muslim presenter, received threats from Sikh listeners who accused him of denigrating one of their religious symbols, The Telegraph reports.

The row centres around a show broadcast earlier this month in which Ray discussed a Punjabi music concert in Canada where police had banned a number of Sikhs who refused to remove their “kirpan” dagger. number of listeners believed that Ray had been disparaging about whether Sikhs really needed to carry their kirpan – a ceremonial symbol that baptised Sikhs are expected to wear at all times – and began making complaints and threats against him.

The Birmingham-based network has strongly denied the accusations or any suggestion that Ray meant to mock Sikhism.

The row has nonetheless raised fresh questions over whether the digital network, which was set up eight years ago after the BBC’s then director general Greg Dyke described the corporation as “hideously white”, is serving its Asian listeners.

Last year, Labour peer Lord Ahmed accused the network of being biased against Muslims in favour of Sikhs and Hindus, although an internal investigation by the BBC later exonerated it.

The Sikh Media Monitoring Group has written to the BBC asking for a full transcript of Adil Ray’s show and accused the station of being insensitive towards Sikh listeners. (ANI)