Desi Express Newspaper December 2015

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Pairing of an unattractive woman with an attractive man is more likely to emerge if the partners are known for many months.

From Ginegerbread men to cake pops to almond chocolate cake, find fun recipes this festival season.

Actress Dia Mirza says religion is something she explored and discovered but has never been her identity.

ALABAMA, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE INDIAN-AMERICANS CELEBRATE CHHATH POOJA ON POTOMAC RIVER

WASHINGTON: Indian Americans celebrated the festival of Chhath on the banks of the historic Potomac River here as several women attired in colorful traditional saree worshiped the rising sun.

The Chhath celebrations spread over three days in Virginia saw participation of some 250 Indian Americans, many of whom drove a few

Hundred kms to attend this popular festival of Bihar.

"We are just trying our best to keep our tradition alive, even though we are thousands of miles away from the place of our birth," said Kripa Shankar Singh, who has been organizing the event for the past eight years few families even booked cottages on the banks of the Potomac River to participate in the festivities.

Chhath pooja entails worship of Sun God, embodied in cosmic energy, and is observed mainly by people from Bihar and eastern UP.

INDIAN-AMERICAN JUDGE RECEIVES PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

NEW YORK: An IndianAmerican woman judge here has become the first recipient of a US public service award in recognition of her contributions in the field of law.

Queens Senior Assistant District Attorney and newly elected Civil Court Judge Ushir Pandit-Durant was

honored with the 'South Asian Public Service Award' by the Office of Immigrant Affairs under Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. The award was given to Pandit-Durant coinciding with the commemoration of Diwali by the office of the Queens District Attorney.

Earlier this month she became the first South Asian American elected to a judgeship in Queens County.

Pandit-Durant attended New York Law School and in 1987 joined the Queens District Attorney's Office.

PASSPORT ADVISORY FROM INDIAN CONSULATE IN ATLANTA

All handwritten Indian passport holders are requested to go through this advisory. This has been published in the website of the Indian Consulate in Atlanta (www.indianconsulateatlanta.org) and other social media. (i). HANDWRITTEN PASSPORTS The International Civil Aviation Organization

(ICAO) has set a deadline of the 24th November, 2015 for globally phasing out of all non-Machine Readable Passports (MRPs). From the 25th November, 2015 onwards, foreign Governments may deny Visa or entry to any person travelling on a non-Machine Readable Passport.

The Government of India has been issuing Machine Readable Passports since 2001. The Passports, however, issued before 2001

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and particularly those issued during mid 1990s with a validity of 20 years will fall in the category of non-MRPs. All handwritten passports with pasted photographs are also considered non-MRPs. By the end of November 2014, it is estimated that there are approximately 2.86 lakh handwritten passports in circulation.

Approximately 6 crore Indian hold valid passports.

— Contd. on Page 04

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BAPS DIWALI HISTORIC CELEBRATIONS AT THE GEORGIA STATE CAPITOL BUILDING

Constructed in 1889, the Georgia State Capitol is a National Historic Landmark and home to Georgia’s government.

For the first time in its 126 year history, Diwali was celebrated under the grand central rotunda with a beautiful annakut. On November 13, 2015, state representatives from Georgia, the Indian Consulate in Atlanta and dozens of prominent IndianAmericans gathered for this historic Diwali celebration.

The event was organized and hosted by the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Lilburn, Georgia in conjunction with Georgia State Representative B.J. Pak (Lilburn 108).

Leaders shared their thoughts on the diverse contributions of Indian Americans to the economic and cultural framework of Georgia. They highlighted the importance of nurturing and advancing the longstanding relationship between India and the State of Georgia.

Guests included State Representatives Hugh Floyd and Marin Pedro, Georgia State Public Commissioner Tim Echols, and Consul General Nagesh Singh from the Indian Consulate in Atlanta. Commissioner Echols offered these thoughts: “As we celebrate this Festival of light and as we think of driving darkness from ourselves, from our neighborhood, from our State. I think of the importance of training our children in understanding wisdom, justice, moderation. There is so much we can do in Atlanta.” Consul General Singh wished the crowd a very Happy Diwali and a Happy New Year. On behalf of the Indian government, he expressed his deep gratitude to BAPS and the Governor of Georgia, Mr. Nathan Deal. The event concluded with a traditional exchange of sweets to celebrate the New Year.

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Aries ( 21 March – 19 April ) - Pamper your health and retreat from people's attention.

You need to contemplate. You might be taking a big step this month, into financial, childbirth, sexual, research, health or similar happy things.

These steps will benefit and mature you still, you should be comfortable with what you're doing. Your wisdom and mellowness are showing. You face an excellent month for far travel, legal affairs, cultural events, religion and higher learning - and for love, creativity and speculation. Your popularity will rise, affectionate friends gather round. Favorable Dates : Dec 2, 8, 11, 27, 20 & 26 Favorable Colors : Blue & White Taurus ( 20 April – 20 May ) - You can give a new task or job a good start this month.

Wisdom, love, success in media, education, law and travel are signified. Romance, pleasure, beauty, creativity, games, speculation, winning streaks, joys from children these fill December. You'll be talking, traveling to meet others, writing - and you'll be attracted, and happy. Home remains sweet and family affectionate. Though you feel like resting and digesting, life confronts you with many chores.

Work hard, but take deep rests also. Popularity, social delights, flirtation, wishes coming true characterize December. Favorable Dates : Dec 1, 5, 10, 14, 19, 23 & 28 Favorable Colors : Red & White Gemini ( 21 May – 20 June) - You will be blessed in career, relations with higher-ups, and community status. You reputation will rise, and you'll find life proceeds smoothly and calmly if you pursue ambitions, prestige situations, and deal with authorities. Be a director rather than a nurturer. Be ambitious rather than seek security. Luck and expansion will flow into your relationships. The month will bring a breakthrough - you might divorce an unhappy, stubborn partner; or you might marry a new compatible person. An impromptu trip is just what you need to lighten your mood at months’ end. Favorable Dates : Dec 4, 5, 13, 14, 22 & 23 Favorable Colors : Blue & Green Cancer ( 21 June – 22 July ) - Your magnetism and determination reach a strong peak - this could bring attention from the opposite sex, but it can also make you a little fierce or uncompromising in your pursuit of love or business or intellectual or legal goals and spark a negative reaction. Be gentle.

Bosses favor you all month, so make proposals, chat them up. Offbeat or original ideas excite you and you will seek people who can offer you a different way of looking at things. Get out and about, mingle, socialize, chase your dreams, flirt, let others know your needs and desires.

Favorable Dates : Dec 2, 3, 11, 12, 20 & 21 Favorable Colors : Blue & White Leo ( 23 July – 22 August ) - If you have any projects that need to be completed in the next four weeks, finish them now, as forthcoming period brings confusion and delays. A month of lowered energy, rest and contemplation begins now. Relationships and opportunities are illusive. Your usual daily pursuits would seem drab, meaningless, or curiously unsatisfying, so that it may be difficult to motivate yourself and focus on your work. Do try to avoid situations which you know will provoke or irritate you. Scheduling time for recreation or to attend to a relationship is a good idea now. Favorable Dates : Dec 4, 5, 13, 14, 22 & 23 Favorable Colors : Purple & White

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Virgo ( 23 August – 22 September ) December will take you in a new direction in life. Relationships, career, home, family and personal life are all in the line of transformational fire. There would be opportunities to connect with like-minded beings and perhaps even find some emotional healing through connection. Dealing with or addressing intimate relationships or money and debt issues can be a focus, but it also may be about dealing with the sudden influx of money or power that is coming in. You will be navigating a new terrain in life. Favorable Dates : Dec 4, 8, 13, 17, 22 & 26 Favorable Colors : Red & Yellow

Libra ( 23 September – 22 October ) - This period will bring a total and deep transformation of relationships on all levels: marital, business, friendship, parent/child, etc. These changes will entail both huge, unconquerable opposition and lucky new opportunities. The "right" choice will in some way lead to a more creative, pleasurable, loving, romantic, life-affirming existence, It will change your social group, your plans for the future, your cherished desires, your taste in entertainment, your political views, your understanding of yourself. Let this be your time of launch toward a new life and horizons. Favorable Dates : Dec 2, 6, 11, 15, 20 & 24 Favorable Colors : Purple & Red Scorpio ( 23October – 21 November ) - The accent lies on ambition, career, prestige, mingling with higher-ups this month. You will have a sturdy, solid base in ambitious zones. A feeling of helplessness will end to be replaced by four weeks of confidence, determination, and strong results. Wishes could come true. You're in the midst of a happy, flirtatious and lucky time. Your psychic sensitivity and intuition are heightened at this time. Artistic, creative work which expresses a visionary and fantastic quality is very fulfilling to you now. Favorable Dates : Dec 6, 7, 15, 16, 24 & 25 Favorable Colors : Purple & White Sagittarius( 22 November - 21 December ) All month, your charisma, effectiveness, luck and determination to speak your piece can take you far, lead to new contacts and opportunities. Moneymaking continues - collect, pay bills, buy/sell, seek lucrative clients, a pay raise. Be cautious communicating too much, or trying to gain one last advantage in a negotiation, could defeat your purpose. it would be a good idea to focus on your strong points. At the end of the month, you'll be able to breathe a sigh of relief that you've set your sails in the right direction. Favorable Dates : Dec 6, 7, 15, 16, 24 & 25 Favorable Colors : Purple & White Capricorn ( 22 December – 19 January ) - You are going to find it hard to focus so expect things to go little bit different than what you had planned.

This will not be a good time for you to ask for a raise or promotion or to look for a new job. You will also want to be vigilant for people who could cause you problems at your work or perhaps someone may try to cause you financial issues at this time. Trusting your intuition right now will take you further than trying to chase frantically after something that's blowing in the wind.

Favorable Dates : Dec 2, 5, 11, 14, 20 & 23 Favorable Colors : Blue & Green Aquarius ( 20 January – 18 February ) - This is a good time to make sure your finances and job are secure, do not take unnecessary chances with either area of your life at this time. You may not want to socialize at this time but you will be upset with yourself later if you let this pass you by.

Your ability to study quietly, to concentrate on complex mental work, and to think deeply about serious matters is much better than usual. This is a good time to organize your affairs and also to seek professional advice about your concerns.

Favorable Dates : Dec 7, 9, 16, 18, 25 & 27 Favorable Colors : Yellow & Green Pisces ( 19 February – 20 March ) - You experience sudden insights, make discoveries, come up with fresh solutions to your problems.

Your mental processes are speeded up and you move more quickly now and would be more perceptive than usual. You will also want to be surrounded with beauty and harmonious people, and your artistic efforts flourish. A relationship can be deepened and reborn now, giving new life to your willingness to reveal yourself to your loved one. Committed relations will remain on firm footing. Charitable and philanthropic impulses are stronger now. Favorable Dates : Dec 2, 4, 11, 13, 20 & 22 Favorable Colors : Blue & Green Manish Kumar Arora K.P. Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Card Reader & Vastu Consultant Phone: +91-9871062000 E-mail: manishastrologer@rediffmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/manishastroconsultant * All astrological predictions are to be considered friendly advice based on the author’s personal opinions and used for entertainment purposes only. These are not to be considered as promises, guarantees or psychic predictions. They are simply potentials to be used at the reader’s own discretion. For important decisions, consult your personal intuition, doctor, accountant, lawyer, educator, or clergy as needed. It is best to be informed on all levels.

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Smithsonian explores America's immigration story through "H-1B"

Washington (IANS) In a spin-off from the Smithsonian's "Beyond Bollywood" exhibition, 17 South Asian American and Asian-American artists explore America's immigration story in a new digital exhibition simply titled "H-1B". Inspired by the employment visa coveted by Indian techies, the artists comment on their immigration journeys depicting the range of emotions-anxiety, dignity, isolation and opportunity-associated

with living in America.

Approximately one-third of H-1B visas that permit foreigners highly skilled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to work in the US on a temporary basis, annually are issued to South Asian workers "Our H-1B Visa exhibition explores a historic part of the American story from the perspective of South Asian Indians," said Konrad Ng, director of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Centre.

The H-1B program has recently come under fire because the demand for H-1B visas has exceeded the 65,000 cap every year since 2003, this year getting 233,000 applications in less than a week.

Closely tied is the H-4 visa

Anita Ashok Datar from Washington, Indian American aid worker, killed in Mali attack

Washington (IANS) Anita Ashok Datar, an Indian-American woman who lived in the Washington DC area, was one of the victims killed in Friday’s terror attack at a hotel in Mali, according to a media report.

“We mourn American Anita Datar and all those lost in #MaliAttacks.

We extend condolences to family & friends & stand with the Malian people,” tweeted Secretary of State John Kerry. Datar lived in Takoma Park, Maryland, adjoining the American capital, and was a senior manager

at Palladium Group, FOX 5 reported citing her family. She was also a founding board member for a non-profit that helps communities around the globe get better health care, including treatment for HIV and guidance for family planning.

Datar was born in Massachusetts and grew up in New Jersey. She earned a master’s degree in public health from Columbia University and spent most of her career helping others abroad.

She served in the Peace Corps nearly 20 years ago and spent time in Senegal. She is survived by her son, parents and brother.

Datar’s family released a statement that said in part: “We are devastated that Anita is gone.

It’s unbelievable to us that she has been killed in this senseless act of violence and terrorism.

Anita was one of the kindest and most generous people we know.

“She loved her family and her work tremendously. Everything she did in her life she did to help other — as a mother, public health expert, daughter, sister and friend.

“And while we are angry and saddened that she has been killed, we know that she would want to promote education and healthcare to prevent violence and poverty at home and abroad, not intolerance.”

— By Arun Kumar

CONTD … PASSPORT ADVISORY FROM INDIAN CONSULATE IN ATLANTA Indian citizens residing in India and abroad and holding such passports with validity beyond the 24th November, 2015 are advised to apply for reissue of their passports well before the deadline in order to avoid any inconvenience in obtaining valid visa or international travel. (ii) PASSPORTS VALID FOR LESS THAN SIX MONTHS Many international travellers may not realise that having an unexpired passport is sometimes not enough to obtain Visas or to enter certain foreign countries. Indian citizens travelling on Passports which may expire in less than six months should renew their

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passports before any upcoming international travel. It is especially important to check the passports needs of any minor who may be accompanying their parents as passports for minors have a shorter validity period (5 years) than passports for adults (10 years).

The universal practice in vogue now is; "Once your passport crosses the nineyear mark, it is time to get new passport". (iii) EXHAUSTION OF VISA PAGES Some countries do not accept passports which may have fewer than two pages remaining. Please check your passport to ensure that you have

enough visa pages. There is no provision of additional booklets/pages and you will be required to apply reissuance of passport following standard procedures. Frequent travelers may opt for Jumbo Passport of 64 pages.

2. All Passport Issuing Authorities have instituted a simple and fast-track procedure for renewal of passports.

For more details related to passport services, website www.passportindia.gov.in - or the National Call Centre (1800-258-1800 Toll Free) may be accessed. Indian citizens living abroad should visit the website of respective Indian Mission/Post.

for dependant spouses and children of H-1B visa holders. "Drawing heavily upon my experience as a spouse living on an H-4 visa," wrote artist Aishwariya in her artist statement for "Dual Intent.""My work traces everyday manifestations of the duality of belonging and alienation for families living here in the United States on this visa category." Artist and activist Tanzila Ahmed wrote in her artist statement about "Borderless": "I wanted this painting to reflect the complexity of distance and longing that comes with immigration, lack of a nation-state identity and Diaspora."

Dr. Masum Momaya, Curator of "H-1B" told NBC News that the exhibition "illuminates an immigration status that often gets

stereotyped or left out of dialogue around immigration in this US." "Each year, people from all over the world come to the United States for a better life; some find opportunity, while others endure great hardship," she said.

"The artists in this show take us through the emotions and nuances of their journeys, illustrating new and complex layers of what has been a defining characteristic of America and American history: immigration."

The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Centre is also encouraging people to share their H-1B stories using the hashtag #MyH1Bstory.

— By Arun Kumar

News Brief US studio's nod for animation films on Hindu gods as Superheroes New Delhi (IANS) In his quest to understand Vedic mythology, Sanjay Patel, an Indian‐American, took the animation route to tell a story featuring Hindu gods as superheroes. The first‐time director says an approval by a US studio to such a "culturally specific" story came as a "shock" (pleasant surprise) to him.

Four PIOs named among 100 Leading Global Thinkers - a better future Washington (IANS) Four persons of Indian origin are featured in Foreign Policy magazine's list of 100 Leading Global Thinkers who have generated ideas that could promise humankind a better future.

Bigger smartphone screens can change buying preferences: Study Washington (IANS) As smartphone screen sizes are becoming bigger and bigger, larger screens are not only enhancing users' experience but can also change customers' buying intentions, an Indian‐origin researcher has found. Participants in the study who viewed video ads on larger smartphone screens were more likely to want to purchase a product.

133,000 Indian students contribute $3.6 bn to US economy Washington (IANS) With a whopping 29.4 percent increase, a record high of 132,888 Indian students studying in the US in 2014/15 academic year contributed $3.6 billion to the US economy, according to a new report.

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News Update

US lawmakers celebrate Diwali on Capitol Hill to celebrate the accomplishments of the Indian American Diaspora.

HEALTH CARE LAW FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES - EXEMPTION AMOUNTS FOR 2015

Diwali is celebrated by nearly a billion people around the world and more than two million people in the US, a media release from Bera's office noted.

If you haven't signed up for health insurance this year, do so now and avoid or reduce any penalty you might be subject to.

Depending on your income, you may be able to claim the premium tax credit that reduces your premium payment or reduce your tax obligations, as long as you meet certain requirements. You can choose to get the credit immediately or receive it as a refund when you file your taxes.

Additional Medicare Tax: Taxpayers whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts ($200,000 single filers and $250,000 married filing jointly) are liable for an additional Medicare tax of 0.9 percent on their tax returns, but may request that their employers withhold additional income tax from their pay to be applied against their tax liability when filing their 2015 tax return next April. High net worth individuals should consider contributing to Roth IRAs and 401(k) because distributions are not subject to the Medicare Tax. If you're a taxpayer close to the threshold for the Medicare Tax, it might make sense to switch Roth retirement contributions to a traditional IRA plan, thereby avoiding the 3.8 percent Net Investment Income Tax as well (more about the NIIT below).

Alternate Minimum Tax: The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) exemption "patch" was made permanent by the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) of 2012 and is indexed for inflation.

It's important not to overlook the effect of any year-end planning moves on the AMT for 2015 and 2016. Items that may affect AMT include deductions for state property taxes and state income taxes, miscellaneous itemized deductions, and personal exemptions.

Please call if you're not sure whether AMT applies to you.

Note: AMT exemption amounts for 2015 are as follows:  $53,600 for single and head of household filers,  $83,400 for married people filing jointly and for qualifying widows or widowers,

"This event celebrates who we are and all our community has accomplished," said Bera, the lone Indian American Congressman.

Washington (IANS) More than 30 members of US Congress joined about 1,000 people at the annual Diwali event on Capitol Hill, the seat of US legislature, to celebrate the accomplishments of the Indian American Diaspora.

It provides an opportunity to meet with members of Congress and other elected officials to celebrate the contributions of the South Asian community in business, technology, health care, arts, academics, and much more.

The annual celebration, which attracts people and Indian American organizations from all over the US, was organized by Ami Bera and George Holding, Democratic and Republican co-chairs of the Caucus on India and Indian Americans.

Attendees at the event in the Great Hall of the Library of Congress, included Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both Democrats, and the Republican Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce.

Obama wishes Modi Happy Diwali, reaffirms India-US partnership

Washington (IANS) Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi to wish him a happy Diwali, US President Barack Obama has reaffirmed the

importance of the US-India partnership in addressing both regional and global issues.

A White House readout of the call on Tuesday said Obama spoke to Modi by phone "to review joint efforts on key areas of bilateral cooperation and to preview global issues ahead of the upcoming G-20 summit, East Asia Summit, and Paris Climate Conference."

"Noting that the conversation represented the first use of the new

"Over the next decade, I look forward to making DC the hub for connecting members of the community not just from the surrounding region, but across the country to celebrate our progress and talk about the future." "The United States and India have been building a partnership to make both our nations safer and stronger," Bera said.

"The Indian-American Community has been playing a key role in building needed ties between our two countries, and I congratulate the volunteers who worked to make this year's Diwali celebration in Washington a success," he said. "In the coming year, I look forward to continuing to strengthen the bonds between our countries." secure line between the two leaders, President Obama wished the Prime Minister a happy Diwali and reaffirmed the importance of the US-India partnership in addressing both regional and global issues."

"Both leaders shared their perspectives on developments in South Asia and discussed the progress they have made on shared economic and security priorities, including implementation of the Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean Region and addressing the global challenge of climate change," it added.

10th Annual Batukamma Celebrations organized by GATeS (Greater Atlanta Telangana Society) the large crowd with folk songs. The Consul of India, Dharam Vir Singh released a beautiful Souvenir to commemorate the 10th Annual Batukamma Celebrations in Metro Atlanta by GATeS that has grown leaps and bounds – from a small community of 10 Telangana families (under the leadership of Late GS Reddy in 2006) to a large community of few thousand families in 2015 that the Riverside Park ground could hardly accommodate all the participants.

They came. They came in with small Batukammas. They came in with big, some very big Batukammas. And they came with really big Batukammas that are not just large that needed 3 people to carry, but were also colorful, creative, and artistic The Batukammas were so many - well past 150 and so varied in size, decor, formation and presentation that the judges had a hard time to decide the best.

The 10th Batukamma festival was organized by GATeS (Greater Atlanta Telangana Society, formerly known as Telangana Community, a non-profit Charity Organization of, by and for Atlanta Telangana Community). Over 2,000 people participated along with children and women from Telangana. The women toiled long and hard for days and late into the night before they show cased their talent and excellent performance. Children practiced for many days to entertain

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Bikshu Nayak, who came from India was the star that shined in bright day light. He sang on stage and off stage. He sang for women, with women; for children, and with children. The day’s program started with Prayer Song by Snigdha, Srinidhi & Srihita and the lamp was lighted, followed by a fantastic classical dance by Nataraja Natyanjali Dance School. Rohana Chada sang a devotional song. Karthik Kodakandla (Music Director for Telugu Movie Bandook) sang the super hit song from the movie. Also, he has a special song written and composed on GATeS 10 years of Service and Batukamma Celebrations, who added flavor to the

jubilant crowds. President Dr. Venkat Veeraneni & Board Chairman Dr. Sreeni Gangasani welcomed the huge gathering and appraised of the activities of GATeS. Along with directors Narender Reddy, Vivek Reddy, Ratan Elugunti, the reiterated the role of Sponsors and friends that supported the organization. This well-planned and executed event happened because of various other organizations who co-hosted, helped, volunteered in every step. The event was successful because of the enormous labor put in large number of truly selfless volunteers. DJ was provided by Divinity Audio while Photography & Videography by Vakiti Creations.

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Year-End Tax Planning for Individuals Tax planning for the year ahead presents similar challenges to last year due to the unknown fate of the numerous tax extenders that expired at the end of 2014.

Tax planning for the year ahead presents similar challenges to last year due to the unknown fate of the numerous tax extenders that expired at the end of 2014.

These tax extenders, which include the mortgage insurance premium deduction and the sales tax deduction that allows taxpayers to deduct state and local general sales taxes instead of state and local income taxes, may or may not be reauthorized by Congress and made retroactive to the beginning of year.

In the meantime, let's take a look at some of the tax strategies that you can use right now, given the current tax situation. Tax planning strategies for individuals this year include postponing income and accelerating deductions, as well as careful consideration of timing related investments, charitable gifts, and retirement planning. General tax planning strategies that taxpayers might consider, include the following:



Sell any investments on which you have a gain or loss this year. See Investment Gains and Losses, below.



If you anticipate an increase in taxable income in 2016 and are expecting a bonus at year-end, try to get it before December 31. Keep in mind, however, that contractual bonuses are different, in that they are typically not paid out until the first quarter of the following year. Therefore, any taxes owed on a contractual bonus would not be due until you file a tax return for tax year 2016.



Prepay deductible expenses such as charitable contributions and medical expenses this year using a credit card. This strategy works because deductions may be taken based on when the expense was charged on the credit card, not when the bill was paid.

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For eg, if you charge a medical expense in December but pay the bill in January, assuming it's an eligible medical expense, it can be taken as a deduction on return.



If your company grants stock options, you may want to exercise the option or sell stock acquired by exercise of an option this year if you think your tax bracket will be higher in 2016.

Exercise of the option is often but not always a taxable event; sale of the stock is almost always a taxable event.



If you're self-employed, send invoices or bills to clients or customers this year to be paid in full by the end of Dec.

  

Caution: Keep an eye on the estimated tax requirements.

Accelerating Income and Deductions

Accelerating income into 2015 is an especially good idea for taxpayers who anticipate being in a higher tax bracket next year or whose earnings are close to threshold amounts ($200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for married filing jointly) that make them liable for additional Medicare Tax or Net Investment Income Tax (see below).

In cases where tax benefits are phased out over a certain adjusted gross income (AGI) amount, a strategy of accelerating income and deductions might allow you to claim larger deductions, credits, and other tax breaks for 2015, depending on your situation. The latter benefits include Roth IRA contributions, conversions of regular IRAs to Roth IRAs, child credits, higher education tax credits and deductions for student loan interest.

Caution: Taxpayers close to threshold amounts for the Net AFZAL MITHWANI CPA, EA, PFS (P) 770-817-7000 (Q) 770-817-7001 afzal@univisioncpa.com

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Investment Income Tax (3.8 percent of net investment income) should pay close attention to "one-time" income spikes such as those associated with Roth conversions, sale of a home or other large assets that may be subject to tax.

Tip: If you know you have a set amount of income coming in this year that is not covered by withholding taxes, increasing your withholding before year-end can avoid or reduce any estimated tax penalty that might otherwise be due.

Tip: On the other hand, the penalty could be avoided by covering the extra tax in your final estimated tax payment and computing the penalty using the annualized income method. Here are several examples of what a taxpayer might do to accelerate deductions:



Pay a state estimated tax installment in December instead of at the January due date. However, make sure the payment is based on a reasonable estimate of your state tax.



Pay your entire property tax bill, including installments due in year 2016. This does not apply to mortgage escrow Account.



It may be beneficial to pay 2016 tuition in 2015 to take full



advantage of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, an above the line deduction worth up to $2,500 per student to cover the cost of tuition, fees and course materials paid during the taxable year. Forty percent of the credit (up to $1,000) is refundable, which means you can get it even if you owe no tax.



Try to bunch "threshold" expenses, such as medical and dental expenses--10 percent of AGI (adjusted gross income) starting in 2013--and miscellaneous itemized deductions. For example, you might pay medical bills and dues and subscriptions in whichever year they would do you the most tax good.



Note: There is a temporary exemption of 7.5 percent through December 31, 2016 for individuals age 65 and older and their spouses.



Threshold expenses are deductible only to the extent they exceed a certain percentage of adjusted gross income (AGI).

By bunching these expenses into one year, rather than spreading them out over two years, you have a better chance of exceeding the thresholds, thereby maximizing your deduction.

No Rendering of Advice : The information contained within this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for obtaining accounting, tax, or financial advice from a professional accountant. Information presented does not intended to create, and does not constitute, an accountant-client relationship. Readers are advised not to act upon this information without seeking the service of a professional accountant. Any U.S. federal tax advice contained in this article is not intended to be used for the purpose of avoiding penalties under U.S. federal tax law. Accuracy of Information : While we use reasonable efforts to furnish accurate and up-to-date information, we do not warrant that any information contained in or made available through this article is accurate, complete, reliable, current or error-free. We assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content of this article.

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The Traveler UAE's Ajman Palace Where halal friendly is the USP New Delhi (IANS) At a time when writers, filmmakers and historians have revolted against a rising culture of intolerance towards freedom of speech, Indian cinematic icon Amitabh Bachchan, widely followed celebrity on social media, says he's always cautious about expressing himself to avoid "unwanted controversy". Is he reluctant about sharing his views freely? "That's a discretion I will exercise because there is a certain vulnerability with celebrities, We (celebrities) are vulnerable to almost everything. There are times when something we may have spoken could have created a controversy. So, there is a certain amount of cautiousness that I exercise, but there are actors and filmmakers who share their thoughts on socio-political matters without a second thought. God bless them," exclaimed the thespian, adding that he finds such people "very brave, honest, frank and strong".

"I exercise a lot of restraint in expressing myself on various issues... I don't want to create unnecessary controversy," said Amitabh. He also said that if he is ever forced into commenting on something, "I will perhaps not be able to give an adequate reply, or I will excuse myself from it because either I don't have the right answers or I don't wish to make comments on it."

His adeptness with technology has improved over the years and, unlike many his age, he has embraced it beautifully, even though he admitted that he's not totally comfortable with it. "My kids and grandchildren help me with these modern inventions. Sometimes when I don't know how to work on a mobile or a laptop or an iPad, they are very conversant to that, so I seek their help."

He feels the onus to introduce "older generations, grandparents and at many times parents who are not conversant with technology -" lies on the youngsters. Recounting one incident when he introduced his celebrated father to a mobile phone, he shared: “I remember the first time when I took a mobile phone to my father, he had actually backed away from it... like there was some kind of danger involved here. "But gradually once they get used to it, they understand." The findings appeared in the Journal of Family Psychology.

Safe and secure holiday shopping season Leave extra cards and ID at home.

Remove any cards that you won’t need while shopping.

Each time we venture out the door with our wallet or purse full of credit and debit cards, check books and personal identification, we risk falling victim to theft. Don’t gift them with any opportunities!

Make a list of credit, debit card account nos along with the phone no. to call if they are lost or stolen.

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Never carry your social security card or other forms of personal identification that could compromise your identity if your purse or wallet is stolen.

Don’t buy with your debit card. In most cases, they offer consumers less protection against fraud in the event they are lost or stolen.

Keep your card to yourself. Don’t pull out your credit card to pay until you get to the cash register.

As you stand there holding your card in line, someone could copy down your credit card number or snap a photo of your card with a cell phone.

Don’t give out too much information.

Be aware of your state’s merchant laws. You’re always better off giving the least amount of personal.

Get your card back after you make a purchase. Double check to insure the store clerk has returned your card.

Use common sense, exercise caution, practice card safety, and have a happy and productive holiday shopping.

Ajman (UAE) (IANS) This is one 'dry' place where guests are crowding to enjoy a unique concept in hospitality. Tucked away in the UAE's emirate of Ajman, the Ajman Palace Hotel takes pride in its halal-friendly tag.

Located on the beach-front that gives an endless view of the Persian Gulf. "We wanted to establish the property as a unique one.

It is alcohol-free and focused on family guests.

We have worked very hard on making this concept (halal friendly) popular and our guests have given us a very encouraging response," hotel general manager Ferghall Purcell, who hosted the G8 leaders when he headed the Lough Erne Resort in Northern Ireland in June 2013.

The absence of liquor in a 5-star property may be seen as a hindrance by many, but this is "not an issue at all" for the Ajman Palace management. The high point of the hotel is that it has become a much sought-after venue for all-women's parties during weddings due to its 'halal friendly' concept. "We have the largest hotel ballroom in the northern Emirates. We are a hit for weddings and big conferences. We recently hosted a big fat Punjabi wedding with guests travelling here from across the globe. Everyone went back happy with memories to cherish," Purcell said.

It has its own 150-metre-wide private beach that can be enjoyed at any time, particularly between October and March. With 254 rooms in the semi-circle shaped hotel, getting a sea-view room is an option. The hotel offers an array of food - ranging from local Arabic flavors to Indian sub-continent to continental to Japanese, among others. For those wanting to indulge in some evening fun, the open-air 'Seesha' bar is an attraction.

"Our guests can find 34 different kinds of sushi in our Asian restaurant Dragon's Place," its manager said. "Balancing world-class facilities with the legendary Arabian hospitality, it offers 254 rooms, suites and serviced residences, a remarkable range of restaurants and lounges, fabulous meeting and event venues," Purcell noted. The hotel itself is a multi-nationality place with the staff hailing from 27 countries.

— By Jaideep Sarin

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I love wearing dresses as nothing can flatter a woman’s body more than a dress that fits well. Stock a couple of formal and casual dresses and make sure they accentuate your body well. A black jacket is a must in a closet. They go really well with formal wear and during travel too. A well-fitted pair of denims is a must. I would say dark blue and black denims are safe for all events. What’s a woman’s closet without several pairs of shoes? Pick a couple of formal as well as casual shoes that go well with most of your outfits. Even flats and flip-flops work really well when you are sporting casuals. I have a fetish for bags and have a huge collection of them.

I prefer getting them from well-known brands as they are available in varied colors and designs.

When it comes to accessories, it is important to stock a collection of earrings, neckpieces, rings and anklets. Choose according to your taste and match it well with your outfit. Make-up plays a crucial role in assessing your overall look. However, too much make-up spoils your overall look and it’s important to keep it subtle. A nice lip gloss, mascara, eye-liner and kohl are must carries in your bag.

Wedding NAIL THE BRIDAL LOOK THIS SEASON New Delhi, (IANS) Every girl hopes to look her best on her D-day, but some, in this pursuit, go overboard with either their make-up or the color of their dress. To make sure you get your bridal look right, it's vital to keep some points in your mind. Sushma Khan, head of make-up, Lakme Salon Bridal Dream Team, shares how to look gorgeous on your wedding day: 

Choose the right color lehenga to complement your skin tone: The key to selecting the right colored lehenga is to not be a victim of trends. Opt for what suits your skin tone better.

Red works better for dusky and wheatish complexions. Pink looks good on women with fair skin tone.

If you like to experiment with different colors for contact lens, buy a couple of pairs in colors of your choice. However, I would recommend hazel colored lens as they go well with Indian faces. A lot of fashion faux pas are done by almost everybody.

Nevertheless, it’s those fashion faux pas that helps you to grow in fashion. Personally, it has helped me to learn from mistakes and I am more careful now when it comes to dressing up.



Lastly, keep it simple yet stylish as that’s the key to looking fashionable. Don’t mix too many colors or wear too many accessories. Simplicity always puts you on the limelight.

Why some people don't choose equally good looking mates?

New York (IANS) Partners who become romantically involved soon after meeting tend to be more similar in physical attractiveness than friends first couples or partners who get together after knowing each other for

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a while, says a study. For example, the pairing of an unattractive woman with an attractive man is more likely to emerge if the partners had known one another for many months prior to dating. Partners who began dating within a month meeting each other showed a strong correlation for physical attractiveness, said the study published in journal Psychological Science.

"This study shows that we make different sorts of decisions about whom to marry depending upon whether we knew the person before we started dating," said co-author of the study Eli Finkel, professor of psychology at Northwestern University.

"If we start dating soon after we meet, physical attractiveness appears to be a major factor in determining such decisions, and we end up with somebody who's about as attractive as we are, If, in contrast, we know the person for a while before we start dating or if we are friends first physical attractiveness appears to be much less important, and we are less likely to be similar to our spouse on the dimension of looks," says Finkel.

The researchers looked at data collected from 167 couples, 67 dating and 100 married, who were participating in a longitudinal study of romantic relationships.

Wear the right make-up and hair: Make-up in natural hues and a simple hairstyle are good to go. Loosely tousled, side swept hair with light highlights can add that perfect touch to the outfit. Make-up shouldn’t be too loud. Warm, glossy shades for the lips and neutral palettes for the cheeks will do the trick.

- As told to Sharanya C R

Physical Attractiveness In Couples

Choose The Right Color Lengha to Complement your Skin Tone:

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Accessorize well: Wear jewelry that complements your outfit.

Wearing contemporary styles with traditional outfits and vice versa is a big faux pas. It is also essential to remember that less is more. Indian brides tend to adorn themselves in jewelry, but let not it not take away from the outfit.

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Bridal Mehndi Designs Mehndi adds a flavor of tradition and cultural heritage to the celebrations.

Choose your designs well in advance, select the perfect blend to match your lengha design and highlight colors.

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Asin is one of the actresses in bollywood today with few successes. Many women in India are jealous of her beauty and constantly search the internet for Asin’s beauty but getting what she has naturally is quite an ordeal. Below are few tips given by Asim herself.

Drink Plenty of Water: Plenty of water should be drunk everyday. The average person should drink at least 3-4 liters of water daily. Water exfoliates the skin removing its impurities. Water also cleans the stomach allowing the prevention of a heated up body which in turn prevents pimples and blackheads.

Daily Workout: Asin’s day begins at 6 in the morning. She believes in the quote early to bed early to rise. This keeps her fit and on her toes.

As soon as she gets up some breathing exercises and a short but complete.

Breakfast: breakfast is one of the most important meals in the day and she believes this to be true. As soon as she gets up she eats a breakfast consisting of oats, fruits and juice.

Milk: Asin expresses her love for milk and her dislike for tea and coffee. Instead of tea and coffee she drinks milk everyday and as much as she likes.

Milk keeps the bones strong and provides your body with much needed calcium.

Coconut Water: Asin drinks coconut water almost every day. A glass of coconut water is an essential part of her day. Coconut water also keeps the body healthy and cool.

No Sweets: Asin dislikes eating sweets, even though sweets can be tempting she dislikes them because even one sweet can completely disrupt ones diet. Therefore asin opts to eat more fruits than sweets. It satisfies her taste buds and in turn keeps her healthy and fit.

Being Social Is Facebook addiction pushing up divorce cases?

London, (IANS) If you think excessive Facebook use by your spouse is behind your divorce, then you may be right, says a study.

Researchers, however, said that their findings do not establish a "cause-and-effect relationship" and need further individual data.

For the study, they looked at the rise of Facebook use and the rate of divorce cases in each state in the US. They found that a 20 percent increase in the number of Facebook usage in a given state is associated with a four percent increase in the divorce rate the following year. "People who spent more time on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites were more likely to have an unhappy marriage and were thinking about divorce," researchers added. However, researchers could not identify who exactly was creating new Facebook accounts. The people increasing their Facebook usage were not necessarily the same people who were getting divorced, the study noted.

The study, reported by Time magazine, was published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior.

RAID THE KITCHEN — start with things at home

This season if you want to be beautiful, it’s a great idea to start with things at home. We suggest these ingredients for glowing skin ...

ARGAN OIL: Women from Morroco swear by this, as it treats wrinkles, burns, acne and even Psoriasis.

Science is still catching up but argan is

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extremely rich in linoleic acid, which applied topically is proven to contain vitamin E, an antiager that may reduce scarring as well.

ALOE VERA: From drinking aloe vera juice to applying the gel on the face, this plant has medica values. Its calming and restorative properties can heal damaged skin 72 hours faster.

COCONUT OIL: As children, we were all forced to apply coconut oil on our locks. While we cringed over it, now we understand its worth. Coconut oil penetrates in the skin and prevents water loss and replaces lipids that deplete with aging, it’s a double winner.

GREEN TEA: Several studies have shown that green tea reduces the effects of UV damage, enhances wound healing, and treats acne.

Green tea is also anti inflammatory and can help reduce.

HONEY: Before we had creams and gels, there was honey. Years ago, it was used in wound dressing to accelerate healing. Its topical application also demonstrates antibacterial action, and helps prevent scarring.

OLIVE OIL: Already proven to be a powerful antioxidant in food, olive oil may play an exciting role in reducing DNA damage in skin, too.

Selfies Turn your selfie into funny stickers Want to share your face with friends at various social networking sites without them losing interest in you? Try this app that turns your selfies into stickers.

“Line Selfie Sticker”, combines selfies and stickers. This app lets you click selfies and then turn them into funny stickers.

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Festive Treats Superfoods don't just come from your supermarket's produce aisle. In fact those chocolate candy bars next to the gummy bears now qualify. Study after study proves that dark chocolate sweet, rich, and delicious is good for more than curing a broken heart. The secret behind its powerful punch is cacao, also the source of the sweet's distinct taste. Packed with healthy chemicals like flavonoids and the obromine, this little bean is a disease-killing bullet. The only problem? Cacao on its own is bitter, chalky, nasty stuff.

There is considerable evidence that cocoa can provide powerful health benefits, being especially protective against cardiovascular disease. Dark chocolates often contain some sugar, but the amounts are usually small and the darker the chocolate, the less sugar it will contain.

Most commercial chocolates are highly processed. Although it is believed that dark chocolate contained the highest levels flavanols, recent research indicates that, depending on how the dark chocolate was processed, this may not be true.

The good news is that most major chocolate manufacturers are looking for ways to keep the flavanols in their processed chocolates. Some of the Benefits of Chocolate are     

Very Nutritious Powerful Source of Antioxidants May Improve Blood Flow and Lower Blood Pressure Raises HDL and Protects LDL Against Oxidation Consuming dark chocolate can improve several important risk factors for heart disease  May Protect Your Skin Against The Sun  May Improve Brain Function

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GINGERBREAD MEN INGREDIENTS: 100 gms brown sugar, 100 gms golden syrup, 225 gms plain flour, ¼ tsp salt, 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 heaped tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp cinnamon, 50 gms unsalted butter METHOD:

INGREDIENTS:

 1 cup all‐purpose flour  1/4 cup Baking Cocoa  1 2/3 cups dark Chocolate Morsels  1 teaspoon baking soda  1/2 teaspoon salt  1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened  1/2 cup packed light brown sugar  1/4 cup granulated sugar  1 large egg  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION 1. PREHEAT oven to 325° F. Line baking sheets or lightly grease.

2. MELT 2/3 cup morsels in microwave‐safe bowl for 30 seconds 3. STIR Just until morsels are melted. Set aside.

4. SIFT flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into medium bowl.

Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add melted chocolate. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until well blended, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture, mixing just until blended. Stir in remaining 1 cup morsels. Drop dough by level 1/4‐cup measure 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.

5. BAKE for 16 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs and the tops have a cracked appearance. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes.

Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Loneliness is deadly for elderly New York, Nov 24 (IANS) For older adults, perceived social isolation is a major health risk that can increase the chances of premature death by 14 percent.

The researchers found that loneliness leads to fight-or-flight stress signaling, which can ultimately affect the production of white blood cells. Essentially, lonely people had a less effective immune response and more inflammation than non-lonely people, researchers from the University of Chicago and the University of California-Los Angeles found.

The team examined gene expression in leukocytes, cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against bacteria and viruses.

As expected, the leukocytes of lonely humans

FESTIVITY RECIPES TO MAKE & SHARE

But don't use chocolate as a stand-in for fat-free fruits and veggies. It just doesn't work that way. An ounce of dark chocolate can contain a whopping 11 g of fat, so you have to compromise elsewhere in your diet to make room for the calories. But if you eat your 1-oz piece of chocolate slowly and mindfully, it should satisfy your most serious chocolate cravings, which can help you stick to a healthy eating plan.

and macaques showed an increased expression of genes involved in inflammation and a decreased expression of genes involved in antiviral responses. "Leukocyte gene expression and loneliness appear to have a reciprocal relationship, suggesting that each can help propagate the other over time," the researchers noted. These results were specific to loneliness and could not be explained by depression, stress or social support. "The 'danger signals' activated in the brain by loneliness ultimately affect the production of white blood cells.

The resulting shift in monocyte output may both propagate loneliness and contribute to its associated health risks," the researchers said.

Pre-heat oven to gas mark five and grease two baking sheets. Sift together all of the dry ingredients. Heat butter, sugar and syrup until dissolved then leave to cool after mix them into dry ingredients and make a dough. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough about ¼-inch thick and cut into gingerbread men. Place on trays allowing space to spread. Cook for 10-15 minutes.

ALMOND & CHOCOLATE PIE INGREDIENTS: ½ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped, 3 tbsp unsalted butter, 1¼ cups dark corn syrup, ¾ cup sugar, 4 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, ¾ tsp almond extract, Pinch of salt, 3 cups almonds METHOD: Position rack in centre of oven and preheat to 180ºC. Stir bittersweet chocolate and unsalted butter in a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from water.

Mix in dark corn syrup and ¾ cup sugar. Whisk in eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt. Stir in toasted almonds. Pour filling into prepared crust.

Bake pie until filling is set around edges but moves slightly in centre when pie is gently shaken and crust is golden brown, tenting pie with foil if crust browns too quickly, about one hour. Transfer pie to rack and cool slightly.

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Meditation

ROTI VS RICE

Just seven minutes of meditation can cut racial prejudice

1 Wheat roti (50 gm) 120 cal - 1 cup of cooked white rice (150 gm) 170 cal

Eating healthy can be a challenge especially when you want to lose weight but are not sure about what is a healthier option that will contribute to your weight loss. We got Rakhee Todankar, a nutritionist at Gold's Gym, to help you make the right choice between popular food items.

DHOKLA VS IDLI Dhokla (2 pieces) 80 calories - Idli ( 2 ) 150 calories Dhokla and idli both are equally healthy. While the former is made with gram flour (besan) and subsequently steamed, the latter goes through a fermentation process, which increases the bioavailability of proteins and enhances the vitamin B content of the food. As it is steamed, fat content is low and it is easily digestible. Dhokla has a low glycemic index (it releases glucose at a more sustained rate) which makes it good for diabetics.

Due to lower glycemic index, and calorie count, besan is often used as a low calorie food for those trying to lose weight.

Since besan does not contain gluten, it is a great substitute to wheat for those people who are allergic to gluten. Use of dal and rice in idli is a good combination as the amino acids in them complement each other. Both can be made healthier by adding different veggies and pulses in it.

PITA BREAD VS REGULAR BREAD Pita bread 100 gm- 266 calories-Regular bread 100 gm-266cal The ingredients and nutritional value of pita bread and regular bread are essentially identical. To make it a healthier option all purpose flour can be replaced with whole wheat or multigrain.

Wheat chapati is the healthiest option because wheat rotis get slowly digested it results in a feeling of satiety for a longer time and hence it's good for weight watchers. Wheat rotis take longer time to digest which helps to maintain blood sugar levels. Rotis or chapatis made from whole wheat are low in fat and rich in fiber, hence reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer.

FRIED EGG VS FRIED FISH One fried egg 160 calories - Two pieces for fried fish 190 calories Egg as well as fish are healthy as both are high in protein. They contain good fats and vitamins. To make it healthier instead of frying one can make boiled egg or grilled/steamed fish.

UPMA VS POHA Upma 1 cup-270 Kcal - Poha 1 cup-270 Both are good as long as they are made in 1-2 tsp oil. Many people hate to eat to vegetables, but if you add vegetables like peas, carrots, capsicum, sweet corn and onions etc, or sprouts in the upma/poha, this will not only taste better but also bring color to the white, pale looking upma and of course increase its nutrients value.

Sex in hotel room steamier, longer than home

Toronto, Nov 26 (IANS) Did it ever occur to you that sex in a hotel room is much steamier, longer and fulfilling than at home?

Sex in hotel room steamier, longer than home: Global survey Well, do not hide the smile on your face as an interesting survey spanning 11 countries and 2,200 people has found that you are not alone. According to the results,

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most surveyed feel hotel sex lasts anywhere from 25 to 49 minutes longer.

And one in three think the quality of hotel sex is better. Britons had sex on average 2.6 times more in hotel than home while Canadians made love 2.3 times more in hotels.

"More than half (53.5 percent) of Canadian participants say they feel more sexually adventurous in a hotel room,” revealed the global survey conducted by mobile booking service Hotel Tonight and reported by globalnews.ca.

Just under half (49 percent) of Canadians also said that they make love more

frequently between hotel sheets than their own. The participants from North American countries led the list globally when it came to feeling more sexually adventurous in a hotel room.

All participants except Italians, Australians and Russians believe their partner’s performance improves more than theirs when they make love in hotel rooms. The quality of the bed also plays a crucial role in igniting the fire.

Some of the respondents even credited the bed for making them a better lover.

"Canadian men seem to prefer a bigger bed while Canadian women prefer a firmer mattress,” the findings showed.

London (IANS) Not just making you calm and creating a feeling of kindness, a mere seven-minute of meditation daily can help reduce racial bias too, a new study shows.

The researchers found that just seven minutes of a meditation technique called Loving kindness meditation (LKM) directed to a member of a specific racial group (in this case, a black person) was sufficient to reduce racial bias towards that group.

The Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is a Buddhist practise that promotes unconditional kindness towards oneself and others.

"This indicates that some meditation techniques are about much more than feeling good and might be an important tool for enhancing inter-group harmony," said lead researcher Alexander Stell, doctoral student in psychology from University of Sussex.

LKM is known to engender happiness and kindness to oneself and others through repeating phrases such as "may you be happy and healthy" while visualizing a particular person. Some previous studies have shown that inducing happiness in people, for example by exposing them to upbeat music, can actually make them more likely to have prejudiced thoughts compared to those hearing sad music.

For the new study, 71 white, non-meditating adults were each given a photo of a gendermatched black person and either received taped LKM instructions or instructions to look at the photos and notice certain features of the face. Both conditions lasted just seven minutes. The researchers then scored the reaction times of the participants who were asked to match up positive and negative words (for example "happiness" or "wrong") with faces that belonged to either their own or another ethnic group.

The team found that just seven minutes of LKM directed to a member of a specific racial group was sufficient to reduce racial bias towards that group. Additionally, the researchers measured levels of positive emotions and found that people doing LKM showed a significant enhancement in generating positive emotions.

The study was published in the journal Motivation and Emotion.

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MADHURI PROUD AND HOPEFUL OF WOMEN’S GROWING PRESENCE IN FILMMAKING WORLD New Delhi (IANS) Actress Madhuri Dixit says the filmmaking world in India has come a long way in terms of giving opportunities for women behind the scenes. The popular actress, known for her graceful dance skills, says that in her initial days in Bollywood, she would only see a woman in the make-up or choreography department. “Everybody else was a man. Now when I go to a set, there are women in every department be it make-up, camera, script writing, assistant direction… I look around and see,

women everywhere and that’s what gives me hope” Flashing her million dollar smile, she said she also sees hope for women due to summits such as this where people share inspiring stories about their and others’ lives. Madhuri said it’s important that “dialogues continue”. “We need to keep talking about issues, because change doesn’t happen overnight… I am hopeful that tomorrow there will be a change,” added the actress, who has regaled film viewers for three decades.

RELIGION NEVER MY IDENTITY, SAYS DIA MIRZA

FORMULA TO TAKE PERFECT SELFIES - ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE New York (IANS) A computer science doctoral candidate at the Stanford University has developed a formula for taking the perfect selfie using artificial intelligence (AI). Andrej Karpathy, a summer intern with Google DeepMind, has created an AI network that can rank millions of selfies, and work out what makes each successful, wired.com reported. He fed the system with some data about which selfies were "good" or "bad" depending on the number of likes they received, how many followers the user had and the number of tags on the image and tuned its filters to improve the data. It includes The things to avoid include making your head too big and group selfies.

Mumbai (IANS) Actress Dia Mirza says religion is something she explored and discovered but has never been her identity. "I went to a school that followed philosophy of Jiddu Krishnamurthy. I am daughter of Christian father and Bengali mom and rose in a Muslim family so religion has never been my identity it's something I explored through course of time," she said at the Prithvi Festival. "Identification boundary limits a person. Religion and faith should be followed and practiced but should not be an identity. The day when politics and religion will be treated independently, we can say we live in a democratic country."

WORLD CANNOT BE CONNECTED WITHOUT INDIA, SAYS ZUCKERBERG New Delhi (IANS) Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday reiterated his commitment to India, reiterating his plans to open internet-enabled schools here and underlining India's importance in social platform's global plans.

"It is very important to connect people in India (one of the largest democracies) as it is central to our plans of connecting the next billion people and then the whole world," Zuckerberg said during Town Hall-like interactive session at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. "India is one of those countries which you cannot overlook if you want to connect the world," he said. India currently has one of the largest entrepreneur ecosystem in the world along with the largest number of medium and small enterprises.

I'M SINGLE, READY TO MINGLE: TANISHAA MUKERJI

I DON'T BELIEVE IN LEGACY: SRK Mumbai (IANS) Shah Rukh Khan, who came from a non-film background, does not believe that his children should follow in his footsteps to pursue a career in acting. The superstar, who's now 50 and hopes to open an acting institute, however says his daughter Suhana is keen to be an actress. "I don't believe in legacy. My father was not an actor. I became an actor and I feel there is no need for my children to become actors. I will not tell them what they should do as I have never been told by my parents what to do. Talking about his dream project he said "But it won't be called Shah Rukh Khan Acting as I'm able to act one kind of acting which sounds very confining."

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Mumbai (IANS) Actress Tanishaa Mukerji, who reportedly dated actor Armaan Kohli, says she is now single and ready to mingle. But she is no hurry to settle down. Tanishaa said: "I am very much single and ready to mingle. I am loving being single. I have no plans to settle down, I don't have any pressure from my family. And this is the best phase of my life." Tanishaa is said to have dated Armaan after their stint in "Bigg Boss", and they reportedly parted ways last year. Tanishaa, who will now be seen in Colors' stunt-based reality show "Khatron Ke Khiladi 7", says she also has film projects in her kitty.

'KHATRON KE KHILADI' PACKS MORE POWER FOR NEW SEASON Mumbai (IANS) “Khatron Ke Khiladi” will make a comeback on the small screen with more action and a bundle of new surprises!

With a new host Arjun Kapoor and a new place Argentina - celebrities including Jay Bhanushali, Sidharth Shukla and "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Reloaded" winner Faisal Khan will be adding power to the upcoming season of the stunt-based reality show.

With an underlying theme ‘Kabhi Peeda, Kabhi Keeda’, 14 celebrity contestants will overcome their fears when faced with extreme situations, confronted with danger and challenges in the show.

KIDS DEVELOP SELF-ESTEEM EVEN BEFORE AGE FIVE New York (IANS) Children may develop a sense of self-esteem even before they begin kindergarten, reveals an interesting research. "We found that by as young as five years of age, self-esteem is established strongly enough to be measured using sensitive techniques," said lead study author Dario Cvencek, research scientist at University of Washington. Self-esteem appears to play a critical role in how children form various social identities.

New Delhi (IANS) Actress Soha Ali Khan, says hitting the gym may not have been a trend back in 80's, but a fit frame has now become essential in the movie industry.

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New Delhi (IANS) At a time when writers, filmmakers and historians have revolted against a rising culture of intolerance towards freedom of speech, Indian cinematic icon Amitabh Bachchan, a widely followed celebrity on social media, says he's always cautious about expressing himself to avoid "unwanted controversy". Is he reluctant about sharing his views freely?

"That's a discretion I will exercise because there is a certain vulnerability with celebrities, We (celebrities) are vulnerable to almost everything. There are times when something we may have spoken could have created a controversy. So, there is a certain amount of cautiousness that I exercise, but there are actors and filmmakers who share their thoughts on socio-political matters without a second thought. God bless them," exclaimed the thespian, adding that he finds such people "very brave, honest, frank and strong".

"I exercise a lot of restraint in expressing myself on various issues. I don't want to create unnecessary controversy." He also said that if he is ever forced into commenting on something, "I will perhaps not be able to give an adequate reply, or I will excuse myself from it because either I don't have the right answers or I don't wish to make comments on it." His adeptness with technology has improved over the years and, unlike many his age, he has embraced it beautifully, even though he admitted that he's not totally comfortable with it. "My kids and grandchildren help me with these modern inventions. Sometimes when I don't know how to work on a mobile or a laptop or an iPad they are very conversant to that, so I seek their help."

He feels the onus to introduce "older generations, grandparents and at many times parents who are not conversant with technology " lies on the youngsters.

Recounting one incident when he introduced his father to a mobile phone, he shared: “I remember the first time when I took a mobile phone to my father, he had actually backed away from it... like there was some kind of danger involved here. "But gradually once they get used to it, they understand."

SANJAY DUTT BIOPIC WILL BE EMOTIONAL, FUNNY: RAJKUMAR HIRANI Mumbai (IANS) Blockbuster director Rajkumar Hirani, who is currently working on a biopic on actor and close friend Sanjay Dutt, says the film will be a fun-filled emotional ride. "It (biopic) will be a very emotional film and equally funny like most of my films. I like to tell human interest stories and I think Sanjay's is one too," Hirani said. According to Hirani narrating someone's life on the silver screen is not a cake walk. "It's really difficult to the tell the whole life of a person in less than three hours," he said, adding that it took hours of meeting with the "Munna Bhai M.B.B.S." star to finalize the first draft of the script. Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor will be playing role of Sanjay Dutt in the biopic. Hirani will begin working on the biopic next year.

VARUN DHAWAN SAYS HE WOULD LOVE TO REMAKE ICONIC FILMS 'DARR' AND 'BAAZIGAR'.

Varun was the assistant director in filmmaker Karan Johar's "My Name is Khan" starring Shah Rukh, and will now be seen sharing screen space with the actor in "Dilwale". When asked which movie of Shah Rukh he would love to remake, the 28-year-old actor said, "There are two actually which I really want to do, may be later, I don't know if I can or not, but 'Darr' and 'Baazigar'.

CLEAN COMEDY MORE APPRECIATED THAN VULGARITY: JOHNNY LEVER New Delhi (IANS) Trends come and go in the cinematic world, but the fact that clean humor and good comedy reign over "meaningless" entertainers has sustained over the years, says Bollywood's beloved comedian and character actor Johnny Lever, who now simply skips "nonsense" films. "Everybody is doing comedy right from the lead actor to villain and supporting cast. But I have never felt overshadowed.

Wazir

Airlift

RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 22, 2016 STARRING: AKSHAY KUMAR, NIMRAT KAUR, FERYNA WAZHEIR, LENA Mumbai(IANS) Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, who will be seen in "Airlift", inspired by the evacuation of Indians who were based in Kuwait during the IraqKuwait war, says it can't be compared to Hollywood star Ben Affleck's Oscar-winning film "Argo. This is a complete original story and non-fictional. 'Airlift' is about a Kuwait-based businessman who was stuck along with more than a lakh people who were staying in Kuwait at that time (1990). Talking about his film, Akshay said that he portrays a multi-millionaire businessman who loses everything in the war.

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RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 08, 2016 STARRING: AMITABH BACHCHAN, FARHAN AKHTAR, ADITI RAO HYDARI, NEIL NITIN MUKESH, JOHN ABRAHAM Mumbai (IANS) Actors Amitabh Bachchan and Farhan Akhtar will be introducing a new and tipsy way to play chess to the audience - vodka chess - a play vodka chess, a version of chess whereby after the defeat of a pawn, the player has to consume a vodka shot, for a scene in the upcoming film. Confirming the news, a spokesperson of the film said: “A scene in the film requires both the actors to play this game. It’s a slightly different version of chess which is very interesting.”

Dilwale RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 15, 2016 STARRING: SUNNY DEOL, OM PURI, SOHA ALI KHAN, NARENDRA JHA Mumbai (IANS) Actress Tisca Chopra says she is enjoying shooting for upcoming action drama "Ghayal Once Again", a sequel to 1990 hit film "Ghayal", with actor and director Sunny Deol.

When a user quizzed on Twitter the actress about how was it working with Sunny, the actress replied that Sunny is a gentleman and it was fun working with him. Directed by Sunny, "Ghayal Once Again" will take off from where the first version left. Reportedly, the film is based on a reallife event in the life of a Mumbai Police encounter specialist.

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