Economic growth is a powerful instrument for empowering people and reducing poverty in the developing world. It is essential for creating jobs and market opportunities for people to support their families and build more sustainable futures. However, many developing countries face particular challenges and threats to achieve and maintain sustainable economic growth because of weak institutions, high unemployment, poor infrastructure for key public and private services (education, health, security, transport, water and energy), also a severe lack of access to financial services and unsuitable laws and regulations.

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/helping-developing-countries-economies-to-grow

We have already heard about Government Shutdown in the US. A government shutdown occurs when a government discontinues providing services that are not considered “essential.” These are, however, signs of major economic collapse.

According to the World Bank “The US and world economies face higher interest rates, falling confidence and slower growth if the US Congress does not raise the $US16.7 trillion borrowing cap.”

The US Treasury has said that it would run out of adequate cash to pay all the country’s bills as early as October 17 without a debt cap increase.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-budget-battle-imfs-christine-lagarde-tells-americas-lawmakers-they-risk-tipping-world-into-recession-8877239.html

Though the partial suspension of the US economic and military assistance to Egypt seems to pose negative impacts to Egypt in terms of its economic and military health. In the long run, suspension of such aid might be advantageous rather than disadvantageous for the Egyptians.

Freedom from economic assistance from the United States, would motivate Egyptians towards self-relianceIt to develop their independent economic life and take advantage of the vast Arab and Moslem markets. Turkey in the late 60’s and early 70’s after being free of US economic assistance, its economy grew more independently towards success. Egypt has enough technology and entrepreneurship that can yield stronger relations with surrounding markets in particular through the common language and mutual interests.

http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m101670

Though the Obama administration’s decision to withhold much of the $1.3 billion in annual aid given to Egypt isn’t surprising, there several arguments why such decision is facing huge critisms. Cutting aid is a lose-lose proposition: It will cost Washington substantial influence within Egypt without achieving any gains for either American geostrategy or democratic prospects within Egypt. It is an unforced error in the extreme. While the influence of China in Africa, and many other parts of the world, is growing very fast the USA still following the same politics in the MENA region without taking wider initiatives to meet the real needs for promoting democracy through collaboration within education, health, water, agro-industries and other sectors that can make difference for the population. The so-called “aid” is not even fair since it has only promoted the US-interests in the MENA region.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/115115/obama-cuts-egypt-aid-why-hell-regret-it

Speaking at the ‘Forum on Chinese Businesses in Africa’ last Monday – the vice foreign minister of China Zhai Jun, said that; “as an important part of China-Africa relationship, cooperation in economy, trade and investment has yielded fruitful results. China has been the largest trading partner of Africa since 2009. Two-way trade grew from about US$10 billion in 2000 to almost US$200 billion in 2012. Africa is China’s second largest project contracting market and the fourth largest investment destination.

China – Africa relations now in a “golden period” – says vice foreign minister

There are several ways where students can be engaged in investing in Africa. Students today should be playing a part in the rise of the African economy. It is as an emerging region over the next 40 years and it is therefore important to get broader understanding of what Africa has to offer. There are already a variety of universities involved internationally. Such tools are primary for understanding and engaging young people in the African market.

http://www.informafrica.com/business-africa/competition-encourages-stock-investment-in-africa/

In the civil war of Syria chemical weapons were used and teams from UN we engaged in monitoring the used chemical weapons. These are standard actions for getting informations about the circumstances of the used chemical weapons, i.e. what, how and who. Assessing such events is part of legal processes according to international laws, convections and treaties.

http://mobile.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24490925

Follow the news of science and technology, here are the winning achievements honored by this year’s Nobel Prizes.

http://m.indianexpress.com/news/nobel-prizes-2013-full-list-of-winners/1181287/

The ongoing democratisering process in Egypt has imposed extensive discussion on Egypt’s identity and how to deal with it in the framework of the Egyptian constitution, which is currently under revision. Citizenship denotes the link between a person and a state, or an association of states, and thereby there must exist articles in the constitution that clearly define the social, cultural and political components of the “citizenship”. Liberals and muslims have long-standing discussions about the role of religion in Egypt’s identity. Liberals for example claim that ” “monotheistic religions” and “protecting religion” are outworn excuses that only aim to impose control over society one way or another. Egypt has had its identity before Article 219 which Yasser Bahrami talks about. Egypt has had its identity before Article 2 of the constitution was added by Anwar al-Sadat in 1971. Religion is more sacred than Sadat and Barhami’s additions. God does not await articles in a constitution to protect his religion.” Nevertheless, in the Egyptian constitution, Egypt’s identity is defined under the monotheistic umbrella.

See more:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/2013/10/11/Egypt-s-identity-defined-under-the-monotheistic-umbrella-.html

The prize has been awarded to Peter Higgs and François Englert for their work in the 1960’s describing how certain particles can aquire mass, which has come to be known as the “Higgs mechanism”. Thousands of scientists have participated for many years in the experimental work at CERN “The European Organization for Nuclear Research” to search and confirm the existence of a new particle to be a “Higgs boson”. Thus effectively proving the theoretical work performed more than fifty years ago by today’s Nobel Prize-winning. The ideas of these pioneers in physics will continue to exist, as part of our understanding of the fundamental laws governing the physical universe around us, long after today’s celebrities of politics, business and entertainment have been earthed.

The increasing diversity of formal and informal sources of knowledge is causing growing confusion in the domains of capacity building and management of human resources. In many situations one is always confronted with making appropriate decision to judge formal and informal merits, e.g. educations versus literacy. The increasing diversity of gaining knowledge in our globalized, multi-cultural and modern ICT-based society have created an increasing complexity in judging formal and informal knowledge, e.g. education, literacy, ethics, training, internship, social and cultural background, interest, motivation, experiences, languages, ….. etc.

http://www.mbaskool.com/business-articles/human-resource/144-education-vs-literacy.html

Among frequently asked general questions is what is the difference between “knowledge” and “education”? What knowledge do I need and how can I acquire such knowledge? Is it always necessary to get knowledge through formal education? With the increasing importance of ICT-technology how can media tools be used to enhance the feed-backs for acquiring specific “knowledge-packages” through the ever increasing formal and informal channels of education. How would such combinations be used for seeking jobs or for evaluating professionals seeking jobs?

Difference Between Knowledge and Education

Enjoys this video:

Among typical problems in environmental managent and associated socio-economic developments are: how up-stream and down-stream countries, or even communities, develop win-win solutions for certain conflicts arising from the use of joint water-land resources; also how polluting industries and water-management organizations can develop joint solutions to protect land-water resources; also how agriculture, agro-industries and end-users can sustain good levels of trust. Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) are of increasing political interest as this approach helps preserve ecosystems and the goods and services they provide. For proper synthesis of a functioning concept, certain prerequisites should be embodied such as legislation and institutional framework, property rights, contract designs etc.

Even though this concept has been in practice since the 80s, it is still a relatively new instrument for many parts of the world. For beneficial participation from ecosystem markets, awareness is important about what ecosystem services and how payment and compensation schemes work. There must be, also, sufficient local capacity of communities and other rural landowners to identify, approach and close deals with buyers of ecosystem services.

http://www.grida.no/news/default/5821.aspx

GRID, a Centre collaborating with UNEP, is engaged in promoting high-level environmental policies. The following has initiated important information for building the necessary infra-structure for policy-making to improve the socio-economic developments in Rwanda. During the preparation of the first Rwanda State of Environment and Outlook in 2009, it became evident that there is a lack of reliable core datasets and indicators on the environment. As such there is need for improved collaboration between institutions dealing with environmental information management. All institutions working in the natural resources sector will benefit from the creation of an infrastructure for sharing environmental data. An environmental information network that improves data access at all levels of society will in turn support the country’s sustainable development objectives.

http://www.grida.no/publications/rwanda-ein/ebook.aspx

GRID-Arendal is a centre collaborating with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Established in 1989 by the Government of Norway as a Norwegian Foundation. Its mission is to communicate environmental information to policy-makers and facilitate environmental decision-making for change. This is achieved by organizing and transforming available environmental data into credible, science-based information products, delivered through innovative communication tools and capacity-building services targeting relevant stakeholders.

Below, an example is given on Uganda’s Environment and Natural Resources: Enhancing Parliament’s Oversight. Other publications can be down-loaded (PDF) free of charge, or directly viewed on-line.

http://www.grida.no/publications/uganda-handbook/

In his Blog “mickjennings” says “I cannot quite believe the current violence in Egypt. I spent some time in the 1980′s travelling around much of the country and found everywhere, warm and generous people.” It is true, but that is exactly what is happening now. It is a very interesting reflection by “mickjennings” and of course, any changes have reasons. The demography of Egyptian population has changed considerably in the past five-six decades. Going back in time in the 1950’s and 1960’s Egypt, the Egyptian population was even more softer, warmer and more generous. However, for many reasons things changed to what we are experiencing now. The population increased dramatically from 20 million during the 1950’5 to currently over 80 millions. Meanwhile, the water resources and agricultural land are relatively more less the same, the industrial and economic sectors were/are mainly dominated by private players with little participation in promoting public services and associated baic infra-structures necessary for achieving major socio-economic developments (water, energy, health, education and food). Two other main reasons are, huge investiment and spending in the military because of regional wars after independence and the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the failure of building constructive interactions between “liberal-muslim” political groups.

EGYPT

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q68w5a5xudopov0/2013-10-08%2013.32.52.png

Cape Peninsula, South Africa, gives an excellent example on “sustainable tourism” with the well-preserved nature of its bays, parks, mountain, beach and sea animals, Ostrich farms, recreation activities, open sea views, well-managed roads, shanty towns and most important high environmental standards. It has one of the most beautiful coastal mountain formations architected by historical evolution and successive carving of sea-level variations alternated by coastal depositions. The amazing action of nature and the strict rules of natural conservation and environmental protection policies sustained its biological hot-spots and made it home for diverse and rare animal, plant and bird (including penguin) and fish species though the harsh and delicate environments. Including the so-called Fynbos “fine bush” because of its many fine leafed plants, adapted to the extreme wet/dry climate and nutrient poor sandy soils. With the city of Cape Town, Table Mountains provide striking visual images of world famous flat top and steep falls. The geological diversity is enormous with most scenic oceanscapes in the world. At the southernmost point, Cape Agulhas, the two current from the Atlatic and Indian Oceans meets, where the warm-water Agulhas current meets the cold water Benguela current and turns back on itself.