Scholarships

Informations are updated every 24 hours on this page (scholarships).

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, United Kingdom has offered Commonwealth Split-site Doctoral Scholarships tenable in the United Kingdom for the year 2009-2010. Candidates must be residents of India. Applicant must hold by 1st October 2010, a first degree of upper second class Honours standard (or above) or a second class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification which will normally be a Master’s degree AND in the fields of medicine and dentistry, have qualified between 1 October 2000 and 1 October 2005. Duration: 12 months period of study or two six months periods. The Scholarship will commence from September/October 2010 in UK. The application form can be downloaded, saved and completed electronically in duplicate together with all the required supporting documents (attested copies or original) so as to reach the University Grants Commission office, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002.

Maastricht University of Holland offers four full one year master scholarships to students from the University of Madras and ANNA University for the year 2010-2011. The scholarships will be awarded within the framework of the two cooperation programmes between Maastricht University & the University of Madras and Maastricht University & Anna University for the purpose of assisting talented students to pursue a Masters degree at Maastricht University. For more informations please visit: http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl

Following Australian scholarships are also available for Pakistani students:
- Australian Leadership Awards – Scholarship (Postgraduate)
- Australian Development Scholarship (Undergraduate and Postgraduate)
- Endeavour Postgraduate Awards - Scholarship (Postgraduate)
- Endeavour Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) Awards (Technical Diploma Level)

Chevening Scholarships: British Chevening Scholarships are available for students of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia. This postgraduate scholarship is administered by the British Council. Further informations are available with the British Council offices in the related cities and http://www.chevening.com/

Japanese Government's Mombusho Scholarship: This postgraduate scholarship is available for Indian students and processed by the Indian government's education department. Further informations are available with the Director (Scholarships), Department of Education, A1/W3 Curzon Road Barracks, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi 110 001.

Edith Crown International Scholarship: This (undergraduate) scholarship of Australia's Edith Crown University is offered to international students in the fields of education, communication, telecommunication, information sciences, medicine and sports. Last date is November 30. Further informations are available with the International Students Office, Edith Crown University, 6018 Pearson St., Church Lane, WA 6018. Australia.

The China 2010 Scholarship of Excellence: The University of Queensland’s Faculty of Business, Economics and Law will in 2010 offer one scholarship for a Chinese student from either the School of Law in Tsinghua University, School of Law in Renmin University or Guanghua School of Management of Peking University. The successful applicant will be eligible to undertake a masters program at the University of Queensland (Australia). Submit the scholarship application form and covering letter, via email, to the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law by the due date: Friday 26 March 2010. Application forms for the scholarship can be downloaded from www.bel.uq.edu.au/internationalscholarships.

Humphrey Scholarship for Vietnam: The United States Embassy in Vietnam is pleased to announce the 2010-2011 competition for the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program. The Humphrey Fellowship Program is a one-year, non-degree, full scholarship program offered to promising mid-career professionals who have a proven track record of leadership, and a strong public service commitment. For further informations please visit http://www.vied.vn/Themes/viedvn/Common. Applications may please be submitted with the US Embassy in Hanoi (Vietnam).

US Undergraduate Scholarships for Vietnam: The Public Affairs Section (PAS), U.S. Embassy Hanoi (Vietnam) is seeking candidates for the 2010 Global Undergraduate Exchange Program. First through third year undergraduate students who demonstrate leadership through academic work, community involvement and extracurricular activities and have a good command of English are invited to apply for the program. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, November 16, 2009. This scholarship is funded by the US State Department. To apply for the program, applicants must download, complete and submit their completed application form online at http://sites.google.com/site/ugradvietnam/ and a hard copy of the following documents to the Public Affairs Section at the US Embassy in Hanoi. - Completed, signed Global Undergraduate Exchange Program application form - Official transcripts for years of university study (with notarized English translations if inVietnamese) - Three letters of recommendation from teachers/professors, including one from the candidate’s secondary level institution (with notarized English translations if in Vietnamese) .

Egyptian Scholarships for Indonesia: Govt. of Egypt offers scholarshps to deserving students of Indonesia for higher education in Egyptian universities, specially at Al-Azhar University. For further informations please contact the Egyptian Embassy in Jakarta.

Castañeda Memorial Scholarship: Dr. Carlos E. Castaneda undergraduate scholarship is sponsored and administered by ISA (International Studies Abroad). It is offered to the deserving students of Czech Republic, Mexico, Spain and Chile. Application deadline is 28 February. Applicant must be accepted to an ISA program, have at least a 3.25 cumulative GPA, be enrolled in 2nd or 3rd year of undergraduate education at time of ISA program participation at a U.S. university/college. Contact information: International Studies Abroad (ISA), 1640-B, East 2nd Street, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78702. (USA). Phone: (512) 480-8522. Website: http://www.studiesabroad.com .

UK Clarendon Scholarships: These undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships are available to all international students entering a new course of study at Oxford. For more informations please visit: http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/io/funding/clarendon.shtml.

MMD scholarships, Netherlands : Radbound University of the Netherlands announces MMD-Scholarships for the (Masters Level) students of India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. Application deadline is 1st December 2009. Scholarships of Ford Foundation (International Fellowship Program - IFP) are also available at the Radbound University. For more informations please visit http://www.ru.nl/master/ncmlsmmd/admission_amp/scholarships/.
or www.ifpsa.org or Ford Foundation, 12 Hailey Road, New Delhi. (India).

HSP Huygens Scholarship Programme 2010-2011: Leiden University of Holland announces scholarships for all excellent international students. All excellent students who are in the final phase of their Bachelors Level or Masters Level are eligible to apply. Application deadline is 1st February 2010. For more informations please visit http://www.leidenuniv.nl/en/studyinleiden/hsp.htm . For online application please visit http://koala.leidenuniv.nl/iooa/oa/Index.php

USAID Scholarship for Pakistan : The USAID’s Pre-Service Teacher Education Program (Pre-STEP) is pleased to announce a scholarship competition for Pakistani nationals to pursue PhD degree studies in the field of education in the United States for 2010-2011. The Pre-Service Teacher Education Program in Pakistan is a 5 year program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). For more details please visit www.usaid.gov/pk . Application deadline is 30th November 2009.

TEE (Australia) Scholarship for Vietnam : Taylors College, Perth (Australia) announces TEE (Tertiary Entrance Examinations) Scholarship-2010 for deserving students of Vietnam. Application closing date is 30th November 2009. Online application form is available at http://www.taylorscollege.edu.au/apply_form.aspx . Complete informations are available at http://www.taylorscollege.edu.au/courses/tee_scholarship.aspx .
Taylors College, Melbourne, is also offering VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) Scholarships-2010 to the deserving students of Thailand and Vietnam. Application closing date is 30th November 2009. Complete informations are available at http://www.taylorscollege.edu.au/courses/vce_scholarship.aspx .

Masters Level Scholarships in Belgium :Ghent University of Belgium offers scholarshps to all deserving international students. This scholarshp program (VLIR-UOS Master’s Scholarships Program 2010/11) is open to students who have a bachelor’s degree in exact or applied sciences degree of minimum three years. Duration of scholarship is September 2010 - September 2012. Application deadline is 1st February 2010. For more informations please visit http://www.scholarships.vliruos.be/index.php?language=EN&navid=493&direct_to=How%20to%20apply OR scholarships.vliruos.be OR ugent.be/en .

Scholarships at Napier University, Scotland (UK) : Napier University of Scotland offers Saltire Scholarships to the students of India, Canada and Peoples Republic of China. Chevening Scholarship Program is also available at the same university for deserving students of Pakistan and other Asian countries. Saltire and Chevening scholarships are administered by the British Council for postgraduate studies in UK. Applicants must have an unconditional offer of a place at a Scottish university on an eligible course. For more informations please contact the British Council in your region of residence and visit http://www.napier.ac.uk/prospectivestudents/international/fees/Pages/Scholarships.aspx .

Full Scholarship in Abu Dhabi : The MASDAR Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi is pleased to announce full scholarships to highly qualified graduate students from around the world for its Fall 2010 intake. The MASDAR Institute is a private, not-for-profit, independent, research-driven institute developed with the support and cooperation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT provides assistance in recruitment of faculty members and senior administrative staff and the provision of course curriculum, amongst other matters. Details of faculty profiles, current research, programs offered, course description, scholarships, and other information is available on the website at www.masdar.ac.ae, including an online application module. Any questions about the Institute and scholarships may be directed to admissions@masdar.ac.ae.

Masters Scholarships in UK for Students of Tanzania :
The University of Edinburgh is offering Julius Nyerere Master’s Scholarship to a student from Tanzania for postgraduate Master’s study in any subject offered by the University for the 2010-2011 academic session. The Julius Nyerere Scholarship was set up in 2009 in memory of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere who led Tanganyika to independence in 1961 and became the first prime minister and later president of Tanzania. He was the first Tanzanian to study at a British University (Edinburgh) and only the second to gain a University degree outside Africa.
The Julius Nyerere Master’s Scholarship will cover the full overseas tuition fee, living costs of £10,000, and a return flight from Tanzania to the UK. In 2010-2011 the tuition fees and living costs will be covered by the University of Edinburgh, while the return flights will be covered by the Tanzania Edinburgh Community Association.
The scholarship will be tenable for one academic year. Completed application forms must be returned to the Scholarships and Student Finance Office no later than 1 April 2010. The scholarship will be awarded to a Tanzanian citizen who is normally resident in Tanzania, and who is accepted for admission on a full-time basis for a postgraduate Master's programme of study at the University of Edinburgh. Eligible applicants should complete an online scholarship application . For more informations please visit http://www.scholarships.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/internat/nyerere.htm
For online application form please visit http://www.scholarships.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/online.cfm

Scholarships for students of USA : In memory of Harry S. Truman, the Truman Scholarship Foundation announces to award scholarship to college juniors who have outstanding leadership potential, plan to pursue careers in government or elsewhere in public service, and who wish to attend graduate school to help prepare for their career. The scholarship provides
$ 3,000 for the senior year of college and upto $ 27,000 for graduate studies. Students are selected from a wide range of academic disciplines. Approximately 85 scholarships are awarded each year. Three letters of recommendation and official college transcript are required with the application form. For more informations please visit http://www.truman.gov/ or send e-mail to cgilbert@gustavus.edu (attention: Chris Gilbert) .
Napier University, Edinburgh, Scotland (UK) is offering Saltire Scholarships to the deserving students of USA. For more informations please visit http://www.napier.ac.uk/prospectivestudents/international/fees .
The Graduate Public Service Internship Program (GPSI) is a unique internship experience for the students of USA that provides full-time graduate students with the opportunity to gain experience in their field through a 21 months internship while earning a master's degree at the University of Illinois Springfield. GPSI interns work 20 hours per week during the academic year for a stipend of $950 per month, and 37.5 hours per week during summer for a monthly stipend of $1900, and receive a 40 credit hour tuition waiver and an annual $300 professional development fund to be used for workshops, journals, etc. GPSI is a competitive internship program with companies surrounding the capital city of Springfield, Illinois. The internship program begins August 16 of each year. For additional information, please visit the GPSI website http://gpsi.uis.edu/.

Germany's first Asian-born minister; born in Vietnam grown up in Germany

Germany's first Asian-born cabinet minister says his appointment last week has been welcomed throughout Germany's immigrant community. Philipp Roesler, 36, the new health minister, sworn in last week, was born in Vietnam and adopted by a German couple as a baby.
Roesler said a black German who met him just after his appointment said to him, "I think it's wonderful that one of us has become a minister." Roesler added, "I was a bit puzzled at first. I'm yellow-skinned, not black." That was when Roesler realised that non-white Germans saw him as one of them, and regarded his appointment as a good omen. Roesler was entirely educated in Germany and initially entered the German armed forces where he qualified as an ophthalmologist.

Coir products available in Sri Lanka for export

Noramix Group of Sri Lanka has announced the availabilitiy of coir products for export. Noramix Group is mainly concerned with the production of Erosion control blankets, woven geotextiles, coco peat, waterlog, coir sheets, coir pots, coir brushes, coir disck, grow poles and supply of coir fibre for the use in commercial substrate mixtures as well as industrial purposes. Noramix Group is registered with the Export Development of Sri Lanka, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Sri Lanka Port Authority and the Coconut Development Authority of Sri Lanka.
Email : chameel@noramixgroup.com
Web Site : http://www.noramixgroup.com/

Twenty killed in train collision in Pakistan

Twenty people were killed and more than 40 injured when a passenger train collided with a freight train in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi Tuesday, media reports said.

The dead include mostly women and children. The collision derailed a coach in which dozens of passengers are believed to be trapped. A freight train had just started to leave the Juma Goth station (near Landhi) when Allama Iqbal Express heading towards Karachi slammed into it. Negligence on the part of the driver of the Allama Iqbal Express (coming from Lahore) was blamed. Number of casualties is expected to rise.

Halloween or ancient Irish festival of Samhain?

Halloween activities have started in many parts of the world and sale of Halloween-costumes and masks is on. Halloween is an annual festival celebrated on 31st October. The day is often associated with the colors black and orange, and is strongly associated with symbols like the jack-o'-lantern. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, ghost tours, bonfires, visiting haunted attractions, pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films. Halloween has origins in the ancient festival known as Samhain which is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end". This was a Gaelic festival celebrated mainly in Ireland and Scotland. Halloween becomes a bigger and bigger event each year and so have the number of Halloween events. To many, it's an unofficial holiday of costumes, ghouls and parties. More are leaving work early, enjoying their Halloween party and celebrating at night. The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the other world became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits to pass through.

China's Fastest Super Computer

China's National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) has unveiled China's fastest supercomputer. The super computer, named Tianhe (Milky Way), can do more than 1 quadrillion calculations per second (one petaflop) at peak speed.
NUDT president Zhang Yulin said the 155-ton system was expected to be used to process seismic data for oil exploration, perform bio-medical computing, and help design aerospace vehicles. The machine would have ranked fourth in the most recent Top500 list of the world's fastest super computers.
The $ 88 million project was co-financed by China's National High-technology Research and Development Program and the Binhai New Area, a major economic development zone in the northern port city of Tianjin.

Tel Aviv International Dance Festival 2009

In connection with the Tel Aviv International Dance Festival 2009,
following events have been announced:
Ohad Naharin, the internationally-acclaimed Artistic Director of the Tel-Aviv based Batsheva Dance Company, will stage his production: Mamootot, one of Batsheva's most unique and ground-breaking pieces on 31 Oct. and 1-4 Nov. Following the success of his premier Monger at last year’s Tel Aviv Dance, choreographer Barak Marshall will premier his dance-theater piece for 12 dancers entitled Rooster at the Suzanne Dellal Center on 12-13 November.
The Ballet Nacional de Espana will perform La Leyanda/Aires de Villa Y Corte – a homage to Spain’s rich dance and musical heritage – on 3-7 November. Japan, Israel and Spain come together on stage in a joint production on 7 November premiere.
The Tel Aviv International Dance Festival showcases both Israeli and international talent in Tel Aviv. Dance professionals present their work among their international peers at the Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance, Tel Aviv.

USAID in Burkina Faso Supporting Girls' Education Program

Since late 2005, USAID has been responsible for a MCC-financed girls’ education program, that has focused on building 132 girl-friendly school complexes in rural communities located in 10 provinces of Burkina Faso (West Africa). This includes a $12.9 million first phase that ended in late 2008, and a three-year $28.9 million second phase that begins in 2009.
Since 2004, USAID Burkina Faso has supported a number of PL 480 non-emergency assistance programs that focus on agricultural productivity and maternal and child health. The program currently has an annual budget of $15 million, and a new five-year phase is scheduled to begin in 2010.
Burkina Faso regularly receives assistance from USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). In 2009, OFDA approved four grants to various organizations working in Burkina Faso worth a total of about $8.9 million, as part of its response to the impact of the global high food price crisis. In addition, OFDA recently provided $250,000 in emergency funding for the purchase of vaccines in response to an unusual outbreak of measles in Burkina Faso.

Deadly explosion kills 105 in Pakistan

A devastating car bomb exploded in a market in the northwest city of Peshawar, an attack aimed at civilians and marking a clear escalation in the Taliban campaign to undermine the government. The bomb tore through a congested area of narrow alleys and crowded stalls in Peshawar’s old city, killing as many as 105 people, most of them women, and wounding about 200. A Pakistani official, who did not want to be identified, described it as the most serious in the history of a city that has become a frontline of Taliban terrorist attacks in recent weeks. This was the most deadly by far.
The explosion came about three hours after Mrs. Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, arrived in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, a two-hour drive away from the place of explosion.
The blast hit a crowded market called Meena Bazar selling bangles, dresses and toys in an old part of town crisscrossed with narrow alleys. It set scores of shops on fire, collapsed buildings, including a mosque, and sent a cloud of gray smoke over the city. This was the deadliest in a surge of attacks which started in the first week of this month.

World's costliest Indian carpet sold in Qatar

World's costliest carpet was sold in Qatar in March this year for almost 5.5 million US Dollars.

The carpet was created in Baroda (India) more than 100 years ago. The buyer was one of the three bidders who wishes to remain anonymous, disclosed the Sotheby’s Auction House.

Sotheby's Auction House handled the spectacular sale of the rug in Doha, Qatar.

The Pearl Carpet of Baroda was created using an estimated two million natural seed pearls farmed from the Arabian Gulf. Commissioned by the Maharaja of Baroda named Sayaji Rao Gaekwad, in India in the 18th century, the Pearl Carpet is also embossed with gold set diamonds, rubies and emeralds in their hundreds, the centre piece of the exquisite rug are three large round rosettes put together using table cut diamonds set in silvered gold.

Baroda, a part of present-day Gujrat (India), was ruled for a long time by the Sultans of Delhi, until they were easily overthrown by the Mughal emperors. Mughal rule came to an end in 1732 when Pilaji Rao Gaekwad captured Baroda. Sayaji Rao Gaekwad became the Maharaja of the princely state of Baroda in 1875, he ruled the state till 1939. With India's independence in 1947, the last ruling Maharaja of Baroda State acceded to India.

"Women Mean Business" conference in December

The Women Mean Business conference will take place in Mumbai on the 11th of December, 2009. The aim is to bring together highly successful professionals from across India to share their knowledge and experience across a diverse range of sectors and create a lasting network of contacts. The one-day conference will consist of keynote speeches, discussion panels and smaller workshops, and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women will use the ideas generated in the conference to develop concrete projects in partnership with local organisations, incorporating the newly formed network of contacts. For more information, please visit www.cbfwconference.org.
The central aim of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women is to highlight how women all around the world can work together to improve their lives.

Grand Mufti of Egypt says: Women can wear trousers but stretch pants are unacceptable

Egypt's top Islamic authority defended women's rights to wear trousers in public following a high profile court case in neighboring country Sudan where women were flogged for dressing in pants, the local press reported Wednesday. Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa said in response to a question during a public lecture that trousers covering women's bodies are permitted, though they should be loose and not see through. He specified that "stretch" pants were in particular unacceptable. He is the top religious authority of Egypt and appointed by the government. Sudan caused a stir when it flogged women for wearing trousers. One woman, Lubna Hussein contested penalty and was let off with a fine for public indecency in a trial that garnered international attention.

Yemen: 12 years old girl dies while giving birth

A 12-years-old Yemeni child-bride died after struggling for three days in labor to give birth, a local human rights organization said Saturday. Fawziya Abdullah Youssef died of severe bleeding on Friday while giving birth to a stillborn in the al-Zahra district hospital of Hodeida province, 140 miles (223 kilometers) west of the capital San'a. Child marriages are widespread in Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country, where tribal customs dominate society. More than a quarter of the country's females marry before the age of 15, according to a recent report by the Social Affairs Ministry. Fawziya Abdullah Youssef was only 11 when her father married her to a 24-years-old man who works as a farmer in Saudi Arabia.
This is one of many cases that exist in Yemen. The reason behind it is the lack of education and awareness, forcing many girls into marriage in very early age. Impoverished parents in Yemen sometimes give away their young daughters in return for hefty dowries. There is also a long-standing tribal custom in which infant daughters and sons are promised to cousins in hopes it will protect them from illicit relationships.

Moscow named costliest city for business travellers, Abu Dhabi is the second

Moscow has again been named as the world's most expensive city for business travellers, according to the latest research. The Russian capital topped the list despite a 14 per cent drop in room rates between January and June this year, compared to the same period in 2008. The average room rate fell from £312.92 in 2008 to £268.11 in 2009, according to the bi-annual hotel survey by Hogg Robinson Group (HRG), an international business travel company. It blamed the drop in Moscow's average room rates on a fall in demand from within the banking and finance sectors due to a spate of new hotel openings in recent years. However, Moscow may soon lose its title to Abu Dhabi, which stands at number two in the list. The capital city of the UAE has climbed the list, thanks to a 38 per cent increase in the city's average room rate, compared to the same period in 2008. The survey found that demand for hotel rooms continues to outstrip supply in a number of Middle Eastern countries, with the exception of Dubai which has continued to suffer a fall in demand from the banking and finance sector, coupled with an exodus of expatriate and migrant workers due to the economic slowdown. As a result, hotel rates have fallen by 24 per cent over the period. London saw a relatively small fall in the average room rates (from £160.76 to £155.49) - down four per cent on the same period last year, while Mumbai, whose average room rates fell by 16 per cent to £169.19, dropped from tenth to sixteenth on the list.

BancTec Signs Agreement With Emitac of Dubai

BancTec, Inc., a global provider of advanced, high-volume, document and payment processing solutions and services, has signed a distribution agreement with Dubai-based Emitac Enterprise Solutions to sell BancTec solutions in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The agreement covers distribution of BancTec's highly acclaimed IntelliScan® and E-Series high-speed document scanning and sorting transports.
"Emitac is a highly respected IT leader with a strong presence in these markets. Their ability to design, build, and deliver IT infrastructure services solutions, as well as their extensive relationships with a broad set of customers, provide an ideal way for BancTec to establish a presence in the region," said Darren Riley, sales manager, EMEA Emerging Markets, BancTec. "Emitac's depth of experience providing document management and scanning solutions, and our enterprise-scale hardware, will fill a need for many large organizations. We look forward to working with Emitac to create synergy between our solutions and expanding business opportunities for both our companies."

Scholarships available for UK: British Council Malaysia helps students

British Council Malaysia helps students find scholarships for higher education in UK. Following scholarships are available in the field of Engineering at the University of Plymouth:
Isambard Kingdom Brunel Scholarship
Charles Babbage Scholarship (Postgraduate)
Thomas Fowler Scholarship
Following scholarships are available in the fields of Business, Management and Marketing at the Norwich Business School (University of East Anglia) :
Partial Fee Awards (Undergraduate)
Graduate Students' Association Conference Fund
International Fee Scholarships
The British Council Malaysia offers a wide variety of part-time and full-time English courses in Kuala Lumpur or Penang which are specially designed to help adults or children of all ages and ability levels to learn or improve their English. Registration for next courses will start in December and courses will start in January 2010.

Learn German language in Sri Lanka for free education in Germany

Goethe-Institut Colombo (German Cultural Center) announces the commencement of fresh German language courses. Fresh course will start in January and will continue till April. Duration of the course will be fourteen weeks. Venue of the course will be 39, Gregory's Road, Colombo-7 (Phone: 2694562). Learning German opens doors to live, work and study in Germany. Education in German colleges, technical high schools (Fachhochschule) and universities is free for both locals and foreigners. Knowledge of German increases the job opportunities with German and foreign companies in one's own country and abroad. Tourists from German-speaking countries travel wide and far, and are the world’s biggest spenders when on holiday. They appreciate to be looked after by German-speaking staff and tour guides.

The Maya-Indian Calendar; End of the world in 2012 ?

Apolinario Chile Pixtun is tired of being bombarded with frantic questions about the Mayan calendar supposedly "running out" on Dec. 21, 2012. After all, it's not the end of the world. Or is it? Definitely not, the Mayan Indian elder insists. "I came back from England last year and, man, they had me fed up with this stuff." It can only get worse for him. Next month Hollywood's "2012" opens in cinemas, featuring earthquakes, meteor showers and a tsunami dumping an aircraft carrier on the White House. At Cornell University, Ann Martin, who runs the "Curious? Ask an Astronomer" Web site, says people are scared. "It's too bad that we're getting e-mails from fourth-graders who are saying that they're too young to die," Martin said. "We had a mother of two young children who was afraid she wouldn't live to see them grow up." Chile Pixtun, a Guatemalan, says the doomsday theories spring from Western, not Mayan ideas. A significant time period for the Mayas does end on the date, and enthusiasts have found a series of astronomical alignments they say coincide in 2012, including one that happens roughly only once every 25,800 years. The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as its art, architecture and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Preclassic period (c. 2000 BC to 250 AD), many Maya cities reached their highest state development during the Classic period (c. 250 AD to 900 AD), and continued throughout the Postclassic period until the arrival of the Spanish. At its peak, it was one of the most densely populated and culturally dynamic societies in the world. Ethnic Maya of southern Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and western Honduras have managed to maintain substantial remnants of their ancient cultural heritage.

Mexico shuts down inefficient electricity company

Mexico's federal police on Sunday took over the offices of Mexico’s second-largest electricity company after the government passed a decree late Saturday ordering it to close on the grounds of gross inefficiency.
Officers dressed in riot gear occupied dozens of offices and distribution centres of Luz y Fuerza del Centro (LyFC), a decentralised public-sector company that supplies electricity to residents in Mexico City and surrounding states. Federal police have the obligation to protect and defend state-owned property deemed to have strategic national importance. The government said it would guarantee service to the company’s customers, as well as the pension obligations of LyFC’s 44,000 workers.

French President's son bows to public pressure

Jean Sarkozy, the 23-year-old son of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, bowed to intense public pressure by giving up his ambition to run the French government's Epad-agency that oversees France’s biggest business district, La Défense - popularly known as the business-district of Paris.
Elected barely two years ago, Jean Sarkozy is repeating the second year of his undergraduate law studies, and is widely regarded as being too inexperienced to become Chairman of the Epad agency. In an interview on national television on Thursday night, the young local councillor, elected in the department that was the launchpad for his own father’s bid for the presidency, said he was not prepared to accept a “victory tainted by the suspicion of favoritism”.
The move is a severe blow to President Sarkozy who has several times in recent weeks defied public opinion to defend his son’s bid to run an agency overseeing a district generating 10 per cent of French gross domestic product.
Jean Sarkozy’s bid to run the business quarter to the west of Paris has come under fierce criticism, not just from the opposition but from the core of the ruling UMP party, amid allegations of nepotism.

Sri Lankan Airlines increasing flights for Bahrain, Qatar, Saudia Arabia and Italy

SriLankan Airlines will increase flights this winter season to a dozen cities throughout Europe, the Middle East, the Subcontinent, and Far East, based on its projection that passenger-numbers will definitely increase following the Dawn of Peace in Sri Lanka.
Mohamed Fazeel, Head of Worldwide Sales at SriLankan, said: “Forward booking for winter season is very encouraging and we are providing more flights to destinations where we experience high market growth. These increase in flights will be effective from 25th October, and our new Milan service will be launched on 16th December.”
The country’s tourism industry has witnessed steady growth since its 30-year old war ended in May, with tourists flocking to the island in large numbers. Statistics from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority show that tourism from all countries grew by 34% in August 2009 in comparison to the same month in the previous year, and 28% in July. In Europe, Sri Lanka’s national carrier is launching a new twice-weekly service to Milan in northern Italy. In the Far East, SriLankan will add no less than three additional flights to both Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. One additional flight will commence for Hong Kong, which will then have 4 weekly flights. The airline is also increasing one flight each to Bangalore and Karachi, which will then have 5 and 3 flights respectively. The airline will increase one flight per week to Bahrain, Doha and Dammam, which will thus be served by 3, 5 and 4 weekly flights respectively.

Sri Lankan Airlines' packages heavily marketed in China

SriLankan Airlines is carrying out a series of promotional activities to increase the number of Chinese tourist arrivals into the Indian Ocean island, and promote close ties between the two countries.
The national carrier of Sri Lanka has in recent months launched several tour packages tailor-made for the Chinese market. The airline’s ‘Ayubowan Sri Lanka’ and ‘Treasures of Sri Lanka’ packages were heavily marketed in China this year, with a number of key incentives being provided to the Chinese travel trade to promote them.
Head of Worldwide Sales at SriLankan, Mohamed Fazeel said, “The centuries-old relationship between Sri Lanka and China has never been stronger than it is today, and SriLankan Airlines is strongly promoting the visits of Chinese tourists to Sri Lanka and is working closely with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau."

Russian schoolgirl wins Look of the Year 2009

Russian Yulia Karetnikova, winner of the Look of the Year 2009 international model search held in Sicily last week, has returned to her home city of Kaliningrad. The 17-year-old winner signed a contract with the Beatrice International Models Agency, based in Milan. "They are waiting for me, there is a lot of work," said Yulia. "As soon as I get my school diploma, I will go to Italy." The Kaliningrad-schoolgirl is expected to receive her diploma in a year. She is studying in the 11th grade.

Swine flu in Denmark

The Danish Board of Health has confirmed that a Danish woman has contracted Influenza A or swine flu. The Board Director Jesper Fisker says that the patient is a woman from the capital island of Zealand, who contracted the disease during a visit to New York. Fisker said the woman was on a direct Continental Airways flight from New York to Copenhagen, which landed at Copenhagen Airport at 07.35 on Wednesday of this week. The Board will be contacting all others on the flight in question.

Russian President Medvedev arrives in Serbia

Russia will not sign a deal on providing a 1.5 bln dollar loan to Serbia during President Dmitry Medvedev's current visit to Belgrade, a source in the Russian delegation said.
The loan would be used by Serbia cover its budget deficit.
Medvedev arrived in Belgrade earlier in the day to discuss energy cooperation including the South Stream gas pipeline with his Serbian counterpart, Boris Tadic.
He will also hold a meeting with representatives of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Medvedev's trip to Serbia coincides with celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade from Nazi forces, and is the first visit to the country by a Russian head of state since Vladimir Putin's trip in 2001.
Regarding the issue of Kosovo's independence, the Russian President said: "No one is entitled to settle the issue of Kosovo's independence without Serbia having its say".

Germany's Volkswagen in Russia

Volkswagen is celebrating the completion of its first full-fledged assembly plant in Kaluga, around 200 kilometers from Moscow. The company is courting Russian consumers as well as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who joined the festivities. The company is hoping to gain ground on other foreign competitors within the promising Russian market and rapidly increase sales.
Vladimir Putin flew by helicopter 200 kilometers (124 miles) south of Moscow to the city of Kaluga to pay his respects to Germany's Volkswagen and its newly expanded operation in the country. The carmaker, already No. 1 in Europe and No. 3 globally, is celebrating the start of its "full production" in Russia. The plant was opened in 2007. Uptil now Volkswagen was only partially assembling components imported from abroad. But now the factory is running the entire manufacturing chain.

All educational institutions closed in Pakistan

All educational institutions throughout Pakistan have been closed immediately for security reasons. Educational institutions will remain closed till Oct. 25. This was announced by the government following today's suicide attack on International Islamic University situated in the federal capital Islamabad. Today's incident is the continuation of a fresh wave of bloody suicide attacks which started on October 5. Earlier today the Sindh provincial government had announced the closure of educational institutions in the province of Sindh only. But now the closure throughout Pakistan is confirmed.

Kandyan dance performed in Sri Lanka

Kandyan dancers of Visha School of Dance, Dehiwela presented their maiden public performance on Sunday, 18th October at the BMICH. Chief guest was the Foreign Minister, Rohitha Bogollagama at this special occasion.
According to the legend, the origins of the Kandyan dance of Sri Lanka lie in an exorcism ritual known as the Kohomba Kankariya, which was originally performed by Indian shamans who came to the island. According to the legend, the Indian shamans came to the island upon the request of a king who was suffering from a mysterious illness. The king was said to be suffering from recurring dream in which a leopard directed its longue towards the king. This was believed as black magic of "Kuweni" the first wife of the king "Vijaya". After the performance of the Kohomba Kankariya the illness vanished, and many natives adopted the dance. It was originally performed by dancers who were identified as a separate caste under the Kandyan Feudal system. They were aligned to the Temple of the Tooth and had a significant role to play in the Dalada Perahera (procession) held each year by the temple. The dance waned in popularity as the support for the dancers from the Kandyan kings ended during the British period. It has now been revived and adapted for the stage, and is Sri Lanka's primary cultural export.

Afghans stopped from leading the prayers in Pakistani mosques

Pakistan's Federal Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, has asked all the Afghan Imams to stop leading the prayers in Pakistani mosques with immediate effect. Imam is the one who leads the prayer. Muslims offer prayer five times daily. One grand prayer is held every Friday. The Imam delivers a speech before the Friday's grand prayer which leaves a strong effect on the minds of the attendants because of its religious status. Majority of Pakistanis is illiterate and they give much importance to the speeches and statements of the Imam. Many Afghans are performing duties as Imam in a large number of mosques in Pakistan. A fresh wave of terror which started on 5th October has hit Pakistan hard and Pakistani government is doing its best to fight terrorism and extremism with the help of its western allies.

Suicide bombers attacked Islamic University in Islamabad

Four persons were killed and 40 injurred in suicide-attack in Islamabad.
Two suicide bombers attacked this afternoon the International Islamic University's cafe teria and Sharia block in the capital city of Pakistan. More than 12,000 students are studying at this university; almost half of them are female. Hundreds of foreigners are also attending the university. The foundation of the International Islamic University was laid on November 11, 1980. Present Chancellor of the university is the Pakistani President, Asif Ali Zardari.

Chronic shortage of drinking water in Nepal

Fetching drinking water is a daily ordeal for schoolgirl Sumitra Maharjan, who queues from dawn for hours to access a local public tap. "I often miss school, and this is badly affecting my studies," said the frustrated 15-year-old, holding a blue water bucket and standing behind 100 other people. However, Maharjan is luckier than some - she manages to get water at least once a day. A large number of residents in Kathmandu have not seen a drop of water from their taps for months. "My tap has been dry for the last six months. You can imagine the crisis we are facing, " said a local resident, Ramesh Gurung. Most of Kathmandu's drinking water comes from the Bagmati river system, which has seven streams in Kathmandu valley. However, the supply is insufficient for the city, which has a chronic water shortage.

German Chancellor reopens Berlin's Neues Museum

For seven decades Berlin's Neues Museum was a derelict, but finally it is back. German Chancellor Angela Merkel officially opens the restored museum on Friday. It's a day that took decades to arrive. One of the jewels of Berlin's Museum Island complex will reopen its doors. The Neues Museum reopens on Friday, meaning that the entire ensemble of Berlin's neoclassical galleries will be open for the first time since World War II. "It is a special day ... 70 years after it was closed, this building can be handed over to the public again," Hermann Parzinger, the head of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, which oversees Berlin's museums, told journalists ahead of the opening of the galleries, which will hold the city's Egyptian Museum and the Museum of Pre- and Early History. "It is, in a way, the end of the postwar era for the Museum Island."

Turkey moves further from Israel

Turkey has recently sought to secure a new role as Middle East mediator. But fallout from postponed military exercises has seen it move further from Israel and closer to Syria. Israelis are concerned, Syrians are celebrating and the Turks are guardedly diplomatic.
It was a good week for Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem. Last Tuesday, he was part of a group of Syrian and Turkish politicians that met at Oncupinar, a border crossing between Syria and Turkey, to mark the removal of entry visa requirements between the two countries.
Parts of the Turkish-Syrian border are still mined. Times, though, have changed: These days, the two countries cooperate on joint military maneuvers and have created a High Level Strategic Cooperation Council.

Kansilay festival starts in November in Philippines

Kansilay festival will be started on 5th November in Philippines. This festival is named after a tree with purple pink flower. The festival focuses on Kansilay street dance.
Kansilay Festival is Silay City's festival about a folktale showing the bravery of beautiful Princess Kansilay who offered her life for justice and freedom. The dance-drama is the highlight of the week-long city fiesta that ends on November 13.

1st of November is celebrated as a nationwide holiday in Philippines to honor the dead. This day is celebrated as All Saints Day. The celebration is held with gatherings, parties and a whole day feasting in the cemetery.

Philippines: Pregnant woman waded through flood waters

Nine months pregnant with her first child, Chona de la Cruz, 30, waded through murky flood waters amid heavy rain to reach a government hospital in Manila's suburban Cainta district. But the hospital, which was partly submerged by floods brought by tropical storm Ketsana on 26 September, was overwhelmed and almost turned her away.
"I don't want to deliver my baby in an evacuation camp," De la Cruz sobbed, as more than 500 other pregnant women crowded the Bagong Cainta Municipal Hospital seeking medical and hygiene kits. "This is my first time to be a mother and I don't know what to do."
De la Cruz and her husband, a construction worker, had been crammed into an evacuation camp with more than 800 people in a covered basketball court at Lakas-Tao, a Cainta slum. Some areas were still submerged in sludgy water more than two weeks after Ketsana hit.

Foreign workers in Bahrain to pass compulsory medical tests

Foreign workers will not be granted entry into Bahrain unless they pass medical tests by accredited medical clinics at their hometowns. Sources from the Ministry of Health confirmed the authority’s plan to accredit high profiled clinics at various cities to conduct medical tests for those seeking employment in Bahrain. The sources said without medical reports stating the workers are fit to work and free from contagious diseases, employees would not be allowed entry into the country. The move is a bid to save employers financial and administrative hardships. Many foreigners bring with them medical reports from clinics back home that fail to meet the required standards.

Smoking in Denmark continues

Danish anti-smoking legislation introduced in 2007 has not caused a lot fewer to smoke, nor has it resulted in lower tobacco sales, according to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Health and Prevention. Statistics show that the number of smokers has dropped from 30 percent to 23 percent, but at the same time there is a caveat – the number of smokers had already begun to fall before the law came into effect. The National Institute for Public Health at the University of Southern Denmark says that the legislation was not designed to stop people smoking, but rather to reduce the number of people affected by passive smoking. “The law hasn’t gone wrong, despite the fact that cigarette sales are constant. The aim of the law was not to bring about a drop in cigarette sales,” says Senior Researcher Knud Juel. He adds that if Danes are to be forced to stop smoking, tobacco prices must be increased and the legal age for purchasing tobacco must be raised.

Egypt faces threat of rising sea level

Egypt’s Delta region faces a natural disaster of massive proportions by 2020 unless urgent action is taken to better manage scarce fresh water resources and come up with solutions to mitigate the effects of rising sea levels, according to government officials. The country is facing the dual threat of water needs surpassing resources by 2017, and rising sea levels in the decades ahead inundating much of the fertile Delta region, home to 60 percent of Egypt’s 78 million people, it added. “Many of the towns and urban areas in the north of the Delta will suffer from the rise in the level of the Mediterranean with effect from 2020, and about 15 percent of Delta land is currently under threat from the rising sea level and the seepage of salt water into ground water,” Environment Minister George Maged told a parliamentary committee earlier this year.

Garbage collectors strike in Denmark

The garbage collectors of HCS Company decided Monday morning to continue their strike despite a Labour Tribunal ruling, preventing garbage collection in the Copenhagen suburbs of Gladsaxe, Glostrup, Hvidovre and Ballerup in Denmark. Garbage collectors have presented a plan to their employers on how to end the strike. ”We have given them a proposal telling them how this can be made to work. But it all looks a bit questionable as there hasn’t been much communication since last week,” says Chief Shop Steward Ronni Larsen.

“We will be holding a meeting again tomorrow morning,” Larsen says. The strike which involves, among other things, demands on working conditions, began on October 2 and also included the suburb of Herlev. The Labour Tribunal has ruled that the strike contravenes collective agreements and is thus a breach of the contract.

Copenhagen, the premier capital of Northern Europe and the capital city of Denmark, is Scandinavia's most fantastic city and the centre of the most dynamic region in Europe. The city is one of Europe's oldest capitals with a royal touch - the monarchy in Denmark is the oldest in the world.

Doping activities of former cycling champion: Champion denied allegations

German police have uncovered the full extent of the Jan Ullrich's doping activities. The former professional racer, who won the Tour de France

in 1997, made 24 trips to Madrid to use the services of the doping doctor

Eufemiano Fuentes.
Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has found out that former cycling champion Jan Ullrich made 24 trips to Madrid to use the doping services of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.

The prosecutor's files state: "In conclusion it can be stated that the accused, Ullrich, used the doping system of the Spanish doctor Fuentes to prepare himself for his competitions with performance-enhancing substances and methods in breach of contract."

Whenever Ullrich made public statements about the doping allegations he portrayed himself as the victim of a conspiracy. When he announced his retirement from professional cycling in February 2007 in Hamburg's Intercontinental Hotel, he accused police and journalists of being sloppy in their investigations against him.

Herta Müller wins the nobel prize in Literature

The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2009 is awarded to the German author Herta Müller.
Herta Müller was born on August 17, 1953 in the German-speaking town of Nitzkydorf in Banat, Romania. Her parents were members of the German-speaking minority in Romania. Her father had served in the Waffen SS during World War II. Many German Romanians were deported to the Soviet Union in 1945, including Müller's mother who spent five years in a work camp in present-day Ukraine.
The novels Der Fuchs war damals schon der Jäger (1992), Herztier (1994), The Land of Green Plums (1996), Heute wär ich mir lieber nicht begegnet (1997) and The Appointment (2001) give, with chiselled details, a portrait of daily life in a stagnated dictatorship. Herta Müller has given guest lectures at universities, colleges and other venues in Paderborn, Warwick, Hamburg, Swansea, Gainsville (Florida), Kassel, Göttingen, Tübingen and Zürich (Switzerland). She lives in Berlin (Germany). Since 1995 she is a member of Deutsche für Sprache und Dichtung, in Darmstadt.

Tel Aviv Dance Festival

As part of Tel Aviv Dance Festival Yoshua Cienfuegos's "Cisnes Negros" will be performed at the Suzanne Dellal Center on Tuesday, 20th October and the Beijing Modern Dance Company will present Gao Yanjinzi's "Oath" and Hu Lei's "Unfettered Journey" (at the Suzanne Dellal Center) on Thursday, 22nd October.
The city of Tel Aviv (Israel) hosts a lineup of annual events, related to art and also books. There are book fairs, food, film and cultural festivals in the city. The Tel Aviv International Dance Festival showcases both Israeli and international talent in Tel Aviv. The dance professionals present their work among international peers at the Suzanne Dellal Center for dance. This amazing festival is held from October to November. The Dance festival attracts various dance lovers from around the world, who get to participate and show their dancing talent too. The festival offers residents and tourists to know the dances of other countries.

Large fishing trawlers making problems for Sri Lankan fishermen

The seas off Batticaloa in the country's former war-torn east are home to one of the most fertile spawning grounds off Sri Lanka, and fishermen rarely had to travel far for a good catch. But of late, traditional fishermen who use boats powered by outboard motors or canoes to fish have complained of meagre harvests. Locals blame a recent influx of large fishing trawlers into their waters for their dwindling catches. Before the encroachment, a good catch would earn fishermen up to US$174, and a normal catch, about $85. But now, after paying helpers and offsetting other expenses, including fuel, the small catches do not leave them with much.

The island of Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean, to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal and to the southeast of the Arabian Sea. It is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. According to Hindu mythology, a land bridge to the Indian mainland, known as Rama's Bridge, was constructed during the time of Rama by the vanara architect Nala. Often referred to as Adam's Bridge, it now amounts to only a chain of limestone shoals remaining above sea level. According to colonial British reports, this is a natural causeway which was formerly complete, but was breached by a violent storm in 1480. Paleolithic human settlements have been discovered at excavations in several cave sites in the Western Plains region and the South-western face of the Central Hills region of the island. Anthropologists believe that some discovered burial rites and certain decorative artifacts exhibit similarities between the first inhabitants of the island and the early inhabitants of Southern India.

Lebanon: Human trafficking

Abbey was a nurse at a French hospital in Madagascar when a recruitment agency suggested to her boss that she travel to Lebanon for three years to work and learn Arabic so she could better care for the Arab sailors whose ships docked at the Indian Ocean island. Abbey, not her real name, was presented by the recruitment agent with a three-year contract, which included transport to the Lebanese hospital, and a salary of US$1,000 per month. On arrival there, however, she was put in a house with another Madagascan domestic worker where she was forced to cook, clean and care for three children and a newborn. They didn’t sleep day or night; they had to be up whenever the baby cried. They didn’t even have time to shower or eat during the day because they were always rocking him so he didn’t cry. It was like that for two and a half years.
Politicians are also involved in this issue and it goes underground, which is why it’s difficult to get laws to protect these women. From her salary of just $150 a month, Abbey said she had to give her Lebanese employer money to buy food for her: “So basically, we were working for free.” Cases like Abbey’s are not uncommon in Lebanon, which is a country of destination for women trafficked from Africa, Sri Lanka and the Philippines for the purpose of domestic labour. In June, Lebanon was added to the US State Department’s human trafficking tier 2 watch list for its failure to protect victims of trafficking or to prosecute those responsible.

Etihad Airways of UAE resumes flights to Sri Lanka

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is to resume flights to Colombo in Sri Lanka, starting in January 2010. The airline will operate four flights per week from Abu Dhabi to Sri Lanka’s largest city and commercial capital, using an Airbus A320 aircraft.
The Sri Lankan government is now targeting 2.5 million visitors a year by 2016 and has witnessed a 30 per cent increase in visitors to the island in July and August 2009 compared to the same period last year.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ chief executive, said: “Sri Lanka is an established market with a strong local traffic base. We expect the resumption of Etihad flights to be welcomed by the considerable Sri Lankan expatriate community living in the UAE and those living across the Middle East region who will be able to connect quickly and easily back home via Abu Dhabi.
“Colombo will be our first new route launch of 2010, and bring to 58 the number of destinations available across our expanding gobal network.”

Preview of Windows 7 at IT-exhibition in Dubai

Gitex 2009, the biggest annual industry exhibition for the Middle East’s $39 billion information and communication technology market, opened on Sunday at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the five-day event for products and services of more than 3,000 companies from across the world.
This year, the main highlight of Gitex — which has a 19-year track record as a signpost to emerging IT technology trends — is the balleyhooed global preview of Windows 7.

Attack on revolutionary guards: Iran accuses Pakistan

Iran summoned Islamabad’s envoy to Tehran over Sunday’s deadly bombing against the nation’s Revolutionary Guards, claiming those behind the attack had used Pakistani soil as a springboard.
Iranian foreign ministry called Pakistan’s charge d’affairs and “expressed Tehran’s regret to Pakistan’s envoy that members of the terrorist group involved in the incident entered Iran through Pakistan.”

Newspaper editor arrested in Sri Lanka

A Sri Lankan editor was arrested for reporting on an alleged rift between a senior military commander and the government after the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels, police and his newspaper said Sunday.
Chandana Sirimalwatte was held for questioning after police raided the offices of his “Lanka” newspaper, a spokesman for the paper said.
Police spokesman Nimal Mediwaka confirmed that the editor was arrested on Saturday, but declined to say why he was taken in.

Tennis: Davydenko wins Shanghai Masters

Nikolay Davydenko delivered a blow to the injury comeback hopes of top seed Rafael Nadal with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 victory Sunday in the final of the Shanghai Masters.
Davydenko added Nadal to a Shanghai victim’s list which included second seed Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
The Russian, chasing one of three spots in next month’s ATP season wrap-up event in London, won his fourth title of the season, all coming since July. ‘He played better than me today,’ said Nadal. ‘But that’s tennis. I will certainly be back next year to try and win here.’
The Spaniard was playing only his second event since returning after a month away with an abdominal strain.

Kidnapped aid workers freed in Sudan

Two members of Irish aid agency GOAL kidnapped in Sudan’s conflict stricken Darfur region in July were freed early Sunday after more than 100 days in captivity.
“They are free, they are in good health,” said state humanitarian affairs minister Abdel Baqi Gilani. Irish national Sharon Commins and Ugandan Hilda Kawuki were kidnapped in the North Darfur town of Kutum on July 3. They were taken by a gang of armed men from a compound run by GOAL.
“No ransom was paid,” Gilani stressed, adding that local tribal chiefs had pressured the kidnappers to free their hostages. The two aid workers’ ordeal is the longest endured by foreign aid staff in Darfur since the conflict erupted in the western region in early 2003.

US military plane forced to land at Mumbai airport

Indian military officials ordered a United States airplane carrying 205 Marines to land at Mumbai airport on Sunday over an airspace clearance dispute.
“The Indian Air Force had to instruct the US plane to land as it did not have the mandatory clearance required to fly in Indian airspace,” said the Indian Air Force spokesman T.K. Singha.
The chartered plan was on its way from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to Bangkok when it was forced to land.
All passengers remained on board as US authorities applied for the missing paperwork, Singha said.

Military operation started in South Waziristan

Pakistan's army claimed Sunday to have killed 60 militants on the first day of an operation against an al-Qaida and Taliban sanctuary close to the Afghan border that residents said was meeting stiff resistance from insurgents. It is the beginning of military operation in South Waziristan area. The army said six soldiers had also been killed.
It was not possible to independently verify those figures because reporters have been stopped from getting close to the battlefield.
The operation in South Waziristan follows repeated requests from the U.S. to take on the jihadists behind soaring terrorist attacks in the nuclear-armed nation, as well as al-Qaida and other extremists believed to be plotting strikes in the West.

Senior commanders killed in suicide attack in Iran

At least five senior commanders of the elite Revolutionary Guards were assassinated in volatile southeastern Iran on Sunday, in a suicide attack in which 60 people were killed or wounded, Iranian media reported. The dead included the deputy head of the Guards’ ground forces, General Nourali Shoushtari, and the Guards’ commander in Sistan-Baluchestan province, General Rajab Ali Mohammadzadeh, news agencies reported.
“Several Iranian military officers killed in terrorist attack,” state Press TV said in a breaking news headline.
The official IRNA news agency, citing an unconfirmed report, said the Guards officials were on their way to a meeting of tribal leaders when they were attacked.
Sistan-Baluchestan, bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan, is the frequent scene of clashes between security forces, Sunni rebels and drug traffickers.

Remittances from Saudi Arabia soaring

Remittances from Saudi Arabia’s estimated nine million mostly Asian foreign workers are soaring as the kingdom recruits more of them for its massive development plan, an economist said Saturday. At 18.4 billion dollars last year and 15.0 billion in the first eight months of 2009, earnings sent abroad now equalled four percent of Saudi gross domestic product, John Sfakianakis of Banque Saudi Fransi said, citing government data. Remittances in the January-August 2009 period jumped 12 percent compared with 2008, according to central bank statistics.

Technical training for Omani youngsters

More than 1,400 Omani youngsters will receive training in various trades under agreements signed here by the government with local institutes. They will be trained for administrative and technical jobs and as equipment operators, typists, printers, hairdressers and beauticians.
The RO 3.6 million deals were inked on behalf of the government by Manpower Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Nassir Al Bakri.
A total of 1,496 people have been chosen for the training, Hamad bin Khamis Al Amri, Under-secretary for Technical Education and Vocational Training at the ministry, told reporters. The professions had been selected on the basis of market requirements, he added.

Single currency in 4 Arabian gulf states

Gulf finance ministers and central bank governors on Saturday reiterated their commitment to a monetary union and a single currency which four states plan to launch next year.
The top officials from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia meeting in Muscat called on the United Arab Emirates and Oman, which have previously withdrawn from the plan, to rejoin.
They also discussed pending issues related to the finalisation of a trade union and the joint railway project that is due to link the six Arab countries of the Gulf.
‘Once the countries that are members agree, we will work on setting up the Gulf central bank and launch the project of the common currency,’ the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) said after the meeting.

Diseases strike quake survivors in Indonesia

Survivors of a severe earthquake that struck Indonesia's West Sumatra province have developed illnesses caused by poor living conditions, say medical workers, while shelter and food remain key concerns almost two weeks after the disaster. In Padang Pariaman district, one of the areas hardest hit by the 30 September earthquake, survivors have contracted respiratory infections, and suffered diarrhoea and skin problems, said Werrizal Amsir, medical coordinator for the local Ibu Foundation aid group. And in the Kotobaru village of the Padang Sagoe subdistrict, many residents were infected with conjunctivitis (or pink eye), said Amsir.

Women in Somalia take hard jobs

Khadijo Mahamud, a mother of five, goes to Bakara market every day to look for work, despite the constant shelling. Her youngest child is 10 months old but Khadijo knows she has no choice but to leave him with her 10-year-old and venture out to find food for the family. On a good day, she makes 50,000 Somali shillings (US$ 1.50). Like Khadijo Mahamud, a growing number of women in Mogadishu has been pushed into tasks that were traditionally considered men's work, such as serving as porters and pushing handcarts in the market.

Films on internal displacement

IRIN Films is pleased to announce the launch of two short films as part of ongoing series about internal displacement. Millions of people around the world have been forced to leave their homes. Some have been driven out by conflict, some by natural disasters. Some have been displaced in the name of development, others by climate change.

IRIN (Integrated Regional Information Networks) is a project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and acts as a news agency focusing on humanitarian stories in regions that are often forgotten, under-reported, misunderstood or ignored. The main purpose of this project is to create greater awareness and understanding of regional issues and events, and to contribute to better-informed and more effective humanitarian action, media coverage and advocacy.

Swine flu in USA

Swine flu is causing unprecedented illness for so early in the fall — including a worrisome count of child deaths — and the government warned Friday that vaccine supplies will be even more scarce than expected through this month.
11 more children have died in the past week because of the virus in USA.

Diwali celebrations

Hindus are celebrating the festival of Diwali on

Saturday, 17th October.

Diwali is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Hindus. It is celebrated on the darkest night of the year, which usually falls sometime between the middle of October and the beginning of November. Diwali, though, is the festival of lights.
When Diwali comes, homes are decorated with lights and earthenware lamps filled with oil. These lamps are called diyas. The name 'Diwali' is from the Sanskrit 'dipavali', which means 'row of lamps'. Diyas are lit in every house to banish the dark and welcome in good luck and good fortune. People wear new clothes, meet their friends and relatives, eat good food, give each other sweets and gifts, decorate their houses with flowers and lights and Rangoli patterns, and set off fireworks. Diwali is also the start of the New Year. Diwali is a festival of joy, prosperity and good luck, and a celebration of the victory of good over evil.

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DANDIYA CLASSES IN ROHINI AT "DANCE PLANET"
We are offering Dandiya Classes, in ROHINI Sector -11,
Join 8 days Dandiya Workshops at Dance Planet
For details - call Manuj Saini - 98736-24046, 98730-88387
Website - http://www.danceplanet.in/
e-mail - info@danceplanet.in
98736-24046
98730-88387

International and Arab Domain Names
Registration of new domain names at very low prices. Prices start at US$ 5.95 per domain per year. Also, available a large portfolio of premium Arab domain names, and web hosting.
Domain: siteurl.com

Free Short URL Redirection
Offers a simple service to create free short URL redirection in Arabic without ads. Mobile-friendly too.
Domain: elurl.com

Yasini Jewelers
Online jewelry store with different branches and locations offering Gold, diamond, men's jewelry, women's jewelry, gift ideas and more.
Domain: yasini.com

Yabazaar Travel and Shopping
Offers travel services and art, crafts, furniture and jewelry from the Middle East and North Africa. Includes a profile, new items, product catalogs, and prices.
Domain: yabazaar.com

Oriental Trading Company
Offering decorative items and gifts for Christmas, valentine's day, wedding and other occasions.
Domain: orientaltrading.com

Bicycle parking slots in Dubai

Approximately 2,000 parking slots for bicycles have been constructed by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and another 4,000 are in progress across Dubai. They have been constructed to encourage road users to also use bikes as part of a daily routine.
Maitha Bin Adai, CEO of RTA Rail Agency, said: “RTA has completed construction of 2,000 parking slots for bicycles, 200 of which have been opened with the launch of Dubai Metro at Mall of the Emirates station, Rashidiya station, Financial Center station, Khalid bin Al Waleed station, and Al Ittihad station. The step is part of a comprehensive plan to prepare parking slots for thousands of bikes in all parts of the emirate, particularly in the vicinity of commercial centers.

Driverless train service started in Dubai

On 9 September 2009, Dubai inaugurated its metro network, becoming the first urban metro network in the Gulf's Arab states. It is hoped that the system will ease the daily commute for thousands of the emirate's workers. With an economy increasingly based upon financial services, air transport, property development and tourism, Dubai has a rapidly growing population and severe traffic congestion problems. Dubai metro is one of the most advanced urban rail systems in the world and will be a catalyst for tourism, financial and economic growth.

The metro network comprises 4 lines. The Red Line is 45 km long and stretches from Rashidiya to the Jebel Ali border. The Green Line is 22.5 km long and extends from Dubai Airport Free Zone to Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC). The Purple Line is 49 km long and links Dubai International Airport with Jebel Ali Airport. The Blue Line is 50 km long and stretches from Dubai International Airport to Al Maktoum International Airport passing through Emirates Road. RTA plans to extend the Red and Green lines.

Llewelyn Davies of US is the lead architect for the Red and the Green lines and

Parsons Brinckerhoff is the project consultant for the Purple Line.

The 52.1km (32.5-mile) Red Line has 29 stations, four of which will be underground, although only ten were ready for the September opening date. It runs from Rashidiva to Jebel Ali passing the American University of Dubai. The whole 52.1km is expected to take an hour to travel, with an estimated 32,000 passengers an hour.
The 22.5km (14-mile) Green Line will have 18 stations from Al Ittihad Square to Rashidiya bus station through Deira City Centre and Dubai Airport Terminals 1 and 3.

The automatic train control system will allow headways of between 90 seconds and two minutes. In 2005 MHI contracted Alcatel (now Alcatel-Lucent) to supply the driverless train control system and a communications system for on-train video surveillance, passenger information, public address and the integrated control centre. Trains will be Wi-Fi enabled.