Scholarships Grants

Athens, Greece (AHN) – The Greek government is preparing tougher belt-tightening measures as it attempts to meet the terms of the country’s $110 billion (EUR 78 billion) bailout.

Prime Minister George Papandreou rejected debt restructuring ahead of a Monday cabinet meeting to tackle austerity measures, which includes tax hikes and sale of government assets.

Papandreou’s policy is in line with the European Central Bank stand that did not favor a debt restructuring for Greece. However, the drastic wage cut proposal may lead to more civil unrest among public employees. A study published on Sunday found that 80 percent of Greeks are not willing to make any more sacrifices for the country to enjoy further European Union and International Monetary Fund support for the bailout.

Experts opined that Greece is so mired in a debt spiral that more austerity measures would cause further recession and drastic drops in tax revenues. They warned that these economic consequences are self-reinforcing and very difficult to recover from.

While the prime minister is ready to fast track a $70.4 billion (EUR 50 billion) privatization program to raise more money to pay off the country’s mountain of debt, Papandreou said the government will keep its holdings in water and electricity utilities.

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Nairobi, Kenya (AHN) – As Somalia’s government kicked off new military actions against extremists of al Shabaab, the African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM) on Wednesday graduated police officers in a training initiative as part of continued support to the transitional federal government (TFG).

In a statement, the AU said 194 lower and junior level management officers of the Somali Police Force graduated after undergoing “refresher” training by AMISOM at the Kenya Wildlife Training School.

AMISOM instructors had led a three-month training course that began on Dec. 9, according to the statement.

The AU is mandated to support the transitional federal government of Somalia through capacity building. The AMISOM training was designed to help Somali police officers acquire competency levels that meet internationally accepted democratic policing standards.

The development comes as al Shabaab on Sunday sent a strong warning message to neighboring Kenya.

The group accused Kenya of training and coordinating forces to open a new battle front in the southern regions, adding that insurgents would no longer tolerate what he called Kenya’s provocative and aggressive acts against them.

“Many times, it is reiterated that Kenya has been threatened. Al Shabaab is saying definitely that it will never condone Kenyan intervention in what is going on inside Somalia,” Sheikh Ali Mohamoud Rage, spokesman for the hard-line group, told reporters in Mogadishu.

The program was funded in part by the Italian government.

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During his keynote speech to the Thailand Listed Companies Association, Mr Korn went on to say:There was no need for the Government to increase rates of tax incentives for CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) because too few companies actually implement any CSR activities.He pointed out that only about 16,000 out of 500,000 companies have actually made a tax deduction claim for CSR activities, and additionally, whilst the tax code allows companies to claim up to 2% of net profits for CSR, companies spend on average just 0.7% of their net profits.Mr Korn also pointed out that only 100,000 persons spend on charity each year, even though each individual taxpayer can have a tax deduction of 10% of net income.

On average, individual taxpayers donate just 2.6% to 2.7% of their taxable incomes for social well-being.”It’s difficult to say if it’s because they are not aware of the tax incentives or they just don’t bother about CSR”, Mr Korn said.Whilst Advantage could have provided a response to Mr Korn about this matter, we thought that we would, instead, publicize what CSR tax allowances the Government actually offers for CSR activities. You should note that whilst Mr Korn has just about ruled out increases in the rates of the tax allowances, it could be a likely proposition for the Prime Minister, during the course of Pracha Wiwat 2011 Reform, to increase the range of the activities for which the Government is willing to give a CSR tax allowance.The CSR tax allowances that are currently ‘on offer’ are as follows:

Allowances under Section 65 ter (3) of the Revenue CodeFor the allowance of tax deductions under Section 65 ter (3) of the Revenue Code, the Government has prescribed a listing of charitable donations that it will permit as taxdeductible donations for CSR activities of companies (but not for individuals), as follows.Conservation or preservation of wildlife and wildlife reserves, national parks or reservespreservation of environment, and control or eradication of pollution and hazardous wastes;Construction and transfer of ownership of roads to government organizations for the public’s use at no charge;Provision of property and goods for the assistance of natural disaster victims;Provision of property and goods for the assistance of educational institutions;Provision of library or literacy facilities for educational institutions;Provision of scholarships for students in general;Provision of library or literacy facilities for municipalities, sanitation districts or local government organizations;Establishment of educational facilities by a company or juristic partnership or other juristic entity;Provision of property and goods for the Sports Authority of Thailand, provincial sports committee, the Department ofPhysical Education or Amateur Sports Association of Thailand.The tax allowance available to companies for the above CSR activities under Section 65 ter (3) of the Revenue Code is 100% of the amount of the donation, or property or goods made, provided that the total, when combined with other charitable donations, does not exceed 2% of the company’s net profit before deduction of donations under Section 65 ter (3) of the Revenue Code.

Bangalore, India (AHN) – The Indian government slammed U.S. authorities on Sunday for putting electronic monitoring anklets on Indian students suspected of buying student visas.

External affairs minister S. M. Krishna strongly condemned the actions of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and demanded that the electronic monitors be removed from the ankles of the Indian students of Tri-Valley University in Pleasanton, California.

The university, where most of the 1,555 students enrolled are from India, had been closed for allegedly selling student visas.

Krishna also demanded that the U.S. government punish officials responsible for the inhuman act.

The Indian government also sent a protest to the U.S. deputy ambassador in New Delhi.

The Telugu Association of North America reported to the Indian media that the ICE required some Indian students to wear the radio tracker so it could monitor their movements.

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Amman, Jordan (TML) – Jordanian authorities have put security forces and police on red alert during the past two weeks as concern that Tunisia’s unemployment revolt which toppled President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali could ignite an already angry Jordanian public.

The army, gendarmerie and other police units have been banned from leaving their bases as concern grows that ripples of Tunisia’s political earthquake could reach the small kingdom.

A demonstration last Friday organized by the opposition to call for economic and political reform was the latest in a spate of protests around the cash-strapped kingdom.

Nearly 4,000 people showed up in an event dubbed “The Day of Rage” to vent their anger at Prime Minister Samir Refai, whom many accuse of being out of touch and imposing economic policies that impose intolerable burdens on ordinary people.

A key U.S. ally in the heart of the Middle East, Jordan is more strategically situated than Tunisia since the kingdom borders Israel, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. But in many other respects, the Jordan and Tunisia have much in common. Both have sought to build progressive and stable societies based on the rule of law, secularism, women’s’ rights and rising standards of living.

But neither has ever developed a full-fledged democracy, nor have they been able to cope with joblessness, poverty and inequality – all factors that brought down Ben Ali earlier this month. Joblessness in Tunisia is about 13% and the rate among young people is considerably higher.

“The economy in Jordan has certain contradictions. It suffers from unemployment of 14% — 150,000 who are people looking for jobs,” Jawwad Anani, an economist who served as royal court chief and finance minister for the late King Hussein, told The Media Line. “We need a strategy, a well-thought-out strategy that everybody believes in and can take this society to a higher level.”

Even before the situation in Tunisia exploded five weeks ago, Jordan was experiencing a wave of unrest amid growing tension between the country’s Bedouin tribes and its urban Palestinian population. But economic problems are looming as an increasingly important factor as global food prices rise.

Under guidance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Jordan’s government two years ago lifted subsidies on fuel and raised taxes to generate badly needed income that could help trim a yawning budget deficit of $2 billion. Economists estimate the government generates nearly 600 million Jordanian dinars ($900 million) in profits annually from selling fuel to its own citizens.

Meanwhile, many of the jobs that the economy is creating are going to expatriate guest workers. Anani estimated that about 750,000 jobs are filled by non-Jordanians, including a half million Egyptians and smaller numbers from Syria and Iraq.

For now, the situation in the conservative kingdom remains under control. There have been no violent confrontations between police and protestors. The government has embarked on a flurry of activities aimed at absorbing the anger of the public and the opposition.

The government last week approved a $225 million package to contain rising commodity prices and lower some fuel prices, including $28 million to subsidize prices of basic food items sold in state-run supermarkets. The government also promised to create jobs in the army and security forces to appease disenchanted Bedouin tribes, which make up the majority of the army and security forces and are the firmest backers of the royal family.

Some of the government’s most experienced politicians, including Interior Minister Saad Hayel Srour, Parliamentary Speaker Faisal Fayez and government spokesman Ayman Safadi, have opened up communications channels to opposition leaders to calm the atmosphere. But opposition leaders have greeted the campaign with skepticism.

“They have been a great many meetings with the minister of interior and the speaker of parliament, but what we want is ongoing dialogue and a genuine desire of change,” MP Ablah Abu Elbeh, who is also secretary-general of the leftist Hashed Party, told The Media Line.

The Day of Rage protestors called for the prime minister to step down. Hamzeh Mansour, secretary-general of the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, called on Abdullah to dismiss the government and dissolve what he called an inept parliament.

Even in parliament, which recently gave the government a confidence vote of 111 out of 120, lawmakers last week lashed out at the government for its fuel-pricing policies. But lawmaker Jameel Nemri told The Media Line that changing the government wouldn’t solve the problem.

“It’s meaningless to call on the government to be dismissed. This will just lead to musical chairs game among influential parties in the kingdom. The core issue of helping the poor stand on their feet is what should be addressed, not who is a prime minister,” said Nemri.

Anani, the economist, warned that the kingdom could be facing uncertain future if the government continues to resort to temporary measures, like the make-work schemes it announced for Bedouin tribesmen.

“If we continue to allow the status quo to prevail, we will lose our ability to even develop crash programs to take care of emergency in difficult situations,” he said. “Putting small fires is not going to work very well.”

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London, England, United Kingdom (AHN) – British Prime Minister David Cameron pushed Monday for more public service reforms, particularly in the areas of healthcare, education and peace and order.

On top of the coalition government’s reform agenda is the abolition of primary care trusts and health authorities and the turn over of their powers and finances to general practitioners. Despite criticisms from several sectors over the devolution, 141 GP consortia had been formed in response to the reform and to take on their new responsibility.

The health consortia covers at least half of the country, or 28 million patients, as part of the pilot program. They will get 80 percent of the $150 billion (GBP 100 billion) budget of the National Health System.

Expectedly, the NHS opposed the loss of funds and powers, and warned the reforms would lead to worsening of healthcare delivery.

The reforms are part of the health and social care bill the Conservative-led government will publish on Wednesday.

Aside from healthcare, another controversial social reform being pushed by the government is the creation of free schools independent of local authority control. The free schools would be for 16- to 19-year-olds and be operated by charities and companies.

More active role in providing public services would be given to charities, companies and community groups. The details of the proposed reforms are included in a White Paper to be published by the coalition government later this year. It is also in line with keeping the Big Society concept, while putting in place austerity measures to cut Britain’s record budget deficit.

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Jerusalem, Israel David E. Miller – Riots have spread across the North African country of Tunisia as the suicide of an unemployed man 10 days ago has emerged as a symbol of the economic angst that has overtaken a country hailed as a model for modernization and development.

Hundreds of Tunisians gathered outside the labor union headquarters in the capital Tunis on Sunday and Monday following a campaign of late-night arrests by Tunisian security forces. On Saturday, night clashes between police and demonstrators broke out in the towns of Al-Ragab and Maknasi in central Tunisia.

The unrest erupted Dec. 17 in the city of Sidi Bouzid, 200 kilometers (124 miles) south of the capital, when Muhammad Bouazizi, a 26-year-old fruit vendor, set himself on fire after police confiscated his merchandise. The protests spread to the capital by last weekend as Bouazizi, a university graduate unable to find a job, quickly became a national symbol of rampant unemployment. Heavy-handed police response inflamed protestors.

“People in Tunisia don’t have opportunities and don’t believe the government,” Hend Harouni, an unemployed Tunisian English teacher, told The Media Line.

The economy grew an average of almost 5 percent over the past decade, but it slowed in 2008 and 2009 as import demand from Europe slumped. The International Monetary Fund forecasts economic growth will recover somewhat to reach 3.8 percent this year, but that is not fast enough to create jobs for the country’s fast-growing population. Ordinary people say they don’t share in the benefits of the growing economy.

Tunisia’s unemployment rate is a high 13.3 percent and among younger people the rate is even higher. In any case, many observers say the official forecasts understate the extent of joblessness.

Harouni said demonstrations began in the impoverished south and center of the country where unemployment rates are higher, but the cause was taken up by residents of the capital as an act of solidarity. “People have had enough,” she said. “They want concrete solutions to unemployment, not empty promises.”

Ali Bouazizi, a resident of Sidi Bouzid and relative of Muhammad whose suicide sparked the riots, said the man’s plight represented that of many young Tunisians.

“He felt humiliated and marginalized, and that’s what pushed him to take this action,” Bouazizi told The Media Line. “All the youth here, in the central areas of Tunisia, are marginalized and unemployed. The money exists in the coastal cities.”

Ali Bouazizi graduated with a law degree from a local university in 1997, but couldn’t find work in his field. He is self-employed and is a member of the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), a movement in opposition to President Zayn Al-Abidin Bin-Ali.

Muhammad Al-Juwayni, the development minister, traveled to Sidi Bouzid last Thursday, promising a government $15 million employment program. But many Tunisians say this is too little too late.

“This $15 million is barely enough to buy two villas in the rich areas of Tunis,” Bouazizi said bitterly, referring to the country’s oligarchy, perceived as controlling the country riches.

“So far the government has refused to negotiate with civil society,” Masoud Ramadani, a human rights activist, told The Media Line. “As long as there is such deep imbalance in regional employment, demonstrations are sure to continue.”

Ramadani said demonstrations have spread to six or seven Tunisian cities, focusing on two demands: more equitable employment opportunities and cessation of the security siege of the city of Sidi Bouzid.

Tunisia’s official news outlets have barely covered the demonstrations, preferring on Monday to focus on the return home of the country’s swimming champion. No numbers of arrests or injured have been released by the government. Hend Harouni said she receives her news from French and Arab satellite channels, as well as Internet sites such as YouTube that have captured videos of the demonstrations.

“You can’t find any facts on Tunisian television,” she said. “The news is always presented from the government’s point of view.”

Ramadani, the human rights activists, said he was especially saddened by government censorship of events.

“We hear almost nothing in the media. As human rights activists this pains us,” he said.

But Ali Bouazizi said he believed the mobilization of youth in Sidi Bouzid has gradually forced the government to address some of the protestors’ demands and let local media honestly report events.

“The government was embarrassed by the exposure in world media, and has begun acting more objectively,” Bouazizi told The Media Line. “Now, even in our local press, everything has become clear. They can hide nothing any longer.”

Tunisia’s 74-year-old president, Bin-Ali, has ruled for 23 years. His recent attempt to change the constitution to allow him a sixth five-year term in office has angered many Tunisians, who circulated an online petition titled “no to prolongation and no to inheritance.”

Accusations of corruption and nepotism have come to the fore in a recently revealed diplomatic cable sent by the American Ambassador to Tunisia last year.

“Tunisia is a police state with little freedom of expression or association and serious human rights problems,” Ambassador Robert F. Godec wrote in a State Department correspondence in July 2009, revealed by Wikileaks. “President Ben Ali… and his regime have lost touch with the Tunisian people … as a consequence; the risks to the regime’s long-term stability are increasing.”

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Despite the hard times caused by the US economy right now, there are some bright spot ahead that you should look forward to. The government is encouraging women to go to college through Obama scholarships for moms. All types of mothers now have the chance to get a quality education that will undoubtedly benefit their families and future employers. Federal aid called Pell Grants make Obama scholarships possible. To encourage more moms to go back to school, President Obama and the government made some changes to these grants. Now Pell Grants can be awarded in amounts over $5,000. It’s more than a $1,000 over the previous maximum for these grants. These grants are intended to help low income students, and this includes single mothers in many cases. This fact is reason why the government is encouraging moms to go back to school. Having money to go to college could benefit both stay-at-home mothers and working mothers. Also, there are other benefits to these grants to add incentive for mothers to enroll in college. It’s typical of many students to go to large colleges and universities. For single mothers couldn’t do this, it may have prevented them from going to college. The Pell Grant, however, takes this situation into account. Whether a working mom wants to attend college part-time or a stay-at-home mom wants to take online courses, these specially targeted grants make it possible.

Education, nursing, business and more are all options. It doesn’t matter what you want to study. Single moms have more opportunity, and that’s the important part. If you’re a single mom, an Obama Scholarship may be the break you need to start on a different path. There are only a few simple steps to help look into applying for a scholarship. Remember that you need to fill out the FAFSA online. It’s the application for federal student aid. The application is free and there is a lot of information available to help you learn what is out there for you. The first $4,000 to pay for your education is free according to the American Opportunity Tax Credit program so remember that. It’s important to think about this and the possibility of getting a grant when you’re weighing your options. By having the chance to go to college to advance their education, single moms who are working or stay-at-home now have a tremendous opportunity. The objective of the government grants and free opportunities is to help moms take better care of their families and increase their earning potential as members of the workforce. Obama scholarships for moms give women the chance to improve the future for themselves and their families.

London, England, United Kingdom (AHN) – Thousands of British students on Wednesday protested planned government hikes in tuition fees and cuts in education budget.

Demonstration locations included Warwick, Sheffield, Birmingham, Newcastle and London.

Police estimate the number of protesters at 130,000 students.

There were isolated incidents of violence and clashes with police as protestors took over buildings in different parts of Britain. Police on horses charged 1,000 students near Trafalgar Square, which resulted in the protesters throwing chairs and traffic cones into the road.

There were also reports of property damage to bus and shop windows, including a police van in Whitehall.

Several arrests were made by the police for violent disorder and theft, while emergency medical services reported eight injuries at the London demonstrations.

The coalition government condemned the protests. Education Secretary Michael Gove asked media not to provide the students publicity. However, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg apologized to the students for not fulfilling his election promise to stop tuition fee increases. He admitted lack of control to deliver the pledge.

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The huge economic crisis which the nation suffered during the past years has set a great thinking process in the administration of the federal government. The government attributes to the crash of economy due to underemployment and unemployment. This situation has arisen due to the lack of adequate educational qualifications on the part of the citizens. The mothers are amongst the worst-hit category as most of them are relatively less educated and cannot start their education again due to lack of funds. The government considers it as their duty to help the mothers and for this reason has been started federal funding for scholarships for mothers.

The federal government under President Obama’s guidance has analyzed the situation and is deciding on how to help the mothers appropriately. For this reason, the grants have become so advanced nowadays that if the applicant’s paperwork is evaluated and then later approved, the grant covers the entire cost of the degree or course without the applicant spending any money on the education. The government has also declared that for the academic year 2010-2011, $30 billion has been donated for federal grants. Amongst the different federal grants, the Pell grants are the widely known and are awarded to the mothers of the low-income group. For this academic year 2010-2011, $17 billion has been dedicated only for Pell grants. Other federal grants available to mothers are as below:

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) – This is provided to the extremely poor mothers who intend to continue with their education. The grant amount will vary from $100 to $4000.

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) – The applicants eligible for ACG also qualify for Pell grants and the grant provides $750 for the first year and $1300 for the second year of undergraduates.
SMART Grant – This is offered to full-time students who also are eligible for Pell grants. The students must be majoring in life sciences, physics, mathematics, or engineering.
TEACH Grants – This aid includes a wide category of undergraduates, graduates, current or former teachers or even retirees.

All the federal grants are to be applied free and on the website centre called the FAFSA. While submitting the application, the applicant should also include his/her tax payment receipts of the previous year.

There is also the new initiative of the American Opportunity Tax Credit Program. This program intends to help the U.S citizens by offering to waive the initial $4000 fees of higher education. Also, Obama’s ‘Moms return to school’ program is catching up amongst the mothers.

The initiatives and programs started by the government are targeted for the welfare of the mothers to lead smart lives. Federal funding for scholarships for mothers would enable the mothers to add a fresh meaning to their lives and will help them to stand proudly on their feet.

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Moms can go back to school with free $10,000 Scholarships. Find out how visit: Scholarships for Moms.