1. For young Muslims, Hajj pilgrimage reawakens Islamic values
CNN Nov.7, 2011
| Muslim pilgrims throw pebbles at pillars during Muslim pilgrims gather in Medina, the burial the Jamarat ritual, the stoning of Satan, in Mina place of the prophet Mohammed, for the Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, November 6. Hajj pilgrimage. |
(CNN) -- Each year, more than 3 million Muslims commit to Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca that represents the fifth and final "pillar" of Islam and the largest annual human gathering on the planet. Every Muslim who is physically and financially able to do so is expected to make this pilgrimage once in their lifetime.
As described in the Hadith of Gabriel, each pillar of Islam acts as a guide to day-to-day conduct for Muslims, outlining proper professions to God, prayer and spiritual mindfulness, not unlike the Book of Common Prayer for Catholics and Protestants or Judaism's Siddur.
For this year's Hajj, iReporters from around the world documented their journeys, describing their experiences as they complete this Islamic sacrament. Thanks to the power of social media and platforms like CNN's iReport, they've been able to share their faith with the world, giving Muslims and non-Muslims alike a glimpse of the significance of this powerful and transformative event.
The 2011 Hajj also holds special significance for Muslims in the wake of the Arab Spring this year. Though the pilgrimage has traditionally been thought of as an undertaking for middle-aged or senior Muslims, increasing numbers of young pilgrims have been making the trip to Mecca in the past decade.
2. APEC nations pledge support for TPP
AP November 15, 2011
KAPOLEI, Hawaii -- Opening markets to freer trade is crucial to a lasting global economic recovery, Asia-Pacific leaders agreed Sunday as they wrapped up a summit that produced tangible progress toward a U.S.-backed regional trade bloc.
The plan to forge a Pacific free trade area got a big boost Sunday when leaders of Canada and Mexico joined Japan in expressing support for a deal that has received a cool reception from rising power China.
The news was a coup for U.S. President Barack Obama, who made progress on the pact one of his top priorities for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, held in his home state of Hawaii. It comes after Japan, the world's No. 3 economy, said Friday it wants to join the nine nations already involved in talks on what has been dubbed the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
In their summit declaration, leaders of the 21-member APEC said the region is now the vanguard for global growth thanks to previous progress in forging closer economic ties and free trade.
3. 'Super Mario' tapped to cure Italy's economic ills
AP November 14, 2011
MILAN -- The man tapped to be Italy's next premier earned the moniker "Super Mario" in the halls of the European Commission, stopping such corporate giants as Jack Welch and Bill Gates in their competitive tracks.
Elegantly attired with a formal demeanor, Mario Monti proved his mettle as a tough negotiator when he blocked the merger of General Electric and
Honeywell and levied a (euro) 500 million fine against Microsoft for abusing its dominant position.
"He moves with caution and speaks with nuances. But he moves," said Carlo Guarnieri, a political scientist at the University of Bologna.
A leading economist, Monti is among the most respected men in the country and the most admired Italians in Europe.
That will be no guarantee for success in the Herculean task before him: building a majority large enough to push painful structural reforms through a fractured Parliament to prevent Italy from being dragged into the burgeoning debt crisis.
But he has some clear assets: he is part of the Italian financial establishment, has strong ties to European institutions and governments and enjoys the clear support of President Giorgio Napolitano, who gave Monti a mandate Sunday to form a new government.
4. Who is Greece's new prime minister?
CNN November 11, 2011
(CNN) -- As Greece attempts to fend off debt troubles that continue to threaten global markets, the man chosen to lead the country's new government is an economist who's been advising the outgoing prime minister for the past two years.
Newly inaugurated Prime Minister Lucas Papademos, 64, a former banker and European Central Bank vice president, faces the challenge of uniting the
country behind his government during tough times.
Incoming Greek PM to implement bailout
Observers say his appointment is thought to mark a shift toward a more technocratic administration -- an interim government made up primarily of experts rather than politicians.
"The task is big, and the responsibility I assume is even bigger," Papademos said Thursday. "I am not a politician, but I've dedicated the biggest part of my professional life to the exercise of the economic policy, both in Greece and in Europe."
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