An information and analytics digest for everyone going abroad or staying home

Archive — December 2003

News

Book on History of Ukrainian Diplomacy Presented at Ukrainian Foreign Ministry

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine hosted a presentation of the 150-page photo album "The House on Mykhailivska, from Which the Whole World Is Visible", which is the first attempt to…

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News

Population growth in the European Union is driven by migration.

As of January 1, 2003, 378.5 million people lived in the European Union. Moreover, in the 12 euro zone countries, there were 305.1 million inhabitants for the same period, and in the 10 candidate…

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Work

Work permit for foreign citizens in Russia

In Russia, the procedure for issuing work permits to foreign citizens and stateless persons, approved by Russian Government Decree No. 941 of December 30, 2002, has come into force. The decree…

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Immigration

"Foreign" Berlin

While the number of foreigners from European countries in Berlin has been decreasing since 1997, more and more immigrants from other continents are coming here. This is reported by Deutsche Welle.

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Immigration

German politicians sing the old song about the problems of resettlers from the republics of the former USSR

German politicians have once again discovered the problem of late resettlers. As Russkaya Germania notes, this happens every time on the eve of elections over the past ten years. Every party wants to…

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Immigration

UAE lets illegal immigrants go

Hundreds of illegal immigrants have lined up at the embassies of their countries in the United Arab Emirates to take advantage of the amnesty declared by the authorities, receive assistance and leave…

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Immigration

British resume document checks at Prague airport

British immigration services have resumed document checks at Prague's Ruzyne airport for passengers flying to the UK.

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Everyday life

The Craziest Warnings

In the United States, a prize has been awarded for the strangest warnings placed on products. According to local laws, Gazeta.Ru reports, if a buyer suffers damage from using a product and the…

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Everyday life

In France, the homeless are being rescued from frost

In France, night shelters will be opened for the homeless, where people can take refuge from severe frost. The police prefect of the French capital, Jean-Paul Proust, by his order launched a campaign…

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Visas

In Turkmenistan, punishment for illegal border crossing has been tightened

From now on, illegally crossing the protected state border of Turkmenistan without established documents and proper permission is punishable by imprisonment from 5 to 10 years. This decision was made…

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Visas

To Russia - with foreign passports?

Russia proposed to Ukraine to introduce from July 1, 2003 a new procedure for mutual trips of citizens of the two countries, implying the availability of a foreign passport when crossing the state…

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Visas

New Zealand abolished visa regime with Czech Republic

New Zealand has abolished the visa regime for citizens of the Czech Republic. Thus, from January 1, 2003, Czech tourists can stay in New Zealand for three months without a visa, reports Radio Prague.

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Visas

China eases rules for tourists visiting Tibet

The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of the People's Republic of China has become more accessible to tourists from all over the world. As NEWSru reports, the Chinese government has amended the rules for…

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Visas

Americans Take Up Baggage Screening

Starting from the new year, a new system for checking passenger baggage has been introduced at US airports. Now, to avoid trouble, foreign air travelers will have to pack their suitcases and bags the…

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Education

English for a Peacekeeper. Today, Without a Foreign Language, a Military Man Is Not a Military Man

In Nikita Mikhalkov's film "The Barber of Siberia" there is a scene of a romantic meeting between a Russian cadet and a young American woman in the carriage of a train traveling through the Siberian…

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Shopping

Euro abolished in Austrian village

Tourists who came to Austria this year for Christmas and New Year were surprised that Austrians strolling along the streets were paying for all sorts of small items like mulled wine or sausages not…

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Money

Will Britain, Denmark and Sweden also switch to the euro?

President of the European Central Bank (ECB), Dutchman Wim Duisenberg, believes that "sooner or later, the three European Union member states that have so far not wanted to introduce the euro will…

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Education

Interests of British schoolchildren

According to a survey conducted among a thousand British schoolchildren aged 7-16, the young generation knows much more about the Internet than about books.

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Education

Oxford University Press on the Internet

Oxford University Press intends to make available online all of its linguistic dictionaries and reference books on the disciplines studied at Oxford.

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How Ukrainians celebrated New Year in Africa

The transition from the old year to the new 2003 has happened. The fact has taken place - if, of course, one ignores the old styles, the canons of Eastern and other exotic calendars. This transition…

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Education

Parents will pay for children's truancy

The British government has announced radical measures to combat truant schoolchildren. And also with their parents, reports the BBC.

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Visas

Poland and Ukraine on the brink of a visa regime

Polish visas, which are supposedly to be introduced for Ukrainian citizens in the summer of 2003, will be cheap, multiple-entry, and accessible, and the visa regime itself will be flexible. This was…

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Shopping

Cigarette prices increased in France

By a decision of the French government, tobacco prices have been increased by 15%. This is the most significant price increase in the last ten years. An ordinary pack of cigarettes now costs four…

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Shopping

Christmas trade in Sweden broke all previous records

Christmas trade in Sweden broke all previous records. This is evidenced by statistical data from the Swedish news agency TT.

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