A special 'tobacco passport' is now required in Japan to purchase cigarettes from vending machines designed for their sale. In all 47 prefectures of the country, as of July 1, machines must be…
The European Parliament will consider in July in second reading a bill requiring the mandatory indication of the full price of air tickets including all fees. If adopted, airlines will be banned from…
Tourism
July in Europe is one of the most musical months. In Salzburg, opera singers and symphony orchestras gather; in Dura, alternative fans; in Hamburg, lovers of old hits; in Dortmund, electronic music…
Everyday life
Recently, British Justice Minister Jack Straw announced startling figures: between 1999 and 2006 alone, more than 37,000 prisoners in the United Kingdom refused various forms of parole. Moreover, 42…
Money
Last year, Germany completed payments of monetary compensation to victims of forced labor during World War II. However, apparently, this chapter in German history is not yet closed. According to…
Immigration
The European Parliament held a first vote on the European Union directive on illegal immigration. According to Gzt.ru, the document, which was agreed on June 5 by the interior ministers of EU…
Immigration
This year, a whole set of changes have occurred in the immigration policy of the United States. Igor Timofeev, director of the immigration policy department and special adviser to the U.S. Department…
Until recently, real estate in Italy was strictly forbidden for foreigners: it was practically impossible for a non-Italian to buy a house, apartment, or villa on the peninsula. Now the situation on…
Visas
Warning from the U.S. Embassy.
Immigration
One can become a German for just €255. That is the cost of the citizenship procedure in Germany. But, as Deutsche Welle notes, to go through it, a number of conditions must be met. These include…
Peru has enough amazing surprises to charm any traveler. Unless, of course, you stop in the capital Lima. Here I first couldn't understand where I was - in Africa or Asia. There seem to be quite…
Gzt.ru has obtained a draft of amendments to the law 'On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation', prepared in the Federation Council by Vice-Speaker Alexander Torshin and…
The capital of Denmark, Copenhagen, has been named the best city on Earth for living. To receive the high title, several parameters were taken into account – from the possibility of buying a glass of…
Tourism
What ideas may come to a citizen who finds themselves outside their home country! According to Financial Izvestia, to prevent any troubles, Rospotrebnadzor has posted on its website a memo for those…
Information is a tricky thing. Recently I attended a presentation where data about an average hotel management school was presented in such a favorable light that, had I been an inexperienced person…
Everyday life
This summer, American sociologists and human rights activists intend to do a very serious job – to count the Muslims living in the United States. At first glance, notes Lenta.ru, the task seems…
Law zone
In mid-June, the UN Security Council voted to declare war on Somali pirates. According to Itogi, all countries whose ships or citizens have fallen into the hands of modern freebooters are allowed to…
Tourism
Summer is here - a time for vacations and travel. For those who have decided to spend their holiday within the EU, the European Commission reminds of the existence of a single emergency phone number…
Curiosities
Nowadays, as Andy Warhol predicted, everyone has the right to fifteen minutes of fame. Millions can learn about any, even the strangest or most dubious achievement. Lenta.ru offers a brief guide to…
Education
Yes, yes, 'The Jungle Book' is exactly the name under which Wroclaw students have prepared (and annually update) a guide to Wroclaw for their foreign colleagues. This all-purpose reference has been…
Greece, which according to statistics is the heaviest smoking nation in the European Union, is introducing a ban on smoking in public places. As reported by the country's Ministry of Health, the…
Law zone
Perhaps the first sea robbers appeared at the same time as the first seafarers. The word "pirate" has Greek origins and means "one who tries his luck." Etymology shows how blurry the line between the…
Smokers in poor areas of the Scottish city of Dundee are being offered $300 if they can quit the habit. According to the BBC, participants in the three-month program will receive a weekly sum from…