Record-breaking "Roman Holiday"
According to statistics, last year Rome was visited by 16,581,605 tourists, which is 9.29% more than in 2004. 6,789,750 tourists stayed in Roman hotels - 7.79% more than in 2004. In particular, the number of tourists from the USA increased by 11.14%, from Japan by 7.6%, from Germany by 20.23%, from Great Britain by 14.29%, and from Spain by 13.3%.
For the most part, foreign guests were attracted by various cultural events. So, after the return of the statue of Marcus Aurelius from the restoration workshops to the Capitoline Museum, the number of visitors to this museum alone increased by 4 thousand and reached 16 thousand per week. In addition, the flow of tourists increased during the film festival in October, as well as other events, notes the city's mayor, Walter Veltroni.
Ukraine should not expect major liberalization of the visa regime with the USA
U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst said that Ukraine should not expect a major liberalization of the visa regime from the United States.
Commenting in an interview with the newspaper "Delo" on the fact that the European Union has moved to liberalize the visa regime with Ukraine, and answering the question whether this is possible from the United States' side, Herbst said: "For us, this issue is very complicated. Many people want to come to us, sometimes as tourists or students, but then they illegally stay in the United States to work. In addition, the problem of terrorism is relevant. Given all these factors, I would not expect a major liberalization of the visa regime."
Answering the question of whether the number of Americans who came to Ukraine increased after our country abolished the visa regime for U.S. and European citizens in April 2005, the diplomat noted that he does not have accurate data, "but if you look at the meetings I have had with American businessmen recently, I can say that, of course, more Americans have come to Ukraine." "And this is natural. Ukraine certainly interests investors...", said John Herbst. According to him, "there is no doubt that after the presidential elections many of our investors believe that the situation in Ukraine is improving and that money can be invested in this country, although they have not yet come to such a decision."
Russia counts 10 million illegal migrants
There are currently up to 10 million illegal migrants in Russia. Such data were provided by the deputy head of the Federal Migration Service (FMS) of the Russian Federation, Vyacheslav Postavnin.
The official stressed that 80% of illegal migrants in Russia are from CIS countries. "Most of them are normal, honest people who work to feed their families. They certainly have no intention of harming our country," Postavnin noted.
In the Philippines, you cannot fly with a bullet amulet
In the Philippines, it is forbidden to carry amulets made from bullets onto an airplane, reports the newspaper Philippine Daily Inquirer.
According to an official statement from the aviation security group of the Philippine National Police, many residents of the "land of seven thousand islands" ignore this ban. As the publication claims, in just the past year, police officers confiscated more than 350 bullets, initiating criminal cases against about a hundred people. They face imprisonment for up to six years.
If this measure seems too strict to someone, it should be kept in mind that this is far from the most striking example of tightened aviation security measures. For example, in the international airport of the capital of neighboring Malaysia, announcements recently appeared that it is forbidden to bring ordinary cigarette lighters onboard airliners bound for the United States.
More than Ukrainians, Turks complain to the European Court
In 2005, Ukraine ranked second in the number of citizens' complaints to the European Court of Human Rights, losing only to Turkey in this indicator. Such data were announced at a press conference in Strasbourg, where the European Court is located.
Most of all, Ukrainians complained about violations of their rights during the consideration of a case by an independent and impartial judicial body. At the same time, unlike previous years, in 2005 Ukrainian citizens did not file a single complaint about violations of their rights to freedom of conscience and religion, free elections, and effective investigation.
In total, 120 complaints were received from Ukraine to the European Court of Human Rights last year. Over the past five years, Ukrainians have filed 100 complaints.
Italians allowed to shoot at robbers
The Italian parliament passed a law allowing Italian citizens to use firearms and bladed weapons to protect themselves from robbers. Italians armed with registered weapons will be able to use them at home or in the workplace in cases where there is a threat to their or someone else's life or property, and the criminal does not intend to stop.
The law was introduced by the Northern League party, representing the right wing of the ruling coalition. The opposition voted "against", saying that the reform encourages people to independently perform the functions of justice. A group of lawyers specializing in criminal law also criticized the law, saying that it "legalizes violence".
Italy's Minister of Justice Roberto Castelli spoke in support of the new law. "From now on, criminals should fear more, while honest people will have fewer problems," he said. //BBC
Brazil will toughen punishment for robberies of tourists
A law that toughens punishment for crimes committed against foreign tourists may be passed in Brazil. Its initiators were representatives of the Rio de Janeiro authorities overseeing the tourism industry. According to the bill, the maximum punishment for crimes against foreigners will be 15 years in prison.
Currently, under Brazilian law, robbery can result in up to 10 years in prison regardless of the victim's nationality.
"This is a good plan to protect the economic activity of areas that depend on tourism," said representatives of the city's tourism department. According to the author of the bill, Bernardo Ariston, these measures are aimed not only at protecting tourists, but also at "improving Brazil's image, which suffers from high crime rates, and increasing the inflow of foreign currency."
The level of street crime in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's main tourist gateway, is growing year by year. Last year, street thefts increased by 76%, and robberies in public transport by 88%. For comparison, data from January and February of the current and previous year were used - it is during these months that Rio de Janeiro experiences a massive influx of tourists. What is most surprising is that just a year ago, the level of street crime was the lowest since 1991. //Gazeta.Ru
Prague's landmarks will be guarded by police
In order to keep Prague's architectural monuments safe, the Czech Ministry of Culture proposes creating a special police unit - the "Monument Police." Such law enforcement officers will be on duty on the medieval streets of old Prague.
The need for the unit arose due to increasing violations during the reconstruction of old buildings. It is easier for owners of such structures to break the law and carry out repair work without obtaining permission from the relevant authorities. As a result, irreparable harm is caused to Prague's landmarks. This is exactly what the owners of a restaurant located in Mala Strana, the historical center of Prague, did, by equipping modern ventilation, the pipes of which had to be laid through a 17th-century foundation. In order to prevent such destructive work, a police force is needed, which will be tasked with monitoring what work is being carried out in the historic part of the city.
Americans are being sold cars damaged by Katrina
In the US, a warning is being circulated about the danger of used cars damaged during Hurricane Katrina hitting the market.
"Buyers should know that such cars will appear on the market, and this can happen anywhere," CNN quoted a statement from Chris Basso, official representative of Carfax, the largest US company tracking automobile documents. According to him, recently at a car auction in Los Angeles, California, fraudsters already attempted to sell a batch of 14 cars flooded during Hurricane Katrina. According to the National Automobile Dealers Association of the United States, during Hurricane Katrina and the flooding it caused, a total of more than 571,000 cars were damaged in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and a number of other states.
Basso also warned that fraudsters buy cars that should be written off as scrap metal or dismantled for parts, restore them, and then, after forging records in the documents, try to sell them in those areas of the US where buyers usually do not check used cars for flood damage. Externally, such cars look good, but they may have serious hidden defects that violate safety requirements or the normal operation of the car's electronic components. Buyers of used cars are advised to exercise maximum caution and involve specialist mechanics to inspect the cars they purchase.