US may increase security fees
The US administration has proposed doubling the security fee charged to each airline passenger. The fee is proposed to be increased from $2.5 to $5.
Thus the government hopes to raise $1.3 billion to cover the costs of ensuring aviation security. Airlines opposed the proposal, arguing that the fee should not be levied on the industry or passengers, since the strengthening of security measures is a government initiative. Last year Congress already rejected a similar administration proposal. //Reuters
Germany offers cheap travel to neighboring countries
German Railways has published a special offer Surf & Rail International for trips from German cities to neighboring countries. Ticket prices under the special offer vary from €19 to €59 depending on the destination and availability.
As a rule, two prices apply to the same route, differing by €10 or €20. For example, tickets from Berlin to Amsterdam cost €29 and €49. Once the cheapest tickets are sold out, they will be sold at a higher price. Tickets can only be purchased online on the German Railways website and no less than three days before the trip - their number is limited. In total, 43 direct routes are offered from 12 German cities to 24 European cities. //Travel.ru
Passport no longer needed when buying currency in Belarus
When buying dollars or euros at banks and exchange offices in Belarus, you no longer need to present a passport. The corresponding order was signed by President Alexander Lukashenko. The rule requiring passport data to be recorded when purchasing currency was introduced in Belarus in 1997 to even out the difference between supply and demand arising from the difference in exchange rates. Registration was intended to prevent speculators from buying currency who take advantage of the difference between the black market and official rates.
Currently, the Belarusian ruble exchange rate has stabilized, and there is no need to adhere to the rules introduced nine years ago. Street currency traders are now almost never seen in Belarusian cities, but many exchange offices have appeared, whose rates do not differ much from the bank rate. In Minsk, exchange offices can even be found in grocery stores or minibuses near the busiest retail outlets. Belarusians often use their services, exchanging a few dozen dollars. Those who need to exchange a few hundred are much rarer. //Travel.ru
Tourists did not change their habits last year
The World Tourism Organization has summed up the results of 2005. It turns out that despite natural disasters, terrorism and other troubles affecting the world's leading resorts, the number of tourists is growing.
According to the World Tourism Organization, last year 808 million people were recorded as traveling abroad for leisure, which is 5.5% more than in 2004. This is a fairly significant increase, given the “failed” winter season of 2004/2005, when tours to Southeast Asia were practically not sold due to the tsunami. Western operators needed substantial sums and almost six months to restore Europeans' trust in the Asian region. As a result, by the end of the year they managed to increase tour sales to the region by 7% compared to 2004.
But no less effort was made to develop other, “non-oceanic” destinations. Thus, the World Tourism Organization recorded an increase in the number of tourists in African countries by 10%, and in the Americas and Spain by 6%. //Finansovye Izvestia
Eastern Europe demands visa-free regime from the US
The European Union and a number of Eastern European countries have called on the US to grant visa-free entry to citizens of all EU member states, reports FT. “We in this room are the most staunch supporters of the US, but the visa issue is the strongest weapon in the hands of those who do not want Europe and America to work together,” Hungarian Ambassador to the US András Simonyi said during a meeting with US administration officials in Washington. In addition to Simonyi, the ambassadors of the Czech Republic and Poland took part.
“This is the only problem in our relations with the US,” Czech Ambassador Petr Kolář confirmed. “There are no other issues.” “Our countries do not pose any threat to US security,” Polish Ambassador Janusz Reiter said. “We are not part of the problem; we are part of the solution.”
Their request was also supported by EU Ambassador to the US John Bruton, who stressed that the EU does not want any outsider to draw distinctions among its members. “We are all in one club,” he said.
Journalists note that so far only citizens of Western European countries can enter the US without a visa, while residents of Eastern European countries, even those that have joined the EU and NATO, still need to obtain visas. This restriction is particularly annoying to Poland and Hungary, the most pro-American states in Europe.
The US administration, for its part, points out that these countries have not yet met the conditions for granting visa-free entry to their citizens. In particular, they need to ensure that fewer than three percent of their citizens applying to the US embassy are refused visas, reduce the number of citizens overstaying their visas in the US, and introduce biometric passports.
Australian-New Zealand euro will not appear soon
The authorities of New Zealand and Australia are discussing the possibility of creating a common currency. “I do not rule out the possibility,” Australian Prime Minister John Howard said after a meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark in Canberra. “This step is likely if the economic benefit from introducing a single means of payment allows us to significantly replenish the budgets of our countries.”
There are prerequisites for the introduction of a common currency, because the countries are linked not only culturally and historically, but also economically - trade ties between these countries are constantly growing. Moreover, the currencies of New Zealand and Australia are similar not only in name (dollar), but also in value. The Australian dollar is trading this week at around 74 US cents, the New Zealand dollar at 68 US cents per dollar. Australia accounts for 22% of New Zealand's imports and 21% of its exports.
However, Helen Clark warned that it is too early to talk about the imminent introduction of such a currency. She recalled that the countries, although close neighbors, are still independent states. 'A single currency can only be discussed if a significant benefit for New Zealand from this step is proven,' the prime minister said after the meeting.
It should be recalled that the countries of Southern Africa have also been discussing the possibility of introducing a single currency for several decades. It will be introduced no earlier than 2016 and will unite the currencies of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mauritius, the Seychelles and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. //Gazeta.Ru
Voice of America stops radio broadcasting in Russian
Voice of America is ceasing radio broadcasting in Russian. This is stated in a message posted on the website of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, a US government organization through which the radio station is funded.
The cuts will also affect the Albanian, Bosnian, Macedonian, and Serbian language services, and radio broadcasting in Hindi will cease. However, television programs in these languages will continue. Broadcasting will be completely stopped only in Croatian, Turkish, Thai, Greek, and Georgian. According to the BBC, radio broadcasts in Russian and other languages will go off the air from 2007.
The changes in the programming policy of Voice of America are not related to a lack of funding. In 2006, US spending on international broadcasting rose by 7.1%, and in 2007, 4.3% more will be spent on Voice of America and other 'enemy voices,' totaling 672 million. As Broadcasting & Cable explains, the changes in Voice of America's program schedule will occur due to a shift in priorities - the broadcaster is transforming from an instrument of the Cold War into a tool for fighting international terrorism. It is no accident that the volume of broadcasting to Middle Eastern countries is increasing. /Lenta.ru
Turkmenistan's population grows faster than in the rest of the CIS
The population of the Commonwealth of Independent States at the beginning of 2006 is 279 million people. This was reported by the CIS Statistical Committee.
The largest population growth over the past five years was registered in Turkmenistan - 25.6%. In Tajikistan, population growth was 10%, in Azerbaijan - 4.4%, in Kyrgyzstan - 4.7%, in Uzbekistan - 5.2%, in Kazakhstan - 2.36%.
At the same time, the sharpest population decline was registered in Moldova - by 6.7%. In Ukraine, the number of residents fell by 4.2% over the reporting period, in Belarus - by 2.4%, in Armenia - by 1.1%, and in Russia - by 2.3%.
In Georgia, according to data as of January 1, 2004 (without information on Abkhazia and South Ossetia), the population was estimated at 4.5 million people. More recent surveys have not been conducted in Georgia.
The economically active population (employed and unemployed) in the CIS countries averaged about 132 million people in 2005, including 122 million employed and 10 million unemployed, or 7.5% of the economically active population.
The opportunity to drink tamed British criminals
The UK Home Office reports that after British bars were allowed to operate around the clock, the number of crimes committed by intoxicated citizens in the country dropped significantly, writes The Independent. Earlier, police, social and medical workers opposed this permission.
According to statistics collected from November 2005 to January 2006, the share of serious crimes committed by intoxicated citizens fell by 21% (compared with the same period a year earlier). At the same time, the number of injuries inflicted while under the influence of alcohol decreased by 14%.
Police in large British cities and coastal resort areas report that during the Christmas holidays of 2005-2006, the number of arrests for drunken brawls decreased.
Recall that since November 2005, a law has been in effect in the UK allowing bars, restaurants, clubs and other establishments selling alcohol to operate all night. Previously, since World War I, such establishments were required to close at 11:00 PM. After the law came into force, many British politicians, as well as police and medical workers, argued that 24-hour alcohol sales would lead to an increase in hooliganism, vandalism and drunkenness among the population. However, the new law did not even cause an increase in alcohol consumption. Bar and restaurant owners say their income has not increased much since November. //Lenta.ru