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Prague taxi drivers will wear uniforms
Prague is fighting dishonest taxi drivers. For instance, at every stop tourists can familiarize themselves with transport tariffs, and by sending an SMS with the specified starting and ending points of the route, learn the cost of the trip.
Now another innovation is expected: those who treat trusting tourists with respect will wear a uniform - dark blue trousers, a white shirt, and a yellow tie. It will be made to a French design and from French material. A similar uniform will also be worn by girls greeting guests at Prague airport. In addition, language courses for taxi drivers are planned. So soon Prague taxi drivers will speak two languages: English and German.
European Commission compiles "white list" of countries
The European Commission is compiling a "white list" of countries from which the smallest influx of illegal migrants to the European Union territory comes. "The European Commission is drawing up a list of third countries that are safe for the European Union in terms of receiving immigrants. Work on the list could be completed within the next two weeks," said European Commission spokeswoman Pia Hansen Arnekilde at a briefing in Brussels.
According to Arnekilde, the purpose of compiling the so-called "white list" is to create conditions for making the fight against illegal immigration in EU countries more effective.
The European Commission representative refused to name the states already included in the list being drawn up by the EU's highest executive body, saying only that they will be countries representing various regions of the world. She did not clarify what benefits in terms of migration the countries included in this list will receive.
Skepticism toward EU constitution grows among Dutch
The skepticism of the inhabitants of the Netherlands toward the Constitution of the European Union has grown even more a year after they voted against its adoption in a referendum. This follows from the published results of a public opinion poll conducted by the well-known bureau "Maurice de Hond".
If during the referendum 62% of the Dutch spoke out against the EU Constitution, now it is already 68%. The percentage of the country's residents who consider themselves Eurosceptics has increased from 19% to 21%. 56% of the Dutch believe that the European constitution should be adopted, but in a revised form. 83% believe that then it should be put to a referendum again.
Just over half of Dutch citizens are against admitting Romania and Bulgaria to the European Union. 48% of respondents noted that if these countries do join the EU in 2007 or 2008, the Dutch government should take the initiative to form a leading group of twelve countries within the European Union - the oldest members of the EU.
China intends to limit the number of university students
The Chinese government intends to impose restrictions on the number of applicants to higher education institutions. As the newspaper "China Daily" writes, the corresponding decision was made at a meeting of the State Council of the PRC chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao.
At the meeting it was noted that currently 23 million students are studying in China's higher education institutions - more than anywhere else in the world. In 2005, Chinese institutes and universities admitted 5.04 million students, which is 4.7 times more than in 1998.
The Chinese authorities are concerned that the growth in the number of students is accompanied not by an adequate increase in funding, but by a deterioration in learning conditions. Universities often use outdated teaching methods, it was said at the meeting. However, the most serious consequence of the increase in the number of students and, accordingly, of people with higher education on the labor market in recent years has been unemployment. According to data from the PRC State Committee for Development and Reform, this year about 60% of university graduates will not be able to find a job matching their education.
In 2006, Chinese universities will graduate 4.1 million students, which is 22% more than in 2005. However, the labor market will be able to "absorb" only 1.7 million graduates, and this figure is 22% less than the previous year's indicator.
Tourists in Malaysia face imprisonment for pirated discs
Malaysian authorities, concerned about the growing volume of pirated audio, video, and computer discs circulating in the country, have announced unprecedented measures against tourists exporting counterfeit products from Malaysia.
Henceforth, if pirated discs are found in the personal luggage of tourists returning home, they face a fine of $570 to $5,700 and imprisonment for up to five years in accordance with the Copyright Act. This was stated by the Director General of the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Mohamad Roslan Mahayudin.
The announced decision of the authorities, which has no analogues in other countries of the Asia-Pacific region, received a positive assessment from the Motion Picture Association. "Malaysia has set an example for the governments of all countries and the heads of law enforcement agencies of foreign states concerned about the problem of the spread of pirated audio and video products," said the association's senior director Neil Gane.
People infect each other with bird flu
Specialists from the World Health Organization (WHO) suspect that the worst fears regarding the bird flu virus have come true - the deadly H5N1 strain has developed the ability to transmit from person to person.
In Indonesia, the virus was found in a whole family - seven people. Five of them posthumously. Tests confirmed that they were killed by the H5N1 strain. The fact that almost all members of the deceased family could not have contact with infected birds caused surprise. Moreover, in the area where the family lived, an international group of experts did not find any birds infected with bird flu at all. This raised fears that out of seven infected, six could have become ill due to contact with an infected relative.
WHO, fearing that bird flu would begin to be transmitted from person to person, emphasizes that this can only happen as a result of mutation. However, tests taken from members of the affected family did not confirm a significant mutation of the virus.
Recall that just a week ago, the World Health Organization confirmed that five deceased Indonesians - members of one family - were infected with the deadly variant of bird flu H5N1. Apparently, the number of deaths increased because over the past week another member of the same family died. Thus, according to WHO, the total number of Indonesians who died from the H5N1 virus has increased to 31. In total, the virus was detected in 40 people in the country.
The total number of people infected with bird flu is about 200 people in nine countries: Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, China, Turkey, Iraq, Azerbaijan and Egypt. 115 people died from bird flu (more than 60% of those infected). The bird flu virus was detected in 54 countries worldwide. According to the darkest UN forecasts, a bird flu pandemic will claim the lives of about 150 million people.
Britons were offered to voluntarily hand in knives
British police have launched a nationwide campaign, offering citizens to voluntarily surrender knives without risk of criminal prosecution for possession of cold weapons, reports The Independent newspaper.
Most police stations will have special baskets for collecting knives. Such baskets may also appear in shops, schools, youth clubs and churches. As part of the campaign, police have already collected more than 1,600 knives. Following a similar campaign in 1995, Britons handed in about 40,000 units of cold weapons.
At the end, the police promise to take tough measures to combat the carrying of cold weapons. This offense is punishable by imprisonment for up to six months and a fine of 5,000 pounds sterling. The British police also called for changes in legislation. In particular, it is proposed to increase the minimum age at which citizens can buy knives from 16 to 18, and also to allow teachers to search schoolchildren.