Estonia will demand advance passenger data
Airlines with flights to Estonia will have to send local border guards a list of passengers before the plane takes off as early as this year. According to an amendment to the Law "On the State Border", airlines will have to send the data immediately after check-in closes.
In Estonia, this information will be passed to border guards, who will process it before the aircraft arrives. This procedure, provided for by an EU directive, is to take effect as early as September. All 25 EU countries are required to incorporate such an amendment into their legislation.
The reasons are linked to the danger of international terrorism. In addition, this will help in the future to carry out checks on airline passengers within the Schengen visa area. Estonia plans to join the Schengen Agreement in the middle of next year.
Cyprus half-ready for transition to euro
From January 1, 2008, Cyprus will fully switch to the euro. According to Finance Minister Michalis Sarris, Cyprus currently meets two of the four conditions required for entry into the euro zone: the inflation rate is 2.1% against a target of 2.4%, and the long-term interest rate does not exceed the norm of 6.4%. Thus, two indicators remain: the level of the budget deficit and government debt.
Starting in 2007, in accordance with the generally accepted procedure, the European currency will circulate alongside the Cypriot pound. The gradual transition from one cash currency to the other will take from several months to six months. It will be advantageous for Cypriots not to hold on to pounds and to start using the new currency, which enters the country thanks to the developed tourism industry, reports "Vestnik Kipra".
Swiss to inform passengers of true airfare prices
From June 1, all airlines operating in Switzerland are required to publish prices including all fees. The first to introduce this practice three months ago was the local airline SWISS.
Now all other carriers will be forced to switch to indicating full prices. The new rules apply both to any form of advertising and to the indication of prices on the airline's website when booking a ticket.
The requirements are intended to make it easier for passengers to compare prices among different airlines, which in recent years has been greatly complicated by a host of additional fees that increase the advertised fare by $100-200.
Oxford again overtakes Cambridge in UK university ranking
Oxford University has been named the best English university by the Times for the fifth consecutive time, beating Cambridge. In 2002, Oxford ended Cambridge's nine-year hegemony and has not relinquished the top spot in the prestigious ranking since then. In total, 109 educational institutions are mentioned in the Times list.
In third place was London's Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine, far behind the two oldest universities in the country. The University of Edinburgh was named the best among Scottish institutions, and Cardiff among Welsh ones. Birmingham's Aston University made the most significant rise in the ranking over the year, from 26th to 13th place. Among the so-called "new" universities (founded in the 1960s), this is the best result.
Oxford's successes coincided with intense discussion of reforms in its governance system. Vice-Chancellor John Hood has put forward proposals that could put an end to almost 900 years of Oxford self-governance. In addition, Oxford could become the first university in Britain to protect itself from possible lawsuits by students. The university administration intends to start concluding contracts with students that will stipulate that they are obliged to attend lectures. Missing classes could be treated as a breach of contract on their part. This innovation by Oxford University will likely be adopted by other institutions concerned that the upcoming increase in tuition fees will trigger a wave of lawsuits from students.
German authorities double fines for traffic violations
The German Ministry of Transport is preparing a law to double the amount of fines for traffic violations. Since May 1, the fine threshold for administrative motoring offenses has already been raised from €750 to €1.500.
Now the head of the country's Ministry of Transport, who oversees this area, Wolfgang Tiefensee, has announced a new, "even more repressive course against hooligans on wheels." In light of the ongoing FIFA World Cup, this statement should especially alert foreign fans who risk getting behind the wheel in Germany.
Traffic violators are constantly hunted by covert surveillance patrols. There is such a unit in the German traffic police. It goes on duty in unremarkable cars with a video camera and speed meter. Plainclothes inspectors blend into the moving traffic and pull over anyone who could pose a danger: a truck driver who manages to read a newspaper while driving, a couple kissing at a speed of 190 km/h, or people who love to talk on the phone.
You can pay for an offence without the direct involvement of the traffic police. After all, the vast majority of those who ignore traffic rules in Germany pay for it in absentia. There are countless radar traps and automatic cameras here. A receipt demanding payment and a printout of your own face visible through the windshield is sent by mail, which works with the precision of a chronometer. Big trouble awaits those who fail to run to the bank within three days. The penalty in Germany grows rapidly.
In Hamburg alone, the budget of an already not poor Hanseatic city is replenished by more than €40 million annually, precisely thanks to the "fine item". Now such revenues will increase severalfold.
Singapore introduces shock anti-nicotine therapy
Singaporean authorities have decided to step up the anti-tobacco campaign in the country by changing the design of cigarette packs sold on the territory of the island republic. From now on, each package will feature warning photos of the possible consequences of the bad habit, taken from medical archives.
"We are aware that the photos on the packs may shock and provoke strong negative emotions. But that is exactly what we are trying to achieve – to make smokers realize that they themselves can become victims of terrible diseases," said Chu Lin, deputy director of the smoking cessation program at Singapore's Ministry of Health.
"The selection of 'scary images' is not accidental. Before submitting the final list of shocking images for approval to the Minister of Health, we conducted a corresponding sociological survey among smokers aged 18 to 64. It was these people who chose the most 'impressive' photos from among the many suggested," added Chu Lin.
The graphic photos will take up exactly half of the front and back of the cigarette pack, and the name of the manufacturer will be placed at the bottom of the image. The first 'campaign' cigarettes will go on sale in Singapore in August, and by October they will finally replace traditional packs on all shelves of local stores.
Nearly all Dubai hotels will be five-star
As stated by Khalid bin Sulaim, Director General of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing of the emirate of Dubai, a classification of Dubai hotels is planned. According to its results, approximately 75% of the emirate's hotels will be assigned the 'five-star' category, reports Russkiy Dom.
At the same time, Dubai hotels already remain among the most expensive in the world. According to analysts, in the first quarter of this year, the average room rate in Dubai was $286 per night. That is 19% more than last year. In turn, representatives of the local tourism industry believe that prices are unjustifiably inflated, and this leads to instability in the tourism market and numerous booking cancellations.
Croatians publish guidebook for those wishing to fish
More and more foreign tourists come on weekends to the Croatian city of Karlovac to fish. The city stands on four rivers – Korana, Kupa, Dobra and Mrežnica – making it an ideal place for lovers of river fishing.
To give anglers all the necessary information about where and how to fish, the city tourist office has published a new brochure – 'Fishing Tourism in Karlovac'. The guidebook has been printed in a run of 3,000 copies. It has already been presented at tourism fairs held this year in Italy and France.
The rivers and artificial lakes of Karlovac are home to bream, rudd, catfish, pike, carp, pike-perch, grass carp, tench and other fish. In addition, the area around all four rivers is ideal for outdoor recreation. Along the banks there are cycling and walking paths; the rivers are suitable for rafting and canoeing; in summer it is a wonderful place for swimming and enjoying nature; those who wish can rent horses for riding.