Victims of Police Rapists Deported from Spain
The victims of Spanish police rapists — a Russian woman and two Ukrainian women who were held at the Center for Illegal Immigrants in the city of Malaga — were hastily deported from Spain in order to close the case of police abuses. According to local media, the lawyer of the deported women stated this.
"My clients — the Russian woman and the Ukrainian women who gave testimony against the police guards of the Temporary Center for Illegal Immigrants — were deported from Spain to their homeland, violating the law on witnesses to crimes," said lawyer Jesús Ureña.
He reminded that "the law provides for ensuring the safety of crime witnesses and their regular appearance before investigative bodies to give testimony." "In the case of foreign women who have suffered sexual exploitation in Spain, the law provides not only for the protection of their rights as witnesses but also for incentives for giving testimony in the form of granting a residence permit," the lawyer noted.
According to the testimony of the deported women, as well as a dozen other witnesses, "the Center for Temporary Detention of Illegal Immigrants was turned by the guards into a real brothel," with women being forced to provide intimate services not only to the guards themselves but also to "people from the street," from whom the police took money. Besides the Russian woman and the Ukrainian women, the guards forced female citizens of Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela to engage in intimate relations.
The case of "abuse" at the Malaga Center, led by investigator Elena Sancho, involves nine police officers. Three of them were arrested two weeks ago after violations were uncovered, but later released because, in the investigator's opinion, they "pose a social danger." Meanwhile, lawyer Jesús Ureña believes that "the Russian woman and the Ukrainian women were deported with the sole purpose of closing the case of gross violations of laws by law enforcement officers."
Moscow Among the Most Expensive Cities in the World
Moscow took 41st place in a new study by Swiss bank UBS, "Prices and Earnings," which compares major cities worldwide by cost of living. According to a bank press release, Oslo and London were recognized as the most expensive, while Kuala Lumpur and Mumbai were the cheapest.
The full top ten most expensive cities in the world according to UBS is: Oslo, London, Copenhagen, Zurich, Tokyo, Geneva, New York, Dublin, Stockholm, Helsinki. The Russian capital is placed in the list of 71 cities between Taipei and São Paulo. Living in Moscow is more expensive than in Tallinn, Vilnius, Riga, and Kyiv, which are also included in the UBS ranking.
UBS compared the economic opportunities of residents of different cities around the world across 30 different indicators. In particular, the "Big Mac index" was used — the Swiss bank calculated how much time is needed to earn a famous sandwich. It turned out that an average Muscovite needs 25 minutes for this, while the global average was 35 minutes.
The study also showed that it is most expensive to live in Northern Europe, and cheapest in Latin America and Southeast Asia. At the same time, Asians work much more than Europeans. If we take a 42-hour workweek as the norm, a resident of an Asian country spends 50 more days per year at work than a Parisian.
At the end of June, Mercer Human Resource Consulting published its report on the most expensive cities in the world. According to its data, the most expensive city to live in was Moscow, followed by Seoul in second place, and Tokyo in third. The calculation took into account the comparative cost of a basket of 200 goods and services.
Britain Denies Visas to People from Poor Countries
Thousands of foreigners wishing to visit Britain were unlawfully denied visas simply because they came from economically backward countries, reported the British Times. The newspaper cites data from a report by Fiona Lindsley, an independent observer overseeing the visa issuance process.
According to her report, over the past three years, 46,000 people were unlawfully deprived of the right to appeal after being denied a British visa.
The main conclusion of the report is that discriminatory approaches are often used in visa issuance. Most often, this involves forcing representatives of third world countries to justify the necessity of their visit to Britain beyond the established rules. This is done because officials responsible for visa issuance suspect residents of poor countries of intending to seek asylum or work illegally in Britain.
According to Lindsley, she has no data to prove that people living in difficult circumstances at home pose a greater risk as potential violators of visa laws compared to wealthier visitors. On the contrary, according to research conducted in Australia, a significant proportion of such violators come to the continent from Britain.
According to the report, the overall percentage of refusals for British entry visas rose from 6.5% in 2000 to 19%. Students were refused in 35.4% of cases. Worldwide, the record for refusals is held by the British consulate in Accra, the capital of Ghana, where the rate is 85.7%.
Bush Ready to Open America to Cubans
The Bush administration is considering easing immigration rules for Cubans whose relatives reside in the United States. At the same time, it is expected to introduce a new rule allowing the denial of visas to those who entered the US illegally, reports Bloomberg. Under current rules, Cuban illegal immigrants can demand a visa retroactively.
According to sources close to the White House, changes in legislation could be announced soon, but the plan for amendments is not final and will be refined.
Recently, President Bush called on Cubans to rid themselves of 'the tyranny of Fidel Castro,' who temporarily relinquished the reins of government due to illness. According to the US president, Cubans deserve a new government that would fully represent the interests of the island's 11 million population.
Brazil catching up with US in plastic surgeries
Brazil is catching up in the growth rate of plastic surgery popularity, second only to the United States in the number of plastic surgeons and the monetary value of the work they perform annually. This data was released at the International Congress of Plastic Surgery held in Rio de Janeiro.
According to experts, Brazil has more than four thousand plastic surgeons. Citizens of the country spend over $10 million annually on 'aesthetic' medicine. For comparison, in the US in 2005, plastic surgeons' services cost clients $12.4 million.
Among the reasons for the Brazilian 'plastic revolution' are favorable legislation and climate. In a country where it's summer all year round, people pay special attention to their appearance, increasingly turning to doctors to solve their problems. Another factor is the liberalization of society, which has gained momentum in recent decades. The Catholic Church is losing its former influence on public morality, and the cult of the body, on the contrary, is 'strengthening'.
In Helsinki, it is forbidden to feed seagulls and pigeons
In the Finnish capital, places where birds can be fed have been severely restricted. According to a new order from the city authorities, it is now forbidden to feed birds in 11 squares, 44 parks, and 12 other locations in Helsinki. Special signs warn about this. Previously, the ban applied only to a few central squares and parks.
As explained by the capital's environmental center, the reason for the ban is not the danger of bird flu, which has not yet reached Finland, but that food attracts not only birds but also rats. Additionally, wild birds can transmit salmonellosis.
Seagulls in Helsinki have become a big problem. Accustomed to people and no longer afraid of anyone, they dominate the tables on restaurant terraces and can even snatch a piece from the hands of a distracted customer. In some outdoor restaurants, there are signs warning 'Beware of hungry seagulls!'