Seychelles to Limit Tourist Flow
The authorities of the Seychelles will limit the number of arriving tourists to 200,000 per year by 2010. As reported by Vice President and Minister of Tourism Joseph Belmont, the tourist flow can increase as long as the islands' industry and services can sustain it. According to IMF calculations, the Seychelles' GDP was expected to grow by 4.5% last year. At the same time, the number of tourists increased by 9.3%, reaching a record of 140,627 people. The archipelago's population is 80,000. In 2006, hotel occupancy in the Seychelles was 76%, and each tourist's daily expenses (including accommodation, meals, entertainment) were $200. By 2010, according to local authorities' estimates, tourist expenses will rise to $700 per day.
Most Ukrainians Proud of Their Citizenship
Most Ukrainians (52%), despite the difficult socio-economic and political situation in Ukraine, are proud of their citizenship. This is evidenced by the results of a sociological study conducted by the Kyiv Institute of Management Problems named after Gorshenin.
At the same time, according to the survey results, 21.7% of respondents are not satisfied with their citizenship. 26.1% of respondents could not decide on an answer. Sociologists also note the formation of civil society in Ukraine. 66.8% of respondents are ready to unite for their rights and interests.
The survey was conducted among the adult population from December 14 to 28, 2006 in 14 regions of Ukraine. It involved 2,012 respondents. The statistical margin of error does not exceed 2.4%.
Passport Control Introduced in the United States
New border control rules for citizens arriving at the country's international airports come into effect in the United States. From now on, it will not be sufficient for Americans to simply present a driver's license or birth certificate at the border; they will now need a passport.
For now, the new rules will only apply to air passengers, but as The New York Times reports, from January 1, 2008, the Department of Homeland Security intends to extend them to citizens arriving in the US by sea and land.
The Department itself justifies the need for new rules by a desire to reduce the number of documents that US citizens present at the border, as there are about eight thousand different types of birth certificates in the country alone. The possibility of introducing such rules is regulated by a 2004 law.
According to the US State Department, until recently, only 27% of Americans had passports.
Migrants in Russia to Be Registered Under New Rules
The Russian government has approved a new procedure for migration registration of foreigners and stateless persons in Russia. The corresponding decree on amendments to some regulatory acts concerning the procedure for the arrival of foreign citizens and stateless persons for temporary residence in the Russian Federation was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, the White House press service reported.
According to the document, the functions of issuing permits to foreign citizens and stateless persons will be entrusted to the Federal Migration Service, and a new procedure for considering applications from foreigners will be established.
A foreign citizen who arrives in Russia under a visa-free procedure must submit an application for a temporary residence permit in two copies, attaching four photographs measuring 35x45 mm, as well as certificates confirming the absence of drug addiction and infectious diseases dangerous to others. In addition, he must provide a certificate of absence of HIV infection.
According to the new procedure, participants in the state program to assist voluntary resettlement of compatriots to the Russian Federation must submit applications for permits to the diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Russian Federation, attaching two photographs measuring 35x45 mm without certificates of absence of diseases.
In accordance with the document, the period for reviewing an application for a temporary residence permit in the Russian Federation should not exceed 60 days from the date of its receipt by the territorial bodies of the FMS. The decree comes into force after its publication.
US Begins Construction of Wall on Border with Mexico
In southern Arizona, on the US-Mexico border, grand construction of a giant dividing wall has begun. According to American plans, it is intended to stop the flow of Mexican illegal migrants, smugglers, and arms and drug traffickers.
As CNN reports, citing the US Department of Homeland Security, the first section about 55 km long will be made of metal mesh stretched on posts. This section of barrier will prevent vehicles from crossing the border line. The structure will cost the budget $20 million. Later, the wall will be reinforced with numerous cameras and sensor equipment. The total length of the wall will be 1,125 km. How much the entire project will cost has not yet been calculated.
Approximately 450,000 Mexicans flee to the US each year in search of better living conditions, with hundreds dying while traversing remote desert areas. The US budget has allocated over a billion dollars for the wall's construction, but this may not be enough.
Global Unemployment Level Remains
Significant economic growth observed in many countries around the world in recent years has not led to a notable reduction in unemployment. Over the past decade, the number of employed people worldwide has grown by only 16.6%, and the majority of working poor have not been able to escape poverty. This is stated in a new report by the International Labor Organization.
In 2006, the global unemployment rate remained extremely high - 195.2 million people were unemployed, or 6.3% of the total working-age population. This figure was virtually unchanged from 2005. In the states of Central and Eastern Europe not belonging to the European Union, as well as in the CIS countries, the situation was even worse - 9.3% of the working-age population was unemployed. A decade earlier, the figure was only slightly better at 9.7%.
In 2006, 18.6% of young people from this region were unemployed. The low employment level in the CIS leads to the formation of large-scale migration flows - many people, including young professionals, emigrated to the West.
Half of the world's working people (about 1.37 billion) live in extreme poverty. They earn no more than $2 per day per family member. Nevertheless, between 2001 and 2006, in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (not EU members) and the CIS countries, the total number of workers living on $2 per day decreased significantly. In 2006, such low incomes were reported for 10.5% of all workers in the region - compared to 33% in 1996.
The most notable reduction in unemployment was observed in industrialized countries - from 2005 to 2006, the number of unemployed decreased by 0.6% to 6.2%. The lowest unemployment was in East Asia (3.6%).
European Commission to Halt Growth of Airport Charges
The European Commission intends to stop the growth of airport charges levied by operators on airlines, which in turn are forced to raise ticket prices. According to the European Commission's transport representative Jacques Barrot, the current system often leads to conflicts between airlines and airports, AFP reports.
The European Commission advocates for greater transparency in the calculation of charges. According to officials, to resolve these issues it is necessary to create an independent regulator that would settle all conflict situations and take into account, on the one hand, the needs of airports, and on the other, those of airlines. A similar regulator already exists in the UK, Barrot said.
Currently, airport charges account for about 4-8% of airlines' total expenses. They have to pay for each landing, parking, as well as aircraft security.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 15 of the 25 most expensive airports are located in Europe. This causes discontent among airlines. Furthermore, many airports have raised charges in recent years, citing increased security costs following the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001.