Migrants in Australia to be Taught to Be Mates
The Australian authorities have announced new rules for migrants, under which those wishing to settle in the country will have to learn about horse racing and cricket, and also adopt a set of values including the concept of "mateship."
As The Times newspaper writes, the new set of values proposed by Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews and approved by Prime Minister John Howard is intended to explain to foreigners the most important concept – "mateship." "Mateship" is a tradition where people "voluntarily help others and accept help, especially in times of misfortune," the collection states. "A mate can be a spouse, partner, brother, sister, daughter, son or friend, as well as a stranger."
The introduction of such a term into immigration rules is a late victory for the country's prime minister, who had already tried to amend the constitution to include the concept of "mateship" in 1999. Migrants will also have to answer 20 questions on Australian history, study a government booklet with information about the Melbourne Cup, and learn about citizens' love of horse racing and cricket.
Lithuania Enters Schengen
Since the beginning of September, Lithuanian border guards have been comparing data on incoming citizens not only with the national register, but also with the information systems of the Schengen area.
"Lithuania has been connected to the Schengen area information systems since the beginning of September. Law enforcement institutions authorized to search and enter data into the Schengen information systems are already successfully performing these functions," the press service of the Lithuanian Interior Ministry told Interfax. It is planned that from January 1, 2008, such data verification will be carried out only at the external borders of the European Union, namely on Lithuania's borders with Russia and Belarus, as well as at international airports.
Checks on citizens of Schengen zone countries at Lithuanian airports will cease from March 2008. To integrate Lithuania into the Schengen area information systems, 4.9 million litas (€1=3.4528 litas) were allocated from the state budget. These funds were used to purchase modern computer equipment meeting the standards of the Schengen Information System, restructure the national database, and train specialists.
It is expected that on September 16-19, experts from the Council of Europe will visit Lithuania to assess the country's readiness to work with the Schengen area information systems and its ability to apply Schengen law. They will present their conclusions to the Council of Europe, which by the end of this year will decide on the abolition of border controls between Lithuania and EU member states. In Vilnius, there is hope that Lithuania will be included in the Schengen area from the beginning of 2008, meaning that land and sea borders with EU member states will be opened from early January, and from March 2008, air border controls with these countries will also be lifted.
Propiska Replaced with Registration in Belarus
Last Friday, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree abolishing the propiska (residence permit) system in the republic as of January 1, 2008. According to the decree "On Improving the System of Registration of Citizens by Place of Residence and Place of Stay," a unified registration procedure for citizens is being introduced in Belarus.
In Alexander Lukashenko's press service, it was explained that the decree was adopted "to ensure the necessary conditions for citizens to exercise their rights to freedom of movement and choice of place of residence," as provided for in Article 30 of the republic's constitution.
Registration at the place of permanent residence is an obligation for citizens of Belarus, as well as foreign citizens and stateless persons permanently residing in the Republic of Belarus, while registration at the place of temporary stay is a right, added the press service of the Belarusian president. An exception is made, in particular, for citizens arriving from another locality to study in scientific organizations and educational institutions, who are required to register for the duration of their studies.
Norway World Leader in Quality of Life
The Economist magazine has published its latest annual Pocket World in Figures. The Daily Telegraph gives the book's main ranking – the top twenty countries by quality of life.
The leader of the ranking is Norway, followed by Iceland and Australia. New Zealand rounds out the list. Also in the top twenty are Sweden and Denmark, traditionally known for their quality of life. The United States is not far behind, occupying the eighth position on the list.
The Daily Mail clarifies that the ranking is based on the Human Development Index (HDI) developed by the UN. It is calculated using three main indicators: life expectancy at birth, level of education, and real income levels. "Pocket World in Figures" annually provides a comparative overview of 200 socio-economic indicators for 183 countries – from the number of executions and murders to the use of contraceptives.
ILO Experts Find Ideal Country for Work
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has published a report titled "Key Indicators of the Labour Market." According to the report, Americans rank first in the world in labor productivity.
The contribution of the average American to the gross domestic product is $63,885 per year. The US is followed by: Ireland ($55,986), Luxembourg ($55,641), Belgium ($55,235), and France ($54,609).
In addition, Americans spend more time at work than residents of other developed economies. In 2006, each American worked an average of 1,804 hours. Meanwhile, the amount of time worked in 2006 by employees in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway did not exceed 1,600 hours. Residents of South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Malaysia, and Thailand worked an average of more than 2,200 hours in 2006, but labor productivity in these countries remains relatively low.
In terms of average hourly contribution of employees to GDP, Norway ranked first. Residents of this country add $37.99 per hour to GDP. They are followed by Americans ($35.63 per hour) and French ($35.08 per hour).
According to the report, labor productivity levels have increased in many countries over the past decade. However, the gap between developed powers and most others remains significant. Some countries, particularly China and other East Asian states, are rapidly catching up with the West.
Diplomas from British universities are becoming devalued
As a result of the widespread expansion of higher education, with more young people entering universities, a number of diplomas have actually become devalued. This is reported by The Times, citing a study by the British Institute of Education.
This particularly applies to graduates in the humanities: history, English or French literature, and art history. After graduating, they earn as much as those with only a secondary education. In this regard, the study authors question the government's program that aims to further increase the number of people with higher education from 43% to 50%. Furthermore, they propose setting tuition fees based on demand for certain professions, so that each graduate can later recoup the costs of their education.
Meanwhile, data from another study conducted by Professor Peter Sloan and Dr. Nigel O'Leary from the University of Swansea in Wales shows that between the ages of 21 and 60, history or geography graduates can still earn 51,549 pounds more than those who only finished school.
Smoking banned in Dubai malls
In the famous shopping malls of Dubai (UAE), a smoking ban is introduced from September 15. Smoking will also be prohibited in entertainment venues.
However, fines of 500 dirhams ($136) for violations will only be introduced in 2009; for now, security personnel will only demand that violators leave the public place or go to specially equipped smoking areas. The Dubai Municipality has set strict sanitary and hygiene requirements for the equipment of smoking areas, reports UAEtrip.com.
Recall that earlier the Dubai authorities strictly restricted smoking in the emirate's government institutions. The smoking ban in shopping centers is the second stage of the fight against the bad habit. The third phase, scheduled for November 15, will be the expulsion of smokers from restaurants, cinemas, and hotels.