Population, Immigration and Citizenship Clippings. 20110507 2011 Week 18

World population by country: UN guesses the shape of the world by 2100

UK The Guardian Simon Rogers 6/5/11

By the end of this year the world's seven billionth citizen will be born. The latestUnited Nationspopulationestimates, out this week, say the global population will reach 10bn in the next 90 years.

According to theUN Population Division's best-case 'medium' estimate - and you can see the original reporthere- it will take 13 years to add the eighth billion, 18 years to add the ninth billion and 40 years to reach the tenth billion.~

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/may/06/world-population-country-un

Actual UN Report http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm

Similar http://blogs.cfr.org/coleman/2011/05/06/demography-and-destiny/

Associated http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/05/04/global_population_projections/

And http://www.economist.com/node/18681806?story_id=18681806

China's itchy-footed rich: To get out is glorious

China The Economist Apr 30th 2011, Banyan

A GENERATION ago most Chinese citizens’ visions of extraordinary wealth could be encompassed in a single kitchen full of gleaming white goods. But since then hundreds of thousands have taken Deng Xiaoping’s dictum that “to get rich is glorious” so much to heart that they are (dollar) millionaires. They want the things the rich everywhere want—big houses, smart cars, luxury holidays. It turns out, however, that a surprising number also want to leave China.

A survey of more than 2,500 rich Chinese by Bain & Co, a consultancy, and China Merchants’ Bank, a Chinese bank, found that, of an estimated 585,000 Chinese with more than 10m yuan ($1.5m) in investable assets, 57% have contemplated emigration. About one in ten have actually completed “investment-immigration” procedures abroad. And more than a tenth have decided to apply to go through them.~

http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2011/04/chinas_itchy-footed_rich

Australia's asylum-seekers: Eyeing a malaise solution

Australia The Economist May 10th 2011, by R.M.

AS HER government prepared to deliver its first budget on May 10th Julia Gillard, Australia’s prime minister, launched her latest plan to stop asylum-seekers reaching the country by boat. Three days earlier, Ms Gillard announced Australia had struck a deal with Malaysia to swap refugees. After the arrangement comes into force, the next 800 boat people to land on Australia’s shores will be sent to join the thousands of asylum-seekers who are already waiting to have their claims processed in Malaysia. In return, Australia will admit 4,000 of the group stuck in Malaysia who have already been assessed as refugees, taking them in over a period of four years.~

http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2011/05/australias_asylum-seekers

Invest in your own citizenship

India Vinita Singh, Hindustan Times May 08, 2011

One thing is clear from Anna Hazare’s campaign against corruption — the people in this country are desperately seeking honest and upright leaders. The outpouring of support from all over the nation is a real demonstration of this need. And while it is the right thing to do support a cause and follow the one who leads it this entire episode has raised some very important questions on the quality of citizenship we hold. We appear to be very happy being led sometimes by bad men and sometimes by good men. But always led. Not questioning, not investing time in understanding what exactly the leaders are asking us to do. A case in point is this campaign against corruption.~

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Invest-in-your-own-citizenship/Article1-694867.aspx

Brazil’s Population Reaches 190.8 Million

Brazil Globalissues.org by (Brasilia) May 03, 2011Inter Press Service

Following its first-ever fully digital census, Brazil has announced a total national population of 190,755,799 inhabitants in 2010. This figure, announced by The Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE), indicates 12.3 percent relative growth since 2000.~

http://www.globalissues.org/news/2011/05/03/9487

Asylum seeker threatens to set fire to self in Reykjavik

Iceland Ice News 6/5/11

An asylum seeker from Iran this morning took two cans of petrol into the Icelandic Red Cross headquarters in Reykjavik, covered himself in the fluid and threatened to set fire to himself. He later told police he did it out of desperation. The man, 53 year-old Mehdi Kavyan Pour, took a taxi to the Red Cross office with two cans of petrol. The taxi driver did not know what was in the containers, but told Visir.is that it smelt like his car’s petrol tank had started to leak.~
http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2011/05/06/asylum-seeker-threatens-to-set-fire-to-self-in-reykjavik/#ixzz1MBY5WWdY

Most asylum seekers to Australia dump their passports

Australia Daily Telegraph Simon Benson7/5/11

MORE than 80 per cent of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat throw away their passports before landing, presenting a security nightmare for ASIO and immigration authorities. New figures obtained from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship revealed that 5213 people arriving illegally between 2008 and 2010 had first flown to Indonesia before boarding a boat to Australia. But only 21 of those people still had passports with them by the time they were intercepted in Australian waters.~

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/most-asylum-sekers-to-australia-dump-their-passports/story-e6freuzr-1226051432327

Champions for Children –State of the World’s Mothers 2011

World Australia Save the Children 6/5/11

What are the world's best and worst places to be a mother? The 12th annual Mothers' Index analyzes health, education and economic conditions for women and children in 164 countries. Norway ranks #1 this year and Afghanistan ranks last. The United States comes in at #31 among the 43 developed countries ranked.See the FAQsbelow to find out why. Also find below the full rankings and features illustrating the risks mothers and children face globally and the U.S. role in reducing preventable deaths.~

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6748295/k.BE47/State_of_the_Worlds_Mothers_2011_Statistics_and_Facts.htm

Full report 42 page report PDF http://www.savethechildren.org/atf/cf/%7B9def2ebe-10ae-432c-9bd0-df91d2eba74a%7D/SOWM2011_FULL_REPORT.PDF

Business migration hits $562m – changes to increase investment further

New Zealand Government Press Release Jonathan Coleman 6/5/11

Over $560 million in potential investment capital is poised to flow into the New Zealand economy, and changes to the Government’s business migration scheme will increase investment further, says Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman. Dr Coleman confirmed today the Government’s business migration scheme has attracted over half-a-billion dollars in potential investment. Changes have also been made to the policy to increase its appeal to investors.~

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1105/S00149/business-migration-hits-562m.htm

Judge Gives Immigrant in Same-Sex Marriage a Reprieve From Deportation

USA New York Times JULIA PRESTON : May 6, 2011

Animmigrationjudge in Newark on Friday suspended the deportation of a Venezuelan man who is married to an American man, responding to an unusual signal this week from the Obama administration that it is exploring legal avenues for recognizing same-sex marriagesin immigration cases.~

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/07/us/politics/07marriage.html?_r=1

Opinion: Could Sarrazin Be Right about Integration in Germany?

Germany Speigel Klaus von Dohnanyi 6/5/11

Controversial German Social Democrat Thilo Sarrazin has been spared expulsion by his center-left party despitehis claimsthat immigrants are making the country dumber. Now it's time to take a sober look at the real points he was trying to make.~

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,760937,00.html#ref=nlint

The Dispersionist Manifesto

New Geography Joel Kotkin 06 May 2011

We live in an era of the heady drumbeat of urban triumphalism. In a world that is now, by some measures, predominately urban, observers like historian Peter Hall envision a “coming golden age” of great cities. It is time to look at such claims more closely, replacing celebratory urban legends with careful analysis. Although the percentage of people living in cities is certain to grow, much of this growth will be in smaller cities, suburbs and towns. And it is unclear whether extreme centralization and densification are either inevitable or desirable, for as cities get larger—both in the developed and developing world—they display a tendency to become increasingly congested, bifurcated by class and economically inflexible.~

http://www.newgeography.com/content/002221-the-dispersionist-manifesto?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Newgeography+%28Newgeography.com+-+Economic%2C+demographic%2C+and+political+commentary+about+places%29

Growing numbers of unaccompanied minors seek asylum in Belgium

Belgium (NewDesignWorld Press Center) – 5/5/11

The UN refugee agency and the Belgian government are increasingly alarmed at the rising number of unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the Western European country and at how young many of them are. Preliminary government statistics indicate that the number of unaccompanied minors applying for asylum in each of the first three months of this year are much higher than for the corresponding period in 2010. In January this year, 138 children sought asylum against 59 in January 2010; the figure for February was 149 against 56 while in March a total of 196 applied for asylum against 47 a year earlier. At least one in five were girls.~

http://www.newdesignworld.com/press/story/347476

Serbia "determined to stop fake asylum seekers"

Serbia b92 4/5/1

BELGRADE -- The Serbian government is firmly committed and determined to prevent the departure of fake asylum seekers from Serbia to the EU countries.~

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2011&mm=05&dd=04&nav_id=74150

PNG confirms asylum centre request

Australia PNG ABC News PNG correspondent Liam Fox6/5/11

Papua New Guinea's foreign minister has confirmed Australia asked his country to house a regional processing centre for asylum seekers.~

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/06/3210079.htm?section=justin

Similar http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/201105/3208974.htm?desktop

Lives on hold

Australia inside.org.au Peter Mares 2/5/11

ZHANG JIN came to Australia from China’s Guangdong province in 2008 to study translating and interpreting. Already fluent in English, his skills were listed as “in demand” by the federal government and he anticipated that once he had completed his master’s degree at RMIT University he would easily qualify for permanent residence in Australia. But after studying hard for two years – and paying $42,000 in tuition fees – he emerged from his course to find that the rules had changed.

It is not that Australia has rejected Zhang. His migration application remains valid, but – like tens of thousands of others – it is stuck in the system. So far he has waited sixteen months for his application to be processed. Others in his situation have waited more than two years and there is no end in sight.~

http://inside.org.au/lives-on-hold/

A world of long-term welfare for refugees

Australia Herald Sun Simon Benson 5/5/11

MORE than 60 per cent of refugees to Australia have failed to get a job after five years, according to a damning Federal Government report into the humanitarian settlement program.

And 83 per cent of those households now rely on welfare payments for income. The statistics are contained in a Department of Immigration and Citizenship report released last Friday under the cover of the royal wedding. It is the first investigation into settlement of refugees in more than a decade~

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/a-world-of-long-term-welfare-for-refugees/story-e6frf7l6-1226050161428

Refugee lawyers rely on fed funds

Australia The Australian Chris Merritt 5/5/11

THE legal centre behind last year's High Court decision clearing the way for more litigation by asylum-seekers relies overwhelmingly on the federal and Victorian governments for its financial viability.

The federal funding of $1.29 million -- or 68 per cent of the Melbourne-based Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre's revenue -- came from the Department of Immigration.

This is the same department that now faces the prospect of spending millions more defending a new wave of migration challenges as a result of the High Court ruling. That decision cleared the way for asylum-seekers to appeal to the courts whenever their applications to remain in Australia are not treated fairly.~

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/refugee-lawyers-rely-on-fed-funds/story-e6frg6nf-1226050080180 actual department reports http://www.immi.gov.au/about/reports/

EU Considers Renewed Passport Checks Amid African Refugee Wave

Europe Bloomberg 4/5/11

The European Union may reintroduce passport checks at its internal borders under plans triggered byFrance’s concerns about an influx of North African migrants throughItaly.

TheEuropean Commissionsaid it would consider allowing controls in the Schengen area, a no-passport zone that comprises most EU nations, including Italy and France. Schengen members already face a push by the commission, the 27-nation EU’s regulatory arm, to improve their external-border controls.~

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-04/eu-considers-renewed-passport-checks-amid-african-refugee-wave.html

Canadian Workforce Demography Challenges and Solutions Part II

Canadian Management Centre John Eckmire and Bill Johnston VIDEO Running Time:9 minutes 53 seconds

Join John Eckmire and Bill Johnston for Part II of Canadian Management Centre's podcast on Canadian workforce demography. Part II includes a discussion on the role of unions within labour relations and the proactive approach that many employers have been taking in order to satisfy their employees ultimately causing a decline in the need for unions

http://www.cmcamai.org/node/591 Download http://www.cmcamai.org/free-resource-download?rid=591

Italy must drastically improve conditions facing refugees, asylum seekers and migrants fleeing North Africa, including Libya

Europe Middle East Medecins Sans Frontieres 3/5/11

Rome/Brussels -Once again, the international medical aid organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) calls on Italian authorities to drastically improve reception conditions for new arrivals, particularly for the most vulnerable - women, children, unaccompanied minors and victims of violence.~

http://www.msf.org/msf/articles/2011/05/italy-must-drastically-improve-conditions-facing-refugees-asylum-seekers-and-migrants-fleeing-north-africa-including-libya.cfm

7 page pdf report http://www.msf.org/shadomx/apps/fms/fmsdownload.cfm?file_uuid=EB1EE947-A9DD-4238-8F7B-6694D2C71A5D&siteName=msf

Turkey Worries Syria's Refugee Influx Could Cause Crisis

Middle East Voice of America 3/5/11

Hundreds of Syrian refugees have fled across the border into Turkey to escape the ongoing crackdown on anti-government protests. The influx has added to growing Turkish concerns that the deepening crisis in Syria could lead to the country facing a refugee crisis.~

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Turkey-Worries-Syrias-Refugee-Influx-Could-Cause-Crisis-121173469.html

Similar http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/UN-Asks-West-for-Help-with-Libyan-Refugee-Crisis-121193444.html

And http://www.euronews.net/2011/05/06/libyan-exodus-continues-amidst-health-fears-for-refugees/

Better life main reason for refugees' journey

Australia Sydney Morning Herald Andrew Probyn, Nick Butterly May 4, 2011

ECONOMIC deprivation rather than the fear of persecution is driving Afghan Hazaras to risk their lives to come to Australia, a previously secret government-commissioned report has found.

The Gillard government contracted a Kabul-based communications company to find out what people from the Afghan ethnic minority knew about the risks inherent in using people smugglers to get to Australia.~

http://www.smh.com.au/national/better-life-main-reason-for-refugees-journey-20110503-1e6ui.html

Americans 45 and older are new voting-age majority

(AP) –May 3, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time, Americans 45 and older make up a majority of the voting-age population, giving older Americans wider influence in elections as the U.S. stands divided over curtailing Medicare and other benefits for seniors. Along with the information about the growing influence of older adults, preliminary census estimates also show a decline in the number of married couples with children, slight growth in household size and a rapid rise in the number of Mexicans.

The findings, based on the latest publicly available government data, offer a preview of trends that will be detailed in the next round of 2010 census results being released this month that focus on age, household relationships and racial subgroups.~

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h4UODZ_IlJ2cZQg6GTbMudxhnoAw?docId=84b8f97201f84ff88ede23d516d11999

Muslim Immigration Transforms Finland

Finland USA Hudson New York Soeren Kern 28/4/11

As in other European countries (hereandhere), the politically correct guardians of Finnish multiculturalism have tried to silence public discussion about the escalating problem of Muslim immigration.~

http://www.hudson-ny.org/2075/finland-muslim-immigration

Real dialogue needed over social housing