New Delhi finally enters the list of cities in world with a magnanimous airport. The Terminal 3 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport has finally been opened for the passengers. It can now be said that the city is slowly taking steps towards being called as a world city. This terminal has world class infrastructure with updated facilities in all aspects offering the best in the nation.

The first few passengers who arrived at this terminal found it very pleasant and pleasing with no long queues at the counters for immigration. This terminal has a huge work force of fifteen thousand workers who are still working on giving the finishing touches to the terminal. However, these workers are not permitted to walk inside the terminal. But as per these laborers, the terminal looks very different even from the exterior.

Andrew Harrison, COO, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said that these workers are permitted to watch from the outside. As per him, these people have built this place. At the same time, they themselves did not know how gigantic this place is. They are all in awe of what they have built.

However, there is another side which was witnessed on the very first day of the operations. It took more than two hours for some passengers to recollect their luggage as one of the conveyor belts was not in order. This was because one of the many emergency buttons which were present was unknowingly pressed by a passenger. And so, it was quite a challenge for the functions to resume. To cater to this, it has been informed that the emergency buttons would be covered along with a yellow line being drawn for the passengers to stay away from the belt. This has been informed by an officer from DIAL.

This does not end here…there were more issues which came to front. A few passengers got stuck in one of the elevators near the immigration counters. It was quite a task to find out the exact location of the lift. This elevator was then opened about a half an hour later. This was partly because the terminal is so huge that it did get quite confusing even for the local people.

There was lots of witness even outside the terminal. The Taxi Union had an argument with an operator from the airport. As per the Union, there are no pre-paid booths outside the terminal and that the black-yellow taxis are being sidelined.

All the above took place on the very first day of operations. Despite constructing a world class, the issue of maintenance is yet to be answered. Now that the airport is built, it is now time to look into the efficient functioning of the same. It is even more important now since the Terminal 2 which was the door to international flights has now been closed.

A quote from the newspaper ‘The Australian’ states that two main government advisers have come out with a debate that the issue of “Big Australia” has landed into a dangerous territory.

Peter McDonald, who is the head of the Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute, stated that the present political issue which links increased immigration rates with that of high house prices as well as bottlenecking in the big cities would lead to a risky Hansonism. He said that as we all witnessed what happened in the Hansin era. No one wants to bring out the worst from the Aussie people again.

The current Australian PM Julia Gillard has already shown her disbelieve in the debate of “Big Australia,” but contrary to her thinking, experts are believing that more number of immigrants is what the country needs at this moment. Also, the skilled professionals are urgently needed to meet the labor market demands of the nation.

Another industry expert, Infrastructure Australia head Rod Eddington said that he is in favor of a “robust immigration program”. He also spoke in regard that the country always needs good people who can be sensibly accumulated in the nation.

Business leaders feel that immigrants are crucial in the economic growth of the country. They believe that migration is one of the reasons as to why Australia has gained success in the past. Therefore, immigration should not be given a blind eye at all.

Hence, it clearly states the opposition faced by the current Prime Minister in terms of “Big Australia” policy!

Delhi is known to be one of the oldest cities in the world. With relics dating as far as 300 B.C. and many civilizations having been built and destroyed, the city has many great tales to tell. If you are a first time visitor to Delhi, the city’s history is something that you cannot miss out on any cost. Here are some of the key places that should be on the top of your list:

• Old Fort: Commonly known as the Purana Qila, this ancient fort (or ruins) is located on a small hill which was once at the River Yamuna banks. If the legends are to be believed, this place is the site of Indraprastha which was the capital city for the Pandavas. However, this fort was built by Sher Shah Suri somewhere in the period between 1538 and 1545 AD. This fort has a double storied octagonal tower with a mosque inside. This is where it is said that the Mughal Emperor Humayun died after he fell from a flight of stairs in the tower. There is also a lake here where the tourists can go on for a boating spree.
• Humayun’s Tomb:  It is said that the magnificent Taj Mahal has been inspired from this very tomb. This equally spellbinding red and white tomb was built as a memorial by Humayun’ s widow Haji Begum in 1565-66 that is nine years after Humayun died. This monument is built in the centre of a huge square garden which is covered by high walls from three sides with a river on the fourth side. The garden is further divided into small squares similar to that of a Mughal garden. This tomb is a must visit for its traditional Mughal architecture.
• Red Fort: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s fascination for architecture led to the existence of the Red Fort, commonly known as the Lal Qila. Built between 1638 and 1648, today it is site from where the Indian Prime Minister addresses the nation on every Independence Day. The Red Fort is the most common joint for the tourists visiting Delhi. This fort is the symbol of the magnum opus Mughal era in India. The place has the same grandeur it projected centuries ago. Also, the sound and light show which is conducted in the evening is a must watch to get a sneak-peek into the Mughal era.
• Jantar Mantar: The Observatory of Jantar Mantar was built in 1724 by Jai Singh, the Rajput King of Jaipur Sawai. In other words, it means “Instrument and Formula”, the place has thirteen different architectural astronomy instruments to revise calendars astronomical tables. The main objective of this observatory was to predict the movements of the sun, moon and planets.
• India Gate: This is a free standing arch, forty two meters high. It was designed by Edwin Lutyens and was built in 1911 in the memory of Indian soldiers who died in World War I. If observed carefully, one can find that the names of the soldiers are inscribed all through the arch.

Delhi is a place of historical importance. The above five place are some of the most important historical sites which have made Delhi what it is today. This does not mean that Delhi’s history ends here. There is much more which could only be felt once you are in the city. The charm of the Old Delhi along with the ethnicity of the New Delhi forms the perfect blend of culture and modernism. The above five should keep you busy for one day!

While Australia’s politicians in the big cities are saying that the nation is left with no job vacancies, the most populous Australian state, New South Wales still needs a huge number of workers. In the recent annual conference of the National Party, the Nationals’ chief said that various regions of New South Wales require a total of 500,0000 workers altogether.

The chief of the Nationals Party, Andrew Stoner completely opposes his fellow politicians who say that the nation is full, with no requirement of workers. There are still regions in New South Wales that need workers to fill the vacancies. In particular, the regions in the west of the state require more people.

Stoner while revealing the Nationals Party’s population strategy at the conference in Tamworth expressed that his party wants New South Wales gain population by 470,000 over the next twenty-five years. Apart from increasing the population of the regional New South Wales, the strategy also included plans to implement measures like perks, improved services, as well as employment opportunities to make the regions of the state more attractive for living. One such measure is to offer Regional Relocation Grants to those who move from Sydney. He also said that the regional New South Wales wants increased population, but this does not mean that it needs only quantity, quality that is skill as well.

Of late, Australia Prime minister Julia Gillard declared that she does not want a bigger population, through migration, but skilled workers. However, she would not like to see businesses suffering from skill shortages, but, at the same time she does not like the nation’s youth to suffer from unemployment because of the migrants. The solution to the situation of population burden in cities, according to Stoner, is to generate employment opportunities in regional areas of Australia, which would attract people, thereby reducing the stress in big cities.

On Friday, a number of refuge seekers have been shifted to the Leonora town in Western Australia. The immigration officials have further plans to relocate more of such people on coming Sunday. Most of the asylum seekers who have been sent to Leonora are from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Previously, they were being housed in various temporary accommodations in the cities of Brisbane and Darwin.

The immigration detention facility in Leonora already boasts eighty-three asylum seekers, who had been sent there in the beginning of June. They were being sent after the Christmas Island achieved the full capacity of detainees. The Australian immigration minister, Chris Evans told that more asylum seekers would be sent to the immigration detention facility in Leonora, since the nation is right now facing a shortage in accommodation facilities, which are convenient for families.

Chris Evans also confirmed that the refuge seekers have been sent to the Leonora facility on a temporary basis, where they will stay for a few months. Reportedly, the facility was previously used by miners. For some time, it had been not used by anyone, which is why the Australian immigration authorities found it as suitable arrangement for temporary relocation of the refuge seekers.

Australia is concerned about the status of the asylum seekers in it and a lot has been happening on immigration arena, concerning asylum seekers. Of late, a total of sixty Afghani refuge seekers were transferred to the re-opened Curtin Detention Center, which is located in the interior of Kimberley region of Western Australia from the Christmas Island.

EU commission is planning to make new polices in the regional budget which help in removing the economic disparities which has caused the large influx of immigrants. This in turn has resulted in the formation of more nationalistic parties in the European countries. The new cohesion policy will be covering 35.7 percent portion of the total EU budget that is around €308 billion.

In underdeveloped parts of the UK, the incoming movement of immigrants continues to be heavier, resulting in greater economic disparities. This problem slowly is catching up fire and has become a burning issue to debate upon. Many cities are pointing out that to reduce the flow of migrants in EU countries and neighboring countries like Denmark and Netherlands (where there is high level of immigration), they urgently need a cohesion policy.

Paul Bevan, secretary general of Eurocities accepts this fact that economic disparity is causing many issues but one should also not ignore the benefits that immigration brings to the cities as well. The solution lies in making certain policies which would help in removing the disparities in the cities rather than preventing the process of immigration. The role of cities and local authorities is extremely significant in achieving sensible, long lasting and overall development and growth of the countries. The cities are going to be the key players in the successful implementation of EU cohesion policies and their resources must be fully utilized for the overall development of the countries. There is a scope of consultation with the parties of local and regional cities to involve the members of each state in this process

For the smart and long lasting development of the European countries, they have to come up with the strategies which directly target the problems like economic inequality and poverty reduction.

New Zealand is attired with plenty of applauded educational institutions which make it perfect place to study and work for students who come here from all over the world. The country has become a perfect place attraction for aspiring students for two of its facets – one is decent society and another is quality education.

Besides being a superb place for various stupendous tourist activities, is a prospective destination for study too. Overseas students, be it from Asia, America, India or Australia always cherish the opportunity to study in amazing institutions in New Zealand.

Reaching New Zealand is not an issue at all. Many cities offer direct flights to the place, hence commuting as an issue should never be considered as a hurdle. There are various international airports located at Auckland and Christchurch, to name a few.

Okay let us talk about the education factor in New Zealand. The place offers safe learning ambiance along with brilliant career opportunities after finishing your courses. People interested in various aspects like academic, professional, training or even vocational courses can regard New Zealand as their perfect study destination. For this, the country is flocked with ace universities, colleges and polytechnics to take the best care of the students, not only from New Zealand, but from the entire globe.

High standards of education, recognized course material, ace facilities and study support granted for overseas students are some of the reasons to choose New Zealand. As the degrees are based upon the education system of Britain and holds a world wide recognition, one can always get enrolled in an under graduate program in New Zealand and then continue his post graduation in some other English speaking nation with an ease. Consult a study visa expert for info on the same.

As a protest against the clamp down of illegal migrants in Arizona, the authorities from Los Angeles have finally confirmed of the ban regarding its business dealings with Arizona in the future. With this, LA is now the largest city in the United States which has enforced a boycott. At the same time, other cities and states are searching for answers to these protects as well as against the law.

According to the City Council members, around $8 million only in agreements with Arizona would be affected. Apart from this, $50 million worth of contracts would stay intact. However, it has been directed by the council for the heads of the city department to resist doing business in the future with Arizona or even those organizations with headquarters in the state. A vote in favor of the punitive measures by the City Council members was carried out. The end result was a vote of 13-1. With the above measures, all forms of travel would also be stopped.

The new immigration law in Arizona would be implemented from July end which gives the authority to the local police to act as immigration agents detaining anyone who looks suspicious.

As per a spokesperson from the Jan Brewer, the Arizona governor, this boycott would simply lead to more economic liabilities on the local people of Arizona. More so, the burdens on these people have also been due to the lack of efficiency by the government especially in securing the borders.

Many cities have given a thought to finding answers instead of protesting or boycotting against the law. Some such cities include Minnesota, San Francisco and Saint Paul.

Not much support has been offered for this new law. This is especially true for the borders of Mexico. The main reason behind this is that some cities have Hispanic communities which have been established for a very long time. This is especially true for Texas, California and New Mexico. Thus, such ideas are highly opposed specifically those similar to the 1990s.

Apart from the above, the public in general was found to be backing the immigration law of Arizona. As per a study which was brought out by the Pew research Centre, 73% of the 994 people surveyed support the main objectives of this law. This study was conducted from May 6th to May 9th.

Ottawa has been declared the best city to live in Canada by a magazine. MoneySense magazine released its annual ranking of Canadian cities recently, which considered various factors like housing prices, weather and crime rates as the basis for the findings. They considered a total of 179 cities and towns in Canada that have more than 50,000 inhabitants.

Earlier, Ottawa was placed at the top slot in 2007 and 2008, however, in 2009 Victoria displace the city. As Victoria’s cost of living is growing for the average Canadian, Ottawa has restored the top rank once again, thanks its economy, job opportunities, low crime rate and stable population growth.

According to Duncan Hood, the magazine’s editor, Ottawa has many reasons to be in the first spot on the list of cities and towns. Foremost, the city happened to be the most recession-proof city among all Canadian cities, followed by adequate job opportunities. Ottawa has the most public service workers and these workers did not lose their employment, neither they had cuts in their salary. Thus, while most Canadian cities had to experience the reverse results of the aforementioned, Ottawa remained firm during the recession.

Below are the top ten cities to live in Canada according to MoneySense’s study:

1. Ottawa-Gatineau
2. Kingston, Ontario
3. Burlington, Ontario
4. Fredericton, New Brunswick
5. Moncton, New Brunswick
6. Repentigny, Quebec.
7. Brandon, Manitoba
8. Victoria, British Columbia
9. Winnipeg, Manitoba
10. Levis, Quebec

The full list of best places to live in Canada will be released on May 3, 2010.

The bill pertaining to the banishment of niqab, the head-to-toe veil worn by Muslim women in the Canadian province, Quebec is getting much support from Canadians. With this ban, Quebec becomes the first North American province to have restrictions in Muslim women wearing burqas, after France.

The French-speaking province, Quebec’s announcement on niqab ban was propelled by the case of Egyptian woman (http://blog.abhinav.com/?s=niqab&x=0&y=0) who refused to remove her veil in a French language class in a Canadian college. Reportedly, all accommodation had been done according to the woman’s comfort, as she demanded not to face her male classmates during lectures. Things were okay until one day when she refused the authority’s instruction to remove the veil in order to converse around a U-table for getting proper French pronunciation.

With the refusal the woman then appealed the human rights commission of Quebec against the institution on the ground of invading her religious rights. But, last week the provincial government ordered that the women who wear the veils are required to uncover their face in order to confirm their identity and if they do not, they would be prohibited from accessing government services, health care, schools and other educational institutions.

When Canadian Muslim leaders are calling the bill a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction of the government, Canadians are in full support of the law, apparent from a survey conducted by the Montreal Gazette and Angus Reid. Ninety-five percent of Quebec population supported the law, while across Canada, four out of five people are in support of the ban.

Interestingly, Canada boasts near about one million of Muslim population of its total population of thirty-four million. Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto are the cities that are highly concentrated with people from Muslim community and in these cities, those women are mostly seen with niqab who are from orthodox Muslim countries like Ethiopia, Middle East and Somalia.