Illegal immigration has become a major problem across the world. With illegal trafficking on a high, many nations have been trying to secure their borders so as to curb this evil which is partly eating on the resources of the concerned nation.

One of the recent encounters involves China and France cracking such a racket. This was network which sent a group of illegal Chinese migrants to Europe. According to the Immigration Ministry in France, many people from this network, led by a Chinese citizen along with a set of illegal migrants were arrested. This Chinese national was living in Paris. These people were arrested when parallel operations were conducted in France and China.

As per the investigations, each one of these illegal migrants had paid a sum between 12,000-15,000 euros which is equivalent to $15,000-18,000. This amount was paid in order to pay for the airfare to Europe.

The government of France praised the efforts made by the police in both the nations. They have even called for stronger ties with China in order to cut down on human trafficking.

Eric Besson, the Immigration Minister congratulated both the teams for tearing apart a network from China which went to Italy and Spain all the way to Luxembourg. The masterminds behind this racket were based in Shanghai and Paris.

It has been urged by the Group Managing Director of Coca-Cola in Australia to make the rules pertaining to immigration less stringent. According to him, the nation gains from permitting foreign migrants to live, work or study in Australia. The visa requirements should be a bit relaxed which would permit the Australian companies to train the foreign professionals in the nation.

Mr. Terry Davis said that the nation would hate to lose out on the opinion of being an open state which accepts and embraces all cultures and is an open society. As per him, the migrants from Greece and Italy who immigrated to Australia half a century ago have been an asset to the nation. He said these words during a lunch at the Australian Institute of Company Directors while he spoke to the journalists post lunch.

At the same time, while answering the question pertaining to the number of visas to be issued, he feels that the level of immigration is a different debate altogether. This would rely upon many different considerations in terms of the nation and the inflow of people at a given time.

Mr. Davis also voiced out to support more number of international students to come and study in Australia. As per him, he would want to hire the best and the brightest from the universities in Australia irrespective of where these students came from.

Above all, it can be easily said that despite the rules being changed, there is at least one from the corporate world in Australia who believes that immigration is important for the development of the nation.

“Unexpected” is the word for 2010 Football World Cup… And I am surprised at the performances of big names like Kaka, Ronaldo, Messi and Rooney who not only failed miserably in their personal performances but gained sheer responsibilities for knocking their own teams out of the World Cup too! I guess these players have forgotten as to how it is to live up to the expectations of their fans. What a huge turn around has been seen till now. I won’t go into details as it will take me two three days to cover the disastrous performances of these hot teams and hot players.

Let me talk about my favorite team Brazil first. Although I am not a die-hard football lover, but this World Cup has engaged people from all age groups, so how I could be left behind? Besides, my inclination towards Kaka (not much) holds my biased nature towards Brazil. Okay, don’t divert my attention folks; let me concentrate on the game. Their quarter final was started with a bang, but ended in a whimper! And the worse part was losing the game against Holland 1-2. Ofcourse, the samba magic was missing this time. Watching their matches, I could not feel the same warmth and excitement as it used to be at the time of watching a REAL Brazil match! Agree na?

And how can I forget Rooney’s performance? The key player from England looked restless and all tired throughout the tournament (Jitna bhi khela hai) (Till the time his team survived). The loss from Germany was the most embarrassing of them all! Tell me; is the team only comfortable in playing on their own grounds? There was no discipline and that urge to win the game was lacking somewhere.

Let us talk about another team. Italy! It was harassing to see the performance of the defending champions! What went wrong with them? And where were Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli. Is this their preparation for the ultimate event? Okay, we should not blame a team just because they lack key players. But what were the other performers doing? They only managed to survive in first few games, thanks to their draws with Paraguay and Kiwis. What a performance Italy! Keep it up!

Last, but definitely not the least, Argentina. Messi is the word for me, when I talk about Argentina. But Messi was seen in a whole mess. The humiliation surrounded their team too and its only god who knows as to how long will it take them to come out of this mess!

Now I am backing my hopes on Germany to grab the title! I hope nothing goes wrong here!

Soccer fever is rising at its peak. Major teams are already out of the tournament and I am surprised at the early exit of Italy which left me spell bound! Anyways coming back to the news, the team of Canada may not be jumping all guns on the pitches of South Africa, but Canadian fans are all over the place.

The travelers have spent so much in the country that they have been speculated to have made a contribution of US$3.4-million to the South African economy! Phew! That’s an amount to ask for… isn’t it? Imagine if their team would have been playing in the country, how much the figure would have rose to!

It is great news for the South African tourism industry which has seen a sudden boom, courtesy the exciting FIFA World Cup which is running around the corner. The master of all tournaments has benefited South Africa in all ways, be it tourism or a sheer boost in its financial aspects.

It is true that the amount is not much as compared to the expenditure witnessed from other countries, but considering the fact that their team is not there, they still managed to gain position in the top ten countries sending high amount, with it grasping ninth position. Of course, no points in guessing as to who all are the highest spenders. They are US, Australia, France and Brazil…

And the expenditure done is on all kinds of luxuries, including the matches, the accommodation, restaurants and flights! As far as the visa card holders are concerned, their contribution in the South African economy has already counted $3.4 million in the first week of this grand tournament.

According to recent reports, Australia is geared with more Indians than Italians! The Indian community has almost doubled its size as far as the statistics from the last six years are concerned. Critics believe that the number of Italians has decreased down further; one of the reasons for the same might be the death of post war migrants, which lead to a threat in the minds of future prospective from Italy.

It has been accounted that the year 2007-2008 saw the highest number of immigrants from India coming to the land of Kangaroos as compared to any other country, making it the fastest growing community. The number has surpassed the number of Italians living in the country, a number which was ahead of Indians, when it comes to one of the biggest migrant communities settling in Australia. Hence, now the country ranks at fourth position.

Some of them fall in the category of skilled immigrants, some take up various other jobs, while some come on student visa, hoping to work further. The year 2002 saw 110,563 Indian born people in the country while the year 2008 witnessed a sharp increase taking the number to 239,295, which means almost twice the original. China was applauded as the second biggest source, providing immigrants to the country, with New Zealand and Britain coming next. The rise is expected to hike further.

The recent data clearly depicts the popularity of Australia as a prospective immigration destination amongst Indians.

Qatar has made its point to curb providing visas on arrival to people from various nations including Britain and the U.S. The process will commence from May 1 onwards.

Before the arrival of these changes, UK and U.S. were amongst those countries whose passport holders were granted entry visas at the time of legal entry into the premises. But according to official sources, US nationals would no longer be able to opt for tourist visas, confirmed the U.S. embassy in Doha. Therefore, it is advised to consult an immigration expert before traveling to Qatar, especially before April 30.

A similar confirmation came from British embassy that in accordance with the new amendments, it is mandatory for the UK visitors to apply for a visa, either in their country of origin, or from wherever they live, before traveling to Qatar

In addition, nationals from countries like France, Germany and Italy will also have to apply for visas before traveling to Qatar. Other countries include Canada, Iceland, Japan, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand, to name a few. But Malaysian embassy confirmed that they have not received any official information on the same. Nothing has been concluded as to why these changes have been implemented.

In addition, applicants from UK intending to apply for a Qatari visa are required to show their financial conditions by showing last three bank statements, showing their identity proofs. In addition, it becomes compulsory fro them to show the presence of a minimum of $1,300 in account.

With these amendments coming into action, prospective immigrants, especially from the concerned countries are advised to take assistance from an Immigration consultant for further guidance.

Being the French dominant Canadian province, I couldn’t think of a better heading that expressing it in French. Quebec is one province which is a part of Canada yet it is very distinct from the other provinces. Millions of tourists from different parts of the world throng the state every year. It is one of those very few places in North America that has kept the Francophone culture alive. This has ensured to keep the feel of the Europe alive in this state.

Tourism in Quebec is the fifth largest industry in the state. With a mix of cultures existing together in the same province makes for an interesting place to visit and explore. Not to miss out are the cities of Montreal and Quebec.

Montreal could be considered as the only city in North America to have safely preserved the Francophone culture. It is also the second largest Francophone city after Paris. The major neighborhoods to be visited include Chinatown, Little Italy, Old Montreal, Latin Quarter, Quartier International and so on. The city is known for its architecture and cultural events.

The Quebec City is the second most populous city in the province. On the banks of the Saint River Lawrence with Levis on the opposite bank, it is one of the oldest and a spectacular city. The city is known for its summer festivals and the winter carnivals. Check out the Chateau Frontenac which is a city hotel touching the Quebec skylines. Other sights include the Montmorency Falls and so on.

For a traveler, there are loads to indulge into from adventure sports to leisure activities. The province has twenty seven national parks for a tourist to visit at will. Apart from these are museums, casinos, theme parks, cruises and other sites of historical importance.

Other activities involve hiking, fishing and hunting, cycling, skiing, snowmobiling and much more…

So plan a vacation today!

Italy was recently acknowledged as “the most welcoming country” in the entire Europe. Contrary to Australia, that has left no scope in getting the tag of a racist country; Italy, on the other hand, claims that THERE IS NO RACISM in the country what so ever.

Andrea Ronchi, the European Affairs Minister, confirmed that Italy shows no signs of racism, and only those people who do not know Italy can make allegations for the same! He further blamed the rest of the Europe that left Italy to face the problems of immigration of its own.

He stated that Italy would provide a free tour to all those people who have accused the country and show them as to what Italy is all about! It offers solidarity and a welcoming attitude to everyone who enters its premises. At the same time, it is also true that “ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION” too exists as a violent phenomenon.

He further called all those who accuse Italy as a racist country as being STUPID! He applauded Italy as the most welcoming country, days after residents attacked African farm workers who were found complaining and agitating against their conditions. Reports say that various residents and immigrants were left injured in the Italian town of Rosarno.

Several incidents have been witnessed where immigrants were bashed seriously and left wounded. Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, stated that these incidents are a result of “too much tolerance towards clandestine immigration“.

Ottawa – the capital city of Canada is one of the largest multicultural destinations in its country offering a wide range of attractions to the tourist and the immigrant population. The city offers various aspects for an explorer which involves history, culture, politics arts and so on. You can wander on your own in this city which keeps the enigma intact and ensures that you have your share of adventure.

The presence of a multicultural society in this city ensures that you are not an outsider. The people of the city are warm and extremely welcoming, similar to that of a rural city. This feature makes the place exotic – a large city with the feel of countryside makes it the perfect place to take time off your busy and boring schedule.

Stroll across the lush green parks in this eastern Ontario city. There are a total of eight hundred and fifty parks in this city. With this are the banks of the Ottawa River which separates it from the province of Quebec. The Rideau River and Canal adds to the beautiful pollution free environment of the city.

The city is also host to the world’s largest skating rink at the Rideau Canal which is used by the locals as well as the visitors.

The main places to visit include the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the National Gallery of Canada, and the National Arts Centre amongst others. With this, there are around 45 festivals that are celebrated every year in this city. These celebrations add to the vigor and the vibrant colors of the city.

Above all, the neighborhoods are not to be missed out. Some such places are –

• Little Italy to feel the Italy in Canada. The place is known for restoring the Italian culture and heritage.
• Rockciffe is host to all the embassies and the residences of all the top Canadian Government officials including those of the PM and the Governor General.
• Downtown is known for its history and architecture in the centre of Ottawa.
• A waterfront village known as Manotick.
• Feel Asia in Somerset Chinatown.
• ByWard Market is a happening place for all those interested in shopping. It also has many pubs, restaurant and bars for those keen to meet new people and taste new cuisines. You can also find Canada’s oldest farmer’s market here.

So pack your bags and get exploring ASAP!

Trip to Europe always proves to be an overwhelming experience for anyone! The continent has so much to offer. Whenever you are in Europe, you would realize that there is so much to experience. But, it is not always possible for everyone to see and experience everything that it offers. Thus, here is a list of a few European destinations of tourist interest that you should not miss:

The London Eye Or The Millennium Wheel, London, UK: London is one of the most famous cities in Europe, with lots of things to cater to a wide range of travelers. The London Eye, or The Millennium Wheel is the most popular tourist destination in London. Standing at height of 135 meters on the banks of Thames River, the London Eye is visited by more than 2 million tourists each year.

The Tower Of London, London, UK: The royal palace of the Queen is located on the banks of Thames River. The Tower of London is a great place to witness the heritage and culture of England.

Apart from these two destinations, if time permits do not miss out on Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Madame Tussauds and Westminster Abbey. Other than these, there are several other reasons to visit London!

The Roman Colosseum, Rome, Italy: Whenever you are in Italy, you must make it a point to visit Rome. The city boasts history in its ancient structures and buildings. Rome accounts for one of those premier cities that exhibits excellent ancient art and architecture. One of the examples of the brilliant Roman architecture is The Roman Colosseum. It is a huge amphitheatre that could seat up to 50,000 people at a time. It still deserves a watch in the modern times!

Other famous destinations in Rome include Trajan’s Market, Domus Aurea, The Arch of Constantine, the Bocca della Vertia and the Catacombs of Rome.

Milan, Italy: Being shoppers’ paradise, fashion conscious people would definitely like to take a visit to Milan. Apart from world-class shopping complexes and plazas, Milan offers other mediums of entertainment, including cinemas and theatre. In Milan you will have loads of options to indulge in Italian delicacies and food.

The Eiffel Tower, Paris, France: France is regarded as one of the most famous tourist destinations, thanks to a number of places to see. The famous city of Paris in France boasts one of the world’s seven wonders, the Eiffel Tower. Made of iron and steel, this is the tallest tower in France with a towering height of 325 meters. For a one-of-its-kind experience, visit this popular destination in the evening!

The Louvre Museum, Paris, France: Located on the banks of River Seine, the Louvre Museum must be the most famous art museum in the world. The museum boasts great collection of artwork from 19th century AD. You will remain spellbound with the exhibits of the masterpieces.

The Parthenon, Athens, Greece: The land of Socrates and Aristotle is full of famous sites, including monuments. One of the most popular tourist destinations in Athens is the Parthenon. Situated at the Acropolis of Athens, the Parthenon once served as temple to the patron goddess, Athena. Other important tourist attractions in Athens include National Archeological Museum and the Kallimarmaro Stadium.

Switzerland: Regarded as one of the most beautiful countries in Europe, Switzerland should be visited once in your lifetime! The country is famous for its spectacular natural beauty. It offers some of the amazing natural skiing tracks in the Alps. Whenever you are in the country, never give it miss to famous Swiss chocolates!

The State Hermitage Museum and Winter Palace, St Petersburg, Russia: The State Hermitage Museum is one of the prominent tourist destinations in Russia. This grand museum holds over three millions works of world’s art and artifacts on display. The art collections are exhibited in total six buildings, the most important being the ancient Winter Palace. The Winter Palace was the former residence of the Russian czars.

The Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark: With 150 years of history behind it, the Tivoli Gardens happens to be the most famous amusement park in the world. The park has everything, from restaurants to theatres; from lake to gardens. If you are fortunate enough to visit the park in the summer months, you can catch some of the electrifying live music performances.

Europe has an array of other destinations that tourists may like to visit. This was our little effort to help you choose the best destinations in order to make your Europe trip successful and joyous!