Category: News
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Sleepy Canadian town gets relief for tortured women
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When you come to Banff – a small, frozen town i the middle of 7000 sqkm Banff National Park, tourism is the first thing on your mind. It’s a sleepy town of just 7500 people in Canada’s western province of Alberta, caterig to a heavy inflow of keen skiers. Domestic…
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Auckland hurries up rail project
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Auckland Council has brought forward its spending on the City Rail Link (CRL). Money previously earmarked for the 2012-2013 CRL budget will now be spent in the current financial year. It will come from public transport and travel demand management projects that cannot be progressed in the 2011-12 year due…
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Hepatitis A outbreak: Auckland reports 31 cases
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As many as 31  children have been diagnosed with Hepatitis A as public health officials warn that the number may increase. As these cases are affecting school age children,  the health officials are working with nine schools and affected parents to assess risk and provide advice. “This is an evolving…
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Smoking bans in Australia coming soon
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An upcoming smoking ban in Australia is prompting a New Zealand group to ask similar bans across the ditch. Under new sweeping changes introduced by Australia’s health minister, Jillian Skinner, diners in New South Wales will not be able to smoke in public dining places across the state. The new…
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New IRS form to affect US NRIs
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Indians living in the US, like other foreigners, will be monitored even more closely for their overseas assets, with the new provisions being introduced by the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS has introduced an additional form – Form 8938 – which is a Statement of Specified Foreign Financial…
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OPINION: New Zealand needs more immigrants
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The country’s birth rate has reduced, death rate has increased, and it has recorded one of the lowest rates of population increase overall. It is time for New Zealand to open doors for migrants. Of course, the country can debate on what colour the new residents should be. But the…
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Facebook helps new migrant settle in
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A new migrant to New Zealand found Facebook very useful in the process of settling in a new country. Iris Pabayo, who recently migrated to New Zealand from Philippines, found contacts through Facebook. “The highlight of our settlement journey to New Zealand is Facebook,” says Pabayo, who has been in…
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UK pays $3.2m to wrongfully held refugees
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In what could be the largest immigration detention payout, the British government has paid a million pounds in compensation, and another million pounds in cash (a total of $3.2million), to teenage refugees it had wrongfully detained before 2005, the Guardian reported. The two million pound payout involved detention of 40…
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Forum to discuss human rights of Indian migrants
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New Delhi is hosting an international conference on human rights concerns of Indian Diaspora on 24 and 25 February. Hosted by Human Rights Defence India (HRDI), a New Delhi-based organisation, the conference on ‘Human Rights Concerns of Indian Diaspora’, will be inaugurated by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of Art of Living Foundation.  He…
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Indian exporters visit New Zealand
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Leading exporters of cashews, plastic and chemicals are visiting New Zealand to meet with buyers and importers to explore trade arrangements. The Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPC) is sending a 10-member delegation to Auckland for business meetings with local buyers and importers. The delegation comprises of prominent cashew industrialists…
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Review of funding policies to assist communities
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New Zealand’s largest council is preparing to review more than 400 of 1200 leases in council-owned land and buildings so as to streamline rental charges across the region and make it easier for community groups to budget for the rents of these venues. Auckland Council is reviewing policies covering support of…
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Meet the youngest person to get pacemaker
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Fifteen minutes – that’s how old Jaya was when surgeons sliced open her chest to put pacemaker on her walnut-sized heart. A team of 20 medical staff attended to the 3-pound infant, soon after she was born with a heart beat of 45; a healthy new-born has a heart beat…
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Rising food prices force children to starve – study
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Nearly a third of parents in the five countries where half of the world’s malnourished children live, including India, say their children complained they didn’t have enough to eat. One in six parents ask their children to skip school to work to help pay for the families’ food. New research by Save the…
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Police launch tool to predict domestic violence
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A tool which predicts the likelihood of re-assault in relationships will become a key part of the New Zealand Police’s response to family violence this year. As many as 39% of New Zealand women suffer physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to a study…
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Online Australia visa from Brazil, Argentina
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Getting visitors visa to Australia has become faster and more secure for tourists from Brazil and Argentina who can now apply online for visa to Australia. Applicants from Brazil and Argentina now have the ability to check the progress of their application electronically, says a spokesman for the Department of Immigration…
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Asians most discriminated against – survey
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Asians have been voted as the most discriminated community in a survey of New Zealanders. As many as 75% respondents named Asians as the most discriminated against group in New Zealand in the survey conducted for the Human Rights Commission’s annual review of racial discrimination. More disturbingly, this figure has remained…
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Council creates jobs for graduates
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New Zealand’s largest city is opening its doors for young people in an initiative that will provide around 230 work experience opportunities to 18-24 year olds. Auckland’s largest employer, Auckland Council has joined hands with the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Social Development to hire young people…
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Mayor’s fund open for community grants
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Money raised by the inaugural Auckland Mayoress’ Charity Gala Ball will soon be available to groups working with young Aucklanders as applications for grants are now open. The ball, hosted by Mayor Len Brown and Mayoress Shan Inglis last November, raised $170,000 towards the Mayoress’ Fund for Youth, an independent…
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Forum for migrants to share issues
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New immigrants to New Zealand will discuss their concerns and share feedback about their migration experience at a forum in Auckland this month. Auckland Regional Migrant Services (ARMS) is reconvening its Local Settlement Network Meeting at Auckland’s Fickling Centre  on 23 February. It is an important opportunity for local service providers…
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Kolaveri maker releases Sachin song
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South Indian actor-turned-singer Dhanush has released his latest song – The Sachin Song, in a tribute to India’s most adored cricket superstar – Sachin Tendulkar. Announcing the release of the song on Twitter, the Kolaveri-fame singer said:Â “THE SACHIN song officially out 4am today. let’s sing along-u. A humble attempt from…