COD: a municipal centre incorporated by the state or province, or a town created a city by charter and containing a cathedral.New York is in the process of trying to disengage itself from a 20-year-old commitment to this system of school governance , even as Chicago and other cities are moving to institute it .Locally elected school boards , especially in our larger cities , become the prey of ambitious , generally corrupt , and invariably demagogic local politicians or would-be politicians .Kazakhstan inherited one known chemical weapons ( CW ) production plant in the city of Pavlodar .The continued Iraqi use of FROG-7A artillery rockets against Iranian cities led to Iran 's interest in long - range artillery rockets and ballistic missiles .During the next three months , both sides conducted a small - scale `` War of the Cities , '' with Iran launching missiles at Baghdad and Iraq countering with Scud-B missile attacks upon number of Iranian border cities .Eight years of war with Iraq , multiple bombings of the Bushehr reactor site , chemical attacks on its forces , missile strikes on its cities , and an overall drain on its resources would certainly have had a devastating effect on Iran .Outside the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk , at least nine police officers were killed and three were wounded when a bomb detonated on an oil pipeline as they were trying to defuse it .`` Sydney Hospital 's capacity has been run down to the point where half - a - million people living and working in the city have been left far more exposed to the consequences of a terrorist attack or a bird flu outbreak , a hospital administrator has warned .Reduction in beds puts city [ Sydney ] at risk : hospital officialTwo main factories located in the cities of Kanggye and Sakchu are reportedly tasked with the final preparation , filling , and distribution of CW agents in artillery shells from 80 mm and larger , as well as 240 mm caliber artillery rockets .At the beginning of the second millennium b.c. , Jerusalem was a Canaanite mountain stronghold on a secondary trade route , far less important than biblical cities such as Hazor , Megiddo , Beth Shean , and Shechem .If true , this is an ironic name for a city that would become one of the most constantly and bitterly embattled places on the face of the earth .In the Bible , Genesis 14:18 - 20 records that Abraham visited the city of `` Salem '' in approximately 1800 b.c. and was blessed by the city 's ruler , Melchzedik , who offered him bread and wine .The city is not mentioned again in the Bible until the time of the great poet warrior , King David , who captured the city from the Jebusites in about 1000 b.c. .The Bible describes how David 's soldiers conquered Jerusalem by discovering a water tunnel under the walls and using it to take the city by surprise .Perhaps because Jerusalem was in neutral territory not allotted to any of the twelve rival tribes of Israel , David made it the capital of his newly formed kingdom and brought the most talented artisans , dedicated priests , magical poets and musicians , and the most formidable soldiers from each of the tribes to live in his city .There the Ark rested until it was placed in the Temple , built in approximately 960 b.c. on Mt. Moriah , the high point at the northern end of the city .Under the wise reign of Solomon , the city flourished as the capital of an empire that stretched from Damascus to the Red Sea and controlled the trade routes from Egypt to Phoenicia .Thanks to King Hezekiah 's hidden water tunnel , the city narrowly escaped destruction .The people of the once - glorious city were forced into an exile known as `` the Babylonian Captivity . ''In time , the kingdom of Babylon was overthrown and the Israelites were permitted to return to Jerusalem in 539 b.c. The city was now under the more tolerant rule of the Persians , but rebuilding was slow work .The Second Temple was finished in 515 b.c. , but much of the city still lay in ruins .The Holy City and the Temple were destroyed .For 60 years Jerusalem lay in ruins , until the Roman Emperor Hadrian ordered the city rebuilt as a Roman town dedicated to Jupiter .The planned new Roman city , Aelia Capitolina , was built over the ruins of Herodian Jerusalem , and Jews were barred from residing there for all time .Jerusalem 's physical existence as a spiritual city seemed finished , but its spiritual power for Jews , and for the struggling new Christian religion , remained .She found that the city 's most beautiful Roman temple , dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite , stood on the site of the crucifixion .The Christians , however , could not hold the city .The city struggled to rebuild from Crusader wars and invasions .Much of the best Islamic architecture in the city was constructed in the Mameluke era , but the past thousand years had taken their toll : Jerusalem was unable to regain the prosperity it had enjoyed in earlier times .The Holy City remained a backwater until the 19th century , when renewed interest among Christian pilgrims made it the destination of thousands of travelers each year .West Jerusalem , separated from the rest of the new Jewish nation , held out under siege for several months until Israeli forces secured a land corridor connecting the city to the coastal areas .As a result of armistice agreements in 1949 , Jerusalem was divided : West Jerusalem was to be under Israeli control , and East Jerusalem ( including the Old City , with its Jewish , Muslim , Christian , and Armenian quarters ) came under Jordanian authority .However , with the city partitioned by fortifications and barbed wire , no Israeli or Jewish pilgrims were allowed to visit the Western Wall or other Jewish sites in East Jerusalem .For the next 19 years , Jerusalem was two cities .Within three days the city was completely in Israeli hands , and in two weeks it was physically and administratively reunited .Today , as always , Jerusalem is a city of controversies : religious Jews in conflict with secular Jews ; Palestinians calling for independence ; many residents protesting a wave of high - rise development that many claim will turn the Holy City into a holy megalopolis .This busy , modern European city sits on a thousand years of history -- history is present everywhere , from elegant Merrion Square to the bullet holes on the General Post Office .It 's also a city of the imagination , reinvented and reappraised in the literature of its exiles .And the old Dublin is with us , too -- the irreverent city of wit and charm and that peculiar magic possessed by Ireland and the Irish .And Dublin , a city large in expectations , is still small enough for the visitor to see most of its sights on foot .The River Liffey flows from west to east through the center of the city to Dublin Bay .The river forms a natural line between the north and south sections of the city .Dublin is an intimate city , physically small but tightly packed , a perfect place for walking .O'Connell Street , the city 's grand boulevard , leads north to Parnell Square .The climate here can best be described as `` changeable '' and yet the sudden shifts from light to dark , sunshine to shower , are part of the city 's magic .Literature has always flourished in Dublin , the only city to have produced three Nobel Prize winners for literature -- Yeats , Shaw , and Beckett .However , sometimes it seems that the city produced artists of this stature by accident , even against its will .The city 's impact on the rock and pop music scene with the likes of U2 and Bob Geldof is well known -- there 's even a self-guided tour of their haunts .And in this city , where literature and theater have historically dominated the scene , visual arts are finally coming into their own with the new Museum of Modern Art and the many galleries that display the work of modern Irish artists .Coffee has replaced the ubiquitous tea -- Dublin is now almost as much a coffee city as Vienna or Seattle .In a city of such human proportions it is not surprising that parks and gardens abound for recreation and relaxation .Phoenix Park in the northwest is the largest open space , but squares like St . Stephen 's Green are the garden oases of the city .There are many guided bus tours to sights outside the city , and some are accessible by city bus .Dublin is a young city .The universities attract students from all over the world , and this influx helps to make Dublin a busy , buzzing international city .City on the LiffeyThe new culture spread throughout the Mediterranean , helped by a huge increase in migration from the mainland to new settlements such as Carthage , a Greek city on the African coast of the Mediterranean .Constantinople was taken by Crusader forces in 1204 , and they stripped the city of many of its finest treasures -- which now grace the public buildings of Venice -- although a large consignment of books and manuscripts was transferred to the monastery at Patmos before the city fell .He promised a modern state for his people , but as the situation became volatile , civil strife broke out in Turkish cities , and those considered Greek were victims of threats and violence .In joining SCS , you join the ranks of those who believe that bringing art and art education to the city makes life better , richer , and more rewarding for the entire community .It follows growing concern among members of Britain 's intelligence and security hierarchy that if a CBRN attack took place in the City of London it would devastate Britain 's economy and severely damage the economies of Europe and America . ( Telegraph .co.uk , 25Jun06 , Sean Rayment ) ( Link )2- Being close to cities is important in order to have important services .Dubai 10-28 ( FP ) - Dubai 's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum inaugurated a free zone for e-commerce today , called Dubai Internet City .It did n't take long for the city to establish itself as a wild- West town with an `` anything goes '' attitude .That , combined with the formation of the Nevada Gaming Control Board , would signal the beginning of the end for heavy mob influence in the city .As evidence of the `` ever-faster '' nature of the city , by the middle of the 1990s the new approach showed signs of backlash , with many visitors criticizing the mediocrity of the Las Vegas experience .New resorts offer attractions and amenities modeled after those available in top resort cities worldwide , including luxurious spas , signature restaurants , and exclusive boutiques .Hong Kong has long been China 's handiest window on the West , and the city is unrivaled in its commercial know-how and managerial expertise .But in fact , there have been changes , many of them due to economic progress , new construction , and other factors that influence cities all over the world .To alleviate the problem , the government has become the city 's major landlord with the construction of massive apartment blocks that , though they have every modern facility , average only 9 square m ( 100 square ft ) in size .Whole cities have been created in the New Territories , although the unimaginative architecture of these towns has been criticized .The crowded Kowloon peninsula and the booming New Territories on the mainland call for some serious sightseeing ; but we begin across Victoria Harbor on Hong Kong Island , where the city was first founded and which remains the center of government , business , and commerce .Across from the mansion , the Zoological and Botanical Gardens ( gardens open daily 6 am - 10 pm ; zoo 6 am - 7 pm ; admission free ) provide a welcome oasis amid the big - city pressures .Views of the city and the harbor are panoramic .You can also take a ferry to Macau to find an entirely different kind of city , a unique blend of Chinese and Iberian culture .It 's anyone 's guess what may happen in the future , but for now Hong Kong bristles with energy and ambition , and for the visitor , this beautiful city with its contrasts and variety is an exhilarating experience .The temple is one of the many dedicated to Tin Hau , goddess of seafarers ; this one also houses an altar to Shing Wong , the city 's god .City buses also go to Shenzhen .A very popular day - trip from Guangzhou goes to Foshan , a city of nearly 300,000 people , renowned for its handicrafts for more than a thousand years .Yuexiu Park , situated near the Trade Fair in the northern part of the city , is Guangzhou 's largest ; it covers a hilly 100 hectares ( 247 acres ) .In the park is the 1380 Zhenhai Tower , one of the city 's oldest buildings .It celebrates the founding of Guangzhou , when five spirits rode their goats down from the celestial realm to present the inhabitants of the city with their very first grains of rice .There are many package tours to Guangzhou from Hong Kong ( see page 113 ) , and this may be the easiest way to visit the city .Guangzhou is interestingly one of China 's most prosperous cities , determinedly on the move into the modern world .The city still maintains its important gateway role .Guangzhou , with a population of more than 5 million , straddles the Pearl River - China 's fifth longest - which links the city to the South China Sea .On top of a hill in the center of the city , it 's approached by a grand staircase .New construction in the past 10 years has changed the city 's skyline ; with new , glittering hotels and highrise apartment blocks , the city is beginning to look a little more like Hong Kong .The central square of the historic city center is Largo do Senado .If a trace of tropical lethargy still adds to the charm in this city of sidewalk cafes , palm trees , and pedicabs , any torpor definitely ends once inside the doors of Macau 's casinos , scene of some of the liveliest gambling west of Las Vegas .The inscription over the archway reads , `` Cidade do nome de Deus , nao ha outra mais leal '' - `` City of the Name of God , None is More Loyal '' - a bit of praise attributed to Portugal 's King John IV in the 17th century .For all its historic grandeur , the loyal Senate now is the equivalent of a city council , its statesmanship dedicated to water supplies , sewage lines , and the establishment of playgrounds .Though the two cities remained unlinked by rail , this was about to change quickly .The hordes of people who attended Hoover Dam 's 1935 dedication set the city 's now-formidable public relations machine into action .However , there are currently around 1000 people under mandatory evacuations , and the city has been declared in a state of emergency .Large clouds of smoke were continuing to pour out of the building , casting a thick pall of smoke over the city skyline .Though Las Vegas had developed a powerful local economy , few major outside investments were made in the city , due primarily to mob infiltration and its inherent ties to illegal activities .Still , the future of Las Vegas is sure to be determined as much by the pioneering spirit that built the city as by anything else .Turbo Cat ferries leave the China Hong Kong City ( CHKC ) terminal twice a day ; the journey takes two hours .The earliest name associated with the city , Ur usalim , perhaps meant `` city of Shalim '' or `` founded by Shalim . 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