Drug trade continues to flourish

Disturbing new research reveals that around four million people use illegal drugs each year in the United Kingdom.
Whether we accept it or not, it is happeneng right in front of our eyes. It raises many questions like, how do so many people access the illegal drugs? Who is making it possible? What are the implications? I did a research to find these answers. Here's what I found-


Home delivery
A bunch of under graduate students is frequently trying to call somebody on the cell phone- no response. After 5 minutes they get a call from a private number-
Boy- hello! Who’s this?
Man’s voice- where you calling on my other number a while ago?
Boy- oh yes! Are u Rajiv (name changed)?
Man’s voice- yes I am. What do you want?
Boy- I want some green (cannabis) and coke (cocaine) to be delivered at university of xyz at around 8 pm tonight. Can you get it for me?
Man’s voice- sure! I’ll see you sharp at 8:15 outside the university campus. Look for a black Mercedes. I’ll charge £80.
Beep...beep...Call cuts
It’s so easy to get drugs in this country that even the college kids have access to it. Moreover, you don’t need to go to any shady place to get it. It can be delivered anywhere anytime.
The boy who ordered the drugs over the phone later said, “I always get stuff like this. It’s so easy and exiting. And Rajiv looks so cool. He looks like a manager or something. And his car is so cool...I got his number from my friends. Everyone has it and we keep passing around his number. There are many other dealers also who do this kind of delivery. But, Rajiv gives the best stuff and at a very good price.


How the chain works
During the 1970s, when the government started to make laws to prohibit illegal drug trade, the addicts started to look for a new supply and a small black market developed around Piccadilly Circus and Leicester square in London. Almost every drug could be easily brought from this place from the peddlers. In search of funds to buy those drugs many of those addicts started selling to friends and their friends and the chain kept growing and the black market kept expanding.
Strikingly, even today, almost anyone can get hold of these drugs pretty easily at these places in London.


A personal encounter
One evening, I was walking around Leicester square in London. Suddenly, a guy starts walking next to me and whispers, “want some coke?” I say yes. The guy asks me to follow him. He asks me to wait outside a restaurant in the corner of the street. He goes to get the drug from his partner while I am waiting. Suddenly, a police officer comes and starts interrogating me. I freak out. I want to run away. But the drug guy comes back and shakes hand with the officer. They both whisper something to each other and laugh. The guy offers me the drug right in front of the officer. I am in shock....
From the above narration it’s quite obvious that even the protectors of law are involved in flourishing this evil trade. Several investigative reports on drug related police corruption suggest that a large number of on duty police officers engage in serious criminal activities like protecting drug operation on a regular basis.


The Peddler
I managed to talk to one such peddler in detail about the whole business. Here is a summary of what he told me...
“I started smoking cannabis when I was 12...today I need at least one joint every hour, I can’t walk without it. I need a dose of coke every night or I won’t get sleep...I started selling them around 10 years ago because my parents would not give me money, I had no money to buy these drugs for myself...I need it to survive, it’s my air, water and food...it’s a very safe business as long as you have good terms with the police. I give them one third of my profit to keep my business running. They are very nice people. They save us. Today, I sell cocaine, heroin, poppy, cannabis..all of them..you just name it and I’ll get whatever amount you want...”


The Police
When I tried to get a comment on this issue from the metropolitan police, a superintendent Joseph Meguire(name changed) said, “according to our investigation, there is not a single drug dealer operating in Piccadilly or Leicester area. Constant patrolling is conducted round the clock and no police officer is involved in such trade. Your claims are baseless and they are wrong and I would not make any further comment on that.”
Clearly the police do not want to accept their wrong doings. They claim they never got any such report.


They are crippling and killing us
Cocaine, heroin, cannabis etc. can be easily obtained from these peddlers who stroll around all over the city. These drugs are highly addictive and deadly. It cripples its victims physically, mentally and emotionally. It is the black market and not the drug itself that is responsible for the sufferings of its users. Black market drugs are dangerous and poisonous because the peddlers adulterate it with other substances for increasing their profit. The addicts involved in the black market overdose because they don’t have the knowledge about the purity of the drug. These addicts are thin and sick because all their money goes to the drug dealers and they are left with nothing to eat. They steal and commit several crimes for money to fund their addiction. These addicts start using a particular drug and think that they can control their habit. But, over a period of time the continued use makes a person physically, emotionally and mentally dependent on that drug.
Governments all over the world spend millions to stop drug trade and on numerous awareness programmes. Millions are arrested every year for drug related crimes. But all the effort goes in vain when corruption takes over. Even though the sale, possession or consumption of weed is illegal in the UK, this trade seems to be flourishing right under the nose of the caretakers of law and order. Today, drugs are more easily available. It is purer and cheaper.
 A 1998 report by the General Accounting Office notes that on-duty police officers involved in drug-related corruption engage in serious criminal activities such as (1) conducting unconstitutional searches and seizures; (2) stealing money and/or drugs from drug dealers; (3) selling stolen drugs; (4) protecting drug operations; (5) providing false testimony; and (6) submitting false crime reports.
In the 16-29 age group, 50% had tried drugs in their lifetime, 25% in the last year and 16% in the last month. Cannabis was the most commonly used drug: over a fifth of young people aged 16-29 reported using it on a regular basis. (Source: Home Affairs Committee Third Report - "The Government's Drug Policy: Is it working?")
 There were considerable regional variations in prevalence for particular drugs. London had consistently higher rates than other regions for Class A drugs, cocaine and ecstasy.

Can we survive if the Irish go down in debt?

Britain has offered monetary help to Ireland. The first question that arises in my mind is, what about repayment? The question is whether Ireland will be able to clear all it's debt and what if their economy sinks even after all the help from the world? Can Irish situation sink the british aswell? After all, we are on the same boat.
The UK government has offered a £7bn. loan to Ireland. In addition to that, Ireland is seeking an internationl rescue loan worth£77bn. Well, that is a huge sum of money which comes with a huge debt on Ireland. The Interest rates are high and repaying such a huge loan can be a nightmare and if Ireland can manage that, it will be a boon for UK in the long run. It's not just about helping Ireland, it's about safeguarding our own future.


Is this the right step for UK?
Irish crisis can have devastating effects on british economy. Ireland is one of the biggest trading partner for Britain. Crisis in there means crisis here. According to Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), "We have to participate in Irish bailout because we cannot afford to have such a major market collapse on us".


Other concerns
Britain itself is not in a sound economic state. We are still recovering from the 2007 recession. Tougher immigration laws, and spending cut reviews, job crisis are just few of the mountain of problems we are already facing.
Its clear that the government feels it is capable of taking this risk. May be I am wrong even in terming it as a risk. If we are really so sound, why are we torturing people with reviewing child benefit cuts, spending reviews and tougher immigration laws.


Its time to strengthen our own economy
Whatever the officials and the statistics say, my greatest concern as well as people's is how will we cope if things don't work out as expected? Our economy is not in a sound condition to take such huge risks.

Basking in the Brighton sun!

It is one of the most visited beach cities in Britain since the Britons crave for sun all the time and Brighton is considered the sunniest beach in Britain.

The beach has no trace of sand at all. It has pebbles all around which shine like burnt copper in the basking warm sun.  Though the weather in Brighton is unpredictable like the rest of England, during summer months it’s really a wonderful escape. It is a vibrant, colourful, creative and relaxed city which makes it stand out from rest of England. There are relaxed and happy faces everywhere; there is no rush for anything yet everyone is doing their job. When there is need to take a break, walk down to the beach. There are numerous restaurants, pubs and nightclubs along the beach.

Brighton sky just after sunset

Apart from the beach, Devil’s dyke i.e. a V shaped valley near Brighton and has an amazing view is very popular among tourists. Brighton Pier, a dome shaped structure facing the sea is another wonderful place to take a walk and clear the head.

What you may dislike

Over all Brighton is an interesting place for a short trip or to hang out. One little thing that I dislike about Brighton is the stony pebble beach. The pebbles hit really bad in the water as they move with the waves and God help you if the waves are too strong. Even walking along the beach on the pebbles feels uncomfortable. Though many people prefer pebbles to sand as it doesn’t settle on the scalp and cloths.

Getting here:

By rail, Brighton is just an hour away from London and it is well connected by road also. One can take a direct rail link form the Eurostar at St. Pancreas in London or a National express train from London Bridge or Victoria. Coach Service is available from Victoria coach station, Gatwick airport and Heathrow airport. The next summer holiday to Brighton may well 'brighten' your year.

A day out in Greenwich

Time begins in Greenwich. A day out in Greenwich can be a refreshing and enriching experience. Greenwich is a world heritage site and is known for the Prime Meridian (0.00 longitude) and The Royal Observatory. It is one of those places which I would love to visit again and its not just because it is a great tourist spot, but because of the happy feeling in its atmosphere. Every single person in this town looks happy and smiling which gives away a very positive feeling. Greenwich is really worth visiting.

Getting here:
Though the best time to visit Greenwich is summer, I feel any sunny day can be a good day for it. Greenwich is just 6 miles away from London and is well connected by water, road and rail. The best way to get here is by public transport. One can take a ferry or boat from Westminster Bridge or Millennium Bridge in central London to Greenwich Pier. You can also use the Dockland Light Railway, Rail and Tube services to reach Greenwich. Another good option is taking the Greenwich foot tunnel. It is a pedestrian tunnel under the river Thames between Greenwich and London. The northern entrance (London side) to the tunnel is close to Island gardens train station (DLR).

Getting around:
Greenwich is home to beautiful architecture and rich history. Maritime Greenwich is a world heritage site and it includes places like Greenwich Park, The Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum, and The Royal Naval College etc. They are all beautiful and quite popular among tourists. Greenwich Park is on a hilly land and the view from the top is mesmerising. One has to visit this place to understand its beauty.
Apart from sightseeing, this place also has several markets which specialise in the products on offer. Look for the flea market as it is easy to miss and the antiques market. They have lots of interesting tiny shops which sell funky cloths, junk jewellery, antiques and good food.

Indian festival of chhath winds up

The four day long hindu festival of Chhath was celebrated all over India from 10th to 13th November this year. It is a festival dedicated to the divine form of Sun. Chhath is celebrated every year to express gratitude to Sun for sustaining life on earth. It is mostly celebrated by the people of Bihar in north India.

The rituals

The rituals are rigorous, strict and continue for four days. Day 1: On the first day, the devotees take bath in the river and prepare sweets at home for offering. They cook in new utensils and use cow dung cakes for fire. The whole house is cleaned and decorated.
Day 2: The devotees observe fast for whole day which is broken in the evening with a feast of rice pudding, puris (wheat flour puffs), fruits and sweets.

Day 3: On the third day the devotees go on strict fast for more than 36 hours during which they don’t even drink water. Whole day at home, they prepare food and sweets for offering. In the evening, they go to the river where they take bath and stand in the water with half body in water for a long time offering prayers to the setting Sun.
Day 4: This is the final and grand festival day. The devotees again go to the river bank to pray and make offerings to the rising sun, this time. Chhath is celebrated at the crack of dawn on the river bank. It is a mesmerising and magical scene. Thousands of devotees with their families and friends gather on the banks of the river. They play folk music and burst crackers on this occasion. The devotees break their fast at the end of the celebration and sweets and offerings are given away to friends and family.

The atmosphere during chhath seems like a carnival full of joy and colour. Loud folk music is played everywhere. Everyone wears new colourful cloths on this occasion. Huge crowds of dancing and singing people together go to the banks of the river. The banks are cleaned and decorated for the festival. The streets are decorated with lights and flowers. All kinds of socio- economin differences and barriers are forgotten during this time and people from every strata of society come together to celebrate Chhath.

Vitayu Ukraine!!!

Travelling is one of the most exiting aspects of life. Life is a journey which has all sorts of ups and downs. But within this journey we make lots of little journeys by travelling from one place to another and going on holidays. Life stuck at one place can be boring and depressing and that is why we all travel. We need to keep moving to keep our lives fresh and energetic. We meet new people, encounter new cultures, see beautiful places, and absorb the beauty of life. As long as one is alive, one should not stop moving.


I love travelling watching travelogues and writing about them. Recently, I watched a travelogue about Ukraine which inspired me to write about it for my readers. Ukraine is a beautiful country in Eastern Europe. It is a very colorful country, rich in culture and history. There is much to offer tourists, many lovely sights, beaches, historical places, castles, dance, music and nightlife. A wide variety of attractions in Ukraine capture the interest of tourists from the world over.

Feodosia and Crimea are one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Ukraine.

Located on the sea, this place is very popular among young adventurous tourists, fun loving and who want to enjoy and indulge in life. It offers a wide range of adventure sports like sky diving, paragliding, rafting, water sports, rock climbing.

The nightlife in Feodosia with dance, trance music, alcohol and dreamy situations give the feel of hippie culture. Ukraine also has a rich history, which dates back to several millennia, and the remains can be seen in its old castles at several archaeological sites. All in all it is can be a great place to chill out for young people. And don’t forget to learn few Ukranian phrases before heading out. Vitayu stands for hello in Ukrainian.

How relevant are the commonwealth games?

The 19th commonwealth games have been so far surrounded by controversies.
A lot of ace athletes like the Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt pulled out of the commonwealth games giving reasons like security, sudden injury and also reasons like to prepare for other important events. The games seem to have turned into a mere platform for amateur or struggling athletes from around the world. The commonwealth games is an international event in which athletes from commonwealth of nations take part and compete for sports that are mainly played in these countries. Most of these countries were once colonies of the British Empire. It is an event where all the countries which were once under the British rule get together. An important question that arises is, “why are we still celebrating the hideous past of being a British colony when there are other major and important game events already in existence?” Every year most of the athletes pull out of the commonwealth games. Countries hosting these games end up spending billions on its organisation. Most of these countries are developing or underdeveloped where poverty is widespread. There are problems which need emergency attention.


After a series of setbacks that plagued the games this year, empty stadiums is another problem for the organisers. Thousands of tickets to the games still remain unsold. The organisers are giving away free tickets to fill the stadiums. Amid such problems the relevance of the games has become questionable. But, the game goes on.

Spectacular start to one of the greatest sports event

The commonwealth games opening ceremony turned out to be a grand celebration showcasing the diverse and vibrant cultural diversity of India.
It was a mesmerising display of Indian hospitality and cultural flamboyance. A breath taking performance of traditional craftsmanship, various folk dance forms and music from twenty eight different states of India was presented in front of the huge audience at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in New Delhi. Performers from all over India took part in this ceremony. These were the ordinary Indians who worked hard and practised for several months to perform.


It definitely helped India gain some positive review around the world but, the games have cost more than £ 3 billion which is far more than the estimated cost. It is a huge sum for a country where 42% population is still below poverty line and survives on less than $2 per day. Thousands of such people had been forced to evict land at various sites for the construction of games venues. India’s decision to host the games has not been a happy experience for all. The government hopes that such events can help India build a positive image and attract tourism which is a major source of income for the Indian economy.

The opening ceremony ended with the breath taking musical performance by Oscar winning musician AR Rehman. He sang the self composed inspirational theme song ‘jiyo utho badho jeeto’ and also the song ‘jai ho’ which got India its Oscar. After all the controversy surrounding the games in the past few weeks, this seems like a good start and hopefully it will end also on a good note. The 12 day long games event has now officially started. The games will take place in stadiums spread all over the capital. There is a sense of energy and excitement all over the city.

London goes through the second day of tube strikes

Commuters are facing problems all over London as the tube strikes continue on the second day. Nearly three million Londoners use the tube every day and a 24 hr tube strike has caused a lot of disruptions.

The members of RMT and TSSA are on strike over the government’s plan to cut 800 ticket office jobs. Transport for London said, “The strike is pointless because assurances have been given to union leaders that staffing changes come with no compulsory redundancies or loss of earnings.” It also said that they are doing their best to reduce disruptions.

Special service is provided on all the lines but, there are severe delays. There are over 100 replacement buses in service and heavy traffic can be seen on the roads since people are travelling in cars and cabs. Enough information about the strike had not been sent out and most people said, they were not aware about it. A student said, “People don’t have time in the morning to check whether the tubes are running or not. They should make prior announcements about such disruptions”. Another commuter said, “There are disruptions but, I am in favour of strikes because this is the only way to make your voice heard. The government should change its policy. People are striking because they are unhappy and it’s the government’s responsibility to keep every citizen happy.”

This is the time of the year when lots of new students from all over Britain and abroad come to London and they are not used to the underground services. Having no one at the stations and ticket counters for guidance is causing difficulties for people in that situation.
The strike will continue until 7 o’clock this evening.

Games all set to take off

It is the commonwealth games opening ceremony today.
Prince Charles has arrived in Delhi for the games and to represent the Queen and after all the chaos about making Delhi fit for the games, the biggest concern now is security which is understandable since the verdict on the Ayodhya issue has also just come out. There are chances that it may trigger communal riots in the country.

The scene in Delhi is that of a warzone. More than 1.15 lakhs police personnel are guarding the capital, a number higher than the entire police force of the United Kingdom. Being constantly in news for terrorist attacks on it, security is a major concern in this country during an event like this. The city is on high alert. The number of guards on the roads, stations and airports seem equal to the number of people around. The commuters are being frisked and searched at every tube and railway station. The city is buzzing with activity and people are hopeful for successful and memorable games.

The opening ceremony may become one of the most memorable events for most of the guests and athletes since it is going to be a grand show of India’s cultural diversity. Artists from all over the country are participating in the event. The event will be covered by all the major news networks from around the world and will be broadcast live.

India has been in news for the past few weeks for all the wrong reasons and especially due to last week’s reports about the game’s village being not suitable for human habitation. The government is hopeful that the opening ceremony will be remarkable and it can save India’s damaged reputation.

Commonwealth Games 2010: Can it save India’s Image?

The government got seven years to prepare for the games but could not avoid last minute tragedies.

Preparing for the commonwealth games has been a chaotic affair for India. Only 12 days before the games a footbridge near the main event’s stadium collapsed. Though the bridge has been reconstructed now with the help of the Indian army, this story made headlines all over the world and the Indian government received a lot of criticism. The BBC News reported about Delhi as “filthy, unsafe, unfit and uninhabitable” for commonwealth and the athletes. There were videos of dirty bathrooms and stray dogs laying on the beds meant for atheletes. This news rolled for more than 24 hours and I am sure each Indian must have felt a jolt of shame in their nerves. The situation had become so bad that at last the PM Manmohan Singh had to step up and make apologies for such last minute tragedies.


But, New Delhi is now all geared up to save the crisis hit games and their reputation. The scene is of a battle ground with all the action all over the city. Every nook and corner of the city is being cleaned and decorated. Roads have been broadened and painted everywhere with separate commonwealth special lanes for game’s use only. A charge of Rs. 2000 has been set for anyone driving in those lanes. The historic city centre ‘Connaught Place’ has been finally completely refurbished which took more than 7 years. The metro rail is now able to connect almost all parts of the city now. All the old junkyard buses have been replaced by London style double-decker red and green ones. The illegal migrants strolling around and living on the streets of Delhi have been locked up for at least few days to avoid chaos.

The city and its preparations for the commonwealth are really looking much better now. It would have been so much better if these steps had been taken earlier. India could have escaped such shameful criticism at least. But, it’s better late than never.

Green Buildings

Here is a short documentary about sustainable developments in the UK. This talks about the new interesting pattern of sustainable development through green buildings and housings.

Al-qaeda chief killed in Yemen

The militant leader of an al-qaeda cell in yemen was killed in a gun battle with the yemenese security forces last night.  
Abdullah-al-Mehdaar was killed in a raid on a house in the remote province of shabwa. There are reports that the security forces arrested for other suspects in the raid. According to the security officers, Yemeni forces had surrounded the house, in a mountainous region, and exchanged fire with some 20 militants inside. The remaining militants escaped. According to a provincial governer, the dead militant had been one of the top al-Qaeda leaders in Yemen.

Yemen has stepped up its operations against al-Qaida with increased help from the US. Both the countries fear that al-Qaeda will capitalise on Yemen's instability to spread its operations around the surrounding area.

The spotlight was turned on Yemen after the Yemen-based group Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula accepted that failed bomb attack on a US-bound airliner on 25 December was carried out by them.
Earlier this week, President Barack Obama said he had "no intention" of sending US troops to Yemen or Somalia to combat militant groups in those countries.
Analysts say al-Qaeda militants have been moving to Yemen after coming under pressure in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and following a crackdown in Saudi Arabia.
Last week, Yemeni officials said another local al-Qaeda leader and two other militants had been arrested after being injured in a raid in the province.

Anglo-Indian Nuclear Deal: Yes Or No?

India and britain are all set to sign a nuclear deal. This agreement will enable India to receive british products and skills and the two countries will be able to share nuclear technology.

A civil nuclear agreement between India and Britain seems to be on the threshold. British secretary of state for business, Lord Peter Mandelson indicated that they are all set to sign the deal. The agreement will be signed during the visit of the Indian commerce minister Anand Sharma to Britain next month.

Lord  Mandelson was said to be disappointed that such an agreement was not concluded during his visit to Delhi last month. According to a source at the Indian High Commission, India objected to a non-proliferation clause in the draft submitted by the UK.

However, even if the mentioned declaration is signed next month, this cannot become operational until New Delhi changes its policy of restricting nuclear collaboration to public sector entities. Most of the potential British suppliers of technology and nuclear energy are in the private sector.

Lord Mandelson said the agreement would cover a range of inputs and activities involved in the fuel and technology sector.

Walk-on-by

A man was stabbed to death while trying to stop two muggers who had stolen a woman's bag in London this Friday. Metropolitan Police insist that “they don’t want anyone else to do it”. Is the walk-on-by culture, otherwise prevalent in London, the right way?


Sukhwinder Singh, 31, an Indian national was killed in an incident in East London. According to SkyNews.com, “Sukhwinder Singh pursued two men who robbed a 28-year-old woman near Barking station in east London.When he caught up with the pair a fight broke out and the 31-year-old was knifed.” Locals and onlookers felt that Sukhwinder was brave enough to chase the robbers along Victoria Road into Uphall Road, where he was attacked by the two muggers with knife. According to skyNews.com, “He was taken to the Royal London hospital but later died. A post-mortem is due to take place”.

This incident has once again opened the Pandora box of debate on whether people should intervene if they witnessed the crime or just walk-on-by? The Metropolitan Police has an unusual stand, a shift from their earlier statement where they suggested “walk-on-by culture fuels violent crimes”. The Met officer this time conveyed that, “We don’t want anyone else to do this”. The Met police spokesman, Guy Dehn told BBC London that “The Met is now giving a different message” He added that “there is a shift in the message coming from Met Police and that’s very welcome.” Clearly, now the Met Police is feels that they are better off dealing crimes relating to mugging than murder.

Sukhwinder was the lone bread earner for his family in India and was trying to help an Indian student, who he did not know. Although the Met Police message leaves the common men much uninspired from confronting and challenging during a crime, it can lead to less collateral damage, is what the Met police wants to believe.

Until another incident make Londoners and the Met Police think differently, walk-on-by culture is what we follow.

Commonwealth games put delhi under high pressure

The countdown to commonwealth games has started and everyone all over india seem to be waiting for the games to commence. But for delhi, where the games are going to take place seems over burdened.
 Entire delhi looks like a massive construction site. All the roads have been dug, new flyovers, underpasses, tunnels, subways and metro(tube) lines are being constructed. The stadiums all over delhi, where the games are going to take place are going through rigorous renovation. Its a chaos all over delhi. Road blockades and traffic jams are a common and regular scene in this city. The delhi government is trying its best to prepare the city for the games in time but, they still seem to have a long way to go. Ideally, the city should have been having its finishing touches at this point of time. But, a huge amount of construction work is still underway. Hosting the commonwealth games is a matter of honour for any country but, delhi under such high pressure is taking it as an imposition. Several countries will be participating in the games and there will be an influx of a huge number of foreign tourists to witness the events of the games.

What needs to be done?

Apart from making the city beautiful and comfortable for the games, the government also needs to upgrade the security level of the city to give the audience a comfortable stay. The number of hotels in the city is also not enough for the amount of tourists expected during the games. Almost all the hotels have already been booked and the waiting list is long. Systems like the bread and breakfast scheme needs to be started. Though the delhi government seem to be working hard towards it, the transport system also requires fixing. To make transport tourist friendly, the bus, taxi and auto drivers are given training to converse in fluent English. In such a situation the government needs to work harder and faster to reach the goal. Participation and cooperation of the general public are very important for this purpose. Its never too late. What Delhi requires is just gear up and go!!!

Attacks on Indians in Australia

In the past few months, a lot of Indians have been attacked in Australia. The media and the politicians are terming it as racist attacks because people from particularly the Indian race are being attacked.
In recent attacks, Nitin Garg, a 21 year old graduate student was stabbed and killed. A 29 year old man Jaspreet Singh was set on fire by a few locals. He sustained 15 % burns. The investigation in both the cases is on and no one has been convicted yet. The Australian police does not seem to accept these attacks as racist.

Job Crisis
Every year, thousands of young Indians go to Australia for the purpose of studies and once it completes, they start working there. Majority of them also work part time while studying. The Australians see Indians as their job snatchers. They feel that the Indians are eclipsing their job prospects. The international students bring in a big chunk of export income for Australia. The series of attacks on Indian students will result in a severe decline in the tourism industry and arrival of international students in the country. According to the tourism forecasting committee of Australia, this trend will give a severe blow to the country’s economy. These attacks are increasing the tensions between india and Australia.

Indian students in Australia are living in fear. A lot of them are forced to dress up differently and put on makeup to hide their identity. Despite repeated assurances from the Australian government, the attacks don’t seem to stop. In fact, their severity has increased many folds.

Tibet: where the Tibetans belong?

The Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959 forced His Holiness the Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibetans to leave their homeland Tibet and take shelter in India, Nepal and Bhutan as refugees.


Settling down in a completely new region away from their homeland was an emotional and tough task for them. They faced a lot of trouble adjusting with the new lifestyle, language, culture and climate. After leaving Tibet their first priorities were rehabilitation, education for children and preservation of Tibetan culture and identity. During this situation the Indian government played the role of a friendly neighbor and gave the Tibetans all the assistance possible. The first Tibetan settlement in India was established in 1960 and the first school for Tibetan refugees also came into being the same year. Then onwards, the Tibetans started setting up monasteries, nunneries and several institutions to preserve Tibetan language, culture and heritage.

In April 1959, the Tibetan government in exile was established in Dharamsala. It is popularly Known as Central Tibetan Administration (CTA)The Tibetans both Inside and outside recognize the CTA as their sole and legitimate government.

Present condition

There are over 60 Tibetan settlements in south Asia i.e. India Nepal and Bhutan. The life in these settlements is very simple and easy going. Their main occupation is agriculture and they also indulge in small scale businesses like woolen cloth trade during winters.
A total of 130,000 Tibetans are living in exile worldwide out of which more than 90,000 live in India and in the west the largest concentration of Tibetans is located in USA and Canada.
Every year more than 3000 Tibetans migrate to India leaving their homeland. Today, the educated Tibetan youth is fighting with problems like identity crisis and unemployment and is struggling to safeguard their cultural identity.

The 2010 Auto Expo Success

The seven day auto-expo in New Delhi in the first week of January, proved to be a major hit by greeting over 2 million automobile enthusiasts.
Auto Expo is the Complete Automotive Show organized jointly by Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). The first Auto Expo was held in 1986, the second in 1993, and the third in 1996. Since then, Auto Expo has been institutionalized as a biennial show.

Its huge success shows that the automobile industry in india has not been much affected by the global economic slowdown. The show saw more new launches than any other previous edition with international firms taking the lead. A total of 25 new models were unveiled.

The huge success of the expo every second year is an indicator of India’s emergence as a huge global market as well as manufacturing hub.

Small Cars, Hot Wheels

It was yet another small car special. This time it unveiled five new small cars for the Indian roads. Honda unveiled its India-specific small car concept called “New Small” targetting the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai i10. The car is powered by a new 1.0-litre petrol engine using a VTEC engine while the 1.2-litre engine from Honda Jazz also comes as a possibility.

India’s third largest auto manufacturer Tata Motors also had a bunch of surprises for the guests. The Tata Indicruz, which is a 7-seater, premium MPV that is based on Tata Motors’ most popular SUV Tata Safari platform is equipped with a latest 2.2-litre diesel engine, navigation system and active safety features like ABS and airbags. Apart from this Tata’s Nano Europa and Nano, the Indigo Manza and Indica Vista, commercial vehicles and displays from partner Fiat also made their way to the Tata stall.

As the 2010 Delhi Auto Expo, India’s 10th Auto Expo, started in the first week of January, Delhi’s Pragati Maidan was crowded with the latest designs and models by some of the world’s leading manufacturers of cars, trucks, motorcycles and auto parts.

ULFA Terror Hitting Hard

The United Liberation Front of Assam is a separatist group in the North-East Indian state of Assam. Its main aim is to create a sovereign Assam through armed struggle.



The Government of India banned this organization in 1990 and now considers it as a terrorist group. It works on the ideology of revolutionary political organization engaged in "liberation struggle" against India for establishment of a sovereign, independent Assam.

The ulfa is the main reason of all kinds of socio-political disturbances in this part of the country. The lives of the common people are always under the threat of their terrorist activities.

Lives in danger

In the past three decades, more than 30,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Assam state, which is known for its tea, timber and oil reserves.

It’s like a curfew situation all round the year in all parts of this little Indian state. Shops, theatres, parks and other public places close down before dusk because of terror. People are afraid of going out to busy crowded places as those are the easy targets for terrorist activities.

The special task forces and the army deployed by the government in this region are always on their toes to fight the ulfa terror.

Threat to international relations

The state of assam shares its border with countries like Bhutan, Bangladesh and is very close to the china border. It is a politically very sensitive region of the country. India is already investing a lot in securing its borders from the terrorist infiltration and the inner conflicts are making things worse.

The presence of ULFA militants along the international border is of serious security concern to both countries. The dense forests along the border provide good hiding places for the militants to regroup, rearm and plan attacks on Indian soil.

Keeping the borders free of militants is important in terms of India’s relations with its neighbouring countries. The ULFA problem is a matter of internal security and it should make all efforts to resolve it internally.

Investigative Journalism

Investigative is the most challenging field of journalism. It requires a lot of courage to become an investigative journalist.


It is a lot tougher than normal reporting as it requires an in depth research of the subject matter often involving crime, political corruption and scandal. An investigative journalist requires a curious, inquisitive, skeptical, resourceful and alert mind. He should be aware about the law and order to avoid any kind of charges or accusation.

Dangers involved

Many times, a journalist may get charged for breaking the law, if he is not careful about these things.
There have been a lot of cases of the journalist being convicted for secret filming or working somewhere on false identity for the purpose of investigation. A journalist’s purpose may be only to report something crucial to the people but, if he is not smart enough to save himself from all the constraints, he can’t be a good investigator.

De Burgh (2000) states that: "An investigative journalist is a man or woman whose profession it is to discover the truth and to identify lapses from it in whatever media may be available. The act of doing this generally is called investigative journalism and is distinct from apparently similar work done by police, lawyers, auditors and regulatory bodies in that it is not limited as to target, not legally founded and closely connected to publicity."

This stream of journalism requires a lot of passion because it always requires the journalist to get the in-depth detail about a matter. Everyday thousands of cases erupt around us which require research and which need to be reported to the masses. A lot of illegal and under the table things keep happening all around us all the time. Journalism requires more and more people with pokey nose who are curious, courageous and have the enthusiasm to aware the masses about everything that’s happening all around us but is hidden from the surface.

The liquor licence business

There has been rise in incidents relating drunk public misbehaviour. Drunk people around pubs and bars and on the streets create a lot of nuisance. Police is having hard time controlling them. Some people insist that the govt’s liquor licence policy has to be blamed.


Easy availability and superstore offers

With the holiday season around the police had a hard time dealing with drunk people on the streets of London. A lot of them were fined a few arrested as well. Social thinkers feel that the easy and round the clock availability of liquor all over the city is to be blamed for this situation. The cheap superstore offers on alcoholic beverages makes it even more tempting.


The alcoholic beverages is today easily available outside bars and pubs in superstores. Most of the time the liquor licence owners abuse the rights to sell it beyond the legal timing for extra profit. It is difficult for the police to control this abuse as they function behind the scene.

The money on stake

The Uk liquor market is worth £37 billion. A report on bbc suggests that if the people in the uk consume liquor within the prescribed limits, the market will shrink 40%. Different liquor companies and Assotiation does not find merit in the arguement they believe that the consumption habits of liquor among people does not relate to their free distribution policies. They insist that the amount to be consumed is clearly stated on every product and it is for the consumer to drink responsibly and consume within limits. Some consumers feel that there should be additional cost attached to buying liquor as in the case of cigarettes.

The need of the hour

Today, the liquor policy and regulations need amendments. There needs to be more government control over the distribution of alcohol. But considering the liquor company’s lobbies and the amount of money on stake, its not an easy game to control the regulations for the government.

Until that happens eat, drink and merry.

SNOW BRINGS ENTIRE UK TO A STANDSTILL

The entire UK is covered under snow and the weather men have warned of severe conditions lasting until Sunday. Life across UK is getting into a standstill with the northern part including Scotland most severely hit.

The transportation across UK is the most severely hit due to the severe weather. Bad transport conditions influences a common man’s life and people have been stranded in different parts of the country because of blocked motorways and trains. London underground network which serves more passengers than any other network has been affected too. Several tube stations have to be temporarily shut and tubes did not run on several lines in the past few days. The snow has created problems including blocking of the tracks, signal problems and electricity shot circuit. The officials at London underground insist that they had been working overtime to maintain the normal running of tubes. They claim that several thousands of workers are physically scraping the ice off the tracks and hundreds of de-icing machines have been working day and night. All these efforts seem insufficient as the passengers are kept waiting on different parts of London underground for several hours.
SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITIES HIT
All the schools and most of the colleges across UK have to shut down in the event of severe weather conditions. Several schools have been shut indefinitely and the students left with uncertainty about the important exams. 227,000 students are to appear for GCSE exams (bbc news) and they are unsure whether the date has been postponed. Several university colleges are using the social networking sites like twitter and facebook to inform the students about closure because of bad weather.
GAS SUPPLIES
The government officials have warned that the gas demand has reached a record high figure and public should start cutting down on the use of gas in the event of the severe weather continuing the situation may get worse where the govt won’t be able to fullfill the heightened demand. Govt on their part reassure of taking every possible steps that they can take to maintain a healthy supply of gas to everyone.

While the common man is getting affected adversely, for some people this extreme weather has given a reason to rejoice. People on the highlands are indulging into skiing sports and sledging. There are others who are enjoying frozen lake swimming.

Airport scanners: can they get acceptance?

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23-year-old Nigerian educated in London, was foiled in his attempt to blow up a flight to Detroit on Christmas Day.It threatened the governments worldwide so much that now everyone wants to install x-ray scanners in the airports all over.


They are being tried at Manchester airport, following tests at Heathrow from 2004 to 2008. These scanners reveal everything under the clothing and show a clear outline of a passenger’s body. The scanner uses a low energy x ray to reveal object or metal under a person’s cloths including the body features. This technology will enable the airport staffs instantly to identify any weapon or explosives on a passenger’s body.

Those who oppose the introduction of airport scanners have two main complaints. Firstly, they think these scanners are ineffective. They may not pick up low-density objects, such as the explosive carried by the Christmas bomber and they are very expensive too. The same amount of money can be invested in something that works better.

Secondly, they don’t want their bodies to be so clearly scanned. They find it embarrassing. It might gain more public acceptance if the face and genitals of the passenger are blurred.

Yet another issue
Apart from these, there is yet another issue acting as hindrance in the installation of these scanners.
The child protection experts have warned that the image produced by these scanners may break the law which prevents the creation of an indecent image of a child. Hence, it should not be used to scan anyone under-18. But, isn’t it necessary to scan the youngsters as well? They can be used as an easy medium for passing explosives and other deadly substances.
This technology can definitely add up to the security of the airlines but, there are people who find it unacceptable and controversial.

The good times are here!

Bihar, a poor, underdeveloped and backward north Indian state has shown a miraculous 11% rise in its GDP growth rate. Bihar has proved itself as the economic outperformer in the last five years.


Who would have thought that a state whose economic condition had been constantly declining and which had 5.15% negative GDP growth in 2003-04 could change so much in so little a time. Its more surprising in a time when the global economic slowdown has pulled down the country’s GDP to 6% from 9%. Bihar’s economy is still based on mainly agriculture and other primary sectors and its very surprising to see such a change without the contribution of industries.

A fresh breath of air

Until a few years ago, Bihar had always been in news for all the wrong reasons. It was one of the most backward portion of India with high poverty ratio, unemployment, and illiteracy. Transport was impossible because of bad roads which were the worst in the country. On top of all that, it was in a state of anarchy and corruption due to a notorious government which ruled Bihar for more than 15 years. With the establishment of a new government in 2004 things started changing in the long neglected state.

Everyone had hoped a better future from the new government and it has stood up well to everybody’s expectations. It seems the dark ages are finally reaching its end in Bihar but, this little unfortunate state has still a long way to go. Brighter future is waiting ahead.

PUFF FOR PUFF

Smoking weed can be fatal, can lead to addiction and can cause health and psychological disorders as severe as schizophrenia.
Still, weed is the most commonly abused illegal drug all over the world. When smoked, weed affects the brain immediately, increases the rate of heart beat, relaxes the muscles, make the eyes look red. It affects the person psychologically by giving a feeling of high and hallucination. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50 to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke. It also induces high levels of an enzyme that converts certain hydrocarbons into their carcinogenic form—levels that may accelerate the changes that ultimately produce malignant cells. Marijuana users usually inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which increases the lungs' exposure to carcinogenic smoke (research report-National Institute on Drug Abuse). These facts suggest that, puff for puff, smoking marijuana may be more harmful to the lungs than smoking tobacco.Governments all over the world spend millions to stop weed trade and on numerous awareness programmes. Even though the sale, possession or consumption of weed is illegal in the UK, this trade seems to be flourishing right under the nose of the caretakers of law and order.