Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Albion @ Changkat

Pix by Raymond Ooi, The Star

I love being luggage. I'm usually the Thirsty Blogger's luggage but we swap places sometimes. Anyways, I was Abby's luggage this time as she needed to scout out restaurants serving Xmas dishes with a local twist. Only managed to follow her to one as the rest were too far away and I was just too stuffed by then.

Location : Changkat Bukit Bintang. Restaurant : Albion.

At a table outside


Inside deco

Albion  is a year-old restaurant that has recently snagged the title Best Independent Restaurant in the Time Out Food Awards 2010. It says that it's a British restaurant but the food ain't very British which is kinda good I guess. English food are meant for pubs with beer & all and this place doesn't have much choices in draft - only Carlsberg eww.. but they had an interesting cocktail on the menu.

Blasphemy or ingenuity?

The restaurant is serving a Christmas party menu throughout this month for groups of six and above. You can opt for a 4-course menu at RM98++ per person or a three-course at RM80++ per person. There are meat, fish & vegetarian options.

Place is run by James Grierson, an ex-musician from England and chef Colin Yap who takes care of the kitchen.

James (left) and Colin run the place


Gravadlax with Dill, Honey and Mustard Dressing

We sampled the apetizers first - Gravadlax with Dill, Honey and Mustard Dressing. The salmon was nicely cooked and wasn't too fishy coz I'm not one for raw food and if I could eat it, you can too. The other appetizer we tried is the Seared Scallops, Pumpkin Puree and Roasted Cauliflower. Not too bad la.. There are a few more appetizer options btw but our small lil tummies just couldn't take that many.

First of the mains - can't remember the name but it was tuna served with the most amazing cherry tomatoes ever! The skin broke and released a flood of liquid delight that was almost orgasmic. It was like biting into pure heaven. Vegetables were very fresh and done just right. Tuna was slightly dry though but still tasted ok.

Biting into heaven

Another main choice will be the turkey served with all the trimmings. What's Xmas without the turkey eh? It had roast potatoes, parsnips, brussels sprouts, carrots and pigs-in-blankets. Served with bread sauce and cranberry sauce. They managed to retain the moisture so turkey was good.

Roast turkey w all the trimmings
 There are 3 desserts to choose from and we sampled just 2, both of which was deliciously unique. The Xmas pudding was oh so moist and you could taste the rum. Chef said he soaked it since November.

Xmas pudding

This other dessert is a must try. It's some tradional Scotish dish that has been modernised to fusion. Damn I can't recall the name! Just ask for the Scotish thingy topped with raspberry puree I think. Sinfully delicious... melt-in-your-mouth delight.

Yuuuummmm.....

Address : 31, Jalan Berangan, Bukit Bintang (right next to Bakita)

For reservations, call 03-2141 9282. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Economic Events of the Decade

I've compiled again and this time it's about the economy. From world recessions and bailouts to the rise of China as an emerging global superpower, the past decade has been an exciting one of financial upheavals. Let's take a look at a few memorable economic events of the decade.

Early Recession

The United States economy was already reeling from the dotcom bust when the 9/11 attacks affected it further. The New York Stock Exchange was shut down for a period of time, only the third time in history to do so. The market rallied briefly before sliding again in March 2002, reaching lows not seen since the 1997 financial crisis.

Other developed countries especially Europe were also affected by the recession in the early decade. Malaysia for the most part, managed to avoid the recession although demand for exports dropped.

Stock markets crashing after the 9/11 attacks

Enron fraud

Enron was caught in a massive accounting fraud late 2001 when it was revealed that the energy giant had hid billions of dollars in debt from its shareholders and forced its accounting firm Arthur Andersen to ignore the issue. Enron later filed for bankruptcy, the largest corporate bankruptcy at the time. Enron’s shareholders lost billions.

The Enron fraud is significant because the event, along with many other corporate scandals, led to the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 which protects shareholders and the general public from accounting errors and fraudulent practices.

Enron liquifying

Rise of the Euro

The Euro became legal tender in 2002 when eleven EU member countries adopted the Euro as their official currency. The Euro has become the second largest reserve currency and the second most traded currency in the world, after the US dollar. It now has the highest combined value of banknotes and coins in circulation in the world, having surpassed the US dollar.

A total of 22 countries currently use Euro. Out of the 22 countries, 16 are members of the EU, while the rest are territories outside the EU and African counties. Estonia will adopt it in January 2011.

Money, money, money.. Always sunny.. In the rich man's world

China emerges

The rise of China within the decade was akin to a rise of a sleeping giant. China had a double-digit growth during nearly the whole decade, making it the world’s third largest economy after the EU and the US. China is now the world's second largest exporter after the EU. China is also the second largest foreign owner of US Treasuries, owning around US$800 billion in US Treasury bills, bonds and notes.

The power shift from the West to the East is slowly taking place as China cements its place among the big boys of the financial world. All eyes are on China as her growth is expected to continue at an average rate of 8% a year.


Yea baby.. that's the way to go

Largest Donation

Billionaire investor and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, the world's second-richest man, made history in June 2006 when he announced that he will donate 84% of his fortune amounting to US$37 billion to five foundations. The donation is thought to be the largest charitable gift ever.

$30.7 billion will go to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which specialises in finding cures for diseases that plague impoverished nations. The rest of the money will go to four other foundations headed by Buffett's three children, Susan, Howard, and Peter, and to the foundation in his late wife's name, the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation.

Here, take almost all my wealth.. it's no biggie..

Subprime Crisis

On 9 October 2007, Dow Jones created a milestone as it closed at an all time high of 14,164.53. Markets were good and house prices soared. Banks had relaxed their lending criteria allowing subprime buyers, those who would not otherwise have qualified for mortgage, to get one.

The housing market bubble deflated rapidly by 2006 and as the interest rates rose, these buyers could no longer afford to pay their mortgage. Financial institutions were soon holding worthless loan portfolios, leading to a chain of events that brought down major financial institutions, prompted a massive retrenchment in consumer lenders, destroyed the credibility of ratings agencies and crippled the securitisation markets. The global recession followed soon after.

You thought wrong babe

Global Recession

The deepest economy downturn of the decade started in the US around 2007 and spread quickly across the globe. It was the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Many financial institutions collapsed due to the subprime mortgage crisis and many other big corporations followed suit. Stock markets plummeted all around the world.

The US Government passed a US$700 billion bill on 3 October 2008 to buy distressed mortgage-related assets to keep the financial system afloat. In February 2009, President Barack Obama approved a $787 billion Economic Stimulus package in an effort to rebound the economy which did show some results. The economy is slowing picking up throughout the world but we are not out of deep waters yet.

Yup, the world's in deep shit

Lehman Bankruptcy

Drastically affected by the subprime mortgage crisis, Lehman Brothers, America’s fourth-largest investment bank and one of the most prestigious players on Wall Street, filed for bankruptcy on 15 September 2008 after negotiations for potential takeovers failed in what appears to be the world’s largest bankruptcy in history. Thousands of Lehman’s employees in New York and London were laid off, considered as one of the biggest single losses of jobs in the United Kingdom.

Lehman's collapse panicked global bankers and created a ripple that sent financial markets and many developed economies into a downward spiral, pushing many world economies into recession.

Broke, abandoned, dejected, ruined, devastated

Oil at all time high

Reports showing a decline in petroleum reserves, worries over peak oil, oil price speculation, natural disasters and tensions in the Middle East prompted oil prices to soar to an all time high of US$147.30 per barrel in July 2008. Malaysia experienced the highest fuel ever between 5 June 2008 to 23 August 2008 at RM2.70 per liter for RON97 fuel and RM3.15 per liter for Shell V-Power.

The onset of the global recession caused demand for energy to shrink and by December 2008, oil prices fell to a low US$32 per barrel. Oil prices stabilised by October 2009 at a trading range of US$60 - US$80 per barrel. In Malaysia, RON95 is currently sold at RM1.90 per liter and RON97 at RM2.30 per liter.

Now how about those weapons of mass destruction..

Greece & Ireland bailout

On 9 May 2010, a coordinated financial rescue plan of nearly US$1 trillion was announced by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to help ailing Eurozone members facing huge financial debts. Approximately US$650 billion will come from EU member countries while IMF will contribute around US$320 billion.

Greece was given a US$145 billion bailout rescue to preserve the stability of the euro and the financial health of the 27-nation European Union but panic continued to spread which led to Ireland receiving a US$113 billion bailout on 28 November 2010. The rest of the Eurozone is still very unstable as Portugal, Spain and Italy might fall next.

Quick, give us cash we've overspent it all

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

2010 in Statuses & Photos

Found this app in FB that compiles your 2010 year in statuses and photos. Thought it was quite cool to look back and reflect on it all. Sure brought back some fantastic memories!

Here's my compilation of 2010 statuses.. Updated too much can't fit it all! LOL! Here's what the software managed to squeeze in.

Making it super large so it's readable

They only allowed 16 photos so I have chosen these that have some significance to me. Here's my 2010 in Photos.


Malaysia & around

Learning more about what the internet can do after attenting a 2 Day Social Media Journalism Workshop by Trinetizen. Damn lot to learn wei! Thanks for the insights Julian & Anita. Had a blast.

Monday, December 13, 2010

A model life

Leonard Chua: A model life

By Joleen Lunjew jlunjew@thestar.com.my
Pictures by LEONARD CHUA & CHUA KOK HWA/The Star


Despite having his dreams dashed while in the prime of his life, Leonard Chua has come back stronger and is helping others to do the same.

Leonard Chua was the type of guy you loved to hate. He had everything a man in his prime dreamt off — good looks, great body and the glamorous life of a model. In fact, he was about to seal a RM5mil deal when he wrapped his car around a tree along the Federal Highway in October 2005. He was only 24.

“The accident took away everything,” says Chua, who fractured his neck and lower ribs, broke his right leg, crushed his left ankle and injured his bladder. He spent five months in the hospital, 1½ months of it in ICU where his heart stopped twice, the first time for 10 minutes.

The first five months was a living nightmare. In the first two months, Chua, who is paralysed from his upper chest down, couldn’t remember anything or anyone except for his immediate family. Besides the terrible pain, he had all sorts of lung infections and his legs and head developed bedsores. Suicidal thoughts played in his mind.

“Many times I wanted to pull out my respirator and end my suffering but the thought that I hadn’t fully done my duty as a son kept me alive. My parents were there for me, washing, feeding and taking care of me. They slept on my hospital room floor for the entire five months.

“I wondered if I would have done the same if it was my own son. Their unconditional love gave me determination to recover. I had to live and walk again, to thank everybody who had shed tears and cared for me. Oh, and I haven’t made my millions yet,” he jokes.

Chua may make light of his plight now but they were dark times. The cardiac arrest caused hypoxia and brain injury affected his speech. “I could only slur and make unintelligible sounds. It was very frustrating because I knew what I wanted to say in my mind but it wouldn’t come out in words. I could hear people laughing at me when I talked, which hurt,” he recalls.

Determined to speak properly again, Chua embarked on his own speech therapy. “I read aloud and spoke to the mirror every day. To cheer myself up, I told my reflection that I was lucky God didn’t take away my handsome face. At least I still had that,” he smiles.

Chua’s hard work paid off. He now speaks like any other person. He has been asked to emcee a charity event and has been invited to several talks to share his story. “Everyone said I did a good job as an emcee but they didn’t realise how much work I had to put in just to string a sentence together. The audiences at the Prudential talk rated me nine out of 10 and booked me for next year’s talk in June with a larger audience. That made me very proud and happy. I’ve always wanted to become a motivational speaker,” Chua says.
The extent of his injuries was such that doctors told him he was lucky to be able to move his hands for he wasn’t expected to have normal hand function.

“I couldn’t operate my handphone, much less write. I couldn’t even bring my arm up to press the lift button. I had to start from below zero, learning how to draw circles and straight lines before relearning my ABCs. I even forgot my signature and had to relearn it, only to forget it two days later. This continued for a year, which made me a very patient man. Today, I sign many cheques for my company and have fully regained all my hand functions,” he says.

Chua is so thankful of his progress that he visits SCI (Spinal Cord Injury) patients to share his story with them every time he goes to University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) for follow-ups. He remembers an encounter which he holds dear to his heart.

The patient was Alex, a 20-year-old paralysed from his neck down. Alex had been bedridden for three months and was breathing through a respirator because his diaphragm had stopped functioning.
“Alex couldn’t talk, move or do anything by himself. All he could do was stare at a picture of Jesus pasted on his wall. I shared my story with him and showed him what I was capable of doing today. I taught him some qigong breathing exercises and told him not to give up.

Two weeks later, when Chua was at the hospital gym doing physio, he heard that Alex was now able to breathe on his own and sit in a wheelchair. He immediately rushed to the ICU to see him. “Everybody was happy and excited for him. Alex could talk now. He turned to me and said, ‘Thank you, Leonard. If you did not visit me two weeks ago, I would still be lying down. I will never forget you, Leonard Chua.’ That was really the best moment of my life. That was when I knew I was here to make a difference. Alex gave me the inspiration to help others,” Chua explains.


Chua’s rehabilitation regimen includes working on his abdominal muscles.

Chua reckons everybody’s injury is different. If someone hasn’t recovered from the same injuries that you have, that doesn’t mean that you too will not recover. He says his doctors did not dare promise or confirm anything as spinal cord injuries are very complicated — incurable by medicine. Progress is usually determined by the patient’s will power to want to heal.

“Doctors told me of another man who suffered the same injuries but unlike me, he is still bedridden, not being able to eat or speak. I am very thankful to be where I am today as I am quite independent. I can transfer myself to my bed or car, put on my own clothes, eat, bathe, move around and go to the toilet myself,” says Chua proudly.

Happily, Chua was nominated as one of Cleo magazine’s most eligible bachelors early this year. Although he didn’t win the title, he was the magazine’s first disabled bachelor. He was also recently recruited back into the modelling world.


Chua now owns and runs Beyond Rehab Enterprise, a company that sells rehabilitation equipment, specifically tilt tables and hand cycles invented by his father for SCI (Spinal Cord Injury), stroke and brain-injured patients.

“There are no rehabilitation centres in Malacca,” he grumbles. “How can patients get better if they can only do rehabilitation at the hospital?” Chua’s company gives patients access to affordable rehabilitation and exercise at home. His versions of the tilt table, which lets patients stand by themselves, and the hand cycles are cheaper than those sold at the hospital.

“I exercise on these equipment every day. I also invented an exercise method which is effective in building abdominal muscles. I lift free weights to build my arm muscles. I also practise yoga and qigong to relax and improve my breathing.”

Chua’s ultimate aim is to open a fully-equipped rehabilitation centre in Malacca, and he is looking for a good Samaritan to realise this dream. “I hope someone will support me in building this centre. Not only will it be a worthwhile investment, he or she will have the satisfaction of reaching out and helping lots of people,” he says.

The world celebrated International Day for Persons with Disabilities yesterday but not many of us are aware of the plight of the disabled here in Malaysia. Not having easy access to rehabilitation is just one of many obstacles.

“I’ve seen many able-bodied people parking in handicap spaces, and nobody clamps their car. The handicap public toilets are always locked for some reason and there are no guards in sight to open them. Malacca doesn’t have handicap-friendly public transport and not all buildings, even in Kuala Lumpur, have access ramps. Even if they do, some of them are so poorly maintained that they are not friendly at all,” he points out.

Although his life has changed drastically, Chua strongly believes that everything happens for a reason.
“I know why God rejected me twice and kept me alive. He wants me to give hope to people. There is always hope when you don’t give up. Never be afraid to face challenges and know that every great achievement starts from the impossible. I will continue to work on my rehabilitation towards another miracle. I will walk again.”

Let’s pray he does.

o To learn more about Leonard Chua in his own words, visit his blog at http://www.leonardchua.blogspot.com/

Monday, December 6, 2010

Godskitchen

Saturday 4 December 2010

My last rave before I fly. That was Farshie's pursuasive argument and I'm glad she talked me into it. The event was Heineken's Thirst featuring Godskitchen, a worldwide electronic music event. These were the lineup.


Got there a bit late as DJ Chuckie, a 32 year old Dutch DJ of Surinamese descent, was playing. Great music from him, quite housy not like the rest which were too progressive hard to layan. Old skool siul.. Check it out.


What I love about the whole setup was the Godskitchen Boombox, a 16m wide, 8m high and 6m deep architectural monster. An "ultramodern edm showcase designed by Paris-based design collective Exyzt, famed for their structural art and design installations across Europe. Wowing crowds from Europe to South Africa to Australia and now KL, the Boombox is a high-concept performance zone that combines 3D graphics projection technology and real time video footage to create a uniquely immersive optical show.”

Visuals were so trippy. They even had KL's skyline flashing in an amazing display of lights and colours, all in full 3D. You could reach out to touch the images coming at you.

3D buildings
Podium dancers in the boombox

Trippy...
All in all, great night. Thank you Farshie, Azim, Rezuan, Ezra, Suzie, Rachel, Hans, Ariff, Max, Shakira, Kenny, Ovidia & Khang for a fantastic night out. Love you guys. xxxox

Friday, December 3, 2010

Terror in a decade

War on Terror

One thing I love about my job is that it exposes me to incredible experiences & knowledge that I would otherwise, not bother searching for. I had to compile a list of terrorist events that happened in the past decade (2001-2010) that I thought was interesting so I'll share it with you.

What I realised was that the significance of a terrorist event is not based on how many people died. Thousands of people die in Iraq & Pakistan by suicide bombers almost every other week but the world is not as concerned by say - the car bomb scare in New York middle this year where they closed the entire Times Square. There were no casualties.

Now why do you think that's so? Is it because suicide bombers are so common in those countries that it's 'just another suicide bombing'? Are their lives not as important because they don't have1st world citizenship? It's very sad that most are done in the name of religion, which is supposed to be about peace, love & forgiveness.

Anyway, here's what I've gathered. Hopefully we will learn something from these events so these victims would not have died in vain.

The turn of the 21st century brought one of the most significant campaigns combating terrorism the world has ever seen. It was when the terminology “War on Terror’ was coined by the United States of America, which shaped the way future matters concerning terrorism was handled. We take a look at the horrifying terrorist attacks that shook the world within the last decade.


Twin Tower crumbles

Sept 11, 2001 can be considered one of the most important events of the century which triggered a chain of events that later affected the lives of millions around the world.

When four planes were hijacked in which two crashed into New York’s World Trade Centre, one into Washington’s Pentagon and the other into a field in Pennsylvania, it shattered the lives of Americans who had till then been able to avoid these sort of attacks on civilians that are common in the Middle East.

Nearly 3000 people died that day, including rescue personnel, hijackers and everyone on board the planes. The United States responded with several aggressive military operations to destroy terrorist networks and the states supporting them including the invasion shortly after of Afghanistan to dispose the Taliban and the invasion of Iraq in 2003 to destroy ‘weapons of mass destructions’.


The horror of 9/11 was the beginning of a terrible chain of events

Tougher Security

Security became an immediate concern after the Sept 11 attacks resulting in long security checks for travellers all around the world. Banning of sharp items, removal of jackets, blets, shoes, laptops and electronic devices and body frisking became a common practice at airports. A complete ban of all liquids and gel was made after an alleged terrorist plot to blow up planes with flammable fluids was discovered in 2006. The ban was later revised to limiting passengers to liquids and gels not exceeding 100ml per container. These must be placed in a clear plastic bag not exceeding 1 litre in size.

US airports have recently installed full-image body scanners with the aim of having nearly 1,000 scanners nationwide by the end of next year. The use of “swabs,” or Explosive Trace Detection machines, has also been expanded where security agents can detect traces of explosives after a cotton swab is applied to hands or luggage.

Now wouldn't this be interesting
 
Afghanistan War

The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 in search of Osama bin Laden and to oust the Taliban regime. The US Marines set up base in Kandahar after the Taliban retreated in December 2001. The Taliban forces have since regained strength and current US President Barack Obama announced in 2009 that the US military will deploy additional soldiers. The war is still ongoing.

And they are still 'helping'

Detainment without Trial

After the Sept 11 attacks, the Bush administration established a facility in 2002 in Cuba to detain suspected terrorists and prisoners of war from Afghanistan and later Iraq. The facility is known as Guantánamo Bay or Gitmo, a central prison for suspects considered unlawful enemy combatants in the war on terror.

The United States have been heavily critisised for detaining these prisoners without trial, ignoring the Geneva Conventions and not heeding international pressures to close down the facility. The Center for Constitutional Rights of New York published a first report in 2006 alleging physical, psychological, sexual, medical and religious torture and abuse of the prisoners. After taking office, President Obama pledged to close the facility within a year but his efforts have been met by resistence from several parties. Most of the prisoners have been released but the facility still remains standing.

Protestors calling for its closure

Bali in Shock

The first Bali bombings occured on 12 October 2002 when two bombs were detonated in and around popular nightclubs in the tourist district of Kuta. The attack, which left 202 people dead, came as a shock to many, especially Australians, who perceived Bali to be a safe place. Various members of Islamic group Jemaah Islamiyah were convicted in relation to the bombings.

After rebuilding their tourist economy, Bali suffered another terrorist attack on 1 October 2005 when suicide bombers detonated a series of bombs at two sites - around the Jimbaran and Kuta area. At least 26 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured in the incident.


What's left of the Kuta nightclub in 2002 

Moscow Theatre Hostage

The Moscow theatre hostage crisis, also known as the 2002 Nord-Ost siege, was the seizure of a crowded Moscow theatre on 23 October 2002 by armed Chechens who claimed allegiance to the Islamist militant separatist movement. They took 850 hostages and demanded the withdrawal of Russian forces from Chechnya and an end to the Second Chechen War.

The Russian Spetsnaz forces pumped an unknown chemical agent into the theatre two-and-a-half days into the siege before raiding it. The attackers and a few hostages were killed in the raid while most of the rest died from the toxic gas. The use of the gas was widely criticised as authorities refused to disclose its chemical contents which hampered life resuscitation efforts.


Hostages lay on the floor after the seige

Weapons of Mass Destruction

The United States and its allies invaded Iraq on 20 March 2003 to eradicate ‘weapons of mass destructions’ which they accused Iraq of possessing. The invasion led to an occupation and the eventual capture of President Saddam Hussein, who was later tried and executed by the new Iraqi goverment.

On 31 August 2010, U.S. President Barack Obama declared the end to the American combat in Iraq, withdrawing all but 50,000 troops who remained to train and work with current Iraqi security forces. US troops are scheduled to withdraw fully by the end of 2011.




Torture Scandals

After the Iraq invasion, US soldiers took control over the Abu Ghraib prison in 2003. The prison made international headlines when photographs of American military personel in uniform abusing and torturing Iraqi detainees became public in April 2004. The photographs revealed torture based largely on the sexual humiliation of the detainees. Seven soldiers were subsequently convicted in courts martial on dereliction of duty and assault and battery charges.

The US military formally transferred the prison to Iraqi authorities in September 2006. Iraq reopened Abu Ghraib under the new name of Baghdad Central Prison in 2009 after extensive renovations. The upgraded facilities and amenities include a hospital, rest and visiting rooms, water fountains, a freshly planted garden and a gym. The Iraqi justice ministry is trying to make it a model prison, allowing random inspection by the Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations.

Naked Iraqi prisoners in the human pyramid 

Istanbul Bombings

Istanbul was targeted three times within this decade when bombs killed and injured many civilians in 2003, 2008 and 2010. The 15 and 20 November 2003 explosions killed 57 people, most of them Turkish Muslims. Turkey charged 74 people with involvement in the bombings.

On 27 July 2008, two bombs exploded along the busy shopping street in the Güngören district of Istanbul, killing 17 people, five of them children. Nine people were indicted in December 2008 over the bombings. Istanbul suffered another hit recently when a suicide bomber blew himself up beside a police vehicle in Taksim Square on 31 October 2010, wounding 32 people, including 15 policemen. The attack occurred as Istanbul was preparing to hold Republic Day parades to mark the 1923 founding of Turkey.


Istanbul after Nov 2003 bombings

Madrid Train Bombings

Ten explosions, originating from 13 rucksacks detonated by cell phones, occurred on 11 March 2004 on four commuter trains at the height of Madrid’s rush hour, killing 191 civilians and injuring over 1,800. The remaining three explosives were detonated by police in a controlled environment. The attack took place just three days before Spain's general elections.

Spanish courts convicted 14 Islamic militants for their roles in the Madrid bombings, along with four Spaniards, the latter for trafficking in explosives used in the attacks.

The aftermath


Beslan Massacre

On 1 September 2004, the first day of school, a group of armed Chechen Islamic separatist entered Middle School No 1 in Beslan, Russia, and took over 1,100 parents, teachers and students hostage. The hostage takers demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya, the release of rebel detainees and the resignation of Vladimir Putin, the Russian president. Their demands were not met.

Russian security forces stormed the school on the third day of standoff which resulted in a chaotic gunfire battle and the collapse of several school buildings caused by bombs rigged by the separatists. At least 334 hostages were killed that day, most of them children who were shot from the back as they tried to flee the scene. The sole surviving attacker was found guilty of murder in 2006 but was spared the death penalty.

Young children lie dead after the gunbattle

London’s 7/7

Central London was struck with chaos on 7 July 2005 when four al-Qaeda associated suicide bombers detonated their bombs on London public transportation during the morning rush hour.

Three bombs exploded within fifty seconds of each other at Liverpool Street and Edgware Road stations and the other on a train traveling between King's Cross and Russell Square. The final explosion was around an hour later on a double-decker bus in Tavistock Square. 52 people died and 700 were injured.

52 died in London's attacks

Delhi Blasts

Three bombs exploded almost simultaneously at the marketplace of Paharganj, the middle-class shopping area of Sarojini Nagar and on a bus in southern Delhi in an attack on 29 October 2005, two days before the important Hindu festival of Diwali, killing 62 people.

The second bombing was on 13 September 2008 when five bombs exploded within a few minutes of each other at markets and localities around the capital on a busy weekend evening. More than 20 people were killed. The Indian Mujahideen Islamic militant group claimed responsibility for the attacks. Two weeks later, another bomb detonated on 27 September 2008 at the flower market in Mehrauli which killed three people, including a young boy.

This could be your mother/daughter/sister

Mumbai Attacks 2008

Ten commercial sites in India’s financial capital Mumbai, including luxury hotels and restaurants, were hit by a wave of terror attacks on 26 November 2008. Gunmen opened fire on civilians at the public spaces and seized a few of the places, holding several hostage. The attacks left 174 dead, most of them civilians, foreigners and international delegates.

Nine of the 10 young attackers from Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistan-based Islamic militant organisation, were killed during the 60-hour siege. The surviving terrorist has been sentenced to death this year.

An old lady being led out of the station after the terrorist attacks