United Kingdom - a country under a cloud

For the last several months, all we have been hearing is bad news - bad news of the worst kind. First, there were the Manchester attacks, then the London Bridge attack, then the Grenfell Building fire, and now, an attack on London on innocent Muslims by a white man who muttered that he wanted to kill all Muslims.

Whatever is happening? I think there are rumours working overtime. Before the elections, I heard an Englishman say that the attack just before the elections at London Bridge was orchestrated by the sitting PM herself to garner more votes in the name of shock. After the elections, someone else said that the attacks were orchestrated by Jeremy Corbyn's Labour party. This confusion makes me realise that both contentions are wrong and that all these attacks are as proclaimed - either terrorist attacks or a grossly unfortunate accident (the building fire) or simply bad racism (the attack outside the mosque). 

I am certain more bad times are to follow. Economically, the UK is going through a bad patch as well. Brexit negotiations have begun today and the UK will have to give in on many issues, thanks to the lack of a clear parliamentary majority by Theresa May's Conservative (Tory) party.

Nothing much to add here. A reflection on the troublesome days is much in order.

#LondonAttacks

Once again, extremism has raised its ugly head and wiped away 7 lives, destroyed the hopes and aspirations of all those connected to them - and injured almost 50 others, at least a dozen of them critically. 

Three men, travelling in a large vehicle, first rammed this into a crowd of innocent pedestrians atop the London Bridge, then took the vehicle into a market area and, parking it, got off the vehicle and began to run around, randomly knifing people going about their usual lives. Within 8 minutes of the police receiving news of the attack, they were killed in an intense round of police fire. They were found to be wearing what seemed to be jackets rigged with explosives. However, the tin cans attached to their jackets proved to be fake ones. 

As I write this, the police investigation is ongoing. Patients are admitted to five hospitals in the vicinity, among them the King's College and the Guys and Thomas' Hospitals. Nearly a dozen of the injured victims are critical, while the rest are recuperating. 

Among those dead is a Canadian citizen, a New Zealander and two Frenchmen. 

A quick thought: this is the third attack by terrorists in three months in the U.K. The last attack was just 12 days ago in the Manchester Arena. What is happening? 

I was talking to a British lady today while walking in Stanley Park. We agreed that Britain was reaping the effects of what it was sowing all over the world, blindly following the United States of America. The picture of Theresa May being led by the hand by President Trump symbolises this more than anything else. 

May and Trump (click this link)

If only the U.K. government stops meddling in the affairs of the various countries it is engaged with, Islamic extremism will stop attacking it - at least this is my opinion. It has become almost impossible for terrorists to attack the U.S.A. That is why, they are now targetting the softer option - the United Kingdom. This is a war, and the U.K. should start protecting itself rather than try to "restore" peace, democracy etc. in other countries. 

The lady I was talking to is an ex-journalist who was shooting birds with her Canon camera. We both felt that the people of U.K. are becoming increasingly frustrated with the way things are going. Racism is making a comeback, she said. While she was putting this down to politics, I felt that people were basically relinquishing common sense and attacking anyone not their own without understanding that without immigrants, the U.K. would be finished as a world power. 

Back to the attacks: there will be a general election in the next four days' time. The Tories may well continue to be in power, and May will then have the power to negotiate hard with the European countries to retain its value in a post-Brexit world the way she wants to. Or, as a dark horse, the Labour Party may win and Jeremy Corbyn will be swept into power as the new Prime Minister.

Only time will tell - within a week, we will know the outcome.

The election comes at a time when the people will still be reflecting on the London Attacks. May the souls of those who died rest in Peace. Amen.

Catching up with my life here in the UK

Dear readers,

Due to various challenges that I have been facing here in the past few months, I have been unable to really do extraordinary things ... things that livened up my life in the UK in the first five months. However, my rather unexciting life has still been an enjoyable one ... at least to me. In the first place, it has been interesting to see the British people here as they went in to vote whether to remain within the EU or to vote to leave it. The results were not as resonantly in favour or against ... the spread between the victors (Leave) and the losers (Remain) was just 4% ( 52% vs 48%), but the political repercussions have been enormous. Both the leading parties - the Conservative party, or the Tories, and the Labour party (or simply, Labour) - are in a turmoil. While the Tories have to choose a new leader because the current PM has resigned (Mr David Cameron), the Labour Party led by Mr Jeremy Corbyn is also facing trouble as the MPs of that party have voted to give Corbyn a boot. 

Of course, the financial markets have fallen, and the pound, even more so. I remember exchanging a British pound for over 98 INR when my first salary was credited to my bank account in January. Now, it is at 88 INR. A fall of over 10% in just six months! Indeed, more pain is expected in the coming months. 

Summer, the most awaited season here, has been playing truant. The weather remains uncomfortably windy and chilly even though it is now July. It has been particularly difficult for me for 2 reasons: while I have lost quite a bit of weight (which means loss of the insulation cover of fat), the central heating in our flats has been switched off since the first of May. As a result, I now sleep with three covers over the upper half of my body, and a blanket atop that! Even then, I keep feeling chilly. The temperature is in single digits even as I write this. Oh, how I miss the heat of Mumbai! Or even Al Muwayh, for that matter (hee hee). 

Finally, I will end this with one more topic: how I am getting along. Most of my documentation for transferring to my new employment is now complete, but a few more things need to be completed. Just when I am preparing to move, my consultants are beginning to realise that they are about to lose a person who may lack some of the skills registrars possess, but who has the breadth and depth of knowledge that is really enviable. They haven't, of course, voiced that opinion publicly, but I can see that they see the improvement in my skills and understanding of the NHS. The writing is on the wall, however, and what has been done cannot be undone. I am ready to move to the new job. My experience with locum jobs in different parts of the country has really enriched me and given me the confidence to face the new challenge of working as a Senior House Officer. 

And that is where I wish to end this post. Eid Mubarak to all my readers. And a happy day to everyone as well.  Thank you for reading my blog. Do leave your comments down below. It will encourage me immensely.