Cabbies to bring Australia to standstill on Apr 2

Friday, April 1, 2011, 11:48 [IST]Melbourne, Apr 1: India and Sri Lanka face-off in the final in Mumbai will not only bring both the countries to a standstill, but Australia will also come to a halt due to a shortage of taxis on Saturday.
Indian and Sri Lankan cab drivers have decided to take the night off work to watch the World Cup final. The lack of cabs is sure to frustrate patrons looking for a ride home after partying on Saturday night, Fox Sports reports.

Melbourne taxi driver Vinny Singh says he knows that at least 100 drivers will take the night off to watch the game and warned people not to rely on getting in a taxi.

"I think it will be next to impossible, because I think that a lot of Indian students who are driving cabs in the night, as part of their part-time job, will be having a day off," he told the ABC.

"They will be supporting their country, their nation and their players, taking a day off tomorrow and watching cricket," he said.

Srinivasan, the sports editor of Melbourne community newspaper The Indian Voice, agrees. "Every Indian, every person from the subcontinent particularly the Indians will be glued to the TV tomorrow," he said.

"I've spoken to some of the cab drivers and they have decided to call it of, finish the shift by 8pm tomorrow. And more so if India wins the match, you can forget about taxis on Sunday morning," he said.

Victorian Taxi Association's David Samuel has assured that the match will not lead to a taxi shortage.

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Indian student molested, murdered in Australia

Sydney, Mar 14: Attack on Indian students in Australia is no more a new story. Enhancing the tale, once again an Indian student has been sexually assaulted and murdered in the foreign country. However, this time it does not seem like a case of racism, though the reason of the killing is still unknown.

The dead body of 24-year-old Toshar Thakkar was found in a suitcase at Meadowbank on Friday, Mar 11. Some construction workers found the suitcase staffed with her dead body. Watch Tosha Thakkar murder.

19-year-old Storeman Daniel Stani-Reginald, an Australian of Sri Lankan descent, allegedly raped and then killed the victim. Sources reported that the "predator" waited until their housemate was away to sexually assault and kill her.

The case was mentioned briefly in the Burwood Local Court Monday, Mar 14. The case again will face court trial in coming May 2011. Till then the alleged killer will be in police custody.

After the court's trial, the investigative agency's official Pamela Young confirmed that the murder was a predatory act as she stated, "She (the victim) lived next door to him (alleged killer). It was a very unfortunate choice to live there."

"It was not her fault by any means - it was just a very unfortunate choice and it seemed in my view a bit of a time bomb for poor Tosha, living at that address," she added.

However, showing protest outside the court, family members and friends of the victim claimed, "We are very upset, of course, and are just waiting to get justice ASAP. She was very nice, the type that got along with everybody and she didn't deserve this, such a painful death."

Thakkar was studying accounting at the Sydney College of Business and IT, which collaborates with Southern Cross University, and was a permanent resident of Australia.

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