7/7 The London Bombings. Update.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York was also out supporting Londoners. He visited the London Buses' command and control complex run in association with the Metropolitan Police as a 24 hour emergency control centre in Victoria, Central London. He talked with staff who had done such a good job coordinating bus and traffic operations after the explosions. "The way that Londoners pulled together yesterday was quite extraordinary," he said.

More than 700 people were injured in the four bomb blasts, including citizens of Australia, China, Poland, Portugal, Sierra Leone and USA. At least 22 are still unaccounted for as ever more frantic relatives seek information. They are presumably among those still entombed in one of the wrecked subway carriages 150 ft down in the hot, rat-infested tunnel near King's Cross Station. The tunnel is blocked and in danger of collapsing on the rescue teams who are working tirelessly around the clock to reach the bodies.

The London subway system is now operating normally, bar a section of the Piccadilly Line still blocked by the wrecked carriage. Expect some delays caused by safety alerts and heightened security. One such alert cause the evacuation of 20,000 at Birminghams's City on 9 July.

There will be many such alerts in the days to come. London is on red alert while the bombers remain at large and are capable of a second attack.

You can obtain an update on London Transport from their website at www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/

Among the many messages I have received from readers and wellwishers the following deserves an airing. It is from Sally Wise, our Suite Travel Features Writer for Tasmania, Australia's Island Idyll.

Stuart, I am so pleased your son is fine as well. Very scary. Your message was very poignant and reflects the sentiments of so many.

One of the greatest tragedies of events such as these I feel, is the ramifications for those of the presumedly same ethnic origins as the alleged terrorists. A comment was made some time ago on a commercial radio station by a well known compere, renowned for controversial statements, that "While not all Muslims are terrorists, all terrorists are Muslims". I leave you to imagine the sort of discrimination this fuelled.

I had one student in particular at that time who was on the receiving end of such stereotyping. She is a Muslim, the most beautiful young woman (of appearance and disposition). So bad was the villification she received that

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