What goes into the making of a suicide bomber By Ifthikar FirdousJuly 20, 2010 Video capture of a young suicide bomber whose video tape was recovered by authorities. PESHAWAR: “There were six suicide bombers that attacked us in the middle of the night,” says Colonel Nadeem, Commandant Dir Operation. “Five of them detonated the explosives strapped to their bodies; however, one was missing till we discovered him hiding in the bushes. He was scared of killing himself because the effect of the drug had ended.” Nadeem was referring to an attack in Lower Dir earlier this month. The arrested bomber, … Continue reading The making of a suicide bomber

By Katherine Tiedemann, July 19, 2010 Monday, July 19, 2010 – 8:53 AM Share Buying me love As part of a two-day visit to Pakistan, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced more than $500 million in new civilian aid to the country as part of the $7.5 billion development package approved by Congress last year (BBC, AFP, ET, MSNBC, AP, LAT, McClatchy, Bloomberg, The News, AFP). The funds will go toward improving Pakistan’s water, electricity, hospitals, and other infrastructure projects; Clinton is seeking to convince Pakistanis that the United States’ interest in the country is not limited to combating … Continue reading U.S. announces new Pakistan aid

The video was shot in 2001, apparently without Netanyahu’s knowledge [Channel 10] A recently-revealed tape has shown Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, discussing ways to undermine the Oslo Accords and calling the United States “easy” to manipulate. The video was filmed in 2001, apparently without Netanyahu’s knowledge, during a meeting with Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. It aired on Friday night on Israel’s Channel 10, and several translations have been posted online. At one point on the tape, Netanyahu threatens a “broad attack” against the Palestinian Authority. “The main thing, first of all, is to hit them. Not … Continue reading Netanyahu says US easily manipulated by Likud

Calling All Future-Eaters Monday 19 July 2010 by: Chris Hedges  |  Truthdig | Op-Ed (Image: Jared Rodriguez / t r u t h o u t; Adapted: Reini68, NASA) The human species during its brief time on Earth has exhibited a remarkable capacity to kill itself off. The Cro-Magnons dispatched the gentler Neanderthals. The conquistadors, with the help of smallpox, decimated the native populations in the Americas. Modern industrial warfare in the 20th century took at least 100 million lives, most of them civilians. And now we sit passive and dumb as corporations and the leaders of industrialized nations ensure that climate … Continue reading Future-Eaters

Tea Party civil war over ‘racist’ letter A branch of America’s Tea Party movement has been expelled after one its members wrote a fictional letter from “Colored People” to Abraham Lincoln. By Alex Spillius in Washington telegraph.co.uk Last week the North Idaho Tea Party removed a billboard after complaints from other local and national groups. Photo: AP The Tea Party Federation, an umbrella group, kicked out the Tea Party Express group after deciding the letter written on a blog by spokesman Mark Williams was “clearly offensive”. Claiming his intent was merely satirical, Mr Williams had been writing in response to … Continue reading Tea Party – RACIST!

Just a father upholding the ‘family honour’ By Tariq Ismail QureshiJuly 20, 2010 Man kills 17-year-old sedated daughter in hospital with police as witnesses DERA GHAZI KHAN: A man killed his 17-year-old daughter in the name of ‘honour’ in front of police officials while she was in the hospital. Qaimwala resident Ghulam Allah Buksh, who is a school teacher killed his 17-year-old daughter Batool because she wanted to marry the man of her choice. Batool had had several arguments with her father once he discovered that she wanted to marry a man named Tassadaq. A servant in the house, Suleman, … Continue reading Father upholding dishonour

dawn.com An unidentified youth shot dead pastor Rashid Emmanuel, 32, and his brother Sajjad, and left their police escort critically wounded, as they left a court hearing in Faisalabad city. — File Photo LAHORE: Two Christian brothers accused of writing a blasphemous pamphlet critical of the Prophet Mohammed were shot dead on Monday outside a court in eastern Pakistan, police and doctors said. An unidentified youth shot dead pastor Rashid Emmanuel, 32, and his brother Sajjad, and left their police escort critically wounded, as they left a court hearing in Faisalabad city, police official Amanullah Khan told AFP. “Both brothers … Continue reading Two brothers killed for alleged blasphemy

Farnborough air show is a shop window for weapons The presence of repressive regimes at Farnborough air show’s trade days makes a mockery of the UK’s arms export controls Kaye Stearman guardian.co.uk, Monday 19 July 2010 12.00 BST Article history India’s air force helicopters in a display at the 2008 Farnborough air show. But the event has a more deadly side. Photograph: Lefteris Pitarakis/APThis weekend, thousands of people will flock to the Farnborough air show to experience the wonders of the latest aerospace technology and aerobatics. Farnborough sells itself as a great day out, but, like the wolf in Little … Continue reading Farnborough supermarket now open!