Now Afghanistan too shows the limits of American power British troops are paying the blood price in Helmand, as they did in Iraq, of a now officially subservient relationship Seumas Milne guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 21 July 2010 21.00 BST Article history The catastrophic illusions and acts of official betrayal at the heart of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are being progressively exposed, one after another. In London, the former head of MI5 Eliza Manningham-Buller confirmed to the Iraq inquiry this week that the security service had indeed warned Tony Blair’s government that aggression against Iraq, “on top of our involvement … Continue reading British troops in subservient relationship?

Now Afghanistan too shows the limits of American power British troops are paying the blood price in Helmand, as they did in Iraq, of a now officially subservient relationship Seumas Milne guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 21 July 2010 21.00 BST Article history The catastrophic illusions and acts of official betrayal at the heart of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are being progressively exposed, one after another. In London, the former head of MI5 Eliza Manningham-Buller confirmed to the Iraq inquiry this week that the security service had indeed warned Tony Blair’s government that aggression against Iraq, “on top of our involvement … Continue reading British troops are paying the blood price for subservience to the US

Bloggers who left ScienceBlogs had no desire to silence Pepsi – we were letting Seed know it had violated its readers’ trust David Dobbs guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 21 July 2010 17.00 BST Article history I’ll give this to David Appell: the man’s efficient. Few have ever packed as much error and folly into seven paragraphs as he does in his PepsiCo and the shame of the bloggerati. Appell takes a stark but complex event – the exodus of bloggers from Seed’s ScienceBlogs network when Seed sold a blog spot to Pepsi – and misrepresents it despite contradictory evidence that his very … Continue reading How we tried (not) to silence Pepsi

Facebook reaches 500 million members Facebook has reached 500 million members – the equivalent of connecting with eight per cent of the world’s population. By Emma Barnett, Digital Media Editor Published: 5:00PM BST 21 Jul 2010 telegraph.co.uk Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer and founder of Facebook, gestures while speaking at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in June 2010. Photo: ntoine Antoniol/Bloomberg Facebook was founded in 2004. Photo: AP The milestone figure comes only five months after the social network signed up its 400th million user. The pace of its growth has accelerated rapidly – Facebook had only 150 million … Continue reading Facebook – 500 million members

 A tea party made in heaven: should Islamabad be the next stop Angle & Co.? Posted By David Rothkopf Tuesday, July 20, 2010 – 3:46 PM  Reading this weekend’s New York Times‘s article on the deftness and ease with which the rich in Pakistan avoid paying taxes, an idea struck me. Well, actually to be perfectly honest, it struck my father — who passed it along to me. The fact that he is currently lying in a hospital being pumped full of mind-altering drugs doesn’t in any way undermine the quality of the idea. In fact, it just makes … Continue reading Tea Party Islamabad – Inc!

dawn.com In this photograph taken on February 20, 2008, at the Wagah border post with India, some 30kms from Lahore, Pakistani honour guards (black uniforms) and Indian rangers (background) take part in a daily flag-lowering ceremony. – Reuters (File Photo) National Progress on Pak-Afghan transit pact failed Progress on Pak-Afghan transit pact failed NEW DELHI: A daily, goose-stepping display of choreographed aggression by soldiers on the India-Pakistan border has been toned down because of knee injuries to the participants, a report said Wednesday. For years, the military flag-lowering ceremony that takes place every evening at the Wagah border post has … Continue reading India, Pakistan tone down Wagah border show

Dawn Editorial Policemen fire teargas shells to disperse the protesters during a demonstration against the killing of two Christian brothers outside the court building in Faisalabad. –Online Photo Pakistan LHC orders judicial inquiry into Faisalabad killings LHC orders judicial inquiry into Faisalabad killings There have been several instances where police apathy, perhaps in some cases connivance, has led to under-trial prisoners being targeted by vengeful elements on the court premises. Where the charge involves religion, there is a greater need for the police to be vigilant when escorting the accused to or from court, given the kind of fury that … Continue reading Jungle justice – no place in a modern nation

You just got eclipsed! by Hasaan Haider Yes, I saw the most talked about pop-corn film recently at a local cinema. Yes, a blog partially written about this film has already been published. No, I have kept my testosterones totally charged and my masculinity in check (thank God for the four women who went along with me keeping me inside the closet as hard as I was unintentionally inching towards escape.) Having not seen the first two parts to this so called ‘epic saga’, I have to admit I did enjoy delightfully adorable vampiresses engaging in skirmishes and the tunes … Continue reading Effeminate Werewolves

Megrahi release was compassionate, not political Scotland had nothing to gain from releasing Megrahi and the fact a dying man isn’t dead yet does not change that Ewan Crawford guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 21 July 2010 12.18 BST Article history A medical report last August stated that Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was only likely to live for another three months. Photograph: ReutersWhen he released Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds, the Scottish justice secretary made it clear he understood the pain his decision would cause the families of those killed in the Lockerbie atrocity. “Those who have been bereaved cannot be expected to forget, let … Continue reading Megrahi release was compassionate

Voting abroad is every citizen’s right From refugees to those on business overseas, all expats should have the chance to engage with their democracy at election time Joseph Mayton guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 21 July 2010 11.30 BST Article history A British citizen living overseas chats with Conservatives Abroad worker registering voters for the 2010 general election in Madrid, Spain Photograph: Jasper Juinen/GettyAs someone who has voted while living outside my native country, I find it disconcerting that around 100 countries worldwide don’t allow their citizens this same right. Unsurprisingly, a vast majority of those that bar citizens from casting a ballot … Continue reading Voting abroad is right