Swiss prostitutes trained to use defibrillators in brothels to prevent clients dying Swiss prostitutes are being trained to use defibrillators to prevent clients with heart problems from dying on them, it has emerged. telegraph Brothel owners in the Lugano area say electric shock treatment to restart customer’s hearts is needed because so many elderly customers are using their services. The most recent victim was a pensioner, thought to be having fun with the help of anti-impotence medication. His death followed a series of other incidents, some fatal, in which heart attacks have claimed brothel customers in the area. The owner … Continue reading Swiss prostitutes trained to use defibrillators to prevent clients dying

(David E. Sanger) Midway through the rancorous debate inside the Obama administration last fall over how to redefine America’s goals for the war in Afghanistan, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told his colleagues that they did not need to kill off the Taliban in every city and town in the country “We need to eliminate Al Qaeda, but we only need to degrade the capability of the Taliban,” Mr. Gates said. He spoke with the authority of a man who had seen from the inside what happened when, by his own account, the Bush administration focused far too little thought … Continue reading A test for the meaning of victory‏

A Wild Goose Chase with the Taliband‏ (Hasnain Kazim) I only spoke to him once on the phone in person. “Come alone,” he said, in an unexpectedly friendly voice. I asked if I could just bring along one fellow journalist, the Pakistani man who had put me in contact with him and who could translate from Pashto into Urdu. Taking a deep, pensive breath, he responded, “Alright. But nobody else, please,” before hanging up the phone. A few days earlier, I’d heard that this senior Taliban commander was supposedly coming here, to Islamabad. He was reportedly arriving from the mountainous … Continue reading Mullah hugs!

Home truths (Fatima Bhutto ) Everybody seems to be an expert on the Islamic Republic of Pakistan these days. You can’t turn left without running into some pundit or pontificating layperson moaning heartily about Pakistan’s future lording it with their imaginary Pakistan PhDs over all and sundry. Baronesses, David Miliband, the fellow who reads the news – they’re all Pakistan wonks now. It used to be that, upon telling someone you hailed from Pakistan, you’d get a benign smile: “Oh, yes, next to India.” Yes, next to India, and Iran and China and Afghanistan. Now, the mere mention of Pakistan elicits … Continue reading Pakistan was created for Mullahs to run wild!

By Peter Lee While Western attention was focused on Saudi Arabia’s possible provision of energy guarantees to China in return for a “yes” vote on Iran sanctions, Iran was working to leverage its natural gas reserves into economic alliances with China, India and Pakistan. In addition to awarding concessions to China, on February 8 Tehran invited Beijing to take the place of India in one of the most contentious energy projects in South Asia: the Iran-Pakistan-India or “Peace” natural gas pipeline. However, economics and the realities of the confrontation with the United States over Iran’s nuclear program may force China … Continue reading Iran aims for an energy break-out

By Brian McCartan BANGKOK – Myanmar’s up and down relationship with neighboring India is on the up again with a new commitment for coordinated counter-insurgency operations along their mutual border. While previous promises to tackle armed groups failed in the actual implementation, analysts suggest there could be new impetus for strategic cooperation. India’s Home Secretary G K Pillai led a delegation to Naypyidaw in January for three days of secretarial-level talks with Myanmar officials led by Brigadier General Phone Swe. The elimination of insurgent camps in Myanmar across the border from India’s violence-plagued northeastern region, featured in discussions. India also … Continue reading India, Myanmar: Reluctant brothers in arms

By Mohammed A Salih WASHINGTON – Reiterating accusations of Iranian interference in Iraq’s internal affairs, the United States ambassador to Iraq said on Wednesday that he was in “100% agreement” with remarks by the top US commander in Iraq regarding Iran’s involvement in a highly controversial decision that eventually barred 145 candidates from running in Iraq’s parliamentary elections next month. Among the candidates banned by Iraq’s Accountability and Justice Commission (AJC) are Saleh al-Mutlak and Dhafer al-Ani, two prominent Sunni Arab lawmakers. Speaking at the Washington-based US Institute of Peace Wednesday, Christopher Hill said Iran had a “malevolent interest” in … Continue reading US envoy accuses Iran over poll ban

By Sami Moubayed DAMASCUS – There is rising concern in Iraq over the parliamentary elections scheduled for March 7, with two main options now on the table. One option is for the polls to take place amid widespread Sunni resentment – and a boycott similar to the one of 2005. That would lead to an overwhelming victory for Iran-backed politicians like Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, ex-premier Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and Adel Abdul Mehdi of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC). Another scenario is that the elections will be called off altogether, due to rising violence and Sunni … Continue reading Allawi flirts with Iraq’s elections