The Londoner

Growth potential of a country devoid of natural resources remains seriously handicapped, but is less vulnerable to foreign intrigues and intervention. Conversely, a country rich in resources remains vulnerable to foreign intervention. Imperialist powers greedily searching for more resources mark the resource rich countries and go to the extent of waging wars in pursuit of their mercantile interests. They feel no compunction in stealing mineral resources of weaker nations incapable of fighting bigger powers. Geostrategic importance of a country/region is another factor which becomes an attraction for expansionist powers with imperialist agenda.  Read the full story here.

Pakistan is focused on assuaging global concern over the safety and security of its nuclear materials and management of its nuclear power plants at the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, which kicked off Monday for a two-day run. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, leading a 30-person delegation that includes Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Ambassador to China Masood Khan and Ambassador to the United States Sherry Rehman, is seeking to showcase to the world his nation’s “efficient command and control over its stocks of nuclear materials” at the largest global gathering on nuclear security ever.  Read the full story here. 

ISLAMABAD — The Indian James Bond can disarm a bomb while flying a helicopter, dodge bullets from deadly assassins and save his country from nuclear disaster. But getting into cinemas in neighboring Pakistan has proved to be an impossible feat. Pakistan banned the Indian film "Agent Vinod" a few days before its scheduled release, likely because of its critical portrayal of the country's generals and spies. They are shown providing support for the Taliban in Afghanistan and scheming to set off a nuclear suitcase bomb in archenemy India's capital. "It was our judgment that it should not be allowed to be screened," the vice chairman of Pakistan's Film Censor Board, Muhammad Ashraf Gondal, told The Associated Press on Monday. "It falls under the negative codes of our censor." Read the full story here. 

HOME Secretary Theresa May was yesterday accused of “rank hypocrisy” after she said Scots independence would leave the country open to mass immigration. The Tory bungler’s claims came just months after she faced calls for her resignation when she admitted letting thousands of people into Britain without going through immigration or customs. But brass-necked May arrived at the Scottish Conservatives conference in Troon yesterday to warn an independent Scotland could face an immigration crisis because we could not protect our borders. She told the 300 delegates at the party’s spring meeting: “It completely defeats the SNP argument that Scotland would fare better with more control over its affairs when they seek to hand over so many serious areas of government elsewhere. Read the full story here. 

The chief mystery in the latest cash-for-access scandal is how Peter Cruddas was ever appointed Tory treasurer and doorkeeper to Downing Street influence for a donation of a mere £1.2m. For a rich City dealer and one-time Monaco resident, he was an accident waiting to happen.  David Cameron  and George Osborne should have demanded £10m at least. Once again the poison of ambition has impregnated British  party funding and claimed another victim. At first sight, the idea of paying £250,000 to join a "premier league" of donors who may kiss the hem of power might seem unobjectionable. As in the case of access to Prince Andrew, if some people will pay large sums to rub shoulders with celebrity, so be it. It is simpler than supertax. The sums involved pale against those now tormenting US presidential politics and clearly corrupting the processes of Congress. Read the full article here. 

Her days of shopping in the EU for the president's palace are over, as ministers have decided the wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is no longer welcome.  The ban on travel and shopping in the EU, will come as a blow to Asma al-Assad, whose love of pricey purchases has been well documented in the past few weeks in leaked emails.  They detailed Asma placing an order for £10,000 worth of candlesticks, concern over getting hold of a new chocolate fondue set from Amazon, and swapping details with friends of crystal-encrusted designer shoes costing nearly £4,000. The announcement comes as diplomats try to crank up pressure on his government to end a bloody crackdown on popular unrest. Read the full article here. 

In early September 2002, one year after American troops entered Afghanistan, I reported newspaper stories from Kandahar, the main city of the Pashto-speaking southern part of Afghanistan. I drove in from Quetta, Pakistan, and stayed 10 days at the “best” hotel on Kandahar’s main street. For one report, I spent a morning walking the street with a Pashto-English interpreter.  Read the full story here.