“I know well many of the mega-rich and, by and large, they are very decent people. They love America and appreciate the opportunity this country has given them. Many have joined the Giving Pledge, promising to give most of their wealth to philanthropy. Most wouldn’t mind being told to pay more in taxes as well, particularly when so many of their fellow citizens are truly suffering.

An investigation by the UK newspaper, the Independent, revealed yesterday that British banks continue to invest in companies that manufacture cluster bombs.

The Royal Bank of Scotland, 83% owned by the tax-payer, reportedly invested over $190 million into two companies alleged to be making cluster munitions – Alliant Techsystems and Lockhead Martin.

HSBC, Barclays and Lloyds TSB are also reported to have made investments into similar companies. Although the banks have subsequently refuted such claims, anti-arms charities have pointed out that the companies concerned are yet to publicly deny the manufacturing of cluster bombs.

Britain has signed up to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, effectively banning cluster bombs. However the banks utilise a legal loop hole that permits investment in companies that manufacture cluster bombs, provided there is no direct investment into the bombs.

“This is a preliminary report produced under very challenging circumstances and with very limited access to affected areas... However what it suggests has been happening in Southern Kordofan is so serious that it is essential there is an independent, thorough and objective inquiry with the aim of holding perpetrators to account.”

Extracts from the editorial of The Guardian (see full article here):

Almost 60 years after an armistice ended the Korean war, the United States has resumed its efforts to bring home the remains of more than 2000 American soldiers.

The US has written to North Korea on the matter, the Pentagon said.

Despite the complete absence of diplomatic ties and particularly frosty ties over recent attacks on South Korea, the US has long sought cooperation with North Korea over the repatriation of soldiers’ remains.

North Korea has reportedly received several millions of dollars in exchange for cooperation.

David Clay Large, professor of history at Montana State University, writes in the New York Times (see full article here):

Few Olympics are as famous as the 1936 Berlin Games, whose 75th anniversary falls this month. The publicity that accompanied the competition, held under the watchful eye of Adolf Hitler, supposedly tamed the Nazi regime.

A Pakistan court prosecuted six paramilitary soldiers and one civilian security guard for the shooting of an unarmed teenager in Karachi two months ago.

A video of the killing, recorded by a local cameraman,  showed the young boy begging for mercy, before being shot, twice.

The video was widely broadcast across television channels and internet sites.