Creating a Safe Haven for Pakistan’s Youth

Nudrat Kamal / Truthdig Oct 23, 2014 Huddled around a table, surrounded by a group of teenagers who volunteer every evening, Sohail Rahi and Nadeem Baig explain the birth, vision and achievement of the Lyari Youth Cafe in Karachi. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

U.S. Secretly Created ‘Cuban Twitter’ to Undermine Government

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Apr 3, 2014 The U.S. government used its multibillion-dollar overseas humanitarian arm to build and launch a social media network that could be used to spark off a "Cuban Spring" and overthrow the country's communist government, documents obtained by The Associated Press show. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

A USAID Worker’s Suicide Raises the Flag on a Troubling Issue

BLANK Sep 6, 2013 The suicide of a USAID worker, the first in a decade of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, spotlights a gap in policy, and a potentially wider problem. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Russia Gives USAID the Boot

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Sep 19, 2012 According to the Russian government, the US is using its foreign aid organization in Moscow to secretly influence the country’s politics and elections The U Agency for International Development, known as USAID, will be expelled as part of a broad attempt to stifle the opposition movement. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Al-Qaida Holding American Hostage in Pakistan

Staff / Truthdig Dec 2, 2011 Claiming retaliation for American aggression in Pakistan, al-Qaida said Thursday that it was holding a US citizen, 70-year-old aid worker Warren Weinstein, in that country after capturing him in Lahore four months ago Al-Qaida boss Ayman al-Zawahiri announced Weinstein's capture in a video demanding that the U . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Tsunami of Cash’ in Afghanistan Is Questioned

Staff / Truthdig Jul 30, 2010 Part of the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan is creating a "civilian surge" by pouring more money into development and aid projects to stabilize the country and win the hearts and minds of the people. But some aid workers say the "tsunami of cash" is a case of quantity over quality. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

White House Pledges $400 Million to Palestinians

Staff / Truthdig Jun 10, 2010 A White House statement calls the $400 million aid package announced Wednesday "a down payment on the United States’ commitment to Palestinians in Gaza, who deserve a better life and expanded opportunities, and the chance to take part in building a viable, independent state of Palestine, together with those who live in the West Bank." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Becoming What We Seek to Destroy

Chris Hedges / Truthdig May 11, 2009 The bodies of dozens, perhaps well over a hundred, women, children and men, their corpses blown into bits of human flesh by iron fragmentation bombs dropped by U.S. warplanes in a village in the western province of Farah, illustrates the futility of the Afghan war. Dig deeper ( 7 Min. Read )

Afghanistan in Crisis

Robert Fisk / Truthdig Nov 30, 2008 The collapse of Afghanistan is closer than the world believes. Kandahar is in Taliban hands -- all but a square mile at the centre of the city --and the first Taliban checkpoints are scarcely 15 miles from Kabul. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

The High Price of Democracy in Cuba

Staff / Truthdig Nov 16, 2006 The Government Accountability Office has found that USAID funds meant to promote democracy in Cuba were improperly used to purchase luxury items including leather coats, crab meat and Godiva chocolates. A representative of one of the Cuban-American groups charged with distributing the funds defended the purchases: "These people are going hungry. They never get any chocolate there." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Why Are GOP’ers Protecting Condom Production?

Staff / Truthdig Oct 31, 2006 America has pledged to give condoms to Africa, but Asian factories produce them cheaper than we do So why have GOP congressmen been so successful in securing federal condom-producing contracts for American factories, instead of the more efficient Asian ones? Hint: It's not because conservatives are lightening up about their historical antipathy toward non-procreational sex . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Gov’t Agency Paints Dire Picture of ‘Out-of-Control’ Iraq

Staff / Truthdig Jan 18, 2006 This official U.S. assessment is much darker than what the Pentagon is peddling to the public. It was drawn up for contractors bidding on rehab projects. | storyCall us cynical, but why exactly are they getting different intel than the rest of us? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )