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This past April in Quetta, the bleached-gray, drought-stricken capital of the Pakistani border province of Baluchistan, I awoke to explosions and gunfire. In search of the violence, my translator, Jamil, and I jumped into a four-wheel-drive Toyota and raced through the section of town inhabited by Pashtoon tribesmen. Suddenly we were surrounded by Pakistani soldiers, who forced us out of the car and pointed assault rifles in our faces. While they searched us, I saw two other soldiers with automatic weapons run along a high wall a few feet from where we stood. Shots rang out from inside the adjacent compound. By 11:00 a.m. five people had been killed and twenty wounded, and a large cache of weapons had been confiscated in a raid on the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami (Pashtoon National People's Party), a group supporting an independent "Pashtoonistan" created out of Pakistani territory. The party stood accused of murders and kidnapping. Security forces claimed victory, but reports later … [Read more...] about The Lawless Frontier

Supermarkets are masters at making us spend. Nothing – from vibrant produce at the entrance, to the sweet treats at checkout – is left to chance. Marketing and retail experts explain how to clock the most common psychological tricks in the book on your next shopping trip. READ MORE: How do Kiwi supermarket prices compare to overseas? 10 staples, 10 supermarkets, 10 countries Why is New Zealand so darn expensive? 5 meals from one roast: Grandmas share their penny-pinching food hacks Battle of the produce: Is frozen or fresh going to save you more at the checkout? Top 5 'fakeaways': How to cook popular takeaways for less than $6 per serve Battle of the prices: Which supermarket has the cheapest essentials? Eye level is buy level It’s easier for products to catch your eye when they’re right in front of your face. Brands pay big bucks for this positioning. But generally: “Retailers tend to position the most profitable products in this area,” said Dr Megan … [Read more...] about The tricks supermarkets use to get us to spend more money – and how to defeat them