Taliban claim responsibility for Pakistan blasts that killed 50

The Taliban claimed responsibility Monday for two explosions targeting a government building in Pakistan's tribal region, a Taliban leader said.

The blasts killed 50 people and injured at least 70 others, according to Shamas Ul Islam, a senior government official in Mohmand Agency.

Umar Khalid, head of the Pakistani Taliban in Mohmand Agency, said pamphlets had been distributed in the area 20 days ago warning members of peace committees or Lashkars (tribal militias) to abandon any efforts to join the government in fighting militants or face "consequences."

"We will continue to attack all pro-government officials and their supporters who try to join any peace committees or Lashkars," Khalid said.

The blasts occurred as government officials were about to meet with members of a volunteer militia group established to fight militants in the area, said Maqsood Amin, another senior government official in Mohmand Agency.

Among those killed in the blasts was Haji Kachkol Khan, a senior leader of the peace committeee, Islam said.

Amin said two suicide bombers were responsible for the blasts. One detonated inside the building and another outside the building's gate, he said.

The explosions occurred in the agency's headquarters of Ghalanai, Pakistan. A curfew has been imposed in Ghalanai as a preventive measure, Islam said.

The victims were taken to a local hospital after the blast, said Mohammad Zafar, a senior medical officer.

Monday's attacks were not the first time anti-Taliban and pro-government militias have been targeted in Pakistan. The attacks have been increasing over the past year, but Monday's was one of the deadliest attacks this year. A November 5 suicide attack targeting a mosque in Dera Adam Khel, where locals had formed an anti-Taliban militia, killed 67 people. In July, another suicide attack killed more than 100 people, also in Mohmand Agency.

Mohmand is one of seven semi-autonomous tribal agencies along the 1,500-mile border that Pakistan shares with Afghanistan.

The Pakistani military has been battling insurgents in the area for some time.

The attacks underscore that when locals decide to take a stand against the Taliban, there are sometimes deadly consequences. The Taliban usually warns locals against taking such actions, as they did in Monday's attacks. The Pakistani government has said that such suicide attacks are a sign that the Taliban is growing desperate and becoming more aware that Pakistanis are taking a stand against them.

In a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan condemned the attacks. "While details of these suicide attacks are still being verified, it is clear this vicious crime killed and wounded many innocent people," the statement said. "Our thoughts and sympathies are with the individuals and families affected by these inhumane acts."

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Julian Assange ready to meet police, says his lawyer

A lawyer working for Wikileaks' founder Julian Assange has said he is trying to arrange for his client to meet the police.

The Metropolitan Police have received a European arrest warrant for Mr Assange from Sweden.

The Australian denies allegations he sexually assaulted two women in Sweden.

Mr Assange's lawyer, Mark Stephens, has criticised the Swedish prosecutors, saying Mr Assange had been offering to meet since August.

He said they had offered to put Mr Assange up for interview at the Swedish embassy, by video conference recorded in Sweden or at Scotland Yard.

Mr Stephens said: "So far the Swedish prosecutor has declined to take up those offers.

"That's obviously to be regretted, and is deeply unsatisfactory both for the women who made the complaints, and indeed for Julian Assange, whose name's been so comprehensively traduced, particularly in the last seven days in the week while the cables have been released."

Mr Stephens said: "I haven't even seen the warrant yet. We have got 10 days to do this and a lot of complex schedules to organise."

Security review

Meanwhile, Downing Street issued strong criticism of Wikileaks for publishing secret diplomatic cables identifying important facilities.

The cables include sites and factories in Britain which the US says are vital to its security.

Security officials say the sites could now become terrorist targets and Foreign Secretary William Hague says the release of the information could have put lives at risk.

The list includes pipelines, communication and transport hubs.

Several UK sites are listed, from Cornwall to Scotland, including key satellite communications sites and the places where transatlantic cables make landfall.

A number of BAE Systems plants involved in joint weapons programmes with the Americans are listed, along with a marine engineering firm in Edinburgh which is said to be "critical" for nuclear-powered submarines.

Meanwhile, Home Secretary Theresa May has said all government departments have been told to carry out a security review following the publication of the secret US diplomatic cables on the Wikileaks website.

She told MPs that the prime minister's security adviser, Sir Peter Ricketts, had written "to all departments to ask them to look again at their information security and to provide him with an assurance about the level of that information security".

The Swiss post office bank, PostFinance, has also frozen Mr Assange's bank accounts.

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Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Was Basically

Surprisingly, I didn’t see The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show when it aired last week. I know, usually I’m on top of my half naked models prancing to Katy Perry events. I don’t know, I guess I was busy not feeling bad about myself. So thank goodness NY Mag put together the minute and a half version of the event.

GAH. We all remember the fashion show that Christina Applegate puts on at the end of Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead, yes? It’s here if you want to bone up. I think the designers at Victoria’s Secret, if one were to ask them, would cite that as their main influence for this, the ugliest collection of outfits I have ever seen. Lacrosse??? A giant soccer ball shrug?? WTF, Vicky’s? I know you flaunt your trashy side proudly, but this is beyond. As long as you were going balls out (tranny model next year maybe?), you should have hired the hot dog truck and called it a day, at least to ground this disconnected circus in some actual reference. There are some obvious differences between the two shows, for one, the Victoria’s Secret Show did not take place in Sue Ellen’s backyard and Sue Ellen did not feature a cadre of male dancers/gymnasts. But I feel as though they share the same soul, just with different budgets.

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