Infidel aid

It seems that al-Qaida wants to do some good in the world. That makes a change. Its second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has 'call[ed] on all Muslims to run to the help of their brothers in Pakistan'. He did this 'sitting beside an AK-47 assault rifle':

The message came as international aid continued to flood in but UN officials warned that thousands of lives were still at risk. With the fierce Himalayan winter just weeks away an odd mix of western and local soldiers, seasoned aid workers and Islamic charities are rushing shelter and food to the victims of the October 8 quake. Possibly to al-Zawahiri's dismay, America is at the forefront of the charge.

President George Bush has given $50m (£28m) in immediate assistance and diverted a fleet of 19 helicopters, many of them from the fight against Taliban rebels in neighbouring Afghanistan. More troops and aircraft have been promised.