Oil hovers near $63 in Asian trade

SINGAPORE: Oil prices paused near $63 a barrel Thursday in Asia after signs of weak U.S. crude demand triggered a sharp sell-off this week. Benchmark crude for September delivery was down 19 cents to$63.16 a barrel by midday Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Wednesday, the contract fell$3.88 to settle at $63.35. Crude prices have slid from above $69 earlier this week on investor concerns that a slow reco .... Full Story

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CJ says constitution's interpretation is right of judiciary

ISLAMABAD: The hearing of a constitutional petition challenging the appointments of all such judges of the superior courts who had taken oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) and imposition of PCO in Supreme Court is underway.

A 14-member larger bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry resumed hearing today.

Hamid Khan advocate who started his arguments yesterday has been asked to ... Full Story

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UK: Intelligence sharing with the US threatened

LONDON: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said the United States will restrict intelligence-sharing with the U.K. if a British court reveals secret details of a former Guantanamo Bay detainee's treatment, a British government lawyer said Wednesday.Karen Steyn, a lawyer acting on behalf of the British government, told Britain's High Court that Clinton had explained to her counterpart, Foreign Secretary David Miliband, that intelligence sharin .... Full Story

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Best Cities For Singles 2009

It hasn't been an easy year for New Yorkers, what with the fall of Wall Street, a media-industry shakeout and a significant decrease in consumer spending. Just in June U.S. retail sales experienced a year-over-year decrease of 9%, to $342.1 billion, according to the Commerce Department.

These financial stresses have brought a shift in priorities for singles: Living in New York City no longer requires making your first million by the age of 30, but instead means finding happiness with another person (though having achieved the former certainly can't hurt with the latter).

In Depth: Best Cities for Singles

With an unemployment rate of 8.2%, many of this metro area's finest unmarried folks-- 28% of the overall population--are taking advantage of generous severances and enjoying the spoils of the city--including its 35,000 restaurants, 3,800 bars and 734 museums--with dates they've found online. The New York metro area boasts a larger number of active accounts on dating site Match.com than any other place in the country, making up 8% of the entire site's active members.

While it's the biggest metro included--New York should have even more active members--other large metros don't participate nearly as much. For example, only 2% of Angelinos, who live in the second-largest metro in the country, actively use the site. (Match is based in Dallas, Texas, which ranks 17th on our list.)

It's still not cheap to live in New York--the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment in the borough of Manhattan, for example, is $3,522-- but the average entry-level salary is a lot higher too, at $35,593. (For singles making entry-level money, there are more affordable accommodations in Brooklyn and Queens, as well as across the river in New Jersey.) The average rent for a one-bedroom in Milwaukee is just $813.65, but the average starting salary is only $30,453. Close competition with New York includes Boston, Chicago, Seattle and Washington, D.C., which round out the top five best cities for singles.

Behind the Numbers

To generate our list, we ranked 40 of the largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas in seven different categories: coolness, cost of living alone, culture, job growth, online dating participation, nightlife and the ratio of singles to the entire population of the metro. Each metro was assigned a ranking of 1 to 40 in each category, based on quantitative data, and all categories were weighted equally. The ranks were then totaled to determine the final rankings. A metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographic entity defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.

The biggest factor in the rankings this year was an increase in online dating, not just in New York but across the entire U.S. Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D., a sociology professor at University of Washington in Seattle and the relationship expert at Perfectmatch.com, says that the Seattle-based dating site has seen a 48% increase in subscriptions year-over-year. She believes that it's directly related to the recession.

"I don't think that it's an accident," says Schwartz. "People are telling us that when things are tough, core needs are most important. And love--someone to share your life with--is a core need."

Of course, not every single is looking to settle down. But that's why our top cities offer a little bit of everything for every kind of person. Washington, D.C., for example, has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country--6.2%, compared with a national average of 9.1%--so this metro area is a promising spot for those who are single as well as ambitious. Boston, on the other hand, is ideal for those unsure about their future prospects. Home to over 40 colleges and universities, those seeking graduate degrees find plenty of like-minded peers around them.

Farther down on the list, spots like Austin and Portland prove to be up-and-coming singles capitals. From March's annual South by Southwest music, film and media festival to the city's ever-growing creative community of artists, musicians and designers, Austin ranks high on the coolness scale. It also gets points for job growth; the number of jobs in the city will increase by 17.5% over the next five years, according to New York-based research firm Moodys' Economy.com. And while Portland is pricey--a one-bedroom apartment rents for $1,124 on average, and the entry-level salary is below the national average--the city's indie music and arts scenes, as well as its myriad bars and clubs, are all positives.

But wherever you live, even if it's Jacksonville, Fla., which falls dead last on our list, there's a community of singles making the best of that particular place. Whether that means embracing the great outdoors around Denver or buying the next round of tequila shots in nightlife-oriented Virginia Beach, there are plenty of other like-minded people on the prowl. And right now, the easiest place to find them is online.

Full Methodology

To determine the best city for singles, we ranked 40 of the largest continental U.S. metropolitan statistical areas in seven different categories: coolness, cost of living alone, culture, job growth, online dating, nightlife and number of singles. Each metro is assigned a ranking of 1 to 40 in each category, based on quantitative data. All categories are weighted equally. The ranks are then totaled to determine the final rankings. A metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographic entity defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for use by federal agencies in collecting, tabulating and publishing federal statistics.

Coolness: To determine coolness, market research company Harris Interactive conducted a poll in July 2009 of adults from across the U.S., each of whom was asked, "Among the following U.S. cities, which one do you think is the coolest?" Data were provided by Harris Interactive.

Cost of living alone: Our proprietary cost of living alone index is determined by the average cost of a metro area's one-bedroom apartment rent, a movie ticket and a six-pack of Heineken. Additionally, we factored in entry-level salary data. Raw data came from the Accra Cost of Living Index, provided by the Arlington, Va.-based Council for Community and Economic Research and New York-based Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

Culture: Our cultural index is determined by the number of museums, sports teams and live theater and concert venues per capita in each metro area. Data were provided by New York-based AOL City Guide and the U.S. Census Bureau. Job growth: Job growth rankings are determined by the projected percentage of job growth over the next five years for each metro. Data were provided by New York-based research firm Moody's Economy.com.

Online Dating: Online dating rates are determined by the percentage of active profiles in each city of the overall active member data based of Dallas, Texas-based dating site Match.com.

Nightlife: Nightlife is based on the number of restaurants, bars and nightclubs per capita in each standard metropolitan area. Data provided by AOL City Guide.

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Who are the Taliban?

Recent years have seen the re-emergence of the hardline Islamic Taliban movement as a fighting force in Afghanistan and a major threat to its government.

They are also threatening to destabilise Pakistan, where they control areas in the north-west and are blamed for a wave of suicide bombings and other attacks.

The Taliban emerged in the early 1990s in northern Pakistan following the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan.

A predominantly Pashtun movement, the Taliban came to prominence in Afghanistan in the autumn of 1994.

It is commonly believed that they first appeared in religious seminaries - mostly paid for by money from Saudi Arabia - which preached a hard line form of Sunni Islam.

The Taliban's promise - in Pashtun areas straddling Pakistan and Afghanistan - was to restore peace and security and enforce their own austere version of Sharia, or Islamic law, once in power.

In both countries they introduced or supported Islamic punishments - such as public executions of convicted murderers and adulterers and amputations of those found guilty of theft.

Men were required to grow beards and women had to wear the all-covering burka.

Madrassas

The Taliban showed a similar disdain for television, music and cinema and disapproved of girls aged 10 and over from going to school.

The Taliban first came to prominence in Afghanistan in 1994

Pakistan has repeatedly denied that it is the architect of the Taliban enterprise.

But there is little doubt that many Afghans who initially joined the movement were educated in madrassas (religious schools) in Pakistan.

Pakistan was also one of only three countries, along with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which recognised the Taliban when they were in power in Afghanistan from the mid-1990s until 2001.

It was also the last country to break diplomatic ties with the Taliban.

The attention of the world was drawn to the Taliban in Afghanistan following the attacks on the World Trade Centre in September 2001.

Mullah Omar's precise whereabouts are still unknown

The Taliban in Afghanistan was accused of providing a sanctuary to Osama Bin Laden and the al-Qaeda movement who were blamed for the attacks.

Soon after 9/11 the Taliban were driven from power in Afghanistan by a US-led coalition, although their leader Mullah Mohammad Omar was not captured - and neither was Osama Bin Laden.

In recent years the Taliban have re-emerged in Afghanistan and grown far stronger in Pakistan, where observers say there is loose co-ordination between different Taliban factions and militant groups.

The main Pakistani faction is led by Baitullah Mehsud, whose Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is blamed for dozens of suicide bombings and other attacks.

Observers warn against over-stating the existence of one unified insurgency against the Pakistani state, however.

The Taliban in Afghanistan are still believed to be led by Mullah Omar, a village clergyman who lost his right eye fighting the occupying forces of the Soviet Union in the 1980s.

Afghans, weary of the mujahideen's excesses and infighting after the Soviets were driven out, generally welcomed the Taliban when they first appeared on the scene.

THE TALIBAN Emerged in Afghanistan in 1994 Mainly supported by ethnic Pashtuns Toppled after US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 Fugitive leader Mullah Omar wanted, whereabouts unknown

Their early popularity was largely due to their success in stamping out corruption, curbing lawlessness and making the roads and the areas under their control safe for commerce to flourish.

From south-western Afghanistan, the Taliban quickly extended their influence.

They captured the province of Herat, bordering Iran, in September 1995.

Exactly one year later, they captured the Afghan capital, Kabul, after overthrowing the regime of President Burhanuddin Rabbani and his defence minister, Ahmed Shah Masood.

By 1998, they were in control of almost 90% of Afghanistan.

They were accused of various human rights and cultural abuses. One example was in 2001, when the Taliban went ahead with the destruction of the famous Bamiyan Buddha statues in central Afghanistan, despite international outrage.

US onslaught

On October 7, 2001, a US-led military coalition invaded Afghanistan and by the first week of December the Taliban regime had collapsed.

Mullah Omar and his comrades have evaded capture despite one of the largest manhunts in the world

Mullah Omar and most of the other senior Taliban leaders, along with Bin Laden and some of his senior al-Qaeda associates, survived the American onslaught.

Mullah Omar and most of his comrades have evaded capture despite one of the largest manhunts in the world and are believed to be guiding the resurgent Taliban.

Since then they have re-grouped in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, but are now under pressure in both countries, from the Pakistani army and Nato respectively.

But Mullah Omar and most of his comrades have evaded capture despite one of the largest manhunts in the world and violence in Afghanistan has returned to levels not seen since 2001.

Despite ever higher numbers of foreign troops, the Taliban have steadily extended their influence, rendering vast tracts of Afghanistan insecure.

Their retreat earlier this decade enabled them to limit their human and material losses and return with a vengeance.

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Suicide bombers hit Afghan city

Taliban militants have carried out suicide attacks on several government buildings in Khost, eastern Afghanistan, police say.

A gun battle broke out between security forces and the fighters who launched co-ordinated attacks on the police chief's office, a hospital and a bank.

Militants were using machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades, and there were reports of casualties.

It comes amid a spike of violence ahead of elections on 20 August.

A doctor at Khost hospital said seven civilians and three police were injured.

It was unclear how many attackers were involved, but Zabihullah Mujahid who claims to be a Taliban spokesman told the BBC from unknown location: "Four of our attackers had entered the city this afternoon."

Khost provinical police chief Abdul Qayum Baqizai told the BBC seven suicide bombers attacked various sites, including one who detonated a bomb-laden car near a military hospital.

One hospital guard was injured in that attack.

Another attacker was shot by security personnel close to Kabul Bank, and another was shot close to a government guesthouse, he said.

Mr Baqizai said the rest, dressed in border police uniforms, tried to enter the police chief's office but "our forces opened fire and killed them all".

City confusion

Khost resident Mohammad Goal Jan described the confusion during the hours of fighting.

"I can hear a lot of gunshots and loud explosions from the police chief's office.

"Police and army have blocked the main roads. Khost city is empty. There is a lot of confusion at the moment.''

One of the presidential candidates, Ramazan Bashardost, was in Khost but was not affected.

The attack is a big blow to the authorities who have promised better security for the elections next month, says the BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul.

Such attacks will only add to the worries of local Afghans in the country's restive south-eastern provinces.

Most of them live in a climate of fear. After attacks in Khost, Paktia and Ningarhar provinces recently, security was beefed up specifically on the outskirts of the city which borders Pakistan.

According to local residents, all vehicles coming in and out of Khost were checked on regular basis.

Previous attacks

In May, six people were killed when militants launched simultaneous assaults on government buildings in Khost.

Last week at least four security personnel were killed in attacks on Gardez, about 50 miles (80km) northwest of Khost, when militants attacked the police chief's office, a police station and the intelligence directorate, as well as the governor's compound.

Another security personnel died in an attack in eastern city of Jalalabad.

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Al Qaeda trying to acquire nuke weapons: Mullen

WASHINGTON: A top US military official said that al Qaeda and the Taliban leadership are trying to gain access to nuclear weapons.

"Terrorist organisations, al Qaeda in particular, have been very open and direct about their desire to get a nuclear device and continue to terrorise people in accordance with their strategic approach, killing as many Americans and westerners as they possibly can with a device like that," said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen.

"So it is a very dangerous time. Those are very dangerous weapons. And we would like to contain them and see them over time reduced as much as possible," Mullen said in his address to the Junior Statesman Summer School Programme.

"It becomes all the more important to make sure no new countries are able to acquire it," he said.

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Over 300 families return to Malakand

PESHAWAR: More than 300 families have returned to Malakand division from Peshawar.

The repatriation process is underway at Larma relief camp near Peshawar. Over 300 families have so far returned from this camp to their homes in Malakand, Buner, Dir and Shangla.

Most of the IDPs taking refuge in the relief camp hail from Swat.

Now, registration for the next phase will be undertaken.

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Pakistan raises concern over US Afghan offensive

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan raised concern Wednesday with visiting U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke over a U.S.-led offensive in neighboring southern Afghanistan that Islamabad fears could send Taliban fighters across the border.

A senior Pakistani intelligence official said Islamabad has "reservations" about the offensive because militants crossing the border could destabilize Pakistan's province of Baluchistan, which for years has been facing a separate low-level insurgency by nationalist groups seeking more autonomy.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said Pakistani authorities had conveyed their unease to the "appropriate quarters."

Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Basit said officials raised the issue with Holbrooke during meetings in Islamabad on Wednesday.

"We discussed with him about how to minimize the negative impact of the troop surge in Afghanistan on Pakistan's border area," Basit said.

Pakistan's army has already beefed up its presence along the border in the area, and the intelligence official said authorities had not yet seen an influx into Baluchistan of militants from Afghanistan's Helmand province, where some 4,000 U.S. Marines launched an operation on July 2 against Taliban insurgents.

If a significant influx does occur, however, Pakistan may be forced to move troops over to the northwest from its border from India. But the official stressed that Islamabad cannot make that shift "beyond a certain point."

The Pakistani establishment still views India as its greatest threat. The two nations have fought three wars over the past six decades.

Pakistan shares a 1,600-mile (2,600-kilometer) rugged border with Afghanistan, inhabited on both sides by ethnic Pashtuns with strong family and clan ties who travel freely across the frontier. The section opposite Helmand is about 160 miles (260 kilometers) long and lies in Baluchistan.

Holbrooke said the U.S. was committed to coordinating with the Pakistani government in combatting militants.

"We want to be sure that we share with your government and your military, military plans so you can be prepared and coordinate because a lot of different things can happen here," Holbrooke said.

"The Taliban could move east into Baluchistan and cause additional problems, they could move west towards Herat, they could be trapped, and we have to be prepared," he said.

Pakistani forces are also wrapping up an offensive in the Swat Valley in the country's northwest, and have been carrying out strikes in nearby South Waziristan, part of Pakistan's lawless tribal belt along the Afghan border. The military is softening up the region ahead of an offensive aimed at eliminating Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, the top commander of Pakistan's Taliban. Mehsud has been blamed for scores of suicide attacks and Islamabad considers him the country's greatest domestic threat.

On Wednesday, intelligence officials said Pakistani fighter jets destroyed two suspected militant hide-outs in South Waziristan, killing six men Tuesday believed to be associates of Mehsud. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

It was not possible to independently confirm the strikes or casualty figures in the remote area, where access for journalists is restricted.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who met with Holbrooke on Wednesday, reiterated Islamabad's objections to U.S. drone strikes in northwestern Pakistan, which target suspected top Taliban militants and al-Qaida leaders, saying they are counterproductive.

The strikes have "seriously impeded Pakistan's efforts towards rooting out militancy and terrorism from that area," Gilani's office said the prime minister told Holbrooke.

He also called on the U.S. to share intelligence with Pakistan and to provide equipment, ammunition and unmanned vehicle technology.

Pakistan already receives significant funding from the United States to arm its security forces and battle insurgents.

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Pakistani court summons Musharraf over 2007 chaos

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan's top court has summoned former President Pervez Musharraf to explain his 2007 firing of several dozen independent-minded judges. Wednesday's court notice allows Musharraf to send a lawyer in his place.

The case, brought up in petitions challenging Musharraf's imposition of emergency rule and firing of the judges that year, could lay the groundwork for future action — even a trial — against the one-time military ruler.

It could also rattle Pakistan's political scene at a time when the U.S. wants the nuclear-armed nation to focus on fighting al-Qaida and the Taliban along the Afghan border.

Pakistani Attorney General Sardar Latif Khosa confirmed the court order.

He said the federal government would not defend the actions taken by Musharraf on Nov. 3, 2007, when faced with growing challenges to his rule, he declared a state of emergency, suspended the constitution and dismissed the judges.

Musharraf is currently staying in London with his family. He could not immediately be reached for comment. The next hearing in the case is on July 29.

Wasi Zafar, a law minister during Musharraf's rule, said the retired general could appear before the Supreme Court either through his lawyer or in person.

"If he does not do it, the court can initiate proceedings against him in his absence," he said.

The former army chief seized power in a 1999 military coup and became a critical, and criticized, U.S. ally following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks that sparked the American-led invasion of neighboring Afghanistan.

In early 2007, Musharraf dismissed the Supreme Court's chief justice, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry. That triggered mass protests led by lawyers that damaged Musharraf's popularity.

The court managed to bring Chaudhry back, but — faced with growing rancor — Musharraf declared the emergency, tossing out Chaudhry and around 60 other judges. That only deepened popular anger against the military ruler.

Under domestic pressure, and prodding from the U.S., Musharraf lifted the emergency rule after about six weeks, stepped down as army chief and allowed parliamentary elections to take place the following February.

The elections brought his political foes to power, and they ultimately pushed him to resign the presidency in August 2008.

But the fate of the judges, especially that of Chaudhry, has caused fissures among those who came to power.

A coalition government consisting of Asif Ali Zardari's Pakistan People's Party and Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N fell apart over the slow pace of reinstating the ousted jurists.

Ultimately, facing escalating lawyer-led protests reminiscent of Musharraf's era, now-President Zardari agreed to reinstate Chaudhry — whom he'd viewed as too political a figure — in March.

Ever since, there have been rumblings in some corners about whether and when Musharraf would have to answer in court for his actions, and court petitions were filed over the issue.

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Musharraf summoned in judges case

ISLAMABAD: The 14-member larger bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday summoned former President Pervez Musharraf to defend charges leveled against him for imposing emergency on November 3, 2007. The larger bench issued a notice to Pervez Musharraf to appear in person or through counsel on July 29.The PCO judges case hearing was adjourned till July 29.A 14-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry heard t .... Full Story

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Officials: 17 die in US missile strike in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – U.S. missiles struck a training facility operated by Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud and a militant communication center Friday, killing 17 people and wounding 27 others, intelligence officials said.

The two attacks by drone aircraft took place in South Waziristan, a Mehsud stronghold close to the Afghan border where Pakistani troops are gearing up for a military offensive, two officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

They took place as U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano met government officials in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. She discussed topics of "mutual interest" with them, a U.S. Embassy spokesman said.

The drone attacks were the latest in a string of more than 40 believed to have been be carried out by the United States against militant targets in the border area since last August. Washington does not directly acknowledge being responsible for the attacks, which kill civilians as well as militants.

Most Pakistanis criticize the drone attacks, and Islamabad officially protests them as violations of its sovereignty. Still, most experts believe the government secretly approves of them and likely provides the United States with intelligence.

In one attack Friday, two missiles struck an abandoned seminary in the village of Mantoi that was being used by militants from Mehsud's group for training, the officials said. In the other strike, one missile hit an insurgent communications center in the nearby village of Kokat Khel, they said.

In total, 17 people were killed and 27 others were wounded, they said.

However, Maulvi Noor Syed, an aide to Mehsud, told The Associated Press that three Taliban fighters died in the strikes.

"We lost only three mujahedeen (holy warriors) in today's American missile attack," Syed said. "These attacks cannot cause any damage to us."

Access to the rugged, dangerous region is strictly controlled, and the death toll could not be independently verified.

The drone attack came as U.S. Marines in neighboring Afghanistan pushed deeper in the southern Helmand province, a day after 4,000 Marines launched a major anti-Taliban offensive. Pakistan said it moved troops to the stretch of its border opposite Helmand to stop militants fleeing the American assault.

The United States wants Pakistan to crack down on militants on its side of the border, believing it essential to stabilizing Afghanistan eight years after the invasion that ousted the Taliban there.

The Pakistani military launched an offensive in the Swat region close to the border in early May and is currently gearing up for operations in South Waziristan to eliminate Mehsud, who has been blamed for a string of deadly suicide attacks across the country that have killed more than 100 people in the past month.

In neighboring North Waziristan on Friday, Pakistani warplanes bombed suspected militant hide-outs, killing at least four insurgents and wounding seven others, two more intelligence officials said. Those airstrikes hit targets where Taliban fighters killed 16 government troops in an ambush earlier this week, the officials said, also speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The U.S. appears to be ramping up the pressure on Mehsud, who is viewed in Islamabad with growing alarm. Last week, the Taliban leader narrowly escaped a strike on a funeral for militants killed in an earlier drone attack. Eighty people died in the strike, although Mehsud escaped unharmed.

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Beaten Back, Iran's Opposition Looks To Reform From Within

Iranian presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi lashed out defiantly at Monday's certification, following a partial recount initiated by the clerical body that oversees Iran's elections, of the June 12 re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "From now on we will have a government... whose political legitimacy will not be accepted by the majority of people, including myself," Mousavi said in his latest statement.

Yet, Mousavi's refusal to accept defeat in an election he believes was stolen remains largely symbolic; the reality is that the protest movement he has led to challenge the results is running out of options. The authorities have taken control of the streets of Tehran through an overwhelming deployment of force that has prevented even the smallest of opposition gatherings from taking place. They have arrested scores of opposition candidates and journalists, and forced most of the Western press to leave the country. And while the government has put state media at its disposal, spinning the opposition protests as the work of foreign governments, Mousavi is reduced to speaking through statements posted on his website. (TIME Photographs: Terror in Plain Clothes.)

Denied the public space to continue its campaign except through relatively muted and scattered protest actions, the center of gravity of the challenge to Ahmadinejad's camp will likely move behind closed doors. Mousavi implied as much in his statement, saying that he will be joining a group that will push for reforms through legal means. Among the proposed changes he cited were an overhaul of election laws to prevent future instances of vote rigging, an end to surveillance and control of electronic communications, freedom of the press, and the release of reform politicians and journalists. Mousavi's statement comes on the back of several other statements from influential opposition politicians and clerics that called for protesters to cede the streets to the security forces, but to carry on the struggle as a loyal opposition. "We reserve the right to protest against the result of the election but believe that people should not pay any higher price," said the reformist Combatant Clerics' Assembly, "and that escalating tensions and street protests are not the solution."

Even then, it's not clear that the authorities will allow the election protest movement to morph into a legal political movement. Until now, power in Iran (unlike most Middle Eastern countries) has been dispersed across a number of institutions and bodies, from clerical councils to elected bodies such as parliament and the presidency, and the system was designed to allow for competition among different political groupings within the bounds of loyalty to the Islamic system. But the election and its aftermath highlighted the extent to which power has become increasingly concentrated in the hands of just a few politicians and their backers in the security services.

Many of the politicians and clerics that supported Mousavi are now in jail, despite having been known as pillars of the state and veterans of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Others have found themselves politically neutered. In the days after the election, many analysts speculated that the powerful former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was using his chairmanship of the Assembly of Experts - the body that chooses and oversees the clerical Supreme Leader of Iran - to mount a challenge to the tenure of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. So far, that challenge has not materialized.

As the influence of stalwart political and clerical figures recedes, the power of the leadership of the security services appear to be growing. On Tuesday the head of Iran's armed forces demanded that the European Union apologize for its alleged role in fomenting post-election protests before Iran would be willing to resume negotiations over its nuclear program. Such forays into international diplomacy have not traditionally been the prerogative of Iran's military.

Anyone looking to reintegrate opposition leaders into the political system may struggle to persuade the ascendant hardline faction, which has painted the protest movement as the work of foreign powers bent on undermining the Islamic Republic. Indeed, the chief of the Basij militia - the paramilitary group behind much of the crackdown against opposition protestors - asked Iran's chief prosecutor to investigate Mousavi for his role in the protests on the grounds that they undermined national security. The charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison. But there will be significant pressure from other loyal sections of the regime to accommodate some of the concerns of those aggrieved by the election. The extent to which this occurs may be a measure of the relative strength of the hardline security establishment within the regime.

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Who makes bank at the White House

In the spirit of transparency, the Obama Administration posted on its White House blog a detailed list of who makes what at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

According to the WhiteHouse.gov blog, every administration since 1995 has been required to "deliver a report to Congress listing the title and salary of every White House Office employee." In January, in one of his first acts as president, Obama announced that he was freezing the salaries of employees who made more than $100,000 a year, saying, "Families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington."

It may be a government job, but a gig in the White House isn't so bad: The highest earners take home $172,200, while at the low end, staff assistants get $36,000. The big winner, however, is David Marcozzi, the Director of Public Health Policy, who earns $192,934 a year.

The $172,200 Club: This exclusive club includes Obama's top aides, such as Senior Advisers David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, press secretary Robert Gibbs and Jon "Favs" Favreau, Obama's head speechwriter.

Other notable salaries:

— $102,000 Reggie Love, the president's personal aide and "body man," who was named the Hottest White House Employee according to a Huffington Post poll, barely edging out "Favs."

— $113,000 Desiree Rogers, who is on every D.C. socialite's speed-dial, was tapped to be the White House social secretary, charged with coordinating every social event held by the White House. The stylish Chicagoan pals around with Anna Wintour and was the subject of an extensive Vogue magazine feature.

— $84,000 Catherine Lelyveld, press secretary to First Lady Michelle Obama, hails from the Windy City as well, and served as Mrs. Obama's communication director during the presidential campaign.

— $36,000 That's how much Darienne Page, the White House receptionist, or "ROTUS" takes home annually. In a recent New York Times profile, Obama introduced Page as "the receptionist of the entire United States." Before serving in the Obama White House, Page served as an Army sergeant in Iraq under George W. Bush.

Joe Biden takes in $227,300 as the vice president of the United States, while Obama earns $400,000 a year, far less than the $2.6 million he earned in 2008 as a presidential candidate and author.

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25 hurt in Rawalpindi blast

RAWALPINDI: At least 25 people were critically injured, when a powerful explosion occurred in Chauhar Chowk of Rawalpindi, Geo News reported Thursday.

The ambulances and relief teams are rushing the injured to the nearby hospitals.

The blast occurred at a time when the market was overcrowded and people were leaving for their houses.

According to preliminary reports, a motorists ran into the bus near a petrol pump, blowing himself up, injuring various passengers.

This is mainly a crowded commercial areas, where buses are routed from here to Peshawar.

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6 killed in Rawalpindi blast

RAWALPINDI: RPO Rawalpindi Nasir Durrani said at least six people were killed in the Chauhar Chowk of Rawalpindi, Geo News reported Thursday.

Talking to media, he said it was apparently a suicidal attack and police have found the parts of the suicide attackers.

Police and personnel from other secret agencies are garnering clues from the blast site. According to police sources, they have found the bust and legs.

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Jackson body 'going to Neverland'

Fans have gathered outside Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch following reports that the late singer's body will go on public view there.

Various sources claim a public viewing has been scheduled for Friday ahead of a private funeral on Sunday.

Vehicles and workers have been going in and out of the property, located about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Members of Jackson's family have met police and the California Highway Patrol to discuss funeral arrangements.

Unconfirmed reports suggest Jackson's body may be placed in a glass coffin and be transported from Los Angeles to Neverland in a "fairytale carriage".

A host of television satelilte trucks are already in situ outside the property

According to a California Highway Patrol spokesman, however, "details are still pending".

Shrine

It is unclear whether Jackson can be legally buried at the 2,500-acre property, which he bought in 1987 but had not lived at since 2005.

The site could reportedly be turned into a permanent tourist shrine to the singer, akin to Elvis Presley's Graceland home in Memphis.

Meanwhile, Jackson's tour promoter has said the star's ill-fated London show could be turned into a tribute gig featuring his family.

Randy Phillips, president of AEG Live, told Sky News he was "discussing with the family" the possibility of mounting the show in some form.

"I would imagine it could be done as a tribute with the family, with the brothers performing, some sisters, and the stars that were influenced by him," he said.

"The world needs to see this production. It would have been, which is the tragedy here, one of the most amazing shows ever."

Insomnia

OTHER STORIES AND RUMOURS Stevie Wonder pays tribute Globe and Mail Dolly Parton video tribute Youtube Jackson paternity questioned Daily Telegraph U2 cover Jacko songs on tour NME $500,000 for last Jackson shot Guardian Butter statue tribute planned Fox News The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

Phillips denied claims that Jackson had been daunted by the upcoming concerts and was too frail to perform.

According to a nutritionist who was working with the singer, however, he had been battling persistent insomnia.

In an interview with CNN, registered nurse Cherilyn Lee said she had repeatedly rejected his demands for the drug Diprivan, a powerful sedative which is given intravenously.

"This was a person who was seeking help, desperately, to get some sleep, to get some rest," she told the US news network.

It has been alleged that Jackson had been consuming painkillers, sedatives and antidepressants at the time of his death.

According to actor Lou Ferrigno, however, the 50-year-old singer had been entirely focused on his health in the run-up to his 50 London concerts.

"I've never seen him take drugs," said the Incredible Hulk star, who Jackson had been working out with.

"He was always talking about nutrition.

"When he was with me, he wasn't different. He wasn't stoned. He wasn't high. He wasn't being aloof or speedy."

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What Supersonic Looks Like

The breaking of the sound barrier is not just an audible phenomenon. As a new picture from the U.S. military shows, Mach 1 can be quite visual.

This widely circulated new photo shows a Air Force F-22 Raptor aircraft participating in an exercise in the Gulf of Alaska June 22, 2009 as it executes a supersonic flyby over the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis.

The visual phenomenon, which sometimes but not always accompanies the breaking of the sound barrier, has also been seen with nuclear blasts and just after space shuttles launches, too. A vapor cone was photographed as the Apollo 11 moon-landing mission rocketed skyward in 1969.

The phenomenon is not well studied. Scientists refer to it as a vapor cone, shock collar, or shock egg, and it's thought to be created by what's called a Prandtl-Glauert singularity.

Here's what scientists think happens:

A layer of water droplets gets trapped between two high-pressure surfaces of air. In humid conditions, condensation can gather in the trough between two crests of the sound waves produced by the jet. This effect does not necessarily coincide with the breaking of the sound barrier, although it can. To learn more, click here.

The aircraft carrier was participating in Northern Edge 2009, an exercise focused on detecting and tracking things at sea, in the air and on land.

• Gallery: Breaking the Sound Barrier
• The Greatest Explosions Ever
• What is a Sonic Boom?

In The Water Cooler, Imaginova's Editorial Director Robert Roy Britt looks at what people are talking about in the world of science and beyond. Find more in the archives and on Twitter.

• Original Story: What Supersonic Looks Like

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PM, Army Chief call on President

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani Wednesday called on President Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the issues relating to overall law and order situation in the country.

According to a presidential spokesman, in the meeting at the Presidency the counterinsurgency operation in Malakand and South Waziristan region, rehabilitation of displaced persons and overall security situation in the country were discussed.

According to the statement issued from the Presidency, President Zardari said the war against terrorism will be taken to its logical end until the absolute elimination of extremists.

He said the enduring peace would be established in the country by completely exterminating the militants from the troubled areas.

Zardari said government has in focus the relief and rehabilitation of Malakand affectees, adding government will ensure the safe return of all affectees.

President Zardari said any reconciliation with the extremists is out of question.

On the occasion, the Army Chief also apprised the President about his recent visits to France, Germany and Russia.

According to Geo News sources, the army chief informed the PM and the President about the ongoing operation and current situation in Malakand and Waziristan.

The sources said the military and political leadership agreed that the militants will have to accept the writ of government by surrendering with their arms.

It was agreed upon in the meeting that the war against terrorists will continue until the absolute elimination of militants with no option of backtracking on table.

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