NEWS FROM PAKISTAN

SC takes notice of huge assets of junior clerk

2010-03-03T07:12:00.000-08:00

PESHAWAR: The Supreme Court (SC) issued notice to a junior clerk of Pakistan Post Office Department for making assets worth millions of rupees, Geo News reported Wednesday.

The SC bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry and Justice Ijaz Ahmed, was hearing a case regarding the unpaid pension of late government employee Fareedullah at SC bench.

The CJ Chaudhry said the court would not relent on corruption-related matters.

The court queried the counsel of the woman clerk as wherefrom his client attained this huge amount of money, adding the court would not refrain from strict verdicts for speedy dispensation of justice.

The CJ said in this remarks that redtape culture would not be allowed in pension cases, adding strict decisions have to be taken for the speedy justice.

Fareedullah passed away in year 2000; however, his family has not received his pension as yet.

Peshawar High Court (PHC) issued the orders regarding the payment of Fareedullah’s pension. Later on, the concerning department of Textbook Board filed an appeal in the apex court against payment of pension to the late government employee.

Bhawana SHO arrested, DSP suspended for torturing

2010-03-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

LAHORE: Inspector General of the Punjab Police Tariq Saleem Dogar took notice of torture incident at Bhawana police station and directed to arrest the SHO and suspend DSP for involvement in the incident, Geo News reported Wednesday.According to police sources, the IG Punjab police took severe notice of the torture incident at Bhawana police station and called DPO Chiniot to account for the incident.Earlier, DPO Chiniot on the directives from Punj .... Full Story

Four die in Afghan rescue mission

2009-09-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Nato soldiers have rescued a kidnapped UK journalist from the Taliban in a dramatic pre-dawn helicopter mission in Afghanistan that left four others dead.

New York Times reporter Stephen Farrell was freed unhurt. His Afghan colleague Sultan Munadi was killed along with a UK soldier and two Afghan civilians.

Mr Farrell, who holds British and Irish nationality, was "extracted" by "a lot of soldiers", the New York Times said.

The pair were seized in northern Kunduz province on Saturday.

They were investigating a Nato air strike on two hijacked fuel tankers that left many dead.

There were bullets all around us, I could hear British and Afghan voices

Stephen Farrell

Kidnap reporter 'fearless'

Who are the Taliban?

Farrell 'kidnapped' in Iraq

It is not the first time Mr Farrell has been abducted on assignment - in 2004 he was briefly kidnapped in Iraq while working for the London Times newspaper.

In remarks quoted on the New York Times website, Mr Farrell said the Taliban tried to flee as the helicopters descended.

"There were bullets all around us. I could hear British and Afghan voices," he said.

The reporter told his newspaper he ran outside with Mr Munadi, reportedly a 34-year-old father-of-two who worked as an interpreter with Mr Farrell.

He said Mr Munadi had shouted "Journalist! Journalist!" before he fell to the ground in a hail of bullets.

Mr Farrell said he did not know whether the shots had been fired by their rescuers or the militants.

Afghan police inspect the car from which Stephen Farrell and Sultan Munadi were kidnapped

The correspondent said he was called by British voices from a ditch where he had hidden, and as he emerged saw the body of Mr Munadi.

Journalists' anger

The head of the Afghan Independent Journalists' Association, Rahimullah Samandar, said the raid showed international forces did not care about Afghan reporters.

Mr Samandar said it was not the first time a kidnapped Afghan journalist had been killed while a Western colleague was freed.

Bill Keller, the executive editor of the New York Times, said the newspaper was "overjoyed" at Mr Farrell's release, but "deeply saddened it came at such a cost".

Afghan journalists have condemned the translator's killing

A local governor told the BBC two civilians also died in the raid.

A resident of Char Dara district in Kunduz province, Mohammad Nabi, reportedly said it was his home that was raided, and that his brother's wife was killed.

The Taliban had turned up there on Tuesday night with their two captives, demanding shelter, Mr Nabi told Reuters news agency.

He said helicopters swooped later and "then the soldiers blew open the door of my house, killing my sister-in-law, and took the reporter away with them".

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the soldier killed in the British-led operation had acted with "the greatest of courage".

He said his thoughts were with the family of the soldier and also with Mr Munadi's loved ones.

Mr Brown was also joined by the leaders of France and Germany on Wednesday in urging the UN to press ahead with plans for an international conference on Afghanistan's future later this year.

Mr Farrell and Mr Munadi were kidnapped in Kunduz province on Saturday while investigating the Nato air strike a day earlier when a German commander called in a US jet to bomb two hijacked fuel tankers.

Unconfirmed reports have suggested at least 70 civilians died.

The New York Times pair were reportedly interviewing villagers at the site of the burned-out trucks when gunfire rang out and a group of armed militants arrived.

Mr Farrell is the second New York Times journalist to be kidnapped in Afghanistan in a year.

In June, Pulitzer Prize-winner David Rohde and an Afghan colleague were abducted in Kabul and taken to Pakistan, where they escaped.

US very concerned about Iran's nuclear program

2009-09-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

VIENNA – The United States said Wednesday it has "serious concerns" that Iran is deliberately trying to preserve a nuclear weapons option.

Glyn Davies, Washington's chief envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency, also warned that the latest report by the nuclear watchdog shows that Tehran is either very near or already in possession of sufficient low-enriched uranium to produce one nuclear weapon, if the decision were made to further enrich it to weapons-grade.

"This ongoing enrichment activity ... moves Iran closer to a dangerous and destabilizing possible breakout capacity," Davies told the agency's 35-nation board of governors.

"Taken in connection with Iran's refusal to engage with the IAEA regarding its past nuclear warhead-related work, we have serious concerns that Iran is deliberately attempting, at a minimum, to preserve a nuclear weapons option," Davies said.

The latest agency report describes how Iran now has, at a minimum, 1,430 kilograms (3,153 pounds) of low-enriched uranium hexafluoride, he added.

Iran insists its program is peaceful and aimed at generating electricity. But the United States and important allies contend it is covertly trying to build a bomb.

President Barack Obama and European allies have given Iran until the end of September to take up an offer of nuclear talks with six world powers and trade incentives should it suspend uranium enrichment activities. If not, Iran could face harsher punitive sanctions.

On Monday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his country will neither halt uranium enrichment nor negotiate over its nuclear rights but is ready to sit and talk with world powers over "global challenges."

In Vienna, Davies stressed that Iran — in contrast to its claims — is far from addressing all of the IAEA's concerns.

"We, as members of the board, have a responsibility to demand that the (IAEA) secretariat's questions are answered and to ensure that we can obtain confidence in the peaceful intent of the Iranian nuclear program," Davies said. "When a state such as Iran continues to violate its obligations, we must respond."

But Davies also said the U.S. welcomes constructive, honest engagement with Iran to resolve the issue and added he hoped that Tehran will take "immediate steps to restore international trust and confidence."

"The pathway to a negotiated solution remains on the table for Iran, and we continue to call on Iran's leaders to demonstrate genuine commitment to peace and security in the Middle East and to the international nonproliferation regime," he said.

Britain, France and Germany joined Washington's call, urging Iran to engage in "meaningful negotiations" aimed at achieving a comprehensive diplomatic solution to the international standoff over it's disputed nuclear program.

The three major European powers said it was "inexcusable" that Iran continues to refuse any degree of transparency or cooperation in clarifying outstanding issues and that it's current attitude further reinforces doubts about its endeavor.

"Iran should make use of the window of opportunity provided now," said the joint statement, delivered by German envoy Ruediger Luedeking. "We have extended a hand and we appeal to Iran to take it."

On Monday, IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, said his watchdog was locked in a "stalemate" with Iran and urged Tehran to "substantively re-engage" with the Vienna-based organization to prove there are no military dimensions to its nuclear program.

Why 09/09/09 Is So Special

2009-09-09T05:56:00.000-07:00

Have special plans this 09/09/09?

Everyone from brides and grooms to movie studio execs are celebrating the upcoming calendrical anomaly in their own way.

In Florida, at least one county clerk's office is offering a one-day wedding special for $99.99. The rarity of this Sept. 9 hasn't been lost on the creators of the iPod, who have moved their traditional Tuesday release day to Wednesday to take advantage of the special date. Focus Features is releasing their new film "9," an animated tale about the apocalypse, on the 9th.

Not only does the date look good in marketing promotions, but it also represents the last set of repeating, single-digit dates that we'll see for almost a century (until January 1, 2101), or a millennium (mark your calendars for January 1, 3001), depending on how you want to count it.

Though technically there's nothing special about the symmetrical date, some concerned with the history and meaning of numbers ascribe powerful significance to 09/09/09.

For cultures in which the number nine is lucky, Sept. 9 is anticipated - while others might see the date as an ominous warning.

Math magic

Modern numerologists - who operate outside the realm of real science - believe that mystical significance or vibrations can be assigned to each numeral one through nine, and different combinations of the digits produce tangible results in life depending on their application.

As the final numeral, the number nine holds special rank. It is associated with forgiveness, compassion and success on the positive side as well as arrogance and self-righteousness on the negative, according to numerologists.

Though usually discredited as bogus, numerologists do have a famous predecessor to look to. Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician and father of the famous theorem, is also credited with popularizing numerology in ancient times.

"Pythagoras most of all seems to have honored and advanced the study concerned with numbers, having taken it away from the use of merchants and likening all things to numbers," wrote Aristoxenus, an ancient Greek historian, in the 4th century B.C.

As part of his obsession with numbers both mathematically and divine, and like many mathematicians before and since, Pythagoras noted that nine in particular had many unique properties.

Any grade-schooler could tell you, for example, that the sum of the two-digits resulting from nine multiplied by any other single-digit number will equal nine. So 9x3=27, and 2+7=9.

Multiply nine by any two, three or four-digit number and the sums of those will also break down to nine. For example: 9x62 = 558; 5+5+8=18; 1+8=9.

Sept. 9 also happens to be the 252nd day of the year (2 + 5 +2)...

Loving 9

Both China and Japan have strong feelings about the number nine. Those feelings just happen to be on opposite ends of the spectrum.

The Chinese pulled out all the stops to celebrate their lucky number eight during last year's Summer Olympics, ringing the games in at 8 p.m. on 08/08/08. What many might not realize is that nine comes in second on their list of auspicious digits and is associated with long life, due to how similar its pronunciation is to the local word for long-lasting (eight sounds like wealth).

Historically, ancient Chinese emperors associated themselves closely with the number nine, which appeared prominently in architecture and royal dress, often in the form of nine fearsome dragons. The imperial dynasties were so convinced of the power of the number nine that the palace complex at Beijing's Forbidden City is rumored to have been built with 9,999 rooms.

Japanese emperors would have never worn a robe with nine dragons, however.

In Japanese, the word for nine is a homophone for the word for suffering, so the number is considered highly unlucky - second only to four, which sounds like death.

Many Japanese will go so far as to avoid room numbers including nine at hotels or hospitals, if the building planners haven't already eliminated them altogether.

Original Story: Why 09/09/09 Is So Special

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Palestinians evicted in Jerusalem

2009-08-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

Israeli police have evicted nine Palestinian families living in two houses in occupied East Jerusalem.

Jewish settlers moved into the houses almost immediately. The US has urged Israel to abandon plans for a building project in the area.

Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since 1967, a move not recognised by the international community.

The evictions have been condemned by the United Nations, the Palestinians and also the UK government.

'Deplorable'

The operation to evict the 53 Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah district of the city was carried out before dawn on Sunday by police clad in black riot gear.

It followed a ruling by Israel's Supreme Court that the land originally belonged to Jewish families. Israel wants to build a block of 20 apartments in the area.

The police were clad in black riot gear

The evictions were quickly condemned by the United Nations.

"I deplore today's totally unacceptable actions by Israel," the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert H Serry said. "These actions are contrary to the provisions of the Geneva Conventions related to occupied territory.

"These actions heighten tensions and undermine international efforts to create conditions for fruitful negotiations to achieve peace," Mr Perry said.

Palestinian negotiator Saed Erakat said: "Tonight, while these new settlers from abroad will be accommodating themselves and their belongings in these Palestinian houses, 19 newly homeless children will have nowhere to sleep."

Sovereignty 'unquestionable'

Israel considers a united Jerusalem to be the capital of the state of Israel.

"Our sovereignty over it is unquestionable," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month.

"We cannot accept the idea that Jews will not have the right to live and buy [homes] anywhere in Jerusalem."

The BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem says the houses are in what is probably the most contested city on earth and the diplomatic ripples from the evictions will spread.

The UK joined in the condemnation of the evictions. "These actions are incompatible with the Israeli professed desire for peace," the British Consulate in East Jerusalem said. "We urge Israel not to allow the extremists to set the agenda."

There are an estimated 250,000 Palestinians living in East Jerusalem and 200,000 Jews.

FACT CHECK: Distortions rife in health care debate

2009-08-02T08:24:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON – Confusing claims and outright distortions have animated the national debate over changes in the health care system. Opponents of proposals by President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats falsely claim that government agents will force elderly people to discuss end-of-life wishes. Obama has played down the possibility that a health care overhaul would cause large numbers of people to change doctors and insurers.

To complicate matters, there is no clear-cut "Obama plan" or "Democratic plan." Obama has listed several goals, but he has drawn few lines in the sand.

The Senate is considering two bills that differ significantly. The House is waiting for yet another bill approved in committee.

A look at some claims being made about health care proposals:

CLAIM: The House bill "may start us down a treacherous path toward government-encouraged euthanasia," House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio said July 23.

Former New York Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey said in a July 17 article: "One troubling provision of the House bill compels seniors to submit to a counseling session every five years ... about alternatives for end-of-life care."

THE FACTS: The bill would require Medicare to pay for advance directive consultations with health care professionals. But it would not require anyone to use the benefit.

Advance directives lay out a patient's wishes for life-extending measures under various scenarios involving terminal illness, severe brain damage and situations. Patients and their families would consult with health professionals, not government agents, if they used the proposed benefit.

CLAIM: Health care revisions would lead to government-funded abortions.

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council says in a video, "Unless Congress states otherwise, under a government takeover of health care, taxpayers will be forced to fund abortions for the first time in over three decades."

THE FACTS: The proposed bills would not undo the Hyde Amendment, which bars paying for abortions through Medicaid, the government insurance program for the poor. But a health care overhaul could create a government-run insurance program, or insurance "exchanges," that would not involve Medicaid and whose abortion guidelines are not yet clear.

Obama recently told CBS that the nation should continue a tradition of "not financing abortions as part of government-funded health care."

The House Energy and Commerce Committee amended the House bill Thursday to state that health insurance plans have the option of covering abortion, but no public money can be used to fund abortions. The bill says health plans in a new purchasing exchange would not be required to cover abortion but that each region of the country should have at least one plan that does.

Congressional action this fall will determine whether such language is in the final bill.

CLAIM: Americans won't have to change doctors or insurance companies.

"If you like your plan and you like your doctor, you won't have to do a thing," Obama said on June 23. "You keep your plan; you keep your doctor."

THE FACTS: The proposed legislation would not require people to drop their doctor or insurer. But some tax provisions, depending on how they are written, might make it cheaper for some employers to pay a fee to end their health coverage. Their workers presumably would move to a public insurance plan that might not include their current doctors.

CLAIM: The Democrats' plans will lead to rationing, or the government determining which medical procedures a patient can have.

"Expanding government health programs will hasten the day that government rations medical care to seniors," conservative writer Michael Cannon said in the Washington Times.

THE FACTS: Millions of Americans already face rationing, as insurance companies rule on procedures they will cover.

Denying coverage for certain procedures might increase under proposals to have a government-appointed agency identify medicines and procedures best suited for various conditions.

Obama says the goal is to identify the most effective and efficient medical practices, and to steer patients and providers to them. He recently told a forum: "We don't want to ration by dictating to somebody, 'OK, you know what? We don't think that this senior should get a hip replacement.' What we do want to be able to do is to provide information to that senior and to her doctor about, you know, this is the thing that is going to be most helpful to you in dealing with your condition."

CLAIM: Overhauling health care will not expand the federal deficit over the long term.

Obama has pledged that "health insurance reform will not add to our deficit over the next decade, and I mean it."

THE FACTS: Obama's pledge does not apply to proposed spending of about $245 billion over the next decade to increase Medicare fees for doctors. The White House says the extra payment, designed to prevent a scheduled cut of about 21 percent in doctor fees, already was part of the administration's policy.

Beyond that, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the House bill lacks mechanisms to bring health care costs under control. In response, the White House and Democratic lawmakers are talking about creating a powerful new board to root out waste in government health programs. But it's unclear how that would work.

Budget experts also warn of accounting gimmicks that can mask true burdens on the deficit. The bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget says they include back-loading the heaviest costs at the end of the 10-year period and beyond.

Iran state TV confirms arrest of 3 Americans

2009-08-02T08:22:00.001-07:00

SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq – Iran state TV confirmed Saturday that it has detained three Americans who crossed the border from northern Iraq, saying they failed to heed warnings from Iranian guards. Kurdish officials from the self-ruled region in northern Iraq said the three — two men and a woman — were tourists who had mistakenly crossed into Iranian territory Friday while hiking in a mountainous area near the resort town of Ahmed Awaa.

"The Iranians said they have arrested them because they entered their land without legal permission," said Qubad Talabani, the Kurdish regional government's envoy to Washington.

Iran's state owned Arabic-language al-Alam TV station cited a "well-informed source" in the Interior Ministry that the three Americans were detained Friday after crossing into Iran's Kurdistan province.

The report said the Americans were arrested after they did not heed warnings from Iranian border guards.

State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Saturday that Washington had asked the Swiss, who represent U.S. interests in Tehran, "to confirm these reports with Iranian authorities and, if true, to seek consular access" to the detained Americans.

The detentions were the latest irritant in relations between Iran and the United States, which have had no diplomatic ties since 1979 when militant students stormed the U.S Embassy in Tehran and took Americans there hostage for 444 days. The two countries also are locked in a bitter dispute over Tehran's nuclear program.

They also came at a sensitive time for the Shiite-dominated Iraqi government as it seeks to balance delicate ties between its U.S. and Iranian allies. Iraqi security forces recently staged a deadly raid on a camp housing an Iranian opposition group that was protected by the American military for years. The raid was applauded by Tehran.

Kurds occupy an area that sprawls across southwestern Turkey, northern Iraq and eastern Iran. The borders are mountainous and not clearly marked, making them popular smuggling routes for centuries.

Iraq's Kurdish region has been relatively free of the violence that plagues the rest of Iraq. Foreigners often feel freer to move around without security guards in the area, and it's relatively easy to enter the region from Turkey, particularly by plane. The Kurdish government generally grants visitors visas valid for one week when they arrive at the airport.

The ethnic minority gained autonomy after rising up against Saddam Hussein in 1991, and the region was protected from his forces by a U.S.-British no-fly zone until Saddam's fall after the 2003 U.S. invasion.

The three Americans had traveled with a companion to Turkey, then entered the Kurdish region Tuesday through the border crossing at Zakho and traveled to Sulaimaniyah, according to the Kurdish regional government. On Thursday, the three took a taxi to Ahmed Awaa, it added.

The regional government's statement said the three went astray during an excursion and were detained by Iranian authorities at the border at about 1:30 p.m. Friday.

"After walking around the area and hiking the mountain, they lost their way due to their lack of familiarity with the location, and entered Iranian territory," it said, pledging to work with U.S. and Iranian officials to find a solution.

The three were last heard from after they contacted a friend saying they had entered Iran by mistake and troops had surrounded them, a Kurdish security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to release the information.

The official said the account came from the fourth member of their group who was feeling sick and had stayed behind in Sulaimaniyah, 160 miles (260 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad.

The Iranian state TV report claimed the four Americans were together when they crossed the border, but "only one returned (to Iraq), while the three were arrested."

The discrepancy could not immediately be reconciled.

The area where the three disappeared is a popular hiking destination known for a picturesque waterfall and rocky scenery as well as a thick growth of fruit and nut trees. The official said camping equipment and two backpacks apparently belonging to the Americans were found in the area and it seemed they were hiking above the waterfall when they accidentally crossed the border.

Kurdish officials said U.S. helicopters and Humvees deployed to the nearby city of Halabja to search for the Americans after they were reported missing on Friday but left after it was determined they had been seized by the Iranians.

In March 2007, Iranian forces captured 15 British service members as they carried out a boarding operation in two inflatable boats launched from the HMS Cornwall in waters off southern Iraq.

Iran charged them with being in its territorial waters, and the government televised apologies by some of the captured crew. They were all eventually freed without an apology from Britain, which steadfastly insisted the crew members were taken in Iraqi waters where they were authorized to be.

___

Oil hovers near $63 in Asian trade

2009-07-29T23:11:00.000-07:00

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

CJ says constitution's interpretation is right of judiciary

2009-07-29T23:10:00.000-07:00

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

UK: Intelligence sharing with the US threatened

2009-07-29T23:07:00.000-07:00

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

Best Cities For Singles 2009

2009-07-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

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.

Who are the Taliban?

2009-07-25T06:37:00.001-07:00

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.

Suicide bombers hit Afghan city

2009-07-25T06:33:00.000-07:00

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.

Al Qaeda trying to acquire nuke weapons: Mullen

2009-07-25T06:31:00.000-07:00

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.

Over 300 families return to Malakand

2009-07-25T06:30:00.001-07:00

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.

Pakistan raises concern over US Afghan offensive

2009-07-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

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.

Pakistani court summons Musharraf over 2007 chaos

2009-07-22T08:17:00.001-07:00

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.

Musharraf summoned in judges case

2009-07-22T08:12:00.001-07:00

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

Officials: 17 die in US missile strike in Pakistan

2009-07-03T05:49:00.000-07:00

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.

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

2009-07-03T05:47:00.000-07:00

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.

Who makes bank at the White House

2009-07-03T05:45:00.000-07:00

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.

25 hurt in Rawalpindi blast

2009-07-02T04:24:00.001-07:00

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.

6 killed in Rawalpindi blast

2009-07-02T04:22:00.001-07:00

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.

Jackson body 'going to Neverland'

2009-07-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

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

What Supersonic Looks Like

2009-07-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

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.

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

PM, Army Chief call on President

2009-07-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

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.

OGRA proposes Rs6.20/litre rise in petrol price

2009-06-29T07:19:00.000-07:00

ISLAMABAD: Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has forwarded a summary to the Ministry of Petroleum recommending a major increase of Rs6.20 per litre in petrol price.According to sources, OGRA has also proposed a rise of Rs6 and Rs7.50 per litre in the prices diesel and kerosene oil respectively.

Jackson's toxicology tests will disprove rumors, attorney says

2009-06-29T07:13:00.001-07:00

(CNN) -- Toxicology reports from Michael Jackson's body will disprove rumors that the singer's personal physician injected him with powerful painkillers, the attorney for Dr. Conrad Murray said Monday.

The cause of pop star Michael Jackson's death has not been determined after Friday's autopsy.

"Dr. Murray never prescribed Demerol, never administered Demerol, never saw him -- Michael Jackson -- take Demerol," attorney Edward Chernoff told CNN's "American Morning."

"And that goes as well for Oxycontin. I think those are just rumors. When toxicology comes back ... that's going to be all cleared up," Chernoff said.

Murray met voluntarily for several hours with detectives over the weekend, the Los Angeles Police Department said late Saturday.

"We've let them know we're available to them any time they need us, any questions they have," Chernoff said. "We have told them that the medical examiner is free to call us. We'll be available to them. If they have any questions once toxicology comes out. I expect they will have some questions, and we'll be ready to answer them." Watch attorney for Jackson's doctor say his client is not a suspect »

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Murray found Jackson not breathing in bed when he entered the 50-year-old singer's estate on Thursday, Chernoff said. Jackson did have a slight pulse when Murray found him and tried to resuscitate the singer as he awaited paramedics, a representative with Chernoff's Houston, Texas, law firm said Sunday.

Jackson was rushed to a Los Angeles medical center, where he was pronounced dead. Watch latest developments in Jackson's death investigation »

An autopsy performed by a county medical examiner was inconclusive, although officials said there were no indications of external trauma or foul play. The Los Angeles County coroner's office has said toxicology results are needed before a cause of death can be determined. That could take four to six weeks.

Detectives impounded Murray's car, which was parked at the singer's rented home. Authorities said the vehicle may contain evidence related to Jackson's death, possibly prescription medications. Police have released no information on what they may have found.

Chernoff said there was nothing in Jackson's medical history that Murray was aware of "that would lead him to believe he would go into sudden cardiac arrest or respiratory failure."

"There was no red flag available to Dr. Murray, which led him to believe he would have died the way he did," Chernoff said. "It's still a mystery how he died to Dr. Murray. Listen to the 911 call »

"It was Dr. Murray ... as you know, that requested that the family ask for an autopsy, because he needed to know as well as his physician what caused Michael Jackson to stop breathing."

Five out of nine local staff from the UK embassy detained in Tehran have been released, Iranian officials say.

2009-06-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

Iran's media earlier said local employees at the UK mission were held over their role in protests against June's disputed presidential election.

UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband has dismissed the allegations as baseless.

Separately, Iran's top legislative body began a partial recount of the poll - a move rejected by defeated opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.

There is no plan at the moment to close any embassy or downgrade ties with them

Hassan Ghashghavi, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman

"Out of nine people, five of them have been released and the rest are being interrogated," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said at a news conference, state television Press TV reported.

Iran's Intelligence Minister Gholam-Hoseyn Mohseni-Ezhei on Sunday said "the British embassy played a crucial role in the recent unrest both through its local staff and via media", Iran's Irna news agency reported.

"We have photos and videos of certain local employees of the British embassy, who collected news about the protests.

"The embassy sent staff among the rioters to direct them in order to escalate the riots so that the rioters could file fabricated reports about the [rallies] to the world from various locations," the Iranian minister added.

Britain has protested strongly over the arrests, which have now been been confirmed by the BBC. Mr Miliband described them as "harassment".

The British foreign office has not said what the four staff still in custody do at the embassy, but the BBC understands that one of them has the job of reviewing local news sources and keeping abreast of political developments, our Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen in Tehran says.

He says that none of the nine who were detained has dual Iranian-British nationality.

Despite the releases, the fact that some employees are still being held means the issue remains a serious problem for the UK, our editor adds.

On Sunday, the European Union warned Iran that "harassment or intimidation" of embassy staff would be met with a "strong and collective" response.

IRAN UNREST

12 June Presidential election saw incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-elected with 63% of vote

Main challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi called for result to be annulled for electoral fraud

Street protests saw at least 17 people killed and foreign media restricted

Your questions answered

Q&A: Election aftermath

How Iran is ruled

Who's who in Iran

Send us your comments

Iran has repeatedly accused foreign powers - especially Britain and the US - of meddling after the 12 June election.

The poll was won by a landslide by incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but his opponents said the victory was achieved by massive fraud. Some 17 people are thought to have died in subsequent street protests.

In the fallout from the crisis, Tehran has expelled two British diplomats and the UK has responded with a similar measure.

However, Mr Ghashghavi said on Monday that "there is no plan at the moment to close any embassy or downgrade ties with them".

Some 17 people are thought to have died in street protests after the disputed presidential poll, which the opposition complains was rigged.

At least 1,000 opposition supporters are reported to have staged a noisy rally outside a mosque in Tehran on Sunday evening before it was broken up by police and militia.

Riot police used tear gas and clubs to disperse the crowd outside the Ghoba Mosque, Iranian eyewitnesses said.

The report could not be independently verified because of reporting restrictions on foreign media.

Poll verdict due

In a separate development, Iran's state TV said the recount had started on Monday in the capital Tehran as well as in the provinces.

Iran's Guardian Council has offered to recount a random 10% of the votes from the election.

The process was expected to be completed later on Monday and the result would be announced shortly afterwards, al-Alam television said.

But Mr Mousavi insists the poll was rigged and therefore should be annulled.

On Sunday, Mr Mousavi met members of a committee set up by the Guardian Council to examine the disputed poll, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported.

It said Mr Mousavi was expected to present his proposal on the issue, without giving any further details.

Obama praise for Iran's Mousavi

2009-06-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

US President Barack Obama has praised the opposition candidate in Iran's disputed presidential election.

Mr Obama said Mir Hossein Mousavi had captured the imagination of groups in Iran that were interested in opening up to the world.

He spoke of the bravery of protesters in the face of "outrageous" violence.

Mr Obama's comments came hours after foreign ministers from the G8 nations issued a statement "deploring" the post-election violence in Iran.

In Iran itself, a spokesman for the powerful Guardian Council - which is due to give its final ruling on the election on Sunday - said there had been no election fraud.

And a member of Iran's top clerical body urged the judiciary to deal ruthlessly with the leaders of the protests.

Some 17 people are thought to have died in street protests in the past two weeks, and Tehran has imposed severe restrictions on journalists and the internet.

Rights group Amnesty International called on Iranian leaders to release more than two dozen journalists arrested since the polls.

'Condemn it'

Mr Obama made his comments at a news conference in Washington after talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

IRAN UNREST

12 June Presidential election saw incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-elected with 63% of vote

Main challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi called for result to be annulled for electoral fraud

Street protests saw at least 17 people killed and foreign media restricted

Q&A: Election aftermath

How Iran is ruled

Who's who in Iran

Iran: Send your questions

Mr Mousavi had become the representative of protesters on the streets who, he said, had displayed "extraordinary courage".

"The violence perpetrated against them is outrageous," Mr Obama said. "In spite of the government's efforts to keep the world from bearing witness to that violence, we see it and we condemn it."

In Italy, meanwhile, G8 foreign ministers said they respected the sovereignty of Iran, but deplored the post-electoral violence.

"We express our solidarity with those who have suffered repression while peacefully demonstrating and urge Iran to respect fundamental human rights," their statement said.

"The crisis should be settled soon through democratic dialogue and peaceful means."

But the G8 leaders said the door to dialogue with Iran must remain open. And the G8's comments were not as strong as France and Italy had wanted, after Russia warned against isolating Iran.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said engagement with Iran was "the key word".

He stressed the need to focus on "the main task - to move toward resolving the issues of the Iranian nuclear programme".

ANALYSIS

Jeremy Bowen
BBC News, Tehran

The Guardian Council is due to give its definitive verdict on Sunday.

But the remarks by its spokesman are yet another indication that it will be a formality.

The question though is whether the fracture in the ruling elite that this crisis has caused will heal.

When you ask Iranians about the way this might go, a phrase keeps cropping up. They say it might seem quiet to an outsider but there is fire below the ashes.

Eerie calm masks Iran tensions

Before the G8 issued its statement, a spokesman for Iran's top election body, the Guardian Council, said the vote had been fair.

"We have had no fraud in any presidential election and this one was the cleanest election we have had," Abbasali Kadkhodai told Irna news agency.

Meanwhile, a senior hard-line cleric said in his Friday sermon that the leaders of the protests should be dealt with "severely and ruthlessly".

"I want the judiciary to... punish leading rioters firmly and without showing any mercy to teach everyone a lesson," Ahmad Khatami told worshippers at Tehran university in comments broadcast nationwide.

Jackson dies, almost takes Internet with him

2009-06-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

LONDON, England (CNN) -- How many people does it take to break the Internet? On June 25, we found out it's just one -- if that one is Michael Jackson.

Jackson's death caused Twitter outages, as portrayed by Raul Orozco in this take on Twitter's fail whale

1 of 3

The biggest showbiz story of the year saw the troubled star take a good slice of the Internet with him, as the ripples caused by the news of his death swept around the globe.

"Between approximately 2:40 p.m. PDT and 3:15 p.m. PDT today, some Google News users experienced difficulty accessing search results for queries related to Michael Jackson," a Google spokesman told CNET, which also reported that Google News users complained that the service was inaccessible for a time. At its peak, Google Trends rated the Jackson story as "volcanic."

As sites fell, users raced to other sites: TechCrunch reported that TMZ, which broke the story, had several outages; users then switched to Perez Hilton's blog, which also struggled to deal with the requests it received.

CNN reported a fivefold rise in traffic and visitors in just over an hour, receiving 20 million page views in the hour the story broke.

Twitter crashed as users saw multiple "fail whales" -- the illustrations the site uses as error messages -- user FoieGrasie posting, "Irony: The protesters in Iran using twitter as com are unable to get online because of all the posts of 'Michael Jackson RIP.' Well done." The site's status blog said that Twitter had had to temporarily disable its search results, saved searches and trend topics.

Wikipedia saw a flurry of activity, with close to 500 edits made to Jackson's entry in less than 24 hours. CNET reported that by 3:15pm PDT, Wikipedia seemed to be "temporarily overloaded."

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The LA Times, the first news organization to confirm Jackson's death, suffered outages. The site also reported that AOL's instant messenger service had been hit, quoting an AOL statement that said, "AIM was down for approximately 40 minutes this afternoon." The statement said, "Today was a seminal moment in Internet history. We've never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth."

By Friday morning, news sites seemed to be coping with traffic but Jackson fan site mjfanclub.net was still performing sluggishly. Mashable.com reported that tributes to, and remarks upon, Michael Jackson's death were responsible for 30 percent of tweets.

As with any breaking piece of news on the Web, the reports of Jackson's death sparked something of a feeding frenzy -- and with that came rumor that dragged in other celebrities completely unconnected to the King of Pop's death.

One Wikipedia prankster wrote that Jackson had been "savagely murdered" by his brother Tito, who had strangled him "with a microphone cord."

Soon rumors spread online that movie star Jeff Goldblum had fallen from the Kauri Cliffs in New Zealand while filming his latest movie. On several search engines, "Jeff Goldblum" soon became the only non-Jackson-related term to crop up in the top 10.

The rumors forced Goldblum's publicist to issue a statement to media outlets, saying: "Reports that Jeff Goldblum has passed away are completely untrue. He is fine and in Los Angeles."

At the same time Harrison Ford was also rumored to have fallen from a yacht off the south of France.

Web site snopes.com, which shoots down rumors, gossip and urban legends -- and how they originated -- said the likely culprit was a Web site which allows users to input celebrity names -- and then inserts them into fake templated stories (a further variant has stars dying in a plane crash).

In a sense the feeding frenzy was understandable -- Jackson's death, coming only hours after that of 1970s icon Farah Fawcett, left many Web users, shocked by the news of Jackson's death, asking what would happen next. In this febrile climate any rumor runs the risk of being seized on, believed and treated with more credulity than usual.

The need of the professional media to be first with the news -- many did for a short time report the Goldblum rumor as fact -- adds further veracity. And, of course, the whole process is speeded up by the Web.

There is also, of course, the old adage that celebrities die in threes, with the deaths of Gianni Versace, Princess Diana and Mother Teresa in 1997 frequently held up as an example of this.

Michael Jackson started singing with the Jackson 5 when he was 5, their first album came out when he was 11.

2009-06-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson, singer, performer, eccentric, and American icon died in his Los Angeles home on Thursday after suffering a heart attack. He was just 50 years old. In recent years, many of us had a complicated relationship with Jackson, but none could deny his massive talent or the impact he had on the entertainment community, worldwide. He was a musical visionary, creative in every aspect of his life--including his clothes. His outlandish, unique sequined style has influenced decades of designers, including many of the retro-'80s fashions we see on runways today. Despite the scandals of recent years, we honestly can't imagine our childhoods without him. Above, a style tribute to the King of Pop.

17 persons injured in Gharibabad blast

2009-06-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

KARACHI: At least 17 persons were injured when a powerful explosion occurred in a firecracker-producing factory in Karachi area of Gharibabad, Geo News reported Friday.

All wounded were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where two of them are in critical condition. According to hospital sources, the injured include five women and a female child. A state of emergency has been announced at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where para-medical staff have been summoned.

According to eyewitnesses, three houses have been completely damaged.

The blast sound was heard far and wide.

The ambulances arrived on the spot and fire fighters have been called. The local residents and rescuers are taking out the trapped injured people from under rubble.

A lot of people gathered on the blast site, police had to resort to break them up.

According to police, a blast occurred in a house causing many houses to cave in completely. A two-storey house turned into pile of rubble.

According to preliminary reports, a factory making firecrackers caught fire triggering many crackers to blast. The house was being used as a godown of firecrackers.

Pop star Michael Jackson dies at 50

2009-06-26T08:17:00.001-07:00

LOS ANGELES: Pop giant Michael Jackson, who took to the stage as a child star and set the world dancing to the thumping rhythms of his music in the 1970s, died on Thursday, online website reported. He was 50.

The website reported that Jackson suffered a heart attack just after 12:00 pm (1900 GMT) local time and paramedics were unable to revive him.

Jackson's manager Tohme E. Tohme was not immediately available for comment when contacted by media. Officials at UCLA Medical Center where Jackson was treated also could not be reached for comment.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Devin Gales would not confirm Jackson's identity but said paramedics went to an address corresponding to the star's home at 12:21 pm (1921 GMT) and the person was taken to UCLA Medical Center.

An unidentified family member earlier told TMZ -- the first outlet to report that Jackson had suffered a cardiac arrest -- that the star was in "really bad shape."

Michael's father Joe Jackson told E! Online he was aware of the emergency but did not know further details.

"I am in Las Vegas, but yes, people in Los Angeles called me and are with Michael and tell me he was taken to the hospital," he said. "I am not sure what's wrong. I am waiting to hear back from them."

The reports came as Jackson prepared to make a keenly anticipated concert comeback in London, his first series of shows in more than a decade and the first since his 2005 acquittal on child molestation charges.

However those concerts -- billed as the "final curtain" -- had been thrown into doubt after Jackson pushed back the opening dates last month.

Organizers of the concerts had stressed the delay was not linked to Jackson's health.

Promoters and producers AEG Live said the rescheduling was done because of the "sheer magnitude" of the show and the desire for fans attending the opening nights to get the same experience planned for all 50 shows.

In a press conference from the United States broadcast over the Internet, AEG Live president Randy Phillips was asked about Jackson's health and said: "I would trade my body for his tomorrow. He's in fantastic shape."

While Jackson reigned as the "King of Pop" in the 1980s, his once-stellar career had been overshadowed by his colorful public behavior, his startling physical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse.

Jackson lived as a virtual recluse following his 2005 acquittal on charges including child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser.

Despite his acquittal, the trial was a body blow from which the pop music superstar struggled to recover.

Four years later, Jackson is still worshipped by fans for revolutionizing music, dance and music videos at the peak of his success.

The attention however paid to him in recent years has been less flattering, focusing on apparent cosmetic surgery -- which he denies -- his baby dangling antics and a decade of swirling child abuse allegations.

Qari Zainuddin Mehsud shot dead in DI Khan

2009-06-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A gunman shot dead Qari Zainuddin, a rival commander of Baitullah Mehsud in Dera Ismail Khan on Tuesday morning.A close aide of Qari Zainuddin while confirming the killing of Qari Zainuddin claimed that he was shot dead by Gulbadeen Mehsud who was managed to flee from the scene. Gulbadeen is a resident of Makeen area. Another associate of Qari Zainuddin sustained injuries in the incident. Qari Zainuddin had recently given stat .... Full Story

Younis Khan receives hero's welcome in Karachi

2009-06-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

KARACHI: A jubilant crowd gathered at Jinnah international airport to greet Pakistan cricket team’s skipper Younis Khan.Younis’ family members, friends and large number of cricket lovers were present at the airport to welcome victorious captain. Fans showered flower petals as soon as Younis came out from the airport. They chanted sologans in Younis Khan and Pakistan’s favour. Younis at this occasion avoid media.

Pakistani offensive 'nears end'

2009-06-19T05:16:00.000-07:00

The military offensive against Taliban militants entrenched in north-western Pakistan is nearly over, the defence minister has said.

Ahmed Mukhtar says people displaced by the fighting in the Swat valley can start returning home from Saturday.

About two million people fled the area as the army took on the militants after they reneged on an earlier peace deal.

The minister said the army would now set its sights on South Waziristan, the stronghold of Pakistan's Taliban chief.

Pakistan's army is in the preparatory stages of a full-scale assault on the mountainous tribal territory bordering Afghanistan.

It is said to be the hiding place of Baitullah Mehsud who is at the helm of Tehreek-e-Taliban, the Pakistani Taliban group blamed for a string of deadly attacks across Pakistan.

"As soon as Baitullah [Mehsud] is spotted, he will be killed," Mr Mukhtar said in an interview on Pakistan's Dawn News television channel.

The army has advanced north from its base in the town of Wana in South Waziristan towards the hills in the Madijan area.

Witnesses have told the BBC that soldiers are digging trenches and positioning artillery weaponry there.

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says Mr Mukhtar's remarks about the operation in Swat nearing completion must be taken with a pinch of salt.

Pakistan has conducted operations in several parts of the north-west since 2004 - and has declared victory on a number of occasions - but this has never prevented militants from staging a comeback.

See a map of the region

The army has also failed to eliminate the militant leadership in Swat, our correspondent says. There have been many questions about the true success of the operation with the fate of top Swat militant leaders still unknown.

Swat displaced

The fighting in the Swat valley began two months ago when Pakistani Taliban forces expanded their operations into districts only 60 miles from the capital.

In pictures: Plight of Pakistan's displaced

Under the terms of a peace deal, militants were expected to disarm in exchange for the implementation of Sharia law throughout the Malakand division, which includes Swat valley.

As the fighting to dislodge the Taliban intensified, some two million people were displaced. The majority of these are living in overstretched camps on the fringes of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Although the defence minister says the displaced can start to return home from Saturday, the UN says there are still significant concerns about their safety and welfare once they return.

Unrest

Meanwhile, sporadic violence has continued to afflict Pakistan's restive north-west.

Two boys' schools are reported to have been blown up by Taliban militants.

A number of educational institutes in the area, close to the Swat valley, have been targeted in recent months.

The United Nations upgraded its security risk rating in Pakistan to Level 3, which means that expatriate UN officials cannot keep their families in Pakistan.

It comes just one week after deadly attack on Peshawar's Pearl Continental hotel, in which 18 people were killed including two UN members of staff.

Ayatollah backs election result

2009-06-19T05:02:00.000-07:00

Iran's Supreme Leader has issued a stern warning that protests against the country's disputed presidential election results must end.

In his first public remarks after days of demonstrations, Ayatollah Khamenei said the outcome must be decided at the ballot box, not on the street.

He said political leaders would be blamed for any violence.

Demonstrators calling for a new election earlier vowed to stage fresh protests on Saturday.

Addressing huge crowds at Tehran University, the ayatollah voiced support for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, saying the president's views on foreign affairs and social issues were close to his.

Mr Ahmadinejad was among the thousands of people who packed the campus and surrounding streets, punctuating the ayatollah's speech with chants.

LATEST FROM TEHRAN

Marcus George

Very robust words indeed from the Supreme Leader. Ayatollah Khamenei said the election results are fine and there's no way that any vote rigging could have happened in this nation.

That would be treacherous, he said. He has effectively endorsed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's landslide win. He said it just isn't possible to have vote rigging here.

In the meantime, he has told Western nations "keep your nose out of our business, these are domestic affairs you are meddling in and you are responsible for the allegations of vote rigging to begin with".

Responding to allegations of electoral fraud, the ayatollah insisted the Islamic Republic would not cheat.

"There is 11 million votes difference," the ayatollah said. "How one can rig 11 million votes?"

He appealed to candidates who had doubts about the election result to pursue any challenges through legal avenues.

BBC Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne says that Ayatollah Khamenei appears to have staked everything on this election result and Mr Ahmadinejad.

It all points to heavy crackdowns if the protests continue, our correspondent says.

'Political earthquake'

In his highly anticipated address after Friday prayers, the ayatollah said despite differences of opinion among the presidential candidates, they were all trustworthy and loyal to the Islamic Republic.

Some of our enemies... intended to depict this absolute victory, this definitive victory, as a doubtful victory

Ayatollah Khamenei

Profile: Ayatollah Khamenei

Iran's titanic struggle

Iran's internet dilemma

He said the election was a "political earthquake" for Iran's enemies - singling out Great Britain as "the most evil of them" - whom he accused of trying to foment unrest in the country.

"Some of our enemies in different parts of the world intended to depict this absolute victory, this definitive victory, as a doubtful victory," the Supreme Leader said.

The UK government summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest against the ayatollah's remarks.

The official results gave Mr Ahmadinejad 63% of the vote against 34% for his main election rival, Mir Hossein Mousavi.

The Guardian Council - Iran's main electoral authority - has invited Mr Mousavi and two other defeated candidates to discuss their objections tomorrow.

Nisar seeks resumption of Pak-India composite dialogue

2009-06-19T05:00:00.001-07:00

ISLAMABAD: The opposition leader in National Assembly and PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said composite dialogue between Pakistan and India should be resumed without further delay.

Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Sharat Sabharwal met with Chaudhry Nisar here at Punjab House and discussed Pak-India relations, terrorisms and border and regional security situation.

According to PML-N sources, Chaudhry Nisar at this occasion said both the countries should resolve all issues including Kashmir through dialogue to bring permanent peace in the region.

Pakistan wants revival of talks with India: Zardari

2009-06-19T04:56:00.000-07:00

BRUSSELS: President Asif Ali Zardari said Friday Pakistan wants early resumption of bilateral talks with India.

Talking to German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a meeting here, Asif Zardari urged Germany to play a role regarding the restoration of bilateral talks between Pakistan and India.

Apprising her of the ongoing crackdown on the terrorists in Pakistan, he said Pakistan wants peace and has continued its full-fledged action ag ...

Three killed in Northern bypass demo: Edhi sources

2009-06-10T06:51:00.000-07:00

KARACHI: There are reports that at least three demonstrators were killed in firing at a protest demonstration being staged at Northern bypass, sources said Wednesday.

The Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party, formally called Jeay Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party were trying to go to join the rally which currently at Fawwarah Chawk area a little away from the CM House.

The police tear-gassed the rally to disperse them after workers went on rampage.

According to DIG East Zafar Bukhari said some demonstrators have been arrested.

According to Edhi sources, at least three activists were killed and over ten others injured in firing. The injured and the deceased are being shifted to the hospital.

The demo is being staged against the rehabilitation of the affected people of Swat Operation.

Magsi joins party’s rally at Fawwarah Chawk

2009-06-10T06:50:00.001-07:00

KARACHI: Dr. Qadir Magsi, who is the Chairman of Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party (STP) and General Secretary of Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONAM), arrived at Fawwarah Chawk and join the rally of his party, Geo News reported Wednesday.

The workers of his party are currently staging a sit-in protest in front of the Governor House against the arrival of Internally Displaced Persons.

23 extremists killed in last 24 hours: ISPR

2009-06-10T06:44:00.000-07:00

RAWALPINDI: At least 23 extremists have been killed killed in various areas of Malakand and Dir, during the last 24 hours of Operation Rah-e-Raast, Geo News reported Wednesday.

While Wali Ullah, aterrorist commander handed over himself to Army, 2 soldiers embraced Shahadat and 12 soldiers were injured including 2 officers.

According to ISPR press release, Jani Khel is the staging area of all militants operating in D.I Khan, Bannu, Kohat and Peshawar. Reportedly 600-800 terrorists reached Jani Khel from Miran Shah and Razmak. They were planning to strike at different places in NWFP.

Security forces engaged suspected terrorists locations at Jani Khel with heavy fire. Clearance operation in area Zaidi Akbar Khan is in progress.

Security forces conducted search operation at Batkhela, during exchange of fire, 1 terrorist was killed. Security forces also recovered cache of arms, ammunition, explosive and communication equipment.

Security forces commenced search operation to secure area from Kabbal Camp to Kabbal village. Terrorists fired a rocket at Kabbal Camp, due to which 1 soldier embraced shahadat and 11 soldiers were injured including 2 officers.

Terrorists fire raided at Bariam Bridge near Matta, Resultantly 1 soldier embraced shahadat. Wali Ullah (terrorist commander) handed over himself to Army at Besham. Security forces were fire raided by terrorists at Banmani Sar, which was effectively responded, resultantly 6 terrorists were killed.

Security forces secured Shalkosar top and Shalkosar Kandao in Piochar valley. Fierce fire fight took place between the security forces and terrorists, resultantly 16 terrorists were killed in South East of Shalkosar top.

Local lashkar has moved closer to terrorists at Shatkas and Ghzigae villages. Intense exchange of fire is taking place, reportedly 50 terrorists from Dir-Kohistan side came to support terrorists at Shatkas, who were engaged by Lashkar and they finally ran away.

Terrorists demolished two Govt High Schools at Sherjanay, Sangolay village and Chinar Kot in Maidan area. Terrorists demolished a bridge near village Kalpani at Lal Qila, Maidan.

Buner. Security forces secured Gat Khela and Jowar area.

The security forces also continued relief activities for the IDPs. At least 31 paramedics including 8 specialist doctors were moved to Mingora by Helicopter. Four trucks of ration and non food items were distributed among the stranded people of Swat valley at Mingora.