Washington, Sept 19 : For the first time in past seven years, after former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf pledged his country’s support to US-led global war on terror, the Pak-US alliance appears to be under significant strain. Last Tuesday, America''s top military officer Admiral Mike Mullen flew to Islamabad to clam down the increasing anger in Pakistan over the recent increase in US’ strikes against militants along Pak-Afghan border.

Admiral Mullen''s need to rush to Pakistan – his fifth visit in the past year – points to a new and testing phase for the US-Pakistani alliance, said an article in the Christian Science Monitor (CSM).

Vienna, Sept 19 : A leading US think tank has warned that Pakistan could soon acquire capability of producing atom bombs, as it was close to completing a second plutonium-producing reactor, and all set to build a third.

These reactors could increase its ability to make atomic bombs, which, in turn could increase tensions between India and Pakistan, said the think tank.

The report said that India could “easily match” Pakistan’s moves given its own ability to churn out plutonium in heavy water reactors and a fast-breeder reactor under construction.

San Francisco - Financial advisor Paula Gomez usually works half days at this time of year. Her stable of well-heeled clients have all filed their taxes, and their diversified portfolios have been built for long-term growth. But over the past few days her phone has been ringing off the hook as panicked clients seek advice and reassurance.

"Frankly, I don't know what to tell them," she admits. "Everywhere you look there's a catastrophe and who knows who's going to fail next. So the best advice I can give them is keep a diversified portfolio. But just in case, get some money out the bank in case the whole shebang goes belly-up."

Houdieda, Yemen - Yemen will pursue and bring to justice those responsible for the terrorist attack on the US embassy, President Ali Abdullah Saleh said late Thursday.

In a speech at the Red Sea port city of Houdieda, Saleh said the attack "did not target the US embassy, but rather the Yemeni nation."

"The nation is being targeted by terrorism. I promise you, I promise all the sons of this nation, that we will pursue them in their villages and districts until they are captured and brought to justice," he said.

New York- US stocks posted significant gains early Thursday as
President George W Bush sought to reassure investors and investment
bank Morgan Stanley reportedly began takeover talks.

The markets also appeared to be buoyed by the Federal Reserve's
move - in conjunction with five of the world's top central banks - to
inject nearly 250 billion dollars of extra liquidity into the financial
system.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average had been up as much as 180 points,
about 1.5 per cent, as Wall Street opened for business, and remained up
0.6 per cent towards the end of morning trading. The broader Standard

Washington- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the United States and Europe must "stand up to" Russian aggression and convey to Moscow that it has become increasingly isolated in world affairs.

Rice is to deliver a speech in Washington later Thursday on Russia. The speech comes as relations between Washington and Moscow reached the lowest point since the end of the Cold War following Russia's invasion of Georgia last month.