Washington, September 19 : Two separate research teams have claimed to have converted sugar from agricultural waste and non-food plants-into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and a range of other valuable chemicals.

The two teams are Chemical engineer Randy Cortright and his colleagues at Virent Energy Systems of Madison, Wisconsin, and researchers led by NSF-supported chemical engineer James Dumesic of the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

The teams are going to announce this month that sugars and carbohydrates can be processed like petroleum into the full suite of products that drive the fuel, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

Peshawar, Sept 19 : A senior Al Qaeda commander, said to be an Arab, was reportedly killed in yet another US drone attack, this time on a remote village in South Waziristan Agency, last evening.

Besides, six others, including one more Arab, were also killed in the drone attack.

The two Arabs were identified as Jiran, the al-Qaeda commander, and one Sabri, said sources close to the tribal militants.

US unmanned aircraft continue to hover over Pakistan territory despite Army Chief-level talks between the two sides held on Tuesday, after which America had said in a statement that it would “respect Pakistan’s sovereignty”.

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.