Washington/London  - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will meet with US President George W Bush on Friday for emergency talks on the financial crisis in the United States that has caused turmoil in global markets.

The two leaders will also discuss the dispute with Iran over its nuclear activities, and the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Georgia, the White House confirmed Thursday.

New York  - Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama on Thursday warned of the high stakes for the US economy of a proposed 700-billion-dollar government bailout plan for financial firms.

Republican McCain on Thursday warned the US Congress that a misstep on the financial crisis could make things much worse than they already are, and repeated his call for a bipartisan solution.

Islamabad  - The Pakistani army said on Thursday its border troops opened fire at helicopters of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) after the aircraft violated the country's airspace along the border with Afghanistan.

The incident took place at 3.30 pm (1030 GMT) when two helicopters from Afghanistan crossed into Pakistan territory in the Saidgai Ghulam Khan area of the North Waziristan tribal district, a known sanctuary of al-Qaeda and Taliban militants launching attacks on international forces on the other side of the frontier.

Cape Town  - South Africa's new caretaker president Kgalema Motlanthe moved quickly to soothe frayed nerves at home and among the investor community after being sworn in as a successor to outgoing president Thabo Mbeki.

Former trade union leader and longtime African National Congress member Motlanthe, 58, was elected to lead the country for the next six or seven months in a landslide vote in the National Assembly.

Brussels/New York  - All sides in Sri Lanka's long-running conflict should do more to protect civilians and uphold human rights, European Union foreign affairs commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said Thursday.

"The rights and needs of civilians and those who are internally displaced by the ongoing conflict in the north (of Sri Lanka should be) fully respected, in line with international humanitarian law. Their safety and freedom of movement must be paramount," Ferrero- Waldner said in a statement.

Washington  - US President George W Bush voiced his support for the democratic government of Lebanon free of Syrian influence during his meeting Thursday with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman.

"The United States is proud to stand by your side," Bush said. "Our mission is your mission: a country that is strong and capable, and a country where people can live in peace."