From the VOA News center in Washington, I'm Frances Alonzo. President Barack Obama (heads) to the heart of the U.S. financial sector Monday to give a speech outlining steps to improve regulation and reduce the chance of another financial meltdown. He will speak in New York City, a year after a major financial firm Lehman Brothers (collapsed) into a bankruptcy, causing a crisis of confidence that pushed an already troubled economy into recession around the world. Mr. Obama is proposing reforms aimed at making investment firms less likely to take (enormous) risks. Iran has agreed to start talks with (six world powers) on global economic and security problems next month in what would be the first such discussions in more than a year. A spokeswoman for the European Union foreign policy Chief Javier Solana said Monday the meeting is set for October 1. A suspected U.S. (drone) attack in a remote border region of Pakistan is said to have killed four militants believed to have links to the Taliban and al-Qaeda networks. Ayaz Gul reports from Islamabad. The US envoy had to take a break from meetings with Israelis. The early morning (missile) strike in the tribal region known as North Waziristan is said to have struck a vehicle carrying local and foreign militants. Residents and local intelligence officials in the area that borders Afghanistan say that a suspected U.S. unmanned aircraft fired the missiles near the town of Mir Ali. Independent confirmation of the death (toll) is not possible because the region is a militant stronghold. It was the third such strike in North Waziristan within the past week. At least 18 suspected militants were killed in the previous two attacks. A similar missile attack in the neighboring South Waziristan border region in early August killed Pakistani Taliban leader Baituallah Mehsud. Meanwhile, the Pakistani military has reported more gains against Taliban militants in the (ongoing) offensive in and round the northwestern Swat Valley. It says 16 militants were killed in the clashes, including two key Taliban (commanders), while more than 150 suspected fighters surrendered to local military authorities. Ayaz Gul for VOA News, Islamabad. US special (envoy) to the Middle East George Mitchell is on the second day of a visit to Israel where he is working to jump-start the peace process. VOA's Jerusalem correspondent Luis Ramirez reports. The U.S. envoy had to take a break from meetings with the Israelis when his talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were (postponed) until Tuesday. Mr. Netanyahu attended the funeral of an air force pilot who was killed in a training accident. The U.S. envoy's main aim on this trip is to bridge the gap between Washington, which wants Israel to stop (expanding) its settlements in the West Bank and the Israeli government, which last week approved construction of hundreds of new homes inside settlements. Palestinian officials have said they will not return to talks until Israel halts settlement (expansion). On Sunday, Mitchell started his talks with Israeli officials including President Shimon Peres, who told him Israel wants to see negotiations reopen by the end of this month. Mitchell said he hopes to end the settlement (controversy) soon and move on to peace talks. "It is our intention to conclude this phase of our discussions in the very near future, within the (timeframes) that you suggest, to enable us to move on to the next step, really the more important phase." Luis Ramirez VOA News, Jerusalem. A new audio message (attributed) to al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden claims U.S. President Barack Obama will be powerless to stop the US-led war in Afghanistan. The 11-minute recording appeared Sunday on its Islamist website. The voice attributed to Bin Laden says Mr.Obama is (weakened) because the White House is occupied by pressure groups. A London judge has sentenced three British Muslims to life in prison for (plotting) to blow up transatlantic airliners with liquid explosives. The judge sentenced a ringleader Abdulla Ahmed Ali to life (imprisonment) with a minimum 40-year term on Monday. The death toll from (riots) in Uganda's capital has risen to 21. Police in Kampala say seven people injured in the violence have died at local hospitals since Saturday. U.S. stock market (indexes) dropped in Monday's early trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 fell around 0.5%. The NASDAQ dropped about one third of a percent. European stock markets were lower in afternoon trading. London Times 100 index was down about one third of a percent while the CAC 40 in Paris and the DAX in Frankfurt (dropped) around 0.8%. More details at voanews.com. I'm Frances Alonzo, VOA News.