Ahead on deadly hotel blast in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad

When a suicide bomber attacked the Marriott Hotel on September 21 Reuters leapt on the story and stayed ahead. Reuters were 11 minutes ahead of Dow Jones with news of the blast and 54 minutes ahead in confirming the hotel had been attacked. Reuters stories made clear what this attack was a direct blow to Pakistan’s ruling elite and a challenge to the new government and its alliance with the United States against terrorism both at home and in Afghanistan. An interview on September 25 with the head of the U.S. military Admiral Mike Mullen underlined the Pentagon’s worry that chaos in Pakistan would undermine its efforts in neighbouring Afghanistan and spill over into neighbouring states like India.