No use talking to Pak. now: PM
Lucknow, Oct. 22. There is no point in holding talks with Pakistan as long as it continues to support cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, said here today.

Three satellites placed in orbit
Sriharikota, Oct. 22. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) added one more chapter to its list of successes when its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) placed one of its three payloads at a markedly higher orbit than that of the two other satellites.

Militants' bid to storm IAF base in J&K
Srinagar, Oct. 22. Security forces today foiled an attempt by a group of four `fidayeen' (suicide squad) militants to enter the highly-guarded Air Force Base at Quil (Awantipore) around 35 km south of here. All the militants were killed but an Air Force jawan and a civilian too died in the encounter which followed the attack. The Lashkar-e-Taiba has owned responsibility.

U.S. begins attack on Taliban frontlines
Washington, Oct. 22. In a major shift in strategy, the United States has started attacking the frontline Taliban soldiers north of Kabul. American jets and warplanes are raining bombs and missiles on Taliban troops which are poised against the Northern Alliance and are said to be hitting very close to positions near the Capital.

Wrap up campaign soon: India
New Delhi, Oct.22. India wants the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan wrapped up as quickly as possible after the coalition's political goals are achieved.

RBI cuts CRR, bank rates
Mumbai, Oct. 22. Indicating a low interest rate regime, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut the bank rate by 50 basis points to 6.5 per cent - the lowest ever since May 1973 - from the close of business today.

Anthrax scare at embassies
Colombo, Oct. 22. The Indian High Commission and the French Embassy here received a white powdery substance in mail this morning amidst heightened world-wide fears of terror by anthrax. A spokesman for the High Commission said the powder was in three envelopes and they were being sent for analysis.

Kapil gets clean chit
New Delhi, Oct. 22. The cricket board's internal inquiry into the match-fixing scandal has exonerated Kapil Dev from any wrongdoing and closed all cases pending against him but found two former captains - Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajit Wadekar - ``remiss'' in at least one controversial situation.

Ruling on Jogi's claim stayed
Raipur, Oct. 22. The Bilaspur High Court on Monday stayed the implementation of the ruling of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes dismissing the claim of the Chattisgarh Chief Minister, Mr. Ajit Jogi, of being a tribal.