Sattar wants tripartite talks before Ramzan
The Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar, has urged India to enter into a tripartite dialogue to resolve the Kashmir dispute before the end of the Ramzan ceasefire on December 27.

2 killed in landmine blast
After two days of relative calm in the Valley, militants struck at two places today. In Baramulla, unidentified militants triggered an IED-induced landmine blast killing two persons and injuring 20; while in Anantnag, a Lashkar-e-Taiba suicide squad attacked a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) battalion, injuring at least seven soldiers.

Echo of accident: Mamata's resignation rejected
The Railway Minister, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, today sent in her resignation from the Union Cabinet, owning moral responsibility for last Saturday's train accident in Punjab, in which as many as 43 passengers were killed.

Advani, Joshi must quit: Cong.
Three days ahead of the eighth anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid, Congressmen today demanded the resignation of Union Ministers, Mr. L. K. Advani, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi and Ms. Uma Bharti, and forced the Speaker to adjourn the Lok Sabha for the day.

High alert in U.P.
Police and paramilitary forces were put on high alert in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Ayodhya, Mathura and Varanasi in view of the anniversary of the demolition of disputed structure in Ayodhya on December 6, official sources said today.

Krishna refuses comment
The Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr. S.M. Krishna, today refused comment on the remarks of the Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, about the deployment of Central forces to nab the forest brigand, Veerappan.

Postal strike as planned
The Joint Council of Action of postal workers tonight decided to proceed with its plan to go on a countrywide strike from 6 a.m. tomorrow.

More CRPF men for Assam
The Centre is rushing 18 additional companies of the CRPF to Assam following a request from the State Government to deal with militant activities.

Curfew in Gujarat town
An indefinite curfew has been clamped in Navsari in south Gujarat where communal disturbances occurred this afternoon. The police fired six rounds and burst teargas shells to disperse stone-throwing mobs.

27 policemen killed in bus accident
At least 27 policemen were killed when the bus they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into the Chenab river at Chashma near Ramban, about 150 km from here, this evening, a police spokesman said.

LTTE supporter deported
A Sri Lankan Tamil and LTTE supporter, Mr. M. K. Eelavendhan, who had been residing in Chennai for more than a decade, was deported to Colombo today flowing a Union Home Ministry directive.