Bush briefs U.S. lawmakers
Washington, Sept. 25. As the U.S. troops in and around Afghanistan are awaiting the order to launch what is generally believed to be a quick and severe strike against select targets, the U.S. President, Mr. George W Bush, met Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders at the White House today.

Pak. warns nations backing Taliban's rivals
Islamabad, Sept. 25. For the first time since the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S., the military establishment in Islamabad has openly articulated its concern over the ``integrity'' of Afghanistan, even as the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar, warned countries and groups against the temptation of taking sides between the warring factions in the country.

Uzbek-U.S. deal over base
Moscow, Sept. 25. Uzbekistan, which straddles the northern end of the Afghan border, is in the process of positioning U.S. planes on its soil. These aircraft, along with other aviation hardware for surveillance, are being landed at the Tuzel military base, not far from Tashkent.

Mishra makes his point on terrorism in J&K
Washington, Sept. 25. The National Security Advisor and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Brajesh Mishra, who met senior Bush administration officials and law-makers here, is said to have pointed out in a quiet but forthcoming way India's stand on terrorism.

'Kashmir struggle not terrorism'
Islamabad, Sept. 25. The Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, today said his Government had made it clear to the world that the ``struggle in Occupied Kashmir was genuine.''

Taliban vows to attack any aggressor
Doha, Sept. 25. The Taliban will target anyone who attacks Afghanistan and is ready to repel any aggression, the Afghan Deputy Defence Minister, Mullah Noor Aliotyuin, has told the Al- Jazeera satellite TV.

Parts of T.N., Pondy, Karnataka, A.P. rocked
Chennai, Sept. 25. A `moderate' earthquake, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale, shook parts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Pondicherry around 8.30 tonight. Its epicentre lay 50 km east of Pondicherry, in the Bay of Bengal.

Ban on Indian TV channels
Islamabad, Sept. 25. All-Pakistan Cable Operators' Association has decided to impose a countrywide `ban' on airing five Indian TV news channels ``propagating against Islam and Pakistan'', according to the leading Pakistani Urdu daily, Jang.

T.N. civic polls: decks cleared
New Delhi, Sept. 25. The Supreme Court today cleared the decks for holding local bodies elections in Tamil Nadu on October 16 and 18 by dismissing a special leave petition (SLP) challenging the judgment of the Madras High Court declining to stay the polls.

Phone panels abolished
New Delhi, Sept. 25. The Communications Minister, Mr. Pramod Mahajan, today abolished the institution of telephone advisory committees (TACs) - a durable source of political patronage thus far.

Train derails after blasts
Guwahati, Sept. 25. A powerful explosion ripped through the Guwahati-bound North East Express derailing four coaches between Bijni and Sapkata in Bongaigaon district in Assam, about 190 km west of the Capital, this evening.