Taliban relenting?
Islamabad, Oct. 17. The Taliban Foreign Minister, Mullah Abdul Wakil Muttawakil, has asked the Americans to slow down the bombing campaign so that moderates in the Afghan leadership can reconsider their refusal to hand over Osama bin Laden, according to a Western diplomatic source. And on the war front, Iranian state radio said U.S. troops landed from helicopters today near Kandahar in south-west Afghanistan, stronghold of the Taliban leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, and Osama.

Pak. unnecessarily edgy: India
New Delhi, Oct. 17. India has dismissed Pakistani claims about heightened Indian troop movement along the border.

Pak. forces on high alert
Islamabad, Oct. 17. Pakistan today accused India of moving its troops and relocating its air force assets along the Line of Control (LOC) and the International Border (IB) and said this action might prove to be a threat to Pakistan's security.

India, U.S. sign treaty on legal assistance
New Delhi, Oct. 17. India and the U.S. today signed a Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signalling a significant boost to cooperation between the two countries in the fields of law enforcement and counter-terrorism.

VHP leaders force entry into disputed site in Ayodhya
Lucknow, Oct. 17. senior leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, including its international president, Mr. Ashok Singhal, Mr. Pravinbhai Togadia and the former BJP MP, Mr. S. C. Dixit, today, defying the security arrangements, entered the makeshift Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya and offered ``puja'' to the deity.

Anthrax: U.S. House shut down
Washington, Oct. 17. In an unprecedented move, the U.S. House of Representatives was shut down today for an ``environmental sweep''. This, after at least 31 persons in the Senator Mr. Tom Daschle's office tested positive for anthrax exposure.

Life ban on Cronje stays
Pretoria, Oct. 17. The former South African cricket captain, Mr. Hansie Cronje's appeal against a life ban for his involvement in match-fixing was turned down by the Pretoria High Court today but he was cleared to pursue a career in coaching and the media.

Israel Minister shot dead
Jerusalem, Oct. 17. The Israel's Tourism Minister, Mr. Rehavam Zeevi, was today killed in an ambush in a Jerusalem hotel in what a militant Palestinian group said was its revenge for the killing of their leader by Israel.