Video: Real Player At least 12 persons were killed and 30 injured in a huge car bomb blast in Srinagar. (Early Story) (28k, 56k)

The Inspector General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Ashok Kumar Bhan says there are militants inside the Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly. (28k, 56k)

Taliban recaptures key area
Agrees to share power in three provinces
Islamabad, October 1
Taliban fighters today recaptured a key area of western Afghanistan lost to opposition forces at the weekend and increased their ranks with the defection of around 60 Northern Alliance fighters, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) said.

Alliance, Zahir reach accord
Rome, October 1
The ex-King of Afghanistan has reached an agreement with the opposition Northern Alliance aimed at ousting the Taliban rulers in Kabul, the two sides said today. Under the terms of the accord, the anti-Taliban coalition called for the convening of a traditional Grand Council of Afghan leaders.

Lt-Gen Joshi takes over as CIDS
New Delhi, October 1
There was a major shake-up in the top Army brass today with Lt-Gen Pankaj Joshi taking over as the country’s first-ever Chief of Integrated Defence Staff and Lt-Gen N.C. Vij as the new Vice-Chief of Army Staff.


Lt-Gen Pankaj Joshi arrives at South Block to ssume office as the country’s first Chief of Integrated Defence Staff in New Delhi on Monday. — PTI photo

Senior leaders pay their respects to Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia who died in a plane crash on Sunday. (28k, 56k)

Bolt from the blue: Vajpayee
New Delhi, October 1
President K. R. Narayanan, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi led the nation in paying homage to Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia.

• Edit: Madhavrao Scindia

• Scindia’s death condoled (Chandigarh page)

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‘Poor upkeep, VIP pressure led to plane crash’
New Delhi, October 1
Unpredictable weather, over-confidence born out of insufficient experience, poor maintenance of the aircraft and pressure from the VIP for a time-bound public meeting at Kanpur are some of the major causes for the tragic plane crash.

DSGMC bans history textbook
New Delhi, October 1
The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee today banned the teaching of Class XI history book published by the NCERT in the schools being run by the committee as it denigrates the Sikh Gurus.

31 youths released from Pak jail Wagah, October 1 Following a request by the Indian Government, Pakistan today released 31 Punjabi youths languishing in the Quetta jail after completing two months’ imprisonment on charges of illegally entering the country. The youths had tried to enter Europe from Lebanon for greater job opportunities. The youths felt relieved to be with their loved ones again after being duped of their money and the jail trauma in a hostile country.