24 killed, LTTE smuggling ring busted
COLOMBO, Oct 31 (PTI) — Some 24 LTTE rebels were killed in fresh attacks by the Lankan army on rebel positions in the North even as the police claimed to have busted a major ring of LTTE operatives smuggling high powered explosives to bomb various targets in the city. At least 10 LTTE female cadre and 14 male cadre were killed in the army's attacks on rebel positions at Elephant Pass in Northern Jaffna yesterday, a defence press release issued here said. Meanwhile, the police here said they busted an LTTE ring involved in smuggling explosives to blast various targets in Colombo with the arrest of a young Tamil woman, Sulochana, yesterday.

Falun Gong men held
BEIJING, Oct 31 (PTI) — The Chinese police confirmed the arrest of four key leaders of the outlawed Falun Gong cult for allegedly violating the law today, a day after the country's legislature passed a tough anti-cult law. Li Chang, Wang Zhiwen, Lie Liewu and Yapo Jie were arrested on October 19 for 'violating various articles of China's criminal laws" and charged under the new law by Beijing's Public Security Bureau, official Xinhua news agency said.

Kushabhau Thakre
JABALPUR, Oct 31 (PTI) — BJP President Kushabhau Thakre today said he would not seek the party presidentship for second consecutive term owing to old age. Thakre, however, said he would not retire from active politics as 'politics is a mission' to him.

Police station attacked
KANCHEEPURAM, Oct 31 (UNI) — A 1,500 strong mob, including 300 women, today attacked a police station in Thusi village in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu in the wake of the alleged attack on the sub-inspector (SI), by his own colleagues. On coming to know about the attack on the SI, the villagers gathered in front of the station and indulged in stone throwing. They also smashed the compound walls of the station and damaged two police jeeps. Cheyyar DSP J. Bhaskaran was injured in the stone throwing.

Student leader shot
KANPUR, Oct 31 (PTI) — Another student leader was shot dead by members of a rival group here even as security was further tightened in all postgraduate colleges where students union elections are to be held next week. Ajai Pratap Singh, who was a MA student and son of former student leader Samarjeet Singh, was shot dead last night in the Nawabganj locality where he had gone to discuss students union elections with his lawyer friend, the police said here today. Earlier, Anup Singh, a student leader of DAV college was shot dead over student union elections last week.

SAARC summit
KATHMANDU, Oct 31 (AFP) — The eleventh Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is expected to be postponed at the request of some member-countries, including India, a senior Nepalese Foreign Ministry source said today. An Indian Embassy sources confirmed that after consultations with SAARC countries the general view was that the 11th Summit should be postponed from the scheduled November 24-27 in view of the changed political situation in Pakistan.

Six ministers dropped
MUMBAI, Oct 31 (PTI) — Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today dropped six ministers, four from the Congress and two from the NCP, from the coalition government putting into force an agreement between the two alliance partners to resolve the deadlock over the size of the ministry. The Chief Minister also allocated portfolios to his ministers giving the key portfolio of Home to Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal of the NCP. The axed ministers from Congress are Satish Chaturvedi (Cabinet rank) and three Ministers of State — Madhu Chavan, Bhoishchandra Savarbande and Harshwardhan Patil. The NCP dropped its two Ministers of State — Rajesh Tope and Rajendra Shingne.

Civilian rule in Pak
WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (ANI) — The USA and Russia have issued a joint call for Pakistan to return to civilian rule. In a joint statement issued after three days of high level meetings here between US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Karl Inderfurth and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoriy the two countries said peace and stability in South Asia would be enhanced by civilian rule in Islamabad.

Mahant ends fast
FAIZABAD, Oct 31 (PTI) — President of the Ram Janambhoomi Trust, Mahant Ram Chandra Paramhansa, ended his indefinite fast today after the district administration assured him of meeting his demands, including improvement of ‘puja’ arrangements at the temple. District Magistrate Navneet Sehgal assured the Mahant that his demands would be met following which he broke his fast.

No merger yet
PATNA, Oct 31 (PTI) — Samata Party leader Nitish Kumar today clarified that his party had not yet, formally merged with the Janata Dal (United) and called for steps for effecting merger of Samata, JD(U) and Lok Shakti. He said a decision had been taken before the Lok Sabha poll that Samata, Lok Shakti would contest the poll on a common symbol "arrow" of the JD(U) and the merger would formally take place after the elections.

Revolt in TNCC
CHENNAI, Oct 31 (UNI) — Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) General Secretary EVKS Elangovan has urged party President Sonia Gandhi to remove state unit president Tindivanam K. Ramamurthy from the post. In a letter to Mrs Sonia Gandhi, a copy of which was made available to UNI here, Mr Elangovan, who is also an AICC member said the Congress in Tamil Nadu could be rejuvenated only if Mr Ramamurthy was replaced by a dynamic leader.

Riot quelled
KUWAIT, Oct 31 (Reuters) — Kuwaiti security forces today fired in the air and used teargas to disperse Egyptian rioters after a minor scuffle between an Egyptian and a Bangladeshi escalated into violent street protests, witnesses said. The forces, some armed with automatic weapons, later combed the residential area of the capital after the riots had been broken up, searching for Egyptians who were blamed for leading the clashes.

Indira Gandhi Award
NEW DELHI, Oct 31 (PTI) — Former President Dr Shanker Dayal Sharma was today conferred with the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration, 1998, "in recognition of his exceptional and enduring contributions to the strengthening of the nation’s national fibre and political cohesiveness." Presenting the award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 1.51 lakh and a citation to Mrs Vimla Sharma, who received the award on behalf of her ailing husband, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said Indira Gandhi was a person, who stirred hearts and minds of people world over.

4 die in tower crash
SHIMLA, Oct 31 (UNI) — Four persons were killed and three others injured when a transmission tower crashed at Kargala in Nankhari tehsil in Shimla district today. The victims were identified as labourers who were working there. The injured were admitted to a hospital in Rampur.