21 die in plane crash
KARACHI, Oct 29 (AFP) — At least 21 officers and sailors were killed when a Pakistani Navy surveillance aircraft crashed over coastal areas today, a naval official said. The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the official said the wreckage was found near the Pakistani coastal town of Pasni. There were 11 soldiers and 10 officers on board.

Ram Lakhan in JD(U)
NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (UNI) — Former Union Minister Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav today joined the Janata Dal (United) giving a new turn to the Yadav politics in Bihar. His admission into the party was announced by party President Sharad Yadav.

60 killed in Lanka
COLOMBO, Oct 29 (DPA) — At least 60 rebels and soldiers were killed in northern Sri Lanka in separate incidents as a fresh flareup of heavy fighting erupted between government troops and Tamil rebels, military officials said today.

Pak court's order
ISLAMABAD, Oct 29 (PTI) — Pakistan's Supreme Court has directed the country's Central Bank to furnish a statement about the utilisation of foreign currency by all successive governments from 1992 onwards till date. The State Bank of Pakistan was asked to file the detailed statement showing cover charges rate in 1992 and its gradual increase till date.

Bin Laden
ISLAMABAD, Oct 29 (Reuters) — Saudi-born terrorism suspect Osama bin Laden has offered to leave Afghanistan and go to another unknown country, a Pakistan-based Afghan news service said today. The AIP quoted a spokesman for Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban movement as saying that Bin Laden expressed his wish in a letter to Taliban leader Mullah Omar, and asked the Taliban to help him reach a new destination.

Indo-Bangla pact
GUWAHATI, Oct 29 (UNI) — The Indo-Bangladesh protocol on inland water transit and trade has been renewed for another two years. Announcing this in the state Assembly, Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said the protocol expired on October 3. It was signed by the Secretary, Shipping, Bangladesh, and Secretary, Shipping, Government of India at Dhaka yesterday.

Militant discharged
NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (PTI) — A city court has discharged an alleged Punjab militant in the case of the sensational kidnapping of French Ambassador Rado here in 1991, concluding that the police failed to adduce sufficient evidence against him. In a recent order, Majinder Singh, an alleged member of Khalistan Liberation Front were discharged.

Saddam's foes
WASHINGTON, Oct 29 (AFP) — The USA will provide a 10-day military training to opponents of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from next week, Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon said yesterday. "This is to support forces for democracy for a move to democracy within Iraq," he said.

'U-turn' by Taliban
ISLAMABAD, Oct 29 (ANI) — The Taliban seems to have taken a 'U-turn" on the handover of Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden to the USA. The AIP quoted Talibans' new Foreign Minister Abdul Wakil Muttawakil as saying that bin Laden won't be handed over or extradited to the USA despite the threat of sanctions.

Peace talks
JERUSALEM, Oct 29 (AP) — Israel and the Palestinians will begin negotiations on a final peace treaty on November 7, the two sides announced today. The date was set at a meeting between Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo and Israeli diplomat Oded Eran.

Sainiks lathi-charged
MUMBAI, Oct 29 (PTI) — The police resorted to a lathicharge to disperse an "unruly" crowd, purported to be Shiv Sainiks, which staged a "rasta roko" and indulged in stone-throwing outside a local court where party chief Bal Thackeray appeared today in a defamation case.

Bodos loot banks
SHILLONG, Oct 29 (UNI) — Suspected Bodo militants today looted Rs 13 lakh from a bank in Jaintia Hills district and later gunned down four persons, including a constable, and injured seven others before fleeing the spot.