Omar, Farooq survive bomb attack
NC blames Mufti govt

Srinagar, October 24 Mr Omar Abdullah, President of the opposition National Conference, and his father, Dr Farooq Abdullah, had a miraculous escape when an IED explosion took place at mourning prayers for a slain party leader at Anantnag town, about 55 km south of here, this morning.

National Conference President Omar Abdullah at a press conference in Srinagar after he survived an IED attack at Sarnal in Anantnag district on Sunday. — PTI Mufti orders probe into attack

Cong offers 3 ministerial berths to NCP
New Delhi, October 24
While talks between the two claimants for the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s post remained deadlocked today, the Congress tossed the ball back into the NCP court when it publicly offered to part with more ministerial berths and portfolios in return for the top job.

CM’s office ignores agro corpn chief
Patiala, October 24
Former minister Brahm Mohindra may be Chairman of the Punjab Agro Industries Corporation (PAIC) with a cabinet rank but he was not invited to attend a meeting held at the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh’s, residence here today.

Breakthrough in Naga peace talks likely
Kohima, October 24
The Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, is hopeful of a positive outcome in the ongoing Naga peace process by next year. Talking to this correspondent, Mr Rio welcomed the decision by the Naga insurgent group, the NSCN(IM), to come to Delhi sometime by November or December to hold talks with the Centre.

High Court restriction on retired judges
New Delhi, October 24
In a significant judgement, the Delhi High Court has banned all retired Judges practicing as advocates from taking up cases, which were dealt by them as judicial officers.

Karzai wins majority
Kabul, October 24
Hamid Karzai clinched a majority of the votes cast in Afghanistan’s first presidential election, near-complete results showed today, leaving him all but certain of becoming this
war-wrecked nation’s first democratically elected leader.