India's bin laden
October 1 in Srinagar was not as dramatic as September 11 in the US. But the attack on the J&K Assembly emphasises the reality that India continues to be a permanent victim of jehad, that the author of the blast is the bin Laden of Kandahar vintage.

Reclaiming The Faith
Despite Pakistan's extremist image, the country is home to a wide cross-section of people holding moderate views on religion. After the terrorist attacks on the US, it is this non-confrontationist lobby that is waging a coup against the militant and vocal religious extremists.

Ready To Strike
The US strategy to strike the Taliban includes making use of the Northern Alliance, favoured by Russia and Iran and distrusted by Pakistan. In its military pact with the front, the US should keep in mind the future power equations in Afghanistan.

CAPLOOKS

Mystery Of The Missing Flight

Delhi: A day after a US Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft refuelled here, the government was at pains to clarify that it had nothing to do with US operations in Afghanistan. Officials said the aircraft was on a "routine" flight from Singapore to Delhi and had picked up six military officials from here. However, on September 28, flight plans for two such planes had been filed for refuelling at Delhi. Where did the second Hercules land?

Out Of The Red

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPI(M), which sees red whenever talk of retrenchment or downsizing comes up, is in an embarrassing position after 20 staff members from its television channel, Kairali, were fired without notice. Political opponents and journalist unions have attacked the party for hypocrisy in preaching unto others while adopting "anti-labour" policies themselves. Among those shown the door are two prominent Leftist filmmakers. The CPI(M) says the deed had to be done as the health of "the institution so warrants". The year-old channel had run up losses of Rs 7 crore. Obviously, this was the way out of the red.

King Atal

Mumbai: The Big V in competition with the Big B? The Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, has been stridently criticising the Indian Government for supporting the US in its fight against the Taliban. Asked for his reaction on this, it Minister Pramod Mahajan quipped, "Imam Shahi to tab banegi jab Vajpayee shahenshah ho (the Imam will rule when Vajpayee is king)." Many meanings may be found in this, but what the minister apparently meant was that the Government is the final authority on foreign relations and the imam's opinion wouldn't count.

Priority Water

Bhopal: In his first term as Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Digvijay Singh did not make many trips abroad. His own partymen's machinations kept him tied between Bhopal and Delhi. It may be a measure of the stability that he now enjoys that less than three years into his third term, he has been touching Europe every six months. But unlike other chief ministers who have business meetings to attend to, "Diggi" only addresses water conservation meets.

MetroScape

Looking Glass

Bangalore Gallery: Gallerie Zen

Delhi Handicrafts: Crafts Museum

With a dramatic fall in the viewership of Kaun Banega Crorepati, Star makes a last-ditch effort to prop up its ratings. INDIA TODAY's Himanshi Dhawan analyses the revival struggle of the pasha of programmes in
Survival Of The Fittest