BHUBANESWAR - Maoists holding an Orissa district collector and a junior engineer hostage Friday extended their deadline, giving the state government another 48 hours for acceptance of their demands.

SHILLONG - Two top leaders of the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) rebel group have sent feelers for talks with the Meghalaya government, an official said Friday.

BHUBANESWAR - The Orissa government Friday urged Maoists holding Malkangiri Collector R. Vineel Krishna hostage to extend their 48-hour deadline for acceptance of their demands even as it opened quiet talks with the rebels and asked two academics to start a separate dialogue.

BHUBANESWAR - Orissa Friday asked two academics to initiate a dialogue with Maoists for the release of Malkangiri district collector R. Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi, officials said.

ISLAMABAD - At least one person was killed and four people were injured Friday when a car bomb exploded near a police station in northwestern Pakistan, police said.