1.   Perry said that faced with a similar situation, he would not have bombarded the town where Chechen separatists held scores of hostages.

2.   After more than two months of silence, Kashmiri separatists holding four Western hostages contacted government negotiators Thursday, a spokesman said, raising hopes for an early release.

3.   After more than two months of silence, Kashmiri separatists holding four Western hostages contacted government negotiators Thursday, raising hopes for a release.

4.   As well as Hutchings, the Kashmiri separatists are holding two Britons, Keith Mangan and Paul Wells and one German, Dirk Hasert.

5.   Basque separatists released a businessman Sunday after holding him for almost a year, the longest the separatists have ever held a hostage.

6.   Heavy rains flooded areas of Kashmir on Thursday, raising fears about the health of Western hostages being held by separatists, officials said.

7.   Indian forces have been ordered to stay away from a mountainous area where Kashmiri separatists are holding four Western hostages, an official said Tuesday.

8.   Nine days after negotiators lost contact with Kashmiri separatists holding four Western hostages, a police official said the captives are safe.

9.   Nine days after negotiators lost contact with Kashmiri separatists holding four Western hostages, a police official said Wednesday that the captives are safe.

10.   Parliament, meanwhile, declared amnesty for nine Chechen rebels captured in a Russian assault on a village where the separatists were holding hostages last month.