Newsreel: 29.12.02

• THE Centre proposes to make it more difficult for Pakistani nationals to visit India and also to restrict their movement within the country. Expressing concern over the large number of Pakistanis overstaying in India and going underground, Minister of State for Home Vidyasagar Rao says that in addition to the 100 per cent pre-verification of visa forms, the local sponsors will be made responsible for the whereabouts of the visitor till he or she left the country. No extensions to be granted to tourist visas. And the number of cities they can visit is cut down to three from 12.

• Cellular operators slash STD rates to Rs. 2.99 per minute from a peak Rs. 9 charged for distances above 500 kms triggering a price war with basic telecom operators. As per the new package STD charges on mobile-to-mobile will be the same across the board with an exception of distance upto 50 kms where tariff will continue to be Rs. 1.20 per minute. More happy news await consumers as cellular telcom firms hint this is just the beginning of a series of sops that are in the offing.

• ISLAMABAD swings into damage control after Pak President General Pervez Musharraf’s comment that he had warned New Delhi that if the Indian Army crossed the LoC (Line of Control) and the border, then it ‘‘should not expect conventional war from Pakistan.’’ New Delhi is quick to react calling the remarks, ‘‘highly dangerous and provocative,’’ and evidence yet again of the ‘‘unrealistic’’ prospects of any meaningful dialogue between the two countries. On the positive front, amidst all the hullabaloo, both the countries exchange their lists of nuclear installations.

• LT. GENERAL N.C. Vij takes charge as the new chief of Indian Army, with a promise that the army will be on an ‘‘unrelaxed vigil’’ in Jammu and Kashmir while simultaneously assisting the state government in pressing ahead with its ‘healing touch’ policy.

• INDIA joins the global high-speed rail bandwagon with the Konkan Railway’s Madgaon-Roha Express successfully completing its trial run at a speed of 150 kmph that well surpasses Rajdhani’s 130 kmph. A beaming Konkan Railway Managing Director B. Rajaram says once given go ahead by the authorities, the train will cut short the Mumbai-Goa distance to just four hours.

• BCCI announces the 15-member squad for World Cup 2003, choosing to play it safe. The team holds no surprises as the selectors opt for experience paving way for a highly predictable line-up. The only notable exclusion is V.V.S Laxman, who is replaced by left-hander Dinesh Mongia. Parthiv Patel, the young wicket-keeper batsman, also finds his way into the team.