Pak. offer a PR exercise: Jaswant
The External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, made an intriguing comment this evening while discussing relations with Pakistan at a press conference he addressed towards the conclusion of the ministerial meeting here.

South African envoy seeks access to tapes
India today said that the ``law will take its own course'' regarding the investigation on the cricket matches which were allegedly ``fixed'' by the South African captain and a couple of Indian businessmen.

Ties with India will not be hit, says Pahad
The South African Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Aziz Pahad, today said the relations between India and South Africa run very deep and would not be affected by the recent controversy over the allegations of match-fixing against leading members of the South African cricket team.

Pak. build-up no cause for worry: Fernandes
The Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, has admitted a build-up of Pakistani forces in the Kutch area, but said the development was not a cause for alarm.

Hurriyat team barred from leaving
Revealing continued confusion in the Vajpayee Government over an approach to the Hurriyat leaders, a delegation of the organisation was today prevented from leaving the country while the Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, expressed a view that he would like the Hurriyat leaders to be sitting ``across the table''.

SC hardens stand
The Supreme Court today said it would not succumb to pressure tactics to relax its April 1 deadline for scrapping of old commercial vehicles and asked the Delhi Government to file a compliance report.

Thin attendance lands U.P. Govt. in trouble
Taking advantage of a thin presence in the treasury benches of the Legislative Assembly, the Opposition today pressed for a division over the introduction of a Bill for amendment to the Trade Tax Act and inflicted a defeat by 55-83 votes.

''More evidence'' against Cronje
The Crime Branch of the Delhi police today released more ``damning evidence'' against the South African cricket captain, Hansie Cronje, saying he and the London-based bookie, Sanjiv Chawla, had made separate phone calls to a common contact in South Africa from a hotel at Kochi, Kerala.