You may have got a break today but next year, you can’t hide. These are some of the stories that will crowd the front page. A little warm-up:

8226; Sonia’s make-or-break year? Himachal goes to polls in February, the big ones Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Chhatisgarh in the second half. Make-or-break year for the Congress and Sonia Gandhi. How she tackles a resurgent BJP with a string of strident young faces—only she knows.

8226; Togadia 038; Co vs NDA: Perhaps Sonia’s only hope: feud in the Sangh family. Pravin Togadia 038; Co are straining at a leash that gets frayed by the day. Matter of time before Ayodhya is back. BJP wants VHP—and the NDA. Vajpayee and Advani will close ranks but what will slip in between?

Forget politics: At least for a few weeks this spring. Hide the TV remote. It’s the World Cup when nothing else will matter. Indians are one of the favourites but only one of them. Watch out for the Awesome Aussies and South Africa.

Taxing, Balancing: Jaswant Singh’s first budget will be under the scanner. Going by the Kelkar report and the public bashing by BJP, there may not be too many harsh decisions but then in a year of bad news, what use is a sop? Your liability’s rise and fall will depend on Singh’s juggling act.

Ringing in New Ears: With Reliance launching its cheaper-than-postcard phone service based on WLL, it will be upto cellphone companies to take on the challenge or hang up. Of course, there’s a way out: Rules of the game can be changed to ensure the entire mobile family lives happily ever after.