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Culling almost complete in West Bengal
Kolkata, Feb 2 (PTI) Mopping up operation was in progress in most of the 13 Bird flu affected districts of West Bengal today with culling almost over, as different figures were being given for poultry destroyed so far.
Animal Resources Development Minister Anisur Rahaman told PTI in Berhampore that 27 lakh birds had been culled and the remaining one lakh would be destroyed by today.
The Secretary of his department, D Chakraborty said here that a little over 29 lakh birds were culled and the remaining would be completed tomorrow as per instructions by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
"We have instructed the district authorities to complete the culling operations by tomorrow or day after," he said.
Chakraborty said culling remained to be done in 35 'mouzas' (revenue districts) in East Midnapore, Chanditola in Hooghly and some villages in the North Bengal district of Cooch Behar.
With the mopping up drive taken up in the districts steps are being taken to sanitise areas to prevent the recurrence of the disease.
Rahaman said after the culling, all measures would be taken to disinfect coops, residences of poultry owners and their neighbourhoods.
A comprehensive list was being prepared to identify people whose poultry had perished or been culled so that it would be easier to pay compensation.
Following reports of culling teams leaving without undergoing the mandatory quarantine in Murshidabad and Birbhum districts, the Union Health Ministry has directed the state government to call back the cullers for quarantine and checks. PTI
CPI to hold discussions to form third alternative
Bhubaneswar, Feb 2 (PTI) Blaming Congress and BJP of trying to impose a bipolar political arrangement on the country, the CPI today said it would hold discussions with like minded parties in a bid to persuade them to forge a "third alternative".
"There are attempts by both Congress and BJP to make it a bipolar political system which, in our view, is unhealthy. There are so many regional parties in India," CPI general secretary A B Bardhan told reporters here.
In order to have a Left, democratic and secular force in the country, the CPI would hold discussions with like- minded parties and persuade them to prepare for an alternative front based on policies and programmes and not simply a combination of various outfits to fight polls, Bardhan said.
"A third alternative is all the more necessary since Congress and BJP, which ruled the country alternatively, have failed to safeguard the interests of the people, whose conditions have deteriorated," Bardhan said, adding the CPI would be in touch with those interested parties in forming an alternative.
To a query, the CPI leader said his party is only supporting the UPA government at Centre from outside on the basis of a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) and whenever the government deviated from CMP, CPI would oppose it.
Ridiculing Centre's claim about 9.6 per cent economic growth, he said it was not reflected in the condition and living standards of the majority of people.
On the contrary, a government committee report suggested that at least 78 per cent of people, or 86.3 crore in number, lived by just Rs 20 per day, he claimed. PTI
India, US to cooperate in space exploration
Houston, Feb 2 (PTI) India and the US have agreed to cooperate in the exploration and use of space for peaceful purposes, including in human space flight, under an agreement signed between their space agencies.
A framework agreement establishing the terms for future cooperation between the Indian Space Research Organisation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration was signed yesterday at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida by NASA Administrator Michael Griffin and ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair.
"I am honoured to sign this agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation," Griffin said.
"This agreement will allow us to cooperate effectively on a wide range of programmes of mutual interest. India has extensive space-related experience, capabilities and infrastructure, and will continue to be a welcome partner in NASA's future space exploration activities," he said.
According to the framework agreement, the two agencies will identify areas of mutual interest and seek to develop cooperative programmes or projects in Earth and space science, exploration, human space flight and other activities.
The agreement replaces a soon-to-expire agreement signed on December 16, 1997, which fostered bilateral cooperation in the areas of Earth and atmospheric sciences.
In addition to a long history of cooperation in Earth science, NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation are also cooperating on India's first mission to the moon, Chandrayaan-1, which will be launched later this year.
NASA is providing two of the 11 instruments on the spacecraft -- the moon mineralogy mapper instrument and the miniature synthetic aperture radar instrument. PTI
Govt should not thrust Indo-US nuclear deal on anyone:Pawar
New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) The UPA government should "not thrust" the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal on anyone if the Left failed to play ball as the country needs stability, Union Minister Sharad Pawar has said.
The NCP supremo, whose party is a key constituent of Congress led coalition at the Centre, also said that he was embarrassed by Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's suggestion that Pawar would make a good Prime Minister.
Asking the government to take a rational approach on the nuclear deal, he said: "We should try our level best to convince our colleagues, but if we are not in a position to convince... Not getting total support... Majority in Parliament, then we have to take a rational approach."
"We should not thrust it on anyone. The country requires stability and country wants development," he said in an interview to Karan Thapar on CNN-IBN's Devil's Advocate.
Pawar, however, said that he would be happy if the nuclear deal goes through as it is an alternate method of generation of energy, which is the need of the hour and is also environment friendly.
He said if the nuclear deal becomes operational, it would add to the strength of the country, but not at the cost of country's stability and economy.
At the same time Pawar said, that the left parties which are opposing the deal are "honest to their thinking".
Pawar's views are significant as his remarks have come at a time when the government has approached the IAEA for arriving at a nuclear safeguards agreement. PTI
Kapil terms Twenty-20 loss as shameful
Siliguri, Feb 2 (PTI) Former cricket captain Kapil Dev today described India's nine-wicket defeat to Australia in the Twenty-20 international as 'shameful', but felt captain M S Dhoni has the ability to lead his young team back into form.
"It would be too early to question the ability of Dhoni as captain and he should be given more time before reaching a conclusion about his performance," Dev told reporters here.
Commenting on the exclusion of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and V V S Laxman from the ODI team, Dev said while everyone will have to quit one day, seniors should be allowed to depart with honour and dignity.
Lauding Anil Kumble, Dev said he was proud of the veteran spinner for capturing 600 wickets.
"The cricket history will remember Kumble for his contribution forever," said Dev, who was here to launch a product of a steel company. PTI
Murali attacked with egg, Lanka demands heightened security
Hobart/Colombo, Feb 2 (PTI) Even as the rumblings over the racism row involving Harbhajan Singh have hardly died dowm, a fresh controversy broke out in Australia with unruly fans attacking Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan with egg.
Showing no let up in their hostility towards Muralitharan, a group of fans threw an egg on the Sri Lankan spin wizard's face in Hobart last night.
"An egg was thrown at Muralitharan and it struck him", a top Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC) official told PTI in Colombo adding, the authorities were looking into the incident.
The incident, which marks a new low in Aussie fans turbulent relations with Muralitharan, has prompted cricket authorities in Sri Lanka to ask for heightened security for the players.
"We have drawn the attention of Cricket Australia to this incident yesterday. They have already given the team security. But we have asked the authorities whether this can be beefed up further," SLC secretary K Mathivanan said.
The 'Island Newspaper' reported that the Sri Lankan cricketers were jeered and attacked by some local residents in Hobart when they were returning to their hotel after dinner last night.
"The Sri Lankan team management had then taken action to safely guide the players back to their hotel and the police arrived at the scene," the Newspaper said. PTI
Sania returns to save India from relegation in Fed Cup
Bangkok, Feb 2 (PTI) Sania Mirza returned to the court to save India from demotion as India beat Hong Kong 2-1 in the Federation Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group I relegation play-off here today.
The World number 29, who did not play any of India's Pool A matches due to leg injury, finally took the field in the deciding doubles after the tie was locked 1-1.
Pairing with Sunitha Rao, Sania was instrumental in downing the Hong Kong pair of Yang Zi-jun and Zhang Ling 7-6, 6-2 to ensure that India finish seventh in the eight-team Group I and remain in the same group next year.
Earlier, Shikha Uberoi had helped India to a 1-0 lead with a 6-1, 7-6 victory over Yang Zi-jun but Isha Lakhani lost to Zhang Ling in the second rubber before the Sania-Sunitha rescue act.
India had lost to Indonesia (1-2), New Zealand (1-2) and Australia (0-3) in the earlier matches of Pool A league.
Hong Kong are relegated to Group II next year while Uzbekistan, who beat New Zealand 2-1 in the battle between pool toppers, were promoted to world group II. PTI
Akhil stuns Olympic silver medallist, bags gold
Bangkok, Feb 2 (PTI) Akhil Kumar out-punched Olympic silver medallist Worapoj Pitchkoom to complete an all-conquering run at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers by clinching India's lone gold medal here today.
The 27-year-old bantam weight pugilist, who yesterday became the second Indian after AL Lakra to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, drubbed the local favourite 21-11.
"It is certainly one of the most memorable wins of my career... Right up there with the Commonwealth Games gold medal that I won in 2006," an ecstatic Akhil told PTI.
Apart from Akhil's gold, India ended the tournament with a rich haul of three bronze medals through Amandeep Singh (48kg), Dinesh Kumar (81kg) and Manpreet Singh (91kg).
For Akhil, the triumph caps a fantastic comeback from a career-threatening wrist injury, which kept him out of action for more than half of 2007.
"It is indescribable, mind numbing ... I never thought that I would be able to come this far after that injury which had rendered my right hand useless for some time," he said.
"It took a surgery and months of rehabilitaion before I entered the ring again. Now that I have qualified for Beijing, it has given me fresh impetus." The Indian stepped into the ring today with everything to win and hardly anything to lose. PTI
Carvalho says team on right track to booking Olympic berth
Chennai, Feb 2 (PTI) Indian hockey chief coach Joaquim Carvalho feels his team is on the right track to seal an Olympic berth in the qualifying event in Chile next month.
"We are moving in the right direction. The boys are hungry to qualify for the Olympics. One or two slots are up for grabs. I am looking at the best options. The boys have impressed in the test series against Belgium," he told PTI before the team's departure for Perth in Australia for training.
The team will also play matches against the Western Australian side and the Chinese national squad.
He said the final squad for the Chile event, to be held from March 1 to 9, would be chosen after returning from Australia.
"We will have a final camp in Bangalore from where we are planning to leave for Chile. The final 18-member squad will be decided at the Bangalore camp. The remaining six from 24 probables (now on the tour to Australia) will be stand byes," he said.
Carvalho, who has been at the helm for over 10 months, also scotched at speculations that his appointment was a stop gap arrangement and he would quit if his team failed to qualify for the Olympics.
Under Carvalho, the Indians have won bronze in Sultan Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia and Champions Challenge in Boom, gold in the Asia Cup here in September last year, and fashioning a 3-1 series win over Belgium in Chennai.
In the three tournaments in 2007, India won 14 matches, lost four and scored 83 goals while yielding 24. Prabhjot Singh emerged top Indian goal scorer with 20 goals followed by V Ramachandra Raghunath (11), Shivendra Singh (8), Rajpal Singh (8) and Tushar Khandekar (6). PTI
Worst is not over in weather crisis, China warns
Raghavendra
Beijing, Feb 2 (PTI) Facing its worst winter in five decades, China today warned the ordeal is not over yet as troops and authorities worked overtime to restore a semblance of normalcy after severe snowstorms claimed at least 60 lives.
"The most difficult period is still not over yet. The situation remains grim," the State Council said as it set restoration of road traffic, power supply and transport of essential items as top priorities for the authorities.
Nearly 1.07 million troops and the reservists had fanned across the snow-pummelled regions to bring relief to the victims and aid the central and local authorities in their battle to overcome the transport gridlock and power blackouts.
More snow and sleet were forecast across the south, where three weeks of storms have destroyed crops, damaged electricity lines and disrupted the transport system.
President Hu Jintao has ordered the military to "spare no effort" in disaster relief, as severe weather conditions have been forecast to continue nationwide, the state-run China Daily said.
The Central Meteorological Station predicted that the worst winter could persist till February eight or nine. Much needed warmer temperatures were unlikely even after the snowfall ends, it said.
Calling the snow havoc "an event that will test the will, resolution and capability of leaders of various levels to deal with the crisis", the cabinet, according to official Xinhua news agency, urged stronger effort to repair the crippled railway lines and to transport coal and other essential items. PTI
Fresh detention orders for ex-judge, top lawyer in Pak
Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Feb 2 (PTI) A key member of Pakistan's legal fraternity was today served a fresh detention order hours after being freed from house arrest even as the Interior Ministry directed that Supreme Court Bar Association chief Aitzaz Ahsan be detained.
Former judge Tariq Mahmood, a key figure in protests against President Pervez Musharraf's regime last year, was released last night after his earlier detention order ended.
A fresh detention order for 30 days was served on Mahmood at his home here at 9 am.
The order, issued by Islamabad's district magistrate, declared Mahmood's residence a sub-jail and said his release may cause a law and order problem in the city. It also alleged that Mahmood had designs to create unrest in the city.
Policemen deployed at Mahmood's home did not allow him to speak to journalists. Mahmood was later taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in a police car for a check-up.
Meanwhile, the federal Interior Ministry issued orders to the Home Department of Punjab province to detain Ahsan, who is currently in Lahore. The Sindh government also barred the top lawyer's entry into the province for 30 days.
Like Mahmood, Ahsan had been freed yesterday after being under arrest for three months. Ahsan, who is also a leader of the Pakistan People's Party, had planned to visit Naudero village in Sindh today to offer prayers at the grave of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto. PTI
Bangladesh to sign ASA with India, other countries
Dhaka, Feb 2 (PTI) Bangladesh plans to sign new air service agreement and review the existing ones with several countries, including India, as local private airlines look for expanding their services abroad, a report said here today.
"We will review the ASA (Air Service Agreement) with India as well as other countries .... As deemed necessary," a local newspaper the New Age quoted Bangladesh's Civil Aviation Secretary Shaikh Altaf Ali as saying.
Officials said the government has decided to take the step as the country's four private airlines expressed their willingness to operate flights on international routes, particularly to some Indian cities and Middle East countries, to become financially viable.
They said as part of the process, the civil aviation ministry would hold a meeting with its Indian counterpart in New Delhi in mid-February to review the air service agreement, which was first signed in 1978.
Two nations sign ASA to allow commercial civil aviation between their territories.
Of the five local airlines, the state-owned Biman Bangladesh and private GMG Airlines operate flights on international routes.
Currently Bangladesh has ASA with 45 countries and India's private Jet Airways started operations in Bangladesh two months ago.
Officials had earlier said the country's air traffic had increased around eight per cent in the past several years due to an increase in the movement of both inbound and outbound passengers especially expatriate Bangladeshi workers.
But around 70 per cent of traffic is now carried by the foreign airlines because of the incapacity of the Biman. PTI
Benefit of growth should reach the poor: Chidambaram
Kochi, Feb 2 (PTI) The economy has moved to a higher growth trajectory like "never before" under the Congress-led UPA Government, but such a performance would have no meaning if the benefits did not reach those at the "bottom of the pyramid", Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram said today.
During the last three years of the UPA Government, the economy had moved to a high growth trajectory as the average growth touched 8.5 per cent. During the period, the economy had grown from 7.5 per cent to 9.6 per cent, he said.
"This growth will have no meaning if it does not benefit a large number of people," he said in his inaugural address at the formal launch of 'Janasree,' a sustainable development mission.
The Finance Minister said the UPA Government was "concerned" that a large section of the people were not part of the financial system. Over 50 per cent of the people in the country have no bank accounts and do not deposit money or borrow from the banks, he said.
"The heart of an economy is a financial system and heart beat of the economy is the banking system," he said, adding the self help groups and NGOs have a great role to play in this regard.
India had the largest number of SHGs numbering about 30 lakh and banks had given credit to the tune of Rs 80,000 crore. In Kerala, 1,19,182 SHGs were there and about Rs 800 crore credit had been disbursed, he said.
He said the Micro Financial Development and Regulating Bill, seeking to regulate not-for-profit organisations, was pending before Parliament. It tends to regulate such organisations "very lightly" and once the bill was passed, movements like Janasree would gain legitimacy, he added. PTI
Gold plunges on weak global cues, fresh selling
New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) Gold prices fell by Rs 200 to Rs 11,720 per 10 gram in the bullion market today on fresh selling by stockists, triggered by weak global cues.
Market sentiment turned bearish on reports that the yellow metal dipped by 14.50 dollars to 913.50 dollars an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange last night. Later, it slipped to 912.50 dollars an ounce, down 15.30 dollars, on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Marketmen said both gold and silver met with fresh resistance at higher level in line with weak global trend.
Standard gold and ornaments plunged by Rs 200 each to Rs 11,720 and Rs 11,570 per 10 grams respectively.
However, sovereign, ruled flat at Rs 9,400 per piece of eight gram in limited deals.
A similar trend was noticed in silver section as silver ready dropped by Rs 120 to Rs 20,780 per kg and weekly-based delivery by Rs 80 at Rs 21,500 per kg.
Silver coins, on the other hand, enquired around previous level of Rs 25,700 for buying and Rs 25,800 for selling of 100 coins. PTI
Another cable damaged; no impact on internet services in India
New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) After the snapping of two undersea cables off Eqypt coast, another internet cable -- Falcon, which is owned by Flag Telecom, has been damaged in the Middle East but it is unlikely to affect internet operations across India.
Reliance Communications-owned Flag Telecom reported the cut in Falcon cable yesterday morning, according to the information posted on the company's website.
"The damage in Falcon cable will not affect Internet services across India as it does not carry any traffic concerning our country," Internet Service Providers Association of India President Rajesh Chharia told PTI.
The cable was cut 56 km away from Dubai, UAE on the segment between UAE and Oman. The company said it was arranging restoration of circuits for customers covered under pre-planned restoration service.
The repair ship has been notified and expected to reach the site in the next few days, it said.
About 50-60 per cent of the capacity was affected due to rupture in the two undersea cables namely SEMEWE-4 Cable (SMW-4) and FLAG Cable on Wednesday's night, which connect India to Western Europe, due to anchoring of ships near Alexandria.
However, all the internet links in the country were restored yesterday after Internet Service Providers shifted their traffic to other alternate route.
It would take 10-12 days to repair the damaged cables and shift the traffic back to them.
VSNL, Reliance and Bharti Airtel were in constant touch with Telecom Egypt to ensure speedy repair of the two submarine cables, the Department of Telecom had said after reviewing the situation. PTI
Market remains in red for third week
Mumbai, Feb 2 (PTI) Stocks: The bourses remained in red for third straight week as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) disappointed investors who seemed confused by continued high level of volatility in the past couple of weeks.
Technical charts, however, indicate continued choppiness for another week with the Sensex closing below the 18,270 resistance and in the absence of any major trigger as well as the delay in fund allocations for near year by Foreign funds.
Fears of US recession amid US sub-prime mortgage crisis still causing trouble also shadowed the bourses.
The market bounced by 585 points on Friday, mitigating the weekly losses on heavy purchases by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) in the futures & options.
The week also saw another interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve in a bid to stimulate the flagging US economy. US Fed had slashed key rates by 75 basis points on January 22 followed by a 50 basis point cut on January 30.
The move, however, did not have any impact on the market in the light of the RBI's decision to keep all key rates steady in its quarterly review of monetary policy announced on January 29.
In the week ended February 2, the Bombay Stock Exchange bellwether Sensex moved widely between 18,491.06 and 17,417.63 before ending the week at 18,242.58, a fall of 119.08 points or 0.65 per cent over the last weekend's close of 18,361.66.
Similarly, the broad-based S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed the week 66.10 points or 1.23 per cent lower at 5,317.25 from last weekend's close of 5,383.35.
FIIs pulled out Rs 5,930 crore from equity, while pumping in Rs 4,333 crore in the futures & options in the week even as the market eagerly awaited resumption of their buying after the Fed slashed rates twice in eight days. PTI
Hyundai to invest USD 1 bn in 7 years
Sriperembudur (TN), Feb 2 (PTI) Strengthening its bid to make India a global small car hub, Korean car major Hyundai Motor Co today said it will invest one billion dollars by 2013, to beef up operations in the country.
The company today commissioned its second plant set up at a total investment of 528 million dollars (Rs 2,429 crore).
The car maker said in its next phase of expansion in the country till 2013, it would invest one billion dollars.
With the new plant, the company's total production capacity in India would double to six lakh unit per annum.
The plant would have a capacity of three lakh units and would be utilised mainly for producing hatchback i10.
"Our new plant will be the platform for future growth. I am sure Hyundai Motor India will play its role perfectly as a global manufacturing gun for all of Hyundai's small models," Hyundai Motor Co Chairman and CEO Moong-koo Chung said. PTI
Government to introduce tea tourism in North Bengal
Sunil K Mukhopadhyay
Kolkata, Feb 1 (PTI) With an eye on attracting both domestic and foreign tourists, the state government has embarked on an ambitious project for the development of an integrated tea tourism circuit.
"The Centre has sanctioned schemes worth Rs six crore for the development of infrastructure and accommodation in North Bengal to promote tea tourism," Managing Director of West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Ltd, T V N Rao told PTI here.
Eight areas in North Bengal including Malbazar, Murti, Hilla, Mohua, Samsing, Nagrakata, Batabari have been selected under this scheme, he said.
"Tourists who visit Dooars areas had showed interest in staying in the tea gardens and see how tea leaves are plucked and processed. Tourists are also attracted to the lush green tea gardens and the scenic beauty. So why not promote the tea gardens as tourists spots," he said.
Rao said that the government was also trying to rope in private parties to commercially exploit the potential of tea tourism through public private partnership.
Hospitality major Ambuja Realty is taking keen interest in developing properties in North Bengal to promote tea tourism and has also identified land for setting up hotels, company sources said.
Rao said that major investment would be made at Murti near Indong tea garden and Malbazar where work has already started to create a tourism facilitation centre and tourism amenities. PTI
Music album: new shaking formula of Yana
Diganta Biswas
New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Bollywood beauty Yana Gupta, much
known as an item number girl, is all set to come out with her
first ever English music album soon.
"I am working on my first music album very seriously. It
will take some time to materialise," says cheerful Yana. "I am
quite confident about the success of my new project," the
'Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo' dancer told PTI.
Yana says she is busy with the album, for which she is
composing, writing and even singing.
"I have taken singing lesson earlier. But as English is
not my first language, it is taking some time to grasp," she
smiles.
But what has emboldened her to take up such a plan?
She says "Someone heard me singing and advised me to come
out with an album. It forced me to think about it and I made
up my mind to do so."
"I don't claim to be a great artist, but I am confident
as a woman, as a human being. I am trying my best to make this
a quality one," Yana says.
The fitness freak model-turned-actress also aspires to
work in Bollywood films and is currently looking for a "good"
role there.
"I have got a couple of offers, but not impressed with
any scripts so far. Those were not so good for me," she adds.PTI
Gandhi killing, who hatched the plot, still a mystery: book
New Delhi, Jan 29 (PTI) Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte together decided that Gandhi had to be killed. As to who of them first thought of the plot, however, remains a mystery, says a book to be released tomorrow on the 60th anniversary of the assassination of the Father of the Nation.
The 'great decision' was made by the two as they read on the teleprinter the news on Gandhi's decision to go on fast to force transfer of Rs 55 crore to Pakistan.
In Poona, the two men, Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte, sitting in their non-descript newspaper office read the news and suddenly made their decision-Gandhi had to be killed. No one, however, knows which of them first thought of murdering Gandhi because to the end they maintained that only one of them, Nathuram was responsible for the killing, says the new edition of 'The Men Who Killed Gandhi' by Manohar Malgaonkar.
Published by Roli Books, the book is due to be launched tomorrow, the 60th anniversary of Gandhi's assassination.
The author, now 94 years old, is an ex-serviceman and a civil servant. He first published 'The Men Who Killed Gandhi' in 1978. The new edition of the book carries, according to the publisher, hitherto unpublished photographs and documents including the Bombay-Delhi air tickets and bills of the hotel used by the two in Delhi while on their mission.
"Of the six men who were finally adjudged to have been implicated in the murder conspiracy, two were hanged. The other four- the approver Badge and the three who got life sentences, Karkare, Gopal and Madanlal talked to me freely and at length", says the author in his note to the first edition of the book. "All the four gave me much information that they had never revealed before hand", he claims. PTI
I want to be the Indian Oprah Winfrey: Pooja Bedi
New Delhi, Jan 29 (PTI) Model turned actor and now a talk show host, Pooja Bedi says she wants to be next award winning US talk show host, Oprah Whinfrey.
"I want host the biggest talk show in India on the largest TV network and become India's Oprah Winfrey," said Bedi who was in the city as a brand ambassador of a medical product.
Bedi would soon be seen on TV anchoring a new talk show which she promises would be 'issue based'.
Bedi who has the knack of standing out with her work, be it being the first female model for Kamasutra condoms or being open about the botox injections that she takes to stay 'beautiful', said, "When I modelled for the condoms, everyone was surprised. Nobody had expected such a move. Even when I was open about Botox usage, people were again stunned. I am open about things that I think people should use because it is safe and healthy." Bedi, who is now the brand ambassador of Botox in India said almost everyone in the profession of beauty does undergo lot of medical help to stay young and beautiful.
"This is the business of glamour and everyone here has to remain young and beautiful. A lot of celebrities have to whoop all kind of stuff on to the face to come before the camera. I want to look good and hence I go for Botox," she said.
Bedi added, "I was hosting a chat show and I had very deep lines on my forehead. Every time the bright light use to hit my forehead, the lines became too visible. The guests use to feel that something was wrong since the lines generally come when people are tense. I then decided to go for Botox and now I have been using it regularly for over three years with wonderful results." PTI
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Sensex: 18242.58, +593.87
The sensex closed at 18242.58, up 593.87
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1 U.S. $ = 39.125 INR
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1 Canadian $ = 39.314 INR
1 Singapore $ = 27.685 INR
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1 Euro = 57.921 INR
1 Qatar Rial = 10.757 INR
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