India's top cosmetic surgeon to fix PMO mole

New Delhi (T2N2) Relenting to BJP leader Jaswant Singh's demands on the mole in the PMO, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said he has hired the country's top cosmetic surgeon Dr Sudhakar Prasad to cut away the congenital eyesore.

"Jaswant should have pointed out years ago that he didn't like the mole. We didn't do anything till now because we regarded the mole as a beauty spot," the prime minister told T2N2.

Prasad and his team of doctors are scheduled to perform the cosmetic operation at South Block on Monday.

Jaswant Singh has written extensively about the mole in his book 'A Call to Honour' and has devoted entire chapters tracing the growth and history of the said mole since 1947.

He has alleged that the mole is now giving US citizens free access to India's culinary secrets and musical treasures.

"The mole has grown to about a foot in size and has inadvertently started transmitting programmes aired on Radio Mirchi to the US. I am not saying this is bad but then the West has already stolen things like Indian basmati. They will now copy Indian music," the BJP leader told T2N2.

The former External Affairs minister refused to name the mole in the PMO and said some people might be offended if he gave it a moniker.

"The mole has fans and admirers and they might file a legal suit against me. And who knows whether the mole itself is civil or uncivil," he said.

Expressing his happiness with the prime minister's decision, Singh said he would now devote his spare time to scrutinising pimples, blackheads and warts in the PMO. (T2N2)

Hollywood offer may solve NKorean stand-off

United Nations (T2N2) Although North Korea has rejected a UN resolution condemning its missile launches, officials reveal a Hollywood deal might just smoothen things out.

North Korea has apparently requested the US to consider giving South Korean actor Cha In Pyo a starring role in a major Hollywood production.

UN officials claim that the US is mulling the option, which could lead to lasting peace in the Korean Peninsula and stave off the threat of impending war.

"Well, the film may tank at the box-office but we will be able to avoid a nuclear build-up in the region. Hollywood can surely make that sacrifice," an official said on condition of anonymity.

Pyo, who is known for his role in this year's Korean film Hanbando, is quite popular in North Korea but is virtually unknown in America.(T2N2)

Americans stumped by World Cup football

New York (T2N2) Claims that the 2006 World Cup final between Italy and France was watched by millions in the US may be hogwash, says a new survey.

A Bemakch firm survey reveals that 67 per cent of Americans did not know what football was and only 3 per cent US citizens were aware that the World Cup was on.

"The third question in our survey was about the World Cup venue. But we didn't bother asking it," says researcher David Hoozer.

For the record, 10,745 randomly chosen people in the 16-25 agegroup across the US were quizzed about the game after Italy beat France in Berlin to win their fourth World Cup on Sunday.

The survey found that only 23 per cent of America knew that Uncle Sam actually has a football team, which bowed out in the World Cup league stage last month. (T2N2)

India relies on 'football spirit' campaign

Lucknow (T2N2) School and college authorities in the capital of Uttar Pradesh have launched a special campaign to inculcate the "football spirit" in the region.


Coming as it does at the fag end of the football World Cup in Germany, the campaign is one of many drives undertaken across the country to help India qualify for the 2010 edition of the FIFA championships.

Officials admit it's a tough task, given that many youngsters here still refer to the goalkeeper as the wicket-keeper.

"It's the cricket syndrome. Everyone here is obsessed with cricket. But we feel things could certainly change in four years," says Pratap Verma, principal of the New Dawn school here.

Sports coaches feel that inculcating a football spirit among youngsters through classes and training camps is the first step towards finding new talent to replace the ageing national football team.

They also agree that despite the football craze in Goa and West Bengal, the game needs to be popularised in other states to give it a more national outlook. (T2N2)

Indian fans hope to poach Vikash Dhorasoo

Berlin (T2N2) A group of Indians arrived in Germany this month but unlike millions of football fans, they are not here to watch the World Cup.

Biren Dasgupta is among a dozen football lovers from Kolkata who are here to persuade Vikash Dhorasoo to leave France and play for India.

Born in Mauritius to migrant parents, Dhorasoo became the first player of Indian parentage to play in the World Cup finals when he took to the field for the France-Switzerland league match.


But his fans believe Dhorasoo's inclusion in India's national team would boost its chances of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"We are languishing at 117 on the FIFA charts. We want Dhorasoo and Bhaichung Bhutia to work together to improve our chances in the next World Cup," says Dasgupta.

The group has been unable to meet Dhorasoo till now but hopes to secure an audience with him before the World Cup gets over.

The 32-year-old Paris St Germain midfielder was not available for comment. (T2N2)