Ashley Alexandra Dupre, a former hooker, whose February tryst with ex-New York governor Eliot Spitzer cost him his job, apologises to Spitzer's wife in her first after scandal magazine interview with People magazine, scheduled to hit news stands on Friday.

As she turned 33rd on Wednesday, the former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen celebrated her birthday in Goa, with more than a dozen of her close family members and friends. Among them was Sushmita's adopted daughter, Renee, who is an inseparable part of her life.

In 1994, when she won the Miss Universe crown, Sushmita was just 18, but the world predicted then that she would go a long way. She, indeed, has come a long way - leaving her footprints wherever she goes, be it films or the men in her life!

The 39th Edition of International Film Festival of India, to be held in Goa from Saturday November 22, will open with the film, 'The Warlords', directed by the renowned Hong Kong film-maker Peter Chan. Iranian film, 'The song of the sparrows', directed by Majid Majidi will be the closing film for the ten-day festival.

In a letter addressed to Cherie Blair, wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira has objected to her comments about senior Akali Dal leader, Bibi Jagir Kaur. Cherie Blair had been invited by a London-based NRI, to inaugurate a government school building in Punjab's Kapurthala district.

At the function organized by the Loomba Trust at Dhilwan on Tuesday, Blair - the president of the trust that gives scholarships to hundreds of orphans in India - projected former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur as a role model for the youngsters.

In a press meet held in Chennai, S. Saminathan, Managing Director of Pyramid Saimira - the sole proprietor entitled to the worldwide rights of film 'Kuselan' - announced that all disputes related to the movie Kuselan had been settled amicably between the exhibitors and producers of the film. Head of distributors' association, Kalaipuli Shekar, and distributors Thirupur Subramaniam, Rajamannar, Srinivasan and Kavithalaya Kandhasamy were present in the press meet.

Rate reverses after highs at 1.2815 area attract profit-taking by the longs and selling by the shorts; rate dips to lows into the 1.2500 handle again. Bids support to hold rate firm after whipsaw. Two-way action still suggesting a point on indecision; traders note stops building above the market around the 1.2750 area in size suggesting short-term traders active; stops cleared and new buying turned back.

Traders report some semi-official interest the past 48 hours with possible sell interest at the highs today. Resistance is still formidable but large names on the dips traders say. On a rally, traders note large stops at the 1.2950 area with more over 1.3000 but offers likely to cap.