Indian hopes dashed at Miss Universe contest

N
assau (Bahamas), Aug 24 (ANI): Indian hopes were dashed when Miss India Ekta Choudhry failed to make the top 15 in the Miss Universe 2009 contest.

Miss Venezuela Stefania Fernandez, named winner of the 2009 Miss Universe pageant.

Miss Australia, Rachael Finch and Miss Puerto Rico, Mayra Matos Perez were stood as the first runner ups, while Miss Kosovo, Gona Dragusha was second runner up.

The pageant, held in Nassau, Bahamas was hosted by Billy Bush and actress and former Miss Rhode Island USA Claudia Jordan.

Miss Universe 2008, Dayana Mendoza, also of the Venezuela, crowned her successor.(ANI)

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India will look into the Swiss banks rejection to disclose details, says Mukherjee

I
ndia will look into the Swiss banks rejection to disclose details, says Mukherjee

New Delhi, Aug 24 (ANI): Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said the Indian Government will look into the matter of Swiss banks rejection to hand over the details of the Indian clients.

Speaking to newsmen before entering his North Block office Mukherjee said, "What can I comment? I will look into the matter and discuss the Swiss Banks rejection to disclose the details with authorities in banking sector."

Earlier Swiss Bank authorities rejected India''''s request to disclose details of clients, saying Swiss law and organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Model Tax Convention do not permit fishing expeditions.

The Swiss Bank authorities added that they would not co-operate for the indiscriminate trawling through bank accounts in the hope of finding something interesting.

"This means that India cannot simply throw its telephone book at Switzerland and ask if any of these people have a bank account here," a top Swiss Bankers Association official said.

According to sources the Swiss bank-client confidentiality has never been 100 per cent absolute and Swiss legislators have built in provisions for it to be lifted during criminal investigations and also in many civil cases and it has also evolved over time.

"The key for the exchange of information in tax matters is the Double Taxation Agreement between Switzerland and India," said SBA''''s Head of International Communications James Nason.

Double Taxation Agreements are being currently revised to incorporate the OECD standard on the exchange of information in tax matters according to the OECD''''s own Model Tax Convention. (ANI)

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