America singer Dan Peek dies aged 60

Folk rock musician Dan Peek, who sang lead vocals with the band America, has died at his home in Missouri aged 60.

Peek was a member of the Grammy winning group for seven years and co-wrote numerous hits including chart topper A Horse With No Name.

America's Dewey Bunnell said that Peek's music will "live on in the great songs he shared with us all."

"We created lasting music together and experienced a life we could never have imagined," he added.

After leaving the group, Peek went onto launch a solo career and became a pioneer in contemporary Christian music.

He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his 1979 solo album All Things Are Possible.

In a statment, Neil Portnow from the Recording Academy said: "Our deepest sympathies extend to his family, friends, and fans as we remember a dynamic individual and great talent."

Facebook removes Google+ ad

Web developer Michael Lee Johnson decided he wanted to quickly grow his number of Google+ friends. The best place to find people willing to friend you is of course Facebook, so Johnson ran a Facebook ad asking people to add him to their Circles on Google+. Facebook was not amused.

The ad was headlined “Add Michael to Google+.” It was short and to the point: “If you’re lucky enough to have a Google+ account, add Michael Lee Johnson, Internet Geek, App Developer, Technological Virtuoso.”

Facebook removed his ad, and banned him from running ads on the social network altogether. Johnson posted the following via his Google+ account (via TechCrunch):

LOL: I recently ran a Google+ advertisement on Facebook that got all of my campaigns suspended. - Great.

Facebook sent him the following message explaining why the ad was removed:

Your account has been disabled. All of your adverts have been stopped and should not be run again on the site under any circumstances. Generally, we disable an account if too many of its adverts violate our Terms of Use or Advertising guidelines. Unfortunately we cannot provide you with the specific violations that have been deemed abusive. Please review our Terms of Use and Advertising guidelines if you have any further questions.

Since Facebook doesn’t say, it’s not clear which rule – actually it could have been more than one – Johnson broke. It is worth noting, however, that the company has a Refusal of Ads clause in the Facebook Advertising Guidelines:

We may refuse ads at any time for any reason, including our determination that they promote competing products or services or negatively affect our business or relationship with our users.

There’s nothing wrong with a company having guidelines that are as beneficial to it as possible. Still, I don’t think Facebook should have killed all of Johnson’s ad campaigns.

A temple with history, legends and treasures

The idol of Lord Vishnu, presiding deity at Kerala’s Padmanabhaswami temple, where mind-boggling treasures have been discovered, is itself made of 12,000 ’salagramams’ or sacred stones.

The stones, brought from Gandaki river in Nepal, are bound together by a mixture of herbs and resins, a sticking subtance.

A book on the Travancore royal family which maintains the temple reveals that the 18-foot Vishnu idol bears the images of a whopping 33 crore celestials in conceptualised form, besides those of goddess Lakshmi and Bhoomi Devi as well as sages.

These details form part of a book on the Travancore royal family. The book, “Travancore: The Footprints of Destiny” has been published by Konark.

The temple hit the headlines after a Supreme Court ordered scrutiny of five of its six chambers uncovered a rich treasure trove including ancient gold coins, gems, antiques and cash.

The temple has in its archives the largest collection of cadjan records. It figures in four Puranas.

Thiruvananthapuram derives its name from Tiru Anantha Puram- meaning the city of Anantha, the serpant god on whom Lord Vishnu reclines.

With a history dating back to the 8th century, the temple was destroyed by fire in 1686. It was rebuilt in 1729.

Legend has it that god Balarama visited the temple and bathed in the holy pond and donated 10,000 cows with horns adorned in gold to the Brahmins.

The Krishna shrine in the seven-acre temple complex is older than the main shrine. Subsidiary shrines are devoted to Ganapathy, Ram, Narasimha, Ayyappa, Vedavyasa, Garuda and Hanuman.

The seven-storied tower, or Gopuram, pieces the skyline, looking like a boat.

The “Kulasekhara Mandapam” in the complex carries a wealth of intricate granite sculptures, says the book.

The “Ottakkal Mandapam”, facing the main idol, is a single slab of granite, which is 2.5 feet thick and 20 feet square in area.

For the temple festival, the cord for hoisting the two flags is still made by the inmates of the Central Jail in Poojapura.

Unique to the temple is an elaborate bi-annual ritual of sanctity called “Bhadra deepam”, literally the worship of the lamps.

It is the only temple in India to observe “Bhadra deepam”.

The 12th Bhadra deepam is celebrated as Laksha deepam, when the Travancore Maharajah offers gold, cash and a length of silk, a tradition that continues even today.

On the wide avenue leading to the eastern entrance of the temple, giant figures of the Pandavas are installed.

The images, carved in wood, are more than 25 feet in height and are elaborately painted and decorated, the book says.

Besides priests and their assistants, the temple has other employees such as light carriers, guards, musicians, cooks and vessel cleaners.

Facebook launches video calls, group chat features

Quick on the heels of Google’s launch of its latest social-networking venture, Facebook said Wednesday that its 750 million users will now be able to make video calls on the site.

The feature will be powered by the Internet phone service Skype. Facebook also redesigned its chat feature, so that the people a user messages the most often show up first.

To make video calls, Facebook users with webcam-equipped computers have to select the friends they want to chat with. In the chat window that pops up, clicking on a small blue video icon brings up the video chat feature. Currently there is no option to video chat more than one person. That feature is available on Google Plus, a social service that Google began testing last week with a small number of invited users.

Facebook is also adding a group chat option. This works much the same way as the group chat on Google Plus. Once you are chatting with one friend, you can click an icon to add more people to the conversation.

Facebook’s new products come after a relatively quiet period for the world’s largest online social network. Mr. Zuckerberg, 27, said the company is embarking on “launching season 2011.” Users can expect “a lot of stuff coming out” from Facebook in the next couple of weeks and months, he said at an event at the company’s Palo Alto, California, headquarters.

Facebook updated its user count -- to 750 million users worldwide -- for the first time since last summer, when it reached half a billion people. Mr. Zuckerberg said that’s because “we don’t think it’s a metric to watch anymore.”

Rather, Facebook is paying more attention to how much its users are sharing with one another. That number is growing at a much faster rate than its monthly user base. Currently, people share 4 billion items, such as photos, status updates and links, every day using Facebook.

Without mentioning Google by name, Mr. Zuckerberg said that “independent entrepreneurs and companies focused on one particular thing will always do better than companies that try to do everything.”

For Facebook, that one thing has been creating an online social infrastructure that other companies, such as Skype, can then add their own products to.

Skype has agreed to be bought by Microsoft Corp. for $8.5 billion in a deal expected to close by the end of the year. Microsoft owns a small stake in Facebook.

Goa water unsafe for bathing and fishing

Panaji:  Here's a note of caution for all those tourists who head to Goa annually for a bit of sun and a splash in the sea - marine scientists have said the waters off the state's coast contain alarmingly high levels of coliform bacteria caused by the release of untreated sewage.

Scientists of the Goa-based marine research organisation, National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), have said that the waters off Goa's coast are "unsafe for recreational bathing and fishing".

"Seawaters along the Indian coasts are classified by the Central Pollution Control Board of India (CPCB) as fit for commercial fishing, contact recreation and bathing activities when the faecal coliform (FC) count is 100 CFU/100 ml. But we found FC levels as high as 190 CFU/100 ml in certain locations of Goa waters," NIO's marine scientist Dr N Ramaiah said.

A colony forming unit or CFU is the actual number of bacteria viewed under a microscope in a sample of water.

Ramaiah headed a marine research team, which conducted this study over a period of six years.

"For assessing the water quality of the neretic regions off Goa and Ratnagiri along the central west coast of India, FC concentrations from the present study were compared with both Indian and USEPA (United States Environment Protection Agency) standards," he said.

"In both Mandovi and Zuari estuaries (both primary rivers in Goa), where fishing and tourist-related activities are sizable and long-term data collection was regular, we observed high counts of TC, FC, VC, SH and SA (forms of bacteria) in particular during monsoon due to increased land runoff. Further, the abundance has increased significantly over the years in the water column to much above either USEPA or India permissible limits," he said.

"When you enter the water, it forms a film of water around your body. At such concentrations of coliform bacteria, at any given point you are in contact with about 1,200 cells of seriously harmful bacteria. It is fortunate that external contamination is rare. But if you have a cut on your skin or a wound it could be serious," he said.

"Besides, it is fortunate that during the monsoons, when concentrations are high, it is off season for tourists," he said.

The main, if not only, cause for this is the release of completely untreated sewage into the water and the practice of defecation along the popular beaches and rivers.

"Almost all the sewage released in the rivers is untreated. Even one gram of stools contains millions and millions of coliform bacteria. So when it is present in water naturally the count goes up," Ramaiah said.

He has also raised concern over ships anchored off the coast.

"Pathogenic bacteria were detected even 20 km and 25 km offshore mainly due to dumping of raw or improperly treated sewage effluents either from land, fishing trawlers and/or ships in the anchorage," he said.

Arvind Swamy to pay wife Rs 75L divorce settlement

CHENNAI: Actor Arvind Swamy's divorce with his wife of 16 years, Gayathri Ramamurthy, is now only a formality, with the couple agreeing to an exhaustive set of terms and conditions covering maintenance, custody of children and visiting rights.

When their petition for divorce by mutual consent came up before the principal judge for family courts, S Meenakshisundaram, on Wednesday, it was informed that the actor would make a one-time payment of Rs 75 lakh to his wife, in addition to a monthly payment of Rs 1 lakh towards maintenance from the date of dissolution of their marriage. "The monthly maintenance shall continue to be paid as long as Gayathri does not remarry," the agreement states, adding that the monthly alimony is "not subject to enhancement, under any circumstances, whatsoever."

After their marriage in June 1994, the couple had two children in 1996 and 2000. The couple have now "expressly agreed" to leave the custody of the children with Arvind Swamy, who shall be responsible for their upbringing and education. His wife will have custody of the children every Saturday. She will also have the children for seven continuous days during the summer holidays.

Kamal Haasan’s younger daughter in love

Kamal Haasan and Sarika’s younger daughter Akshara Haasan has found love. The 20-year-old is dating Jason Jeyaseelan, a Sri Lankan boy based in Colombo.

A source close to the couple reveals, “They met through common friends and have been dating for over a year now. The couple is very much in love and going pretty strong.”

Akshara, who lives with her mother Sarika in Mumbai, is a great dancer and aspires to be a choreographer. But currently, she is working on ad films as an assistant director. Apparently, she is working hard on her relationship too.

The source adds, “Jason and Akshara are quite open about their relationship and have put up their pictures on social networking sites. Akshara’s family knows that Jason is her close friend but they are unaware that they’re in love.”

A look at the networking site reveals that the two are comfortable expressing their feelings for each other publicly. Like other couples on such sites, they too have nicknamed each other Akshu and Zayn. Aw! Told daddy, Akshu?

Stylish Hair Style Tips

Hide your bad hair days and twist your locks in an elegant bun for a stylish look,

The humble bun has undergone a makeover. From being a simple and effective way to beat the hot and humid weather, more and more women are finding a more stylish approach to the hairstyle. With Hollywood beauties like Salma Hayek, Sienna Miller, Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Alba elegantly teaming the high bun with their red-carpet gowns and dresses, it’s no wonder then that most women are following suit.

The top knot lends itself equally beautifully to the Indian traditional ensemble. Knotting your hair up can help flaunt a sexy backless choli, enhance your cheekbones and facial features and give added height. Like most styles, this can be adapted to the occasion and the wearer, so whether you like yours right on top, tilted to the left or right side, with a plaited touch or the messy bun effect, there’s plenty you can experiment with.
Hairstylist Placid Braganza says the top knot is a classic comeback with a modern feel. “It’s more relaxed and loose than the traditional buns or chignons of the yesteryears. It looks almost accidental but still stylized and finished. It suits almost any woman with some attitude. In Hollywood, I think Angelina Jolie and Julia Roberts rock the look,” he adds. One quick and easy way to ape the look, is to hold all the strands together at the nape of your neck and then secure with a rubberband. Work many tiny sections from the ponytail and secure them with pins to create your desired look.

Women with long hair often complain that it looks very flat and hence this knotted look can add some body and bounce to the wearer, feels stylist Perry Patel. “It can give a very classy sleek look and is perfect for the evening. Since this updo requires the hair to be tied back it emphasizes the face and can make someone with a rounder face look more round. However, it also gives a much needed confidence boost,” he says.
Leaving your hair loose can become boring over a period of time as there is only so much you can do with it, says make-up and hair stylist Ruhee Bindra. Instead, she suggests tying it up to give a more formal and graceful look. “The high bun was very popular with actresses in the 80’s and now has made a stylish comeback. B-town babes like Deepika Padukone, Dia Mirza and Neha Dhupia who have well-defined jawlines can really carry it off well. It accentuates the facial features and makes the face look longer and slimmer,” she says. Ruhee feels the best way to do this look is by creating a messy unkempt bun. Those with straight hair, can use tongs to get the wavy effect.

Women with natural curls just need to use some mousse and scrunch, then lift strands together and secure them with a pretty diamonte clip or pin. With your hair secured back, this is the ideal time to play around with heavier make-up. “Go for eyeshadow in shades of gold, peacock green or purple and bright fuchsia pink or red lips,” adds Ruhee.

T20 Tollywood Trophy - Chiru Vs Nag - VIDEOS

Nag Kings Win T20 Tollywood Trophy

Though rain played spoilsport, the entire Tollywood stayed on, put up an amazing show of solidarity and gave the crowds their money's worth of entertainment at the Tollywood T20 Trophy. The money that came from the tickets and sponsors went to a few associations and the police fund and the CM who turned up around 9:30pm patted the industry and acknowledged their contribution.

The CM Shri Rosaiah said the Telugu film industry always reacted spontaneously whenever the State suffered a natural calamity. Danam Nagender promised that the government would solve all the problems faced by TFI in return. Earlier Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the T20 tournament.

Tarakaratna gave amazing support to his team, while Akhil single handedly steered the team - Nag Kings to victory against Venky Warriors and was rightly adjudged the Man of the Series. All the boys played well but gave in after the rain, they looked tired.

T20 Tollywood Trophy - Chiru Vs Nag - Part 1
T20 Tollywood Trophy - Chiru Vs Nag - Part 2

Lisa Ray Cured of Cancer

It is said that courage and fortitude can overcome all odds. This especially holds true for actress Lisa Ray, who went through a rough patch for the past few months when diagnosed with cancer. In the face of such adversity, people either give up or chose to fight back. Lisa chose the latter and has today emerged a winner!

The pretty actress was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a rare form of cancer on June 23, 2009. It’s an incurable cancer of the white blood cells known as plasma cells and had taken root in her bone marrow. She went through none of the expected notions of panic, despair or shock. Instead, she was optimistic from the word go and met it head on. She began the first batch of treatments on July 2, 2009, mere weeks after the discovery. It takes a lot of resilience to face such trying times. She battled with medication, steroids, treatments like Velcade and Revlimid, and the continuous hunger that went with the condition. Chemotherapy caused her to lose her lustrous locks but she remained unfazed, even when her bald pictures were circulated in the media.

All those efforts today now paid off. Lisa is now cured of the last traces of the disease. The Canadian-born 38-year old has said on her blog that the experience has inspired and humbled her. The optimistic stunner is now set for a new phase of life. Lisa, who has appeared in films like Kasoor and Water, will soon be seen in Cooking With Stella. She is also working on UniGlobe Entertainment's cancer docu-drama titled 1 a Minute featuring cancer survivors like Olivia Newton-John, Diahann Carroll, Melissa Etheridge and Mumtaz. The spunky lady wants to spread awareness about the lesser known form of cancer.

Sherlyn Chopra at WaterKingdom with Ranvijay Photos

Sherlyn Chopra Publicity Stunt

Gopika gives birth to a baby girl

Versatile actress Gopika and Dr.Ajilesh have been blessed with a baby girl yesterday (April 15). Both the mother and the baby are in good health. Her parents Anto Francis and Tessy Anto will be joining them soon.

Gopika married Dr.Ahilesh, who practices medicine in Ireland, on July 17, 2008. She has acted in over 40 films in different languages, out of which 9 are in Telugu. Ravi Teja starrer Naa Autograph fetched her a good name in T-town.

The baby was born in Ireland, where Gopika and Ajilesh are settled. The health of the actress and her daughter is fine, as her parents are expected to join them soon.

Hearty wishes to Gopika and her family. You can also greet the couples, submit your wishes below.

Actress Gopika and her husband Dr. Ajilesh have been blesses by a baby girl, who took on Thrusday, April 15.

Katrina Kaif Spotted at IPL - Photo Pictures Gallery

Neetu Chandra's Fitness mantra

Bollywood Actress Neetu Chandra's fitness mantra

Neetu Chandra became an overnight sensation with her sensuous and scandalous lesbian photo-shoot. Just a few films old, she has taken the world of Bollywood by storm.

This actress is always in the news for bold roles and her bold figure. But does someone as thin as her need to ‘get fit’? Why is Neetu sweating away in the gym? Click on, this video for the inside information on Neetu’s fitness craze.

Elizabeth Taylor to Marry for Ninth Time

London - She's almost as famous for her long list of husbands as she is for her work on screen.

But though her acting days may be over, it appears Elizabeth Taylor has not yet tired of marriage - she has reportedly become engaged for the ninth time at the age of 78.

The legendary actress is understood to be marrying her long-term partner, talent agent Jason Winters, who is 29 years her junior.

The couple were first linked in 2007 after Dame Elizabeth was seen caressing Mr Winters's face during an evening out in Hawaii. She has since described him as "one of the most wonderful men I've ever known".

However, reports of their engagement will come as a surprise following revelations in recent years about her deteriorating health.

She has undergone more than 100 operations in the last 25 years, as well as being admitted to hospital three times this year.

Her long list of medical problems include two hip replacements, five back operations, a brain tumour, skin cancer, diabetes, pneumonia, seizures and a stroke.

She is said to be suffering with osteoporosis and excruciating neck pain due to a crooked spine.
Dame Elizabeth Taylor

A spokesperson for Miss Taylor appeared to confirm the news of the engagement, saying: "We generally don't respond to queries regarding her relationship status, but it is well known and documented that they have been together for some time."

A source close to the couple added: "It's no secret that they've been together for ever and are in love, so it wouldn't be a surprise if they were engaged. Right now they are keeping it between them."

Elizabeth Taylor secretly engaged to Jason Winters
A look at the legendary actress' previous eight husbands. Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor is to marry for the ninth time at the ripe old age of 78, US Weekly magazine reported Friday. The report said that the actress had secretly become engaged to her long time companion, Jason Winters, 49, an entertainment manager who recently took on Janet Jackson as a client. Taylor has been married eight times. In 2007 she gushed about Winters to gossip columnist Liz Smith, describing him as "one of the most wonderful men I've ever known, that's why I love him".

Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky
Elizabeth was last married to construction worker Larry Fortensky. They got married on October 6, 1991 and five years later on October 31, 1996 they were divorced.

Elizabeth Taylor and John Warner
John Warner is an American Republican politician, he married actress Elizabeth Taylor on December 4, 1976. They divorced on November 7, 1982.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton
Richard Burton was married twice, consecutively, to Elizabeth Taylor on March 15, 1964 which ended on June 26, 1974 and on October 10, 1975. They divorced again on July 29, 1976. Their second marriage occurred sixteen months after their divorce. In 1964, the couple adopted a three-year-old German girl and named her Maria.

Elizabeth Taylor and Eddie Fisher
Eddie Fisher, an American singer and entertainer, had divorced his first wife to marry his best friend's widow, Elizabeth Taylor. The wedding took place on May 12, 1959. They ended their relationship on March 6, 1964.

Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Todd
Michael Todd, a theatre and film producer exchanged vows with Elizabeth on February 2, 1957. The couple had a daughter, Elizabeth Frances (Liza) Todd, who was born in August that year. On March 22, 1958, Todd died in an air-plane crash.

Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding
English actor Michael Wilding tied the knot with Elizabeth on 21 February 1952. They had two sons, Michael Howard Wilding and Christopher Edward Wilding. The couple divorced on January 26, 1957.

Elizabeth Taylor and Conrad Nicholson Hilton
In 1950, Conrad Nicholson Hilton married Elizabeth Taylor. They divorced in 1951.Conrad was the son of the founders of Hilton Hotels.

Shilpa Shetty to campaign for British MP

Shilpa Shetty is reportedly one of a number of Indian actors expected to lend Bollywood glamour to British MP Keith Vaz's campaign trail.

The former 'Celebrity Big Brother' winner has known Vaz since he invited her to meet then Prime Minister Tony Blair at the House of Commons after she won the reality show
in 2007.

The 34-year-old actress had been the victim of racist bullying by other contestants, including the late Jade Goody.

Vaz is planning to dazzle voters in Leicester East with some Bollywood glitz and Shetty will contribute to it, reported The Telegraph.

"In India, Bollywood stars stand for parliament themselves. It will be lovely to see them bring a bit of razzmatazz to the campaign," said a member of Vaz's campaign team.

I was pregnant with Malik's child: Ayesha

I had a miscarriage, claims Ayesha Siddiqui

HYDERABAD: Ayesha Siddiqui, who claims to be the wife of Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, created a flutter on Sunday alleging that while Shoaib claims he never saw her, the two had shared an "intimate'' relationship. She also said she was pregnant at one point of their marriage.

The pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, she said in a telephonic interview.

Ayesha refused to give details of when she had become pregnant and when and where she had the miscarriage, only saying that her gynaecologist was a certain Dr Fatima in Hyderabad. The doctor could not be traced, there being over a dozen of them in the city by that name.

Her statement left reporters guessing about what she would say next, particularly because Ayesha also said she would produce proof at the appropriate time.

Ayesha also alleged, "Shoaib is a liar, making contradictory statements everyday. Today, in a newspaper report, he referred to me as Maha 'apa'. On a TV show last year, he had said he had met Maha 'khala' (aunt) each time he came to Hyderabad. Will he call me Maha 'dadi' (grandmother) now?'' she asked.

At the Mirza household since morning, friends and relatives kept trickling in. Among them who drove in was V Chamundeswarnath, former secretary of Andhra Pradesh Cricket Association and a close friend of both the families.

According to sources close to the family, even Shoaib's relatives and family members are expected to land in Hyderabad this week. However, fans of the tennis sensation were missing from the location.

Whose version should be relied upon: Shoaib Malik or Ayesha Siddiqui?

Shoaib's family dares 'ex-wife' to sue him

Karachi: The family of Shoaib Malik on Thursday challenged MA Siddiqui - who claimed the cricketer had married his daughter Ayesha before dumping her - to sue the former Pakistan captain in court.

The Hyderabad-based Siddique had claimed that his daughter was the legal first wife of Malik and that he wanted the Pakistani cricketer to divorce her before marrying Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.

Siddique said if Malik didn't divorce his daughter, he would sue him in court and also approach Ulemas for a fatwa against the Pakistani cricketer.

Reacting to the charge, Shoaib's brother-in-law Imran told PTI that Siddique was raking up a dead issue for cheap publicity.

"We have said it clearly in the past that Shoaib was never engaged to married to Ayesha. They were just friends and that friendship also broke off because of a problem," he said.

"But if Mr Siddique wants to dig up this issue again and sue Shoaib, he is most welcome to do so. In fact we would like to see him taking us to court on this issue," Imran said.

He also made it clear that as per Islamic laws, the girl's family should produce some evidence of Shoaib's

Actress Yuvarani Swami Nithyanand Controversy

Actress Yuvarani Meets The Commissioner for Swami Nithyanand Controversy ExclusiveUnseen photos

Nithyananda Yuvarani Video Found By Police. An alleged nude video of the duo indulging in sexual acts surfaced on the internet yesterday

CONTROVERSY'S CHOSEN CHILD: After the video with Ranjitha, another video of self-styled godman Swami Nityananda in the nude in a romp with Tamil actress Yuvarani is doing the rounds on the Internet. File pics After Ranjitha, it's Tamil actress Yuvarani who's now purportedly involved in a romp with self-proclaimed godman Swami Nityananda. A video which surfaced on the Internet yesterday allegedly shows Yuvarani and Nityananda engaging in sexual activities in the nude.

Although the video is posted on Youtube, access is currently disabled with a pop-up which says that the site cannot display it due to its extreme pornographic content. TV channels couldn't air the video either owing to a Karnataka High Court stay order on airing any sleazy video of the swami.

Meanwhile, Yuvarani has filed a petition with the Chennai police commissioner, requesting him to ensure that the video is taken down from the Internet. In the petition, the actress said, "I'm not in a sexual relationship with Swami Nityananda and I'm hurt by the ongoing propaganda." When contacted, Police Commissioner T Rajendran refused to divulge any details of the request.

Though Yuvarani wasn't available for comment, sources close to her confirmed that she and Ranjitha were friends and they used to visit the swami regularly. The two actresses have also done Tamil films together.

According to sources, Nityananda has an ashram in Los Angeles where he used to go regularly with Ranjitha and Yuvarani. "The two actresses used to accompany him to striptease parties in the US," said the source, adding that Nityananda used to wear denim jeans and T-shirts when he was in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court took up the petition filed by Nityananda asking for a stay on proceedings for hearing yesterday. It has adjourned the case until Thursday and has issued notices to the state government and the police asking them to submit documentary evidence in the next hearing.

Nithyananda Yuvarani Video

World's smallest man dies of heart attack at 21

Beijing: The world's shortest man, China's He Pingping, who was just over 74 cm tall (29 inches), has died at the age of 21 from apparent heart complications, the Guinness World Records book said.

He, who suffered a form of primordial dwarfism and was recognised as a world-record holder in 2008, died on Saturday in Rome, where he was taking part in a TV show.

"For such a small man, he made a huge impact around the world," Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of the London-based Guinness World Records, said in a statement.

He was born in China's northern region of Inner Mongolia in 1988. According to the an English news channel, he was admitted to hospital two weeks ago after suffering a chest complaint.He was a chain smoker and his family said he stopped growing after he turned 18.
Guinness announced his death late on Monday.

World's shortest man dies aged 21