Celina is agitated about Baba Ramdev's sexist comments

Celina Jaitly is peeved with yoga exponent Baba Ramdev for making lewd comments about her personal life as she has been espousing gay rights. In a recent media interview, Ramdev has questioned the way Celina keeps changing her partners every month and how this is all because she doesn't stay with her parents.

The actress says, "I thought Baba was a brahamachari. For a person like him to keep tabs on my so-called monthly changing of partners and living away from parents so that I can be promiscuous is amazing. For any brahamachari 'ladki maa samaan hoti hai', however he is the first Baba who seems to know more than me about my sex life."

She adds, "He says that I know nothing about bharatiya sanskriti! I would really like to ask him is it 'bharatiya sanskriti ke sanskaar' which promoted a great brahamachari like him to pass personal sexual comments on a respectable single girl just because she is an actor and a human rights activist."

The actress points out, "He has unfortunately tried to do what the Kauravas did to Draupadi in front of the whole court vastraharan! No assult on my character will deter me from this cause that I have taken up. I wanted the whole world to know the only argument a so-called yogi can come up with is a character assault and nothing else."

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CAN STRESS BE MAKING YOU FAT?

1. Are you stressed out? Depressed? Sad? A Chronic Worrier? Have a Low Self-Esteem?

2. Are you ashamed of the way you look and find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others?

3. Do you find comfort in food, specifically carbohydrate-rich foods?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s safe for me to assume that you are either overweight or have a very difficult time in maintaining your weight.

Studies have shown that human eating behavior IS greatly influenced by the amount of psychological distress people have.

Individuals who have a low self-esteem, high anxiety (worry/stress), and who are constantly depressed tend to be obese, and to also seek comfort in foods that are mainly carbohydrates.

What could possibly be occurring in our brain to make us feel and behave this way?

SEROTONIN – one of the primary neurotransmitters responsible for mood regulation and eating behavior.

It is important to first explain that neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in our brain and nervous system that help us to talk, move, breath, think, feel, and to exist.

When we are psychologically distressed, our body experiences internal changes in normal neurotransmitter functioning and in various hormonal and intestinal behaviors.

These changes influence our body weight because of their influential effects on our appetite, our food portions, our food preferences and finally on our body’s ability to burn the calories we consume.

Serotonin is a major neurotransmitter involved in these processes and is found in the Central Nervous System.

It is responsible for the following bodily functions: mood regulation, blood flow, pain sensitivity in our lungs, brain and our hearts.

Other factors that are regulated by serotonin include our sleeping patterns, blood pressure and as previously mentioned, our appetite, food portions and food preferences.

A lack of serotonin in the brain is associated with depression.

Thus, low levels of serotonin can cause us to feel depressed, sad, sensitive to pain, insomnia and headaches, and can decrease our ability to concentrate.

This in turn can cause an increase in the potential for a person to seek relief in addictive substances such as alcohol and drugs.

It can even make them more susceptible to impulsive behavior such as binge-eating, over-eating, and spontaneous eating, which in the end leads to fatigue and inactivity.

Many people fall prey to this vicious cycle of emotional eating and before long, they are left trying to figure out where the extra 20 pounds came from or how it is they put on weight to begin with.

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Women diagnosed with gynecological cancers

Objective: Women diagnosed with gynecological cancers may cope with a difficult treatment regimen that includes multiple abdominal surgeries and courses of chemotherapy and/or radiation. Little attention has been paid to identifying what factors place women at risk for long-term problems with psychological adaptation. The goal of the present study was to identify a set of demographic, medical, and predisposing factors as well as cognitive and social processing strategies that predict the trajectory of psychological distress and well-being among women diagnosed with gynecological cancer.

Methods: One hundred thirteen women on active treatment for gynecological cancer completed measures at baseline, 3, 6, and 9 months afterward.

Results: Women with poorer physician-rated performance status and self-reported functional impairment, women who were Caucasian, women who have received previous psychological treatments, women who were less expressive of positive emotions, women who had unsupportive friends and family, and women who were less able to find something positive in the cancer experience reported poorer adaptation.

Conclusions: This study identified a set of risk factors for poor long-term psychological adaptation among women diagnosed with gynecological cancers. Healthcare professionals working with these women can use these risk factors to screen for patients who may require additional psychological services.

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Lay-offs may spark suicides, murders

Rising unemployment rates seem to trigger more suicides and murders, US and European investigators reported Tuesday in The Lancet. But government initiatives designed to keep people on the job or get people back to work can help, they say.

Dr. David Stuckler, University of Oxford, UK, and colleagues looked at how economic changes have affected death rates in 26 European Union (EU) countries over the past three decades, and identified how governments might reduce the harmful effects of economic downturns.

They found that for every 1% increase in unemployment, there was roughly a 0.8% rise in suicide rates in people younger than age 65. This translates into between 60 and 550 extra suicides per year across the EU in times of economic crisis.

Murder rates also rose 0.8% for every 1% increase in unemployment - or between 3 and 80 potential excess homicide deaths across Europe.

Both these effects were seen mostly in working-age people.

Stuckler and associates also found that if unemployment rose by more than 3%, suicide rates for those younger than 65 rose by 4.5% (that's 250 to 3220 potential excess deaths EU-wide) and deaths from alcohol abuse rose by 28% (550 to 5490 potential excess deaths across the EU).

But government intervention can help. "Every US$10 per person increased investment in active labor market programs reduced the effect of unemployment on suicides by 0.038%," the researchers report.

"We observed that social spending on active labor market programs ... mitigated the effect of unemployment on death rates from suicides, creating a specific opportunity for stimulus packages to align labor market investments with health promotion," they note.

"Governments might be able to protect their populations, specifically by budgeting for measures that keep people employed, helping those who lose their jobs cope with the negative effects of unemployment, and enabling unemployed people to regain work quickly," the add. In a commentary published with the study, Dr. Andreas Lundin and Dr. Tomas Hemmingsson, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, say: "When the social security system is less extensive, unemployment is a more probable mediator between mental illness and suicide."

"Without a moderating effect of unemployment benefits, an increase in suicide rates following increased unemployment rates is, as suggested by Stuckler and colleagues, more plausible," the authors point out.

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Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan went to Lilavati Hospital

Big B blogs about tummy ache, hospital visit

Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan went to Lilavati Hospital here Wednesday morning for what was described as "a routine checkup", though in his blog he has complained of a stomach ache.

Though the hospital authorities declined to comment, the same old stomach problem that Bachchan, 66, has been suffering from for long may have recurred.

In his blog in the morning, Bachchan has admitted to getting a tummy ache just before he embarked for Mumbai from London a day earlier.

On arrival, he drove straight to his doctor late on Tuesday night and underwent an examination and a CT scan. These revealed nothing but since the trouble persisted, more tests were advised for Wednesday, he says in his blog.

Until all the test results are out and a line of treatment finalised, he has cancelled all his shooting and travel plans, he writes.

Bachchan has vented his frustration saying despite "extreme care", the problem keeps recurring and medication and rest have been the order of the day.

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Vegetable protein linked to lower BP

A new study has shown that consuming an amino acid commonly found in vegetable protein is associated with lower blood
pressure.

The study, conducted by Jeremiah Stamler, M.D., lead author of the study, and colleagues, showed that a 4.72% higher dietary intake of the amino acid glutamic acid as a per cent of total dietary protein correlated with lower group average systolic blood pressure, lower by 1.5 to 3.0 millimetres of mercury (mm Hg). Group average diastolic blood pressure was lower by 1.0 to 1.6 mm Hg.

In the study, researchers examined dietary amino acids, the building blocks of protein.

Stamler, professor emeritus of the Department of Preventive Medicine
in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, Ill, said that glutamic acid is the most common amino acid and accounts for almost a quarter (23%) of the protein in vegetable protein and almost one fifth (18%) of animal protein.

In the study, researchers analyzed data from 4,680 middle-age people participating in an international population study on the effects of dietary nutrients on high blood pressure. Participants were from the U.S., U.K., China, and Japan.

The results showed that a nearly 5% higher intake of glutamic acid as a per cent of total protein in the diet was linked to lower average blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure was lower by an average of 1.5 to 3.0 points and diastolic blood pressure was lower by 1.0 to 1.6 points.

Stamler said that the study might help explain on a molecular level why the Dieatary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet lowers blood pressure. The DASH eating pattern, developed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, is rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat and non-fat dairy products as well as whole grains, lean poultry, nuts and beans.

The study has been published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

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Protein rich diet linked to liver cancer

Diets high in protein and cholesterol are linked with a higher risk of hospitalization or death due to cirrhosis or liver cancer, while diets high in carbohydrates are associated with a lower risk, according to the latest research.

Researchers, led by George Ioannou of Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System
in Seattle, investigated whether dietary nutrient composition was associated with the subsequent development of cirrhosis or liver cancer in a representative sample of the US population.

They utilized 9,221 participants from the National Health Examination Survey.

Participants were excluded if they suffered from cirrhosis or liver cancer at the start of the study, or received a diagnosis within five years, said a Veterans Affairs release.

During the follow-up period, an average of 13.3 years, 123 participants received a new diagnosis of cirrhosis (118 people) or liver cancer (5 people) according to hospitalization records and death certificates.

These individuals were more likely to be older, more obese with more central fat distribution. They had lower educational attainment and higher alcohol consumption, and were more likely to be male, diabetic and non-white.

Dietary nutrient composition was a strong predictor of hospitalization or death due to liver cancer in the US population.

"In particular, we identified that protein and cholesterol consumption were associated with elevated risk, whereas consumption of carbohydrates was associated with reduced risk of hospitalization or death related to liver cancer," the authors reported.

The association with cholesterol intake is potentially the most important finding of this study, the authors suggested.

While cholesterol is well-known for its role in non-hepatic diseases like atherosclerosis, it has never before been linked to human liver disease.

The findings suggest that drugs blocking intestinal cholesterol absorption might reduce the progression of fatty liver disease but this needs to be investigated in prospective studies.

These findings were published in the July issue of Hepatology.

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Vegetarian diet weakens bones

People who live on vegetarian diets have slightly weaker bones than their meat-eating counterparts, Australian researchers said on Thursday.

A joint Australian-Vietnamese study of links between the bones and diet of more than 2,700 people found that vegetarians had bones five percent less dense than meat-eaters, said lead researcher Tuan Nguyen.

The issue was most pronounced in vegans, who excluded all animal products from their diet and whose bones were 6% weaker, Nguyen said.

There was "practically no difference" between the bones of meat-eaters and ovolactovegetarians, who excluded meat and seafood but ate eggs and dairy products, he said.

"The results suggest that vegetarian diets, particularly vegan diets, are associated with lower bone mineral density," Nguyen wrote in the study, which was published Thursday in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"But the magnitude of the association is clinically insignificant," he added.

Nguyen, who is from Sydney's Garvan Institute for Medical Research and collaborated on the project with the Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine in Ho Chi Minh City, said the question of whether the lower density bones translated to increased fracture risk was yet to be answered.

"Given the rising number of vegetarians, roughly five percent (of people) in western countries, and the widespread incidence of osteoporosis, the issue is worth resolving," he said.

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Homosexuality no crime: Delhi High Court

Gay activists celebrate after the Delhi High Court decriminalised homosexuality by striking down section 377 of the IPC, outside the court in New Delhi.

In a historic judgement, the Delhi High Court on Thursday decriminalized homosexuality by reading down section 377 of the Indian HC decriminalises homosexuality

The Section 377 of the IPC as far as it criminalizes gay sex among consenting adults is violation of fundamental rights, said the high court. However, Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which criminalizes homosexuality, will continue for non-consensual and non-vaginal sex.

Full text of Delhi HC judgment (PDF)

Any kind of discrimination is anti-thesis of right to equality, said the court, while allowing plea of gay rights activists for decriminalization of homosexuality.

Our reporter Smriti Singh from the court sketched the rejoice of the LGBT community.

Soon after the judgement, the supporters of the LGBT rejoiced the moment of victory and called it as the "first step to a better future". “Great moment for us, we are hoping that the court will pass an order in our favor, we have kept our finger-across,” she further added.

It is amazing to see, how we have won the battle, said Shivangi Rai, counsel for the NAZ Foundation.

A bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S Muralidhar said that if not amended, section 377 of the IPC would violate Article 21 of the Indian constitution, which states that every citizen has equal opportunity of life and is equal before law.

The court said that this judgement will hold till Parliament chooses to amend the law.

"In our view Indian Constitutional law does not permit the statutory criminal law to be held captive by the popular misconception of who the LGBTs (lesbian gay bisexual transgender) are.

"It cannot be forgotten that discrimination is antithesis of equality and that it is the recognition of equality which will foster dignity of every individual," the bench said in its 105-page judgement.

Section 377, a law from the British Raj era, says homosexuality and "unnatural sex" is a criminal act.

While the home ministry wanted the petition to be dismissed, the health ministry supported its contention that section 377 criminalized homosexuality per se, it was obstructing the AIDS/HIV prevention efforts among high-risk groups. Whatever the outcome, this is the second time the Delhi high court will be pronouncing on Naz Foundation’s petition against section 377. In 2004, it dismissed the petition at the preliminary stage stating that “an academic challenge to the constitutionality of a legislative provision could not be entertained.” It further said that when no personal injury was caused to the petitioner by this provision, the petition could not be examined.

The foundation then approached the Supreme Court, which disapproved the manner in which the high court had disposed of the matter. SC observed that when there was a debate on this issue the world over, “where is the question of the petition being academic? We are not able to accept the approach of the high court that it is an academic exercise and there is no personal injury.” Accordingly, in 2006, SC directed HC to reconsider the matter in detail. The judgment is coming close on the heels of statements from ministers on the possibility of a legislative intervention because of growing demands from the community of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT). If the judgment serves the purpose of decriminalizing homosexuality, the government will be spared the burden of amending a provision laden with religious and cultural sensitivities.

Interestingly, in the new team of law officers appointed by the government, at least two of them — attorney general Goolam Vahanvati and additional solicitor general Indira Jaising —- have publicly supported the demand for decriminalizing homosexuality.

QnA: What does the decriminalization of homesexuality by the Delhi HC mean for India?

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Jyoti Amge is shortest girl in the country

The Limca Book of Records calls her the shortest girl in the country.

According to some surveys, Jyoti Amge, 15, who is just 23 inches tall (1 foot, 11 inches) and weighs only 5 kilograms, is the shortest teenager in the world. Soon she may feature in the Guinness Book of World Records.

When she was three or four her parents Kishan and Ranjana Amge noticed that their daughter's growth was not normal. After consulting with doctors they discovered she has a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia. Most parents would have been dejected to know this, but not the Amges. In spite of Jyoti's physical limitations, they know she is an incredible human being, a most special child.

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Soy protects lungs from chronic disease

Consuming soy milk and tofu could cut down the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD

COPD, which develops as a result of smoking, can cause coughing that produces large amounts of mucus (a slimy substance), wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms

The study was led by Curtin University of Technology's (CUT) Andy Lee and his colleagues from Curtin's Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI) and representatives from four Japanese hospitals.

Lee, a professor, said the research, conducted in Japan, found that people who consumed more than 75 grams of soy products daily had the most health benefits.

"We also found that people who consumed at least 50 grams of soy products per day reduced their risk of developing COPD and respiratory symptoms," he said.

Lee warned that although the research found that soy consumption could reduce the risk of COPD, it did not mean smokers should continue with the habit.

"Our research showed that long-term soy consumption was associated with improved lung function and a reduction in the risk of COPD, said a CUT release.

The soy food products looked at in the study included tofu, natto, bean sprouts and soy milk.

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Hair, Skin Glowing Tips...Monsoon Care Tips

Beauty tips: Beat the monsoon blues!

Come monsoons and you are sure to experience mixed feelings! On one hand there is mischief, playfulness, fun, romance, while on the other, there is misery, gloominess, filthiness and irritation.

In fact, getting caught in rain showers unprotected can convert even the most perfect makeover into a complete disaster. Constant care is therefore required to keep your hair lustrous and your skin glowing.

We asked Dr Mukesh Batra, Founder and CMD of Dr Batras' Positive Health Clinic, to give you a few homeopathic to help you to sail through those bleak-and-dreary-hair days:

1. Skin problems:

Have you noticed how during the rains, your skin tends to wrinkle up, shrink, and develop acne? Here are a few simple tips to get around all these problems.

What you need:

1. Taking 2 tablets of Silicea 6X, a homeopathic remedy, twice daily has been found to be useful in treating acne.

2. Chrysarobic acid 6C, 5 pills twice daily can help to treat generalised fungal infections.

3. Mercurius Sol 30C, 5 pills twice daily is recommended for fungal infection in the groins.

Fungal infections of the nails and in between the toes are common in the monsoons; so keeping them clean is important. Avoid heavy makeup. Preferably use water-resistant products.

2. Hair problem

Dandruff and hair fall are quite common this season. But a little care everyday could keep hair-raising troubles at bay!

To avoid a flat, damp or frizzy look, conditioning and neatly tying a pony tail is a favourable solution as the hair tangles easily in the wet season.

Get a therapeutic and rejuvenating hair massage done to help revitalise those damp roots.

Use a scarf to protect your hair from winds and adverse weather conditions.

Oiling and washing your hair at least thrice a week with lukewarm water is advisable. Use only mild shampoos or herbal-based shampoos rather than lathering shampoos as the latter tend to dry and roughen your hair and preferably dry your hair with thin towels.

Avoid getting wet as high humidity can damage your hair and lead to hair fall. If you get drenched in the rain, wash your hair immediately with a mild shampoo and follow it up by a conditioner to keep the scalp free of germs. If you tend to have dandruff and fungal infections, use an antidandruff shampoo.

Allow your hair to dry naturally. If you must use a hair dryer, hold it 6-8 inches away from the scalp. Do not use styling gels and brush your hair with a wide toothed comb.

What you need:

1. Homeopathic medicine Calcarea Sulph 6X can be taken for scaly and dry dandruff.

2. Kali Sulph 6X can help to treat sticky yellow dandruff. If the dandruff persists in spite of using an antidandruff shampoo and the indicated medicines, consult a doctor.

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Michael Jackson's Autopsy Underway

An autopsy on Michael Jackson is underway. While preliminary findings may be announced upon completion, any toxicology reports will take 6-8 weeks to process. TMZ is reporting that Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran, who was a star witness in the O.J. Simpson case, is performing the procedure. Stay Tuned for More Updates As They Come .... Story Developing
The autopsy should prove if there's any truth to the reports that prescription drugs may have played a part in Michael Jackson's death.

Though the autopsy will be completed on Friday, generally results from such a procedure take several days or even weeks depending upon the situation. Los Angeles County Coroner Investigator Jerry McKibben has said that should they be able to determine a cause of death from the autopsy, the results will be announced shortly after.

Jackson's friend Liza Minelli seemed to hint at the reports that Jackson's death may have been caused by prescription drugs, saying during a Friday morning interview on CBS' 'The Early Show': "When the autopsy comes, all hell's going to break loose, so thank God we're celebrating him now."Jackson died on Thursday at at UCLA Medical Center after suffering a cardiac arrest, according to his brother Jermaine. Paramedics rushed to the scene to try to resuscitate Jackson for nearly an hour.

"It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of his death is unknown until results of the autopsy are known," his brother Jermaine said.
Cardiac arrest is an abnormal heart rhythm that stops the heart from pumping blood to the body. It can occur after a heart attack or be caused by other heart problems.

There have been several reports claiming that prescription drugs may have played a role in the cardiac arrest and death of Jackson, though no doctors or officials have commented on those claims.

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Mystery surrounds Michael Jackson's sudden death

One day after Michael Jackson's sudden death, speculation was already turning to what killed the 50-year-old "King of Pop" just weeks before a long-awaited series of comeback concerts.

A family attorney said on Friday he had been concerned that Jackson's use of prescription drugs for dancing-related injuries would eventually prove fatal and that the entertainer's inner circle had ignored his warnings.

Authorities scheduled an autopsy for Friday. But they cautioned it could take weeks to determine a cause of death, which will likely have to wait for the return of toxicology tests. Those tests will determine if Jackson had any drugs, alcohol or prescription medications in his system.

Jackson, a former child star who became one of the best-selling pop artists of all time before descending into a strange and reclusive lifestyle amid accusations of child molestation, died Thursday afternoon at a Los Angeles hospital.

He had been rushed to the hospital in full cardiac arrest after collapsing at his nearby rental home.

Jackson's passing was front-page news around the world as airwaves filled with his greatest hits from "Thriller" to "Billie Jean" and social networking sites were bombarded with messages and tributes from fans and musicians.

"It's so sad and shocking," former Beatle Paul McCartney said. "I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever."

Few details were known about the circumstances surrounding Jackson's death but he was reportedly unconscious and not breathing by the time he arrived at UCLA Medical Center. Doctors were unable to revive him.

His body was flown by helicopter from the hospital to the coroner's office late Thursday.

Lawyer Brian Oxman, a spokesman for the Jackson family, told CBS's "The Early Show" on Friday that he had been concerned about the prescription drugs that Jackson took due to injuries suffered while performing.

"I had warned everyone that I could warn and I told them that one day, Michael Jackson is going to wake up dead, which is a very odd way of putting it ...," Oxman said.

"I do not want to point fingers at anyone because I want to hear what the toxicology report says and the coroner says but the plain fact of the matter is that Michael Jackson had prescription drugs at his disposal at all times," he said.

Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Homicide division searched Jackson's home in the upscale Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles at the behest of Chief William Bratton. But they called the investigation an "everyday" event.

Facing a battered reputation and a mountain of debt which The Wall Street Journal reported ran to $500 million, Jackson had spent the last two months rehearsing for the London concerts, including Wednesday at the huge Staples Center arena, home to the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.

A complex process began in London to refund ticketholders, including people who bought tickets for sell-out shows from unauthorized dealers. A pair of "VIP" passes was offered on e-Bay recently for 16,000 pounds (over $25,000 dollars).

In death, Jackson's music enjoyed a commercial renaissance that had eluded him for years. His songs surged to the top 15 slots on online retailer Amazon.com Inc's best-selling albums within hours.

Jackson dominated the charts in the 1980s and was one of the most successful entertainers of all time, with a lifetime sales tally estimated at 750 million records, 13 Grammy Awards and several seminal music videos.

"Michael was and will remain one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived," said Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jackson's first label boss. "He was exceptional, artistic and original. He gave the world his heart and soul through his music."

Jackson's reputation as a singer and dancer was overshadowed in recent years by his increasingly abnormal appearance and bizarre lifestyle, which included his friendship with a chimp and a preference for the company of children.

He named his estate in the central California foothills Neverland Valley Ranch, in tribute to J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan stories, and built amusement park rides and a petting zoo.

Jackson was twice accused of molesting young boys and was charged in 2003 with child sexual abuse. He became even more reclusive following his 2005 acquittal and vowed he would never again live at Neverland.

Despite reports of Jackson's ill health, the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors.

"I can't stop crying over the sad news," pop star Madonna said in a statement. "I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats but his music will live on forever."

Jackson was born on Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children and first performed with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5.

His 1982 album "Thriller" yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million internationally.

The following year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move, gliding across the stage and setting off an instant trend, while performing "Billie Jean" during an NBC special.

In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996.

"I'm so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. ... This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me," Presley said in statement on Thursday.

Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999, and he later had another child with an unidentified surrogate mother.

He is survived by three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for a brief public appearance when his father displayed him to fans in Germany by holding him over the railing of a hotel balcony.

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Michael Jackson dies of cardiac arrest

Pop icon Michael Jackson has died of cardiac arrest, according to media reports. Jackson, 50, suffered a cardiac arrest at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him,

The website reported that the pop star suffered cardiac arrest just after 12:00 pm (0030 IST). Los Angeles Times, quoting city and law enforcement sources, confirmed his death.

Earlier, Jackson was taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA medical centre here by the fire department paramedics.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda was quoted as saying by Los Angeles Times that paramedics responded to a call by Jackson’s home at 12.26 pm

The paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and took him to the hospital, Ruda said.

Jackson is survived by three children — Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince “Blanket” Michael Jackson II.

The ‘king of pop’ was born on August 29, 1958 and debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of ‘The Jackson 5', and began a solo career in 1971.

The singer was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993 but he could not be charged due to lack of evidence. In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges.

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