Downing a quarter measure of brandy at one go is child's play perhaps only for the best of tipplers. But five-year-old Eeranna, a school dropout from Davanagere in Karnataka, does just that, and in double-quick time.

Although the child now drinks the locally brewed liquor for a high, barely 18 months ago the drink used to be his asthma medication - the only relief his parents, both daily wage labourers, could afford.

Recently, when Karnataka's excise minister M. P. Renukacharya visited Davanagere, local leaders took Eeranna to the minister and the boy showed him his 'skill'. And that heralded change in the child's life.

The minister was horrified to see the boy polishing off the liquor with relish. He summoned Eeranna's parents and inquired about their circumstances. The minister found that the boy belonged to "an extremely poor family" and that they didn't "even have a proper hut". "The government has decided to adopt Eeranna and take care of his education till college," the minister then said.

He also directed the Davanagere district administration to allot a house to Eeranna's parents under a housing scheme.

Srinivasa Naik, who brought Eeranna to the minister, said the boy had even taken to stealing brandy from his relatives.

"He is addicted to brandy. Whenever his father refused him liquor, he would steal it. His parents did not bother too much about him as they had their hands full," he said.

Naik said Eeranna's relatives used to show off his "drinking skills". "They would take Eeranna to local fairs and he would down bottles of brandy in minutes before huge crowds," he said.

Naik had spotted the boy at one such fair and convinced the child's parents to take him to the minister. "The local hospital will conduct a check-up," Davanagere district social welfare officer Dr Suchetna Swaroop said.

An always smiling, upwardly mobile 34-year-old Swami is allegedly caught on tape in a secret romp with a Tamil actress; his ashram is under siege; a former devotee who secretly filmed the video files a police complaint against him for alleged rape and harassment; the Swami goes on the run; he is finally arrested from Himachal Pradesh; and an ashram clause referring to tantric sex surfaces.

Since March 2, 2010, when a sex video surfaced on prime time TV in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, titillating stories and salacious charges concerning Paramahamsa Swami Nityananda have not ceased streaming in.

Apart from sexual allegations, there are tales about the smiling Swami healing the persistent back pain of a policeman who went to arrest him in Himachal Pradesh. And there are stories of the police, hard pressed to find rape and harassment evidence, asking him during interrogation to at least wipe off that famous smile.

Meanwhile, a seven-year-old, rapidly flourishing spiritual movement that originated in Tamil Nadu as the Nityananda Dhyanapeetam and has spread to the US as the Life Bliss foundation, is in pause mode as its chief proponent deals with earthly matters like bail and court cases. While the alleged sex video has since been barred from being telecast - on a court injunction sought by Nityananda - his 22-acre ashram located on prime land in Bidadi, 32 km from Bangalore, has been steadily losing devotees.

Numbers at the India operations of Nityananda Dhyanapeetam have dwindled from a steady 300 permanent residents to merely 50 now.

Among those left holding the fort for the return of Nityananda are a bunch of young, articulate, well-educated men and women - among them foreign nationals - who gave up careers in software, investment banking and advertising to follow a spiritual calling. Nityananda himself is a mechanical engineering diploma holder who once went by the name A Rajashekharan.

His followers gave up jobs in companies like Intel and Hewlett Packard, salaries in the range of Rs 70,000-plus for "their spiritual master". These Bidadi ashram inmates have since dug their heels in, and launched Internet and YouTube campaigns to clear Nityananda's name against charges primarily framed by former ashramite Lenin Karuppan a.k.a. Swami Nitya Dharmananda.

"Why should a sex scandal knock down a pile of achievements in yoga, meditation and public service? You can see that a game is going on when allegations of gold and tiger pelts smuggling are being made," says Sri Nityananda Dheere, a middle-aged US national who has been with Nityananda's movement for over five years.

"We all come from good backgrounds. Do you think we are stupid to leave that and come here to get some cheap thrills?" says Ma Nitya Shantananda, a former Indian software engineer who joined Nityananda's Life Bliss Foundation in Los Angeles before moving to the Bidadi ashram.

"When we read in the media that he abuses women, it shocks us. Every woman here will vouch for the character of Swamiji," says Ma Nitya Priyananda.

Kannada actress Malavika Avinash, in a blog post, backed him too. "Who better than an actress like me to testify that Swamiji did not display any behaviour that caused discomfort to me as a woman?" she wrote.

Nityananda himself has dodged questions on his presence in the screened sex video, saying he was "in the spiritual state of samadhi".

Lenin Karuppan, who facilitated the making of the video allegedly featuring Nityananda and actress Ranjitha, has in his complaint accused him of sexually assaulting a male devotee, Sri Vimalananda Swami, and another devotee, Nityananda Gopika, at the Bidadi ashram. The CID in Karnataka, however, has been unable to get statements from the two.

According to Karuppan, Nityananda preached celibacy but did not practise it. Ashram inmates, however, say Nityananda never professed celibacy but left it to individuals to choose their paths. What has added to the consternation is a non-disclosure agreement that participants in some programmes had to sign that made specific references to possible use of tantric sex practices.

There are also allegations regarding the mysterious death of a 58-year-old Canadian national, Melvyn Diamond.

Called in to investigate a case that largely hinges on social and moral issues, the CID police have been at their wit's end, says a senior police officer. "We are trying our best to establish a case, but it is difficult," says a senior Karnataka police officer.

In jail, he was said to have been called The Twiglet by fellow inmates because of his weedy physique.

But two years on, Jack Tweed, who was found not guilty of rape earlier this week, was pictured at a fitness centre close to his family home in Essex appearing to have piled on the pounds.

The widower of late Big Brother star Jade Goody took time out to put some exercise in on what was his first full day of freedom after being cleared of the charge.
Bulky: Jack Tweed has beefed up since his spells in prison - he was pictured at a fitness centre in Chigwell where he showed off his larger physique

Bulky: Jack Tweed has beefed up since his spells in prison - he was pictured at a fitness centre in Chigwell where he showed off his larger physique
Slim pickings: The 22-year-old is pictured three years ago on a holiday in Tobago with his late wife Jade Goody and her son Bobby

Slim pickings: The 22-year-old is pictured three years ago on a holiday in Tobago with his late wife Jade Goody and her son Bobby

Last year, it was reported that the 22-year-old had embarked on a weight training regime in prison after he was taunted by other inmates for being slim.

Football star David Beckham says it would be great if his sons would take sports seriously and become good players.

'They're really into playing soccer, but they're also into playing other sports. Now, obviously, living in the US, they're playing football, they're playing basketball, baseball,' femalefirst.co.uk quoted him as saying.

David also feels Brooklyn Joseph, 11, Romeo James, 7, and five-year-old Cruz David are talented kids.

'They're talented little boys, but, whatever they want to do, it doesn't matter... but it'd be great for them to be involved in sports, because it's such a great thing.'

David and his wife Victoria are also keen to extend their family.

'I think one day, if we're blessed to have more children, it would be amazing. It's a lot having three boys. So, we're just enjoying the boys at the moment. But who knows, one day?' said Victoria.

Energy major Reliance Industries has discovered more oil on India's western coast, raising the potential of the exploratory blocks it has been drilling, the company said on Wednesday.

India's biggest conglomerate whose businesses span petrochemicals, refining, oil and gas exploration and retail said the current flow was at 300 barrels of oil per day (bopd) at the onland exploratory block in the Cambay basin in Gujarat.

The potential commercial interest of the discovery is being evaluated through more data gathering and analysis, it said in a statement.

"The discovery is significant as this play fairway is expected to open more oil pool areas leading to better hydrocarbon potential within the block," it said.

Reliance holds 100 percent participating interest in the block, and three earlier discoveries had a flow rate of 500 bopd. The company has so far drilled 14 exploratory wells in the block that covers an area of 635 square kilometres.

Last year Reliance, controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, started pumping gas from its block in the vast Krishna Godavari (KG) basin off India's east coast, where it made the country's largest gas find.

It has been producing 60 million standard cubic metres a day (mmscmd) of gas from the block. At peak output of 80 million mmscmd it could nearly double India's gas output.

Reliance also produces oil from its D6 block in the KG basin, and holds a stake in the Panna, Mukta and Tapti oil and gas fields off India's west coast.

The company, which owns the world's largest refining complex in Gujarat, earlier this month agreed to pay $1.7 billion to form a joint venture with Atlas Energy at one of the most promising natural gas deposit regions in the United States.

At 0745 GMT, shares in Reliance shares, which has a market value of $78 billion, were trading down 2.6 percent at 1,033.80 rupees in a Mumbai market down 0.85 percent.

(Reporting by Prashant Mehra; Editing by Ranjit Gangadharan)

(For more business news on Reuters Money visit http://www.reutersmoney.in)

BJP's four-month honeymoon with Shibu Soren ended abruptly on Wednesday with the party withdrawing support to the JMM-led government, a day after the Jharkhand Chief Minister sided with the UPA in the Lok Sabha.

A meeting of the BJP top brass, headed by party chief Nitin Gadkari, decided to withdraw support immediately giving indications that the new experiment in Ranchi has floundered.

"The BJP Parliamentary Board has decided to withdraw support immediately to the Shibu Soren government. He (Soren) has behaved in a very dubious manner and voted with the government during the cut motion. BJP has taken very serious note of this betrayal and dubious conduct," senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar told reporters here.

New equations in Jharkhand appeared to be in the offing with AICC in-charge of the state K Keshav Rao saying, "There is nobody untouchable in politics....(We were) never averse to it (forming a government with JMM). After all we contested the election there to form a government. In politics there is no last word."

BJP leader and Jharkhand Deputy Chief Minister Raghubar Das will submit a letter to the state governor withdrawing support to the JMM-led government later in the day.

"The Deputy Chief Minister and all BJP ministers in the Jharkhand government will also submit their resignations to the governor," Kumar said.

Kumar, who along with former party president Rajnath Singh was part of the negotiations with Soren just four months ago to form a government, refused to comment on whether BJP's coalition experiment has failed in the state.

With elections to the state legislature throwing up a hung assembly, BJP had formed a coalition government with Soren.

In the 82-member Jharkhand Assembly, BJP and JMM have 18 seats each, Congress 14, RJD 5, JVM 11, ASJU 5, JD(U) 2, CPI(ML) 1 and others and independents six. One member is nominated.

A solemn high Mass in the extraordinary form is celebrated at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington April 24. (CNS/Nancy Wiechec)

By Richard Szczepanowski
Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- More than 3,500 people crowded into the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception April 24 to attend the first traditional Latin Mass in decades to be celebrated at the high altar there.

Sponsored by the Paulus Institute for the Propagation of Sacred Liturgy, the Mass in the extraordinary form was celebrated by Bishop Edward J. Slattery of Tulsa, Okla., in honor of the fifth anniversary of the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI.

Close to 100 priests and seminarians assisted at the nearly two-and-a-half-hour pontifical solemn high Mass that was sung entirely in Latin. Cardinal William W. Baum, a retired archbishop of Washington, also attended the Mass, which was celebrated with ancient chants and with pomp, splendor and majesty.

During the Mass, the faithful prayed that God would "look mercifully upon thy servant, Benedict" and asked that "by his word and example he may edify those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the flock committed to him, may he attain everlasting life."

Although the Maryland-based Paulus Institute has been planning the Mass for three years to honor Pope Benedict, it generated negative publicity in the week leading up to the celebration. The originally scheduled celebrant, Colombian Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, was criticized for writing a letter in 2001 as the head of the Vatican's Congregation for Clergy, praising a French bishop for not reporting an abusive priest to authorities. In response to the controversy, the Vatican emphasized that bishops are expected to comply with all civil laws that mandate reporting of sex abuse allegations and to cooperate in civil investigations.

The Paulus Institute announced April 21 that in consultation with Cardinal Castrillon, it decided to seek another celebrant for the Mass.

Members of the Chicago-based Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests had planned to protest Cardinal Castrillon outside the shrine but did not do so after the choice of Bishop Slattery was announced.

In his homily, delivered in English, Bishop Slattery did not speak directly about the controversy or recent criticism of the pope, but he did not ignore it.

"We have much to discuss, you and I -- much to speak of on this glorious occasion when we gather together in the glare of the world's scrutiny to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the ascension of Joseph Ratzinger to the throne of Peter," he said.

Noting the "enormous suffering which is all around us and which does so much to determine the culture of our modern age," Bishop Slattery pointed to "the enormous suffering of His Holiness these past months" as well as the suffering of those who face poverty, abuse, neglect, disease and heartache. Such suffering, he said, "defines the culture of our modern secular age."

He added that pain and suffering "could dehumanize us, for it has the power to close us in upon ourselves such that we would live always in chaos and confusion, if we do not remember that Christ -- our hope -- has been raised for our sakes."

Bishop Slattery urged the faithful to turn to God in times of suffering because "he makes himself most present in the suffering of his people." God's saving presence and infinite love, the bishop said, "can never be overcome by the darkness, no matter how thick, no matter how choking."

He said suffering -- "yours, mine, the pontiff's" -- is "the heart of personal holiness ... It is the means by which we are made witnesses of his suffering and sharers in the glory to come."

"Do not be dismayed that many in the church have not yet grasped this point, and fewer still in the world will even consider it," Bishop Slattery said. "You know this to be true -- and 10 men who whisper the truth speak louder than a hundred million who lie."

Noting that the celebration and the controversy that preceded it has drawn much attention, the bishop offered advice to those at the Mass.

"If then someone asks of what we spoke today, tell them we spoke of the truth. If someone asks why it is you came to this Mass, say that it was so that you could be obedient with Christ. If someone asks about the homily, tell them it was about a mystery and if someone asks what I said of the present situation, tell them only that we must -- all of us -- become saints."

The April 24 Mass was celebrated following the last version of the Roman Missal used before and during the Second Vatican Council. It is different from the missal published in 1970.

Among the differences between the extraordinary form of the Mass and the Masses commonly celebrated in this country are that the entire liturgy is sung in Latin, the priest faces the altar with his back to the congregation, he wears gloves for parts of the liturgy, and a blessing and additional reading of the Gospel are offered after the dismissal.

During the distribution of Communion, the faithful came to the altar rail, where they knelt and received the Eucharist on the tongue. Many women at the Mass wore veils.