Berlin - Germany's parliament gave its approval Friday to the deployment of the German navy in a European Union anti-piracy operation off Somalia.

Bundestag deputies voted 491-55 in favour of participation in the EU's Operation Atalanta.

Under Operation Atlanta, which was formally launched on December 8, the EU expects to operate a flotilla of six warships and three reconnaissance planes off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.

Germany has offered a naval frigate, the Karlsruhe, and up to 1,400 sailors, airmen and other military personnel.

Washington, Dec 19 : A new research, from the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, has indicated that the orientation of Stone Age graves at the Danish passage could have an astronomical explanation.

According to the research, the Danish passage graves are most likely oriented according to the path of the full moon, perhaps even according to the full moon immediately before a lunar eclipse.

There are many Stone Age graves in Denmark, where archaeologists estimate that around 40.000 large stone graves were built from around 3500 to 3000 BC.

Only about 500 of the large passage graves, called `giant tombs' are preserved today, but one of the great mysteries is their orientation in the landscape.

New York, Dec 19 : Playboy founder Hugh Hefner's new galpal Dasha Astafieva made heads turn when she arrived in a see-through mini dress at the red carpet event for Playboy's 55th anniversary.

The Ukranian-born Playmate was seen wearing just a thong underneath her dress, which she quickly got rid off, flashing her bottom to the thrilled paparazzi.

It''s unclear whether Astafieva is officially a new love interest for Hef - but the pair looked cozy, posing together after the thong-dropping episode.

London - Nina Bracewell-Smith has attacked Arsenal's board following her dismissal as a director at the English Premier League club, according to reports on Friday.

It had been suggested that her departure followed a disagreement over the possible sale of her shares to the Uzbek oligarch Alisher Usmanov, who already controls between 24 and 25 per cent of the club's shares.

But it now seems the point of dispute was who controls transfer policy.

New Delhi, Dec 19 : Hollywood actor Johnny Depp was spotted buying a dazzling engagement ring at a high profile California jewellery shop, according to reports.

The `Pirates of The Caribbean' actor asked the shop staff to close the shop to the common public, so that he can comfortably buy an engagement ring for partner Vanessa Paradis.

"This was Johnny''s third or fourth visit to the store," a source told OK! Magazine.

Islamabad, Dec 19 : Pakistan will issue a new 10-rupee coin in honour of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to coincide with the first anniversary of her death in a suicide attack.

The State Bank of Pakistan will issue about 300,000 of the commemorative coins bearing Benazir's portrait and inscribed with the phrase "Daughter of the East - Honourable Benazir Bhutto" in Urdu, The News reported.