HC grants bail to two Italian marines
Kochi: In a respite for the two Italian marines charged with shooting down of two Indian fishermen,
the Kerala High Court today granted them bail with stringent conditions.

The court order comes a day after it turned down Italy's plea for quashing an FIR against the marines, Latore
Massimilliano and Salvatore Girone, holding that they were liable to penal jurisdiction of Indian courts.

Granting them bail, Justice N K Balakrishnan said the two accused should execute a bond for Rs one crore each besides two Indian sureties for the like amount.
After release from jail, they shall stay in a building within a distance of 10 km from the office of the Kochi city Police Commissioner, appear before the Commissioner on all days between 10am and 11am and as and when required.
The marines should also furnish their mobile numbers if any, the court said, adding, they should not leave the territorial limits of the Commissioner's office.
The two sureties should also not leave the state. The magistrate shall ensure the identity of the sureties by insisting on production of photo identity card, the Court said.
The marines were also asked to surrender their passport before the Kollam Magistrate Court.

Justice Balakrishnan made it clear that the accused should be released on bail on production of valid travel document,visa having been endorsed by a foreign registration officer.
The government has been directed to ensure abundant caution and inform the seaport or other authorities to preventthe accused from leaving the country.
The marines, who were arrested from the merchant vessel 'Enrica Lexie' on February 19 last from which they fired atthe fishermen off Kerala coast on February 15, are at present lodged at the Borstal prison here. PTI

HC grants bail to two Italian marines
Kochi: In a respite for the two Italian marines charged with shooting down of two Indian fishermen,
the Kerala High Court today granted them bail with stringent conditions.

The court order comes a day after it turned down Italy's plea for quashing an FIR against the marines, Latore
Massimilliano and Salvatore Girone, holding that they were liable to penal jurisdiction of Indian courts.

Granting them bail, Justice N K Balakrishnan said the two accused should execute a bond for Rs one crore each besides two Indian sureties for the like amount.
After release from jail, they shall stay in a building within a distance of 10 km from the office of the Kochi city Police Commissioner, appear before the Commissioner on all days between 10am and 11am and as and when required.
The marines should also furnish their mobile numbers if any, the court said, adding, they should not leave the territorial limits of the Commissioner's office.
The two sureties should also not leave the state. The magistrate shall ensure the identity of the sureties by insisting on production of photo identity card, the Court said.
The marines were also asked to surrender their passport before the Kollam Magistrate Court.

Justice Balakrishnan made it clear that the accused should be released on bail on production of valid travel document,visa having been endorsed by a foreign registration officer.
The government has been directed to ensure abundant caution and inform the seaport or other authorities to preventthe accused from leaving the country.
The marines, who were arrested from the merchant vessel 'Enrica Lexie' on February 19 last from which they fired atthe fishermen off Kerala coast on February 15, are at present lodged at the Borstal prison here. PTI

 Americans flocking to India for stem cell therapy

Washington: A growing number of Americans are travelling to India to seek treatment for rare diseases through India's experimental embryonic stem cell therapy, according to an investigative report.
Among them Cash Burnaman, a 6-year-old South Carolina boy, who travelled with his parents to India seeking treatment for a rare genetic condition that has left him developmentally disabled, CNN reported.
'Cash is mute. He walks with the aid of braces. To battle his incurable condition, which is so rare it doesn't have a name, Cash has had to take an artificial growth hormone for most of his life,' it said.
His divorced parents, Josh Burnaman and Stephanie Krolick, have paid tens of thousands of dollars to have Cash undergo experimental injections of human embryonic stem cells at New Delhi's NuTech Mediworld run by Dr. Geeta Shroff, a retired obstetrician and self-taught embryonic stem cell practitioner.

Shroff first treated Cash -- who presents symptoms similar to Down Syndrome -- in 2010. 'I am helping improve their quality of life,' she told CNN.
After five weeks of treatment, Cash and his parents returned home to the US. That's when Cash began walking with the aid of braces for the first time.

For four or five weeks of treatment, Shroff says she has charged her 87 American patients an average of $25,000.
But doctors cited by CNN said all that work and hope and money Cash's supporters have funnelled into his experimental therapy likely will have no medical benefits.

'There is zero evidence for what she (Shroff ) is doing being effective,' Rutgers University's Dr. Wise Young, a leading US neuroscientist, was quoted as saying.
'It's concerning no matter how you look at it,' said CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. 'Frankly it's the complete wrong way of going about this sort of science.'

A leading Indian neurosurgeon, Dr. P.N. Tandon, cited by CNN agreed there was zero medical evidence of the effectiveness of embryonic stem cell therapy like that provided at NuTech Mediworld
But inside her clinic, surrounded by patients, Shroff disagreed. 'Success,' she told CNN, 'is defined differently by various groups of people within that therapy mode. So as of right now, almost everyone -- greater than 90 percent -- have had success.'

 Americans flocking to India for stem cell therapy

Washington: A growing number of Americans are travelling to India to seek treatment for rare diseases through India's experimental embryonic stem cell therapy, according to an investigative report.
Among them Cash Burnaman, a 6-year-old South Carolina boy, who travelled with his parents to India seeking treatment for a rare genetic condition that has left him developmentally disabled, CNN reported.
'Cash is mute. He walks with the aid of braces. To battle his incurable condition, which is so rare it doesn't have a name, Cash has had to take an artificial growth hormone for most of his life,' it said.
His divorced parents, Josh Burnaman and Stephanie Krolick, have paid tens of thousands of dollars to have Cash undergo experimental injections of human embryonic stem cells at New Delhi's NuTech Mediworld run by Dr. Geeta Shroff, a retired obstetrician and self-taught embryonic stem cell practitioner.

Shroff first treated Cash -- who presents symptoms similar to Down Syndrome -- in 2010. 'I am helping improve their quality of life,' she told CNN.
After five weeks of treatment, Cash and his parents returned home to the US. That's when Cash began walking with the aid of braces for the first time.

For four or five weeks of treatment, Shroff says she has charged her 87 American patients an average of $25,000.
But doctors cited by CNN said all that work and hope and money Cash's supporters have funnelled into his experimental therapy likely will have no medical benefits.

'There is zero evidence for what she (Shroff ) is doing being effective,' Rutgers University's Dr. Wise Young, a leading US neuroscientist, was quoted as saying.
'It's concerning no matter how you look at it,' said CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. 'Frankly it's the complete wrong way of going about this sort of science.'

A leading Indian neurosurgeon, Dr. P.N. Tandon, cited by CNN agreed there was zero medical evidence of the effectiveness of embryonic stem cell therapy like that provided at NuTech Mediworld
But inside her clinic, surrounded by patients, Shroff disagreed. 'Success,' she told CNN, 'is defined differently by various groups of people within that therapy mode. So as of right now, almost everyone -- greater than 90 percent -- have had success.'

PSC exams to be made online: Trial exam in September

Thiruvananthapuram: PSC examinations will be conducted online and steps are on at a warfooting to fulfill this. In September, PSC will conduct exams on a trial basis. In the first phase, examinations for higher posts for fewer candidates will be held online. The decision was taken at the PSC board meeting on Monday.
In the first phase examination, 1000 to 2000 candidates will take the test online. PSC observed that apart from the initial cost of setting up computers in examination halls, in future the costs will come down. PSC chairman Dr KS Radhakrishnan said exams could be conducted in a timely manner if it is online and ranks lists prepared soon. It will minimize the burden on workers too.
Prior to conducting the exam in September, mock examinations will be conducted to avoid any errors. PSC has agreed to the recommendation submitted by PSC sub-committee. Rajasthan PSC tried the same and was a success and this encouraged the Kerala PSC too. 

PSC exams to be made online: Trial exam in September

Thiruvananthapuram: PSC examinations will be conducted online and steps are on at a warfooting to fulfill this. In September, PSC will conduct exams on a trial basis. In the first phase, examinations for higher posts for fewer candidates will be held online. The decision was taken at the PSC board meeting on Monday.
In the first phase examination, 1000 to 2000 candidates will take the test online. PSC observed that apart from the initial cost of setting up computers in examination halls, in future the costs will come down. PSC chairman Dr KS Radhakrishnan said exams could be conducted in a timely manner if it is online and ranks lists prepared soon. It will minimize the burden on workers too.
Prior to conducting the exam in September, mock examinations will be conducted to avoid any errors. PSC has agreed to the recommendation submitted by PSC sub-committee. Rajasthan PSC tried the same and was a success and this encouraged the Kerala PSC too. 

Kerala CPI-M leader charged with murder

Idukki : Two days after a CPI-M leader in Kerala claimed his party had killed its foes, police Monday slapped three murder and conspiracy cases against him. 
The cases were registered at Thodupuzha, 220 km from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, against M.M. Moni, the Idukki district secretary of the Communist Part of India-Marxist.
Moni sent shock waves Friday night when he told a public rally that the CPI-M had resorted to killing political foes and listed four such murders.
These murders reportedly took place in Idukki in the 1980s.
Police said three of the four murders were dismissed for want of evidence and those arrested were let off.
'Since the cases have been registered under non-bailable sections, Moni could be arrested anytime,' a legal expert told IANS.
Director General of Police T. Asif Ali had said the cases could be reopened in view of what Moni said.
The Oommen Chandy government said Moni's revelation was 'a very serious issue'.
Moni had Friday that his party activists had shot dead one a political adversary, stabbed another death and beaten to death a third, after which others fled the area.
He said the CPI-M always owned up the crimes it commits.
Several CPI-M cadres have been arrested for the May 4 murder of T.P. Chandrasekharan, a former CPI-M stalwart who quit to form his own party. (IANS) 

Kerala CPI-M leader charged with murder

Idukki : Two days after a CPI-M leader in Kerala claimed his party had killed its foes, police Monday slapped three murder and conspiracy cases against him. 
The cases were registered at Thodupuzha, 220 km from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, against M.M. Moni, the Idukki district secretary of the Communist Part of India-Marxist.
Moni sent shock waves Friday night when he told a public rally that the CPI-M had resorted to killing political foes and listed four such murders.
These murders reportedly took place in Idukki in the 1980s.
Police said three of the four murders were dismissed for want of evidence and those arrested were let off.
'Since the cases have been registered under non-bailable sections, Moni could be arrested anytime,' a legal expert told IANS.
Director General of Police T. Asif Ali had said the cases could be reopened in view of what Moni said.
The Oommen Chandy government said Moni's revelation was 'a very serious issue'.
Moni had Friday that his party activists had shot dead one a political adversary, stabbed another death and beaten to death a third, after which others fled the area.
He said the CPI-M always owned up the crimes it commits.
Several CPI-M cadres have been arrested for the May 4 murder of T.P. Chandrasekharan, a former CPI-M stalwart who quit to form his own party. (IANS) 

5 Great reasons to fall in love

Pooja Bedi, TNN | May 29, 2012, 12.00AM ISTIt's quite peculiar but everywhere I look, I see an absence of a very valuable emotion: Love. I see loveless marriages, bored couples just passing their years together because the security of being together outweighs the chances of their finding love again.

I also meet so many people scared to fall in love. Some of them are so scared at the possibility of being hurt that the thought of such an eventuality deters them from even trying, else, they have been bitten or become bitter by past experiences. Then there are those that are just too shy and some that think they are undeserving of being recipients of such an overwhelming emotion. And of course there are those that set their expectations as high as Angelina Jolie or George Clooney. Let me give you five great reasons to fall in love quick and to keep yourrelationship loving.

1. You feel great! Love struck individuals constantly churn out a brain chemical called dopamine, a feel-good stimulant that's responsible for those feelings of bliss, optimism and patience. It infuses you with energy, excites you to discover and do new things, eat new food, and the smallest of things cause so much joy.

2. You lose weight. When in love your body is constantly pumping out a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine, which in turn produces adrenaline which suppresses your appetite. Besides, most of us tend to hit the gym more often in order to look and feel our best.

3. Whoever said "a fool in love" couldn't have been more wrong because you become smarter! Scientists at the University of Pavia in Italy found that falling in love raises levels of a hormone that improves memory by triggering the growth of new brain cells.

4. You look younger because oxytocin, triggers the release of DHEA, an anti-aging hormone that triggers cell restoration in the body.

5. People in a relationships have 1/3 the death rate of single people and having a romantic support system protects the body from developing high levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), which causes heart disease. What are you waiting for? Go out there and fall in love.....!

I am 16-year-old boy and I met a girl on the first day of my school. I am attracted to her and incidently she sat in front of me during exams. She asked me for answers and I told her. Then one day she messaged me on a social networking site and we shared our numbers. Since then we have been talking regularly. But lately she has stopped calling me. What do I do?

It seems evident contact was made, waters were tested and the ship sailed on. Or perhaps she was expecting more than just chatter? Try sending her a little present or a lovely bunch of flowers. It's a small investment but may reap rich rewards!

I am a 27-yea-old man and am not sure whether I am in a relationship or not. I know this girl for the past five years. We like each other and I went ahead and asked her mother for her hand. I was refused flatly on my face. I have been taking care of their family for a while now both emotionally and financially and don't understand what more they want. She has never liked anyone else and now I am confused what to do. Please help.

It's sad that while you are supportive of the family emotionally and also financially, they are clear they don't see you as anything more than a benefactor. Why don't you just put the ball in her court? Tell her that you're ready to settle down and would love to do so with her, but you leave the choice to her as to whether she chooses to reciprocate or shun the proposal and then decide if you'd like to continue the social service or make a future for yourself.

I am a 21-year-old boy who has always thought of having a girlfriend. All my friendshave their girls whom they keep talking to all the time but I feel they are all like stalkers. I always thought that first I should earn and then get into all this. Is this peer-pressure?

If your girlfriend will be happy with walks, holding hands and junk food, there's no problem. There are different stages for different ages. But you're not in your teens anymore. You're 21 and, I suggest you work hard and undistractedly towards a stable, financial future first. Use your spare time to read up and research what makes women tick and ways to cultivate the most satiating relationships. The need for romance is important, but money also plays a very crucial role in creating romance in relationships today. Coffee's, movies, lunches and dinners, presents, little getaways together, etc., are almost integral to relationship building. Why live a compromised life?

I am a 20-year-old girl and I have a cousin who is 14 years older to me and divorced. We have been on great terms but lately things went a little too far. We kissed and made out. He says he loves me and wants me. I know it is wrong but cannot stop. He now wants to make love to me. What do I do?

In India, there are different laws within religions and communities regarding intimate relationships with cousins. As you have not specified yours, I can only advise you to refrain, especially if you feel your family would be averse to it. I don't see the sense in starting something that cannot be sustained, or have long-term benefits and might in many aspects be something that may cause lots of grief, regret and complications.

5 Great reasons to fall in love

Pooja Bedi, TNN | May 29, 2012, 12.00AM ISTIt's quite peculiar but everywhere I look, I see an absence of a very valuable emotion: Love. I see loveless marriages, bored couples just passing their years together because the security of being together outweighs the chances of their finding love again.

I also meet so many people scared to fall in love. Some of them are so scared at the possibility of being hurt that the thought of such an eventuality deters them from even trying, else, they have been bitten or become bitter by past experiences. Then there are those that are just too shy and some that think they are undeserving of being recipients of such an overwhelming emotion. And of course there are those that set their expectations as high as Angelina Jolie or George Clooney. Let me give you five great reasons to fall in love quick and to keep yourrelationship loving.

1. You feel great! Love struck individuals constantly churn out a brain chemical called dopamine, a feel-good stimulant that's responsible for those feelings of bliss, optimism and patience. It infuses you with energy, excites you to discover and do new things, eat new food, and the smallest of things cause so much joy.

2. You lose weight. When in love your body is constantly pumping out a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine, which in turn produces adrenaline which suppresses your appetite. Besides, most of us tend to hit the gym more often in order to look and feel our best.

3. Whoever said "a fool in love" couldn't have been more wrong because you become smarter! Scientists at the University of Pavia in Italy found that falling in love raises levels of a hormone that improves memory by triggering the growth of new brain cells.

4. You look younger because oxytocin, triggers the release of DHEA, an anti-aging hormone that triggers cell restoration in the body.

5. People in a relationships have 1/3 the death rate of single people and having a romantic support system protects the body from developing high levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), which causes heart disease. What are you waiting for? Go out there and fall in love.....!

I am 16-year-old boy and I met a girl on the first day of my school. I am attracted to her and incidently she sat in front of me during exams. She asked me for answers and I told her. Then one day she messaged me on a social networking site and we shared our numbers. Since then we have been talking regularly. But lately she has stopped calling me. What do I do?

It seems evident contact was made, waters were tested and the ship sailed on. Or perhaps she was expecting more than just chatter? Try sending her a little present or a lovely bunch of flowers. It's a small investment but may reap rich rewards!

I am a 27-yea-old man and am not sure whether I am in a relationship or not. I know this girl for the past five years. We like each other and I went ahead and asked her mother for her hand. I was refused flatly on my face. I have been taking care of their family for a while now both emotionally and financially and don't understand what more they want. She has never liked anyone else and now I am confused what to do. Please help.

It's sad that while you are supportive of the family emotionally and also financially, they are clear they don't see you as anything more than a benefactor. Why don't you just put the ball in her court? Tell her that you're ready to settle down and would love to do so with her, but you leave the choice to her as to whether she chooses to reciprocate or shun the proposal and then decide if you'd like to continue the social service or make a future for yourself.

I am a 21-year-old boy who has always thought of having a girlfriend. All my friendshave their girls whom they keep talking to all the time but I feel they are all like stalkers. I always thought that first I should earn and then get into all this. Is this peer-pressure?

If your girlfriend will be happy with walks, holding hands and junk food, there's no problem. There are different stages for different ages. But you're not in your teens anymore. You're 21 and, I suggest you work hard and undistractedly towards a stable, financial future first. Use your spare time to read up and research what makes women tick and ways to cultivate the most satiating relationships. The need for romance is important, but money also plays a very crucial role in creating romance in relationships today. Coffee's, movies, lunches and dinners, presents, little getaways together, etc., are almost integral to relationship building. Why live a compromised life?

I am a 20-year-old girl and I have a cousin who is 14 years older to me and divorced. We have been on great terms but lately things went a little too far. We kissed and made out. He says he loves me and wants me. I know it is wrong but cannot stop. He now wants to make love to me. What do I do?

In India, there are different laws within religions and communities regarding intimate relationships with cousins. As you have not specified yours, I can only advise you to refrain, especially if you feel your family would be averse to it. I don't see the sense in starting something that cannot be sustained, or have long-term benefits and might in many aspects be something that may cause lots of grief, regret and complications.