Local body elections in 2 phases

The elections to the local bodies in Kerala will be conducted in two phases on October 23 and 25.

Announcing the decision, the state election commissioner said Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kasargodu & Kannur districts would go to polls on October 23. Kottayam, Alapuzha, Palakkad, Thrissur, Idukki, Malappuram and Ernakulam districts will go to polls on October 25.

The model code of conduct came into effect as soon as the date of elections was announced. The official notification regarding elections would be published on September 27.

The Nominations would be accepted till October 4. The scrutiny of the nominations would take place on October 5 and the last date of withdrawal of nominations is October 7.

Counting of votes is scheduled for October 27. The new office bearers would assume office on November 1.

Elections would be held to 978 Grama Panchayats, 152 Block Panchayats, 14 District Panchayats, 59 Municipalities and five corporations. Mattanoor municipality would not go for polls as the term of office of the governing body would end only on 2011.

Virginity behind 106 long years

A woman living in Edinburgh who turned 106 thinks that her virginity is the reason behind her long life.

Isa Blyth has never been kissed and attributes her strong will to being single, the media reported.

"I'm not sure if anyone ever tried it on - but they never got anywhere! She says she never felt the need for romance and never had time for a man. She never had time to be sad. She's an amazing character. You wouldn't believe she is106," the Sun quoted the lady's niece, Sheena Campbell, as saying.

Isa born in 1904 kept busy by going to flower club and church."I think she was also a bit of a maiden lady as she was the first-born and acted as a head with her six brothers and sisters," the Sun quoted the niece.

Maudani arrested in Bangalore blast case

After days of suspense, the Karnataka Police arrested People's Democratic Party Chairman Abdul Naser Madani, who is an accused in the Bangalore blast case.

The arrest was made as Maudani was leaving Anwarssery, where he was camping, to surrender at a court.

The arrest comes minutes after Maudani stated that he was going to surrender before the Judiciary. At a press conference minutes before his arrest, Maudani stated that he was gong to surrender before the court after the afternoon Namaz. He also said that if the police wanted to arrest him in between, they could do that. Though Maudani was ready for surrendering, the Karnataka police had insisted to arrest the Karnataka High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea.


Maudani also reiterated that he was not involved in any conspiracy in the Bangalore Blasts. Stating that the charges leveled against him were because of a high level conspiracy, he said he was aware more charges would be framed against him to trap him.

He was listed as an accused in the Bangalore blasts, allegedly based on the statements given to police by T Nazeer, a key accused in the case. Karnataka High Court had last week rejected Madhani's anticipatory bail plea.

British women prefer clothes engaging in Sex

Almost half of British women prefer to keep their clothes on during sex, a survey has said.

The survey says that about 48 per cent of women prefer not to bare it all in bed, leaving on at least one garment. The results showed that 61 per cent of women claimed to prefer sex with the lights off, compared with just 37 per cent of men.

This research really unveils how large clothes play a role when it comes to female body confidence.

No needles for injections

Those who are afraid of the needles need not be afraid of it any more. A group of scientists from the Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology have come up with a skin patch to administer vaccines without administering it with needles.

The scientists say that the new patch would pave the way for "mail-order" inoculations instead of needles. They say that the patch would dissolve into the skin painlessly.

Man with full-face transplant comes before camera

The Spanish man who underwent the world's first full face transplant has appeared before cameras for the first time since surgery.

Before the Press at Barcelona's Vall d'Hebron hospital, Oscar, 31 spoke with considerable difficulty. He was was operated on in late March at this hospital.

The surgery involved lifting an entire face, including jaw, nose, cheekbones, muscles, teeth and eyelids, and placed it mask-like onto the man.

Oscar, who got a new face, was unable to breathe or eat on his own after accidentally shooting himself five years ago.

Head of the surgical team, Dr Joan Pere Barret, said Oscar would need between a year and 18 months of physical therapy.

Shark attack; man with 300 stitches

A person attacked by a shark has been left with 300 stitches. Clayton Schultz was surfing at Jacksonville Beach in North Florida, when a shark attacked him.

He was rushed to hospital where doctors has to give 300 stitches to close the huge cut in his foot.

He said the shark came up and grabbed his foot and shook it around a little and let go. He said he could see that his foot was torn up when he lifted his foot out of the water.