Italian marine's medical leave extended

India's top court on Wednesday granted an Italian marine's request for extended medical leave abroad. He and a fellow marine were held in India without formal charges for almost three years over the 2012 shooting of two Indian fishermen.

The two, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, are expected to be charged with killing the fishermen while assigned to anti-piracy duty aboard an Italian cargo ship off India's southwestern coast.

Latorre was allowed to travel to his home country for medical treatment in September after suffering a stroke in India. This month, he asked the Indian Supreme Court to extend his leave in Italy after undergoing heart surgery on Jan 5.