Depression: 'Mindfulness-based therapy shows promise'

A mindfulness-based therapy could offer a "new choice for millions of people" with recurrent depression, a Lancet report suggests. Scientists tested it against anti-depressant pills for people at risk of relapse and found it worked just as well. The therapy trains people to focus their minds and understand that negative thoughts may come and go. In England and Wales doctors are already encouraged to offer it. Patients who have had recurrent...

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Groundhog Day musical to have world premiere at Old Vic

Matilda director Matthew Warchus is the Old Vic's new artistic director, taking over from Kevin Spacey A new stage musical of Groundhog Day is to have its world premiere at the Old Vic in London next year. Based on the 1993 comedy film with Bill Murray, the show will be directed by the Old Vic's new boss Matthew Warchus. Other plays in his inaugural season include Ibsen's The Master Builder, starring Ralph Fiennes, and Pinter's The Caretaker,...

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China property developer Kaisa defaults on overseas debt

Shenzhen is one of China's largest cities and is home to many industrial estates and companies Kaisa Group has become the first Chinese property developer to default on its overseas debt, which is estimated to be about $2.5bn (£1.7bn). The Shenzhen-based company said it missed two interest payments, raising concerns that more of its creditors could demand their money back. Kaisa has borrowed billions in order to pay for large land purchases...

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China property developer Kaisa defaults on overseas debt

Shenzhen is one of China's largest cities and is home to many industrial estates and companies Kaisa Group has become the first Chinese property developer to default on its overseas debt, which is estimated to be about $2.5bn (£1.7bn). The Shenzhen-based company said it missed two interest payments, raising concerns that more of its creditors could demand their money back. Kaisa has borrowed billions in order to pay for large land purchases in...

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Credit Suisse profit lifted by trading turnaround

Tidjane Thiam (left) will take over from Credit Suisse's current chief Brady Dougan later this year Credit Suisse has reported a 23% rise in first quarter profits, helped by gains in its securities trading and wealth management divisions. Switzerland's second-largest bank said net profit rose to 1.054bn Swiss francs ($1.1bn; £739m) from 859m francs, beating market estimates. The results are the last under long-serving chief executive Brady...

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Indian AAP expels founder members

Mr Yadav (left) and Mr Bhushan (right) were founder members of the party Indian anti-corruption party AAP has expelled two of its founder members after feuding and infighting following its victory in Delhi's state election. Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were removed for "gross indiscipline and anti-party activities", the party said in a statement. The party also expelled senior members Anand Kumar and Ajit Jha. The AAP (Aam Aadmi Party)...

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Solar plane aims for Chinese coast

Solar Impulse was held on the ground for about 15 minutes to resolve some communications issues The fuel-free aeroplane Solar Impulse has taken off from Chongqing in western-central China, and is heading for Nanjing in the east. It is the sixth stage in a bid to fly around the world that began in Abu Dhabi, UAE on 9 March. Solar Impulse was only supposed to stay a few hours in Chongqing after arriving from Myanmar (Burma), but poor weather grounded...

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Utah woman Megan Huntsman jailed for killing babies

Megan Huntsman had been a heavy user of methamphetamine, police said A woman in the US state of Utah who admitted killing six of her own newborn babies has received a sentence of up to life in prison. Megan Huntsman, 40, was arrested a year ago after the bodies were found in cardboard boxes in the garage of her former house. In February she pleaded guilty to six counts of murder. A judge in the city of Provo gave her the maximum sentence of at...

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Japan maglev train breaks world speed record again

Japan's magnetic levitation train first set a 581km/h world record back in 2003. A Japanese magnetic levitation train has broken its own world speed record, hitting 603km/h (374mph) in a test run near Mount Fuji. The train beat the 590km/h speed it had set last week in another test. Maglev trains use electrically charged magnets to lift and move carriages above the rail tracks. Central Japan Railway (JR Central), which owns the trains, wants...

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South Korea PM Lee Wan-koo offers to resign over scandal

Mr Lee (centre) denies accepting 30 million won in illegal campaign funds South Korea's Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo has offered to resign after facing accusations of accepting bribes, just two months into his post. Mr Lee denies accepting 30 million won ($27,700; £18,600) in illegal campaign funds from businessman Sung Wan-jong. A note left by Sung, who died in an apparent suicide earlier this month, listed eight figures he claimed to have bribed,...

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AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd pleads guilty to threat to kill

Phil Rudd, drummer of Australian rock band AC/DC, has changed his plea to guilty on a charge of a threat to kill, at a court in Tauranga, New Zealand. The court heard he had asked for a former employee to be "taken out" because he was angry his solo album had not performed well. Mr Rudd, who had denied the charges, also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and methamphetamine. One second charge of a threat to kill has been dropped for lack...

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