London, Nov 11 : University of Liverpool scientists have devised a new therapy programme that will help depressed new mums in developing countries beat the blues.

Professor Atif Rahman from the School of Population, Community and Behavioural Sciences was the one who developed the therapy programme while working as a Wellcome Trust Career Fellow in Tropical Medicine in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

"Depression is one of the leading causes of mental illness in the world and when the condition affects mothers with newborn babies, it can lead to serious consequences" Lancet quoted him as saying.

Washington, Nov 11 : A species of parasitic nematode worm doesn''t make any sperm when females are not around, according to a new study.

Earlier, scientist believed that sperm production is quite similar to the production of eggs in females, but recently the notion has been challenged in animals that need to produce a lot of sperm or particularly large sperm.

For example, males of some other species of rodents, fish, and insects reduce the sperm count depending on the social circumstances. But they generally don''t go without.

Berlin - German investor confidence posted a surprise increase in November, a key indicator released Tuesday showed, with the survey representing a key test of sentiment in Europe's biggest economy amid the fallout from the world financial crisis.

New Delhi - Indian equities dropped more than 6 per cent Tuesday, largely because investors were selling stocks to lock in profits from previous gains given the gloomy global economic outlook and negative trading on other Asian markets, analysts said.

A fall in India's exports for the first time in five years in October added to the negative outlook.

The 30-share Sensitive Index of the Bombay Stock Exchange closed at 9,839.69 points, 6.61 per cent below Monday's close.

The broader 50-share Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed 6.66 per cent lower at 2,938.65.

London, Nov 11 : It won''t be long when one could have easy-to-clean surfaces that can repel almost all liquids, even oily fluids long noted for their ability to foul water-repellent surfaces - thanks to US chemists who have developed "omniphobic" material that repels both water and oil.

And scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, even coined a new word to describe their creation - "omniphobic" - meaning it hates everything.

The material has a surface texture that can force away watery and oily liquids into tight droplets.

The material''s surface consists of 300-nanometer-tall "toadstools" with broad silicon dioxide caps and narrow silicon stems.

London, Nov 11 : A British couple has been arrested for allegedly having sex on a crowded Virgin train.

The randy pair was “going at it like an express engine”, it has been claimed.

It has been said that a 41-year-old woman allegedly performed a sex act on businessman Gregory Sim, 49 on a daytime Virgin service from Liverpool to London Euston, while co-travellers buried their heads behind their newspapers.

“She supposedly performed a sex act on him right there in the carriage,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.

The source added: “Neither of them were drunk and this was early afternoon. Being typically British, the other passengers said nothing and hid behind their papers.