Hopelessly happy

Researchers have found that giving patients with serious illnesses hope for a cure can make them more depressed. Peter Ubel, director of the University of Michigan Centre for Behavioural and Decision Sciences in Medicine, spoke about "the dark side of hope". "Sometimes, if hope makes people put off getting on with their life, it can get in the way of happiness," he explained. "We think they were happier because they got on with their lives. They realised the cards they were dealt and recognised that they had no choice. This sopped their need to recover, and they could focus on the better aspects of life" Ubel looked at a group of adults who had their colons removed.

Royal transfer

Prince Harry's dreams of taking on the Taliban in an Apache helicopter in war-ravaged Afghanistan are said to have been shattered, after his instructors told him that he is not suited to fly the chopper. The third-inline to the British throne is feeling somewhat downhearted, after being told he is unlikely to fulfill his dream of fighting the Taliban. Instead, the Prince is likely to be trained to fly the more sedate Lynx when he moves soon to his next posting at the Army Air Corps Base at Middle Wallop in Hampshire, the British newspaper said.