International

• Monday, July 23rd 2012 - 04:22 UTC

  Scientists discover whales learn to protect their ears from loud noise

  

  Scientists have long known that man-made, underwater noises — from engines, sonar, weapons testing, and such industrial tools as air guns used in oil and gas exploration — are deafening whales and other sea mammals.

• Monday, July 23rd 2012 - 04:15 UTC

  After 18 years of negotiations Russia is member of World Trade Organization

  

  President Vladimir Putin signed the bill ratifying Russia’s entry to the World Trade Organisation after 18 years of often acrimonious negotiations, the Kremlin press office said.

• Monday, July 23rd 2012 - 04:06 UTC

  EU parliament president warns economic crisis could spark “social explosion”

  

  European Parliament president Martin Schulz warned this weekend that Spain's economic crisis could spark a “social explosion” across the continent.

• Monday, July 23rd 2012 - 02:55 UTC

  Olympic Committee “glad” Argentina will avoid politically tainted demonstrations

  

  The head of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge assured he was “glad” that President Cristina Fernández had called the Argentine athletes to avoid demonstrations over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands sovereignty dispute during the Olympic Games of London 2012.

• Saturday, July 21st 2012 - 06:50 UTC

  UK receives first of next generation of stealth aircraft, STOVL F-35 Lightning II

  

  The first of the UK's next generation of stealth combat aircraft, Lightning II, was handed over to the Ministry of Defence at a ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond formally accepted the first of the jets which are short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and are manufactured by Lockheed Martin.

• Saturday, July 21st 2012 - 06:16 UTC

  Chinese electric-battery buses for Uruguay; the first arrive at end of 2012

  

  China’ BYD has inked another strategic deal for its electric bus products, this time in Uruguay with one of the country’s leading tourism companies. The agreement was witnessed by Uruguay’s president Jose Mujica.

• Saturday, July 21st 2012 - 06:08 UTC

  Angola approves wide-ranging cooperation agreement with Brazil

  

  Angola’s National Assembly approved this week the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of Strategic Partnership with Brazil, as well as the draft resolution on Cooperation between the two countries in defence domain.

• Saturday, July 21st 2012 - 01:33 UTC

  The Olympic torch at the Tower of London next to the Crown Jewels

  

  Olympic torch arrived in London by Royal Navy helicopter to spend the night in one of Britain's most secure sites ahead of its week-long journey around the capital, culminating in the lighting of the cauldron at the main stadium in a week's time.

• Saturday, July 21st 2012 - 00:25 UTC

  Dumpling squid mate for three hours and take 30 minutes to recover swimming speed

  

  Promiscuous dumpling squid take 30 minutes to return to normal swimming speed after mating, say scientists. The short-lived cephalopods, named for their rotund shape, are known to mate with as many partners as possible.

• Saturday, July 21st 2012 - 00:16 UTC

  Senior economist “ashamed” of having worked for IMF; blasts power-play

  

  A senior economist at the International Monetary Fund spearheading the bailouts of three Euro zone countries has lambasted its lack of leadership and said its first female chief is not fit for the job.