Only last week in Ohio a man with a menagerie of more than 50 animals, including tigers, giraffes and bears, decided to open up his cages and then shoot himself in the head - after being convicted of animal cruelty.

BBC: Exotic pets: Why do Americans keep dangerous animals?

If this sounds familiar, it bears an uncanny resemblance to the line ElBaradei and his colleague, Hans Blix, the then-head of the UN weapons inspection program in Iraq, employed to excuse Iraqi non-compliance in the run-up to war last Spring.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Non-starter

Lucas Alexander Karl Scheybal, the head of the firm that bears his initials, believes this sort of watch has huge potential in e-commerce.

ECONOMIST: MONITOR