And he found that three similar mass strandings in the Canary Islands were also associated with military manoeuvres.

ECONOMIST: Quiet, please. Whales navigating

Last weekend, Mr Chavez presided over military manoeuvres in the disputed Gulf of Venezuela, just metres from the border.

ECONOMIST: Venezuela

The nation is known to have carried out web-based military exercises at the same time as other troops were on manoeuvres.

BBC: US general warns over Iranian cyber-soldiers