SUB SINKS
A 40-year-old Russian nuclear submarine sank in the Barents Sea last Saturday, killing 9 of its 10 crew members. The ageing attack sub was on its way to be decommissioned when it hit rough weather and filled with water, possibly because its conning tower was left open. The Russian navy says the two reactors on board were shut down in 1989 and that as the sub seems to be undamaged there is no chance of a radioactive leak. But environmentalists are angry that the sub鈥檚 uranium fuel rods had not been removed.
ASTEROID WARNING
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There has been another asteroid warning this week, and this time it鈥檚 a big one. Asteroid 2003 QQ 47, which could hit Earth in 2014, is 1.24 kilometres across. Fortunately the estimated chance of an impact is only 1 in 909,000. Astronomers hope their estimate will drop even lower as they pin down the object鈥檚 orbit more accurately.
CHEAP DRUGS
Members of the World Trade Organization have finally reached a deal to supply cheap drugs to poor countries. The decision, made in Geneva, ends talks that have dogged the initiative since it was first proposed in 2001. The deal will allow developing countries to import cheaper versions of generic drugs made under compulsory licensing if they are unable to manfacture the medicines themselves.