News

RUSSIA: According to Roscosmos, Russia’s federal space agency, the time has come to put a cosmonaut on the moon. Roscosmos has started a campaign to look for new recruits. Any Russian citizen with medical or technical education can apply.

AZERBAIJAN: It's not only international sporting competitions like the Olympics that pull in huge tourist crowds. This year's Eurovision song contest will bring tens of thousands to Baku, Azerbaijan's capital.

PROPERTY: Skyscrapers are often seen as symbols of a nation’s power and wealth. But according to a recent report, countries that aim to build more and taller skyscrapers are heading for economic disaster.

CARS:  You might expect to see Ghosts and Phantoms in a haunted house —  but increasingly, you'll find them on the highway. In 2011, Rolls-Royce sold more cars than at any other time in its 107-year history.

AUSTRALIA: Move over, mate. The number of women in Australia’s corporate boardrooms has risen significantly in the past year — there are now 140 female directors.

FRANCE: When you feel like celebrating, you might say, "Break out the bubbly!" This means "open a bottle of champagne". And, despite the global economic gloom, champagne makers feel like celebrating.

PSYCHOLOGY: Before important discussions at work, many of us use the toilet. But UK Prime Minister David Cameron is reported to have used the "full-bladder" technique to improve his concentration during the negotiations at last week's EU summit. How does it work?