Robert Gates takes the post of US defence secretary at a particularly low ebb in the US involvement in Iraq.

Standing Order No. 24 is a rule that allows an MP to ask the speaker to allow time for an emergency debate on a particular topic.

Universities and schools should warn students how 'softer' A-level subjects can narrow their degree choices, a report says.

US President-elect Barack Obama's choices to lead his economic team show a determination to tackle the financial crisis.

A unique London 2012 scheme to promote sport for youngsters around the globe, particularly in developing countries, gathers steam.

Rising rates of sexually transmitted infections among young women are of "particular concern", a new report warns.

Sexual exploitation of male children is on the rise in India, particularly in places of religious tourism, a report reveals.

Chelsea, Man Utd and Liverpool win but Arsenal lose as the top four all play on a busy day of Premier League action.

A "particularly bad instance" of fly-tipping on Sheppey leads to a council appeal for information.

You have been sending your views about England's chief medical officer column on how the NHS could learn from department stores, such as John Lewis.

Motorists are warned to avoid particular routes in west Cambridgeshire after a river overflows.

Employers predict a sharp rise in redundancies, particularly among older people, as the financial crisis hits the job market.

Key facts, figures and dates

The world's 200 million migrant labourers are particularly vulnerable to the global economic crisis, warns the UN's chief.

Our guide to many of the business terms currently cropping up regularly in the headlines.

Leading Islamic feminists explore the challenges of combining a fervour for equal rights with faith in Muslim countries around the world.

Aid workers seek to help others, but the threat of violence is increasing - particularly in Afghanistan and Somalia.

Job seekers have been warned to be particularly careful when sending their CVs to websites.

Latin American economies are in better shape to withstand the global financial slowdown than in previous years but China's role in helping the region weather economic turbulence is crucial, says the BBC's James Painter.

A row between two sects is holding up desperately-needed repair work at one of Christianity's holiest sites - the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, reports the BBC's Wyre Davies.