Sterling fell to its lowest level versus the dollar since mid-August on Monday as investors continue to take a bearish stance on the UK economy and look to whether the Bank of England will cut rates on Thursday.

Corrects margin of second test win in second paragraph.

Riots and post-election violence in Kenya may have killed up to 1,000 people, the opposition said on Monday as it halted protests to give mediation a chance.

Two suicide bombers struck in a Sunni Arab district of Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 14 people including the leader of a U.S.-backed neighbourhood security patrol, police said.

Prosecutors began their war crimes case against Liberia's Charles Taylor on Monday with footage of a Sierra Leonean whose hands were cut off by rebels, and testimony on the diamond trade that funded a brutal war.

An explosion at a fuel storage tank caused a huge blaze at Iraq's largest refinery on Monday, injuring at least 36 workers, and the fire was spreading, witnesses said.

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton battled to keep crucial New Hampshire from swinging to rising rival Barack Obama on Sunday but new polls showed him jumping into the lead.

Democrat Hillary Clinton, her back against the wall in New Hampshire, battled to keep the state from swinging to rival Barack Obama on Sunday by accusing him of talking about change but failing to get results.

Presidential rivals in both parties took aim at Democrat Barack Obama's experience and health-care proposals on Saturday, hours ahead of back-to-back debates that could shape tight nominating races in New Hampshire.

A suicide bomber severely wounded five Afghan policemen in an attack in the southern province of Kandahar on Monday, a provincial official said.

Pakistan will not allow any country to conduct military operations on its territory, officials said on Monday, rejecting a report that said the United States was considering authorising its forces to act in Pakistan.

Three Islamic militants on death row for the 2002 Bali bombings met their families on Monday, as their lawyer said they would seek an edict from Indonesia's Muslim body on the legality of execution by shooting.

Riots and post-election violence in Kenya may have killed up to 1,000 people, the opposition said on Monday as it halted protests to give mediation a chance.

Georgian leader Mikhail Saakashvili celebrated victory on Monday in a presidential election which his opponents branded as rigged but which won broad support in the West.

There won't be any white smoke to tell the world he has been elected, but another sort of secret conclave began in Rome on Monday -- to chose the worldwide Jesuit leader who is known as the "the black pope".

Sterling fell to its lowest level versus the dollar since mid-August on Monday as investors continue to take a bearish stance on the UK economy and look to whether the Bank of England will cut rates on Thursday.

Oil fell more than $1 to below $97 a barrel on Monday, handing back gains triggered by reports of fresh tensions between Iran and the United States.

Brewers Carlsberg and Heineken are expected to raise their bid for Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) to 770 pence a share later this week to bring the British brewer into takeover talks, analysts said on Monday.

Corrects margin of second test win in second paragraph.

Lewis Hamilton celebrated his 23rd birthday on Monday by showing off the car that McLaren hope will take him to the Formula One title as the youngest champion this season.

Havant and Waterlooville, the last remaining minor league club in the FA Cup, were handed the chance of a dream fourth-round tie with Liverpool at Anfield in the draw made on Monday.