A 35-carat diamond passed among Europe's royalty for four centuries, the Beau Sancy, sells for twice its reserve at auction in Switzerland.

Cutting air pollution has an instant impact on heart health, experts believe, after reviewing studies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

A report commissioned by the NSPCC suggests that children are coming under pressure from friends to post explicit pictures

The number of elderly people in England getting council-funded care has fallen by 11% in the last two years and looks like it will fall further, figures obtained by Labour suggest.

The home secretary is "on the precipice of destroying" a police service admired throughout the world, she is to be warned by rank-and-file officers.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari is likely to attend Nato's Chicago summit on Afghanistan amid signs a crisis in relations may be easing.

Greek President Karolos Papoulias is due to meet party leaders to set up a caretaker government, ahead of fresh elections expected next month.

The Olympic flame will be "laid to rest" in Greece in a ceremony later before it is officially handed over to London.