Even if their paths don't cross then, Khadafy will be only a few seats away from Obama at the Security Council table on Sept. 24, when the President chairs a meeting on nonproliferation and disarmament.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Obama's big UN adventure

"The indefinite action will continue until such a time as Leeds City Council gets round the table and brings something that is acceptable to our membership, " she added.

BBC: Rubbish

Mr Osman told the UN Security Council such issues could be settled at the negotiating table.

BBC: Ethiopia offers peacekeepers for Abyei in Sudan

The Public Record Office told the BBC it has never held the first page signed by Sir Edward on a table which is now kept in the council chamber in Belfast City Hall.

BBC: Front page of historic Ulster Covenant missing

Dutch Eurosceptic MEP Barry Madlener accused Turkey of sabre-rattling, and said that if Turkey decided to boycott talks with the EU during the forthcoming Cypriot presidency of the Council of Ministers, then "they should never come back to the negotiating table".

BBC: MEPs split over Turkish EU membership prospects

Now the permanent observers are being joined by China, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore and Italy, meaning that all of the key Asian economies now have a seat at the Arctic table, even though they will not have a vote on the Arctic Council.

CNN: China eyes Arctic options in energy, transport

In this day and age, when Britain sometimes struggles to justify its status as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council or as a "major player on the world stage", the medal table may prove to be a more accurate measure of international standing than the size, for example, of the GDP or the armed forces.

BBC: Will Olympics prove a bargain for UK soft power gains?

Jane Brophy, of South Manchester Community Health Council, told the BBC staff were under pressure to meet league table and waiting list targets.

BBC: Waiting list fiddles: South Manchester

The survey, conducted by the local community health council, placed Northwick Park top of a "league table" of long-wait hospitals.

BBC: 'Horrific' waits at London hospital

"When it comes to Davis-Bacon and project labor agreements, that's what puts food on our table, " said Jack Kittley, the political director for District Council 9 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.

WSJ: Unions Find a GOP Ally

If the Union grows to 25, entire council meetings could be taken up with a simple tour de table.

ECONOMIST: Europe's Council of Ministers: Doing the splits | The