In Qatar, General Tommy Franks, commander of coalition forces in the region, said there were "light" formations of Turkish troops in northern Iraq.

CNN: Turkey denies moving troops into Iraq

Formations were introduced in the 19th century to impose order on a sport that was still largely a lawless free-for-all.

WSJ: Euro 2012: Germany, Italy and the Fraudulence of Soccer Formations

Having decided to take part, the ministry was so determined to quash UFO rumours, officials arranged for RAF Lightnings and one US Air Force Phantom to be filmed flying in formations that they said were the basis for the rumours.

BBC: UFO programme 'panic' gripped ministry

Meanwhile, back in North America, new techniques were being developed to extract oil and natural gas from shale formations deep underground, from tar sands in Canada, and from deep water in the Gulf of Mexico.

WSJ: China Foothold in U.S. Energy

She was a bright, emphatic child who arranged her toys in elaborate formations, as if they were perpetually on parade.

NEWYORKER: A Loaded Gun

Both sides were set up in 4-2-3-1 formations yet it was the visitors, winless in the league at Arsenal since 1983, who carried the greater threat going forward.

BBC: Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland