Like the tale of Cinderella's delicate glass slipper and the ugly sisters, the EU seems to have difficulty trying to find a policy on footwear that fits.

Material World

"Check against delivery". That was the instruction on the front of the Queen's Speech. It's the one thing we don't have to worry about with our head of state. She won't get seized with inspiration and announce a "November Guarantee to create 30,000 jobs".

Despite record levels of foreign aid for health, almost no progress is being made in improving child mortality in the poorest parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Many countries are going backwards.

An agreement to end a four-month political crisis in Honduras collapsed early yesterday after the two rival leaders failed to form a unity cabinet to heal the damage from a coup in June.

Developing countries want up to £245bn to reduce their carbon emissions while the EU thinks it should cost them as little as £20bn. Michael McCarthy reports on the huge gap

It's the most important purchase of the season – but it needn't be the most expensive. From trenches to capes, Gemma Hayward picks the best cover-ups on the high street

U2 frontman Bono made a surprise appearance via videolink at the Tory party conference today.

Extremes of wealth and poverty harm us all, say Toby Quantrill and Richard Wilkinson

Major defence projects may not be safe from public spending cuts if the Tories win the next general election, shadow chancellor George Osborne hinted today.

The chief of the Khmer Rouge's main torture centre, being tried by a UN-backed tribunal on genocide charges, today asked the Cambodian people to give him "the harshest punishment."

It's hard to tempt a girl out of her jeans, but this season's alternatives – from playful dungarees to super-skinny cords – might be enough to make her ditch those denims

Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nepal and Nigeria cited as priorities

I do wish Cameron would break with the policy of oiling up to rock stars like Bono