Last week saw the departure of six cabinet ministers from the government and devastating local election results for the Labour Party, which saw it lose control of its four councils and its vote share drop to an historic low of 23%.

BBC: Brown defiant amid leadership row

In a three-week period last month, an American marine battalion, tasked with taking control of Garmser, a Talibanised district of southern Helmand, called in one air strike, to drop a 500-pound bomb.

ECONOMIST: Afghanistan

Reivers were now on the back foot and three further Williams penalties put Neath in control until Hodge's crucial drop goal in the final minute of the half kept the home side's hopes alive.

BBC: Reivers come storming back

The March Pew study, drawn from numbers obtained from the Bureau of Justice Statistics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also found a dramatic drop in gun crime over the past two decades.

FORBES: Disarming Realities: As Gun Sales Soar, Gun Crimes Plummet

He has seen his ratings among Colombians drop in recent weeks because of the widespread perception that the security situation has gotten out of control during his leadership.

CNN: Indigenous groups clash with Colombian soldiers