Not surprisingly an air of gloom has descended over the office of Mr Prescott.

ECONOMIST: Transport

Last month, a pall of gloom descended over Amethi.

CNN: Hard Times for Congress

Uganda then descended into a madness that lasted for over a decade and resulted in the killing of close to a million of its citizens.

FORBES: Murders and Pensions: The Need for Forensic Investigations (March 28, 2006 )

Afghanistan has not yet descended into the chaos that prevailed before the Taliban took over.

ECONOMIST: Special report

Over a few short years, the bluetooth earpiece has descended from futuristic marvel to technological faux pas.

FORBES: Cisco Business-ifies The Bluetooth Headset

The widely expected abdication comes at a time of debate over the future of the largely ceremonial Dutch monarchy, but also as calm has descended upon the Netherlands after a decade of turmoil that saw Beatrix act as the glue that held together an increasingly divided society.

NPR: Dutch Queen Beatrix Abdicating, Son Will Be King

Mali descended into chaos last March after Tuareg rebels took advantage of a military coup to expand their control over the vast north of the country.

BBC: Mali future debated at Brussels meeting