The Town Hall Debate: (Paul J. Richards AFP/Getty Images)

The BBC often calls on ordinary citizens affected by major news events to share their personal experiences. But asking someone in a difficult situation to pour their heart out, can put a journalist in an awkward situation. An example of this happened recently in an interview on the BBC World Service. Here Isa Ali Gedi, a resident of the war-torn Somali capital Mogadishu, tells his story to the The World Today's anchor Fergus Nicholl.

US Presidential Race: Christo Komarnitski, Bulgaria
How closely have you been following the US election? Let the BBC test your knowledge.

The televised vice-presidential debate between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin will be the first and only time the two meet face-to-face. Based on their past performances, each has potential to make blunders that could expose their respective presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, to criticism or attack.

The BBC World Service's 'Talking America' bus has completed the western leg of its journey and is now deep into part two of the trip: The South. Alan Little has picked up the baton as main host, but it's the same varied mix of coverage you'll recognize if you've followed the journey so far. It's revealing to see how a foreign news organization covers domestic American issues - and what it is about America that fascinates BBC audiences right around the world.

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin met seven world leaders in 48 hours. Critics of Governor Palin have argued that although she is hoping to become America's vice president, she currently has little or no foreign policy credentials. They have branded the meetings as a PR opportunity, with some broadcasters threatening to boycott the entire exercise. The BBC's Matthew Price reports from New York.

The Outlook program broadcasts unique human interest stories from all over the globe on the BBC World Service. Andres Schipani's feature on the growth in popularity of Women's wrestling in Bolivia is no exception. Schipani went to meet and watch the women as they faught it out in El Alto.

Back in 1959 there was an exhibition in Moscow of American consumer products. The cars, kitchens and sofas were there to show the Soviets the American way of life. It's easy to imagine U.S. - Soviet rivalry being played out with rockets, Olympics or chess matches, but the cold war was also reflected in coffee cups, chairs and public housing. This design element of international politics is the subject of a new exhibition in London. Our arts correspondent Lawrence Pollard went along...

Are you a 'Recessionista'? Should you be considering a 'staycation' this year? The BBC Business Unit's jargon-busting glossary will help you decide. And if there's a business term you still don't understand, you can message the Business team direct, via a form at the bottom of their page!

The BBC World Service is broadcasting in more than thirty languages around the globe. Recently, some of those language departments have run discussions on their websites inviting opinion on the U.S. election race. Those comments have been translated into English. So if you want to know what some users of BBC language services around the world are saying about the two candidates click on the link below.