British woman skydiver conquers Everest

Daredevil Holly Budge lands 12,350 above sea level, setting new parachuting first above world's highest mountain

Markets panic as crunch hits Europe

FTSE hits four-year low and Iceland and Russia face meltdown as EU leaders battle to save confidence in banks

Iceland halts trading in six deposit-takers

Shares of Kaupthing, Landsbanki, Glitnir, Exista, Straumur and SPRON were suspended amid scramble for rescue plan

London plunges as banks pump in billions

Leading shares in London and Asia plummet, euro and pound fall and bank rescues in Europe continue, despite US bailout

Obama takes fight on to McCain's territory

As the second presidential debate approaches, John McCain faces an electoral map that has shifted significantly against him

'Lives at risk' in failure to fight ozone

A co-ordinated worldwide approach is needed to combat the threat to human health and food crops, the Royal Society says

Seven battle states could decide outcome

John McCain and Barack Obama's campaign teams focus on crucial 'toss-up' states as Democratic candidate nears magic number

Russia's warships in Venezuelan exercise

Mediterranean show of strength from Cold War fleet bound for South American exercise with Hugo Chavez's military

O. J. Simpson to appeal against jury ‘bias’

Almost half of the jurors who convicted the former football star believed he was guilty of murder from over a decade ago

German savings pledge raises stakes for Brown

Emergency plan to pump billions of pounds of taxpayers’ cash into UK banks emerges as Germany guarantees private savings

Credit crunch makes VSO volunteers drop out

Voluntary Services Overseas say hundreds of posts remain unfilled amid fear of unemployment on return from placements

Time running out to get US banks lending again

US Treasury Secretary has just over a month to construct one of the biggest asset management funds in the world

Stricken Iceland sends out financial SOS

Country's officials are desperately seeking help from the US and Scandinavia as banking woes leave economy crumbling

French rescue hopes sunk by Merkel’s move on savings

President Sarkozy’s ambition of leading a united Europe through the global financial turmoil sank as German savings were secured

Iraq: Risky land of opportunity

A range of state-owned industries, from oil and gas to agriculture and steel, are opening up in the country like never before

EU unity crumbles

Germany became the latest EU member to put its national interest first by announcing its own guarantee for bank deposits

We can’t defeat Taleban, says British commander

Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith tells The Times that a military victory in Afghanistan is 'neither feasible nor supportable'

It’s ‘payback’ as OJ is convicted of robbery

The football and film star, famously cleared of murder in 1995, now faces 15 years in jail on charges of kidnap and robbery

Somali pirates vow to stand and fight

The Voluntary Marines for Somalia, the gang locked in a stand-off with the US navy, says it will repel any attack

Our boys share a sperm-donor father

Four-year-old boy has become first UK child to be put in touch with half-brother or half-sister by Donor Sibling Registry