Students climb out of a building after the earthquake hit Padang

The day the earth shook

Thousands buried by powerful quakes

119 die in Samoan islands tsunami with death toll from tremors in Indonesia expected to rise sharply.

Chairman Mao reads out a letter proclaiming the People’s Republic of China on 1 October 1949

Snapshots from Mao's comrade in revolution

Clifford Coonan meets the Chairman's loyal photographer 60 years after she captured history.

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High Court battle: What's £9 billion between brothers?

Cahal Milmo: The return home of Brunei's controversial Playboy Prince could signal an end to a decade-long family feud.

How Cameron cosied up to Murdoch & Son

Andy McSmith: The Sun's decision to turn against Labour was the reward for years of shrewd politicking and social networking by the Tory leader and his team.

Georgia began war with Russia, but it was provoked, inquiry finds

1,000-page European Union analysis of South Ossetian conflict points finger of blame at both sides

Leading article: Georgia started it and Russia continued it – to excess

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Brown fumes at Murdoch's sabotage of his big moment

Labour declares war on The Sun as it ditches support for party after 12 years

Ousted: the US diplomat who wanted inquiry into Afghan vote

Peter Galbraith recalled by United Nations after row over disputed election

Evergreen Giggs revives United after Owen limps off for repairs

Manchester United struggle to 2-1 victory over Wolfsburg after early injury to striker

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Graeme Swann: 'Something's clicked – but I've no idea what'

As England face Australia tomorrow in the Champions Trophy semi-final, England's off-spinning all rounder tells Stephen Brenkley why he's feeling confident (though Ponting's talking a good game too...)

This is England: A new book of photos captures the essence of the English outdoors

In summer we take our chairs to the river and barbecue on its banks, we walk our dogs on the beach, drive motor homes and sleep on the road, or plunge into gravel pits filled with water, where we float on the inner tubes of tractor tyres.

No thanks for the memory: Why the net won't let you forget

In the digital age, everything we say, do and write is preserved forever. But do we want to leave our virtual footprints all over the web? Aren't there some things we'd rather forget?

'Woolworths' set to return to the high street next month

New chain looks to re-employ laid-off staff at pick 'n' mix stores

Stress is pushing the koala to extinction

A virus brought on by loss of habitat is wiping out an Australian icon

Britain's naturalised parrot now officially a pest

Drug tests for exam students 'inevitable'

'Academic doping' by students is becoming routine, psychologist warns

Martin Stephen: 'It's madness for Ed Balls to say that heads are mere bureaucrats'

Defiant Brown brushes off Sun rejection

Gordon Brown today tried to brush off the impact of losing the support of The Sun, insisting that it is the British public, and not newspapers, who will decide the result of the coming general election.

Seti: The hunt for ET

Scientists have been searching for aliens for 50 years, scanning the skies with an ever-more sophisticated array of radio telescopes and computers. Known as Seti, the search marks its half-century this month.

Drug tests for exam students 'inevitable'

'Academic doping' by students is becoming routine, psychologist warns

Doctor Charles Houston: Mountaineer who tackled K2 twice

Charles Houston's territory was the "thinne aire" of big mountains. He almost gasped his last of it in 1953 during an epic retreat on K2, the world's second highest mountain, and later immersed himself in the study of why we get sick at high altitude, and sometimes die there.