The most read News articles in 2008

Eccentric Britain, a USA in depression, female assassins and the fury at Lehman Brothers' bonuses in the face of collapse topped your choices of news story this year.

The top ten of stories and features you most liked this year is headed by a taste of British eccentricity: Notes on a small island: The things that really make Britain great. From rolling hills to rolling cheeses, morris dancing to readers' wives, our nation has a host of endearing pecularities to celebrate and you took great delight in our selection of the things that made people great.

But in stark contrast, the second most popular was a controversial view of modern America - USA 2008: The Great Depression, looking at this year as the country's second great depression. Mirrored by another on being Down and out in Las Vegas. Neither of which matched the horror of the earthquake in Beichuan: a vision of hell.

Rather more romance was to be found in your reading of the tale of a man who found out that his lover was a killer (I fell in love with a female assassin) - less so in the Fury at $2.5bn bonus for Lehman's New York staff, the bonus culture outlasting even its collapse. Stories of oil and riches appeared with the Saudis promising We will pump more oil, while Secret plan to keep Iraq under US control were also revealed.

Mandela's 80th birthday party and The Independent's successful campaign which finished with Pervez death sentence quashed by Afghan court, a happy ending for Sayed Pervez Kambaksh at least.

And I nearly forgot - Scientists discover way to reverse loss of memory.

1. USA 2008: The Great Depression
2. 'I fell in love with a female assassin'
3. Fury at $2.5bn bonus for Lehman's New York staff
4. Scientists discover way to reverse loss of memory
5. Down and out in Las Vegas
6. Pervez death sentence quashed by Afghan court
7. Beichuan: a vision of hell
8. Mandela's 80th birthday party
9. Saudi King: 'We will pump more oil'
10. Revealed: Secret plan to keep Iraq under US control