Hong Kong's embattled leader has attended a ceremony to mark China's National Day after refusing to meet pro-democracy demonstrators.

Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have set a Wednesday deadline for a response from the government to meet their demands for reforms after spending another night blocking streets in an unprecedented show of civil disobedience.

There's a zoo where you can do just that (hint: the tiger wins).

Concave skyscraper ‘melts’ parked car

Yemeni leaders led a sombre ceremony today to mark the country’s national day, scaling back celebrations a day after a suicide bombing killed nearly 100 soldiers during a rehearsal for a military parade.

A suicide bomber with explosives strapped under his uniform killed more than 90 people at a military parade rehearsal in the Yemeni capital Sana’a, an attack which will alarm Washington as its involvement in the front-line state deepens.

Aintree’s executive insist the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Everton will not have a negative impact upon this year’s John Smith’s Grand National - despite being staged on the same day.

Three major road accidents in China killed 56 people on the last day of a week-long holiday, including 35 people who died after a bus collided with a car, state media reported.

IT is sometimes quite amazing how a simple comment, or a preconceived notion, can have such a bearing on one’s behaviour.

Police arrested dozens of activists in China as President Barack Obama arrived on his first state visit to the country today.

IT’S been many, many years since we had to celebrate our national day in the face of such daunting economic and social challenges.

The carnage on Wall Street reverberated across Europe today after US politicians rejected a $700bn (€487bn) bank rescue plan.

Canadian singer Avril Lavigne has cancelled her forthcoming concert in Malaysia following protests from a political party which claims the pop star is "too sexy" to perform in the Muslim country.

Vu Ky, the long-time personal secretary and confidant of Vietnam’s revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, has died, a doctor said.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has thrown his support behind this year’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations in London.

Conceal landed the feature conditions sprint at Jebel Ali in Dubai today to maintain the fine form of Gary Hind and his boss, Kuwaiti trainer Rashed Bouresly.

Singapore’s prime minister said he will hand over his duties this year to the son of Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew – but he will not give a date for the event, news reports said today.

Ginger McCain called for a change to the entry conditions for the Martell Grand National after watching Ebony Light confirm that the stable’s fortunes have changed for the better with a wide-margin win in the Tote Placepot Maiden Hurdle at Uttoxeter.