The ex-police chief at the centre of China's worst political scandal in decades has gone on trial in a closed hearing involving state secrets.

Protesters angered by an anti-Islam film have stormed the US Embassy compound in Yemen’s capital, two days after America’s ambassador was gunned down at the US Consulate in Libya.

ARCHBISHOP Tomás Ó Fiaich visited the United States in May 1979. He was invited to stay at the Irish embassy in Washington by Ambassador Seán Donlon, but he initially declined the invitation.

HER Majesty’s Plate, over a mile and five furlongs, is easily the best contest on the programme at Down Royal this evening.

Armed men opened fire today on Turkish police guarding the front entrance to the US consulate in Istanbul, killing three policemen in what Turkish and US officials called a terrorist attack. Three assailants were also reported killed.

Manchester police in the UK have offered to assist in the compilation of a report on the treatment of Bolton fans by Spanish police during the club’s UEFA Cup game against Atletico Madrid.

Paul Carberry missed a winning ride aboard Zum See in the Tony O’Malley Memorial Handicap Chase at Galway after failing a breath test before racing.

Forthright has just held the late charge of High Reef to win the feature Guinness Handicap.

THE frustrating Irish Invader can finally enjoy a victory over flights by landing the Hilary Murphy Travel Novice Hurdle at Wexford this evening.

Militants in Nigeria are planning a major new wave of attacks and kidnappings in the next few days that could include up to 20 simultaneous bombings across the country’s oil-rich delta region, US diplomats warned today.

Swiss police, surprised to find an empty building when they stormed the Spanish consulate to capture would-be robbers, have launched a search for the three suspects who forced their way into the mission and held three employees hostage before fleeing.

SWISS special forces stormed the Spanish consulate yesterday to end a hostage stand-off, only to find the suspected robbers had left the building six hours earlier and eluded police.

Unidentified individuals took over the Spanish consulate in Switzerland’s capital Bern this morning, police said.

A team of US Marines have arrived in the Red Sea port of Jeddah to assist in security at the US Consulate that came under attack by Islamic militants, a American Embassy official said today.

Two car bombs exploded minutes apart by an English language school near the US consulate in Pakistan’s biggest city today, killing a policeman and wounding 25 other people.

A woman set herself on fire during protests in Paris today against a police raid on the offices of an Iranian opposition group.

At least 20 people were killed when four explosions tore through the Moroccan coastal city of Casablanca damaging a synagogue, the Belgian consulate and a Spanish restaurant, officials said.

US and Pakistani investigators are continuing their search of the American Consulate in Karachi after a car bomb killed 11 people.