A 17-year-old boy suspected of having bird flu has died, Vietnamese officials said today, as they banned poultry imports and stepped up measures to stop the disease from spreading.

Voters in Hong Kong today turned out in large numbers for a legislative election, many venting anger at their leaders and hoping to hand pro-democracy opposition politicians unprecedented clout in the Chinese territory.

The people of Hong Kong voted today in elections that could give pro-democracy figures more clout than any time since China reclaimed the territory in July 1997 – following a campaign marred by scandal and alleged intimidation.

Hundreds of thousands of people marched through Hong Kong today, demanding full democracy and venting anger at China’s Communist leaders for denying them the right to directly elect their government.

Thousands of Hong Kong people marched today in an impassioned plea for full democracy mixed with anger at the territory’s unpopular leader.

Hong Kong should move slowly on introducing more democracy in order to ensure China’s political stability, a former British colonial official said today.

Hong Kong’s electoral system should be reformed by the time his successor is chosen in 2007, the former colony’s Chinese leader said today, but he stopped short of calling for democracy.

EXUBERANT explosions echoed across Beijing yesterday as Chinese people welcomed the Year of the Monkey, a time they hope brings wealth to a country that has made prosperity its official policy.

THOUSANDS of people marched through Hong Kong yesterday to demand full democracy in the former British colony in the biggest rally since a mass protest in July that threw the government into crisis.

China’s Ho-Pin Tung made history today when he became the first driver from his country to test a Formula One car.

Hundreds of people today demonstrated against Hong Kong leader Tung Chee-hwa, fearing that he will appoint allies to local councils to offset the pro-government party’s losses at last month’s polls.

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese met Special Olympics athletes from Hong Kong yesterday who failed to make it to the Games due to the SARS crisis.

HONG KONG plunged deeper into crisis yesterday after the resignations of two top Cabinet ministers added fuel to demands for democratic change and put further pressure on leader Tung Chee-hwa.

THE watering down of reviled anti-subversion laws by Hong Kong’s government has done little to allay concerns, pro-democracy groups said yesterday, calling for the legislation to be postponed.

THE World Health Organisation removed Hong Kong from its list of SARS-infected areas yesterday, but warned the territory to keep up its guard against future outbreaks that might put it back on the list.

THE SARS outbreak is “over its peak” around the world, including in the hardest-hit country, China, a World Health Organisation official said yesterday.

QUARANTINE measures appear to be paying off in Hong Kong’s fight against SARS and its leader voiced growing confidence about beating the disease. But experts said yesterday it’s unclear when the crisis will end.

Thousands of volunteers in Hong Kong today began a massive cleaning campaign aimed at slowing the spread of SARS.

SCIENTISTS in Hong Kong yesterday said they had identified the virus behind a mystery pneumonia that has killed more than 50 people worldwide.

China’s President Jiang Zemin today marked Hong Kong’s first five years under Beijing’s rule by saying its capitalist ways are intact but that citizens should give more support to the mainland.