A fresh round of international nuclear talks opened today with negotiators inching closer toward setting a timetable for North Korea’s disarmament after the biggest obstacle hindering discussions was removed – £13m (€19m) in frozen North Korean funds.

Chinese authorities have paid compensation to the mother of a 15-year-old boy who was beaten to death by police amid the military crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 1989, an activist said today.

The Rolling Stones opened their first ever concert in mainland China on Saturday with the classic hit, “Start Me Up.”

Heading to Europe to repair damaged relations, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed a subject yesterday that is unlikely to make her job easier: Europe’s dealing with China.

China confirmed two cases of Sars today and said the mother of one patient has died, apparently the first Sars fatality in the country since last July.

The fifth instalment of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter made its Chinese debut today - 10 days ahead of schedule in a bid to thwart counterfeiters and because of huge demand, publishers said.