Rory McIlroy will be an interested spectator as the first event of the European Tour's Final Series gets under way in China on Thursday.

From the Senior Cup to a World Celebrity Pro-Am, it has been quite the journey for Irish PGA professional Brian O’Donovan.

The Philippines government has raised the official death toll from the typhoon disaster to 1,744 people, but the final number is expected to be much higher.

Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated after a powerful typhoon thundered into southern China shutting down the financial centre of Hong Kong and sinking a cargo ship.

North Korea’s sabre-ratting against the US has actually left its strongest ally, China, feeling that it is being encircled, writes Paul Eckert.

China deplored tension on the Korean peninsula yesterday and, in an apparent reference to North Korea, said no country should be allowed to plunge the region into chaos after the US postponed a missile test to ease talk of war.

International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde says that while a substantial portion of the global economy appears better now than a year ago, some risks persist.

Christine Lagarde has told an Asian forum that the euro has a solid future.

Mark Allen tonight apologised for his outburst against Cao Yupeng and Chinese players as a whole

Steve Davis today challenged Mark Allen's claim that Chinese snooker players are lacking in sporting integrity.

China’s economy may have expanded about 8.4% in the first quarter, the least since the first half of 2009, according to an estimate given by an official 10 days before the data is due.

Australia made a good start to today’s foursomes at the Golf World Cup to maintain their two-shot cushion over Ireland at the Mission Hills resort on Hainan island.

Typhoon Megi has caused the deaths of at least 10 people as it roared across the country’s north and now heads for southern China, authorities in the Philippines said today.

Super Typhoon Megi slammed ashore along the Philippines' north-eastern coast today with ferocious winds of 140mph – the strongest cyclone to hit the country in years.

The death toll from flooding in central Vietnam nearly doubled to 48 today as rain continued to punish swathes of Asia.

MORE than 1,000 people have died or disappeared in severe flooding in China so far this year, and the heaviest rains are still to come, a senior official warned yesterday.

More than 1,000 people have died or disappeared in severe flooding in China so far this year, and the heaviest rains are still to come, a senior official warned today.

A typhoon that left dozens dead in the Philippines and two more dead in China weakened to a tropical storm today as it churned towards northern Vietnam, smashing boats in its path and lashing the region with rain and wind.

At least five men armed with knives burst into the dormitory of a vocational college in China today and slashed nine students, one of them seriously, sparking new fears in a country on edge over a series of shocking rampages, many of them at schools.

Action star Jackie Chan grew up in Hong Kong’s freewheeling society, but he said today that too much freedom isn’t good and he’s starting to think “we Chinese need to be controlled”.

China's Defence Ministry demanded that the US Navy end surveillance missions off the country's southern coast following a weekend confrontation between an American vessel and Chinese ships.

Chinese warships with special forces troops, missiles and helicopters are to join the international anti-piracy mission off Somalia.

Chinese president Hu Jintao says the recent unrest in Tibet is purely an internal affair that directly concerns the sovereignty of the world’s most populous nation.

The father of an eight-year-old girl who completed a 55-day run across eastern China denied forcing her into the ordeal, saying she considered pounding the pavement for hours each day a form of play.

Ireland’s Paul McGinley produced a second round 67 to edge into the weekend action after his opening round 72 put the Ryder Cup ace in danger of missing the cut at the TCL Classic in Hainan.

Ryder Cup ace Paul McGinley was battling to make the cut at the TCL Classic in Hainan after moving to three under par during his second round at the Yalong Bay Golf Club today.

Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat produced a stunning opening-round 11-under-par 61 to open up a three-shot lead over Argentina’s Rafael Echenique at the TCL Classic in Hainan today.

England’s Lee Westwood trails clubhouse leader Rafael Echenique by two shots at the TCL Classic in Hainan after carding an opening six-under-par 66 at the Yalong Bay Golf Club today.

Ireland’s Paul McGinley hopes his experience of the course at the Yalong Bay Golf Club will put him firmly in contention when the TCL Classic in Hainan begins tomorrow.

Ryder Cup-wining captain Ian Woosnam is seeking a return to form at the TCL Classic in Hainan this week after an inglorious comeback following last year’s K-Club success.

China’s death toll from Tropical Storm Prapiroon has jumped to 48, with 15 more people missing, after the storm knocked down houses and set off landslides and flash floods, news reports said.

The death toll from Tropical Storm Prapiroon rose to six in south China today as the storm weakened further into a tropical depression but continued to drench an area where 400,000 people had been evacuated.

Tropical Storm Prapiroon left five people dead in south China, official media reported today, as high winds and heavy rain lashed an area where 400,000 people had earlier been evacuated.

Typhoon Prapiroon roared towards southern China today packing winds of up to 80 mph.

England’s David Lynn, the overnight leader, was joined at the head of the field by Prayad Marksaeng early in his round on day three of the Volvo China at the Honghua International Golf Club.

TCL CLASSIC winner Johan Edfors is expecting a major career change after the 30-year-old Swede won his first tournament on the European Tour on the Chinese island of Hainan.

Sweden’s Johan Edfors claimed his first European Tour title with victory in the TCL Classic on the Chinese resort island of Hainan as overnight leader David Howell’s bid fell apart in the final round.

David Howell has his eyes on a European Tour scoring record as he bids to win the low-scoring TCL Classic on the Chinese resort island of Hainan.

David Howell’s grip on pole position at the TCL Classic on the Chinese resort island of Hainan slipped as the Englishman was overtaken during the third round.

Ryder Cup team-mates Paul Casey and Paul McGinley heaped praise on European Order of Merit leader David Howell after the Englishman raced to the front at the TCL Classic on the Chinese resort island of Hainan.

David Howell was relishing life among the pacesetters after firing himself into early contention following the first round of the TCL Classic in the Chinese resort of Hainan.

David Howell was relishing life among the pacesetters after firing himself into early contention following the first round of the TCL Classic in the Chinese resort of Hainan.

RYDER CUP veteran Paul McGinley believes qualifying for this year’s European team to face the United States could be the most challenging in the event’s history.

Paul Casey is aiming to continue his love affair with China’s burgeoning golf scene as he sets out to successfully defend his TCL Classic title this weekend at the Yalong Bay Golf Club on the resort island of Hainan.