UNLESS Bauer or Manighar fulfil Luca Cumani’s burning ambition to lift Tuesday’s Emirates Melbourne Cup it sounds as if he will continue his pilgrimage to Australia until he does.

Hong Kong police seized a second statue dedicated to victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in what critics called an attack on freedom of expression in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday declared the swine flu epidemic has reached global pandemic status, the first in 41 years.

Japanese stocks have rebounded from an historic fall in the previous session as positive sentiment regained some momentum following strong overnight gains on Wall Street.

Two Americans found dead in a Hong Kong luxury hotel might have ingested the date-rape drug Rohypnol, a newspaper reported today, citing police.

Irish trade will benefit from the World Trade Organisation deal, a Government minister said today.

A group of Hong Kong gourmets has paid £61,000 (€90,600) for a huge Italian white truffle at an international auction.

Court Masterpiece will bid to end his year on a high in the Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin next month.

HONG KONG: the Hang Seng index closed unchanged at 14983.2.

STUDENTS and twenty-somethings will be able to take working holidays of up to a year’s length in Hong Kong under a new bilateral agreement.

THE International Equestrian Federation (FEI) is running out of time and laboratories in which to test the B blood sample taken from Cian O’Connor’s horse Waterford Crystal.

Avian flu has been confirmed on a second Delaware poultry farm, hitting US hopes of resuming chicken exports.

WORLD Health Organisation experts were being sent to a crowded province in China where SARS is spreading fast, while research published yesterday suggests the illness is much more deadly than other respiratory diseases.

Hong Kong has announced another six deaths from Sars today.

A TANKER carrying 20,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas caught fire in Chinese waters east of Hong Kong yesterday, risking a huge explosion, authorities said, though the wind drove flames away from the ship's cargo area.

Hong Kong police arrested nine people today for taking bets on World Cup soccer matches, in a continuing crackdown on illegal gambling.

2002 PGA European Tour Schedule

A former Hong Kong police officer indecently assaulted a 16-year-old girl by giving her a "virginity test".