GENEVA - THE World Health Organisation declared the first flu pandemic of the 21st century on Thursday, Sweden's health ministry said.
The health ministry said the United Nations agency was raising its pandemic flu alert to the top phase 6 on a six-point scale, indicating the first influenza pandemic since 1968 is under way.
TAIPEI - A 96-YEAR-OLD Taiwanese man who will receive his master's degree in philosophy this weekend said he was able to compete with younger students by pulling all-nighters before exams.
Chao Mu-he, better known to his classmates at Nanhua University in southern Taiwan as 'Grandpa Chao,' said he began graduate school after being told he was too old to continue as a volunteer at a local hospital.
BEIJING - BEIJING faces a 'garbage crisis' as an increasing volume of rubbish threatens to overwhelm the capital's existing landfills, state media reported on Thursday.
The volume of waste produced in the city is growing at eight per cent per year and is expected to exceed the capacity of Beijing's 13 landfill sites within five years, the China Daily reported, citing the city government.
MANCHESTER (England) - MANCHESTER United have agreed to sell Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for a world record 80 million pounds (S$191 million), the club said on Thursday.
'Manchester United have received a world-record, unconditional offer of 80 million pounds for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid,' said a statement on its website, under the headline 'Reds accept ?80m Ronaldo bid.'
