Primark's Ryan comes out of hiding

Arthur Ryan, chairman of Primark, hasn't been photographed in public since founding the chain in 1969. Now Mr Ryan's seclusion is over: after turning up to accept a gong at the Retail Week Awards at London's Grosvenor House on Thursday night, the septuagenarian stuck around and was spotted puffing away on a ciggie with pals outside the Park Lane hotel after midnight.

The Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has revealed that his mother suffered a brain haemorrhage last year when she watched television footage of a student throwing a shoe at him during a visit to Cambridge University.

China is attempting to scupper chances of a comprehenive agreement at the Copenhagen climate summit by using delaying tactics, sources inside the negotiations have told The Independent.

Gordon Brown demanded more ambition from countries deadlocked in climate change talks today but conceded that it could take up to a year to secure a binding international deal on global warming.

Crunch UN talks on climate change kicked off in Copenhagen today, amid calls for a strong international agreement which delivers immediate action to tackle rising temperatures.

At least 42 miners were killed and 66 remain trapped 500 metres underground following a gas blast at a mine in China early today.

Civilisations can be different, but no civilisation is superior to others. Each civilisation embodies the common vision and common aspirations of mankind shaped in the course of development and progress. The Chinese civilisation has long advocated the great ideas that "harmony is most valuable", "seek harmony in diversity" and "do not do unto others what you would not have others do unto you". Similarly, the Islamic civilisation values peace and calls for tolerance. The Koran contains more than 100 references to peace. We should build consensus and seek harmony in a world of diversity and push forward development through exchanges. This is the approach all mankind should embrace in advancing civilisation.

Premier Wen Jiabao says China intends to strengthen its co-operation with Iran, an indication that Beijing will oppose growing calls in the West for additional sanctions against the Islamic Republic for its nuclear programme.

North Korea has said it is ready to return to international talks on ending its nuclear weapons programme if the United States agrees to bilateral discussions first. The offer came during a visit to Pyongyang by the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, whose government pledged to strengthen bonds with North Korea.

China's Premier Wen Jiabao met the North Korean leader Kim Jong-il yesterday amid signs that North Korea may be willing to restart talks over its nuclear weapons programmes.