The funeral of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, the eminent cleric and champion of reform, turned into a mass protest in Iran yesterday as the vast crowd chanted slogans against the government and clashed on the streets with security.

A year after the gesture that instantly gained him adulation throughout the Arab world, the Iraqi reporter who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush has complained that life since then has not lived up to expectations.

The chance to see the Louis Vuitton people celebrate a love of sailing on their home waters of the Cote d'Azur is too good to miss for Amanda Linnell.

Israeli PM says warrant issued in Britain for the arrest of Israel's former foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, is "an absurdity".

Liza Minnelli has settled a lawsuit from a former chauffeur who accused the star of sexual harassment.

Auckland City is one match from a showdown with Barcelona after downing United Arab Emirates champions Al Alhi in Abu Dhabi.

A New Zealander was preparing to skipper a yacht in an international race when the boat was seized by Iranian authorities in territorial waters.

Dubai's main stock exchange dropped more than 7 per cent yesterday.