Reuters - At least 31 miners were killed and 78 remain trapped 500 meters (yards) underground following a gas blast at a mine in China, state media said on Saturday.

AFP - An explosion at a coal mine in northeast China early Saturday killed at least 42 workers, state news agency Xinhua said, citing emergency services.

AP - A gas explosion tore through a state-run coal mine in northern China on Saturday, killing 42 people and leaving 66 others trapped underground as rescuers worked hastily to save them.

AFP - Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Saturday praised US President Barack Obama for taking up the issue of Tibet "very seriously" with Chinese leaders on his recent trip to China.

AP - Washington's ambassador to Beijing hit out Friday at negative U.S. media coverage of President Barack Obama's visit to China, saying it failed to take into account important progress on many issues.

AP - A prominent mainland Chinese director banned by Beijing from making movies brought his new gay romance film to Hong Kong on Friday for what is likely the last of a handful of screenings on his home soil.

AP - When the apocalypse comes, China will save the world.

AFP - The United States called Friday for the release of Xue Feng, a China-born US citizen who has been held in the Asian nation for two years on state secrets charges.

Reuters - Two Chinese rights activists who sought a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama hours before he left Beijing said on Friday they were briefly detained by police, and one said Washington's sway over rights in China had eroded.

AP - China's health ministry said it will punish officials who underreport cases of swine flu after a doctor famous for exposing the extent of the 2003 SARS epidemic said he believes the true number of swine flu deaths is being covered up.

AP - Sometime into his long detention by China's feared state security agents, American geologist Xue Feng had something to show U.S. consular officials on their monthly visit. He rolled up his sleeve, revealing the burns where his interrogators pressed lit cigarettes into his arm.

Reuters - Expressing frustration over the Obama administration's light touch on China's yuan exchange rate, two U.S. senators asked the Commerce Department on Thursday to investigate alleged Chinese currency "manipulation."

AP - Sometime into his long detention by China's feared state security agents, American geologist Xue Feng had something to show U.S. consular officials on their monthly visit. He rolled up his sleeve, revealing the burns where his interrogators pressed lit cigarettes into his arm.

AFP - China has vowed to tighten supervision of its fast-growing online games market, saying some games contained content that was "harmful" to players.

AFP - Although US President Barack Obama raised the thorny issue of human rights during his first visit to China this week, he left many political dissidents -- those who were not locked up -- disappointed.