That Chinese mines are still the world's most dangerous is confirmed once again with a second deathly and dusty accident this week. Only this time, the story has a little smudge of tragicomedy to it. more ›

At least 23 coal miners remain trapped beneath the surface at the Sizhuang Coal Mine in Yunnan province's city of Qujing due to a gas eruption at around 6:30 a.m on Thursday that killed 20. Local rescue operations are currently underway but are marred by a hazardous gas leak. more ›

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Last week we posted about a coal mine fire in east Shandong province that trapped 36 miners underground in a mine owned by Zaozhuang Fangbei Coal Mine Co. Ltd. In more recent news, 24 miners remain trapped with little hope of a successful rescue. more ›

China doesn't have much to show for in the way of coal mine safety, but perhaps feeling inspired by the Chilean rescue capsule that was displayed at the Expo, the state has put into effect a new provision which requires that managers of mining sites in which one incident results in the loss of ten or more lives to have their qualifications revoked and be banned from running a coal mine ever again. Managers that have two mining accidents in one year resulting in the deaths of 3-9 people in each incident will also have their licenses similarly revoked. Though it's a welcome (baby) step, we have to wonder about its enforcement and whether it would actually improve safety down in those mines. more ›

@relevantorgans: Party criticizes Chile for interfering in China's affairs by setting unrealistic expectations for value of miners' lives. more ›

Oh boy, last night's World Cup game between North Korea and Portugal sure was killer wasn't it? As we saw the last ball, GOAL 7 (to 0, in case you didn't watch), scream past the DPRK goalie's hands, a ton of questions raced through our minds: How would this be broadcast in Pyongyang? What will happen to these poor North Korean players? How will their Chinese fans react? more ›

• China, Japan, S Korea agree to push forward Six-Party talks [China Daily] "China, Japan and South Korea agreed here Saturday to continue pushing forward the Six-Party talks aimed at realizing denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
• Tiananmen 20 years later: A survivor's story [AP] Twenty years after China's military crushed dissent around Tiananmen Square, the details are still fresh in Qi Zhiyong's mind. The acrid smell of tear gas. The people run down by tanks. The dizzying pain when a bullet tore through his left leg.
• Graft in China Covers Up Toll of Coal Mines [NYTimes] "Under China’s authoritarian system, superiors reward subordinates for strict compliance with targets set from above, like reducing mine disasters... Work-safety officials in Beijing complain that even more than in other industries, death tolls from accidents at coal mines are often ratcheted down or not reported at all. That is because of the risky profits to be made — by businessmen and corrupt local officials — exploiting dangerous coal seams with temporary, unskilled workers in thousands of illegal mines."

• Boy Killed Anally When Office Chair Explodes [Gizmodo] "Well, stories don't get much worse than this. A 14-year-old boy in China was killed when his chair exploded, sending chunks of metal into his rectum. The bleeding this caused killed him."
• Is anything made in the U.S.A. anymore? You'd be surprised [International Herald Tribune] "The United States remains by far the world's leading manufacturer by value of goods produced. It hit a record $1.6 trillion in 2007 - nearly double the $811 billion of 1987. For every $1 of value produced in China factories, the United States generates $2.50. So what is made in the U.S.A. these days?"
• More than 20 dead in N China coal mine accident [Xinhua] "The accident occurred at about 2: 00 a.m. Sunday at the Tunlan Coal Mine of Shanxi Coking Coal Group in Gujiao City near Taiyuan, the provincial capital, when 436 miners were working underground."

We were out and about in the rain all of yesterday and had no idea a "mega thunderstorm" was brewing out there in another part of town and people were getting killed in it. According to Xinhua, this was a "once-in-a-century thunderstorm":

A migrant worker was crushed to death and 14 were injured after a thunderstorm hit part of Shanghai on Saturday afternoon, municipal flood authorities said. more ›