Fuxin, China
Trapped gas ignited in a Chinese coal mine this week, killing at least 200 miners. It was China’s worst reported mining accident since Communist Party rule began, in 1949. The explosion, 800 feet below ground, was just the latest in a series of mining disasters over the past few years. Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has pledged to enforce new safety regulations, but the stricter rules have done nothing to eliminate dilapidated mining equipment and overcrowded mine shafts. China accounts for more than 80 percent of mining deaths worldwide, with 6,000 last year alone.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Democrats: How to rebuild a damaged brandFeature Trump's approval rating is sinking, but so is the Democratic brand
-
Unraveling autismFeature RFK Jr. has vowed to find the root cause of the 'autism epidemic' in months. Scientists have doubts.
-
'Two dolls': Can Trump sell Americans on austerity?Feature Trump's tariffs may be threatening holiday shelves but they've handed Democrats a 'huge gift'
