61.   An explosion at an illegal fireworks factory in central China has killed at least five people and caused the collapse of several surrounding buildings, state media said Monday.

62.   Areas of China around the Yangtze River are bracing for heavy downpours in coming days which could cause further devastating floods, state media said on Monday.

63.   At least one person has died and six are missing following an explosion that sank a tanker ship off the Cuban coast, official media said Tuesday.

64.   China will phase out a special privileged category of passport for Communist Party officials, abolishing a perk members enjoyed in the past, state media said Tuesday.

65.   Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, in a meeting with his Mongolian counterpart Nambaryn Enkhbayar, has urged increased economic cooperation between the two countries, state media said Tuesday.

66.   China has issued its first national standards to control discharges of pollution such as sewage from farms, state media said Monday.

67.   Dengue fever is renewing its grip in Vietnam as devastating flood waters help to provide an ideal breeding ground for disease-carrying insects, official media said Friday.

68.   Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak arrived in China Wednesday at the start of a four-day state visit, official Chinese media said.

69.   Three miners were killed and another was injured in a coal mine collapse in the mining province of Quang Ninh, official media said Monday.

70.   One man was killed and two injured when a bomb exploded in their Mercedes Benz as they were driving on a Bangkok expressway, local media said Sunday.