China’s economy showed further signs of softening in July despite a burst of government stimulus measures, suggesting more policy support may be needed to keep growth on track as a property downturn worsens.

68 people were killed and nearly 200 others injured, most with severe burns, after an explosion today at a car parts factory in eastern China that supplies General Motors.

A Tibetan mastiff puppy has been sold in China for almost €1.4m, a report said, in what could be the most expensive dog sale ever.

A Saab automobile car rolled off the assembly line yesterday for the first time in more than two years.

Leaked oil from a ruptured oil pipe caught fire and exploded today in an eastern Chinese port, killing at least 22 and injuring others.

China’s richest man plans to invest 50 billion yuan (€6 billion) to build the country’s version of Hollywood in the eastern city of Qingdao.

China’s richest man, property developer Wang Jianlin, raised the curtain on a planned 50bn yuan (€6bn) “motion- picture city” which he described as the biggest-ever single investment in the movie and television industry.

An elite sailor who gave up competitive sailing after the 2008 Paralympics to concentrate on family life has dusted down his old vessel to compete again.

Kinsale is buzzing this weekend as yachts from across the globe dock for the IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships.

China and Russia kicked off their largest-ever joint naval drills today in the Sea of Japan.

Annalise Murphy suffered one of Olympic sport’s deepest disappointments when she emerged from the toughest, most exciting medal race of the 2012 Olympic Games Sailing regatta.

BLIND schoolgirl Keri Kelly has received her first treatment in her bid to help her see for the first time after flying to China for revolutionary treatment.

A Chinese man has dressed up as a carrot along with 49 friends to propose to his partner - and it worked.

A bullet train crashed into another high-speed train in eastern China, killing at least 35 people, injuring 191 others and once again raising safety concerns about the country’s fast-expanding rail network.

CHINA has opened the world’s longest cross-sea bridge.

China has opened the world’s longest cross-sea bridge.

TREASURY Holdings’ Chinese offshoot has reached agreement to buy one of Shanghai’s leading shopping malls for just over €63 million.

TREASURY China Trust (TCT) — the Chinese arm of Irish property development company, Treasury Holdings — has successfully raised more than €15 million in a private share placement that will go towards two acquisitions the company has identified.

THEY may have travelled around the world despite being amateurs but the crew of the Cork Clipper can’t really do “downtime”.

Chinese President Hu Jintao met today with US and other foreign naval commanders ahead of a display of ships broadcasting Beijing’s intentions of becoming a major sea power.

A spurned mistress drove her lover and his four other women off a cliff after losing a bizarre talent contest to decide who would stay with him.

China's health minister said today tainted milk formula had killed three babies and made 6,200 ill in a spreading scandal that prompted three additional companies - including the country's biggest dairy - to recall products.

ON A day that will be remembered at the Paralympic Games for the bronze medal- winning performance of Gabriel Shelly in the individual Boccia competition, Ireland’s other paralympians were not to be outdone, setting new Irish records in the velodrome, and the Water Cube.

It was an exciting day in Qingdao where Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne produced another top ten result in the Star class to place 8th in their first race of the day.

IT IS now up to Cork’s Peter O’Leary and Stephen Milne to rescue Ireland’s chances of a memorable result from this Olympic regatta, but the Star class pair have some work on their hands in a white hot fleet after sailing to two 13th places, their worst scores so far, yesterday.

SPORTS Minister Martin Cullen has spoken of the ‘comfortableness of the relationship’ between Ireland and China, a country long criticised for its human rights violations and policies.

AFTER a demanding day on the waters of Qingdao’s Fushan Bay yesterday in the most wind they had sailed in since they dropped their mast disastrously during the Star Worlds, Peter O’Leary and Stephen Milne lie in 11th place overall in the Star class.

Racing in all classes at the Olympic sailing regatta has yet to begin this afternoon due to a lack of wind in the waters of the Yellow Sea off Qingdao.

WHILE Britain’s dominant Olympic sailors marched to lead two of the three classes which have started racing on Fushan Bay off Qingdao, Ireland’s Finn sailor Tim Goodbody lies in 18th place overall after four races.

American Zach Railey stressed the importance of staying consistent after taking the lead in the overall standings of the Finn class on the second day of the Olympic sailing regatta on today.

The Beijing Olympics will open today, firing the starting gun for the world’s ultimate sporting competition.

An investigation has blamed speeding for the train crash in eastern China that killed 70 people, it was reported today.

A high-speed passenger train slammed into another train in eastern China today, killing at least 70 people and injuring more than 400 in China’s worst train accident in a decade.

A high-speed passenger train came off the tracks and crashed into another train in eastern China today, killing at least 66 people and injuring more than 400, a state news agency reported.

China urged its citizens to be “calm” and “rational” as nationalistic protests against French supermarket Carrefour spread today to more cities across the country.

IRISH property company China Real Estate Opportunities Limited has seen its property holdings in China increase in value to €872.4 million, an increase of €70m in just six months.

Eighteen railway workers were killed and another nine injured when a high-speed train ran into them, China’s work safety watchdog said today.

China’s ruling Communist Party, reeling from a corruption epidemic that has seen senior party chiefs jailed around the country, warned today that the fight against graft was a long way from being solved.

Frank Lampard is almost certain to be ruled out of Chelsea’s trip to Barclays Premiership strugglers West Brom on Saturday.

Christopher Bodeen, Shanghai

Nearly 9,000 Russian and Chinese troops began a mock assault on the beaches of northern China today for the final stage of unprecedented joint war games between the two former Cold War rivals.

Share prices closed the morning lower, pressured by Wall Street's overnight weakness following weak US retail sales data, dealers said.