At least 82 people were killed and more than 120 others hospitalized after a massive gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in China late Friday, according to the Associated Press (AP). Two people remained missing.

The catastrophic blast at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County, located in China’s northern Shanxi province, marked the country’s deadliest mining disaster in recent years.

Local officials, who have launched an investigation into the incident, said they uncovered “serious violations” by the mine’s operator, Shanxi Tongzhou Coal & Coke Group.

The explosion also triggered a wave of heightened safety inspections across China’s coal sector, tightening the supply outlook for coking coal and sending prices soaring Monday, according to Reuters.

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According to the AP, the explosion triggered a chaotic scene where thick smoke engulfed the mine and suffocated many victims underground.

One miner lost consciousness, while many others suffered from toxic gas exposure, the outlet added, citing state broadcaster CCTV.

The explosion has reportedly intensified scrutiny from Chinese officials, who said investigators found multiple violations at the site, though details remain unclear.

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In 2024, China’s National Mine Safety Administration had previously classified the mine as disaster-prone due to its “high gas content,” the AP reported.

State media also reported that blueprints provided by the mine did not match the site’s actual layout, complicating rescue operations, the outlet added.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a full-scale effort to rescue those still missing and ordered a thorough investigation to hold those responsible accountable, the AP said, citing official Xinhua News Agency.

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The state-run outlet later reported that company officials connected to the disaster had been “placed under control,” according to the AP.

China has suffered a string of deadly mining disasters in recent decades even as officials have pledged to strengthen oversight of the sector.

In 2023, at least 53 people were killed in Inner Mongolia following reports of a collapse at an open-pit mine.

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In 2009, a reported explosion at a coal mine in Heilongjiang province left 108 people dead.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

“Michael” is nearing another major box office milestone. The musical biopic about Michael Jackson has generated $788 million globally and will soon eclipse the $800 million mark.

Over the weekend, “Michael” added $28.5 million overseas in another strong showing. The crowd-pleaser, distributed by Universal internationally and Lionsgate domestically, has grossed $468 million overseas and $319 million domestically to date. With one significant market — Japan — yet to open, “Michael” should eventually surpass 2018’s sensation “Bohemian Rhapsody” ($911 million) to stand as the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time.

Disney’s comedy sequel “The Devil Wears Prada 2” also surpassed a notable box office benchmark with more than $600 million worldwide. Now in its fourth weekend of release, the fashion-set film collected $21 million overseas. “The Devil Wears Prada 2” has been big in North America with nearly $200 million to date, but it’s been especially popular at the international box office with $408 million.

This weekend’s major release was Disney’s “Star Wars” spinoff “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” which opened to $64 million from 51 territories. Top markets were the United Kingdom with $7.1 million, Germany with $6.5 million, China with $5.3 million and Japan with $4.9 million. The big-budget tentpole has been a bigger draw in North America with $82 million over the weekend and an estimated $102 million through Memorial Day on Monday. That brings the global total to $145 million over the three days and $165 million over the four-day frame.

Those ticket sales are roughly even with the studio’s last spinoff attempt, 2018’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” which ended in disaster. That movie opened to $65 million overseas as well as $84 million domestically (and $103 million through the four-day Memorial Day holiday), not adjusted for inflation. With lackluster reviews and tepid word-of-mouth, it became the first “Star Wars” movie ever to lose money in its theatrical run, tapping out with $392 million globally against a massive budget of nearly $300 million. “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” meanwhile, cost $165 million to produce (that’s on the leaner side for Disney) and seems to have far better word-of-mouth from critics and audiences. The film’s second weekend at the box office will better indicate whether “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is just appealing to fans of the series, or if it’ll be able to stick around in theaters.

Jon Favreau directed “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” a continuation of the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian,” which follows Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin and his adorable green sidekick as they navigate a galaxy that’s recovering from the fall of the evil Empire. It’s an important test for Disney as the first “Star Wars” movie in seven years — since 2019’s billion-dollar tentpole “The Rise of Skywalker.” There’s been pressure to prove the space opera series has cinematic potential because Disney+ became the go-to destination for all things set in a galaxy far, far away, with shows ranging from “The Book of Boba Fett” and “Ahsoka” to “Andor.” The franchise will return to the big screen with next summer’s “Star Wars: Starfighter,” an original adventure directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling.