Hotel collapses in Shanxi province, 17 people die

At least 17 people are dead after a two-storey restaurant collapsed during a birthday party in northern China, METRO informs. Seven people have been seriously hurt after the building crumbled during a gathering on Saturday morning. According to METRO, a further 21 are injured after the tragedy, which happened just before 10am local time.

More than 700 emergency workers have launched a rescue mission at the scene in Xiangfen county, Shanxi province, 400 miles southwest of capital Beijing.