China detains 100-plus people for doomsday rumours

BEIJING (AP) - Chinese police have detained 101 people for spreading rumours of the world's impending end.

The state-run Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday that police confiscated leaflets, DVDs and other apocalyptic propaganda in the recent arrests in eight provinces across the country.

The detentions come ahead of Dec 21 - a date some say the Mayans prophesied would be the end of the world and which was the subject of the apocalyptic movie, 2012.

Nearly half those detained are reported to be members of the group Almighty God, which is also called Eastern Lightning.