Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei says thousands of supporters have donated about 3.5 million yuan to help him pay off a tax bill sought by the government. A state-run newspaper has warned the movement could be illegal. Ai said on Monday that more than 16,000 people donated about US $550,000 a week after the Beijing tax bureau told him he owed $2.4 million in back taxes and fines. Activists say the government's tax claims are punishment for Ai's activism.—AP