Coal mine death toll THIRTEEN people have been confirmed dead and three others remain missing after an accident Friday afternoon at a coal mine in the city of Pingdingshan, Central China’s Henan Province, the owner of the mine said Sunday. The accident happened at 2:55 p.m. Friday at a coal mine of Pingdingshan Tianan Coal Mining Co. Ltd. Preliminary investigations show that it was caused by a coal and gas outburst. Rescue work is still under way. Pre-litigation mediation CHINESE courts resolved 12.04 million cases through pre-litigation mediation in 2023, which accounted for 40.3% of all cases filed in the year, according to a national conference attended by presidents of higher courts across the country Sunday. Courts across China have enhanced coordination with “people’s mediators,” who are qualified individuals appointed by people’s mediation committees as full or part-time mediators. In the first three quarters of 2023, people’s mediators invited by courts nationwide each successfully mediated an average of 75 cases prior to litigation procedures, according to the conference held by the Supreme People’s Court. Aid for orphans IN the third quarter of 2023, the monthly basic living allowances for orphans living at welfare facilities and in foster homes across China were 1,885.4 yuan (US$265.4) and 1439.9 yuan, respectively, increasing by 5.2% and 6.6% year on year, according to the national civil affairs work conference held Sunday. A total of 146,000 orphans and 388,000 de facto unattended children in China were covered by the country’s support system as of the third quarter of 2023, according to the conference. | 