A deadly coal mine collapse and Brazilian beef ban

Here’s what else you need to know about China today:

Top story: Local governments across China are struggling to pay their bill after three years of massive spending on COVID prevention and amid an economic slowdown. Scroll down for a summary or click through for the whole thing.

A mine collapse has left at least five dead and 48 people missing, after a landslide buried an open-pit coal mine in Inner Mongolia yesterday. China’s state broadcaster CCTV released video footage that showed what appeared to be the moment of the collapse, and ongoing efforts to rescue others have been temporarily disrupted by two additional landslides.

Brazil halted beef exports to China after a case of mad cow disease was confirmed yesterday. The move has raised concern among Brazilian farmers over a drawn-out ban from its main destination for beef sales, which has driven the country’s trade surplus.

Alibaba’s home city of Hangzhou wants its residents to have lots of kids: The eastern Chinese city announced it will offer subsidies of up to 20,000 yuan ($2,906) to families with two or three children this year, becoming the latest local government to announce cash incentives to encourage people to have more babies to boost China’s shrinking population

Struggling retailer Carrefour China has received an injection of state funding: In January, after reports of empty shelves, resignations, and problems with prepaid cards, Carrefour China seemed to be on the verge of collapse, but earlier this week, the company signed a cooperation and investment agreement with the Yingjiang District Government in Anqing, Anhui Province. Click through for details and other stories from the Chinese media.