South Africa: rescue operation at besieged illegal gold mine
A rescue operation is under way at a gold mine which has been under police siege since Aug as part of a government initiative targeting illegal mining, an industry valued at 60 billion rand a year. The siege, which included cutting off food and water, drew criticism from human rights organisations. In December a court ruled that volunteers could send down supplies to the trapped men, and recently ordered the state to launch a rescue operation. Rescuers, using metal cages to recover people from depths of over 2,000 metres, have now recovered 78 bodies and 216 survivors, who face charges of illegal mining, trespassing, and immigration violations. Miners' rights groups report that hundreds more survivors and dozens of bodies remain underground.
Los Angeles: winds lighten, but fires still burning
Winds in Los Angeles, which have exacerbated wildfires, were expected to intensify again on 15 January, but in fact weakened to much lighter gusts. At least 25 people have been killed and more than 12,000 structures destroyed in some of the worst fires in memory to engulf America's second biggest city. The two largest fires, Eaton and Palisades, are still burning after more than a week - and firefighting help has been sought from Mexico and Canada. Officials said there has been little to no fire growth in the last 24 hours, but stressed that unburned, dry fuel combined with low humidity could pose threats despite the decreased winds. While first responders are making progress putting out flames, evacuated residents will not be able to return to their neighborhoods for at least one more week, even for areas deemed safe. Around 82,400 Californians are under evacuation orders, according to Sheriff Robert Luna. He also said there have been 47 arrests related to looting and violations of evacuation orders.
Cuba: USA set to remove ‘terrorism’ designation
As Joe Biden nears the end of his term, he is set to remove Cuba’s designation as a ‘state sponsor of terrorism’. This decision comes after an assessment found no evidence supporting Cuba’s continued listing. However, with Donald Trump soon to take office, the move may be symbolic and subject to reversal. Cuban officials welcomed the ‘overdue’ action, pointing out the harm which the designation caused to their economy and population. The designation, originally made in 1982 under Ronald Reagan, has been rescinded and reinstated several times. While some Republicans plan to challenge the move, the change could allow US humanitarian organisations to provide aid to Cuba without facing sanctions. In response, Cuba announced the release of 553 prisoners, including some linked to the anti-government protests in 2021.
A wall which aims to chronicle world's answered prayers
The Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer, a monumental Christian structure near Birmingham, is progressing toward construction. Designed as the largest Christian monument worldwide, it will feature one million white bricks, each digitally linked to a personal story of answered prayer. The 169-foot structure, shaped like an infinity loop, symbolises the eternal nature of God’s love and faithfulness and will be visible from six miles away. It aims to chronicle the transformative power of prayer, blending testimonies from ordinary Christians with those of historical figures such as Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II. Visitors can interact with the structure, accessing individual prayer stories through their phones. Founder Richard Gamble highlights the global impact of these testimonies, urging American Christians to contribute to the project’s goal of 200,000 US prayer stories. He calls this monument a 'testimony to Christ’s finished work’, emphasising its potential to inspire faith worldwide.
