Mountain
21 runners dead as extreme weather hits China ultramarathon
Twenty-one people were killed after hail, freezing rain and high winds hit runners taking part in a 100-kilometre (62-mile) cross-country mountain race in China, state media said Sunday. The extreme weather struck a high-altitude section of the race held in the scenic Yellow River Stone Forest near Baiyin city in northwestern Gansu province Saturday afternoon. Among the dead were elite Chinese long-distance runners, local media reported. Official news agency Xinhua confirmed the death toll had risen to 21, citing the local rescue command headquarters. State broadcaster CCTV also reported the final missing competitor had been found dead. Baiyin city mayor Zhang Xuchen said that at around midday Saturday a section of the rugged ultramarathon course — between kilometres 20 and 31 — was “sudde...
Cape Town fire ‘contained’ as firefighters battle windy conditions
A blaze advanced along South Africa’s iconic Table Mountain toward central Cape Town on Monday after ravaging university buildings, while firefighters battled strong winds in their efforts to control it and officials evacuated residential areas. The fire broke out Sunday morning in the foothills of the mountain and spread to the University of Cape Town (UCT), destroying buildings and part of a library housing a unique collection of African archives, while causing students to flee. The blaze had been largely contained on Monday, but firefighters were still battling to control it. Cape Town mayor Dan Plato said efforts were currently focused on the mountain above the Vredehoek suburb, with residents being evacuated “as a precautionary measure”. “Strong winds are placing pressure on firefight...
DR Congo: A Sad Tale Of Suffering In The Midst Of Plenty
DR Congo: A Sad Tale of Suffering in The Midst of Plenty… I saw a video today, of some Congolese who discovered a mountain full of gold in their region, and the villagers quickly swarmed in on the mountain, digging away with their hands and any other instrument they could find. Whether or not the video is authentic I cannot tell, but what I am sure of is the living hell that life in DR of Congo has become today. And this suffering is not due to a fault of theirs, but purely what God has blessed them with. [embedded content] The story of the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the largest and richest countries in Africa is one of suffering in midst of plenty. For years, powerful western nations plundered that nation, and now, since 1996, over 6 million Congolese have died in the most inhum...
Beirut seeks Christmas cheer after devastating year
Near the wreckage of Beirut’s port, a charity is bringing Christmas cheer to a city hammered by a devastating explosion, rising coronavirus infections and the worst economic crisis since Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war. The Solidarity Christmas Village, decked out with flashing fairy lights and glittering trees, has been offering visitors free entry to watch concerts and pick up drinks and snacks, lifting the mood of families who can’t afford seasonal luxuries. People dressed in giant polar bear costumes and others in Santa Claus outfits offer some festive spirit to a country that is a patchwork of Christian and Muslim sects. “We need to make our children happy …. even if we are tired,” said Toni Hossainy, who had brought her son. The Christmas village has been set up in a temporary warehous...
US Republican senators confront Netflix over Chinese sci-fi show
Five Republican US senators have confronted Netflix over the streaming giant’s plan to adapt a Chinese sci-fi book trilogy, expressing concern over the original author’s comments about claims of forced labor in Xinjiang. Liu Cixin’s bestselling “The Three-Body Problem,” which tells the story of humanity’s first contact with aliens, is set to become a major Netflix series co-written by the creators of “Game of Thrones.” In a letter to content boss Ted Sarandos, the senators accused Liu of “parroting dangerous [Communist Party] propaganda” and suggested Netflix was “providing a platform to Mr Liu in producing this project.” They highlighted a New Yorker article from last year in which Liu is quoted defending mass internment in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region, where activists say more th...
Suspected killer of UniJos lecturer nabbed as kidnapped daughter rescued
One of the suspected killers of Dr Mandi Drenkat, a lecturer with the University of Jos has been arrested at the Babale area of Jos North local government area of Plateau State. The suspect, identified as Ali Mohammed was arrested with one AK 47 rifle and a kidnap victim in their den named Chiboze Joseph rescued unhurt. It would be recalled that the late Dr Drenkat was shot in his home at the University of Jos Senior Staff Quarters on Friday night and his six years old daughter kidnapped but subsequently rescued by the Police. Confirming the arrest and rescue, the State Police Commissioner, Edward Egbuka, who also paraded the suspect told journalists on Sunday, “On 16/5/2020 at about 0030hrs, the Command received a distress call at road 6 University Senior staff quarters, Jos where some ho...
