A landslide in southwestern China’s Yunnan province has buried 44 people from 18 households on Monday, according to state media. The landslide was caused by a combination of factors, including the steep slope, the loose soil, the heavy snowfall, and the freezing and thawing of the ground.

The landslide hit the mountain village of Liangshui shortly before dawn, when most residents were asleep. A total of 18 homes were destroyed, and more than 500 people evacuated. The area was hit by heavy snow on Sunday night, and the temperature still lingered below freezing on Monday.

More than 300 rescue workers were deployed along with dozens of fire engines and earth-moving equipment to search for survivors.
Landslides are common in Yunnan, a remote region of China where steep mountain ranges butt against the Himalayan plateau. In 2017, a landslide in Sichuan province killed more than 100 people.

Martin Luther King Jr’s youngest son, Dexter Scott King, passed away on Monday, January 22, 2024, at the age of 62. He died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Malibu, California, with his wife Leah Weber King by his side. He had been battling prostate cancer for a long time.

Dexter Scott King was named after the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Alabama, where his father once served as pastor. He was only seven years old when his father was assassinated in 1968. As an adult, he worked as the chairman of The King Center and the president of the King Estate, focusing on preserving and promoting his father’s legacy and protecting the King family’s intellectual property.

Dexter Scott King had no children. He is survived by his wife, his brother Martin Luther King III, and his sister Bernice King. His other sister, Yolanda King, died in 2007. The King family and the King Center have asked for prayers and privacy during this difficult time.

The second tranche of money that the Ghanaian government have received from their IMF bailout is part of a $3 billion, 36-month Extended Credit Facility (ECF) Arrangement, which was approved by the IMF in May 2023. The ECF is a programme to support Ghana’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and to implement structural reforms to enhance growth and stability.

The IMF Executive Board completed the first review of the ECF Arrangement on January 19, 2024, and approved the immediate disbursement of $600 million to Ghana. This brought the total disbursement under the programme to $1.2 billion. The approval was based on Ghana’s satisfactory performance in meeting the programme targets and reaching an agreement with its bilateral lenders, including China and France.

The Finance Minister of Ghana, Ken Ofori-Atta, welcomed the IMF’s endorsement and said it was a resounding affirmation of Ghana’s progress in its economic reform trajectory. He also said that the funds would be used to support the 2024 budget and to implement ambitious structural reforms in various sectors.

The fire incident happened on Saturday, January 22, 2024 close to Kasoa Datus School Complex in the Awutu Senya East Municipality of the Central Region. The fire burnt shops and their contents running into millions of cedis into ashes. The shops included TV repair shops, decoration shops, provision stores, and carpentry shops.

The cause of the fire was unknown, but the firefighters managed to prevent the fire from spreading to other shops. The victims appealed to the government and well-meaning individuals to come to their aid.