Woman stranded for weeks was close to dying

"A Canadian woman who lived off trail mix, fish oil tablets and candy for seven weeks in the remote Nevada mountains was upgraded to a solid diet Monday, and hospital officials said her spirits were 'extremely high' despite nearly starving to death."

Read more here.

388-day ordeal ends for retired British couple held by Somali pirates who had sought millions

"The retired British couple were sailing the world on a 38-foot-yacht that represented most of their life savings when Somali pirates captured them last year, demanding the sort of huge ransom a multimillionaire or a multinational company might cough up."

To read more about the story of this couple, click here.

Tense final hours ahead as passage to surface awaits Chile's 33 trapped miners

"A smooth-walled path to daylight awaited 33 trapped miners Sunday as they entered the tense final hours of a two-month odyssey christened in the terror of collapsing rock deep under a Chilean mountain."

For more on the story, including video, click here.

California cowboy hailed a hero after stopping loose bull

"When a bull broke free during a rodeo in Houston Sunday, there was nothing police or most bystanders could do to stop it.

But a California cowboy stepped up."

For more on the exciting rescue, click here.

Missing boaters endured a 'survival test,' says rescued boater

"Rescued after spending eight days lost at sea, Tressel Hawkins was happy to be back in Texas.

'Actually, it feels great to be on solid ground,' he told CNN on Sunday.

Hawkins, 43, and his fellow boaters, Curtis Hall, 28, and James Phillips, 30, set out to catch swordfish and marlin when they set sail about 100 miles south of Matagorda Bay in Texas. But one night early on during their trip in the Gulf of Mexico, Hawkins was jolted by a 'rude awakening.'"

Click here for more on the rescue.

Good News for January 18 from Mary Beth

Save the Children Begins Large-scale Relief Effort for Children in Gaza Following Cease-fire

Save the Children is moving quickly to deliver life-saving aid into Gaza for children and families in need, following the announcement of a cease-fire by all parties today. A truckload of 100 baby kits, 150 hygiene kits and more than 1,400 packages of diapers prepared by Save the Children was transported this morning into Gaza, where staff and local partners began delivering the items to families at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency shelters in Beit Lahia and Jebaliya.

Get the details on the project here.


South African authorities rescue 167 miners trapped underground for 24 hours

Some 167 workers trapped in a gold mine for more than 24 hours were safely brought to the surface late Sunday, the South African Press Association reported.

Read more about this story here.


In the pulpit, looking toward inauguration

All across a snowy Massachusetts this weekend, priests and ministers, rabbis and imams are reflecting on the historic inauguration of Barack Obama as president of the United States, which is scheduled to take place on Tuesday.

The Boston Globe started a collection of inauguration sermons. Find out more here.


2 teens found safe in Eldorado National Forest

Two 16-year-old Elk Grove boys reported missing in the Eldorado National Forest were found safe today.

For details on the rescue, click here.


A sweet musical match made in the foothills

The stars are especially bright over Scotty and Sasha Prawalsky's Foresthill home on a recent night.

Tune into the song here.