The newly opened Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou rises about 2,050 feet above the river and canyon below, making it more than twice the height of the United States’ tallest suspension bridge, the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado, which hangs 956 feet above the Arkansas River.

Chinese state media reports that the Huajiang span is not only the highest globally but also the longest bridge ever built in a mountainous region, stretching an impressive 4,600 feet across.

Dubbed another of China’s “infrastructure miracles,” the bridge is expected to boost tourism and stimulate the economy in Guizhou, one of the country’s least developed provinces.

Construction took nearly four years to complete. Officials say the crossing slashes travel time across the canyon from around two hours to just two minutes, directly linking key tourist attractions.

Technician Tian Hongrui, who worked on the project, described the achievement with pride: “Leaving now is bittersweet, but this isn’t the end — it’s the beginning of something new,” he told CCTV News.

The bridge isn’t just for motorists. It includes a glass elevator that whisks visitors to a café 2,600 feet above the river, alongside adventure features such as bungee jumping and a glass walkway suspended 1,900 feet high.

Guizhou, home to roughly 40 million residents, has seen a massive infrastructure drive over the last few decades as part of China’s poverty alleviation strategy. The province now boasts more than 32,000 completed or ongoing bridge projects, compared to fewer than 3,000 in the 1980s.

It also hosts the Duge Bridge, previously the world’s tallest, which opened in 2016 and now ranks second to the Huajiang marvel.

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Residents of Ashdown Park, Harare, are in a heated conflict with Heartfelt International Ministries (HIM) over the church’s plan to host a three-day Benny Hinn healing crusade in the residential neighborhood starting on October 10.

The event, which is expected to draw an estimated 100,000 attendees from Zimbabwe and the wider region, has been met with strong opposition from the Ashdown Park Residents and Ratepayers Association (APRRA).

The residents are not happy about Rosedene Drive being closed, as most Bloomingdale residents use this road to access their homes.

“Residents feel completely sidelined, stating that the church failed to seek permission or consult with the community before deciding on and planning the large-scale event,” said the APRRA Chairperson, Muriel Shingai Mangwende.

Mangwende suggested that the church’s attempt to involve them now is being called in when the horse has already been lodged by residents with authorities like the Harare City Council.

However, HIM is reportedly continuing with preparations for the crusade.

Former Zimbabwean opposition leader turned social media activist Nelson Chamisa has enrolled for a two-year doctoral programme at the University of Oxford, sources close to him have confirmed.

The development comes months after Chamisa announced his withdrawal from frontline politics, leaving many of his supporters uncertain about the future of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), the party he founded in 2022.

A close associate told Hurumende News Hub that Chamisa’s decision to pursue studies abroad signals “a new chapter” in his life, while deepening questions about his long-term role in Zimbabwean politics.

“Chamisa has left his followers behind to focus on a PhD at Oxford. He believes this is the right time to reflect, retool, and prepare for new opportunities,” the source said.

Chamisa, once considered the face of opposition politics in Zimbabwe, shocked many in January 2024 when he announced he was stepping down as CCC leader, citing infiltration and lack of accountability within the movement.

Since then, he has maintained an active presence on social media, but his formal political activities have been minimal.

Chamisa, a lawyer and pastor by training, rose to prominence as a youthful protégé of the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

He narrowly lost the disputed 2018 presidential election to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and has remained a polarising figure in Zimbabwean politics ever since.

His decision to leave the political stage has left many of his followers without clear leadership, with internal divisions continuing to fracture the opposition movement.

This Oxford enrollment could mark a permanent exit from active politics, while others believe he may return with renewed strategy and international clout.

For now, Chamisa’s political future remains uncertain, but his academic pursuit in the United Kingdom signals a definitive shift away from the turbulent terrain of Zimbabwe’s opposition politics.