Liberia miners:

Rescuers have been using their bare hands to remove debris in an effort to free about 40 gold miners who have been trapped for a week, a spokesman for Liberia’s disaster authority said Sunday. Authorities are trying to arrange for an excavator to help in the effort in Gbonipea, in northeastern Nimba county, said Archievego Doe, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency. The miners became trapped after a sudden soil collapse on Feb. 10. Seven bodies have been recovered, and the government declared Monday a national day of mourning. Ten people are believed to have survived the collapse at the mine and were treated for broken bones, cuts and dehydration, medical officials said. Regional authorities had previously tried to shut down the mine because of the dangers it posed.