Month: March 2025

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday conducted an aerial survey and took stock of rescue operations in the Chamoli avalanche at the disaster control room set up in Delharadun. Out of 55 workers, 49 have been rescued till Saturday noon, according to the Uttarakhand govenment.

A total of 55 Border Roads Organisation construction workers were trapped under snow after an avalanche hit the state’s Chamoli district on Friday. The avalanche struck a General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) camp near Mana village in Garhwal Sector. Out of the 55 workers, 49 have been rescued till Saturday noon according to the Uttarakhand govenment.

As per an initial statement by the Indian Army, the avalanche struck at around 7.15 am on February 28 and a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Labour Camp, located between Mana and Badrinath, was hit, burying the workers inside eight containers and one shed. Over 100 personnel’s personnel from Ibex Bigade, were immediately mobilised comprising doctors ambulances and plant equipment and by 1150 am, the teams had located five containers and successfully rescued 10 individuals, all alive. Of the 10 rescued, four personnel are reported to be in critical condition, the Army’s initial statement read. Search operations are ongoing for the remaining three containers, with the aim of rescuing the trapped individuals it had added.

On Saturday, chief minister Dhami said that over 23 workers have been rescued from the avalanche site and some of them who sustained serious injuries, were airlifted to Joshimath for medical treatment.

“… There were 8 containers at the site, out of which five have been traced. The 14 people rescued this morning were also in one of the containers. Operations are underway to locate the three remaining containers…” Dhami said.

“This morning, 14 more people were rescued, and now the total number of rescued people has reached 48. Seven people are still not found and all possible steps are being taken to trace them also…,” Dhami said. a subsequent statement by the Uttarakhand Government said that 49 people had been rescued.

The chief minster said that “the situation is challenging because of excess snowfall. More than five blocks in the region have no electricity or internet because of continuous snow. We will restore connectivity in the area as soon as possible.”

“More than 200 personnel are deployed for rescue operations… More than 23 people have been airlifted to Joshimath for treatment. Some people have suffered serious injuries, but most of them are doing fine… Prime Minister took stock of the rescue operations this morning. He has assured of all the necessary help…” the Uttrakhand chief minister said.

All people working at higher altitudes across the state have been put on alert… Instructions have been sent to stop work at higher altitudes unless very urgent… The flow of water in Alaknanda has nearly stopped because of the snow.” Dhami said

In a post on X Dhami said, “Visited the avalanche-affected area near Mana in Chamoli district and took stock of the ongoing relief and rescue operations on the spot. During this, enquired about the well-being of the workers who were safely evacuated. Also got detailed information from the military officers and administrative teams engaged in the rescue work and gave necessary instructions. The government is fully committed to provide all possible assistance to the affected in this hour of crisis. The safety of the affected workers is our top priority.

Chief Minister said that personnel from the State administration, the Army and SDRF teams are continuously engaged in relief work. “Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Union Government is also providing full support in the rescue operations. Our double engine government stands firmly with the citizens in every situation,” he said.

Indian Army on Saturday morning said that 14 more personnel were rescued and evacuted from avalanche site. Search and Rescue operations continuing for more than 24 hours and with slight respite in the weather, three injured personnel evacuated from Mana to Joshimath for critical medicare through Indian Army hired civil helicopters, according to a statement by the Central Command of the Indian Army .

All available equipment and personnel are being employed in collaboration with various agencies for the rescue operations, the Army statement read.

District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari said on Saturday that four army choppers had been pressed into rescue operations to save eight people still trapped under snow in the avalanche that struck near Mana Village in the Chamoli district of the state.

The Chamoli District Magistrate further said four helicopters have arrived with the help of the Centre and State governments and have joined the rescue operations.

“Of the total 55 people, 47 have been rescued from Mana. We have brought seven people to Joshimath Hospital, and they are under treatment. They are under doctors’ observation. Three of them are stable…I hope that the remaining people will also be rescued soon.”

Workers of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had got trapped under snow when the avalanche struck on Friday and teams from the NDRF, Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police working on a war footing in a joint operation have managed to pull out 47 workers out of the 55 people trapped so far and the search for eight remaining have intensified.

The Uttarakhand government has issued the following helpline numbers: Mobile No: 8218867005, 9058441404; Telephone No: 0135 2664315; Toll-Free No: 1070.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Uttarakhand Chief Minister and reviewed the rescue operation.

“Respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji spoke on the phone and took information about the rescue operation being carried out to safely evacuate the workers trapped in Mana of Chamoli district,” CM Dhami posted on X. (ANI)

Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remains closed for traffic movement for the second consecutive day due to snow accumulation. The closure of the National Highway has affected the transportation of essential commodities and passenger traffic between the Jammu and Kashmir divisions.

Hundreds of cars and trucks are now stuck at different locations along the highway, with the Garnai area in Udhampur being particularly clogged.

The Traffic Police Department has issued a stern advisory asking people to refrain from traveling on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway until restoration work is successfully completed and the road is opened for travel.

In Ramban, the Tube 1 of the Peerah-Kunfer Tunnel has also been closed for traffic. The road in the Peerah area of Ramban got damaged following heavy rainfall in the area for the last 2-3 days.

A local from Ramban said, “The T1 tunnel has been blocked because of this slide… There is a village uphill which is also on the brink of collapse… The new road is also prone to landslides… I urge the administration to deploy machinery soon so that the road is restored because people are facing issues.”

In an update at 8 AM, Saturday, on social media website X, Jammu and Kashmir traffic police informed, “Jammu Srinagar NHW is still closed. Restoration work is going on. Commuters are advised to avoid journey on Jammu-Srinagar NHW till the restoration work is completed. Moreover, SSG Road/Bhaderwah-Chamba Road/Mughal road/ Sinthan road are still closed. Please check status of roads at traffic police Twitter handle, Facebook page and TCUs.”

Meanwhile, A joint team of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and police successfully rescued 11 labourers trapped in a flood at a construction site on the Ujh River in Kathua on Friday morning, officials said.

SDRF Inspector Mohd Iqbal stated, “Early in the morning, 11 labourers/employees of Megha Construction Company got trapped in the flood at a construction site at Ujh River. A police team from Rajbagh, along with SDRF, reached the spot and rescued all of them.”

The rescued labourers were safely moved to secure locations. (ANI)

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza reported on Friday that investigations into the deaths of legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, are ongoing.

While the official autopsy and toxicology reports are still pending, Sheriff Mendoza shared early findings that suggest Hackman may have passed away over a week before their bodies were discovered, Deadline reported.

The couple, who had been married since 1991 and led a private life, were found deceased on the afternoon of February 26, 2025, by maintenance workers.

The bodies were discovered in separate rooms of their residence, with one of their dogs also found dead nearby.

As per Deadline, Sheriff Mendoza noted that there were no apparent signs of foul play.

“Based on our investigation, we can say with some certainty that Gene Hackman’s pacemaker recorded its last event on February 17, 2025,” Sheriff Mendoza said during a brief press conference, adding, “The investigation is still ongoing, and we are awaiting further details from the final autopsy and toxicology reports, which may take months to complete,” according to Deadline.

Regarding the deaths of Hackman, Arakawa, and one of their dogs, Mendoza clarified that initial findings appear to rule out carbon monoxide poisoning as a cause.

The Sheriff also mentioned that there were no immediate indications of a gas leak or other environmental factors that could have contributed to their deaths.

According to Deadline, a February 26 affidavit described a disturbing scene, “another healthy dog near the deceased female, a deceased dog laying 10-15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom, the heater being moved, the pill bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female, the male decedent being located in a separate room of the residence, and no obvious signs of a gas leak.”

The identity of the medications found at the scene, including Diltiazem, Tylenol, and thyroid medication, remains unclear.

Sheriff Mendoza declined to confirm whether these were linked to the couple’s deaths due to privacy regulations. The investigation is still in its early stages.

Gene Hackman, 95, was a two-time Academy Award winner, having won Oscars for his roles in The French Connection (1971) and ‘Unforgiven’ (1992).

Throughout his career, he was also nominated for several other prestigious awards, including for ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ (1967), ‘I Never Sang for My Father’ (1970), and ‘Mississippi Burning’ (1988).

Hackman, was well known for his portrayal of Lex Luthor in ‘Superman’ (1978) and ‘Superman II’, as well as for his roles in films like ‘The Conversation’ (1974), ‘Hoosiers’ (1986), ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ (2001), and ‘Enemy of the State’ (1998).

His last on-screen appearance came in 2004’s ‘Welcome to Mooseport.’ (ANI)

A total of 33 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers trapped under an avalanche near Mana village in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district have been rescued, officials said on Saturday.

Speaking to ANI, State Disaster Management Secretary, Vinod Kumar Suman said, “33 workers have been rescued. Two of the 57 workers had gone on leave, so there were only 55 workers there.”

Meanwhile, the efforts to rescue 22 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers are underway.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is continuously reviewing the ongoing rescue operations, from the CM’s residence.

CM Dhami is also in continuous touch with the officials present at the rescue operations.

The Uttarakhand government on Friday issued helpline numbers for people to get assistance or information related to the avalanche.

According to the Uttarakhand government’s Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), people are encouraged to contact the helpline numbers, which are being operated through the state emergency operation centre of the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority.

The Uttarakhand government has issued the following helpline numbers: Mobile No: 8218867005, 9058441404; Telephone No: 0135 2664315; Toll Free No: 1070.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to chief minister Dhami and assured that the government’s priority was to safely evacuate the people trapped in the incident.

“Spoke to Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Dhami ji, DG ITBP, and DG NDRF regarding the glacier burst in Chamoli, Uttarakhand. Our priority is to safely evacuate the people trapped in the accident,” he said. (ANI)

After what turned out to be a spectacular debacle in the Ukraine-US talks here on Friday afternoon, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refused to apologise for what unfolded between him and his American counterpart in an exclusive interview to Fox News.

Although Zelenskyy stood firm and did not apologise for the altercation, he deemed the episode “not good for both sides.”

However, Zelenskyy expressed that it would be “difficult for us” to defend Ukraine from Russia if the US withdrew its support. He regretted that the clash with the US premiere was televised, but asserted: “Please be correct. I want to be polite.”

Asked whether he owed President Trump an apology, Zelenskyy said, “No. I respect the President. And I respect American people. I’m not sure we did something bad.”

Sharing his comments on whether the confrontation at the Oval Office was pre-planned, he said “It’s a really tough situation,” before mentioning some strong comments made with regard to his country during the contentious dialogue. He said referring to the US, “Where is our friendship?”

Adamant on his cause for “justice and lasting peace” in Ukraine, Zelenskyy insisted that the “mineral deal is part of the structure of the security guarantee.”

Contrarily, given the developments in the relations between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin–Trump even being called Putin’s “lap dog”–Baeir asked if Trump is too close to Putin. “I want him to be in the middle,” said Zelenskyy, adding “I want him to be on our side.”

Asked whether his relationship with Trump could be salvaged after Friday’s spat, he affirmed, “Yes, of course.”

The Ukrainian President concluded the conversation with Baier by apologising for the heated episode before the world but not to Trump. “We are thankful and sorry for this. I mean this, we wanted very much to have strong relations,” he said. (ANI)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “disrespected America” US President Donald Trump accused, in a post on Truth Social minutes after a contentious meeting between the leaders in the Oval Office.

“I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace,” Trump said on Truth Social.

Trump and Zelensky had been scheduled to give a joint presser at 1 p.m. following the signing of a framework mineral agreement, but the pre-planned arrangements were cancelled due to a showdown involving Trump, Zelensky and Vice President JD Vance. This shouting match was witnessed by WH officials, the media and the other Ukrainian officials.

Shortly after Trump’s message went out, The White House press pool confirmed the scheduled press conference had been cancelled. A grim-faced Zelensky left the West Wing two hours and 20 minutes after he arrived.

The Oval Office meeting began with warm exchanges and handshakes, with Trump at one point saying of Zelensky: “I think he’s a great guy.”

But matters took an ugly turn after Zelensky attempted to explain Russian President Vladimir Putin’s lack of diplomacy to Vance in a heated confrontation in front of live cameras and journalists. The vice president accused Zelensky of “litigating” in front of the world’s press, criticized him for taking part in photo-ops with Democrats during the 2024 campaign, and said his remarks were “disrespectful” to the administration.

Raising his voice, Trump called the Ukrainian president “disrespectful” and told him he should be thanking the US, saying, “You don’t have the cards.”

“You are either going to make a deal or we’re out and if we are out, you will fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty,” he added.

Trump and Zelensky were set to sign a deal that would have created a joint US-Ukraine fund investing in extracting the country’s rare-earth mineral supply. Friday’s meeting was supposed to ink a deal on rare earth minerals which are used to make a variety of tech products. (ANI)