Specialized Topics
Source: The Guardian • 9 hours, 54 minutes ago
Six victims of California avalanche identified as part of close-knit friend group
Avalanche in Sierra Nevada killed at least eight people, including six who frequently went on ski trips together Six of the eight people who died after a major avalanche swept through the Castle Peak area of the Sierra Nevada this week have been identified, according to multiple reports. The identified victims – Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Kate Vitt – were part of a close-knit group who frequently went on ski trips together, a spokesperson for the families told the San Francisco Chronicle. The women and their families “cherished time together in the mountains”, the spokesperson said.
Source: hindustantimes.com • 11 hours, 41 minutes ago
Ajit Pawar plane crash: Initial report will be released by February 28, says aviation ministry
New Delhi: The ministry of civil aviation on Thursday said the preliminary report into the January 28 crash involving a Learjet 45 aircraft at Baramati will be released by February 28, as the investigation continues amid growing pressure from the Pawar family for transparency and accountability. Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed around 8.44am when the mid-sized jet, belonging to Delhi-based VSR Ventures, crashed during its second landing attempt at Baramati airport in Pune district. The probe is being carried out by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025, and ICAO Annex 13 Standards and Recommended Practices.
Source: hindustantimes.com • 15 hours, 44 minutes ago
IRS tax filing and refund deadlines 2026- Key February and March dates to know
Even though filing taxes can be stressful, millions of Americans are expected to get money back in the form of a refund after their returns are reviewed and approved. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), how quickly that money arrives depends on when and how you file your return, and whether there are any errors. The deadline to file taxes this year is April 15.
Source: hindustantimes.com • 15 hours, 44 minutes ago
Katy Perry-Justin Trudeau expecting first child together? Truth behind viral pregnancy claim
A viral claim about Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau expecting their first child together is doing the rounds online. This comes after the Roar singer and the former Canada Prime Minister made their relationship public. “Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau are expecting their first child together,” a post on X mentioned, attaching a photo of the two together.
Source: hindustantimes.com • 19 hours, 1 minute ago
Preliminary report into Ajit Pawar plane crash by this month-end: Govt
The preliminary report into the January 28 crash involving a Learjet 45 aircraft at Baramati will be released within 30 days of the incident, in line with the norms of the UN’s aviation agency, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the civil aviation ministry said in a statement on Thursday. Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed when the mid-sized jet, belonging to Delhi-based VSR Ventures, crashed during its second landing attempt at Baramati airport in Pune district. Thursday’s statement by the aviation ministry comes against the backdrop of growing pressure from the Pawar family for transparency and accountability in the probe.
Source: hindustantimes.com • 21 hours, 32 minutes ago
LaMelo Ball car crash: What happened to the Hornets star? Videos of accident emerge; watch
Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball was involved in a car crash on Wednesday in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, local media WSOC TV confirmed. Ball was driving a custom Hummer when it crashed this afternoon. A video of the crash surfaced where he was seen exiting the vehicle.
Source: hindustantimes.com • 21 hours, 32 minutes ago
Eight skiers found dead, one still missing after avalanche in California
Eight backcountry skiers were found dead after an avalanche near Lake Tahoe, authorities said. Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon confirmed the fatalities and said one skier remains missing. Rescue operations are continuing as heavy snow persists across California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.
Source: hindustantimes.com • 21 hours, 32 minutes ago
Naxal-affected districts in India reduce to 7 in latest review
New Delhi, A fresh review of the regions affected by Left Wing Extremism has brought down the number of affected districts in the country to seven from eight, a development that aligns with the Union government's declaration on ending Naxal menace by March 2026. The Ministry of Home Affairs has recently issued the new categorisation to all Naxal-affected states with effect from February 9, officials told PTI. A comprehensive review of the "National Policy and Action Plan to Address LWE" was undertaken recently by the Union government, analysing 38 districts across nine states including Jharkhand, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and West Bengal.
Source: BBC News • 21 hours, 33 minutes ago
Danika Mason: Australian presenter apologises for drinking before slurred Winter Olympics report
An Australian sports presenter has apologised after a clip of her slurring her way through a live cross from the Winter Olympics in Italy went viral, with even Australia's prime minister weighing in. Channel Nine reporter Danika Mason said she had "misjudged the situation" by drinking ahead of her appearance on live television, also blaming the altitude, the cold and her failure to eat dinner. "I want to take full responsibility, it's not the standard I set myself," she said during another appearance a day later, adding that she was "embarrassed".
Source: hindustantimes.com • 21 hours, 34 minutes ago
How much does Blackbird Mountain Guides charge skiers? Tour company under fire after Lake Tahoe avalanche deaths
The private tour company that led a group of 15 skiers into the Lake Tahoe backcountry is under fire after eight people were confirmed dead in a shocking avalanche. One skier remains missing, Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said in an update on Wednesday, February 18. Blackbird Mountain Guides charges a hefty price for its high-risk alpine adventures.
Source: hindustantimes.com • 21 hours, 34 minutes ago
Lake Tahoe avalanche update: 10 skiers remain missing; Blackbird Mountain Guides issues statement
A major avalanche hit a backcountry slope near Lake Tahoe in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains on Tuesday, leaving at least 10 skiers missing and six others stranded, Reuters reported. The avalanche occurred in the Castle Peak area near Truckee at around 11:30 a.m. Pacific time amid heavy snowfall. The site is approximately 10 miles north of Lake Tahoe.
Source: ndtv.com • 3 days, 22 hours ago
Satellite-Collared Tiger Found Dead In Madhya Pradesh Reserve
A young tiger brought with hope, fitted with a satellite collar, tracked 24/7 under a flagship reintroduction plan and now found dead in the core of Madhya Pradesh's Rani Durgavati Tiger Reserve. The discovery of the body of a 3-4-year-old male tiger in the Manegaon Beat of Mohli Range on February 15 has triggered shockwaves inside the Forest Department and ignited explosive allegations of negligence and a possible cover-up. Relocated from Kanha Tiger Reserve last month as part of a high-profile translocation exercise, the big cat had been separated from its mother as a cub, rescued, trained for rewilding, and released into the core area on the night of January 18-19. DFO Rajneesh Kumar Singh confirmed that pugmarks of another tiger were found near the site, suggesting a possible fight between adult males over territory, a common but brutal reality in the wild. He claims that data from the satellite collar clearly showed the tiger remained stationary for a prolonged period, a red flag under National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) protocols. Nauradehi, now part of the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve landscape, is slated to receive cheetahs later this year under an ambitious expansion plan.
Source: hindustantimes.com • 3 days, 22 hours ago
When will Savannah Guthrie be back on ‘Today’ show? What we know amid search for her mom Nancy
Savannah Guthrie remains off the air from Today as the search for her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, continues in Arizona. According to a report by Page Six, Guthrie, 54, remains in Tucson as the search for her 84-year-old mother enters its third week. A network insider told the outlet: “The entire show and network is rallying together in support of our beloved colleague and friend as we navigate this unimaginable time.” Another source said the team is focused on supporting her rather than discussing professional matters, adding that everyone is taking things “day by day” while giving her the time and space she needs. Also Read: Is Nancy Guthrie case a ‘burglary gone wrong’? Fresh update issued as journalist reports 84-year-old ‘could be alive’ Guthrie has co-anchored the NBC morning program since July 2012. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos acknowledged that the search could take “years.” Savannah and her siblings have publicly pleaded for their mother’s safe return, sharing images released by investigators and urging anyone with information to come forward.
Source: ndtv.com • 4 days, 20 hours ago
US 'Not Disputing' European Report On Navalny Poisoning: Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that Washington is "not disputing" a report by five European countries that imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was fatally poisoned with a rare frog "toxin". Rubio said the report released on Saturday by Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden was "very troubling". Britain, which has outright blamed Russia for Navalny's death, said it was considering new sanctions on Moscow as a result. While Russia has never explained the circumstances, it has said Navalny died suddenly and the foreign ministry in Moscow has dismissed the European report. Rubio, on a brief visit to Slovakia, said Navalny's death was "very serious" and the US decision not to join the report "doesn't mean we disagree with the outcome". Britain will consider "increasing sanctions" against Russia following the report, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Sunday.
Source: ndtv.com • 4 days, 23 hours ago
Amid Probe Into Ajit Pawar's Death, New Video Of Crash Site Emerges
A video has surfaced on social media, with claims that it was from the crash site of a small plane in Maharashtra's Baramati where Ajit Pawar and four others died on January 28. In the video claimed to be from the site where the Learjet 45 operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures crashed, some people are heard shouting and pointing at burning debris. The others who died in the crash were his personal security officer and attendant, and two cockpit crew, pilot-in-command Sumit Kapur and first officer Shambhavi Pathak. A specialised team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had visited the crash site before it began a forensic investigation. These uncontrolled airfields are used by flight training organisations as well as private charter aircraft and VIPs. NDTV did an exclusive report on how the Baramati crash put the spotlight on uncontrolled airfields, tracking nine accidents that have taken place at, or in the immediate vicinity of, uncontrolled airfields, investigated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau since 2013.
Source: ndtv.com • 6 days, 6 hours ago
'Strangled, Not Hanged': Doctor Who Observed Epstein Autopsy Makes Big Claim
A pathologist, who observed the post-mortem examination of American financier Jeffrey Epstein, has called for a fresh investigation into the death of the convicted sex offender. Dr Michael Baden challenged the conclusion of the New York Medical Examiner's Office that Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Dr Baden, who attended the examination as an observer for Epstein's family, said the findings at the time were not definitive. “Given all the information now available, further investigation into the cause and manner of death is warranted.” He added, “At the time that the autopsy was done by the medical examiner, we both agreed that, on the basis of the autopsy report and the information available, more information was needed to determine the cause and manner of death.” According to The Telegraph report, a redacted version of Epstein's post-mortem examination was made public in December 2025 during the first batch release of files by the US Department of Justice. Dr Baden said his findings after the August 11, 2019 examination were “inconclusive,” but claimed that five days after the death certificate was issued, pending further investigation, the determination was “superseded” by Dr Barbara Sampson, who ruled the death a suicide by hanging.
Source: hindustantimes.com • 6 days, 8 hours ago
Nancy Guthrie case: What does Pima County Sheriff's statement reveal about investigation? Key details
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) has issued a new statement outlining fresh details in the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, reported AZ Intel. In the statement, authorities said, “DNA other than Nancy Guthrie’s and those in close contact to her has been collected from the property.” Investigators are working to identify who it belongs to but added, “We are not disclosing where that DNA was located”. PCSD said it continues to work jointly with the FBI, describing the partnership as “critical” and saying it remains "fully committed to this collaborative investigation.” To ensure consistency in testing, evidence requiring forensic analysis is being sent to the same out-of-state lab used since the beginning of the case. The department noted that this decision “was discussed with and agreed upon by local FBI leadership.” Also Read: Body found in Pima County amid search for Nancy Guthrie? PCSD is urging the public to continue submitting actionable tips, noting that “all submitted videos are being reviewed.” Also Read: Third email in Nancy Guthrie case: Man claims he knows kidnapper identity, suggests doubled reward ‘to discredit me’ Investigators are requesting surveillance footage from Jan 1 through Feb 2, 2026, including any suspicious activity involving people or vehicles.
Source: ndtv.com • 6 days, 20 hours ago
On Camera, Midair Explosion Leaves Jet Engine Shredded, Passengers Terrified
A commercial passenger flight operated by Arik Air made an emergency landing in southern Nigeria after one of its engines exploded, causing severe damage, according to officials and safety reports. Multiple video clips showing the descending commercial plane with the shredded outer shell of the engine, apparently exposing internal parts, have gone viral on social media. The plane, marked 5N-MJF and operating as Flight W3 740, left Murtala Muhammed Airport at 7:24 am local time, cruising at an altitude of about 27,000 feet, when the crew on board said they heard a loud bang on the left engine. According to the crash reports on the Aviation Safety Network, the engine inlet appeared to be missing, as some of its blades were damaged, leading investigators to suspect that the possible cause of the engine's structural failure might have been a "fan blade off" incident. Engine fan blade explosions are rare occurrences, but this may have happened due to metal fatigue, foreign object damage, or flaws in the engine's design.
Source: ndtv.com • 1 week, 1 day ago
Yale Professor Recommended 'Good-Looking' Student To Epstein. He's Not Sorry
Yale University says a prominent computer science professor will not teach classes while it reviews his conduct, after newly released documents show he sent Jeffrey Epstein an email describing an undergraduate as a good-looking blonde while recommending her for a job. Messages between David Gelernter — who made headlines in 1993 when he was wounded by a mail explosive sent by “Unabomber” Theodore Kaczynski — and the late, disgraced financier were among the trove of Epstein-related documents released by the U.S. Justice Department in late January. In an email to Epstein in October 2011 — several years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl — Gelernter wrote that he had an “editoress” in mind for a job — a Yale senior whom he described as a "v small good-looking blonde.” Gelernter defended that message in an email last week to Jeffrey Brock, dean of Yale's School of Engineering & Applied Science, according to the Yale Daily News, which reported that Gelernter also forwarded the email to the student newspaper. He noted that Epstein was “obsessed with girls” — “like every other unmarried billionaire in Manhattan; in fact, like every other heterosex male” — and he was keeping “the potential boss's habits in mind.” “So long as I said nothing that dishonored her in any conceivable way, I'd have told him more or less what he wanted," Gelernter wrote to Brock, the paper reported. Students in his computer science class were somewhat stunned by his links to Epstein and what he wrote in the emails, said Kris Aziabor, a 21-year-old senior from Atkinson, New Hampshire. “But I think what really was the most surprising to me was how he was trying to defend his like past words and past actions.” In a message to students on Tuesday, Gelernter again defended his emails to Epstein and said they were the reason he was suspended from teaching the class. In the message, Gelernter discussed his 2011 email to Epstein about the undergraduate student, saying he was recommending her for a summer job with Epstein's private bank, and she wanted the recommendation.
Source: The Guardian • 1 week, 1 day ago
Parents of children taken in to care should get more help, say experts after Victoria Marten death
Review says trauma-informed support could help interrupt ‘destructive cycles’ and reduce risk of harm to future babies Parents whose children are taken into care should receive trauma-informed support to reduce the risk of harm to any further babies they have, according to child protection experts. A national child safeguarding review, launched after the death of baby Victoria Marten, said that if “destructive cycles of harm are to be interrupted” there needed to be more focus on parents, as well as their vulnerable baby or unborn infant. Sir David Holmes, the chair of the panel, said: “Whereas the death of baby Victoria wasn’t predictable, her conception arguably was.” Holmes said it was difficult to know whether better professional engagement with baby Victoria’s parents would have prevented her death, but added: “There needs to be better engagement with families where there are risks of children being removed, so that we can try and interrupt the repeating cycle of children being removed and then another baby born and then that child being removed.” The review noted that no one agency or professional had specific responsibility for supporting the couple when their children were removed, “or helping them process their likely sense of loss and grief”. It added that the “successive removal” of their children “may have reinforced their perception of harm caused by children’s social care, making the concealment of Victoria feel subjectively ‘rational’.” The review noted the couple’s “persistent reluctance to engage” with authorities, having moved five times during their five pregnancies between 2017 and 2023, “with each move coinciding with escalating safeguarding concerns”.