Category: News

  • Avalanche in Uttarakhand: Four Workers Dead, Search Continues

    Avalanche in Uttarakhand: Four Workers Dead, Search Continues

    Lucknow, India — A terrible accident happened in the mountains of Uttarakhand when an avalanche hit a group of construction workers building a highway near the Tibet border. On Friday, four workers lost their lives, and many others needed help after being trapped under snow.

    At first, 55 construction workers were caught in the avalanche near Mana Pass. Thankfully, rescuers managed to save 50 of them. Sadly, four of those workers died later. Teams, including military helicopters, are still looking for five workers who are missing.

    Some workers are hurt seriously and are in the hospital, but others have been rescued. The workers were mostly people from other places who were working to widen a 50-kilometer stretch of highway from Mana, the last village in India before Tibet.

    Kamlesh Kamal, a spokesperson from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, said it is hard to rescue people because of heavy snow and bad weather. The area is difficult to reach, full of snow and storms that make it challenging to see.

    This part of the Himalayas is very sensitive to climate change and often faces avalanches and sudden floods. Last year, in 2022, an avalanche took the lives of 27 trainee mountaineers in the same region. The previous year, a glacier burst caused a flood that killed over 200 people.

  • Pope Francis Faces Health Setback During Pneumonia Recovery

    Pope Francis Faces Health Setback During Pneumonia Recovery

    ROME — Pope Francis is taking it easy after a surprising problem in his recovery from double pneumonia. Doctors had to help him breathe using a special machine after he coughed so hard that he accidentally inhaled vomit. They needed to remove it to help him breathe better. The doctors will take a day or two to see how this affects his overall health. His situation is still serious, meaning he’s not completely out of danger.

    On Saturday morning, the Vatican shared that the pope was resting well after a quiet night. On Friday, they explained that Francis had a sudden coughing fit, which worsened his breathing. The doctors used noninvasive ventilation, which helps him get oxygen without putting tubes down his throat. Throughout this, the pope stayed awake, alert, and worked with the doctors to help him feel better, wearing a mask for extra oxygen.

    This incident is different from a previous breathing crisis he had earlier. Medical experts say this latest episode shows how fragile the pope’s health is and that his condition can change quickly. Dr. John Coleman, a lung doctor, said it’s concerning for someone of his age and past health problems. Dr. William Feldman explained that they use machines like this to help avoid more serious treatment. While doctors didn’t call his state critical this time, they still say he is not safe yet because of his complex health needs.

    People continue to pray for the pope’s recovery. Argentine Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández led a prayer gathering in St. Peter’s Square, asking for blessings not just for the pope but for everyone suffering around the world. The Vatican also shared that Francis is still doing his work from the hospital, showing he is committed despite his health issues.

  • Anita Anand Decides to Run Again in Federal Election

    Anita Anand Decides to Run Again in Federal Election

    Toronto: Anita Anand, an Indian-Canadian Cabinet Minister, has decided to run in the next Federal election. This is a change from her earlier plan to leave politics and go back to teaching. She says she is motivated by the serious problems Canada faces, especially threats from the United States regarding tariffs.

    On Friday, Anand posted on social media, “Our country is facing a big crisis. These are important times for Canada’s future, and I can’t step away now. I am excited to keep serving and will run in the next election.”

    Originally, Anand announced she would leave politics on January 11, just days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would resign once a new leader is chosen for the Liberal Party. That process is set to finish by March 9. Even though the Federal election is scheduled for October 2025, it could happen earlier.

    Mark Carney, a former central banker, is likely to be the new leader and could become Canada’s next Prime Minister. Anand joined Carney for an event in her riding of Oakville on Friday night.

    In her statement, Anand said Canada is at a “crucial moment” in history. She emphasized that since her January announcement to leave public life, the situation has only become more serious. “Illegal tariffs are being threatened, and our neighbor is talking about annexing us,” she noted.

    In the last seven weeks, Anand has been very active in dealing with issues between Canada and the U.S. Currently, she serves as the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade. Anand was first elected to the House of Commons in 2019 from Oakville and successfully kept her seat in 2021. After new ridings were drawn in 2022, her riding split into Oakville East and Oakville West.

    Anand is the first Hindu Cabinet minister in Canada and was seen as a possible candidate for party leadership, but she made it clear in January that she would not run to succeed Trudeau. During that announcement, she said, “I will honorably serve until the next election.” Before her political career, Anand was a law professor at the University of Toronto.

    Since becoming a minister in 2019, she has held several important roles, including Minister of Public Services and Procurement, where she played a key part during the Covid-19 pandemic by helping to buy vaccines. In 2021, she became the Minister of National Defence and later President of the Treasury Board. Last year, she took on the role of Minister of Transport and Internal Trade.

  • CBSE Teams Up to Stop Exam Rumors and Ensure Fairness

    CBSE Teams Up to Stop Exam Rumors and Ensure Fairness

    New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) recently met with experts from the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and leaders from different social media companies. They came together to fight against false information, such as rumors about exam paper leaks, that has been spreading online.

    This meeting happened after some videos went viral. In these videos, teachers from coaching centers claimed they knew the board exam questions in advance. Some even said that exams had been leaked, which worried many about the trustworthiness of the exam process.

    A CBSE official, who wanted to remain unnamed, shared, “We are working together with CERT-In and social media companies to stop false claims about CBSE exams from spreading.”

    In 2019, CBSE created a plan to deal with wrong claims regarding paper leaks. The official said, “When we find misleading content about exams, we contact the social media platforms, giving them the links to the wrong posts. We ask them to take action according to the law, and we also report it to the authorities

  • Nifty 50 Decline: Stay Cautious or Seize the Opportunity?

    Nifty 50 Decline: Stay Cautious or Seize the Opportunity?

    India’s main stock market index, the Nifty 50, has been falling for eight days straight. It has dropped about 16% from its highest point of 26,277. It’s now very close—just 1,103 points away—from hitting a bear market, which means a 20% drop. This situation has investors asking: Should we be scared or take action now?

    Strong Declines Across the Market

    The decline isn’t just affecting big companies. Smaller stocks are facing sharper drops: the Nifty Midcap 150 is down 21.1%, the Smallcap 250 dropped 25.6%, and the Microcap 250 plummeted 26.2% from their peaks. This shows that investors are quite nervous, mainly because of problems both in India and globally.

    Economic Challenges Affecting Investor Feelings

    The drop has been influenced by actions like tariffs suggested by U.S. President Donald Trump, leading foreign investors to sell stocks in India. They have taken out nearly ₹2 lakh crore since October 2024. This has put pressure on the Indian rupee, which recently fell to 87.37 against the U.S. dollar, making Indian stocks less appealing to outside investors and raising import costs.

    Market Valuations Getting Realistic

    Mayank Mundhra from Abans Group explains that the market is adjusting its prices back to more realistic levels. The exciting mood from before October 2024 is starting to fade as investors are now looking at long-term growth plans more realistically.

    Key Support Levels to Watch

    From a technical view, the Nifty is getting close to an important support zone. Ajit Mishra from Religare Broking notes that important levels to watch are between 21,800 and 22,000. He suggests traders should be careful and wait for signs that the market is turning around. It’s wise to manage risks better and focus on safe trading.

    Market analyst Jai Bala warns against jumping in too soon, comparing it to trying to catch a falling knife. He mentions that while there is a strong support level at 22,100, true support is between 21,800 and 21,280, and it is still very early to predict a bottom.

    Understanding Past Market Drops

    While the current drop can be frightening, history shows that big market drops have often turned into good buying chances later. Krishna Appala from Capitalmind Research reminds investors that in the past 30 years, markets have dropped more than 20% several times but bounced back in 22 out of those 30 years. Sticking with good investment practices is essential, as investing involves ups and downs.

    Domestic Investors Stepping In

    On a brighter note, while foreign investors are leaving, local investors continue to put money into mutual funds, which helps balance some of the selling. Despite these tough times, India’s strong economy, good company earnings, and better prices might offer solid chances for long-term investors.

    While things look uncertain now, history suggests that overly bad news can sometimes lead to a recovery. Whether the Nifty hits a bear market or not, careful investors will be on the lookout for signs of recovery to seize future opportunities.

    (Disclaimer: The recommendations and views expressed are those of experts and do not reflect Niftystat.)

  • Uttarakhand & Himachal Face Heavy Rain: Road Closures and Power Cuts Alert

    Uttarakhand & Himachal Face Heavy Rain: Road Closures and Power Cuts Alert

    Heavy rain and falling rocks have closed the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway near Karnaprayag in Uttarakhand, according to news agency ANI. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warns that light to moderate rainfall and snowfall will continue on March 3 and 4 because of a new weather system affecting North India.

    Officials say that rocks are falling at several places, including Animath and Pagal Nala in the Jyotirmath Kotwali area, which is why the highway remains closed. The road was first shut down on Friday morning due to a big avalanche in the Chamoli district.

    In Himachal Pradesh, rain and snow have blocked 583 roads, including five National Highways, as reported by ANI, citing the State Disaster Management Authority. Additionally, 2,263 power transformers are not working, causing power outages in many areas. As of Friday, 279 water supply systems are also affected, leaving many people without water.

    The weather department predicts that rain and snow in Himachal Pradesh will continue until March 4. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu asked people to avoid rivers and streams due to the heavy rain and snow, especially in the Kullu district. He has been monitoring the situation closely and urged everyone to follow safety guidelines.

    Authorities have been told to open the gates of a power project dam because heavy rain has caused floods and landslides in the Kullu Valley.

    IMD’s Weather Forecast
    The IMD’s latest update shows that light to moderate rain and storms are expected over Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan on March 1. Strong winds (30-40 km/h) may occur in Haryana and Chandigarh on the same day.

    A new weather system will bring rain and snow to Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand from March 2-4. Additionally, Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh could see light to moderate rainfall on March 3.

    In Northeast India, areas like Arunachal Pradesh and Assam may also see rain and thunderstorms on March 1, with strong winds (40-50 km/h). Hailstorms could also occur in some places.

    Meanwhile, Kerala and surrounding areas are expecting rain and storms on March 1 and 2, with heavy rainfall possible in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Mahe on the same dates.

  • Will Silver Outperform Gold? Here’s What You Need to Know

    Will Silver Outperform Gold? Here’s What You Need to Know

    A year ago, I pointed out that silver was becoming a great investment. Since then, silver prices have jumped over 28% while the Nifty Stat has barely moved up by just 2.2% (as of March 23, 2024). Right now, it looks like silver is getting ready for another big rise!

    Usually, gold and silver prices go up and down together. But recently, gold has been doing better, outperforming silver by about 8%. This difference might mean it’s time for silver to catch up!

    Here’s how silver and gold have performed:
    – 6 Months: Silver up 6.34% | Gold up 14.65%
    – 1 Year: Silver up 41.19% | Gold up 42.17%
    – 5 Years: Silver up 71.86% | Gold up 75.75%

    Currently, silver is about 9% lower than its highest price ever, while gold is just 2% away from its peak. This shows that silver has room to rise even more. A chart shows that when the prices of silver and gold get far apart, silver often bounces back stronger.

    Looking at silver’s past, we see it often jumps up by 50% before taking a break, and then goes up again. Right now, silver is ready to go up about 17% from where it is today.

    Why else is silver looking good?
    1. Economic Uncertainty: With worries about trade rules and tariffs, many countries are starting to add silver into their reserves, not just gold. For example, Russia is buying more silver.

    2. Industrial Use: Silver is used in many new technologies. For example, regular cars need about 14-18 grams of silver, but electric cars need even more: 30-40 grams! It’s also important in solar power and space technology.

    3. Supply and Demand: The World Silver Survey 2024 shows that silver production is staying the same, but industrial demand is actually going up by 11%. This means there could be more demand than supply, pushing prices even higher. There’s a big concern that by 2030, we could see a huge shortage of silver!

    Considering all these points – from economic trends to increased use in new tech – silver looks set to do better than gold in the coming months.

  • Zelensky’s Clash with Trump Sparks Worldwide Support for Ukraine

    Zelensky’s Clash with Trump Sparks Worldwide Support for Ukraine

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently had a heated meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the White House. After a tough discussion, Trump kicked Zelensky out, saying he wasn’t ready to make peace with Russia. Russia made fun of Zelensky for this incident, calling him a “scumbag.” However, many countries are standing up for Ukraine.

    Here are some of the leaders who have shown support for Ukraine:

    1. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer: He praised the courage of the Ukrainian people who have been fighting Russia for over three years. He said Europe supports Ukraine in seeking peace.

    2. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: He called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “illegal” and said that Canada will continue to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom and democracy.

    3. Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar: She stated that what happened in the Oval Office goes against the values of diplomacy. She reaffirmed her country’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and called for protecting democratic ideals.

    4. Romanian Interim President Ilie Bolojan: He emphasized that Ukraine’s security is essential for Europe’s safety.

    5. Polish Premier Donald Tusk: He reassured Zelensky, saying, “You are not alone.”

    6. European Union Leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa: They encouraged Zelensky, saying that the bravery of the Ukrainian people is admirable and that the EU will continue to work with Ukraine for peace.

    7. Outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz: He reminded everyone that the Ukrainians want peace more than anyone else, while Friedrich Merz, a likely future leader, stated that it’s vital to recognize who is the aggressor in the conflict.

    8. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: She suggested a meeting among Western leaders to discuss big challenges, including how to handle the situation in Ukraine.

    9. Other Supporting Nations: Leaders from other European countries, like Belgium, Croatia, and Spain, also expressed their support for Ukraine.

    10. French President Emmanuel Macron: He clearly stated that Russia is the aggressor and praised the Ukrainians for fighting for their dignity and security in Europe.

  • Trump Clashes with Zelensky: A Risky Game Over Ukraine’s Future

    Trump Clashes with Zelensky: A Risky Game Over Ukraine’s Future

    After a tense meeting at the White House, Russian media celebrated while U.S. President Donald Trump scolded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump told Zelensky he was being “disrespectful” and warned against making the situation worse. “You can’t tell us how to feel. You are risking a World War III,” Trump said. He added, “I have made you strong. Now you need to make a deal, or we are done. You don’t have the power.”

    Former Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev, now a top official in Russia, mocked Zelensky online, saying, “Trump finally told the truth to the Ukrainian president. The Kiev government is playing with fire. It’s time to stop supporting their military.” A Kremlin-backed news site claimed Zelensky looked nervous during the meeting.

    Interestingly, the White House kicked out a reporter from the Russian news agency TASS during the meeting. They were not on an approved list and were taken out by a staff member.

    TASS reported on the meeting, making Zelensky look bad compared to Russia. This meeting came after Trump tried to talk to Putin about ending the war without including Zelensky. Trump also incorrectly claimed that Ukraine started the conflict and criticized Zelensky’s leadership. Zelensky responded by calling Trump’s statements false and said he was spreading Russian lies. Later, when asked about calling Zelensky a “dictator,” Trump seemed surprised and said, “Did I say that? I don’t believe I said that. Next question.”

  • Trump and Zelensky Clash: A Tense Meeting at the White House

    Trump and Zelensky Clash: A Tense Meeting at the White House

    During a tense meeting at the White House, Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova looked very worried as she watched President Donald Trump argue with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The meeting, meant to show unity between the two countries, quickly turned heated when Trump pressed Zelensky about why he wouldn’t agree to a ceasefire with Russia.

    As their disagreement became visible on cameras worldwide, Markarova closed her eyes and rested her head in her hand, trying to ignore the uncomfortable situation. Zelensky had hoped this meeting would get more support from Trump, especially since Ukraine needs help to defend against Russia.

    Zelensky frustrated Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance when he mentioned that a proposed deal wouldn’t be strong enough to stop Russia from attacking further. He highlighted that Russian President Putin hates Ukrainians and aims to destroy Ukraine. In response, Trump and Vance criticized Zelensky’s attitude, calling it “disrespectful” and saying it makes it harder to reach an agreement to end the war.

    Trump warned Zelensky that he needed to be more grateful for U.S. support. He said, “You have to be careful or it could lead to World War III.” Trump emphasized that without U.S. backing, Ukraine would be in a difficult position. The meeting was initially set to celebrate a natural resources agreement, but the escalating tension overshadowed that purpose.