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Sikkim Flash Floods: Search And Rescue Operation Underway For Over 100 Missing, 14 Dead In India

Sikkim

(CTN NEWS) – A search and rescue mission has been initiated to locate over 100 missing individuals in India’s northeastern region, following a devastating flash flood that struck the Himalayan state of Sikkim on Wednesday.

This tragic event claimed the lives of at least 14 people, causing extensive damage to roads and bridges, as reported by the state government.

Sikkim, often referred to as the “roof of the world,” is an ecologically sensitive area prone to frequent flash floods, landslides, and flooding, making such occurrences not uncommon.

However, scientists are unequivocal in their assertion that extreme weather events are growing both in frequency and intensity due to the accelerating climate crisis, largely driven by human activities.

The calamity was triggered by a sudden and destructive cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in the northern part of the state.

This abrupt deluge sent swiftly moving torrents of water coursing down the Teesta River in Sikkim’s Lachen valley, causing water levels to surge to heights 15-20 feet above normal. A cloudburst is characterized by an exceptionally rapid and intense rainstorm.

Videos captured from the northern region of the state depict the muddy deluge swiftly inundating the river and engulfing homes, leaving them covered in mud and debris.

While search and rescue operations were ongoing, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) released dramatic images illustrating the magnitude of water discharged from Lhonak Lake following the cloudburst.

Lhonak Lake, a substantial glacial lake resembling a bullet in shape, is situated at the base of a melting glacier.

Analysis of these images revealed that over 60% of the water within the lake had drained out as a consequence of the extreme rainstorm, prompting a glacial lake outburst.

This phenomenon occurs when a glacial lake becomes excessively full or when the surrounding land or ice gives way, leading to the abrupt release of water and debris down the mountainside.

One satellite image taken on September 28 showed the lake holding approximately 167.4 hectares of water, while another image from October 4 indicated that the lake had reduced by more than half, retaining around 60.3 hectares of water.

Accompanying the images, ISRO stated, “It is observed that the lake has burst, and about 105 hectares of the area has been drained out… which might have triggered a flash flood downstream in the Teesta River.”

Persistent Heavy Rainfall Hampers Search and Rescue Efforts in Sikkim Amid Flash Floods

The relentless heavy rain is impeding search and rescue efforts in Sikkim, exacerbating the dire situation caused by flash floods. In Pakyong, a city in Sikkim, the floods claimed the lives of seven individuals, and 59 people are currently missing, according to the Sikkim government.

Among the missing are numerous members of the Indian Army, prompting the initiation of a massive search and rescue operation.

However, these efforts have been severely hindered by the continuous downpour and flooding that have rendered roads impassable and swept away bridges, as confirmed by the army.

As of now, one soldier has been successfully rescued and is in stable condition, but 22 others remain unaccounted for.

The flooding has also resulted in the collapse of at least 11 bridges, further complicating rescue operations and isolating remote areas, as reported by the government.

In Gangtok, the state capital and largest city, three fatalities have been confirmed, with 22 individuals still missing.

Over 2,000 people have been evacuated from the affected areas, and relief camps have been established across the state to assist more than 22,000 people who have been affected by the flash floods.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a forecast indicating that heavy rainfall is expected to persist in the eastern and northeastern regions of the country, including Sikkim, for the next two days.

Sikkim’s Chief Minister, Prem Singh Tamang, has mobilized emergency services in the affected areas and conducted an assessment of the damages while engaging with the local community.

He mentioned visiting Singtam, a town situated about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Gangtok, which has also been impacted by the flooding.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the situation as an “unfortunate natural calamity” and pledged “all possible support in addressing the challenge.”

In a message on X (formerly Twitter), he expressed his prayers for the safety and well-being of all those affected by the disaster.

The imminent threat of glacial outbursts is poised to impact millions of people in the Himalayan region.

These glaciers play a crucial role in sustaining the freshwater supply for approximately two billion individuals, while numerous communities rely on glacial meltwater for crop irrigation.’

Himalayan Glaciers Face Alarming Threat: Up to 80% Ice Loss by 2100

However, a recent report has sounded an alarming warning, suggesting that the Himalayan glaciers could shed up to 80% of their ice by the year 2100 due to rising temperatures.

This heightened vulnerability to climate change significantly increases the likelihood of various disasters, including floods, landslides, avalanches, and droughts.

As glaciers across the globe continue to rapidly melt, approximately 15 million people residing near glacial lakes face the looming threat of catastrophic glacial lake outbursts.

A study earlier this year highlighted that more than half of these individuals are concentrated in just four countries: India, Pakistan, Peru, and China.

These outbursts, likened to an “inland tsunami,” have devastating impacts akin to the sudden collapse of a dam, according to experts cited by CNN.

These destructive floods often occur with minimal warning, and past instances of glacial lake outbursts have resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and the destruction of property and critical infrastructure.

In 2021, a catastrophic event unfolded when a Himalayan glacier collapsed in Uttarakhand, unleashing an avalanche of water, dust, and rocks down a mountain gorge. It surged through two hydroelectric projects, leading to the tragic loss of at least 38 lives.

In the northern regions of India, communities have been sounding the alarm for decades regarding unregulated commercial development, deforestation, and the consecutive construction of dams in this fragile ecosystem.

These activities heighten the risk of disasters, including flooding and landslides, further underscoring the urgent need for responsible environmental stewardship in the region.

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Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding, But Still Accounting 48% Search Revenue

Google

Google is so closely associated with its key product that its name is a verb that signifies “search.” However, Google’s dominance in that sector is dwindling.

According to eMarketer, Google will lose control of the US search industry for the first time in decades next year.

Google will remain the dominant search player, accounting for 48% of American search advertising revenue. And, remarkably, Google is still increasing its sales in the field, despite being the dominating player in search since the early days of the George W. Bush administration. However, Amazon is growing at a quicker rate.

google

Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding

Amazon will hold over a quarter of US search ad dollars next year, rising to 27% by 2026, while Google will fall even more, according to eMarketer.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report on the forecast.

Lest you think you’ll have to switch to Bing or Yahoo, this isn’t the end of Google or anything really near.

Google is the fourth-most valued public firm in the world. Its market worth is $2.1 trillion, trailing just Apple, Microsoft, and the AI chip darling Nvidia. It also maintains its dominance in other industries, such as display advertisements, where it dominates alongside Facebook’s parent firm Meta, and video ads on YouTube.

To put those “other” firms in context, each is worth more than Delta Air Lines’ total market value. So, yeah, Google is not going anywhere.

Nonetheless, Google faces numerous dangers to its operations, particularly from antitrust regulators.

On Monday, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled that Google must open up its Google Play Store to competitors, dealing a significant blow to the firm in its long-running battle with Fortnite creator Epic Games. Google announced that it would appeal the verdict.

In August, a federal judge ruled that Google has an illegal monopoly on search. That verdict could lead to the dissolution of the company’s search operation. Another antitrust lawsuit filed last month accuses Google of abusing its dominance in the online advertising business.

Meanwhile, European regulators have compelled Google to follow tough new standards, which have resulted in multiple $1 billion-plus fines.

google

Pixa Bay

Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding

On top of that, the marketplace is becoming more difficult on its own.

TikTok, the fastest-growing social network, is expanding into the search market. And Amazon has accomplished something few other digital titans have done to date: it has established a habit.

When you want to buy anything, you usually go to Amazon, not Google. Amazon then buys adverts to push companies’ products to the top of your search results, increasing sales and earning Amazon a greater portion of the revenue. According to eMarketer, it is expected to generate $27.8 billion in search revenue in the United States next year, trailing only Google’s $62.9 billion total.

And then there’s AI, the technology that (supposedly) will change everything.

Why search in stilted language for “kendall jenner why bad bunny breakup” or “police moving violation driver rights no stop sign” when you can just ask OpenAI’s ChatGPT, “What’s going on with Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny?” in “I need help fighting a moving violation involving a stop sign that wasn’t visible.” Google is working on exactly this technology with its Gemini product, but its success is far from guaranteed, especially with Apple collaborating with OpenAI and other businesses rapidly joining the market.

A Google spokeswoman referred to a blog post from last week in which the company unveiled ads in its AI overviews (the AI-generated text that appears at the top of search results). It’s Google’s way of expressing its ability to profit on a changing marketplace while retaining its business, even as its consumers steadily transition to ask-and-answer AI and away from search.

google

Google has long used a single catchphrase to defend itself against opponents who claim it is a monopoly abusing its power: competition is only a click away. Until recently, that seemed comically obtuse. Really? We are going to switch to Bing? Or Duck Duck Go? Give me a break.

But today, it feels more like reality.

Google is in no danger of disappearing. However, every highly dominating company faces some type of reckoning over time. GE, a Dow mainstay for more than a century, was broken up last year and is now a shell of its previous dominance. Sears declared bankruptcy in 2022 and is virtually out of business. US Steel, long the foundation of American manufacturing, is attempting to sell itself to a Japanese corporation.

Could we remember Google in the same way that we remember Yahoo or Ask Jeeves in decades? These next few years could be significant.

SOURCE | CNN

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2024 | Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal From Elon Musk’s X Platform Over Warrant In Trump Case

trump

Washington — Trump Media,  The Supreme Court announced Monday that it will not hear an appeal from social media platform X about a search warrant acquired by prosecutors in the election meddling case against former President Donald Trump.

The justices did not explain their rationale, and there were no recorded dissents.

The firm, which was known as Twitter before being purchased by billionaire Elon Musk, claims a nondisclosure order that prevented it from informing Trump about the warrant obtained by special counsel Jack Smith’s team violated its First Amendment rights.

The business also claims Trump should have had an opportunity to exercise executive privilege. If not reined in, the government may employ similar tactics to intercept additional privileged communications, their lawyers contended.

trump

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal From Elon Musk’s X Platform Over Warrant In Trump Case

Two neutral electronic privacy groups also joined in, urging the high court to hear the case on First Amendment grounds.

Prosecutors, however, claim that the corporation never shown that Trump utilized the account for official purposes, therefore executive privilege is not a problem. A lower court also determined that informing Trump could have compromised the current probe.

trump

Trump utilized his Twitter account in the weeks preceding up to his supporters’ attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, to spread false assertions about the election, which prosecutors claim were intended to create doubt in the democratic process.

The indictment describes how Trump used his Twitter account to encourage his followers to travel to Washington on Jan. 6, pressuring Vice President Mike Pence to reject the certification, and falsely claiming that the Capitol crowd, which battered police officers and destroyed glass, was peaceful.

musk trump

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal From Elon Musk’s X Platform Over Warrant In Trump Case

That case is now moving forward following the Supreme Court’s verdict in July, which granted Trump full immunity from criminal prosecution as a former president.

The warrant arrived at Twitter amid quick changes implemented by Musk, who bought the company in 2022 and has since cut off most of its workforce, including those dedicated to combating disinformation and hate speech.

He also welcomed back a vast list of previously banned users, including Trump, and endorsed him for the 2024 presidential election.

SOURCE | AP

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The Supreme Court Turns Down Biden’s Government Appeal in a Texas Emergency Abortion Matter.

Supreme Court

(VOR News) – A ruling that prohibits emergency abortions that contravene the Supreme Court law in the state of Texas, which has one of the most stringent abortion restrictions in the country, has been upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States. The United States Supreme Court upheld this decision.

The justices did not provide any specifics regarding the underlying reasons for their decision to uphold an order from a lower court that declared hospitals cannot be legally obligated to administer abortions if doing so would violate the law in the state of Texas.

Institutions are not required to perform abortions, as stipulated in the decree. The common populace did not investigate any opposing viewpoints. The decision was made just weeks before a presidential election that brought abortion to the forefront of the political agenda.

This decision follows the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that ended abortion nationwide.

In response to a request from the administration of Vice President Joe Biden to overturn the lower court’s decision, the justices expressed their disapproval.

The government contends that hospitals are obligated to perform abortions in compliance with federal legislation when the health or life of an expectant patient is in an exceedingly precarious condition.

This is the case in regions where the procedure is prohibited. The difficulty hospitals in Texas and other states are experiencing in determining whether or not routine care could be in violation of stringent state laws that prohibit abortion has resulted in an increase in the number of complaints concerning pregnant women who are experiencing medical distress being turned away from emergency rooms.

The administration cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in a case that bore a striking resemblance to the one that was presented to it in Idaho at the beginning of the year. The justices took a limited decision in that case to allow the continuation of emergency abortions without interruption while a lawsuit was still being heard.

In contrast, Texas has been a vocal proponent of the injunction’s continued enforcement. Texas has argued that its circumstances are distinct from those of Idaho, as the state does have an exemption for situations that pose a significant hazard to the health of an expectant patient.

According to the state, the discrepancy is the result of this exemption. The state of Idaho had a provision that safeguarded a woman’s life when the issue was first broached; however, it did not include protection for her health.

Certified medical practitioners are not obligated to wait until a woman’s life is in imminent peril before they are legally permitted to perform an abortion, as determined by the state supreme court.

The state of Texas highlighted this to the Supreme Court.

Nevertheless, medical professionals have criticized the Texas statute as being perilously ambiguous, and a medical board has declined to provide a list of all the disorders that are eligible for an exception. Furthermore, the statute has been criticized for its hazardous ambiguity.

For an extended period, termination of pregnancies has been a standard procedure in medical treatment for individuals who have been experiencing significant issues. It is implemented in this manner to prevent catastrophic outcomes, such as sepsis, organ failure, and other severe scenarios.

Nevertheless, medical professionals and hospitals in Texas and other states with strict abortion laws have noted that it is uncertain whether or not these terminations could be in violation of abortion prohibitions that include the possibility of a prison sentence. This is the case in regions where abortion prohibitions are exceedingly restrictive.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which resulted in restrictions on the rights of women to have abortions in several Republican-ruled states, the Texas case was revisited in 2022.

As per the orders that were disclosed by the administration of Vice President Joe Biden, hospitals are still required to provide abortions in cases that are classified as dire emergency.

As stipulated in a piece of health care legislation, the majority of hospitals are obligated to provide medical assistance to patients who are experiencing medical distress. This is in accordance with the law.

The state of Texas maintained that hospitals should not be obligated to provide abortions throughout the litigation, as doing so would violate the state’s constitutional prohibition on abortions. In its January judgment, the 5th United States Circuit Court of Appeals concurred with the state and acknowledged that the administration had exceeded its authority.

SOURCE: AP

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