Rescue teams race against time near Castle Peak as a powerful winter storm fuels treacherous avalanche conditions in Northern California.

A terrifying avalanche near Lake Tahoe has left 10 backcountry skiers missing while six others have been rescued in what officials are calling a rapidly evolving emergency.

The massive slide struck Tuesday morning near Castle Peak, a popular backcountry skiing destination northwest of Lake Tahoe, as a group was wrapping up a guided three-day trip. Authorities say the avalanche hit around 11:30 a.m. local time, prompting an urgent 911 call to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.

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What Happened on the Mountain

According to officials and tour organizers, the group consisted of four ski guides and 12 clients. The skiers were reportedly in the process of returning to the trailhead when the avalanche roared through the area.

In a statement, Blackbird Mountain Guides confirmed:

“The group was in the process of returning to the trailhead at the conclusion of a three-day trip when the incident occurred.”

So far, six individuals who were stranded have been rescued. However, search efforts continue for the remaining missing skiers as heavy snowfall and dangerous conditions complicate operations.

Massive Multi-Agency Rescue Effort

Authorities described the situation as “fluid,” warning that details could change rapidly.

Captain Russell Greene of the sheriff’s office told reporters that rescue teams are actively contacting families of those involved.

The response has been extensive, involving:

• Nevada County Search and Rescue
• California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
• Placer County Sheriff’s Office
• Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue
• Washoe County Sheriff’s Office
• Washoe County Search and Rescue
• Truckee Fire

Trained ski patrol rescue teams from nearby resorts have also joined the mission, navigating treacherous terrain and severe weather to locate survivors.

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Storm Conditions Fueling Avalanche Danger

The avalanche occurred as Northern California is being battered by a powerful winter storm bringing heavy snowfall, gale-force winds, and dangerous thunderstorms.

The Sierra Avalanche Center, based in Truckee, had already issued warnings about high avalanche danger across the Central Sierra Nevada and the Greater Lake Tahoe region.

Officials warned that:

• Rapidly accumulating snowfall
• Fragile snowpack layers
• Gale-force winds

were creating ideal conditions for large, destructive avalanches.

Brandon Schwartz, the Tahoe National Forest’s lead avalanche forecaster, said:

“It’s particularly dangerous in the backcountry right now just because we’re at the height of the storm.”

Unlike ski resorts along major highways — which use avalanche mitigation programs to control slides — backcountry areas like Castle Peak do not have those protections. Authorities had strongly discouraged travel in or below avalanche-prone terrain.

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Resorts Closed, Warnings Ignored

Lake Tahoe avalanche is latest tragedy in a deadly winter from hell in California mountains An apocalyptic avalanche that buried up to 10 backcountry skiers north of Lake Tahoe on Tuesday is only the latest tragedy during a deadly winter from hell in California’s vast mountain … pic.twitter.com/giA2n75B3E

— NahBabyNah (@NahBabyNahNah) February 18, 2026

Several ski resorts around Lake Tahoe were partially or fully closed due to extreme weather conditions. While controlled resort areas are generally monitored and stabilized, the backcountry remains unpredictable.

Experts note that backcountry skiing, while increasingly popular, carries inherent risks — especially during active storm cycles. Avalanche conditions can shift within hours, making even experienced groups vulnerable.

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Families Waiting, Search Continues

Officials have not yet released the identities of those missing. Rescue teams are racing against time as snow continues to fall and temperatures remain low.

Authorities stress that this remains an active and developing emergency.

For now, the focus remains on locating the missing skiers and safely navigating a mountainside that experts say is among the most dangerous it has been all season

A new transparency update on X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, has triggered a major political controversy in India. The feature, which publicly displays the location of user accounts, has exposed that several politically active handles—especially those critical of the Indian government—are operating from outside the country.

The situation escalated when multiple accounts believed to represent Congress supporters were shown as being based in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ireland and the United States. For instance, the official account of Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera appeared as “based in the United States”, while the Maharashtra Congress handle showed “based in Ireland”, according to an India Today review. Several anti-government voices displayed their origin as “South Asia” without specifying a country.

However, India Today also clarified that it could not independently verify the accuracy of X’s location data for every account.

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BJP Uses Feature as Political Leverage

The development has provided significant ammunition to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has accused the Congress ecosystem of operating a coordinated global network to influence public opinion in India.

BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya claimed that many pro-Congress and anti-Hindu accounts were being controlled from Pakistan, Bangladesh and other foreign territories.

According to Malviya:

“A large number of pro-Congress, anti-Hindu, and divisive caste-based handles are not even operating from India. Many are being run from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other parts of Asia and the world.”

He further described the pattern as a “coordinated global operation” designed to manipulate India’s social discourse and deepen internal divisions.

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How the Feature Works

X introduced the feature as part of its effort to increase transparency on a platform frequently accused of hosting misinformation and anonymous propaganda networks. Users can now see:

• the country where an account is based
• how many times the username has been changed
• the location from where the X app was downloaded

The feature appears in the “About This Account” section and is visible to all users.

BJP leaders argue that the data reinforces their long-standing claims that several social media campaigns—such as those against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the now-repealed farm laws—were amplified by accounts operated from abroad.

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Political Analysts Respond

Political commentator and BJP leader Priti Gandhi compared the current revelations to earlier protest movements, alleging that many handles involved in spreading communal narratives and edited videos during the anti-CAA protests, the farmers’ agitation, and the 2020 Delhi riots were also foreign-based.

She questioned:

“When party-verified accounts themselves start showing foreign login footprints, it raises a far bigger question. Who exactly is shaping Congress’s digital messaging?”

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Suspicious Accounts: The Case of ‘Diya’ and ‘Yashita’

One of the most discussed examples involves the accounts named ‘Diya Sharma’ and ‘Yashita Nagpal’, both reportedly showing locations in Pakistan. Their posts frequently criticized the ruling party and government policies.

While the ‘Diya Sharma’ account has since been suspended, ‘Yashita Nagpal’, who claims to be a journalist, admitted in a post that she had worked for multiple political parties in India.

“I was hired not just by Congress, but other political parties in India as well to be apart of their campaign,” she wrote, adding that she changed the location settings in time.

Amit Malviya later alleged that many newly popular Congress-supporting accounts were actually operated from Pakistan or Bangladesh, describing them as either ISI-linked groups or individuals pushing anti-India narratives.

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Global Impact: U.S. Faces Similar Outrage

The feature has not only affected Indian politics. In the United States, several influential pro-Donald Trump accounts were discovered to be operating from outside U.S. territory.

For example:

• 
  ‘MAGA NATION’, with nearly 400,000 followers, was found to be based in Eastern Europe
• ‘TRUMP_ARMY’, previously cited by the U.S. President, was identified as operating from India

According to a BBC report, the account has now rebranded itself as “an Indian who loves America, President Trump, Musk”.

Multiple accounts supporting political narratives in the U.S. have similarly been traced to Africa, Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

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Accuracy Concerns and VPN Issues

Following widespread scrutiny, many users questioned whether the location information was reliable. In response, X’s head of product Nikita Bier stated that the data was “99% accurate”.

However, he acknowledged that the use of VPNs and temporary travel could affect the displayed location. X has since added a disclaimer noting that location data “may not be accurate” and can change periodically.

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Bigger Questions Ahead

The controversy has raised several key concerns:

• Are foreign actors influencing India’s political conversations?
• How reliable is X’s location detection?
• Could this feature be weaponized for political attacks?

What remains undeniable is that the feature has added a new dimension to India’s already heated digital political landscape, and debates over authenticity, influence operations, and online propaganda are likely to intensify.

Philanthropist and novelist MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, has once again made headlines with a monumental act of giving. On November 3, 2025, Scott donated $80 million to Howard University, one of the United States’ most prestigious historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Howard University confirmed the gift on X (formerly Twitter), calling it “one of the single largest contributions in the university’s history.” The institution expressed deep gratitude, adding that this historic investment would “strengthen student aid, support infrastructure improvements, advance research and health sciences, and sustain our mission of truth and service for generations to come.”

Howard University has received a transformative $80 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott … one of the single largest contributions in the University’s history.

This historic investment will strengthen student aid, support infrastructure improvements,… pic.twitter.com/GRa8AAgK5J

— Howard University (@HowardU) November 3, 2025

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Howard University’s plans for the donation

According to USA Today, a significant portion of the $80 million will go to the Howard College of Medicine, including $17 million earmarked for the construction of a new academic medical center. The remainder of the funds will bolster student financial aid, campus renovations, and the creation of a reserve fund to safeguard the university against future financial challenges.

University officials said the gift comes at a crucial time, as recent federal funding adjustments have made it more difficult for many students to afford higher education. “This donation ensures that talented, financially challenged students continue to have access to Howard’s world-class education,” the university noted.

MacKenzie Scott’s philanthropic journey

Since her 2019 divorce from Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott has emerged as one of the world’s most generous philanthropists. Through her firm Yield Giving, she has distributed billions to charitable causes, focusing on education, racial equity, and community development.

Scott has now donated over $132 million to Howard University since 2020 alone, according to The Dig, the university’s official news platform. Her earlier gift in 2020 of $40 million also set records at the time.

Beyond Howard, Scott’s donations have transformed numerous educational institutions and nonprofits across the United States, often providing unrestricted grants that empower organizations to decide how best to use the funds.

About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University has long stood as a beacon of Black excellence in higher education. Recognized by Forbes as the nation’s top HBCU and by U.S. News & World Report for its stellar programs in business, computer science, law, and medicine, Howard continues to shape generations of leaders.

With Scott’s latest contribution, the university aims to expand its impact even further — strengthening its infrastructure, advancing health sciences research, and ensuring its students continue to thrive.