Panchayat president killed in landslide in Sikkim's Gyalshing district
Gangtok (PTI): A 47-year-old panchayat president was killed in a landslide, triggered by incessant rain, in Sikkim's Gyalshing district, police said on Sunday.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening when a massive landslide buried Rajen Gurung, the president of the Sardung Lungjik Gram Panchayat unit, near his residence, a senior officer said.
He was looking at the drainage system near his residence when the landslide occurred, the police said.
Chief Minister PS Tamang said he was deeply saddened to learn about the "untimely demise of Gurung, who succumbed to his injuries caused by a landslide near his residence on Saturday night".
"In this moment of profound grief, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and pray for eternal peace to the departed soul. Late Shri Gurung's selfless service to his community and his tireless contributions towards the welfare of the people will be remembered with deep respect and gratitude," the chief minister said in a social media post.
The CM said he, on behalf of the state government and the people of Sikkim, stands in solidarity with the grieving family in this hour of irreparable loss.
Tamang said it was also reassuring to note that the district administration and authorities concerned have promptly responded to the incident and are extending all necessary support to the family members and the affected area.
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Trump says he called off dispatching envoys to Iran talks
Dubai (PTI): US President Donald Trump said he told his top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner not to travel to Pakistan to negotiate with Iran, stating on Fox News that "they can call us any time they want”.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country won't negotiate while the United States imposes a blockade on its ports. Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a phone call Saturday night that the US “should first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade,” to allow a new round of negotiations, according to the ISNA and Tasnim news agencies in Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Pakistan on Saturday evening, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said Araghchi is expected back in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Sunday.
Trump said Thursday that Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks after talks at the White House. The meeting was the second high-level negotiation between the two countries this month. The initial 10-day ceasefire had been due to expire Monday.
The Trump administration is placing economic sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil.
The move announced Friday is part of the administration's threat to impose secondary sanctions on entities doing business with Iran in an effort to cut off Iran's oil exports, which are a key source of its revenue.
Airlines worldwide have begun cancelling flights as the war in the Middle East strains jet fuel supplies and pushes up prices. Experts have offered information to travelers about what to do if a flight is cancelled.
Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country won't negotiate while the United States imposes a blockade on its ports, according to Iranian media.
Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a phone call Saturday night that the US “should first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade”, to allow a new round of negotiations, the ISNA and Tasnim news agencies reported.
The Pakistani premier described the call as a “warm and constructive discussion”.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi concluded a one-day trip to Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Saturday after meeting with Pakistani military and government officials.
The trip did not produce a breakthrough in efforts to relaunch negotiations after US President Donald Trump canceled a planned trip by his envoys to Islamabad.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will return to Pakistan after his current visit to Oman on his way to visiting Russia.
The report said he was expected to be back in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Sunday and would join other members of his delegation who had gone to Tehran for consultations and “instructions on the topics related to the end of the war.”
