The aftermath of the avalanche near the Armancette glacier in the French Alps on April 9, 2023. Twitter @jpclement38
The aftermath of the avalanche near the Armancette glacier in the French Alps on April 9, 2023. Twitter @jpclement38
The aftermath of the avalanche near the Armancette glacier in the French Alps on April 9, 2023. Twitter @jpclement38
The aftermath of the avalanche near the Armancette glacier in the French Alps on April 9, 2023. Twitter @jpclement38

French Alps avalanche kills at least six and injures several


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At least six people have died and nine were injured in an avalanche at the Armancette glacier near Mont Blanc in south-eastern France, the interior minister Gerald Darmanin has confirmed.

Among the dead are two mountain guides, according to the deputy mayor Elisabeth Mollard, while two others remain missing.

Several other injured people have been taken to hospital.

The identities of the victims have not been confirmed yet, but according to local authorities they are believed to have been backcountry skiing in the mountains.

The avalanche, which measured 1,000 metres long by 100 metres wide, was caused by a slab of snow detaching from the top of the mountain, according to Jean-Luc Mattel, an official of the nearby Contamines-Montjoie village.

Emergency responders deployed a helicopter and specialist mountain rescue dogs to the scene and are still combing the area for survivors.

Chamonix, the small town at the base of Mont Blanc, is a popular vacation spot during the French Easter weekend.

French president Emanuel Macron expressed sympathy for the victims and their families.

No avalanche warning had been issued by Meteo France, but a combination of windy and warm weather may have been behind the disaster, the prefecture for the Haute-Savoie department said, adding that a further avalanche could not be ruled out.

The news comes a day after Swiss authorities rescued a group of hikers from an avalanche in the Swiss Alps.

Last month, a British teenager died after being swept under an avalanche while on a ski tour in Switzerland.

Tens of people have died in avalanches in the past few years, mainly in France, Switzerland and Austria.

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Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.

The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.

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PROFILE OF HALAN

Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

What can you do?

Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses

Seek professional advice from a legal expert

You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor

You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline

In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support

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Favourite author - Paulo Coelho 

Favourite holiday destination - Cuba 

New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field

Role model - My Grandfather 

Dream interviewee - Che Guevara

Gifts exchanged
  • King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
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  • Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
  • Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
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Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

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360Vuz PROFILE

Date started: January 2017
Founder: Khaled Zaatarah 
Based: Dubai and Los Angeles
Sector: Technology 
Size: 21 employees
Funding: $7 million 
Investors: Shorooq Partners, KBW Ventures, Vision Ventures, Hala Ventures, 500Startups, Plug and Play, Magnus Olsson, Samih Toukan, Jonathan Labin

Updated: April 10, 2023, 11:14 AM`