LIVE updates: 'Precious lives lost,' says PM Modi on Nepal plane crash

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the devastating plane crash in Nepal that left 68 people dead on Sunday. The plane was carrying about 72 people from capital Kathmandu crashed in Pokhara this morning, news agency AFP said, quoting the police.

Ahead of the Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday that she was aware of the pressures of the middle class but also recalled that the present government has not imposed any fresh taxes on them. Sitharaman will present Union Budget for 2023-24 in the Lok Sabha on February 1 amid expectations that the government will raise the income tax limit and provide relief to the middle class taxpayers, besides others.

At least 68 people are confirmed dead after a plane carrying 72 people crashed in Nepal on Sunday, police said. 53 Nepali, 5 Indian, 4 Russian, 2 Koreans, 1 Argentinian, and one each from Ireland, Australia, and France were in the plane, Yeti Airlines said in a statement. 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has highlighted India's "strong and firm" response to China, which tried to unilaterally change the status quo on the LAC in May 2020 and more recently in Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh in December last year. Speaking at the Tughlaq's 53rd Annual Day Function, he said, "On the northern borders, China is seeking to change the status quo by bringing large forces and violating our agreements. Despite Covid, remember, this happened in May 2020. Our counter-response was strong and firm." Jaishankar said the world saw in India's response that it is "a nation that will not be coerced and will do what it takes to ensure its national security".

In the face of unprecedented economic hardship in Sri Lanka, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that the only option for the island nation to emerge from this crisis is to seek the support of the global lender International Monetary Fund (IMF). "We are well aware that the economy of the country has collapsed. So I know the difficulties faced by the country. We witnessed a drop in the number of employments. Inflation has especially increased the cost of living. Hence people's lifestyle is changing," said Wickremesinghe during a meeting with the trade union representatives at the President's Office.

In what appears to be a tit-for-tat move, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will have to take a trust vote, media reports said. Khan's remarks came after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) threatened to leave the present coalition government. MQM-P's votes are crucial to keep the incumbent prime minister in office, Geo News reported. MQM-P has threatened to quit the federal government if its reservations regarding delimitations in Karachi and Hyderabad are not addressed ahead of the local government polls - scheduled for January 15.

 

9:59 PM

Huge cache of weapons seized from terrorist hideout in J-K's Poonch

Security forces on Sunday busted a terrorist hideout in Jammu and Kashmir's border district of Poonch, leading to the recovery of a huge quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives, officials said.

 

The hideout was busted during a joint operation by the police and the Army at Bahian Wali village in Surankote tehsil, they said.

 

Three AK assault rifles, a box containing 10 grenades, a grenade thrower and some ammunition were recovered, the officials said.

9:06 PM

India, China border situation is quite stable, says China

8:40 PM

Prachand Light Combat Helicopter demonstrating its flying operations in Jodhpur

8:36 PM

Pained by the tragic air crash in Nepal: PM Modi

7:58 PM

40 cars collide on icy road in South Korea, injuring dozens

About 40 vehicles collided on an icy highway near capital Seoul on Sunday and one person was feared dead dozens injured, officials said. Officials at the northern Gyeonggi Province fire department said the number of injuries could grow as rescue workers continue to respond to the accident that occurred Sunday night at the Guri-Pocheon highway. Kim Dong-wan, an official at the department, said at least four motorists were in critical condition and one of them was transported to a hospital in cardiac arrest. At least 29 others sustained light injuries, he said.

 

7:39 PM

Shivraj Singh Chouhan's chopper makes emergency landing in MP after glitch

6:10 PM

Nepal's Yeti Airlines says it has canceled all regular flights for 16th Jan after Sunday's crash incident

5:21 PM

It is an unfortunate accident: nion Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia on Nepal Aircraft crash

It is an unfortunate accident. I share my condolences with the families, said Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia on the Nepal Aircraft crash in which 68 people died.

4:16 PM

Joshimath subsidence: Supreme Court to hear plea on Monday

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea seeking the court's intervention to declare the crisis in Uttarakhand's Joshimath as a national disaster.According to the cause list of January 16 uploaded on the apex court website, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala would hear the petition filed by Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati.

2:50 PM

PM Modi's roadshow in Delhi: Several roads to be closed, traffic to be diverted

Delhi Police has issued a traffic advisory in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow in the national capital on Monday.

The BJP is organising a roadshow on Sansad Marg from Patel Chowk to Sansad Marg-Jai Singh Road Junction on January 16 from 3 pm onwards. Prime Minister Modi is set to participate in the roadshow. "Special traffic arrangements will be in place to ensure smooth traffic management in the vicinity of the roadshow route," said Delhi Police in a statement.

The traffic advisory said Ashoka Road (Windsor Place to Jai Singh Road GPO Both Carriageways), Sansad Marg, Tolstoy Road (Janpath to Sansad Marg), Rafi Marg (Rail Bhawan to Sansad Marg), Jantar Mantar Road, Imtiaz Khan Marg and Bangla Sahib Lane will remain closed on January 16 from 2:30 pm to 5 pm.

 

2:29 PM

Nepal plane crash update: Some survivors found, sent to hospital, say officials

Reports quoting Nepalese officials say rescuers have found "some" survivors at the crash site. They have been sent to an area hospital.

There were 72 people on board the aircraft that took off from Kathmandu airport at 10:30 am. The plane crashed just seconds before landing in Pokhara, a popular hill destination frequented by tourists. There were at total of 15 foreigners aboard the aircraft, five of whom were Indians.  

2:16 PM

Strong defence posture being maintained at LAC: Army chief Gen Manoj Pande

The Indian Army is maintaining a strong defence posture along the Line of Actual Control and is ready to deal with any contingency, Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande said on Sunday.

 

In his address at the Army Day celebrations in Bengaluru, he said the northern border region has been peaceful and steps have been taken to maintain peace through established protocol and existing mechanism.

 

Referring to the situation along the western border, he said the ceasefire continues at LOC and there has been a substantial reduction in violations. However, the terror infrastructure still remains on other side of border.

 

2:09 PM

EAM Jaishankar likely to visit Lanka on Jan 19; talks on debt restructuring expected

Sri Lanka will hold debt restructuring talks with India when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is expected to visit Colombo this week, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, as the cash-strapped country looks to carve a path out of its worst financial crisis.

 

The crisis-hit island nation, which is trying to secure a much-needed USD 2.9 billion bridge loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has been trying to get financial assurances from its major creditors China, Japan and India which is the requisite for Colombo to get the bailout package.

 

The IMF bailout has been put on a halt as Sri Lanka pursues talks with creditors to meet the global lender's condition for the facility.

 

 

1:41 PM

Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia condoles loss of lives in Nepal plane crash

"The loss of lives in a tragic plane crash in Nepal is extremely unfortunate. My thoughts & prayers are with the families of the bereaved. Om Shanti," Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said.

 

12:53 PM

Nepal PM Prachanda reaches Kathmandu airport, reviews situation after plane crash in Pokhara

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has reached the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, say reports.

He is meeting officials and reviewing the situation following the crash of a Yeti Airlines plane carrying 72 people at the Pokhara airport this morning.