Also a major attack in Ukraine, Japan’s military ambitions and a preview of the Australian Open.
A fatal plane crash in Nepal
At least 68 people died yesterday in Nepal when a passenger plane crashed and broke into three large pieces while trying to land in the city of Pokhara, officials said. Seventy-two people were on board.
The twin-engine propeller model manufactured more than 15 years ago went down on a roughly 30-minute flight from the capital, Kathmandu. Fifty-three passengers were from Nepal. Five from India, four from Russia and two from South Korean died, as well as one person each from Australia, Argentina, France and Ireland, authorities said. The four crew members were from Nepal.
Many people in Nepal rely on such small planes to reach far-flung parts of the country. In recent years, a number of them have crashed, according to the Aviation Safety Network. Poor visibility, rapidly changing weather conditions above mountainous terrain and aging fleets make flying in Nepal hazardous.
Details: Videos on social media showed flames and black plumes of smoke at the crash site. Emergency responders struggled to reach the plane because it had gone down into a gorge.
Background: In May last year, a plane carrying 22 people went down during a 20-minute flight from Pokhara to Jomsom, a tourist destination popular with trekkers. There were no survivors from the flight, which normally takes about 30 minutes. And in 2016. And in 2016, all 23 people on board another Pokhara-Jomsom flight were killed in a crash.Russian strike kills at least 30
Ukraine suffered one of its largest losses of civilian life far from the front line: At least 30 people have died after a Russian missile cut a nine-story apartment building in half on Saturday.
The attack on the central city of Dnipro was part of a widespread assault across Ukraine: Russia launched dozens of missiles this weekend in strikes that coincided with the Orthodox New Year. Officials believe that more than 30 people are still missing in Dnipro. Rescuers were still searching for survivors yesterday.
Russian strikes on train stations, theaters, shopping malls and residential neighborhoods have killed many civilians. The shelling of cities and towns near the front line has, too. Under international law, it is a war crime to deliberately or recklessly attack civilian populations and places where they would be likely to congregate.
Heritage: Russian forces are systematically looting Ukraine’s museums. It may be the single biggest collective art heist since the Nazis pillaged Europe in World War II.
Indonesia: Thousands of Russians and Ukrainians have fled to Bali.
