‘I had to handle the situation all by myself’: BSY taunts Centre after stepping down

Mangaluru: The long-awaited DC office complex in Padil is nearing completion, with plans underway to inaugurate the facility during Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s visit to Mangaluru for the State Olympics meet on January 17. Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker U T Khader inspected the site and emphasized the urgency of completing the ₹75 crore project within the set deadline.

“We aim to finish the work by January 10 so that the inauguration can align with the Chief Minister’s visit. However, the final decision will depend on the project’s readiness by then,” Khader stated during his site inspection.

The ambitious project, reflecting the rich Tulu Nadu heritage in its design, received administrative approval on April 28, 2015. Following delays, the work order was issued on February 3, 2018, and construction began on March 17, 2018. Khader assured that the building's traditional architecture will extend to its surroundings, including an aesthetically designed entrance gate.

Spread across 5.89 acres, the complex boasts a total plinth area of 21,054.88 sq m, encompassing multiple levels:

Basement: 4043.88 sq m
Ground Floor: 7553.36 sq m
First Floor: 4158.94 sq m
Second and Third Floors: 2561.28 sq m each
Roof 1 and 2: 88.07 sq m each

The facility aims to centralize government services by housing most departments—except Revenue and RDPR—under one roof. This initiative, Khader highlighted, will streamline operations, save time, and enhance convenience for both officials and the public.

"Officials have been directed to expedite the remaining work, ensuring its timely completion," he added, reaffirming the government’s commitment to creating a functional and visually iconic administrative hub for the region.

Udupi: In a shocking case of cyber fraud, a 38-year-old woman from Karkala in Udupi district, has reportedly lost Rs 24 lakh to a digital arrest scam. The victim, Preema Sheril D'Souza, fell prey to a fraudulent scheme orchestrated through fake calls and threats.

According to the complaint filed, the incident unfolded on Tuesday when Preema received a call at 12:30 pm from an individual claiming to represent the Delhi Telecom Department. The caller alleged that another SIM card had been purchased using her Aadhaar number and was being used for illegal activities in Uttar Pradesh, leading to multiple cases being registered against her.

To add credibility to the scam, the caller arranged a video call where a person dressed as a police officer introduced himself as a CBI official. This individual instructed her to cooperate with the "investigation" and warned her not to disclose the matter to anyone. The scammer also issued threats, claiming that harm would come to her husband and child if she failed to comply.

Under duress, Preema was coerced into sharing her bank account details and transferring a staggering Rs 24 lakh to accounts specified by the fraudsters. She transferred Rs 14 lakh to an account in Federal Bank and Rs 10 lakh to an account in Yes Bank via RTGS from her Fixed Deposit account. The threats of an arrest warrant further pressured her into complying with the scammers' demands.

Upon realizing the fraud, she reported the incident to the authorities. A case has since been registered at the Karkala Rural Police Station, and investigations are underway.

This incident serves as a critical reminder to stay vigilant against such scams. Individuals are advised to verify the identity of callers and refrain from sharing sensitive information or transferring money without proper authentication. If you encounter similar fraudulent activities, report them immediately to the police or cybercrime cell.

A plane with 181 people on board crashed at South Korea's Muan airport after it veered off the runway while landing, with 177 people confirmed dead.

As per Yonhap news agency, the crash was reported in the South Jeolla province when the Jeju Air flight 2216 was returning from Thailand.

Two people - both believed to be flight crew - were rescued by authorities, which continued evacuating passengers from the Boeing 737-800's rear section. Two people are missing. 

Among the 181 on board, 175 were passengers and six were flight crew. Emergency services at the airport began operations around 9 am after the aircraft crashed into a fence after a failed belly landing attempt and erupted in flames. Visuals showed black smoke rising above the crash site.

The crash is believed to have been caused by "contact with birds, resulting in malfunctioning landing gear", coupled with adverse weather conditions. "The plane is almost completely destroyed, and identifying the dead is proving difficult. The process is taking time as we locate and recover the remains," the fire department in Muan said in a statement.

Two minutes before the crash, the pilot issued a Mayday call, Ministry of Land. It added, "It took approximately three minutes from the control tower's mention of a bird strike warning to the aircraft's attempt to land on the runway again."

When asked if the accident happened due to the runway being too short -- video shows the plane coming off the tarmac and hitting a wall -- the official said this was likely not a factor. "The runway is 2,800 meters long, and similar-sized aircraft have been operating on it without issues," they said.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok called for the mobilisation of all resources to save the passengers. "All related agencies must mobilise all available resources to save the personnel," he instructed officials in a statement.

Meanwhile, Jeju Air said it 'sincerely apologises' for the plane crash. "We at Jeju Air will do everything in our power in response to this accident. We sincerely apologise for causing concern," the airline said in a statement posted on its social media channels.

It is the first fatal accident in the history of Jeju Air, one of South Korea's largest low-cost carriers, which was set up in 2005. The aircraft involved in the crash was acquired in 2017 from Europe's low-cost carrier RyanAir.

On August 12, 2007, a Bombardier Q400 operated by Jeju Air carrying 74 passengers came off the runway due to strong winds at the southern Busan-Gimhae airport, resulting in a dozen injuries.

Second Plane Crash In A Week

Sunday's crash comes days after an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crashed on Wednesday in Kazakhstan, claiming 38 lives.

Azerbaijan Airlines' Flight J2-8243 crashed and caught fire near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan after diverting from southern Russia where Ukrainian drones were reported to be attacking several cities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin apologised to Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, for the "tragic incident". "It was noted in the conversation that the Azerbaijani passenger aircraft, which was travelling according to its schedule, repeatedly tried to land at Grozny airport. At that time, Grozny, Mozdok and Vladikavkaz were being attacked by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, and Russian air defence systems repelled these attacks," according to a Kremlin statement.