London, July 13:  An aircraft has crashed at the London Southend Airport, police have confirmed.

The Beechcraft B200 aircraft crashed at around 4 p.m. on Sunday, soon after taking off from Southend airport, and was seen in flames with dark smoke billowing from it, according to photos circulating on social media, BBC reported.

The East of England Ambulance Service said four crews were at the scene including a rapid response vehicle, a hazardous area response vehicle and a senior paramedic.

David Burton-Sampson, the Labour MP for Southend West and Leigh, posted on X: “I am aware of an incident at Southend airport. Please keep away and allow the emergency services to do their work. My thoughts are with everyone involved.”

Essex police said it was at the scene of a “serious incident”, BBC reported.

A statement from the Essex Police said: “We were alerted shortly before 4 p.m. to reports of a collision involving one 12-metre plane. We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing for several hours.”

A spokesperson for Essex Police said: “We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing for several hours.”

“We would please ask the public to avoid this area where possible while this work continues.”

Essex County fire and rescue service said four crews along with off-road vehicles attended the incident.

The plane was scheduled to fly to Lelystad in the Netherlands, according to reports.

ESN Report wrote on X: “Just witnessed a Beechcraft crash on take-off at Southend airport about 40 minutes after a Cessna also left the runway. Thoughts are with those on the aircraft. Absolutely tragic. Was waving to the aircrew just moments before.”

Police said they were evacuating the Rochford Hundred golf club and Westcliff rugby club as a precaution because of their proximity to the incident.

An eyewitnesses from Westcliff Rugby Club said a presentation event was happening at the time of the incident.

Matt Dent, Southend City Council’s cabinet member for business, culture, music and tourism, said on X: “I am aware of the live serious incident ongoing at London Southend Airport.”

“At present all I know is that a small plane has crashed at the airport. My thoughts are with all those involved, and with the emergency services currently responding to the incident.”

Four flights scheduled to take off from the airport on Sunday afternoon had been cancelled, according to its website.

Details regarding the number of passengers on board have not yet been released.

Authorities continue to assess the situation.

Srinagar, July 14: An Indian traveller’s reflections after a recent trip to Kuala Lumpur have stirred an online debate, after he candidly compared the Malaysian capital’s civic standards to conditions back home. In a Reddit post titled “Just back from Kuala Lumpur and I’m ashamed,” the user shared how his unexpected visit — chosen over Vietnam due to last-minute changes — turned out to be a revelation.

The experience left him feeling disheartened about what Indian cities often lack and empathetic toward foreigners or NRIs who return to a far less organised environment. It also led him to rethink his views on why many Indians choose to settle abroad.

The post sparked a lively online discussion about the disparity between India’s potential and the everyday reality faced by its citizens. Many users shared their own experiences of travelling abroad and having a similar shift in perspective.

One user said, “I visited Japan as my first international country from Delhi. Man, I expected shockers but the magnitude of it…I wasn’t prepared for it.”

Another user commented, “I was one of those who never wanted to leave India. Went to Germany for a business trip. My whole view of abroad changed. The safety. The air. The quality of food.”

A third wrote, “We need to own up to our own mistakes as well and not blame everything on politics. Cleanliness, for one, is the onus of citizens and not the government. And you can see how we do there. Corruption at all levels is on citizens, you can see how we do there.”

Despite initially having low expectations, he was struck by the city’s clean roads, organised infrastructure, and the overall civic sense of its people. The absence of potholes, efficient urban planning, and public cooperation deeply impressed him, prompting a critical reflection on India’s struggles with basic amenities despite having vast resources and talent.

New Delhi, July 14: External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China on the sidelines of the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Beijing.

In a message on X Jaishankar said “Pleased to meet Vice President Han Zheng soon after my arrival in Beijing today. Conveyed India’s support for China’s SCO Presidency. Noted the improvement in our bilateral ties. And expressed confidence that discussions during my visit will maintain that positive trajectory.”

EAM is in China today participating in the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (CFM) being held in Tianjin. During his visit to China, the Minister is scheduled to hold a series of bilateral meetings on the margins of the SCO Foreign Ministers’ gathering, which is being hosted under China’s presidency.

Jaishankar’s Beijing visit follows his day-long stop in Singapore, where he called on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and held detailed talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade & Industry H.E. Gan Kim Yong and Foreign Minister Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan.

In Singapore, discussions focused on taking forward the outcomes of Prime Minister recent visit, and the second round of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR). Areas reviewed included investments, industrial parks, semiconductors, infrastructure, skill development, and digital and physical connectivity.

Dr. Jaishankar also met Teo Chee Hean, former Senior Minister and Chairman-designate of Temasek Holdings, where talks centred around India’s ongoing economic transformation and the scope for Temasek to expand its footprint in India’s growth sectors.

The Minister’s visit to Singapore and China comes as part of sustained high-level diplomatic engagement, highlighting New Delhi’s strategic focus on strengthening regional ties and deepening cooperation across economic and geopolitical domains.