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‘Profound shame’: Archbishop of Canterbury mourns Jallianwala killings

Published

7 years ago

September 11, 2019

‘Profound shame’: Archbishop of Canterbury mourns Jallianwala killings

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Archbishop of Britain’s Canterbury, Justin Welby, visited Amritsar’s Jallianwala Bagh national memorial on Tuesday (September 10) and, prostrating himself on the floor, mourned the tragedy of 1919, according to media reports.

Welby said it was “deeply humbling” and he felt “profound shame.” “My first response is to pray for healing of relatives, of descendants, of our relationships with India and its wonderful people. But that prayer renews in me a desire to pray and act so that together we may learn from history, root out hatred, promote reconciliation and globally seek the common good,” he wrote in the visitors’ book.

Archbishop Welby also tweeted about his visit and shared photos.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“You have remembered what they have done and their memory will live. I’m ashamed and sorry for the crime committed here, as a religious leader I mourn the tragedy,” Archbishop Justin Welby said.

“I feel a deep sense of grief, humility and profound shame having visited the site of the horrific Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar today. Here, a great number of Sikhs – as well as Hindus, Muslims and Christians – were shot dead by British troops in 1919,” he tweeted on Tuesday, September 10.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“The site of the #JallianwalaBagh massacre is a place of both sin and redemption. The souls of those killed, injured and bereaved cry out to us about the misuse of power. They will live on and be remembered before God,” he added. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Archbishop also wrote on his Facebook wall, he has “no status to apologize on behalf of the UK, its government” and was “personally very sorry” for the atrocity.

“To say sorry as a Christian is to turn around and take a new direction alongside voicing words of apology. When there is something on the scale and horror of this massacre, and done so many years ago, words can be cheaply bandied around, as if a simple apology would ever be enough.”

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He said, “Learning of what happened, I recognize the sins of my British colonial history, the ideology that too often subjugated and dehumanized other races and cultures. Jesus Christ calls us to turn away from sin and to turn to Him as Lord. We are called to not just repent of old ways but to intentionally live in a new way that seeks the Kingdom of God here on earth”.

Britain has never formally apologized for the tragedy; former Prime Minister Theresa May had on the 100th anniversary of the massacre said she “deeply regretted” the tragedy.

On the 100th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy in April this year, the Archbishop had condemned the massacre and said, “As British people we can’t avoid this shameful part of our colonial legacy.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On the afternoon of April 13, 1919, some 10,000 people gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh, an area in Amritsar surrounded by high walls with only one exit. People were angry in particular about the arrests of two local leaders. April 13 was also Baisakhi, a harvest festival in northern India. The crowd included men, women, children and pilgrims who were visiting the nearby Golden Temple, one of the holiest sites in Sikhs.

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British troops opened fire on the crowd of unarmed protestors on April 13, 1919. The number of casualties is unclear with colonial-era records showing about 400 deaths while Indian figures put the number at closer to 1,000.

Archbishop Welby is on a 10-day India tour and has visited Kolkata, Medak, Jabalpur and Bengaluru.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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S Jaishankar defends Russian oil imports, says it won’t end Ukraine war

S Jaishankar defended India’s Russian oil purchases, saying the Ukraine war can only be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations

Published

1 day ago

September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has defended India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil, saying that stopping the trade would not bring an end to the war in Ukraine.

Speaking to the media during his official visit to Kyiv, Jaishankar said the conflict, now in its fifth year, can only be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations. He was responding to questions about Western pressure on India to reduce its purchases of Russian energy.

“This conflict, which is today in its fifth year, will not be solved because somebody is buying or not buying oil or alumina or minerals or metals or fertiliser,” Jaishankar said. He added that dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation were the way to resolve the conflict.

Jaishankar stresses India’s energy security

Jaishankar also highlighted the challenge of ensuring energy security for India’s 1.4 billion people amid difficult global energy conditions.

He said India respects Ukraine’s perspective on the issue but expects other countries to respect New Delhi’s position as well.

India imports around 88 per cent of its crude oil requirement from overseas. According to the report, about one-third of those imports currently come from Russia.

Western pressure over Russian oil

Jaishankar’s comments came amid continued pressure from Western countries over India’s purchases of Russian crude.

The United States and the United Kingdom have backed the argument that restricting Russia’s energy revenues could reduce the funds available to support its military operations in Ukraine.

Last month, the US Senate passed a bipartisan bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods from countries, including India and China, that continue importing Russian oil and gas.

India remains a major buyer of Russian crude

Russia has remained India’s largest source of crude oil despite pressure from Washington. However, Indian imports of Russian crude declined in August after reaching record levels in June and July.

Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian crude accounted for only around 0.2 per cent of India’s crude imports. After Western countries moved away from Russian oil following the invasion, India emerged as the largest buyer of discounted Russian crude.

India imported around 2.1 million barrels of Russian crude per day in August, according to data cited in the report. That represented more than 40 per cent of India’s crude imports, down from around 2.6 million barrels per day in June and July.

Russian exporters increasingly rely on Asian buyers

Russia has also become more dependent on Asian markets after European sanctions disrupted its traditional energy trade.

Countries such as India and China have emerged as important buyers of Russian crude. Continued demand from Indian refiners has helped Russian exporters maintain significant volumes despite restrictions affecting Western shipping, insurance and financial services.

Jaishankar, meanwhile, maintained that the Ukraine conflict requires a diplomatic solution rather than an attempt to resolve it through decisions by individual countries over oil purchases.

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Nepal has sought climate compensation from India, China and the US after a devastating flash flood killed more than 1,100 people and left nearly 4,500 missing.

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Nepal has sought climate-related compensation from India, China and the United States following the devastating flash floods that struck the country last week.

Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said the country wants its diplomatic approach to move beyond conventional disaster aid towards what he described as justice and compensation. He argued that major greenhouse gas emitters have a responsibility towards vulnerable countries facing severe climate-related losses.

The flash flood struck the Bhotekoshi River basin on August 26 after a high-altitude glacial collapse along the Tibet-Nepal border. The disaster sent water, rocks and debris downstream, affecting villages across at least three districts.

More than 1,100 bodies have been recovered, while nearly 4,500 people remain missing, according to the report.

Nepal seeks accountability from major emitters

Khanal said Nepal’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions is “virtually negligible”, yet the country is facing severe consequences associated with global warming, including glacier melt and extreme mountain disasters.

He said Nepal considers the response to such climate-related losses a matter of “legal and moral liability” rather than charity.

According to Khanal, Nepal intends to raise the issue at international forums and seek compensation for climate-related losses suffered by vulnerable countries.

He also highlighted the importance of Himalayan glaciers for South Asia’s water security, saying their disappearance could have consequences for billions of people dependent on rivers including the Ganges and Trishuli.

Nepal’s finance ministry has also sent a formal climate compensation claim letter to its international partners, Khanal said.

India has backed climate equity

India has consistently highlighted the principle of climate equity and pointed to its relatively low per capita greenhouse gas emissions.

New Delhi has argued that climate responsibilities should consider countries’ historical emissions, development requirements and respective capacities. India has also supported efforts to address loss and damage suffered by vulnerable developing countries.

India maintains that developed nations should provide financial resources to countries dealing with the effects of climate change.

Nepal approaches loss and damage fund

Nepal has formally approached the board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage for urgent financial assistance following the August 26 flash flood.

The fund was established at COP27 in 2022 and operationalised at COP28.

A letter jointly signed by Nepal’s Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Forests and Agriculture Minister Geeta Chaudhary sought an urgent response to the disaster, citing extensive loss of life, displacement and destruction of homes and critical infrastructure.

The letter said the full extent of the economic and non-economic losses was yet to be determined, but preliminary information indicated that the impact had exceeded Nepal’s immediate response capacity.

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Bank of America VP Erin Piacenti killed in New York stabbing

Bank of America vice-president Erin Piacenti, 32, was fatally stabbed in an apparently random attack in New York’s Times Square.

Published

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APNLive Desk

Bank of America vice-president Erin Piacenti was fatally stabbed in New York City’s Times Square in what authorities described as a random and unprovoked attack.

Piacenti, 32, was among two people stabbed in the incident near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue on August 31. She was taken to a hospital but later died from her injuries. The other victim, a 68-year-old man, survived and was reported to be in stable condition.

Who was Erin Piacenti?

Piacenti worked as a vice-president at Bank of America in its business selection and conflicts unit. She was also a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Fordham Law School.

According to reports, Piacenti was a new mother and had recently returned to work following maternity leave. She had also recently marked her second wedding anniversary with her husband.

Bank of America expressed shock and sadness over her death, describing Piacenti as a valued colleague and extending condolences to her family and loved ones.

What happened in Times Square?

The stabbing took place at around 4:24 pm local time, according to the New York Police Department.

Police identified the alleged attacker as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros. Authorities said she was carrying two large knives and attacked two people before confronting responding officers.

Police attempted to stop Cisneros, including using Tasers, but she continued advancing towards officers with the knives. Officers then opened fire, and Cisneros was later pronounced dead.

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the attack appeared to be random and unprovoked. Police also said Cisneros had a documented history of mental health issues. The motive remains under investigation.

Bank of America reacts to employee’s death

Bank of America said it was “shocked and deeply saddened” by Piacenti’s death and said she would be greatly missed.

The bank’s security teams are also supporting the police investigation and addressing security concerns involving its offices and employees.

Piacenti’s death has left her family, colleagues and friends mourning the loss of a young professional who had recently returned to work after becoming a mother.