Former lawmaker gets life sentence for role in 1984 anti-Sikh riots

An Indian court sentenced former lawmaker Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment for orchestrating the murder of two Sikh men during the 1984 riots targeting the minority community.

The politician was convicted of inciting a mob that killed Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in the aftermath of then prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards.

Special judge Kaveri Baweja delivered the ruling on Tuesday.

The prosecution had sought the death penalty, but the judge opted for life imprisonment.

Investigators had accused the former Congress party lawmaker of leading a mob that burned two Sikh men to death and looted their home during the anti-Sikh riots.

The prosecution argued that he orchestrated the attack while Kumar’s lawyers questioned the reliability of eyewitness testimonies that were taken after a delay of seven years.

“The present case is more serious than the Nirbhaya case. In that case, a young woman was targeted. Here, people of a particular community were attacked,” the prosecution said, stating that Kumar’s crime fell under the “rarest of rare” category which deserved the death penalty.

Sectarian riots erupted in Delhi and elsewhere in India after Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984. She had angered the minority Sikh community by sending the military to storm the Golden Temple – the holiest Sikh shrine in Amritsar in Punjab – to eliminate militants holed up there.

“We will not accept anything less than the death penalty. We are not happy with the verdict of the court,” Sikh leader Gurlad Singh was quoted as saying by India Today. “We will appeal to the government to go to a higher court and announce the death penalty for Sajjan Kumar.”

Kumar is already serving a life sentence following his 2018 conviction by the Delhi High Court for the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar Part I, Palam Colony, on 1-2 November 1984, and for orchestrating the burning of a gurdwara in Raj Nagar Part II of the capital.

In September 2023, a Delhi court acquitted Kumar in a case involving the killing of seven Sikhs during the 1984 riots in Sultanpuri.

He still faces a pending case in a Delhi court while two appeals against his acquittal are before the High Court. An appeal against his conviction in another case is pending in the Supreme Court.

For decades, families of the victims of the anti-Sikh riots struggled for justice, facing repeated setbacks due to alleged political interference and police inaction.

Despite multiple inquiries and commissions, little progress was made and key accused, including Kumar, remained untouched by the law. It was only in 2018, after sustained pressure from activists and families of the victims, that the Supreme Court intervened and ordered a fresh investigation and fast-tracking trials. This led to Kumar’s conviction and life sentence.

The Indian government set up the Nanavati Commission in 2000 to investigate the 1984 riots. Headed by Justice GT Nanavati, the commission submitted its report in 2005, naming key political figures, including Kumar and former minister Jagdish Tytler, as instigators of the violence.

The report, citing official estimates, says 2,733 Sikhs were killed in Delhi between 31 October and 5 November 1984. It notes, however, that Sikh community representatives dispute this figure, claiming that over 3,000 Sikhs were killed.

The report notes that most of the deaths took place on 1 and 2 November 1984. “Big mobs armed with weapons attacked the houses of Sikhs,” it says, “male members were assaulted and beaten mercilessly and many of them were burned alive or cut into pieces.”

“Many dead bodies were removed in vehicles and it is alleged that they were thrown into river Yamuna,” it continues. “Large number of shops and business establishments of Sikhs were looted and many of them were subsequently burnt as well. Many taxi stands and taxis were burnt as mainly Sikhs were in that business.”

A Sikh community leader expressed disappointment that Kumar was not given the death penalty but acknowledged that justice had prevailed with his life sentence, even after 41 years.

“We are upset that someone like Sajjan Kumar was not given the death penalty. I believe if he had been given a death sentence, it would have been better, and we would have felt satisfied,” Jagdip Singh Kahlon, general secretary of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI on Tuesday. “After 41 years, even if he got life imprisonment, justice has prevailed. I respect the verdict of the court.”

Big bank to cut 4,000 roles as AI replaces humans

Singapore’s biggest bank plans to cut 4,000 jobs as it expects artificial intelligence to take on more work currently done by human employees.

The chief executive of the Development Bank of Singapore said the job cuts would be phased out over the next three years.

“My current projection in the next three years, we will shrink our workforce by about 4,000 or 10 per cent,” Piyush Gupta said at an industry conference in Mumbai, India, on Monday.

The outgoing chief executive, however, said 1,000 new positions would be added in AI.

Mr Gupta is one of the first major banking chiefs to lay out details of possible job losses due to AI. “In my 15 years of being a CEO, for the first time, I’m struggling to create jobs. So far, I’ve always had a line of sight to what jobs I can create,” he said, according to Reuters. “This time I’m struggling to say how will I repurpose people to create jobs.”

A DBS spokesperson explained that the reduction in workforce would come from natural attrition as temporary and contract positions roll off over the next few years.

DBS, Southeast Asia’s largest lender, has 8,000 to 9,000 contractual and temporary workers, who are at risk of being terminated. Permanent staff would not be affected, the outgoing chief executive said.

A Bloomberg Intelligence report last month said global banks were expected to cut as many as 200,000 jobs in the next three to five years as AI encroached on tasks currently carried out by humans.

Mr Gupta reportedly said last year that his bank had been working on AI for over a decade. “We today deploy over 800 AI models across 350 use cases and expect the measured economic impact of these to exceed S$1bn (£592m),” he claimed.

A report from the Institute for Public Policy Research warned that AI would likely have a “seismic impact” on the economy and society, particularly in sectors reliant on computer-based tasks.

The think tank’s analysis of 22,000 common tasks performed by human workers found that up to 70 per cent of computer-based roles could be significantly altered or even eliminated by AI.

Bangladesh resumes direct trade with Pakistan after 50 years

Bangladesh has resumed direct trade with Pakistan after over 50 years with the first shipment of 50,000 tonnes of rice leaving Port Qasim under a deal between Islamabad and Dhaka.

The two nations have seen a drastic improvement in bilateral relations since the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took power in Bangladesh after protests toppled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina last August and sent her fleeing to India.

Bangladesh was once a part of Pakistan but became independent after a nine-month war with Islamabad in 1971.

The export of rice marks the first instance of direct trade between the two countries in 54 years.

“For the first time, a Pakistan National Shipping Corporation vessel carrying government cargo will dock at a Bangladeshi port, marking a significant milestone in maritime trade relations,” Pakistani daily The Express Tribune reported.

To begin with, Bangladesh is buying 75,000 tonnes of white rice at £395 per tonne from the Trading Corporation of Pakistan. The remaining 25,000 tonnes of grain is expected to be delivered in early March. Dhaka appears to be paying a higher price for Pakistani rice compared to its procurement from Vietnam. The country has been importing rice from Hanoi at £375.63 per tonne.

The interim government has been trying to stabilise the rice market as prices have risen by 15-20 per cent in recent months.

The new trade deal between the two countries came after Dhaka in January simplified the visa process for Pakistanis to further strengthen economic relations. The interim government removed the requirement of clearance from Dhaka for Pakistani heads of missions to get visas, Bangladesh’s high commissioner to Islamabad, Iqbal Hussain, told reporters.

Mr Hussain said increasing trade and investment between the two countries “must be a top priority” for Dhaka and Islamabad.

Four dead after collapse at highway construction site in South Korea

At least four workers were killed and six injured after a section of an under-construction elevated highway collapsed in South Korea on Tuesday.

The incident occurred near Cheonan, a city about 55 miles south of Seoul. At the time of the collapse, 10 workers were on the site and fell as the structure gave way, leaving them trapped beneath the debris, the National Fire Agency reported.

Rescue teams recovered one worker’s body from the rubble, while eight others were pulled out with injuries and transported to nearby hospitals. Two of the injured later succumbed to their wounds.

The tenth worker, who had been missing for hours, was eventually found dead, bringing the death toll to four. Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse.

The collapse occurred at 9.49am when five 50m-long steel structures, which had been hoisted into place by a crane, gave way one after another, local media reported.

State news agency Yonhap initially reported three fatalities, but the national fire agency said two people had died, later increasing the count of deceased to four. The fire agency said in a statement that five remained in serious condition.

Rescuers were searching for the trapped under the rubble at the construction site in Ipjang-myeon, about 85km south of the capital Seoul. The National Fire Agency said it had deployed 53 personnel and 18 rescue units, with additional staff on standby.

Footage aired by local broadcaster YTN captured the moment the bridge deck collapsed. In response, acting president Choi Sang Mok ordered emergency measures, directing all relevant agencies to mobilise resources for search and rescue operations.

The injured were being transported to hospitals, an interior ministry official told the AFP news agency earlier.

Authorities issued a level two emergency response, requiring personnel from nearby fire stations to assist at the scene. Investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the collapse.

Additional reporting by agencies.

One dead and many injured in clashes at air force base in Bangladesh

One person was killed and several injured after residents in the coastal city of Cox’s Bazar in southern Bangladesh clashed with armed forces on Monday.

The Bangladesh Armed Forces claimed that “local miscreants” attacked the air force base in the city and attempted to set it on fire.

Tensions had been brewing between the residents of Samitipara area and the military over the expansion of the air base and the airport in Cox’s Bazar.

The local people had been protesting against the government’s move to evict some of them from the area and rehabilitate them elsewhere. On Monday, over a dozen people went to meet the district administrator with their demands but were stopped at a military checkpoint as one was without a helmet, local media reported.

A clash ensued, with videos posted on social media showing soldiers firing shots and residents pelting stones. “At that time, more than 200 local people from Samitipara advanced towards the air force base and the air force members barred them. As the number of local people increased, a clash broke out between the air force members and some miscreants from Samitipara,” the Inter Services Public Relations of the Bangladesh Armed Forces said.

Ayesha Siddiqua, a military spokesperson, claimed the clash erupted after a resident was taken inside the air base from a checkpoint for questioning as he did not have the necessary documents for his motorcycle.

The military said they were forced to fire blank rounds, not live ammunition, at the civilians after violence ensued and several of their personnel were injured.

A man identified as Shihab Kabir Nahid was injured in the clashes and died on his way to hospital. The military denied that he was injured in firing by soldiers.

“Analysing the pictures of the cartridge that have been circulated proves that it was a blank cartridge which is non-lethal and only produces sound,” the military said. “Bangladesh Air Force expresses deep condolence over the death of the youth and sympathises with his family members.”

Cox’s Bazar has been in international headlines for over a decade for giving refuge to over a million Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in the neighbouring nation of Myanmar.

Bangladesh, run by an interim government led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, has faced challenges in establishing order since the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August by a street agitation led by students. Mob violence in particular has become a pressing concern.

On Monday, the Manusher Jonno Foundation, a rights group in Dhaka, expressed deep concern over the decline in law and order in the country, citing an increase in gender-based violence, harassment and restrictions on women’s mobility.

How China plans to eliminate severe air pollution within months

Chinese authorities are ramping up efforts in pollution control and emissions reduction in a bid to effectively eliminate severe air pollution by the end of 2025.

Senior environment official, Li Tianwei, the Director of the Department of Atmospheric Environment said China will aim to do so by improving air quality forecasting and early warning systems, as well as enhancing its coordinated management of harmful airborne particles known as PM2.5, and ozone pollution.

“The battle for blue skies remains unchanged,” Li said according to a transcript on the Ministry of Ecology and Environment’s website on Monday.

Though some progress has been made, air pollution remains a major problem in China and affects economies and people’s quality of life, said the World Health Organization (WHO).

Air pollution is responsible for about two million deaths in China annually, the WHO said. Of those deaths, ambient air pollution caused more than one million deaths, while household air pollution from cooking with polluting fuels and technologies caused another million deaths, it said on its website.

The WHO considers PM2.5 concentrations above 50 micrograms per cubic metre “severe” air pollution.

China’s air quality improved significantly in 2024, Li said. The average concentration of PM2.5 in cities was 29.3 micrograms per cubic metre, a year-on-year decrease of 2.7 per cent.

The proportion of days with good air quality reached 87.2 per cent, up by 1.7 percentage points year-on-year.

China must introduce new emission standards that align with global best practises, Li said, adding that the country will boost the share of new energy vehicles and machinery in airports, ports and logistics parks.

Authorities also plan to promote the long-distance transportation of bulk goods by rail and water, rather than by roads.

President Xi Jinping has said China prioritises environmental protection, promoting green lifestyles and that conservation of nature is an essential part of building a modern socialist country.

Thailand issues warning to teenagers over ‘zombie cigarettes’

Authorities in Thailand have warned teenagers in the country of “zombie cigarettes” laced with etomidate, a sedative that causes severe drowsiness and slows breathing.

Popular in the capital Bangkok’s Thonglor district, the synthetic drugs are known to pose serious health risks. They may induce unconsciousness and even death.

Anukul Prueksanusak, deputy spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office, warned that drug traffickers were producing new synthetic drugs to entice existing as well as new users.

Authorities warned teenagers that “zombie cigarettes” were falsely marketed as safe or harmless and urged the public not to be misled.

Beyond entertainment venues, the illegal products were reportedly sold online and in social settings, often promoted as relaxation aids, according to Nation Thailand.

“Zombie cigarettes” contain etomidate, a medical sedative that can cause extreme drowsiness, slowed breathing, low blood pressure, confusion, and even fatal unconsciousness.

The misuse of etomidate as a recreational drug has been on the rise in recent years. It’s usually mixed with electronic cigarettes, “zombie cigarettes”, due to its sedative effects.

Authorities warned that mixing e-cigarettes with drugs like etomidate could increase health risks, potentially causing long-term adrenal and muscle issues.

Mr Prueksanusak underlined the unknown dangers of these products and their potential to be fatal.

Some governments have reclassified etomidate as a controlled narcotic due to rising cases of abuse. In November, Taiwan upgraded etomidate to a Category 2 narcotic, criminalising its possession and use.

Hong Kong announced earlier this year that etomidate and its analogues – metomidate, propoxate, isopropoxate – would be classified as dangerous drugs under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, effective 14 February.

Possession or consumption would carry a maximum seven-year prison sentence and a HK$1m (£100,000) fine, while trafficking and manufacturing could lead to life imprisonment and a HK$5m (£500,000) fine, according to a statement by the Chinese city’s government.

New Zealand minister steps down for placing hand on staffer’s arm

New Zealand’s commerce and consumer affairs minister has resigned after putting his hand on a staff member’s arm during what he described as an “animated discussion”.

Andrew Bayly said his action was “inappropriate” and apologised for his “overbearing” behaviour.

“I am deeply sorry,” he said in a statement. “I have been impatient to drive change in my ministerial portfolios. Last week I had an animated discussion with a staff member about work. I took the discussion too far, and I placed a hand on their upper arm, which was inappropriate.”

Mr Bayly gave his resignation to prime minister Christopher Luxon on Friday but released the statement only on Monday.

In a short press conference that lasted just five minutes, Mr Bayly said he had a “lively” discussion with the staffer but denied touching their “upper arm” with force. “I’ve never had anything like this happen before,” he added.

The resignation came after a complaint was lodged about his behaviour last week. Mr Bayly said they “went through a process of understanding the nature of the complaint” and he then made the decision to step down.

“To be honest I would have had difficulty doing this interview over the last couple of days. I’ve had to talk to my family, and that’s why I’ve made the decision and that’s why we’re announcing it today,” he said. “I have taken personal responsibility for what has taken place.”

This was Mr Bayly’s second apology over his ministerial conduct since October. He had previously apologised for calling a worker a loser during a site visit. The worker had complained that the minister appeared drunk, swore and formed an “L” sign with his fingers while calling him a loser.

At the time Mr Bayly replied with two apologies and said he “misread the moment”. He claimed the comments were made in a “lighthearted manner” and denied he was intoxicated.

Accepting Mr Bayly’s resignation, the prime minister thanked him for the hard work he had put into his ministerial portfolios. Mr Luxon said the latest incident involving Mr Bayly occurred on 18 February.

“What was important though was he identified his interaction with a staff member as having fallen short of his own expectations and he proactively came to me and offered his resignation which I accepted and I think is the right thing to do,” the prime minister said.

He said the incident had been managed “incredibly well”.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins, however, said the prime minister should have acted sooner.

“Christopher Luxon has once again set the bar for ministerial behaviour so low, that it would be almost impossible to get over it,” he said.

“In this case, we now got ministers sacking themselves when the prime minister should have shown leadership and done that months ago.”