Bangladeshi troops claim 'self-defence' after BSF jawan killed in international border firing

Agencies
October 18, 2019

Oct 18: Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Thursday claimed they "fired in self-defence" during a flag meeting along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal's Murshidabad, in which one Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was killed and another sustained injuries.

BGB troops opened fire on a BSF patrol earlier today killing Head Constable Vijay Bhan Singh and injuring another when the party was trying to trace an Indian fisherman, who had gone fishing in the River Padma along the international border, according to the BSF.

While Singh died after he received bullet injuries on his head, the constable-cum-boatman received bullet injuries on his right hand.

The BSF put out a statement saying out two out of the three Indian fishermen who had gone fishing and were apprehended by the BGB, were released. "Two fishermen returned and approached the BSF post at Kakmarichar and said that the BGB apprehended them."

The Bangladeshi Guards had called a flag meeting over the issue, the BSF said.

"Around 10:30 am, the Post Commander along with five troopers in the BSF boat, approached the BGB patrol in a speed boat in the water channel of River Padma near the boundary. During the flag meeting, the BGB patrol did not release the Indian fisherman and also tried to cordon (gherao) the BSF troops," BSF added.

Sensing the situation worsening, the BSF party immediately returned following which the BGB troops opened fire on them, the BSF further said.

The BGB, however, said that they fired in "self-defence" after the BSF party, which was returning "started firing".

"It should be noted that four out of the four BSF members were wearing uniforms and the rest were wearing half pants-gauze. Also, it is important to note that the BSF team had weapons," the BGB said in a statement.

The Bangladeshi Border Guards said that it told the BSF if they want to take the prisoners back, they would be given a formal return with the flag meeting. "BGB patrol team informed them that you too came to Bangladesh illegally, so you too will be handed over through official flag meeting," it added.

The BGB further said, "The BSF members were then forced to flee. When BGB stopped them, the BSF members started firing. Speedboats continued to enter India. The BGB then fired in self-defence. Later, it was reported that one BSF member was killed."

Meanwhile, the injured BSF personnel were evacuated to the nearest medical facility.

Head Constable Vijay Bhan Singh succumbed to his injuries and was declared brought dead. The injured constable was taken to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital Behrampore.

Born in 1968, Singh had joined the BSF in 1990. He is survived by two sons and hailed from Chamaroli village in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad district.

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Agencies
January 5,2020

New Delhi, Jan 5: A masked mob on Sunday entered the Sabarmati Hostel on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus and assaulted several students and professors with sticks and rods.

"I have been brutally attacked by goons wearing masks. I am bleeding. I was brutally beaten up," JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh told reporters.

She has been admitted to the AIIMS here for treatment.

Several other students were also injured in the incident.

In a video of the incident, a group of goons with their faces covered can be seen assaulting students with wooden sticks and rods.

A tweet from the official handle of the JNUSU said, "Sabarmati Hostel: right now. They are beating the students who are inside. Knocking on doors with rods. People are jumping from balconies. #SOSJNU #EmergencyinJNU."

"Professors who were trying to protect us have been beaten up. These are unknown ABVP goons, not all are students, they have covered their faces, and they are moving towards the hotels near the West Gate. Stay alert. Make human chains. Protect each other. #SOSJNU #EmergencyinJNU," another tweet added.

Meanwhile, the ABVP's JNU unit claimed in a tweet: "Emergency in JNU. Leftist goons of JNU accompained with their cadre from other universities have crossed every limit. They have proceeded with unimaginable violence on ABVP activists of JNU."

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Agencies
February 6,2020

Mumbai, Feb 6: The Reserve Bank of India, for the second straight time, on Thursday kept its key policy rate unchanged at 5.15 per cent, maintaining its accommodative policy stance as long as it was necessary to revive growth.

The central bank retained GDP growth at 5 per cent for 2019-20 and pegged it at 6 per cent for the next fiscal.

"Economic activity remains subdued and the few indicators that have moved up recently are yet to gain traction in a more broad-based manner. Given the evolving growth-inflation dynamics, the MPC felt it appropriate to maintain status quo,” the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) said.

The six-member committee voted unanimously to hold rates, but also said that there is “policy space available for further action”.

Between February and October 2019, the RBI had reduced repo rate by 135 basis points.

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News Network
January 22,2020

Jan 22: Microsoft Corp’s chief executive officer said he worries that mistrust between the US and China will increase technology costs and hurt economic growth at a critical time.

Using the $470 billion semiconductor industry as an example of a sector that is already globally interconnected, Satya Nadella said the two countries will have to find ways to work together, rather than creating different supply chains for each country.

“All you are doing is increasing transaction costs for everybody if you completely separate,” Nadella said in an interview with Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait at Bloomberg’s The Year Ahead conference in Davos. That’s a concern as the executive said the world is on the cusp of a revolution around technology and artificial intelligence.

“If we take steps back in trust or increase transaction costs around technology, all we are doing is sacrificing global economic growth,” he said.

The agreement signed last week between the US and China was “not sufficient,” said Nadella, but represented “progress” on the issue of intellectual property protections for US technology companies working with China.

Nadella said he worries about the development of two separate internets, noting that to some degree they already exist “and they will get amplified in the future” with massive technology companies already in place in China.

The viewpoint clashes with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who has been sceptical about the idea that ongoing US-China trade tensions could ever lead to a bifurcated system of two internets.

China and the US are the two leading AI superpowers, however the cooling political relations between them have slowed the international collaboration.

Nadella also warned that countries that fail to attract immigrants will lose out as the global tech industry continues to grow. The CEO has previously voiced concern about India’s Citizenship Amendment Act, calling it “sad.”

“However, Nadella said he remained hopeful.

“The fact that there is a 70-year history of nation-building, I think it’s a very strong foundation. I grew up in that country. I’m proud of that heritage. I’m influenced by that experience.”

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