NATIONAL AFFAIRS

President Pranab Mukherjee to inaugurate Namami Brahmaputra, India’s largest river festival, in Assam:

President Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate Namami Brahmaputra, India’s largest river festival. The festival will be celebrated in 21 districts of Assam and the festival will be kicked off on the banks of the river. Brahmaputra is considered to be the country’s only male river.

    The inaugural ceremony will be attended by Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Assam Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Arunachal Pradesh Governor PB Acharya.

Meet ‘Bhoorsingh the Barasingha’: Kanha tiger reserve becomes first in India get official mascot:

  

Kanha has become the first tiger reserve in India to officially introduce a mascot — Bhoorsingh the Barasingha — to present the hard ground swamp deer as the spirit of the reserve and spread awareness to save it from possible extinction.

Barasingha, or swamp deer, is the state animal of Madhya Pradesh. The Kanha tiger reserve, spread over Mandla and Balaghat districts, is the only place in the world where the species exists.

Sachin Tendulkar launched own mobile app called 100MB:

 

Former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar launched his Android and iOS app called ‘100MB’ Pune-based technology firm JetSynthesys. The app allows users access to their personal social media account within the app and access to exclusive information and interaction with Tendulkar.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Beijing to seek land for agro project:

When a trade delegation from Chinese province of Shandong visits Kolkata next week, it will explore possibilities to acquire land, a contentious issue in Bengal, to set up “an agricultural demonstration centre” in the State.

Metal Mining banned in El Salvador:

 

El Salvador made history by becoming the first country in the world to ban metal mining. The decision was taken to protect the Central American country’s diminishing water sources from polluting mining projects. Salvador is the most densely populated country in Latin America.

Beijing hopes the summit will set a new direction in bilateral relationship:

China and the U.S. are setting the tone for the first face-to-face meeting next week in Florida between President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump.

    China-U.S. relationship in a new era, advance the development of bilateral ties in a healthy and stable way from a new starting point, and promote peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the Pacific and the world at large.

BUSINESS AND BANKING

Exim Bank considers co-financing with AfDB:

Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) is exploring opportunities to co-finance projects with African Development Bank (AfDB) in Africa in areas of interest to India.

The co-financing of projects is likely to be in sectors such as power, agriculture and irrigation.

Exim Bank MD: David Rasquinha

Kotak Mahindra Bank launches 8-11 app to double customer base:

 

Kotak Mahindra Bank announced the launch of 8-11, a completely digital and paperless account opening system, that can be used anytime, anywhere.

Kotak also indicated that he expected 8-11 would help double the bank’s existing customer base from eight million within 18 months.

BBB names five for top posts in PSU banks:

    The Bank Board Bureau has recommended names of five candidates to the government for appointment as CEOs and MDs in public sector banks. These include Sunil Mehta, ED, Corporation Bank, Dina Bandhu Mohapatra, ED, Canara Bank, Rajkiran Rai G, ED, Oriental Bank of Commerce, R.A. Sankara Narayanan, ED, Bank of India and R. Subramaniakumar, ED, Indian Overseas Bank.

RBI increases FPI limits in government bonds

The RBI increased Foreign Portfolio investors’ (FPI) limits on investment in government bonds by an aggregate Rs.17000 crore for the April-June period. The limit for investment by FPIs in central government securities has been increased by Rs.11000 crore. On the central government securities, the capital on general category has been increased to Rs.1,56,500 crore from the existing Rs.1,52,000 crore.

Vivo Healthcare ties up with Siemens Healthineers for 3 years

Vivo Healthcare has inked a three-year partnership with Siemens Healthineers to introduce “medical lab technician” course in the country. As an initiative, they introduced newly-developed programme with MLT lab will be available at Vivo Healthcare’s at Gurgaon and eventually be introduced in other centres across the country.

Small savings interest rates cut by 0.1%:

    The government has lowered interest rates on small saving schemes such as Public Provident Fund (PPF), Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) and Sukanya Samriddhi scheme by 0.1 percent for the April-June quarter.

A Finance Ministry notification said investments in the PPF scheme will fetch lower annual rate of 7.9%, the same as 5-year National Savings Certificate. The existing rate for these two schemes is 8%. KVP investments will yield 7.6% and mature in 112 months.

APPOINTMENTS

Vanaja Sarna CBEC’s new Chairman:

Vanaja N. Sarna was appointed as the new chairman of Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), following retirement from service of incumbent Najib Shah.

    She has also worked as Additional Director General, National Academy of Customs and Excise & Narcotics (NACEN) in Chennai.

Nalanda University appoints new Voice-chancellor:

  

Sunaina Singh is appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda University. She has replaces George Yeo. Prior to this she was vice-chancellor of Hyderabad-based EFL University.

Indira Bannerjee, New Chief Justice of Madras High Court

The present Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Indira Bannerjee has been appointed as the new Chief Justice of Madras High Court. The senior judge, Huluvadi G.Ramesh is the Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court from February 20, 2017. The new Chief Justice Indira Bannerjee will assume office from 3rd April 2017.

SPORTS

Asian Hockey Awards to S.V Sunil:

Indian forward hockey player SV Sunil was named the Asian player of the year 2016. Drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh was named the promising player of the year in the continental body’s annual awards.

Navjot and Alga declared best:

    Navjot Singh of Punjab Secretariat and Alga W. James of Regional Sports Board, Mumbai, won the men’s and women’s best athletes awards in the all-India Civil Services athletics championships which concluded at the Central Secretariat ground.

OBITUARY

Rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker dies at 65:

American artist Gilbert Baker, who created the rainbow flag recognised around the world as a symbol of gay pride, had died. Mr. Baker, who was 65, came up with the iconic eight-coloured banner for San Francisco’s 1978 gay freedom day.

 

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