Christine Lagarde appointed as MD of IMF for second term
21-FEB-2016
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 19 February 2016 selected Christine Lagarde to serve as IMF Managing Director for a second five-year term starting on 5 July 2016.
Lagarde, the only candidate nominated for the post, was backed by the UK, Germany, China, and her home country, France, to stay on for another five years.
In her first term as MD of IMF, Lagarde has overseen an easing of Europe's sovereign debt crisis and has implemented changes to give greater influence in the Fund to emerging markets including China and Brazil.
About Christine Lagarde
• Christine Lagarde is a French lawyer and Union for a Popular Movement politician who has been the MD of the IMF since 5 July 2011.
• Previously, she held various ministerial posts in the French government. She was Minister of Economic Affairs, Finance and Employment and before that Minister of Agriculture and Fishing and Minister of Trade in the government of Dominique de Villepin.
• She was the first woman to become finance minister of a G8 economy, and is the first woman to head the IMF.
• She was the first female chairwoman of the international law firm Baker & McKenzie.
• On 16 November 2009, the Financial Times ranked her the best Minister of Finance in the Eurozone.
• In 2014, she was ranked the 5th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine.
Kalikho Pul sworn in as Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh
21-FEB-2016
Kalikho Pul on 19 February 2016 was sworn in as the ninth Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh.
Pul was sworn in as the CM with the support of 18 rebel Congress MLAs, and two Independents and 11 BJP MLAs who gave outside support.
State Governor J P Rajkhowa administered the oath of office to Pul around 9.30 in the night.
Background
• Arunachal Pradesh witnessed a political crisis after 14 Congress MLAs were suspended by Speaker Nabam Rebia in June 2015.
• Later in December 2015, the Deputy Speaker TN Thongdok cleared an impeachment motion against the Speaker owing to his personal relationship with Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.
• On 26 January 2016, President Pranab Mukherjee approved the Union Cabinet’s recommendation for the imposition of President’s rule on Arunachal Pradesh.
• The President’s Rule was lifted after the Supreme Court vacated its interim order to maintain status quo in the Arunachal Pradesh assembly, paving the way for government formation.
• President Pranab Mukherjee on 19 February 2016 approved the recommendation of the Union Cabinet for revocation of the President's Rule in the state.
To Kill a Mockingbird author Harper Lee died
21-FEB-2016
Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, passed away on 19 February 2016 in Monroeville, Alabama, U.S. She was 89.
Lee was widely known for her debut novel To Kill a Mockingbird, published in 1960. Immediately successful, it won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has become a classic of modern American literature.
The author’s second novel, Go Set a Watchman, was written in the mid-1950s and controversially published in July 2015 as a sequel, though it was later confirmed to be To Kill a Mockingbird's first draft.
Lee was also known for assisting her close friend Truman Capote in his research for the book In Cold Blood. Capote was the basis for the character Dill in To Kill a Mockingbird.
In 2007, Lee was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her contribution to literature.
World Day of Social Justice observed
22-FEB-2016
20 February: World Day of Social Justice
World Day of Social Justice was observed on 20 February 2016 with the theme A Just Transition - environmentally sustainable economies and societies.
To mark the occasion, various activities were organised across the world to stress importance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which laid special emphasis on achieving social justice.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
The day was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007 in order to support efforts of the international community in poverty eradication, the promotion of full employment and decent work, gender equity and access to social well-being and justice for all.
Further, the creation of the day was in accordance with the objectives and goals of the World Summit for Social Development (1995) and the 24th session of the General Assembly (1973).
Need for ensuring social justice
Due to the advancements in information and communication technologies the world is experiencing prosperity on a scale never before seen. However, the growth is not equitable as it is confined to only few people and nations.
As per Oxfam’s report just 62 individuals had the same wealth as 3.6 billion people, the bottom half of humanity, in 2015.
The report, which was released in January 2016, further stated that since the turn of the century the poorest half of the world’s population has received just 1 percent of the total increase in global wealth, while half of that increase has gone to the top 1 percent.
Empowered Group of State Transport Ministers formed to suggest measures on transport sector
22-FEB-2016
Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on 22 February 2016 formed an Empowered Group of State Transport Ministers.
An announcement in this regard was made at the 16th Meeting of National Road Safety Council by the Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi.
The group, chaired by the Rajasthan Transport Minister Yunus Khan, will suggest measures to boost the transport sector, improve the public transport system and minimise road accidents in the country.
The formation of the group is in tune with the Union Government’s concerted action plan to reduce road accidents by half by 2019.
Former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone won Rio Open Title
22-FEB-2016
Italian woman Tennis player Francesca Schiavone on 21 February 2016 won Rio Open title defeating Shelby Rogers of America with scores of 2-6, 6-2, and 6-2 in the final held in Rio de Janeiro.
It is her seventh career title. She won her first Grand Slam title at 2010 French Open.
Francesca Schiavone
• She was born on 23 June 1980 in Milan, Italy.
• She became the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam event in singles.
• She is the last one handed-backhand player to win a Grand Slam title on the women's tour.
• She remained in the top 100 since 2012.
• She won the Marrakech Grand Prix, 2013 defeating Lourdes Domínguez Lino.
Aditya Birla Nuvo, Idea Cellular formed joint venture for setting up Payments Bank
22-FEB-2016
Aditya Birla Group’s two companies Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd (ABNL) and Idea Cellular Limited on 19 February 2016 announced that they formed a joint venture company.
The joint venture will be known as Aditya Birla Idea Payment Banks Limited and was set up under the Guidelines for Licensing of Payment Banks issued by the Reserve Bank of India on 27 November 2014.
In the payments bank, while Aditya Birla Nuvo will be holding up to 51 percent shares, balance 49 percent shares will be held by the Idea Cellular.
While ABNL is a 4.4 billion US dollar premium conglomerate and active in textiles and apparel, carbon black, fertilizers, insulators, mobile telephony and financial services; Idea Cellular is India's third largest mobile operator by subscriber base.
Justice Vineet Saranappointed as the new Chief Justice of Orissa High Court
22-FEB-2016
President Pranab Mukherjee on 22 February 2016 appointed Justice Vineet Saran as the new Chief Justice of Orissa (Odisha) High Court. He will take oath on 26 February 2016.
Prior to this appointment, Justice Saran was working as a senior judge of Karnataka High Court.
The post of Orissa (Odisha) Chief Justice was vacant since 15 February 2016 as Justice D H Waghela was transferred be the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court.
Justice Pradeep K. Mohanty is officiating as Acting CJ here since then.
About Justice Vineet Saran
• He was born on 11 May 1957 and graduated from Allahabad University in 1976 and obtained LL.B in 1979.
• He was enrolled as an advocate with the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council in July 1980 and
• He practiced as an advocate in Allahabad High Court until he was promoted as a permanent judge of the Allahabad High Court on 14 February 2002.
• He was transferred to Karnataka in the same capacity on 16 February 2015.
Bangladesh paid homage to 1952 Language Movement martyrs at Central Shaheed Minar
22-FEB-2016
Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka: Place were several sacrificed their lives for the recognition of Bangla as the state language
Central Shaheed Minar (or Martyr’s Monument) of Dhaka was in news on 21 February 2016. It came in news, as Bangladeshi nationals paid their homage to the martyrs of the historic 1952 Language Movement.
The Shaheed Minar is a national monument, which was designed and built by Hamidur Rahman a Bangladeshi sculptor in collaboration with Novera Ahmed.
The monument was demolished completely during Operation Searchlight that took place during Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. After Bangladesh gained independence, it was rebuilt.
21 February marks the Language Martyrs Day in Bangladesh. On this day police shot dead several people protesting against the then Pakistan government's decision to impose Urdu as the sole state language on the people of erstwhile East Pakistan.
Language Martyrs Day observed on 19 May in Barak Valley, Assam
The day is celebrated by declaring a national holiday in the country. To honour the martyrs, the national flag also flies half-mast on this day.
Apart from this, people from all walks of life gathered at Shaheed Minars across the country singing 'Amar Ekushey February’(21 February), paying respects to those who sacrificed their lives for the recognition of Bangla as the state language of then East Pakistan.
Besides, 21 February is also observed across the world as theInternational Mother Language Day. UNESCO in 1999 declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day. The day is observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.
New Zealand cricketer Brendon McCullum scored fastest test century in 54 balls
22-FEB-2016
New Zealand cricket team captain Brendon McCullum on 20 February 2016 scored fastest test century. McCullum scored the century in record 54 balls against Australia on the first day of the 2nd match that was played for Trans-Tasman Trophy in Christchurch, New Zealand.
To score the fastest and the 12th test century, the 34-year old player took 2 balls less than West Indies' Viv Richardsand Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq who jointly held the previous record.
While Viv Richards scored it against England in Antigua in 1986, Misbah-ul-Haq’s century came against Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2014 in 56 balls.
Incidentally, for McCullum, the century came in his final and 101st test in which he also made the following records –
• 183.54 strike rate: McCullum's strike rate in his 79-ball 145. It is the second highest in innings of 100 or more runs. So far, only Viv Richards' strike rate of 189.75 in his 58-ball 110 not out is higher.
• 106 Sixes: McCullum started the innings with 100 sixes, the joint highest with Adam Gilchrist of Australia. With six sixes in the match, McCullum’s 106 became the most by any batsman in test history.
Italy's Sara Errani clinched Dubai Tennis Championships title
22-FEB-2016
Italy’s Sara Errani on 20 February 2016 defeated Czech Republic’s Barbora Strycova to clinch the WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships women’s singles title.
A former Top 10 fixture and French Open finalist, Errani's greater big-match experience shone through as she emerged victorious by a 6-0, 6-2.
About Sara Errani
• As of 14 September 2015, Sara Errani is the Italian no. 3 and ranked world no. 21 in singles and world no. 29 in doubles.
• She has won nine career singles titles, and 25 career doubles titles, including five Grand Slam championships and five Premier Mandatory/Premier 5 titles.
• Known as a clay-court specialist, she won three titles on clay going into the 2012 French Open, where she reached the finals in both the singles and doubles tournaments, winning the doubles title with her partner Roberta Vinci. They also won the doubles titles at the 2012 US Open, and the 2013 and 2014 Australian Open. By winning the 2014 Wimbledon Women's Doubles title together, they became only the fifth pair in tennis history to complete a Career Grand Slam.
About Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
• The Dubai Tennis Championships is also known as the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships for sponsorship reasons.
• It is a professional tennis tournament owned and organized by Dubai Duty Free and held annually in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on outdoor hardcourts.
• The tournament takes place at the end of February and organizes a men's and women's event.
• The tournament takes place under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai.
• In 2001, the ATP upgraded the tournament from a 250 level to a more prestigious 500 level tournament.
• Romania’s Simona Halep was the winner of the women’s singles title in 2015.
International Mother Language Day observed on February 21
22-FEB-2016
21 February: International Mother Language Day
International Mother Language Day 2016 was celebrated across the world on 21 February 2016. The theme for the year 2016 is Quality education, language(s) of instruction and learning outcomes.
The theme emphasizes the importance of appropriate languages of instruction, usually mother tongues, in the early years of schooling.
It facilitates access to education while promoting fairness for population groups that speak minority and indigenous languages particularly girls and women; it raises the quality of education and learning achievement by laying emphasis on understanding and creativity, rather than on rote and memorisation.
International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999 and has been observedevery year since February 2000. It also proclaimed 2008 as the International Year of Languages, to promote unity in diversity and international understanding, through multilingualism and multiculturalism.
The day, February 21, represents the date in 1952 when students fromBangladesh demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, the capital of what is now Bangladesh.
International Mother Language Day observed on February 21
22-FEB-2016
21 February: International Mother Language Day
International Mother Language Day 2016 was celebrated across the world on 21 February 2016. The theme for the year 2016 is Quality education, language(s) of instruction and learning outcomes.
The theme emphasizes the importance of appropriate languages of instruction, usually mother tongues, in the early years of schooling.
It facilitates access to education while promoting fairness for population groups that speak minority and indigenous languages particularly girls and women; it raises the quality of education and learning achievement by laying emphasis on understanding and creativity, rather than on rote and memorisation.
International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999 and has been observedevery year since February 2000. It also proclaimed 2008 as the International Year of Languages, to promote unity in diversity and international understanding, through multilingualism and multiculturalism.
The day, February 21, represents the date in 1952 when students fromBangladesh demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, the capital of what is now Bangladesh.
Pangolin, the critically endangered scaly Anteater
22-FEB-2016
Pangolins, the scaly anteaters and insectivorous mammals of the order Pholidota, were in news because 20 February 2016 was observed as the fifth annual World Pangolin Day.
The day is celebrated annually on the third Saturday of February with a hope to raise awareness about these unique mammals and their plight.
On the eve of World Pangolin Day, TRAFFIC India, a division of WWF-India, stressed on the need to save these creatures as they are on the verge of becoming extinct due to illegal poaching and habitat loss.
There are eight species and they are only found in Africa and Asia, of which two are known from India namely Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) and Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla).
In India, it is a protected animal under Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 meaning that no trade is permitted.
Asian pangolins:
• Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) – Critically Endangered
• Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) – Critically Endangered
• Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) – Endangered
• Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis) – Endangered
African pangolins:
• Cape or Temminck’s Ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) – Vulnerable
• White-bellied or Tree pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) – Vulnerable
• Giant Ground pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) – Vulnerable
• Black-bellied or Long-tailed pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla) – Vulnerable
Characteristic features of Pangolins
• The word Pangolin is derived from Malay word Punggoling, which means something that, rolls up.
• These species are a scaly variant of anteaters and are mammals with an exterior formed by hard, plate-like scales generally feeds on ants and termites.
• They don't have teeth and use their long, sticky tongue to hunt insects and gulp them.
• Their scales are made from keratin — the same protein that forms human hair and finger nails.
• Pangolin undersides do not have scales, and are covered with sparse fur.
• Unlike African pangolins, Asian pangolins also have thick bristles that emerge from between their scales.
Threat faced by the species
• Reports have indicated a growing demand for pangolin meat in India, which has the potential to put the species under immense pressure. They are among the most frequently seized species smuggled in Asia.
• Seizure reports from 2009 to 2013 have revealed that around 3350 pangolins were poached in India alone. However, it may only be a conservative estimate since a large part of this illegal trade remains undetected.
• In India, the species are trapped and killed for local trade and to cater to international markets in China and South-East Asia where there is a heavy demand for their scales, skin and meat.
• Further, pangolins are ritualistically hunted during 'Shikar Utsav' in eastern Indian states.
Why they are exploited?
• Their meat is deemed a delicacy among several communities and is also consumed because of its alleged medicinal properties.
• Pangolin scales are widely used in traditional oriental medicines as an aphrodisiac and to cure ailments ranging from asthma and psoriasis to cancer. However, the medical efficacy of the scales remains unproved!
• Their scales are also made into rings or charms.
• Their skins are used to manufacture leather goods like boots and shoes.
ISRO successfully tested high-thrust Cryogenic Engine CE-20
22-FEB-2016
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 19 February 2016 successfully tested high-thrust cryogenic engine CE-20 at its Propulsion Research Centre in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
The successful hotbed test lasted 640 seconds and paved the way for the first developmental flight of the GSLV Mark 3 in December 2016.
The GSLV Mark 3, the biggest rocket made in India, will be capable of launching 4-tonne satellites into geosynchronous orbit.
So far India's GSLVs were being powered by cryogenic engines given by Russia. But this development marks a milestone in the country's effort to develop a big cryogenic engine to fly satellites of up to five tonnes.
About Cryogenic Engine
• It uses Hydrogen as fuel, stored at minus 253 degrees Celsius and liquid oxygen as oxidizer at minus 193 degrees Celsius.
• The CE-20 has been developed at the Liquid Propulsion System centre (LPSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• It can develop the thrust needed in the final stage of the rocket to put satellites, weighing two tonnes or more, into a geosynchronous orbit.
• It will also give boost to India’s interplanetary probes and manned space missions.
• It is essential to master this technology for any space power as launching heavier satellites requires cryogenic engines even in the lower stages of the rocket.
Background
India has been on a long arduous journey to develop an operational indigenous cryogenic engine which began around 30 years ago.
The first success came in January 2014 when India successfully launched GSLV-D5, marking the first successful launch of a vehicle with an indigenous cryogenic engine. But at present, India can only launch satellites of up to two tonnes.
PM Narendra Modi launched Rurban Mission in Chhattisgarh
22-FEB-2016
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 21 February 2016 launched Shyama Prasad Mukherjee National Rurban Mission. The mission was launched from Kurubhat village in Dongargarh block of Rajnandgaon district in Chhattisgarh.
The Rurban Mission seeks to develop smart village on the line of smart cities and reduce the burden of migration to the cities through adopting ‘cluster approach’.
Under the Mission, Murmunda village cluster in Rajnandgaon will cater 16 village panchayats - Kurrubhat, Bhagwantola, Bhandarpur, Haransinghi, Jamri, Jatkanhar, Khallari, Matketa, Medha, Mudhpar, Murmunda, Nagtarai, Pinkapar, Pipariya, Rajkatta and Raka.
In the first stage, four districts - Rajnandgaon, Dhamtari, Kabirdham and Bastar of the state will be covered under the scheme. These clusters will be developed at an investment of 120 crore rupees.
Besides, the prime minster also launched Jan Aushadhi Medical Store project under which 100 generic medicines stores will be opened at government district hospitals and community health centres. These stores will help people to buy medicines at cheaper rates.
Further, he also laid down the foundation stone of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana –Housing for All (Urban) at the Naya Raipur, the new capital of Chhattisgarh. The Yojana was launched on 25 June 2015.
Modi also felicitated Kuwar Bai, 104-year-old woman of island-like Barari village of Dhamtari district, for building toilets. Bai sold off her goats to build toilet at her home and inspired the whole village to build toilets at Dhamtari district.
Punjab Warriors defeated Kalinga Lancers to win 2016 Hockey India League
22-FEB-2016
The Jaypee Punjab Warriors on 21 February 2016 defeated Kalinga Lancers 6-1 to clinch Hockey India League (HIL) title in the fourth edition of the six-team tournament at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
The Punjab Warriors were third time lucky as they had finished runners-up in the last two editions. They lost to Delhi Waveriders in 2014 and to Ranchi Rays in 2015.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das presented the winner's trophy to Jaypee Punjab Warriors captain Sardar Singh and Mark Knowles.
The Player of the Tournament Award of 50 lakh rupees was awarded to Rupinder Pal Singh of Delhi Waveriders.
Mark Knowles of the Punjab Warriors was awarded with the Man of the Match Award, which carried 50000 rupees. The Goal of the Matchaward of 50000 rupees was awarded to Armaan Qureshi of the Punjab Warriors.
The Emerging Player of the Match award of 25000 rupees was awarded to Armaan Qureshi.
The Dhruv Batra Maximum Goals award of 20 lakh rupees was awarded to Kalinga Lancers' Glenn Turner. The Ponty Chadha Upcoming Player of the Tournament award of 20 lakh rupees went toSumit of Ranchi Rays.
About Hockey India League
• Hockey India League (HIL), known as the Coal India Hockey India League for sponsorship reasons, is a professional field hockey league in India.
• The league is organized by Hockey India, the governing body for the sport in India.
• Hockey India League was founded in 2013 as part of Hockey India's attempt to get an International Hockey Federation sanctioned league after the un-sanctioned and non-Hockey India tournament, World Series Hockey, began in 2012.
Ronnie O'Sullivan defeated Neil Robertson to win 2016 Welsh Open
22-FEB-2016
Ronnie O'Sullivan on 21 February 2016 won seven frames in a row to beat Neil Robertson 9-5 and win 2016 BetVictor Welsh Open title held at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales.
O'Sullivan met Robertson in the final. Despite trailing 3–5 after the afternoon session, O'Sullivan won all six frames played in the evening session to defeat Robertson 9–5 and equal John Higgins' record of four Welsh Open titles.
It was O'Sullivan's 28th ranking title, which put him in joint second place with Higgins and Steve Davis for the number of career ranking titles.
About Ronnie O'Sullivan
• Ronald Antonio O'Sullivan is an English professional snooker player.
• He is one of the most successful players in the sport's modern era.
• He is regarded by many commentators as the most naturally gifted player in snooker history, and is frequently described as a genius.
• He is also noted for his mercurial temperament and for his ambivalent relationship with the sport, from which he has repeatedly threatened to retire.
• He made his first century break at the age of 10.
• His first maximum break came at age 15.
• He turned professional in 1992 and soon earned the nickname The Rocket because of his rapid playing style.
• He achieved his first major professional success when he won the 1993 UK Championship at the age of 17 years and 358 days, making him the youngest player ever to win a ranking title.
• He is also the youngest player to have won the Masters.
• He holds the record for the most competitive century breaks, with 807.
• He also holds the record for the most ratified maximum breaks in professional competition and for the three fastest competitive maximum breaks, the quickest in 5 minutes and 20 seconds.
About Welsh Open
• The Welsh Open is a professional ranking snooker tournament.
• It replaced the Welsh Professional Championship, which started in 1980 and was only open to Welsh players.
• Since the tournament's creation in 1992, Mark Williams has been the only Welsh player to win the championship (in 1996 and 1999).
• John Higgins and Ronnie O'Sullivan hold the record for the most wins, with four Welsh Open titles each.
• John Higgins was the winner of 2015 Welsh Open.
India, Nepal signed seven agreements including utilisation of Indian grant of 250 million US dollars
22-FEB-2016
India and Nepal on 20 February 2016 inked and exchanged seven agreements and Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) to boost the bilateral cooperation.
The agreements covered utilisation of Indian grant of 250 million US dollars to Nepal for post-earthquake reconstruction and another on improving of roads in Terai region.
These agreements were signed during the state visit of Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli to India. Oli is on a five day visit to India (19-24 February 2016), which was his first foreign visit after assuming office in October 2015.
The signed agreements/MoUs were
• MoU on utilization of 250 US dollars million Grant component of India’s Assistance package for Post-earthquake reconstruction assistance – the grant will be ustilised in four identified sectors and they are housing, health, education and cultural heritage.
i. In housing, 100 million US dollars would be utilised for construction of 50000 houses in 14 severely earthquake affected districts.
ii. 50 million US dollars each would be utilised in health, education and cultural heritage sectors in 31 earthquake affected districts of Nepal.
• MoU on strengthening of road infrastructure in the Terai area of Nepal - This MoU will enable speedy implementation of remaining work on 17 Roads in Package 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Terai Road Phase-I project, totaling 518 kms. Two roads in Package 1 totaling 87 kms have already been completed.
• MoU between Nepal Academy of Music and Drama and Sangeet Natak Academy - This MoU aims to enhance relations between India and Nepal in the field of performing arts through exchanges of experts, exponents, dancers, scholars and intellectuals.
• Letters of Exchange on Transit Routes - the routes include
i. Transit between Nepal and Bangladesh through Kakarbitta-Banglabandh corridor
ii. Operationalization of Vishakhapatnam Port
This Exchange of Letters between India and Nepal would result in simplification of modalities for traffic of goods between Nepal and Bangladesh while transiting through India, through the Kakarbhitta (Nepal) and Banglabandha (Bangladesh) corridor. This Exchange of Letters would provide for transit facilities for Nepal through the Vishakhapatnam port.
• Letters of Exchange on Rail Transport - the areas include
i. Rail transport to/from Vishakhapatnam
ii. Rail transit facility through Singhabad for Nepal’s Trade with and through Bangladesh
This Exchange of Letters would allow for rail transport to and from Vishakhapatnam to Nepal. This Exchange of Letters would help operationalise rail transit facility through Singabad in India for Nepal’s trade with and through Bangladesh.
• Inauguration of Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar transmission line [Initial supply of 80 MW, to be augmented to 200 MW by October 2016 and 600 MW by December 2017] - The Nepal portion of the 400 KV Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar transmission line is being implemented by Government of Nepal, under an LoC of 13.5 million US dollar.
80 MW power would flow immediately through this line, with an initial charge of 132 KV. Thereafter, it will be augmented to 200 MW in October 2016 at 220 KV, and then to 600 MW by December 2017 at 400 KV.
• Establishment of Eminent Persons Group - At the third meeting of the India–Nepal Joint Commission held at Kathmandu in July 2014, it was decided to establish an Eminent Persons Group (EPG).
The EPG comprises eight members with each country nominating four members, preferably a parliamentarian, a lawyer, an economist and a civil society activist.
The EPG has now been constituted. Its mandate would be to comprehensively review bilateral relations and recommend measures including institutional frameworks to further enhance bilateral ties.
Triple jumper Renjith Maheswary won silver in Asian Indoor Athletics Championships
22-FEB-2016
Triple jumper Renjith Maheswary on 21 January 2016 won silver medal at the 7th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. His silver helped India to increase its medal tally to five in the championships.
Maheswary had a modest jump of 16.16 metres. Gold went to Kazakhstan’s Roman Valiyev with 16.69m and Rashid Ahmed Al Mannai won the bronze with 15.97m.
India’s other medal winners in the event are
• Mayookha Johny - gold in long jump and silver in triple jump
• Dutee Chand - bronze in 60m sprint
• Sugandha Kumari - bronze in women’s 1500m
Dutee got the bronze in women’s 60m dash after clocking 7.37 seconds in the final. Earlier in the day, she had shattered the national record at Asian Indoor Athletics Championships on her way to win the medal in 7.28 seconds. The earlier best timing by an Indian in women’s 60m race was the 7.81 seconds in the name of Arjina Khatun set during the Asian Indoor Games in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2009.
Faustin-Archange Touadera elected President of Central African Republic
22-FEB-2016
Former Prime Minister of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadera on 20 February 2016 was declared winner in the second round of presidential elections.
As per the initial results announced by National Elections Authority (ANE) president Marie-Madeleine Nkouet, Touadera, who campaigned against corruption, won 62.71 percent of votes cast in the 14 February 2016 election. On the other hand, his contender Anicet-Georges Dologuele managed to poll 37.29 percent of the votes.
About Faustin-Archange Touadera
• Born 21 April 1957, Faustin-Archange Touadéra is a Central African politician and academic who served as Prime Minister of the Central African Republic from January 2008 to January 2013.
• He received his secondary education at the Barthelemy Boganda College in Bangui before attending the University of Bangui and the University of Abidjan.
• He earned a mathematics doctorate in 1986, supervised by Daniel Gourdin at the Lille University of Science and Technology in France and another doctorate, also in mathematics, which was supervised by Marcel Dossa at the University of Yaoundé I in Cameroon in 2004.
• In 1987, he became assistant lecturer of mathematics at the University of Bangui and was vice-dean of the University's Faculty of Science from 1989 to 1992.
• He subsequently served a rector of the university between 2005 and 2008, during which he launched several key initiatives, such as the entrepreneurship training program and the creation of the Euclid Consortium.