STUDY NOTES FOR ALL COMPETATIVE EXAM Write us : [email protected] www.mahendras.org www.mahendraguru.com myshop.mahendras.org STUDY NOTES FOR ALL COMPETATIVE EXAM IMPORTANT HEADLINES 1) India and Canada signed six agreements, redressal mechanism relating to deficiency in including in the area of nuclear science, the services by NBFCs. energy cooperation and information 12) Mahindra Aerospace and Canada’s Viking Air communication technology. have signed a memorandum of understanding 2) The Reserve Bank of India has launched to support regional air connectivity under 'Ombudsman Scheme' for non-banking government's UDAN Yojana. financial companies (NBFC). The scheme will 13) Senior journalist and editor-in-chief of provide a cost-free and expeditious complaint National Herald, Neelabh Mishra, passed redressal mechanism relating to deficiency in away. He was 57. the services by NBFCs. 14) Digital payments startup Paytm has launched 3) Mahindra Aerospace and Canada’s Viking Air two insurance companies, Paytm Life have signed a memorandum of understanding Insurance and Paytm General Insurance. to support regional air connectivity under 15) Exim Bank has signed an agreement with the government's UDAN Yojana. United Nations Development Programme 4) Senior journalist and editor-in-chief of (UNDP) for financing a project on ‘Capacity National Herald, Neelabh Mishra, passed Building of MSMEs in North East India for away. He was 57. Export Competitiveness’. 5) Digital payments startup Paytm has launched 16) Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two insurance companies, Paytm Life the Amma two-wheeler scheme in Chennai. Insurance and Paytm General Insurance. Under this scheme, 50 percent subsidy will be 6) Exim Bank has signed an agreement with the given to working women for buying two- United Nations Development Programme wheeler in Tamil Nadu. (UNDP) for financing a project on ‘Capacity 17) Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Building of MSMEs in North East India for development schemes worth Rs 1,000 crore Export Competitiveness’. for Daman and Diu, and also inaugurated a 7) Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated flight connecting Ahmedabad to coastal town the Amma two-wheeler scheme in Chennai. of Diu. Under this scheme, 50 percent subsidy will be 18) International Conference on Sustainable given to working women for buying two- Biofuels will be held in New Delhi. wheeler in Tamil Nadu. 19) Defence Research and Development 8) Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Organisation (DRDO) carried out the development schemes worth Rs 1,000 crore successful test flight of Rustom-2 drone at for Daman and Diu, and also inaugurated a Chalakere in Karnataka's Chitradurga district. flight connecting Ahmedabad to coastal town Rustom-2 is a medium-altitude long- of Diu. endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). 9) International Conference on Sustainable 20) Amit Panghal claimed his second consecutive Biofuels will be held in New Delhi. international gold but the celebrated MC Mary 10) India and Canada signed six agreements, Kom had to be content with a silver in the 69th including in the area of nuclear science, Strandja Memorial boxing tournament for energy cooperation and information men and women. communication technology. 21) India shuttler Sameer Verma defeated former 11) The Reserve Bank of India has launched world No. 2 Jan O Jorgensen to clinch the 'Ombudsman Scheme' for non-banking men's singles title at the Swiss Open Super financial companies (NBFC). The scheme will 300 tournament. provide a cost-free and expeditious complaint Write us : [email protected] www.mahendras.org www.mahendraguru.com myshop.mahendras.org STUDY NOTES FOR ALL COMPETATIVE EXAM 22) Former Cabinet Secretary TSR Subramanian and NICMAR) to push India’s ranking in ease died. He was 79. of doing business index. 23) Michael McCormack has been appointed as 32) Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu has the new Deputy Prime Minister of Australia. inaugurated Confederation of Indian Industry 24) Manganlal Shah, BJP MLA from (CII) partnership summit in Visakhapatnam, Uttarakhand, passed away. He was 55. Andhra Pradesh. 25) Indian gymnast Aruna Budda Reddy has 33) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh become the first Indian to win an individual Rawat inaugurated the first tactile Sanitary medal at the Gymnastics World Cup. She has Napkin production unit of Uttarakhand under won a bronze medal in the women's vault the control of the women's empowerment and event. child development department, established by 26) Nitin Gadkari has laid the foundation stone for CSR fund of Hindustan Zinc Limited, a unit setting up of a National Technology Centre for located in Siddiqui Pant Nagar of Vedanta Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC), at Group. IIT Chennai. 34) Chinese telecom gear firm Huawei unveiled 27) 21st national conference on e-Governance has the world's first commercial 5G modem. been started in Hyderabad. 35) The Andhra Pradesh government signed a 28) 20th Conference of the Commonwealth total of 364 memoranda of understanding with Education Ministers (20CCEM) was held in various business establishments, including Nadi, Fiji. The theme of the Conference was Reliance Industries Limited. “Sustainability and Resilience: Can Education 36) Pyeongchang Olympics, the biggest Winter Deliver?” Olympic Games, concluded. Norway has 29) Veteran Actress Sridevi has passed away topped these games by winning 39 medals recently. She was 54. including 14 gold, 14 silver and 11 bronze 30) Parupalli Kashyap has won the Men's singles medals. title of the Austrian Open International Challenge. 31) Commerce and Industry Ministry has appointed four institutes (IIFT, ICAI, ICSI, Write us : [email protected] www.mahendras.org www.mahendraguru.com myshop.mahendras.org STUDY NOTES FOR ALL COMPETATIVE EXAM HEADLINE ANALYSIS FIRST WOMAN FIGHTER PILOT UNDERTAKES SOLO FLIGHT Flying officer Avani Chaturvedi created history on when she became the first Indian woman pilot of the Indian Air Force to complete a solo flight in a MiG-21 Bison fighter aircraft. She completed the half-an- hour long solo flight in the Russian-origin jet in the skies over Jamnagar Air Base. Chaturvedi, who is posted to No. 23 Squadron (Panthers), is from the first batch of three women officers who were commissioned as fighter pilots in the IAF in June 2016. Earlier, she had undertaken flights in twin-seater training jets, accompanied by Qualified Flying Instructors of the IAF. After completing her basic flying training on a Pilatus aircraft at the Air Force Academy, Chaturvedi underwent six months of training on Kiran trainer jets at Hakimpet, which was followed by a year- long training stint on Hawk advanced trainer jets at Bidar Air Base. INDIA SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTS NIGHT TRIAL OF PRITHVI-II MISSILE. India successfully conducted a night trial of its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile with a strike range of 350 km, from a test range in Odisha. The surface-to-surface missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur near around 8.30 pm, as part of a user trial by the Army. The perfect test launch, came after successful trial of the Agni-5 missile on January 18, Agni-1 on February 6, and Agni-2 from the Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast. Prithvi II missile was also successfully test fired earlier on February 7 from the ITR at Chandipur. The state-of-the-art Prithvi-II missile is capable of carrying 500 to 1,000 kg of warheads and is thrusted by liquid propulsion twin engines. The sophisticated missile, which has a strike range of 350 km, uses advanced inertial guidance system with maneuvering trajectory to hit its target. FEDERAL BANK TO ACQUIRE A 26% STAKE IN EQUIRUS CAPITAL. Kochi-based private lender Federal Bank Ltd would acquire a 26% stake in Mumbai-based investment bank Equirus Capital Pvt. Ltd. The board of directors of Federal Bank had approved the acquisition of a minority 26% stake in the company, subject to statutory and regulatory approvals and satisfactory completion of financial and legal factors. Write us : [email protected] www.mahendras.org www.mahendraguru.com myshop.mahendras.org STUDY NOTES FOR ALL COMPETATIVE EXAM Founded in 2007, Equirus Capital is a closely held unlisted investment banking firm that has completed more than 135 transactions across mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity, initial public offerings (IPOs), qualified institutional placements (QIPs) and structured finance, raising over $3.2 billion in the process. Its wholly owned subsidiary Equirus Securities offers depository services, portfolio management and research, apart from equity broking. The investment is done to increase the product offerings to a spectrum of wholesale clients by offering comprehensive financial solutions for debt and equity capital markets, structured finance, capital market products and advisory services. The association would aid Federal Bank in offering a host of products including wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) and the non-resident Indians (NRIs). In 2012, private lender Axis Bank Ltd acquired the investment banking, equity distribution and advisory arms of financial services firm Enam Securities Ltd, in an all-stock deal valued at Rs1,396 crore. Founded in 1984, Enam Securities offers investment banking, corporate advisory, equity broking, insurance broking, mutual fund advisory, debt, and capital market services. PAKISTAN HAS BEEN PUT IN TERROR FINANCING WATCHLIST BY TASK FORCE. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in its meeting in Paris has decided to put Pakistan on a “grey list” for not taking adequate action against proscribed terrorist entities and individuals. The motion, brought forth by the United States, was supported by countries like UK, France, and India. The FATF voted 36 to 1 to grey list Pakistan. The only country that voted in favour of Pakistan was Turkey. Not even traditional friends and allies like China and Turkey voted in favour of Pakistan. This will make it difficult for international financial institutions and banks to do business in Pakistan.