Top Headlines - 04.02.2016

Top Headlines - 04.02.2016
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1. National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) Ltd. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RUSNANO OJSC of Russia. Both NIIF and RUSNANO have agreed to Set-Up the Russia-India High Technology Private Equity Fund for Joint Implementation of Investments into Projects in India.

2. India and Brunei signed 3 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to deepen bilateral cooperation in health, defence and on cooperation in youth and sports affairs. The MoUs were signed in Brunei capital Bandar Seri Begawan during the Vice President Hamid Ansari’s 3-day visit to the country.

3. The Union Minister for Science & Technology & Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, inaugurated a unique MAGIC (Modular, Agile, Intensified & Continuous) Process Lab at CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) Pune.

4. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the Counter-Terrorism Conference- 2016 at Jaipur.

5. Veteran Urdu short story writer, poet and journalist Intizar Husain passed away. He was 93. He was the first Pakistani author ever to be nominated for the Man Booker International Prize for fiction.

6. Former Congress Leader and Lok Sabha speaker Balram Jakhar passed away. He was 92-years old.

7. Russia's state arms trader Rosoboronexport has provided India with the final consignment of Mi-17V-5 helicopters.

8. The cabinet gave its approval to allow the Railways Ministry to form joint venture (JV) companies with the state governments to mobilize resources for undertaking various rail infrastructure projects in states.

9. The union cabinet approved the creation of a supernumerary post in the rank of air marshal in the Indian Air Force for 17 months in compliance with the Armed Forces Tribunal orders.

10. Joint Declaration was signed between India and Germany on the extension of the tenure of the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) from 2017 till 2022.

11. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee conferred the Honorary Rank of General of the Indian Army on Prakhyata Trisahkati-Patta General Rajendra Chhetri, Chief of the Army Staff, Nepalese Army, for his commendable military prowess and immeasurable contribution to fostering Nepal’s long and friendly association with India.

12. Major General Jai Shanker Menon of the Indian Army, has been appointed as the head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) stationed in Golan to maintain the ceasefire between Israeli and Syrian forces.He succeeds Nepal’s Lt Gen Purna Chandra Thapa.