Highlights of February 2016 Current Affairs (One-Liners)

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Friends, here are the Major Current Affairs Highlights of February 2016. These one-liners cover all important International, National, Banking, Technology, Books & Authors, Sports affairs of February month (from 1st to 29th February 2016). We will try to provide the pdf version soon, but we advise you to write these on your own so that you wont forget them again. All the Best :)

February 2016 Current Affairs Highlights

• 12th South Asian Games began in Guwahati on 5th February 2016.
• 50% of government jobs in Assam will be reserved for women, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi recently announced.
• A 12-member team of the Indian Army was participated in the “Cobra Gold” multilateral exercises, which was hosted by Thailand, along with its counterparts from China and Pakistan.
• A 404.2 carat diamond, the world's 27th largest diamond, worth around $20 million was discovered in Africa.  It is by far the biggest diamond found in the region.
• A report by the Central Electricity Authority has stated that power generation in India grew by 6% in January 2016.
• A S Kiran, the Chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has announced that India is ready to conduct its second moon mission, Chandrayaan II.
  
• According to a government survey by the Quality Council of India, Mysuru has retained its position as the cleanest city in India, followed by Chandigarh, Tiruchirappalli, New Delhi, and Visakhapatnam.
• According to a recently released United Nation's report, India has been named the third most disaster-hit nation in 2015.
• According to a report by Delhi government, breathing the air of the national capital has adverse effects on lungs which are worse than smoking cigarettes.
• According to a report by Greenpeace, Air pollution in India is higher than that of China.
• According to a report released by by IndiaSpend, Meghalaya has emerged as India’s fastest-growing state, with a growth rate of 9.7% in 2013-14.
• According to recently released MHRD data, 96 million schoolchildren were covered under the Midday Meal Scheme in 2015-16.
• According to SocialCops analysis of data from the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the tiger population (over 1.5 years of age) in India has increased since 2006.
• According to the data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Muzaffarpur (Bihar) and Varanasi (UP) are most polluted cities in India‬.
• After scoring a total of 199 runs in three T20Is against Australia at an average of 199.00, Virat Kohli became the top-ranked T20I batsman in the world.
• American space agency NASA has invited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) among other space agencies for a meeting in the US to discuss a possible international collaboration on a Mars mission. 
• Argentine professional footballer Lionel Messi won the La Liga Player of the Month Award for the first time ever in his career.
• As per a survey of Britons by Scottish investment company Scottish Widows, former British PM Margaret Thatcher is the most influential woman of the last two centuries.
• Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi tabled interim budget of over 33 thousand 687 crore rupees for the first six months of the next financial year.
• Australia's Adam Voges surpassed Sir Don Bradman’s batting average of 99.94.
• Author Ruskin Bond has announced that he will be writing his autobiography in three volumes.
• Bihar became the 6th state to join Union Government’s UDAY Scheme for financial restructuring of debt of power distribution companies. [after Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat]
• Bollywood actor Aamir Khan announced to join Maharashtra government's 'Drought Free Village Scheme'.
• Bollywood Actor Emraan Hashmi announced the title of his first ever book, 'The Kiss of Life: How A Superhero and My Son Defeated Cancer'.
• Britain is set to get the world's biggest wind farm after the proposal for the 1.2-gigawatt Hornsea Project One in northern England was accepted.
• British Formula One racing team Manor Racing has signed Indonesia’s Rio Haryanto, making him the first Indonesian Formula One driver.
• British national newspaper, The Guardian's Tom Jenkins was named as the Sports Photographer of the Year at the 2015 Picture Editors’ Guild awards. 
• Celebrity chef and TV host Sanjeev Kapoor was elected to prepare the menu of food to be served on the Indian Railways. 
• China will launch its second space laboratory, Tiangong 2, into Earth’s orbit in the third quarter of 2016.
• Cricket Australia has announced that after feedback from players, the pink cricket ball to be used in day-night test matches will now have a black seam instead of white.
• Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar announced that India will induct three to four indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas in 2016 and Eight squadrons in eight years.
• Drug firm Aurobindo Pharma has received tentative approval from the US health regulator for its Ritonavir tablets used for treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection.
• Dubai has confirmed plans to build the world's largest shopping mall named 'Mall of the World' at a cost of $22 billion.
• Dubai International Airport was declared the world's busiest airport for international passengers in 2015.
• Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) announced an increase in interest rate on Provident Fund (PF) deposits for 2015-16 to 8.80% from 8.75% in the previous two fiscals.
• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj recently visited Colombo to co-chair the 9th Joint Commission meeting and to discuss key bilateral and regional issues.
• FIFA opened its new $140 million World Football Museum in Zurich.
• Finance Ministry has reduced the gross budgetary support to the railways to ₹32,000 from ₹40,000 crore announced in the railway budget.
• For the first time in India, a job fair for the transgender community was organised in Chennai.
• Former Indian cricketer, Virender Sehwag appointed as the new mentor for Indian Premier League (IPL) outfit, Kings XI Punjab for the forthcoming ninth season of the league.
• Google added flood alerts to its Google Public Alerts service in India.
• Google's holding company Alphabet has overtook Apple to become the most valuable publicly-traded company in the world. 
• Gyalsey, the first Royal Child of Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema was recently born in Thimphu's Lingkana Palace.
• Haryana is set become the first state in the country to complete aquifer mapping for its groundwater resources by May 2016.
• Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying was on his First official visit to India.
• 'Hope for a New Life', a picture captured by Australian photographer Warren Richardson was named the 'World Press Photo of the Year 2015' at the 59th annual World Press Photo Contest.
• In a first-of-its-kind deal, UAE's national oil company Adnoc has signed a deal with the Indian government to store crude oil in India's maiden strategic storage and give two-thirds of the oil to India for free.
• In a landmark judgement, the Delhi High Court stated that the eldest woman of a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) can be its 'karta'.
• In a PSL match between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi, Grant Elliott and Zulfiqar Babar set a new world record for the highest 10th wicket partnership in a T20 game as they scored 63 runs in 32 balls.
• In the last test series of his career, New Zealand's Brendon McCullum became the first cricketer ever to play 100 consecutive Tests since debut. 
• India and a consortium of top UK research institutions, including the Cambridge University, have signed an MoU to conduct a research programme in the field of crop science to help tackle global challenges in the areas of food security, crop science and biotechnology.
• India and Afghanistan recently signed a MOU for Visa-Free Travel for diplomats.
• India and Brunei signed three agreements. They are, MoU in health cooperation, MoU on Defence cooperation and MOU on cooperation in youth and sports affairs.
• India and Nepal signed Nine partnership deals to help develop infrastructure, improve cultural cooperation, and utilise India's $250 million post-earthquake reconstruction grant.
• India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement.
• India and UAE signed seven agreements on cybersecurity, insurance and infrastructure development in a bid to improve bilateral ties.
• India continues to remain the world's largest arms importer, accounting for 14% of the global imports in the 2011-2015 timeframe, in yet another indicator of the country's enduring failure to build a strong domestic defence-industrial base (DIB).
• India has launched the lightest gun ever which weighs as less as 250 grams, and it has been named 'Nidar'.
• India has surpassed the USA as the world's second-largest smartphone market in terms of active unique smartphone users.
• India hosted heads of state from Sweden, Finland, Lithuania and Poland along with 25 ministers of trade and industry from countries including Japan and Germany for its mega 'Make in India' week, which was held from 13th February 2016 to 18th February 2016.
• India is going to host the 3rd edition of the Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation.
• India is set to get its first ever aviation park in Gujarat, that will include an airstrip, training school, helipad and space for setting up small manufacturing units.
• India ranked 37th among 38 countries, in USCC's Intellectual Property Index (IPI) by , among the surveyed 38 countries.
• India ranks first in Milk Production, accounting for 18.5% of World production. 
• India secured the top spot for the seventh straight quarter in Nielsen’s Consumer Confidence Index rankings for the December quarter.
• India test-fired its indigenously developed Prithvi II missile from a test range at Chandipur in Odisha, as part of a user trial by the army.
• India through the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology signed a Cooperation Agreement to acquire the status of the Associate Member State European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO).
• India was crowned the overall champion at the 12th South Asian Games (SAG) after finishing on top with a record 308 medals including 188 gold, 90 silver and 30 bronze medals.
• India will launch The National Framework for Malaria Elimination, a programme aimed at eliminating malaria in the country by 2027, ahead of the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of 2030.
• India women cricket team clean sweep three match ODI series against Sri Lanka.
• India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has launched ‘Japan Desk’, a single window for inbound Japanese investments in India and vice-versa.
• India’s poorest district, Nabarangpur of Odisha launched a 45-day campaign, called 'Jyoti', to train 4,400 traditional healers as the number of tribal children falling victim to local healing practices in the district has increased.
• Indian Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has joined ICC and UNICEF’s ‘Team Swachh’ initiative to build a social movement for sanitation and toilet use, aiming for an open defecation-free India.
• Indian long jumper Mayookha Johny leapt to the 6.35-meter mark to win the Gold medal at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.
• Indian Railways‬ is building World's Highest Rail Bridge at Jammu & Kashmir.
• Indian Railways is set to export 120 Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches to Bangladesh for around ₹367 crore.
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is going to launch the Cryogenic mark-III based GSLV satellite launch vehicle in December.
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is set to launch India’s first solar mission called Aditya-L1.
• Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is working to establishment of a Satellite Tracking & Data Reception Station and Data Processing Facility for ASEAN Member countries in Vietnam.
• India's first ‘Water Tourism Festival’ Jal Mahotsav‬ was held in Madhya Pradesh's Hanuwantiya Island.
• India's first professional e-sports league called the Indian Gaming League (IGL) was launched.
• India's first transgender sub inspector Prithika Hasini‬ along with 21 other members of the community recently received appointment orders.
• India's largest wax producing plant was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in Assam.
• India's Tourism Ministry has proposed that all international visitors using the electronic Tourist Visa facility get SIM cards on arrival.
• International Boxing Federation’s (IBF) super bantamweight world champion Carl Frampton has defeated World Boxing Association’s (WBA) super bantamweight world champion Scott Quigg.
• Iraq has announced that it's security forces have started building a wall around the capital Baghdad in an effort to prevent attacks by the so-called Islamic State (IS).
• ISRO is set to collaborate with the University of Toronto for a nano-satellite that will monitor the air pollution levels in some of the most polluted cities like Delhi, Lucknow and Amritsar.
• IT giant Infosys is set to build the world's tallest 135-metre free-standing clock tower at its global education centre in Mysuru at a cost of ₹60 crore.
• Japan has successfully launched ASTRO-H space observation satellite to probe mysterious black holes.
• Japan is planning to build the 'Sky Mile Tower' skyscraper.
• Kerala emerged as the overall winner for the 19th consecutive time at National School Athletics championship.
• Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya has announced that PM Modi will launch the Unorganised Workers’ Identification Number (UWIN) smart cards within a month for India's 40 crore unorganised sector workers.
• Long-distance runner Lalita Babar was named as the Sports Person of the Year during the India Sports Awards 2015.
• Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced free education for Scheduled Caste students in government colleges including, engineering and medical institutions.
• Madhya Pradesh's Katni district is all set to get India's longest railway bridge, 14 kilometres on the up line.
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that India’s second International Finance Centre (IFC) will be set up at the Bandra-Kurla Complex.
• Maharashtra government announced a 5% reservation for Mumbai's mill workers, women and kin of state martyrs in procuring autorickshaw permits to ensure greater participation of locals.
• Maharashtra has decided to set up Mumbai International Arbitration Centre, the first in the country, ahead of the Make in India Week in Mumbai.
• Microsoft recently unveiled a new research initiative 'Project Natick'. Under this initiative, it is planning to build underwater datacenters.
• Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded the credit rating of Oman, the poorest Gulf Arab country on the basis of economic output per person, for the first time since issuing its initial rating in 1999.
• Mumbai has declared 16 no-selfie zones across the city after a spate of accidental deaths linked to  “selfie fever”.
• Mumbai was crowned the champions of the Ranji Trophy for the 41st time after defeating Saurashtra in the final by an innings and 21 runs.  
• NASA is developing a new space telescope called Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), with a field of view 100 times larger than that of the Hubble Space Telescope.
• NatGeo India has launched 'Stand With A Girl' initiative, in association with online fund-raising platform Milaap to support girl-child education.
• National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 was officially launched in Mizoram
• National Snooker Championship 2016 Winners - Men's Category : Aditya Mehta, Women's Category : Vidya Pillai.
• Nearly 1,200 residents of the Elephanta island, famous for its Hindu cave sculptures and located around 10 km off Mumbai coast, will have electricity from the Independence Day this year.
• Nearly four years after conquering Mount Everest, Indian mountaineer Toolika Rani has conquered Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, between February 17 and 22.
• Nepal Government decided to constitute an 11-member-political committee  chaired by Kamal Thapa, to study the demarcation of federal states on the constitution.
• Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli was on a 5-day visit to India from 19th February 2016.
• New Zealand Captain Brendon McCullum  Scored the fastest Century in Test History in 54 balls while playing his farewell test against Australia in Christchurch.
• New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum retired from international cricket.
• New Zealand defeated Australia by 55 runs in captain Brendon McCullum's final ODI to clinch the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. 
• Odisha has lifted the three-year-old ban on its ruling of not allowing tourists to visit the tribal regions in the state.
• Pakistani leg-spinner Yasir Shah has been banned for 3 months by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for testing positive for the prohibited substance Chlortalidone (dope test).
• Pakistan's parliament became the first in the world to fully operate on solar electricity.
• Pawan Negi became the most expensive Indian player to be bought at the IPL Auction 2016.
• PM Narendra Modi has dedicated Paradip Oil Refinery to the nation.
• President Pranab Mukherjee announced that the government is going induct women in all fighter streams of the armed forces.
• President Pranab Mukherjee declared Kerala as India's first fully digital state.
• President Pranab Mukherjee has inaugurated India's first "Gender Park" in Kozhikode, Kerala.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that India will host the first ever Global Maritime Summit in April this year.  
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited (BCPL) at Lepetkata, Assam and dedicated the facility to the nation. It is the first ever petro-chemical plant located in the entire North-Eastern region of India.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban (Rural-Urban) mission in Chhattisgarh. The initiative is aimed at bringing civic and infrastructural facilities to villages to bridge the rural-urban divide.
• Punjab National Bank reported a 93% fall in net profit to ₹51 crore for the quarter ended December from ₹775 crore in the year-ago period. 
• Qatar signed a long-term deal with Pakistan to export liquefied natural gas.
• Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje launched the ‘School on Wheels’ initiative in Jaipur.
• Rajasthan government has issued a notification setting ₹5,642 per month as minimum wage for domestic helps in the state.
• Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani has announced the setting up of 'Dhirubhai Ambani Centre for Innovation and Research in Aerospace' in Bengaluru.
• Robin Chaurasiya, an Indian teacher who teaches girls in the red light areas of Mumbai has been nominated for the Global Teacher Prize among the world's top 10 educators.
• Russia has decided to deliver S-300 air defense missile systems to Iran.
• Sachin Tendulkar’s autobiography 'Playing It My Way’ has entered the Limca Book of Records for being the 'Bestselling Adult Hardback on Release' across non-fiction and fiction categories.
• Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis won the St Petersburg Ladies Tournament to clinch their fourth title of the season.
• Scientists in the UK have created five-dimensional glass discs that can store 360 TB of data for up to 13.8 billion years.
• Shane Watson became the most expensive player of IPL 2016.
• Sindh became the first Pakistan province to adopt landmark Hindu Marriage Bill, 2015 in order to allow the minority community to register their marriages.
• Slovenian high-jumper Rozle Prezelj has been elected the new Chairman of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Athletes' Commission.
• South African batsman David Miller has been named the captain of Kings XI Punjab team for the upcoming Indian Premier League season 9.
• South African batsman Quinton de Kock became the quickest batsman to score 10 ODI hundreds after his 135 against England in the third ODI.
• Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera has became only the fourth bowler after Tim Southee, Jacob Oram and Brett Lee to take a hat-trick in Twenty20 internationals. I
• State Bank of India (SBI) in partnership with Snapdeal has launched a new branch 'SBI e-Smart SME' to provide working capital loans to sellers on e-commerce platforms.
• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa launched Amma Drinking Water Scheme to provide free drinking water for poor sections.
• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced Free bus travel for senior citizens in the Chennai metropolitan area from her 68th birthday on February 24. 
• Tata Motors announced that it has renamed its upcoming hatchback Zica as Tiago. 
• Team India's U-19 opener Rishabh Pant records the fastest fifty in the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup against Nepal.
• The  Ministry of Railways signed an MoU with Government of Chhattisgarh for “Formation of Joint Venture Companies for Development of Railway Infrastructure in Chhattisgarh State".
• The 13th edition of World Spice Congress (WSC) was held at Ahmedabad, Gujarat.  Theme of WSC 2016 : ‘Target 2020: Clean, Safe and Sustainable Supply Chain’.
• The 9th India-Nepal combined battalion-level military training exercise 'Surya Kiran' was conducted at Pithoragarh from 8th to 21st February 2016.
• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has slapped a five-year ban on Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf over charges of corruption and misconduct. 
• The Cabinet gave ex-post facto approval for Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and 13 countries including Israel and Syria for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors.
• The Central Government hasagreed to Jharkhand's proposal of setting up a Sanskrit University in the Deoghar district.
• The Chhattisgarh government has signed an MoU with the Ministry of Railways to form a joint venture company with the Indian Railways.
• The Commerce and Industry Ministry has announced that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India more than doubled to about $4.5 billion in December 2015 from $2.16 billion in the year-ago period. 
• The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Exports to boost trade and explore business opportunities.
• The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) recently launched "BGR-34", India's first anti-diabetic ayurvedic drug for type two Diabetes mellitus.
• The crown prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed-Al-Nahyan, was on a three-day visit to India from 10th February 2016.
• The Delhi government announced that it has made a record monthly VAT collection of over ₹2,000 crore in January this year. 
• The Father Agnel School in Greater Noida has been named India's greenest school by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
• The fifth edition of IBSAMAR 2016 trilateral naval exercise between Brazil, India and South Africa held in Goa.
• The first joint tactical exercise between border troops of India and China was recently conducted in the Chushul-Moldo area.
• The government has banned the sale of entry-level one-star air-conditioners in the Indian market and introduced improved energy efficiency guidelines for frost-free refrigerators.
• The government has come out with draft rules on emission standards for Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) for various categories of vehicles manufactured on or after April 1, 2020.
• The government is planning to establish India's first railway university at Vadodara.
• The government launched Project Sunrise at Imphal for prevention of AIDS in the North-Eastern states.
• The government will soon lower its stake in state-owned banks to 51%.
• The Gujarat-based Adani Group has announced it will invest about ₹21,000 crore in energy, ports and renewable-energy sectors in Karnataka.
• The Gurgaon administration has issued an advisory saying that an FIR will be filed against the residents if they waste water.
• The Haryana government launched the 'Kanya Janamdin Utsav', to celebrate birthdays of girl students, with their parents.
• The HRD Ministry announced to make the installation of the national flag compulsory in all central universities on a 207 feet high mast on their campuses to signify "strong and united India.”
• The ICC removed India, England and Australia as the permanent members of its decision-making executive committee.
• The ICC, for the first time, has included two female officials in the 31-member Playing Control Team for March’s women’s World T20 tournament.
• The Indian Army has observed 68th 'Nowshera Day' on 9th February 2016 to commemorate the sacrifice of jawans who laid down their lives while fighting Pakistani intruders in the frontier town of Nowshera.
• The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), UN's aviation agency, has banned the shipment of Lithium-ion batteries on all passenger flights starting 1st April 2016.
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has appointed Rahul Dravid as member of newly constituted Anti-Corruption Unit Oversight Group.
• The International Fleet Review (IFR) 2016, an international military exercise was held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Theme of IFR 2016 : “United through Oceans”.
• The International Swimming Federation named Fukuoka, Japan, to host the 2021 world aquatics championships, .
• The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched a new space observatory called ASTRO-H.
• The Jaypee Punjab Warriors has won the 4th edition of Coal India Hockey India League (HIL) title 2016.
• The Karnataka government has announced a housing scheme for over 600 transgenders facing social boycott in Bengaluru.
• The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is planning to introduce red and yellow cards into club, university and schools cricket, to curb the increase of violent behaviour.
• The Minister of State for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma launched the 'Swachh Parayatan' mobile app, as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, the app aims to ease the process of registering complaints from the general public about unclean areas and garbage piles in and around tourist destinations for "immediate action".
• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) gave its approval to the controversial railway link between the Hubbali-Ankola in Karanataka, and asked the railways to approach the state Government for moving further.
• The newly-formed Rajkot-based Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise has been named as the Gujarat Lions.
• The Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex, world’s largest solar power plant, was opened in the Souss-Massa-Drâa area in Morocco.
• The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) signed an agreement to improve cooperation in cyber defense.
• The Pakistan government gave permission to the Pakistan Cricket team to participate in the ICC World T20, to be held in India from March 8.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced an Open Market Operation (OMO) purchase of government securities worth ₹12,000 crore on March 3.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept the key policy rates unchanged in its 6th bi-monthly monetary policy review.
• The Seventh Joint Military Training Exercise between the Indian Army and the Seychelles People’s Defence Forces (SPDF) - LAMITYE 2016, was held at Seychelles Defence Academy (SDA), Victoria, Seychelles.
• The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) is going to raise ₹10,000 crore corpus for ‘Stand Up India' fund from the Reserve Bank of India.
• The Sri Aurobindo International Centre for Education (SAICE), Puducherry has become India's first fully solar-powered educational institute.
• The union power ministry electrified 245 villages in India during the first week of February under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojna.
• The Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi announced that, India has the third highest under-five child mortality rate among SAARC countries with 48 deaths reported per 1000 live births.
• The United Nations Postal Administration has released 6 new postage stamps promoting equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
• The UPA government's flagship rural job guarantee scheme, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), completed 10 years of implementation on 2nd February 2016.
• The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is launching a 132-foot unmanned ocean drone on April 7, 2016.
• The US government announced the approval of a sale of up to eight F-16 fighter jets, radar and other equipment to Pakistan in a $699 million deal, saying it would aid counter-terrorism operations.
• The World Bank has decided to lend support to the Rajasthan government on energy reforms.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika virus as a global public health emergency.
• Titanic 2, the replica of the original ship that sank in the Atlantic Ocean almost 100 years ago, is set to go on its maiden voyage in 2018 from Jiangsu, China to Dubai.
• Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the government plans to set up 2,000 water ports in the country.
• U.S. President Barack Obama is going to make a historic visit to Cuba next month.
• UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino was elected as the ninth FIFA President.
• Ukraine’s Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk Football Club (FC) has won the 2016 Sait Nagjee International Club Football Tournament.
• Under the government’s 'Make in India' campaign, Oracle will open its first India campus in Bengaluru.
• Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in Urban areas, a total of 5.07 lakh houses have been sanctioned so far, out of which the three states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & West Bengal got 69%.
• Union Government has sanctioned about 580 crore rupees for Agartala-Akhaura railway link Project to connect Kolkata (West Bengal) with Tripura via Bangladesh.
• Union Health Minister JP Nadda has approved Medical Council of India's proposal to amend the Indian Medical Council Act to hold a nationwide common medical entrance test.
• Union Minister Piyush Goyal announced that India is likely to spend about $1 trillion by 2030 on power infrastructure to provide 24/7 affordable electricity supply to its citizens. 
• Union Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation of Sweden have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Technical Cooperation in Rail Sector.
• Vedanta Limited, a global diversified natural resource company, won India’s first-ever gold mining lease auctioned by the Chhattisgarh government.
• Vice President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari was recently visited Brunei and Thailand (first high-level visit from India).
• Vietnam has formally lifted the ban on import of Indian groundnut, thereby providing market access after nine months.
• Vietnam has inaugurated the world's longest three-rope cable car system in the northern province of Lao Cai.
• West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has launched a project 'Muktir Alo' (Light of Freedom), under which sex workers from Kolkata's Sonagachi area are being trained to act in films and serials.
• West Indies defeated India by five wickets to win their maiden ICC U-19 World Cup Title.
• World’s first fast-acting anti-rabies drug Rabies Human Monoclonal Antibody (RMAb) was launched in India.
• World's first Boeing 727 is set to make its last flight, from Paine Field to Boeing Field International (Washington), on March 2nd 2016.

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