Modi has tried to improve ties with Pakistan: Daily
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ISLAMABAD: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to improve ties with Pakistan, said a leading daily which noted that Modi's meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif has produced "several specific breakthroughs".
An editorial in the Dawn on Saturday over the meeting that took place on Friday between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Modi in Russia said that "progress in the India-Pakistan relationship depends on whether the political leadership is invested in it".
"Sharif clearly is, but has not demonstrated the ability to convince other institutions, particularly the army, of the imperative to improve ties. Meanwhile, Modi has actually done the opposite of seeking to improve ties," it said.
The daily said that both sides need to demonstrate they aren't talking just to show the outside world that they are.
The editorial said that Friday's meeting "produced several specific breakthroughs that must surely be welcomed in the context of a deteriorating regional security and diplomatic climate".
"The headlines will focus on Modi accepting the Pakistani premierA's invitation to attend next yearA's Saarc summit in Islamabad and if the visit does take place, it would be worth a great deal of symbolism at least, given that Modi's predecessor Manmohan Singh was unable to visit in his 10 years as prime minister despite ardently wanting to," it said.
The daily added: "There is reason to hope the visit will actually take place because Modi has made furthering regional relationships, especially with Saarc countries, a foreign policy priority, even if that approach has thus far tended to exclude Pakistan."
It noted that a refusal to attend the Saarc summit would also deal a significant blow to the organisation, setting it back even further. "Yet, there is, as always, many a slip between cup and lip in the India-Pakistan relationship."
The daily went on to say that the decision to focus on how to further the Mumbai-related anti-terrorism trial in Rawalpindi and the mention of specific potential evidence such as the provision of voice samples is also a positive shift from the status quo, which has essentially involved India demanding that Pakistan do more and Pakistan claiming that the trials are in limbo because of IndiaA's non-cooperative approach.
ISLAMABAD: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to improve ties with Pakistan, said a leading daily which noted that Modi's meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif has produced "several specific breakthroughs". An editorial in the Dawn on Saturday over the meeting that took place on Friday between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Modi in Russia said that "progress in the India-Pakistan relationship depends on whether the political leadership is invested in it".
"Sharif clearly is, but has not demonstrated the ability to convince other institutions, particularly the army, of the imperative to improve ties. Meanwhile, Modi has actually done the opposite of seeking to improve ties," it said.
The daily said that both sides need to demonstrate they aren't talking just to show the outside world that they are.
The editorial said that Friday's meeting "produced several specific breakthroughs that must surely be welcomed in the context of a deteriorating regional security and diplomatic climate".
"The headlines will focus on Modi accepting the Pakistani premierA's invitation to attend next yearA's Saarc summit in Islamabad and if the visit does take place, it would be worth a great deal of symbolism at least, given that Modi's predecessor Manmohan Singh was unable to visit in his 10 years as prime minister despite ardently wanting to," it said.
The daily added: "There is reason to hope the visit will actually take place because Modi has made furthering regional relationships, especially with Saarc countries, a foreign policy priority, even if that approach has thus far tended to exclude Pakistan."
It noted that a refusal to attend the Saarc summit would also deal a significant blow to the organisation, setting it back even further. "Yet, there is, as always, many a slip between cup and lip in the India-Pakistan relationship."
The daily went on to say that the decision to focus on how to further the Mumbai-related anti-terrorism trial in Rawalpindi and the mention of specific potential evidence such as the provision of voice samples is also a positive shift from the status quo, which has essentially involved India demanding that Pakistan do more and Pakistan claiming that the trials are in limbo because of IndiaA's non-cooperative approach.
Pakistan says Kashmir issue will be tackled through ‘back-channel diplomacy’
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have agreed in their meeting in Russia to address the issues of Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek through Track II diplomacy.
PM's adviser on national security and foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz on Friday said both leaders were of the opinion that for lasting peace the way forward was to address the outstanding issues like Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek.
"The two sides also agreed to take up these issues under the back-channel Track-II mechanism for better understanding of each other's point of view," the Dawn quoted Aziz as saying.
His remarks came after furor back in Pakistan for not mentioning Kashmir in the joint statement issued after the meeting between Sharif and Modi in Ufa, Russia yesterday.
Aziz, who was also present in the meeting in Ufa, said that the meeting between the two leaders was held in "very good atmosphere" as both sides believed that peace in the region was vital for progress.
He said the two sides believe in combating poverty, instead of fighting each other.
Aziz said that the first priority was to lessen tensions on the Line of Control and the two sides agreed to activate the mechanism of meetings between the Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers.
He also said the meeting was "very useful in lessening tension" and for better understanding of each other's point of view.
PM's adviser on national security and foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz on Friday said both leaders were of the opinion that for lasting peace the way forward was to address the outstanding issues like Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek.
"The two sides also agreed to take up these issues under the back-channel Track-II mechanism for better understanding of each other's point of view," the Dawn quoted Aziz as saying.
His remarks came after furor back in Pakistan for not mentioning Kashmir in the joint statement issued after the meeting between Sharif and Modi in Ufa, Russia yesterday.
Aziz, who was also present in the meeting in Ufa, said that the meeting between the two leaders was held in "very good atmosphere" as both sides believed that peace in the region was vital for progress.
He said the two sides believe in combating poverty, instead of fighting each other.
Aziz said that the first priority was to lessen tensions on the Line of Control and the two sides agreed to activate the mechanism of meetings between the Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers.
He also said the meeting was "very useful in lessening tension" and for better understanding of each other's point of view.
Centre,intel agencies clients of Italian spyware firm: Wikileaks
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NEW DELHI: Several Indian government agencies and many state police forces had reportedly engaged, or are in talks to engage, the services of a controversial Italian hacking company that is notorious for making surveillance software and supplying them to oppressive regimes.
According to set of emails released by WikiLeaks on Italian surveillance malware-maker Hacking Team, Indian agencies seemed to have been an active client of the company for devices meant not just for targeted counter-terrorism operations but also for sweeping invasion of privacy.
The firm provides surveillance software that can be mounted on computers and phones to eavesdrop. Privacy campaigners have accused the Milan-based company of providing its services to autocratic regimes.
Hundreds of email communications between Hacking Team, its partner NICE — an Israeli company specializing in surveillance and data security — and Indian contacts show their active presence in India. The email contacts could be found as late as earlier this year.
In one of the emails from December 2010, V K Dhingra, an attache in the commercial wing of Indian Embassy in Italy, requests Marco Bettini, sales manager of the company " to present a demonstration in New Delhi of the Remote Control System V6 spyware software, following a request from the Government of India" . It could well be a request from the external intelligence agency R&AW (Research and Analysis Wing), according to other emails.
According to information, the company's representatives met RAW officials in March 2011.
In an email sent in February 2014, the chief of Hacking Team's office in Singapore refers to R&AW, NIA (National Investigation Agency), IB (Intelligence Bureau) and NTRO (National Technical Research Organisation) as "customers" , indicating the possibility of them already availing the company' s services.
The company demonstrated to Indian agencies ways to infect mobile phones with malware — the phone could be in the same room, or could even be infected by just knowing the number.
One of the major clients is Cabinet Secretariat (CABSEC), which was already a customer of Hacking Team' s Israeli partner NICE, according to the emails. CABSEC is the euphemism used by R&AW on many occasions.
The emails also show that the Intelligence Bureau of Pakistan was also using the firm' s services. Other emails show that Hacking Team had also been in touch with police forces of states such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The latter wanted cellular interception capabilities.
Communications also show that one Indian client wanted the Italian firm to change the " terms of the solution" so as to hide offensive capabilities of the software.
NEW DELHI: Several Indian government agencies and many state police forces had reportedly engaged, or are in talks to engage, the services of a controversial Italian hacking company that is notorious for making surveillance software and supplying them to oppressive regimes.According to set of emails released by WikiLeaks on Italian surveillance malware-maker Hacking Team, Indian agencies seemed to have been an active client of the company for devices meant not just for targeted counter-terrorism operations but also for sweeping invasion of privacy.
The firm provides surveillance software that can be mounted on computers and phones to eavesdrop. Privacy campaigners have accused the Milan-based company of providing its services to autocratic regimes.
Hundreds of email communications between Hacking Team, its partner NICE — an Israeli company specializing in surveillance and data security — and Indian contacts show their active presence in India. The email contacts could be found as late as earlier this year.
In one of the emails from December 2010, V K Dhingra, an attache in the commercial wing of Indian Embassy in Italy, requests Marco Bettini, sales manager of the company " to present a demonstration in New Delhi of the Remote Control System V6 spyware software, following a request from the Government of India" . It could well be a request from the external intelligence agency R&AW (Research and Analysis Wing), according to other emails.
According to information, the company's representatives met RAW officials in March 2011.
In an email sent in February 2014, the chief of Hacking Team's office in Singapore refers to R&AW, NIA (National Investigation Agency), IB (Intelligence Bureau) and NTRO (National Technical Research Organisation) as "customers" , indicating the possibility of them already availing the company' s services.
The company demonstrated to Indian agencies ways to infect mobile phones with malware — the phone could be in the same room, or could even be infected by just knowing the number.
One of the major clients is Cabinet Secretariat (CABSEC), which was already a customer of Hacking Team' s Israeli partner NICE, according to the emails. CABSEC is the euphemism used by R&AW on many occasions.
The emails also show that the Intelligence Bureau of Pakistan was also using the firm' s services. Other emails show that Hacking Team had also been in touch with police forces of states such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The latter wanted cellular interception capabilities.
Communications also show that one Indian client wanted the Italian firm to change the " terms of the solution" so as to hide offensive capabilities of the software.
IPS officer receives threat call from Mulayam Singh Yadav; lodges complaint
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LUCKNOW: Senior officer of the Indian Police Service, Amitabh Thakur, on Saturday lodged a complaint against Samajwadi Party national president Mulayam Singh Yadav for allegedly threatening him with dire consequences if he did not "change his ways."
The complaint followed an alleged phone call from the SP chief's Lucknow residence to Thakur in the evening of July 10. Thakur has been pursuing a case of graft against sitting SP minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, which the SP leader allegedly wanted him to drop.
In a conversation that lasted just over two minutes, Thakur is first told by an operator "Netaji" wants to speak to him. When Thakur asks the operator to identify which "Netaji" this is, the operator takes the name of Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The conversation, which Thakur recorded and put in public domain along with a transcript and audio clip on Friday, has the man, allegedly Mulayam Singh Yadav, claiming he intervened to save Thakur from being beaten by goons at a party organized at one Ramveer's house in Jasrana many years ago. Telling the police officer that he (MSY) had been sympathetic toward him because Thakur's parents who lived in Patna had requested him to mind their son, MSY is also heard telling Thakur he's been getting reports of the officer's alleged "badtameezi" (misconduct).
Reminding him he can face worse consequences than the one in Jasrana, the voice also asks Thakur to "change his ways" or face repercussions. Thakur, meanwhile, has feigned ignorance throughout, and has repeatedly asked MSY to explain what he means and what his orders to him are.
After putting the taped conversation in public domain, Thakur on Saturday moved the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow to lodge an FIR against the SP chief. The move, which created quite a flutter, was initially blocked by the on duty constable, who refused to give a receipt of Thakur's complaint without the inspector-in charge's consent. With a large media contingent present while Thakur insisted on waiting at the police station until he was given a "receiving", inspector Vimal Yadav then intervened and issued the receipt.
The senior police officer also demanded police protection for his wife and family saying they had faced a threat perception for nearly four months. No security cover has been provided to Thakur so far.
LUCKNOW: Senior officer of the Indian Police Service, Amitabh Thakur, on Saturday lodged a complaint against Samajwadi Party national president Mulayam Singh Yadav for allegedly threatening him with dire consequences if he did not "change his ways."The complaint followed an alleged phone call from the SP chief's Lucknow residence to Thakur in the evening of July 10. Thakur has been pursuing a case of graft against sitting SP minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, which the SP leader allegedly wanted him to drop.
In a conversation that lasted just over two minutes, Thakur is first told by an operator "Netaji" wants to speak to him. When Thakur asks the operator to identify which "Netaji" this is, the operator takes the name of Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The conversation, which Thakur recorded and put in public domain along with a transcript and audio clip on Friday, has the man, allegedly Mulayam Singh Yadav, claiming he intervened to save Thakur from being beaten by goons at a party organized at one Ramveer's house in Jasrana many years ago. Telling the police officer that he (MSY) had been sympathetic toward him because Thakur's parents who lived in Patna had requested him to mind their son, MSY is also heard telling Thakur he's been getting reports of the officer's alleged "badtameezi" (misconduct).
Reminding him he can face worse consequences than the one in Jasrana, the voice also asks Thakur to "change his ways" or face repercussions. Thakur, meanwhile, has feigned ignorance throughout, and has repeatedly asked MSY to explain what he means and what his orders to him are.
After putting the taped conversation in public domain, Thakur on Saturday moved the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow to lodge an FIR against the SP chief. The move, which created quite a flutter, was initially blocked by the on duty constable, who refused to give a receipt of Thakur's complaint without the inspector-in charge's consent. With a large media contingent present while Thakur insisted on waiting at the police station until he was given a "receiving", inspector Vimal Yadav then intervened and issued the receipt.
The senior police officer also demanded police protection for his wife and family saying they had faced a threat perception for nearly four months. No security cover has been provided to Thakur so far.
IIT-K grad harasses Bengaluru techie, held
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BENGALURU: An IIT-Kanpur alumnus based in Mumbai was arrested for allegedly sending obscene messages to his Bengaluru-based collegemate through email, Twitter and Facebook.
Avinash, 24, an electronics engineer, was smitten by the 23-year-old woman and stalked her after she moved in 2012 to Bengaluru where she's a software engineer with an e-commerce firm.
When the woman did not respond to his overtures, he began calling her and threatening her on telephone and email. He also spammed her email, FB and Twitter accounts with obscene messages. The harassment continued but she did not respond even once. Avinash insisted the woman have sex with him and threatened to kill her if she refused. He then created a WhatsApp account and began sending her obscene messages. The woman lodged a complaint with Viveknagar police here who traced the WhatsApp account to Avinash. "We laid a trap and requested the woman to call Avinash to Bengaluru," said DCP (central) Sandeep Patil.
Avinash landed in Bengaluru on Wednesday and was arrested. Police also seized his laptop from which he had sent the messages, which were in Hindi and reportedly full of obscenities.
Patil said Avinash had befriended the woman in college and later told her he loved her. She had rejected his advances from the beginning. Police slapped IPC section 506 (criminal intimidation) and various sections of IT Act against Avinash
BENGALURU: An IIT-Kanpur alumnus based in Mumbai was arrested for allegedly sending obscene messages to his Bengaluru-based collegemate through email, Twitter and Facebook.Avinash, 24, an electronics engineer, was smitten by the 23-year-old woman and stalked her after she moved in 2012 to Bengaluru where she's a software engineer with an e-commerce firm.
When the woman did not respond to his overtures, he began calling her and threatening her on telephone and email. He also spammed her email, FB and Twitter accounts with obscene messages. The harassment continued but she did not respond even once. Avinash insisted the woman have sex with him and threatened to kill her if she refused. He then created a WhatsApp account and began sending her obscene messages. The woman lodged a complaint with Viveknagar police here who traced the WhatsApp account to Avinash. "We laid a trap and requested the woman to call Avinash to Bengaluru," said DCP (central) Sandeep Patil.
Avinash landed in Bengaluru on Wednesday and was arrested. Police also seized his laptop from which he had sent the messages, which were in Hindi and reportedly full of obscenities.
Patil said Avinash had befriended the woman in college and later told her he loved her. She had rejected his advances from the beginning. Police slapped IPC section 506 (criminal intimidation) and various sections of IT Act against Avinash
In a first, two private bank execs in race to head PSBs
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NEW DELHI: In what will be a first, two private sector executives — Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) MD & CEO Rakesh Sharma and VBHC Value Homes MD P S Jayakumar — are in the race to head two public sector banks (PSBs).
Although a final decision is awaited, there are five executives, including three from state-run banks, who are in the fray to be managing director and CEOs of five large public sector banks — Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India and IDBI Bank — some of which have been headless for close to a year.
It is for the first time that the government has opened a window for financial sector executives to apply for top jobs in state-run banks, a move that has caused a fair bit of discomfort among public sector executives who were until recently sole claimants for corner rooms in these entities.
Already, the government has appointed Sriram Kalyanaraman, director (business development) at Equifax Credit Information Services, as the new MD & CEO of National Housing Bank, in a first-of-its-kind appointment aimed at professionalizing the boards of state-run entities. In Kshatrapati Shivaji, an IAS officer from Maharashtra, even Sidbi has got an "outsider" as chairman and MD.
LVB's Sharma is new to the private sector and has spent most of his working life at SBI, where his last assignment was that of chief general manager for Patna Circle, comprising Bihar and Jharkhand.
Jayakumar, however, has always worked in the private sector and his current assignment is at a real estate company founded by Jerry Rao, the former head of Mphasis and a Citibank veteran. Jayakumar himself started his career with Citibank in 1986 and went on to be the country head for consumer business in India and head of consumer lending in Asia Pacific and the Far East.
Although a final decision is awaited, there are five executives, including three from state-run banks, who are in the fray to be managing director and CEOs of five large public sector banks — Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India and IDBI Bank — some of which have been headless for close to a year.
It is for the first time that the government has opened a window for financial sector executives to apply for top jobs in state-run banks, a move that has caused a fair bit of discomfort among public sector executives who were until recently sole claimants for corner rooms in these entities.
Already, the government has appointed Sriram Kalyanaraman, director (business development) at Equifax Credit Information Services, as the new MD & CEO of National Housing Bank, in a first-of-its-kind appointment aimed at professionalizing the boards of state-run entities. In Kshatrapati Shivaji, an IAS officer from Maharashtra, even Sidbi has got an "outsider" as chairman and MD.
LVB's Sharma is new to the private sector and has spent most of his working life at SBI, where his last assignment was that of chief general manager for Patna Circle, comprising Bihar and Jharkhand.
Jayakumar, however, has always worked in the private sector and his current assignment is at a real estate company founded by Jerry Rao, the former head of Mphasis and a Citibank veteran. Jayakumar himself started his career with Citibank in 1986 and went on to be the country head for consumer business in India and head of consumer lending in Asia Pacific and the Far East.
Eurozone to give verdict on Greece's last-chance debt plan
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BRUSSELS: Eurozone finance ministers on Saturday were to give their verdict on Greece's last-chance bid for a third bailout to keep its ship-wrecked economy afloat and prevent its exit from the single European currency.
But an EU leader and two other sources gave no more than a 50-50 chance that a make-or-break European summit on Sunday would approve a deal.
Hardliners Germany and the Baltic states are exasperated with Greece's hard-left government, blaming it for more than five months of bitter negotiations in which trust has been the biggest casualty.
Finance ministers from the 19-country eurozone will meet in Brussels at 1300 GMT Saturday to review Greece's proposals for market-oriented reforms in exchange for its third bailout since 2010.
The package, submitted by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, was approved by parliament in Athens after midnight Friday. It was backed by 251 out of 300 deputies.
It includes plans for a pensions overhaul, tax hikes and privatisations.
The terms are similar to those previously offered by creditors which had been angrily dismissed by Tsipras as humiliating for Greece and then rejected by voters in a snap referendum.
The package is coupled to a request for a three-year funding plan and a separate 35-billion-euro ($39.04-billion) investment package.
The leftist premier told parliament: "We have a national duty to keep our people alive... we will succeed not only in staying in Europe but in living as equal peers with dignity and pride."
He admitted "the loan deal ...entails many proposals that are far from our pledges," but said it was the best deal available.
It was "marginally better" than proposals put forward by the creditors last month which did not offer relief from Greece's 320-billion-euro mountain of debt, said Tsipras.
The Greek government hoped the vote would give it an emphatic mandate to continue the talks with the creditors.
But it also revealed the depth of opposition to fresh austerity.
Three senior government figures were among 10 deputies who abstained or voted against and several others from the ruling Syriza party stayed away, prompting commentators to wager the result could force a government shake-up.
An EU source in Brussels said Athens' latest proposals were "positive" enough to form the basis of a new support package.
But Athens's biggest creditor, Berlin, which has opposed parallel appeals for debt relief, has remained tight-lipped.
President Dalia Grybauskaite of Lithuania, which joined the euro only six months ago, on Friday put the chances of a deal by Sunday's summit at 50-50, saying Athens' proposals are based on "outdated information" and "will have to be seriously corrected."
EU sources who asked not to be named also put the probability at no more 50-50.
Despite the odds, French President Francois Hollande called the Greek proposals "serious and credible" while cautioning that "nothing is decided yet".
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi declared himself "more optimistic" that a deal would be done.
'Completely open'
The EU's bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism, was ready to consider putting up 58 billion euros, plus 16 billion euros from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an EU source said.
But Germany said the outcome of this weekend's crisis talks was "completely open".
Berlin leads a bloc of hardline eurozone nations saying that, after two bailouts over the past five years totalling 240 billion euros, and 107 billion euros in debt forgiveness in 2012, Greece is looking like a bottomless money pit.
Although Greek voters last Sunday roundly voted "No" to accepting tough austerity terms for a bailout that expired June 30, they are alarmed at capital controls that have closed banks and rationed cash at ATMs.
European Council President Donald Tusk said the summit he will host in Brussels Sunday is a "last chance" for Greece and the EU to seal a deal.
BRUSSELS: Eurozone finance ministers on Saturday were to give their verdict on Greece's last-chance bid for a third bailout to keep its ship-wrecked economy afloat and prevent its exit from the single European currency.But an EU leader and two other sources gave no more than a 50-50 chance that a make-or-break European summit on Sunday would approve a deal.
Hardliners Germany and the Baltic states are exasperated with Greece's hard-left government, blaming it for more than five months of bitter negotiations in which trust has been the biggest casualty.
Finance ministers from the 19-country eurozone will meet in Brussels at 1300 GMT Saturday to review Greece's proposals for market-oriented reforms in exchange for its third bailout since 2010.
The package, submitted by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, was approved by parliament in Athens after midnight Friday. It was backed by 251 out of 300 deputies.
It includes plans for a pensions overhaul, tax hikes and privatisations.
The terms are similar to those previously offered by creditors which had been angrily dismissed by Tsipras as humiliating for Greece and then rejected by voters in a snap referendum.
The package is coupled to a request for a three-year funding plan and a separate 35-billion-euro ($39.04-billion) investment package.
The leftist premier told parliament: "We have a national duty to keep our people alive... we will succeed not only in staying in Europe but in living as equal peers with dignity and pride."
He admitted "the loan deal ...entails many proposals that are far from our pledges," but said it was the best deal available.
It was "marginally better" than proposals put forward by the creditors last month which did not offer relief from Greece's 320-billion-euro mountain of debt, said Tsipras.
The Greek government hoped the vote would give it an emphatic mandate to continue the talks with the creditors.
But it also revealed the depth of opposition to fresh austerity.
Three senior government figures were among 10 deputies who abstained or voted against and several others from the ruling Syriza party stayed away, prompting commentators to wager the result could force a government shake-up.
An EU source in Brussels said Athens' latest proposals were "positive" enough to form the basis of a new support package.
But Athens's biggest creditor, Berlin, which has opposed parallel appeals for debt relief, has remained tight-lipped.
President Dalia Grybauskaite of Lithuania, which joined the euro only six months ago, on Friday put the chances of a deal by Sunday's summit at 50-50, saying Athens' proposals are based on "outdated information" and "will have to be seriously corrected."
EU sources who asked not to be named also put the probability at no more 50-50.
Despite the odds, French President Francois Hollande called the Greek proposals "serious and credible" while cautioning that "nothing is decided yet".
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi declared himself "more optimistic" that a deal would be done.
'Completely open'
The EU's bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism, was ready to consider putting up 58 billion euros, plus 16 billion euros from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an EU source said.
But Germany said the outcome of this weekend's crisis talks was "completely open".
Berlin leads a bloc of hardline eurozone nations saying that, after two bailouts over the past five years totalling 240 billion euros, and 107 billion euros in debt forgiveness in 2012, Greece is looking like a bottomless money pit.
Although Greek voters last Sunday roundly voted "No" to accepting tough austerity terms for a bailout that expired June 30, they are alarmed at capital controls that have closed banks and rationed cash at ATMs.
European Council President Donald Tusk said the summit he will host in Brussels Sunday is a "last chance" for Greece and the EU to seal a deal.
SBI GA Updates for SBI PO Main Exam 2015
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1.Forbes-India home to 56 of the world’s 2,000 powerful companies
Reliance Industries is ranked- 142
State Bank of India, ranked- 152
2.Forbes Power Businesswomen
Forbes said Bhattacharya, 58*, is referred to as the “first lady of Indian banking” and as chair of the Indian behemoth with 225 million customers and assets of USD 300 billion, the “SBI lifer” has had her hands full addressing bad loans and shoring up the bank’s capital.
NOTE — chandakochar -53*
3.SBI FINACIAL INCLUSION 2015-16 _
Country’s largest public sector lender SBI has been provided with the maximum capital infusion of Rs 2,970 crore
4.SBI is the first major bank to cut its base lending _
State Bank of India, the country’s top lender, will reduce its base lending rate by 15 basis points to 9.85 percent.
5.SBI and Amazon _ announce a strategic partnership to transform how India shops and sells.
6.PAY-PAL__State Bank of India announces partnership with PayPal
SBI’s Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) customers to gain access to PayPal’s secure payment solutions.
NOTE __ *PAY-PAL – CREDIT CARD /*PAY-NET – DEBIT CARD
7. SBI _ Capital Assist Program
SBI enters into agreement with Snapdeal for Seller Financing under Snapdeal.
8.State Bank of India (SBI)–ASSAM & NE states
SBI will provide finance totalling Rs. 100 crore benefiting 3,000 small tea growers in the North East region soon.
9.SBI–contactless debit and credit cards__
State Bank of India has launched contactless debit and credit cards that enable users to make payments by waiving or tapping the card near the card reader instead of swiping or dipping it, reports Our Bureau.
10.SBI-FEDERAL BANK _ Co-branded credit cards __
Federal Bank & SBI forayed into the credit card segment through the launch of co-branded credit cards in partnership with SBI Cards, a leading credit card issuer.
11.SBI launches RuPay platinum debit card with NPCI_
State Bank of India launched a RuPay platinum debit card in association with National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI). The RuPay card comes with a special feature for the convenience of customers that is accepted at all payment channels-ATMs, PoS and e-commerce.
12.SBI- CITI BANK__ Air India may tie up with SBI, Citibank to raise funds through ECB
13.SBI-home loan rates for women_ which offer loans to women at 9.85 percent
14.SBI-INTOUCH_DIGITAL SERVICE launched in delhi , chennai, bangulure,mumbai.
15.SBI- COUNTRY first bank to set-up payment gateways to entire govt entities & small trades in online market.
16.SBI -launched digital banking facilities . e-KYC , tab banking for customers.
17.SBI started accounts on_twitter , youtube , facebook
18.SBI ACHIEVED -IBA Banking Technology Awards – 2014
- BEST USE OF MOBILITY TECHNOLOGY
- BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN FINANCIAL INCLUSION
- BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY FOR E-LEARNING AND TRAINING
- BEST CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT
- BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN BI
- BEST INTERNET BANK
- BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN PAYMENT SYSTEM
19.RANSTAND AWARD 2014 — SBI
20.SBI sold out — 3500 crores to ARCs
21.SBI raised — 8032 crores by shelling shares to by QIP
22.SBI – CMS info TIE TO SETUP — 700 atms CMS –deploy (NAUTILAUS HYSOUNG ATMS)
23.SBI touches NPAs — 27% , 67999 crores
24.SBI rank in fortune 500 companies 2014 __155
25.SBI – CMD arundhati bhattacharya ranked —36 –forbes most powerful women 2014
Programs launched by SBI recently:
- SBI mCash: Enables you to transfer money to anyone by just knowing their mobile number or e-mail ID, irrespective of whether they bank with SBI or not.
- Quick Transfer: Enables you to send upto Rs. 5000/- to anyone through mobile banking without registration of beneficiary.
- SBI Quick: Access basic banking services through a simple Missed Call or an SMS.
- Online Overdraft against Fixed Deposit: Provides instant overdraft facility against e-TDR/e-STDR through Internet Banking.
- Online Loan against shares: This online facility enables you to apply for loan against shares which are held in your Demat Account of SBI Cap Securities. The whole processing is fully automated and the loan amount gets credited to your account without any visits to the branch.
- Online Loan Application Portal: A platform to apply forHome/Car/Education/Personal loans. Also enables you to check your loan eligibility and get instant e-approval.
- Digital Banking Outlets: Experience state-of-the-art digital banking at “sbiINTOUCHLite” branches already live at select centres. They propose to scale up the numbers during the current year.
- Tie up with m-Commerce/e-Commerce players: The Bank has entered into MoUs with leading e-commerce players like Amazon & Snapdeal to explore ways to make our shopping experience smoother and happier. They are running very exciting and attractive cash back deals from time to time.
- SBI e-corners: 24 X 7 facilities to deposit, withdraw, transfer money, update passbook and use host of other facilities.
- Contactless Debit Card: Enables you to make fast, convenient and secure payment for everyday purchases by simply tapping your card.
- State Bank Tech Learning Centre: Equips you to take advantage of the latest technology at SBI through interactive learning programmes held across the country. Also, can view tutorials on various functionalities by visiting their page on You Tube.
- SBI partners with MakeMyTrip for travel biz In its series of digital initiatives and tie-ups, State Bank of India, country’s largest bank, partnered with online travel company MakeMyTrip.com to capitalise on the business opportunities of the booming e-commerce and m-commerce ecosystem.
1.Forbes-India home to 56 of the world’s 2,000 powerful companies
Reliance Industries is ranked- 142
State Bank of India, ranked- 152
State Bank of India, ranked- 152
2.Forbes Power Businesswomen
Forbes said Bhattacharya, 58*, is referred to as the “first lady of Indian banking” and as chair of the Indian behemoth with 225 million customers and assets of USD 300 billion, the “SBI lifer” has had her hands full addressing bad loans and shoring up the bank’s capital.
NOTE — chandakochar -53*
NOTE — chandakochar -53*
3.SBI FINACIAL INCLUSION 2015-16 _
Country’s largest public sector lender SBI has been provided with the maximum capital infusion of Rs 2,970 crore
4.SBI is the first major bank to cut its base lending _
State Bank of India, the country’s top lender, will reduce its base lending rate by 15 basis points to 9.85 percent.
5.SBI and Amazon _ announce a strategic partnership to transform how India shops and sells.
6.PAY-PAL__State Bank of India announces partnership with PayPal
SBI’s Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) customers to gain access to PayPal’s secure payment solutions.
NOTE __ *PAY-PAL – CREDIT CARD /*PAY-NET – DEBIT CARD
NOTE __ *PAY-PAL – CREDIT CARD /*PAY-NET – DEBIT CARD
7. SBI _ Capital Assist Program
SBI enters into agreement with Snapdeal for Seller Financing under Snapdeal.
8.State Bank of India (SBI)–ASSAM & NE states
SBI will provide finance totalling Rs. 100 crore benefiting 3,000 small tea growers in the North East region soon.
9.SBI–contactless debit and credit cards__
State Bank of India has launched contactless debit and credit cards that enable users to make payments by waiving or tapping the card near the card reader instead of swiping or dipping it, reports Our Bureau.
10.SBI-FEDERAL BANK _ Co-branded credit cards __
Federal Bank & SBI forayed into the credit card segment through the launch of co-branded credit cards in partnership with SBI Cards, a leading credit card issuer.
11.SBI launches RuPay platinum debit card with NPCI_
State Bank of India launched a RuPay platinum debit card in association with National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI). The RuPay card comes with a special feature for the convenience of customers that is accepted at all payment channels-ATMs, PoS and e-commerce.
12.SBI- CITI BANK__ Air India may tie up with SBI, Citibank to raise funds through ECB
13.SBI-home loan rates for women_ which offer loans to women at 9.85 percent
14.SBI-INTOUCH_DIGITAL SERVICE launched in delhi , chennai, bangulure,mumbai.
15.SBI- COUNTRY first bank to set-up payment gateways to entire govt entities & small trades in online market.
16.SBI -launched digital banking facilities . e-KYC , tab banking for customers.
17.SBI started accounts on_twitter , youtube , facebook
18.SBI ACHIEVED -IBA Banking Technology Awards – 2014
- BEST USE OF MOBILITY TECHNOLOGY
- BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN FINANCIAL INCLUSION
- BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY FOR E-LEARNING AND TRAINING
- BEST CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT
- BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN BI
- BEST INTERNET BANK
- BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN PAYMENT SYSTEM
19.RANSTAND AWARD 2014 — SBI
20.SBI sold out — 3500 crores to ARCs
21.SBI raised — 8032 crores by shelling shares to by QIP
22.SBI – CMS info TIE TO SETUP — 700 atms CMS –deploy (NAUTILAUS HYSOUNG ATMS)
23.SBI touches NPAs — 27% , 67999 crores
24.SBI rank in fortune 500 companies 2014 __155
25.SBI – CMD arundhati bhattacharya ranked —36 –forbes most powerful women 2014
Programs launched by SBI recently:
- SBI mCash: Enables you to transfer money to anyone by just knowing their mobile number or e-mail ID, irrespective of whether they bank with SBI or not.
- Quick Transfer: Enables you to send upto Rs. 5000/- to anyone through mobile banking without registration of beneficiary.
- SBI Quick: Access basic banking services through a simple Missed Call or an SMS.
- Online Overdraft against Fixed Deposit: Provides instant overdraft facility against e-TDR/e-STDR through Internet Banking.
- Online Loan against shares: This online facility enables you to apply for loan against shares which are held in your Demat Account of SBI Cap Securities. The whole processing is fully automated and the loan amount gets credited to your account without any visits to the branch.
- Online Loan Application Portal: A platform to apply forHome/Car/Education/Personal loans. Also enables you to check your loan eligibility and get instant e-approval.
- Digital Banking Outlets: Experience state-of-the-art digital banking at “sbiINTOUCHLite” branches already live at select centres. They propose to scale up the numbers during the current year.
- Tie up with m-Commerce/e-Commerce players: The Bank has entered into MoUs with leading e-commerce players like Amazon & Snapdeal to explore ways to make our shopping experience smoother and happier. They are running very exciting and attractive cash back deals from time to time.
- SBI e-corners: 24 X 7 facilities to deposit, withdraw, transfer money, update passbook and use host of other facilities.
- Contactless Debit Card: Enables you to make fast, convenient and secure payment for everyday purchases by simply tapping your card.
- State Bank Tech Learning Centre: Equips you to take advantage of the latest technology at SBI through interactive learning programmes held across the country. Also, can view tutorials on various functionalities by visiting their page on You Tube.
- SBI partners with MakeMyTrip for travel biz In its series of digital initiatives and tie-ups, State Bank of India, country’s largest bank, partnered with online travel company MakeMyTrip.com to capitalise on the business opportunities of the booming e-commerce and m-commerce ecosystem.
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