Nubia

 

Interesting BBC documentary on the lost kingdoms of Africa. This four part series starts in Nubia, the extinct kingdom which once encompassed the present day Egypt and Sudan put together. 

Interesting to note that there are apparently more pyramids in Sudan than in Egypt. The documentary shows the ancient rock drums which were used by people to communicate with each other, the rock cut paintings of cattle, the hieroglyphics depicting the life in ancient Nubia more than 5000 to 7000 years ago. 

The whole area was full of vegetation and life and commerce in those days but desert started creeping up over the years and centuries making it what it is today. The presenter goes to a few village settlements to understand their life and the history of the area. 

Apparently frequent battles used to take place over the vegetation of the land and there was one cremation spot where apparently more than 200 men and 5000 heads of cattle were sacrificed. The documentary is a mix of commentary and interviews, so its a good series to watch.   

5.13 kms

 

5.13 kms walk/ run with the kiddo, more walk than run, second run of the day and evening runs are always more stressful than morning ones because of the traffic. Weather was OK having rained during the day. 

8.87 kms

 

8.87 kms Sunday long run in 01.03 hours in humid weather in Bombay. Got some rain at about 3 kms and then it rained when i was walking back home. Running is meditation in motion. You are like focused and zombie like whilst running.

N!ai, the Story of a !Kung woman

 

Iconic documentary made by John Marshall on the life of N!ai of the Jul!hoan tribe in Botswana. 

The documentary took 27 years to make on the life of N!ai a young girl who is married off at the age of 8 to another boy aged 13. She does'nt go to live with him for many years and even when she goes to live as a wife, she does not sleep with him for many years. 

Tough life for the bushmen of that part of the world, and apparently they were happy with their lives until the white people came along with their guns and rules and regulations like not killing giraffe for meat and their bible. 

The documentary has got some very rare footages of their life in the wilderness, a tough life subsisting on roots, fruits and sometime no water for days together. N!kai is a sort of a rebel girl/ woman who has a mind of her own. 

In the later part of the documentary, we see the people wearing clothes, and children go to the school and elderly to the church. The men are sent for military training to fight the then rebel guerilla group SWAPO. 

Interesting documentary to watch. 

monetary penalty on PNB, BOI

RBI has vide its press release levied monetary penalties of Rs.2 crores and Rs.4 crores each respectively on Punjab National Bank and Bank of India. 

For PNB it is relating to 

non-compliance of certain provisions of directions issued by RBI contained in the Master Directions on “Frauds – Classification and Reporting by commercial banks and select FIs” dated July 01, 2016 and, the circular on "Creation of a Central Repository of Large Common Exposures - Across Banks” dated September 11, 2013.

For Bank of India, it is relating to 

non-compliance with certain provisions of directions issued by RBI contained in the “Master Circular on KYC norms/AML standards/ CFT / Obligation of banks under PMLA, 2002” dated July 1, 2014, circular on “The Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme, 2014 - Section 26A of Banking Regulation Act, 1949 - Operational Guidelines” dated May 27, 2014, “Master Circular on Frauds – Classification and Reporting” dated July 02, 2012 and circular on “Sale of Financial Assets of Doubtful Standard / Fraudulent Origin to Securitization Company (SC) / Reconstruction Company (RC) - Reporting Requirements” dated April 5, 2011.

MSME covid relief - RBI

 RBI has vide its circular dated 4th June, 2021 enhanced the covid relief to the MSME sector by increasing the aggregate credit exposure from Rs.25 crores to Rs.50 crores. Under the resolution framework for Covid stress, banks can now consider giving higher reliefs to the MSME sector. This is a welcome move. Read on 

https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=12105&Mode=0

A reference is invited to the circular DOR.STR.REC.12/21.04.048/2021-22 on “Resolution Framework 2.0 – Resolution of Covid-19 related stress of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)” dated May 5, 2021.

2. Clause 2 of the above circular specifies the eligibility conditions for MSME accounts to be considered for restructuring under the framework, which inter alia include sub-clause (iii) which states that the aggregate exposure, including non-fund based facilities, of all lending institutions to the MSME borrower should not exceed ₹25 crore as on March 31, 2021.

3. Based on a review, it has been decided to enhance the above limit from ₹25 crore to ₹50 crore.

4. Consequently, clause 2(v) would stand modified as under:

“(v) The borrower’s account was not restructured in terms of the circulars DOR.No.BP.BC/4/21.04.048/2020-21 dated August 6, 2020; DOR.No.BP.BC.34/21.04.048/2019-20 dated February 11, 2020; or DBR.No.BP.BC.18/21.04.048/2018-19 dated January 1, 2019 (collectively referred to as MSME restructuring circulars) or the circular DOR.No.BP.BC/3/21.04.048/2020-21 dated August 6, 2020 on “Resolution Framework for COVID-19-related Stress.”

individuals & small businesses - RBI relief

 https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=12104&Mode=0

RBI has given relief to individuals and small borrowers having credit exposure upto Rs.25 crores to be given covid relief. The limit has been enhanced to Rs.50 crores. Whatever resolution has to be done by the banks for them has to be as per the earlier RBI circular dated 5th May, 2021. Read on. 

A reference is invited to circular DOR.STR.REC.11/21.04.048/2021-22 on “Resolution Framework – 2.0: Resolution of Covid-19 related stress of Individuals and Small Businesses” dated May 5, 2021.

2. Clause 5 of the above circular specifies the eligible borrowers who may be considered for resolution under the framework and includes the following sub-clauses:

(b) Individuals who have availed of loans and advances for business purposes and to whom the lending institutions have aggregate exposure of not more than ₹25 crore as on March 31, 2021.

(c) Small businesses, including those engaged in retail and wholesale trade, other than those classified as MSME as on March 31, 2021, and to whom the lending institutions have aggregate exposure of not more than ₹25 crore as on March 31, 2021.

3. Based on a review, it has been decided to enhance the above limits from ₹25 crore to ₹50 crore.