AAP REGISTERS HUGE WIN IN DELHI POLLSFinal Result: AAP 62 (53.57% votes), BJP 8 (38.51%); Cong 0 (4.26%)Arvind Kejriwal led the Aam Aadmi Party to a stupendous victory yet again inthe Delhi Assembly polls, dealing a body blow to the main rival BJP andcompletely decimating the Congress in a keenly-watched battle in the midstof anti-CAA protests.The 51-year-old bureaucrat-turned-politician almost replicated the AAP'sfairy-tale victory of 2015 by riding on his government's development agenda,and in the process emerged as a key leader in the national politicallandscape.The victory also assumes significance as it came in the face of BJP's noholds barred attack against protesters opposing the Citizenship (Amendement)Act as "supporters of Pakistan" during the bitterly-fought campaign.PM Narendra Modi congratulated Kejriwal for his party's win and wished him"the very best" in fulfilling the aspirations of the people.Kejriwal responded on Twitter: "Thank u (you) so much sir. I look forward toworking closely wid (with) Centre to make our capital city into a trulyworld class city."Opposition leaders hailed AAP's landslide win as a defeat of the politics ofpolarisation and hate and a victory of inclusive politics, saying "winds ofchange" are blowing in the country.Leaders of non-BJP parties cutting across party lines said the poll outcomeshowed that elections can be fought and won on the development plank. Therewas also a call for all regional parties to come together to keep the BJPout of power.West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was among the first tocongratulate Kejrwial, said the Delhi polls have proven that onlydevelopment will work.Though BJP's campaign focused on national security issues, the AAP mainlyfocused on its achievements in the fields of education, healthcare andinfrastructure.ECONOMY HAS TURNED CORNER, SAYS NIRMALAUnion Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned the latest statistics oneconomic growth to assert that the economy has turned the corner and severalgreen shoots of recovery were visible.In an over-a-hour-long reply to the general discussion on the Union Budgetin the Lok Sabha and a shorter address in the Rajya Sabha, Sitharaman wasparticularly scathing about the Congress, particularly former Union MinisterP Chidamabaram, for terming the Modi government as "incompetent doctors" whoshould take advice from the earlier dispensation."We are predisposed to not repeating the faulty remedies of 2008-09," shesaid while accusing the Congress government of leaving behind an economicmess that the current government was still sorting out.Sitharaman said foreign investors continued to show confidence, the netforeign portfolio investments had gone up, industrial activity was on arebound, forex reserves had gone up and gross GST collections had steadilyincreased. She also outlined a 13-point plan for improving investment andother plans to raise consumption and exports.EU SEEN OPENING UP TRADE TO VIETNAM, CLOSING DOOR TO CAMBODIAThe European Union is expected to open its markets to Vietnam on Wednesday,while closing its trade doors with Cambodia, rewarding the former forprogress on labour guarantees and sanctioning the latter for human rightsabuses.The moves mark Europe's increased insistence that trading partnerships gobeyond liberalisation and be coupled with commitments to environmental,labour and social standards. On Wednesday, it will display both its carrotand stick.In Strasbourg, EU lawmakers will vote on a free-trade agreement struck withVietnam, the EU's most comprehensive such pact with a developing country andits second with a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN).Initial backing from the international trade committee of the EuropeanParliament last month suggested the parliament as a whole would back it.LONDON POLICE DEPLOY FACE SCAN TECH, STIRRING PRIVACY FEARSLondon police started using facial recognition cameras on February 11 toautomatically scan for wanted people, as authorities adopt the technologythat has raised concerns about increased surveillance and erosion ofprivacy.Surveillance cameras mounted on a blue police van monitored people comingout of a shopping centre in Stratford, in east London. Signs warned thatpolice were using the technology to find people wanted for serious crimes.Officers stood nearby, explaining to passers-by how the system works.It's the first time London's Metropolitan Police Service has used livefacial recognition cameras in an operational deployment since carrying out aseries of trials that ended last year.London police are using the technology despite warnings from rights groups,lawmakers and independent experts about a lack of accuracy and bias in thesystem and the erosion of privacy.Activists fear it's just the start of expanded surveillance.AHMEDABAD DRESSES UP FOR KEM CHHO TRUMPIn the early hours of Tuesday, the White House announced that US PresidentDonald Trump will be coming to India on February 24 for a two-day trip, withwife Melania.Less than a fortnight to go, their first stop, Ahmedabad, is in a rush toget ready for the visit that has been awaited since 2017, when PrimeMinister Narendra Modi first extended an invite.Around the swanky Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium at Motera, some roads arebeing laid and others re-carpeted, a coat of paint is being applied to newlyinstalled railings, while even footpaths are getting new paver blocks.Touted as the largest cricket stadium in the world after a revamp doubledits capacity to 1.10 lakh people, the Motera stadium is set to host an eventon the lines of 'Howdy Modi', headlined by the PM in Texas in September lastyear. Sources say the tentative title for the event, likely to be held onFebruary 24 evening, is 'Kem Chho Mr President'.NZ SCRIPT 3-0 ODI SWEEP OVER INDIATom Latham and Colin de Grandhomme ensured New Zealand did not waste a solidfoundation from their top-order to beat India by five wickets in the thirdODI at Bay Oval and sweep the series 3-0.Latham scored a composed 32* while de Grandhomme's aggressive 21-ball halfcentury took New Zealand to 300/5 in 47.1 overs after KL Rahul's fourth ODIhundred had guided India to 296/7.New Zealand had wrapped up the three-match series after a four-wicket win inHamilton and 22-run victory in Auckland, making some amends for India's 5-0sweep of the T20I series.Virat Kohli came down on his bowlers for their mediocre performance as hetried to explain the team's first ODI series whitewash in 22 years, sayingthat the visitors lacked composure all through."The games were not as bad as the scoreline suggests. It boils down to thosechances that we didn't grab. I don't think it was enough to win games ininternational cricket," Kohli said."With the ball, we were not able to get breakthroughs, we were not at allgood on the field. We haven't played so badly but when you don't grab thosechances, you don't deserve to win," he added. The ineffectiveness of Indianbowlers can be gauged from the fact that the team's pace spearhead JaspritBumrah finished the series without a wicket and the attack couldn't dismissthe complete rival line-up even once.Next up is the two-Test series - it starts at Wellington's Basin Reserve onFeb 21.INDICATORSSensex 41,217 (+237), Nifty 12,108 (+77), Trading Value NSE (Rs.crores)35,041Nasdaq 9,639 (+11) Dow 29,276 (-1), S&P 3,358 (+6)US$-Rs. 71.17 GBP-Rs. 92.04, Euro-Rs. 77.67, UAE Dhm-Rs.19.37, Can$-Rs.53.52, Aus$- Rs. 47.75GBP 0.77 /US$, Euro 0.91 /US$, Jap.Yen 109.83 /US$, Aus$ 1.49 /US$, Sing1.38 /US$, Bang Taka 83.38 /US$, Can$ 1.32 /US$, Mal Ring 4.13 /US$,Pak Re 154.04 /US$, Phil Peso 50.58 /US$, Russian Rouble 63.63 /US$, NZ$1.56 /US$, Thai Baht 31.19 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 24.24 /US$, Norway NOK 9.25/US$Bitcoin - USD 9,957Dollar Index 98.63 Brent Crude 54.92 BDI 418Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,568 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 3990 / 3812,Silver (Rs. Per KG) 49,800THOUGHT FOR THE DAYNext to enjoying ourselves, the next greatest pleasure consists inpreventing others from enjoying themselves, or, more generally, in theacquisition of power. - Bertrand RussellOFF TRACKThree weeks after her wedding day, Joanna called her minister. "Reverend,"she wailed, "John and I had a DREADFUL fight!""Calm down, my child," said the minister, "it's not half as bad as youthink. Every marriage has to have its first fight!""I know, I know!" said Joanna. "But what am I going to do with the BODY?"