MALDIVES BECOMES 54TH MEMBER OF COMMONWEALTH FAMILY
- The Commonwealth has welcomed its 54th family member after Maldives’ application for re-admission was approved.
- The small island nation officially re-joined the Commonwealth on (February 1 2020).
- This marks the end of a process that began 13 months ago, in December 2018, when President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih wrote to the Commonwealth Secretary-General expressing the country’s interest in re-joining.
DEEPA MALIK ELECTED PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE OF INDIA PRESIDENT
- Decorated para-athlete and India’s lone woman Paralympic medallist Deepa Malik has been elected as president of Paralympic Committee of India.
- The 49-year-old, who won a silver in shot put F-53 event in the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, was elected unopposed as president in the PCI polls held in Bengaluru.
- She was also awarded with Padma Shri award, Rajiv Gandhi khel Ratna Award & also won silver in the IPC World Championships in 2011 in shot put.
INDIA SURPASSED THE USA TO BECOME THE SECOND LARGEST SMARTPHONE MARKET IN THE WORLD
- The India smartphone market surpassed the USA for the first time on an annual level, becoming the second-largest smartphone market globally.
- Indian market reached 158 million shipments in 2019 with 7% YoY growth, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service.
- This is due to the growth of the mid-tier segment where Chinese brands aggressively introduced many flagship-grade features and capabilities to capture demand.
MOHAMMED TAWFIQ ALLAWI BECOMES IRAQ’S NEW PRIME MINISTER
- After several months of protests, Iraq has named Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi as its next Prime Minister.
- The Iraq President Barham Salih has appointed the former Minister of Communications as the next Prime Minister.
- Mohammed Allawi was appointed as the head as the previous Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned in last November, after mass demonstrations against the government.
PRAMOD AGRAWAL TAKES OVER AS COAL INDIA CHAIRMAN
- Pramod Agrawal assumed charge as the new chairman and managing director of Coal India Ltd.
- Agrawal, a 1991 batch IAS officer, was principal secretary for urban development and housing department in Madhya Pradesh.