1) Andry Rajoelina Sworn In As Madagascar President
•Madagascar president, Andry Rajoelina, has sworn into office after taking the oath in Antananarivo before nine judges of the High Constitutional Court. He won nearly 56% to defeat another former president, Marc Ravalomanana.
2) India Among The Most Trusted Nations Globally: Report
•India was at the 2nd place in the informed public category and 3rd place in the general population category. The findings are based on an online survey in 27 markets covering over 33,000 respondents. In terms of trust in companies headquartered in each market, the most trusted are those from Switzerland, Germany, and Canada.
3) India Signs MoU With Sri Lanka to Modernize Facilities At Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies in Batticaloa
•The project involves refurbishment of the auditorium and construction of a modern building complex with recording cum editing facilities and supply vehicles to the institute through a grant of over 27 crore Sri Lankan rupees from the Government of India.
4) China’s Economy Grew At 6.6% In 2018, Slowest Rate In 3 Decades
•In the 3 months to December, the economy grew 6.4% from a year earlier, down from 6.5 % in the previous quarter. China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stated that last year’s growth rate was down from 6.8% in 2017 and was the lowest since 1990 when the growth rate was 3.9%.
5) Microsoft Launches e-Commerce Platform for Handloom Weavers
•The new e-commerce website hosts signature collections created by weaver communities and showcases traditional designs and products created from natural dyes. Project ReWeave aims to help weavers with working capital support through non-profit organizations.
6) 2018 ICC Awards: Virat Kohli Takes 3 Major Honours
•The International Cricket Council also announced the men’s Test and ODI teams of the year with Virat Kohli named captain of both sides. Kohli’s 1,322 runs at an average of 55.08 with five centuries in 13 Tests and 1,202 runs at an astounding average of 133.55 with six hundreds in 14 ODIs saw him selected to both sides by every voting member of the Academy with the majority of them also opting to name him at the helm of each.