Google parent Alphabet Inc replaced long-time Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt with board veteran John Hennessy, a former Stanford University president and one of search engine company’s first users. 

Thanglura Darlong has been made the new Ambassador of India to Romania. Darlong is a 1988 batch IFS officer and is currently serving as CLO at South Asian University, New Delhi. 

India has joined the Ashgabat agreement, which envisages setting up of an international transport and transit corridor linking central Asia with the Persian Gulf to significantly ramp up trade and investment. 

The Uttar Pradesh government has inaugurated the state’s first ever butterfly park in Kanpur to preserve the ecosystem. According to the Kanpur Zoo authority, the butterfly park was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore. 

The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Shri Arun Jaitley launched CriSidEx , India’s first sentiment index for micro and small enterprises ( MSEs) developed jointly by CRISIL & SIDBI.

CriSidEx is a composite index based on a diffusion index of 8 parameters and measures MSE business sentiment on a scale of 0 (extremely negative) to 200 (extremely positive). The parametric feedback was captured through a survey of 1100 MSEs in November –December. 

Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal was conferred with V Shantaram Lifetime achievement award at the 15th Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films.

The filmmaker was honoured with the award for his outstanding contribution in the field of feature and documentary films. 

Students now will be able to refer to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s advice on how to tackle exam challenges in his book, ‘Exam Warriors’. It seeks to help spread smiles during examinations, viewing them as occasions to celebrate learning with festive joy. 

Guinness World Records officials certified the zip line in Ras al-Khaimah. The Jebel Jais Flight takes thrill-seekers atop the country’s largest mountain peak, from a launch pad 1,680 meters (5,512 feet) above sea level. 

India became U-19 World champions by defeating Australia in the final by eight wickets at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.

This is India’s fourth U-19 World Cup title after Mohammad Kaif’s team won it in 2000, Virat Kohli’s team won it in 2008 and Unmkut Chand led India won in 2012. 

The Times Group recently celebrated the invaluable contribution of women by introducing The Times Power Woman 2017 (Pune) awards.

These awards were initiated to celebrate the victories of women who have been a great source of inspiration. 

The 4th edition of International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) concluded with Lai Jia Yi from Malaysia winning the top spot and Indian student chef Surya Sekhar Roy Choudhury claiming the second position. 

India’s annual financial allocation to Nepal for 2018-19 has nearly doubled under the Union Budget presented. The External Affairs Ministry has been allocated a total Rs. 15,011 crore, which indicates a marginal increase of Rs. 1,321 crore over the previous year’s grant. 

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has inked pact with the World Bank for Jal Marg Vikas Project to enhance navigation on National Waterway-1 from Varanasi to Haldia.

The signing of the pact follows the Cabinet nod for implementation of the USD 800 million JMVP for capacity augmentation of navigation on National Waterway-1 (River Ganga) from Varanasi to Haldia. 

The first of the two defence industrial production corridors, as announced in the Union Budget, will link Chennai and Bengaluru. , Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government will develop two defence industrial production corridors.