Philanthropist and founder of Microsoft Corporation - Bill Gates has been conferred with Hilal-e-Pakistan, which is the 2nd highest civilian award of Pakistan. He is receiving this award as the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Centre has appointed JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) Vice-Chancellor, M Jagadesh Kumar as the new Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Noted economist and historian Sanjeev Sanyal has been inducted as a full-time member in the reconstituted Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM).
Japan's parliament adopted a resolution on the "serious human rights situation" in China and asked the Chinese Government to take steps to relieve the situation.