1. General Lori Robinson nominated as first US female combatant Chief
1. United States (US) Air Force General Lori Robinson has been selected as the next head of the US military’s Northern Command. With this she becomes the first woman to head a US combatant command as the position is one of the most senior in the US military.
2. Currently, she leads US air forces in the Pacific and Executive Director of Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. She had enrolled in the US Air Force in 1982.
2. Venkaiah Naidu conferred with Skoch Lifetime Achievement Award
1. Union urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has been conferred with the Skoch Lifetime Achievement Award. He was bestowed with this award at 43rd SKOCH summit held in New Delhi for his contributions to inclusive growth and towards poverty alleviation in India.
2. Besides, Information Technology (IT) Minister of Telangana State KT Rama Rao was also awarded the Skoch Award in the Startup India category. He was bestowed with this for his initiative in establishing the path breaking tech incubator T-Hub.
3. LA Law actor Larry Drake passed away
1. Emmy Award winning actor Larry Drake, who famously played Benny on L.A. Law, died on 17 March 2016 in Hollywood, California. He was 66.
2. Drake was best known for his portrayal of developmentally disabled Benny Stulwicz on the television show L.A. Law from 1987 until the show's end in 1994. He returned to the part of Benny in L.A. Law: The Movie that aired on NBC in 2002.
4. Ashley Judd appointed as Goodwill Ambassador of UN Population Fund appointed
1. Acclaimed humanitarian, actor, writer and political activist Ashley Judd from US has been appointed as Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
2. As a Goodwill Ambassador, she will support the UNFPA’s efforts to empower women to choose when and how often to become pregnant and to stop women dying giving life. She will also play important role at generating awareness about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It should be noted that Goals 3 and 5 in the 2030 Agenda for SDGs seek to end discrimination against women in all forms and promote their well-being.
5. 10th Asian Film Awards
1. The 10th edition of Asian film Awards, one of the Asia’s leading film awards was held in the Venetian Casino and Hotel in Macau, China. The Assassin has bagged 8 awards in different categories in the 2016 Asian film Awards. It is a 2015 martial arts film based on story of highly trained female assassin and is directed by Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-Hsien.
List of winners
Best Film: The Assassin. Best Director: Hou Hsiao-Hsien (The Assassin) from Taiwan.
Best Actor: Lee Byung-hun (The Inside Men).
Best Actress: Shu Qi (The Assassin).
Best Newcomer: Jessie Li (Port of Call).
Best Supporting Actor: Tadanobu Asano (Journey to the Shore). Best Supporting Actress: Zhou Yun (The Assassin).
Best Screenplay: Jia Zhangke (Mountains May Depart).
Best Cinematography: Mark Lee Ping-bing (The Assassin).
Best Production Design: Hwarng Wern-ying (The Assassin).
Best Original Music: Lim Giong (The Assassin).
Best Editing: Chu Ka-yat, William Chang Suk-ping, Liao Ching-sung, Wong Hoi, Philip Yung (Port of Call).