GK Updates - 31 March | Banking Quiz

Lewis Hamilton Won Malaysian Grand Prix

1.Lewis Hamilton won the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang (Malaysia) on 30 March 2014. His teammate Nico Rosberg clinched second position. Lewis Hamilton won the race by 17.3 seconds by taking advantage of his pole position.

2.This was Hamilton’s 23rd victory in Formula One and 1st in Malaysia. It was also the first Mercedes one-two victory since it returned to Formula One as a works team in 2010.

Djokovic defeated Nadal to win fourth Miami Masters crown

1.Novak Djokovic, the six-time Grand Slam winner won his fourth Miami Masters crown on 30 March 2014 by defeating Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-3. This title was a combination of ATP and WTA Tour hardcourt tournament. This win has helped him 850430 US dollars as the winner’s cheque.

2.Second seed Djokovic, benefitted from two walkovers didn’t dropped a set winning his third Miami title in four years and fourth in total to odd to triumphs in 2007, 2011 and 2012. Nadal has lost the Miami Masters title in 2008, 2009 and 2011.

3.This is the second straight win of the event title for Djokovic as earlier on 16 March 2014; he won the BNP Paribas Open Final in Indian Wells ATP Tennis Masters title in California against Roger Federer.

CCI imposed a fine of 1 crore rupees on Google

1.The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on 27 March 2014 imposed a fine of 1 crore rupees on Google under Section 43 for its non cooperation.

2.It also directed Google to give its full cooperation during the pending investigation. Google had refused to supply information and documents demanded by the Director General.

3.The Director General required this information during the investigation of a complaint against Google. In this complaint, M/S Matrimony com private Ltd and Consumer Unity and

4.Trust Society (CUTS) had accused that internet giant is misusing its market power in the areas of search advertising and online Search.

5.Their major allegation is that the Google Search Engine favors platforms it wants to support and hence, it adopts unfair and discriminatory practices. The investigation team is

6.looking into the Software and the Algorithmic search used by the Google.

IMF agreed to provide 18 billion dollar loan to Ukraine

1.The International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed on 27 March 2014 to provide loan to Ukraine worth 18 billion dollars for next two years.

2.Under the IMF deal Ukraine will have to cut the budget deficit, raise taxes, shift to a flexible exchange rate and increase retail energy tariffs toward their full cost.

3.The Ukrainian Parliament needs to pass a set of reforms to accept the package of IMF. Then IMF board will revive the deal in April 2014. It may also provide an opportunity to receive the loans from United States and the European Union which brings in total 27 billion dollars for two years.

4.Due to financial crisis in Ukraine, the IMF package will have significant impact on the Ukrainian economy. For instance, inflation will increase up to 14 percent on account of rise in the household gas prices by 50 percent to meet the full cost recovery condition from May 2014 announced by the Ukraine government. Besides, Income tax rates would rise from 15 to17 percent. The government estimated that it needs about 35 billion over two years to recover from this economic crisis.

SMS based service “Polling at your fingertips” launched in Shillong

1.The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), P Naik on 31 March 2014 launched SMS based service named "Polling at your Fingertips" in Shillong, Meghalaya. This is one of the most innovative steps started for the voters under which they will have to enter their EPIC number and send it to 9856066666.

2.The EPIC SMS from the voter will provide him all the details of their electoral number, polling stations, timing and date in their mobile phones. The SMS service will be charged at 3 rupees per SMS.

University of Chicago opened an academic centre in Connaught Place, Delhi

1.The University of Chicago on 30 March 2014 opened an academic centre in Connaught Place, Delhi. US Amabassador to India Nancy Powell inaugurated the centre.

2.The centre in Delhi is a wholly-owned foreign enterprise operating under the name of UChicago Center in India Private Limited.

3.The centre will promote scholarship through three broad programmes, business, economics, law, and policy, science, energy, medicine, and public health and culture, society, religion, and arts. The 17000-square-foot centre will provide space for seminars and conferences as well as faculty offices and study areas.

4.The centre will also be an intellectual destination which would enable the University of Chicago to better support research and scholarship that will benefit faculty, students and society.

Simon Santoso, Indonesian Shuttler won Malaysia Grand Prix gold

1.Indonesian Simon Santoso won the Malaysia Grand Prix gold against Sourabh Varma in Men’s Single at Pasir gudang, Malaysia on 30 March 2014. Malaysian Grand Prix gold was held from 25 March to 30 March 2014.

2.Simon Santoso won the final with score 21-15, 16-21, 19-21 against the Sourabh varma in an hour and nine minutes. This is Simon’s second win over Sourabh Varma. Last time Sourabh and Simon played against each other at the Indonesia Open 2012.

About Simon Santoso

• Simon Santoso won the Yonex-Sunrise Indonesia Open Grand Prix Gold and Djarum Indonesia Open Super Series Premier in 2013.

• He also won the Yonex German Open Grand Prix Gold held in Germany in 2012.

Zubin Mehta won special jury award of Times Now NRI Awards 2014

Renowned music director and concert conductor Zubin Mehta on 30 March 2014 won the special jury award of Times Now NRI Awards 2014. The award ceremony was held in Mumbai.

Heena Sidhu won silver medal in 10m Air Pistol Women final of ISSF World Cup

1.Heena Sidhu, the World number two air pistol shooter on 28 March 2014 won a silver medal of 10m Air Pistol Women at the ISSF World Cup in Fort Benning, United States. To clinch the silver medal, she shot 200.8 points in the finals. The gold medal was won by 28-year old Bulgarian shooter Antoaneta Bovena, the Olympic finalist of London 2012, with 203.6 points. The Bronze medal went to Serbia's Zorana Arunovic with 180.9 points.

2.This medal win of the 24-year old shooter, Heena Sidhu from Ludhiana has also made her, the maximum medal winner in a World Cup by any Indian pistol shooter.

3.This achievement had also taken her closer to the numero uno spot in her event and this is the third successive medal by Sidhu at the international stage. The first medal came to her in the ISSF World Cup at Munich in November 2013.

Heena Sidhu won silver medal in 10m Air Pistol Women final of ISSF World Cup

1.Heena Sidhu, the World number two air pistol shooter on 28 March 2014 won a silver medal of 10m Air Pistol Women at the ISSF World Cup in Fort Benning, United States. To clinch the silver medal, she shot 200.8 points in the finals. The gold medal was won by 28-year old Bulgarian shooter Antoaneta Bovena, the Olympic finalist of London 2012, with 203.6 points. The Bronze medal went to Serbia's Zorana Arunovic with 180.9 points.

2.This medal win of the 24-year old shooter, Heena Sidhu from Ludhiana has also made her, the maximum medal winner in a World Cup by any Indian pistol shooter.

3.This achievement had also taken her closer to the numero uno spot in her event and this is the third successive medal by Sidhu at the international stage. The first medal came to her in the ISSF World Cup at Munich in November 2013.

President cleared the re-promulgation of SEBI Ordinance 2013

1.President Pranab Mukherjee on 30 March 2014 cleared the re-promulgation of the SEBI Ordinance Securities Laws (Amendment) Bill 2013. The ordinance aims to give powers to Securities and Exchanges Board of India (SEBI) to act against Ponzi scheme.

2.The Ordinance empowers the SEBI to order search and seizure and crack down on Ponzi schemes and to demand information such as phone calls data records for aiding its securities transactions investigations

3.Earlier, the Ordinance was re-promulgated on the advice of the Union Cabinet by the President on 18 July 2013 and again on 16 September 2013. The move was to arm the regulator with more stringent powers comes in the wake to curb the illegal involvement of chit fund companies.

4.However, Parliament could not pass the Securities Laws (Amendment) Bill 2013 in the Winter session. Hence the Ordinance got lapsed on 15 January 2014. Ordinances must be approved by Parliament within six weeks of reassembling of the Parliament else the ordinance will cease to operate.