Current Affairs of 23 March 2015

1. Sania ranks world number three in doubles
Sania Mirza jumped to her career-best rank of three in the doubles, following her stupendous title win at the BNP Paribas Open with Swiss great Martina Hingis.
Sania now sits at number three with 6885 points, behind Italians Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani, who share the top spot with 7640 points each.
Courtesy her win at the Indian Wells, Sania earned 1000 points and gained two places on the WTA chart. She had reached the final of the same tournament last year with Cara Black.
“It’s thrilling to achieve my career-best rank. Being the number one is a dream and I hope I can get there some day,” Sania told PTI from the US.
In the WTA singles chart, Ankita Raina continues to be numero uno player at number 253, up by two spots.

2. Novak Djokovic won Indian Wells Open Tennis Men's Singles title
Novak Djokovic of Serbia on 22 March 2015 won his fourth Indian Wells Open Tennis Men’s Singles title. In the final clash, Djokovic defeated Roger Federer of Switzerland 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2.
This win at Indian Wells Open was the 50th tour-level title for Djokovic. With this fourth title in Indian Wells, he also became the 12th player in the Open Era to win 50 titles, surpassing his coach, Boris Becker, of 49 trophies.
On the other hand, Simona Halep of Romania defeated former Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 to win her the Indian Wells Open Tennis Women’s Singles title. For Helep, this was the biggest title of her career.
Halep is the first player to win three WTA titles in 2015. Earlier, she had won Shenzhen Open and Dubai Open in 2015.

3. Former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka became first Field Marshal of Sri Lanka
Sarath Fonseka, the former Army Chief of Sri Lanka, on 22 March 2015 was conferred with the country's highest military rank of Field Marshal. He was awarded the honorary title by President Maithripala Sirisena for achieving victory over terrorism.
With this, Foneska became the first Sri Lankan Army officer to become Field Marshal. Fonsenka is a former Chief of Defence Staff and is now a member of Sri Lanka Parliament from Colombo district.
Under his leadership, the 26-year Sri Lankan Civil War came to an end in 2009 in which the rebels Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were defeated by Sri Lankan army.
Earlier, he was jailed for three years on alleged treason charges by the previous regime of Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2012; however, with the electing of Sirisena as President of Sri Lanka in 2014, he was cleared of all allegations including those of treason by using his executive powers.

4. Andhra Pradesh’s capital to be named Amaravathi
The Andhra Pradesh Government is considering naming the new capital city planned near Vijayawada-Guntur region as Amaravathi, based on the historical Buddhist site along Krishna river.
While the Government has taken a decision on the move to name the new capital as Amaravathi, a formal announcement is likely to be made soon.
The N Chandrababu Naidu Government has initiated the land pooling process and has thus far managed to get consent for 33,000 acres for the proposed new capital city.
The master plan for the capital city, being prepared by Singapore based firms, is likely to be ready by May-June this year and works are poised to commence in the second half of 2015.
The State is seeking to name the new capital on Amaravathi, a small town about 35 km from Vijayawada, and home to famous temple of Lord Siva and Buddhist Stupa

5. Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of Singapore died
Lee Kuan Yew, the statesman and founding father of Singapore died on 23 March 2015 at the Singapore General Hospital. He was 91.
Yew, who in 1959 became the first Prime Minister of Singapore, was widely recognised as the founding father of modern Singapore and also the Architect of Modern Singapore. He transformed Singapore from a small port city and a malaria-infested backwater to a wealthy global hub.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong declared a period of National Mourning from 23 March to 29 March 2015.
About Lee Kuan Yew
• He served as the city-state's prime minister for 31 years and continued to work in government until 2011
• Lee stepped down as Prime Minister of Singapore in 1990 by handing over the power to Goh Chok Ting, who appointed him Senior Minister in 1990
• He was a member of Singapore parliament until his death
• He was the co-founder of the People’s Action Party (PAP), which ruled the Singapore since 1959
• He and his party oversaw the separation of Singapore from Malaysia on 9 August 1965 which was a part of Malaysia since 16 September 1963.
• Singapore is a city-state which received independence from the United Kingdom on 31 August 1963.
• Lee Kuan Yew was born as Harry Lee Kuan Yew on 16 September 1923

6. Mallika Srinivasan gets XLRI award
XLRI, Jamshedpur, has conferred the ‘Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Social and Industrial Peace’ on Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman & CEO, TAFE (Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd) during its 59th annual convocation held on March 21.
TV Narendran, Chairman, Board of Governors at XLRI, and Managing Director, Tata Steel India and South East Asia, and Fr E Abraham S J, Director of XLRI, presented the award.

7. New land acquisition norms 'pro-farmer’: Venkaiah Naidu
The new norms for land acquisition being proposed by the Government will be "pro-farmer'' and development, according to M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs.
"I appeal to all parties to enable taking forward this legislation. Let there be a national debate on advantages and disadvantages of the new land acquisition Bill and the old Bill of the then UPA Govt,’’ Naidu told newspersons at a press conference here on Monday.
The amendments were finalised only after detailed consultations with 32 states and union territories, he added.
The Government, which had issued an ordinance in this regard in December 2014, now wants to get the Bill passed by Parliament.
"Bills on land acquisition, GST and black money are the next items for the second part of the Budget session. I seek cooperation of all in this regard,’’ he said. When asked on land-pooling for the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, the Minister claimed that it was first time in history that so many farmers voluntarily came forward to surrender their land.

8. World’s largest asteroid impact zone discovered in Australia
orld’s largest asteroid impact zone discovered in Australia
Scientists have discovered a 400 km-wide impact zone from a huge meteorite in central Australia which is the largest asteroid impact zone ever found on Earth.A team led by Andrew Glikson from the Australian National University (ANU) found the impact zone from a huge meteorite that broke in two, moments before it slammed into the Earth in central Australia.
The crater from the impact millions of years ago has long disappeared. But researchers found the twin scars of the impacts — the largest impact zone ever found on Earth — hidden deep in the Earth’s crust
1. Sania ranks world number three in doubles
Sania Mirza jumped to her career-best rank of three in the doubles, following her stupendous title win at the BNP Paribas Open with Swiss great Martina Hingis.
Sania now sits at number three with 6885 points, behind Italians Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani, who share the top spot with 7640 points each.
Courtesy her win at the Indian Wells, Sania earned 1000 points and gained two places on the WTA chart. She had reached the final of the same tournament last year with Cara Black.
“It’s thrilling to achieve my career-best rank. Being the number one is a dream and I hope I can get there some day,” Sania told PTI from the US.
In the WTA singles chart, Ankita Raina continues to be numero uno player at number 253, up by two spots.

2. Novak Djokovic won Indian Wells Open Tennis Men's Singles title
Novak Djokovic of Serbia on 22 March 2015 won his fourth Indian Wells Open Tennis Men’s Singles title. In the final clash, Djokovic defeated Roger Federer of Switzerland 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2.
This win at Indian Wells Open was the 50th tour-level title for Djokovic. With this fourth title in Indian Wells, he also became the 12th player in the Open Era to win 50 titles, surpassing his coach, Boris Becker, of 49 trophies.
On the other hand, Simona Halep of Romania defeated former Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 to win her the Indian Wells Open Tennis Women’s Singles title. For Helep, this was the biggest title of her career.
Halep is the first player to win three WTA titles in 2015. Earlier, she had won Shenzhen Open and Dubai Open in 2015.

3. Former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka became first Field Marshal of Sri Lanka
Sarath Fonseka, the former Army Chief of Sri Lanka, on 22 March 2015 was conferred with the country's highest military rank of Field Marshal. He was awarded the honorary title by President Maithripala Sirisena for achieving victory over terrorism.
With this, Foneska became the first Sri Lankan Army officer to become Field Marshal. Fonsenka is a former Chief of Defence Staff and is now a member of Sri Lanka Parliament from Colombo district.
Under his leadership, the 26-year Sri Lankan Civil War came to an end in 2009 in which the rebels Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were defeated by Sri Lankan army.
Earlier, he was jailed for three years on alleged treason charges by the previous regime of Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2012; however, with the electing of Sirisena as President of Sri Lanka in 2014, he was cleared of all allegations including those of treason by using his executive powers.

4. Andhra Pradesh’s capital to be named Amaravathi
The Andhra Pradesh Government is considering naming the new capital city planned near Vijayawada-Guntur region as Amaravathi, based on the historical Buddhist site along Krishna river.
While the Government has taken a decision on the move to name the new capital as Amaravathi, a formal announcement is likely to be made soon.
The N Chandrababu Naidu Government has initiated the land pooling process and has thus far managed to get consent for 33,000 acres for the proposed new capital city.
The master plan for the capital city, being prepared by Singapore based firms, is likely to be ready by May-June this year and works are poised to commence in the second half of 2015.
The State is seeking to name the new capital on Amaravathi, a small town about 35 km from Vijayawada, and home to famous temple of Lord Siva and Buddhist Stupa

5. Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of Singapore died
Lee Kuan Yew, the statesman and founding father of Singapore died on 23 March 2015 at the Singapore General Hospital. He was 91.
Yew, who in 1959 became the first Prime Minister of Singapore, was widely recognised as the founding father of modern Singapore and also the Architect of Modern Singapore. He transformed Singapore from a small port city and a malaria-infested backwater to a wealthy global hub.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong declared a period of National Mourning from 23 March to 29 March 2015.
About Lee Kuan Yew
• He served as the city-state's prime minister for 31 years and continued to work in government until 2011
• Lee stepped down as Prime Minister of Singapore in 1990 by handing over the power to Goh Chok Ting, who appointed him Senior Minister in 1990
• He was a member of Singapore parliament until his death
• He was the co-founder of the People’s Action Party (PAP), which ruled the Singapore since 1959
• He and his party oversaw the separation of Singapore from Malaysia on 9 August 1965 which was a part of Malaysia since 16 September 1963.
• Singapore is a city-state which received independence from the United Kingdom on 31 August 1963.
• Lee Kuan Yew was born as Harry Lee Kuan Yew on 16 September 1923

6. Mallika Srinivasan gets XLRI award
XLRI, Jamshedpur, has conferred the ‘Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Social and Industrial Peace’ on Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman & CEO, TAFE (Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd) during its 59th annual convocation held on March 21.
TV Narendran, Chairman, Board of Governors at XLRI, and Managing Director, Tata Steel India and South East Asia, and Fr E Abraham S J, Director of XLRI, presented the award.

7. New land acquisition norms 'pro-farmer’: Venkaiah Naidu
The new norms for land acquisition being proposed by the Government will be "pro-farmer'' and development, according to M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs.
"I appeal to all parties to enable taking forward this legislation. Let there be a national debate on advantages and disadvantages of the new land acquisition Bill and the old Bill of the then UPA Govt,’’ Naidu told newspersons at a press conference here on Monday.
The amendments were finalised only after detailed consultations with 32 states and union territories, he added.
The Government, which had issued an ordinance in this regard in December 2014, now wants to get the Bill passed by Parliament.
"Bills on land acquisition, GST and black money are the next items for the second part of the Budget session. I seek cooperation of all in this regard,’’ he said. When asked on land-pooling for the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, the Minister claimed that it was first time in history that so many farmers voluntarily came forward to surrender their land.

8. World’s largest asteroid impact zone discovered in Australia
orld’s largest asteroid impact zone discovered in Australia
Scientists have discovered a 400 km-wide impact zone from a huge meteorite in central Australia which is the largest asteroid impact zone ever found on Earth.A team led by Andrew Glikson from the Australian National University (ANU) found the impact zone from a huge meteorite that broke in two, moments before it slammed into the Earth in central Australia.
The crater from the impact millions of years ago has long disappeared. But researchers found the twin scars of the impacts — the largest impact zone ever found on Earth — hidden deep in the Earth’s crust

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