CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS –FEBRUARY 2012.

1. Freedom fighter and one of the doyens of Indian diplomacy, who passed away in New Delhi on 31 January 2012?

A. K. Damodaran.

He was one of the architects of the 1971 Indo-Soviet Treaty. He was Indian ambassador in Sri Lanka, China, Russia, Germany and Italy. Damodaran is the author of 'Jawaharlal Nehru as a Communicator' and the co-editor of   'Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru' and 'Indian Foreign Policy: The Indira Gandhi Years'.

2. Which state is decided to set up 30 village courts named as “Grama Nyayalaya”?

Kerala.

3. Who has been appointed as the Director of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)?

M. Abdul Rahman.

4. Former Force India driver who has been given an 18-month suspended sentence after being found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm?

Adrian Sutil.

The 29-year-old Adrian was found guilty of injuring Eric Lux, chief executive of Lotus team owners Genii Capital, by striking him with a champagne glass and causing a wound in his neck which required 24 stitches.

5. Which country has won the 10.4 billion dollars deal to supply 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) to the Indian Air Force (IAF), India’s biggest arms deal?

France.

The French Dassault Rafale, a multi-role nuclear capable fighter aircraft that has been successfully proven in combat in Iraq, Afghanistan and recently in Libya, has tri-service variants. French Air Force, Navy and Army are currently using these three variants. The arm deal which is also the world’s largest in recent years in terms of value as the contract is likely to go up to 20 billion.

6. The Supreme Court on 02-02-2012 cancelled all telecom licences allotted under the 2G spectrum on or after January 10, 2008.  How many 2g licences have been cancelled by the apex court?

122.

Supreme Court said that all the 122 licences for 2G spectrum were granted in an arbitrary and unconstitutional manner. The Supreme Court has declined to reconsider its order canceling 122 telecom licences.

 

7. Who has been selected for the prestigious Interfaith Harmony Award specially endowed with United Nations' Interfaith Harmony Week initiatives and observations?

M.A .Yusuf Ali.

He is a non-resident Indian business magnate from Kerala and the award will be presented to Ali on March 1, 2012 at the International Seminar on Interfaith Harmony and Tolerance held in the International Islamic University Malaysia, Gombak campus at Kuala Lumpur.

8. Polish poet and the winner of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Literature, who died recently at her home in Krakow, Poland, from lung cancer?

Wislawa Szymborska.

She was a Polish poet, essayist, and translator and was awarded the 1996 Nobel Prize in Literature "for poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality".

9. British Energy Minister who has resigned from Cabinet over allegations that he asked his ex-wife to take a speeding penalty for him?

Chris Huhne.

10. Former Khmer Rouge S-21 prison commander who has been sentenced to life imprisonment by U.N.Court for crimes against humanity, torture and the premeditated murder of more than 15,000 people?

Kaing Guek Eav.

He is better known as Duch and he was 67 at the time of his convictions, which was for war crimes, crimes against humanity, murder and torture. He was the head of the S-21 prison where about 14,000 people died. Few people taken to the prison made it out alive; only about a dozen were found by the Vietnamese, who invaded Cambodia in 1979.

11. Who has been removed as England captain by the Football Association due to his pending racism trial?

John Terry.

12. Who won the Player of the Match award in the third test between England and Pakistan held in Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium, Dubai from February 3, 2012?

Azhar Ali. (Pakistan).

He scored 157 runs in the second innings.

Series Status: Pakistan wins the 3 Test series against England, 3-0.

13. Who won the Player of the Series award in the three test Cricket series between England and Pakistan held in Dubai in 2012?

Saeed Ajmal.

14. Film and stage actor best known for playing tough characters and villains in the films ‘Anatomy of a Murder’ in 1959 and ‘The Killing of a Chinese Bookie’ in 1976 who died on February 3, 2012?

Ben Gazzara

15. In 2012 IPL Players Auction, which player was bought by Chennai Super Kings for $2 million (approx. Rs. 9.8 Crore) and becoming the most expensive player of the year's auction?

Ravindra Jadeja.

16. Man of the match winners of Tri nation (India, Sri Lanka & Australia) ODI Cricket Series held in Australia in February, 2012:

Match-1: India Vs Australia held in Melbourne on February 5, 2012:

Man of the match: Matthew Wade (Australia). He scored 67 runs.

Result: Australia beat India by 65 runs (D/L method).

Match-2: India Vs Sri Lanka held in Perth on February 8, 2012:

Man of the match: Ravichandran Ashwin (India).He scored unbeaten 30 runs and took 3wickets.

Result: India beat Sri Lanka by 4 wickets.

Match-3: Australia Vs Sri Lanka held in Perth on February 10, 2012:

Man of the match: Michael Clarke (Australia).He scored 57 runs and took 1wicket.

Result: Australia beat Sri Lanka by 5 runs.

Match-4: Australia Vs India held in Adelaide on February 12, 2012:

Man of the match: Gautam Gambhir (India).He scored 92 runs.

Result: India beat Australia by 4 wickets.

Match-5: Sri Lanka Vs India held in Adelaide on February 14, 2012:

Man of the match: M.S. Dhoni (India).He scored unbeaten 58 runs.

Result: Sri Lanka tied with India.

Match-6: Sri Lanka Vs Australia held in Sydney on February 17, 2012:

Man of the match: Thisara Perera (Sri Lanka).He took 2 wickets conceding 29 runs in 7 overs.

Result: Sri Lanka beat Australia by 8 wickets (D/L method).

Match-7: India Vs Australia held in Brisbane on February 19, 2012:

Man of the match: Ben Hilfenhaus (Australia).He took 5 wickets for 33 runs.

Result: Australia beat India by 110 runs.

Match-8: India Vs Sri Lanka held in Brisbane on February 21, 2012:

Man of the match: Nuwan Kulasekara (Sri Lanka).He took 3 wickets.

Result: Sri Lanka beat India by 51 runs.

Match-9: Australia Vs Sri Lanka held in Hobart on February 24, 2012:

Man of the match: Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka).He scored 85 runs.

Result: Sri Lanka beat Australia by 3 wickets.

Match-10: Australia Vs India held in Sydney on February 26, 2012:

Man of the match: David Warner (Australia).He scored 68 runs.

Result: Australia beat India by 87 runs.

Match-11: Sri Lanka Vs India held in Hobart on February 28, 2012:

Man of the match: Virat Kohli (India).He scored 133 runs from 86 balls.

Result: India beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets.

17. An Indian teacher who has been selected by US Space Foundation for its 2012 Flight of Teacher Liaisons Program?

            Vandana Suryawanshi.

She is a teacher of Vidya Valley School, Maharashtra.

18. Name the autobiography of Former Cuban President Fidel Castro which related his experience from childhood to the end of December 1958, previous to the triumph of the Cuban revolution?

"Guerrilla Man of Time".

He presented two volumes of his new memoir “Guerrilla Man of Time” on February 3, 2012 in Havana. The books, with about 1,000 pages, were the result of Castro's conversation with Cuban journalist Katiuska Blanco, who wrote two other books on Castro "All the Time of Cedars" and "Angel."

19. Which countries have vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to step down?

Russia and China.

20. Which country won the first Under 21 Squash world cup held in Chennai defeating India in the final?

Egypt.

21. Prime Minister of Romania who has resigned after three weeks of protests related to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) and anti-austerity measures?

Emil Boc.

22. First democratically-elected president of the Maldives who resigned on February 7, 2012 following a coup attempt by police officers and army troops?

  Mohamed Nasheed.

23. Who is appointed as the new prime minister of Kuwait?

Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al Sabah.

Sheikh Jaber, 69, has been in the cabinet as defence minister and was also the first deputy premier in the outgoing cabinet.

24. Which state clinched the National Junior Badminton Championship held in Jaipur defeating Air India in the final?

Kerala.

K.P Sruthii, Sneha Santhilal, Daya Elsa Jacob and Farha Mather have clinched the title for Kerala. The last time Kerala won this title was eight years ago.

25. Manager of England Football Team who resigned from the post on February 8, 2012,  following the Football Association's decision to strip John Terry of the captaincy?

Fabio Capello.

26. The three Ministers in the BJP Government in Karnataka, who were caught

watching pornography on a mobile phone during the Assembly proceedings, resigned recently. Name the ministers?

Lakshman Savadi (Minister for Co-operation), C.C. Patil (Minister for Women and Child Development) and Krishna Palemar (Minister for Ports and Environment)

27. Veteran Bollywood writer-filmmaker who died in Mumbai on February 9, 2012?

O.P. Dutta.

He began his career in 1948. He directed nine films until 1959, after which he got into writing dialogues, scripts and stories for films. He wrote most of the films for his director son, J.P. Dutta, notably Border and LOC Kargil. He won the IIFA [India International Film Academy Award] and the Filmfare Award for the film Refugee. In 2006, he won a Lifetime Achievement Award from Filmfare.

28. Spanish photographer who won the 2011 World Press Photo of the Year award Friday for an image of a veiled woman holding a wounded relative in her arms after a demonstration in Yemen?

 Samuel Aranda.

The photo is taken for The New York Times on Oct. 15 in a mosque in Sanaa, Yemen.

29. Which pair won the women's doubles Title of the Pattaya Open tennis championship in Thailand?

Sania Mirza (India) and Anastasia Rodionova (Australia).

30. Legendary pop singer who died from accidental drowning in her hotel bathtub after taking cocaine which could have triggered a heart attack?

 Whitney Houston

In 2009, the Guinness World Records cited her as the most-awarded female act of all-time. She won two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among a total of 415 career awards as of 2010. Houston was one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 170 million albums, singles and videos worldwide. She released seven studio albums and three movie soundtrack albums, all of which have diamond, multi-platinum, platinum or gold certification. She was best known for her great hit “I will Always Love You.”

On February 11, 2012, Houston was found dead in suite 434 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, submerged in the bathtub. On March 22, 2012, the Los Angeles County coroner's office reported the cause of Houston's death was drowning and the "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use". The office stated the amount of cocaine found in Houston's body indicates she used the substance shortly before her death. Toxicology results revealed additional drugs in her system: Benadryl, Xanax, marijuana and Flexiril.

31. Indian economist and 1998 Nobel Prize winner in economics, who has been felicitated with the National Medals of Arts and Humanities award by the US President Barack Obama?

Amartya Sen.

32. Parliament of which country approved a deeply unpopular austerity bill on February 13, 2012 to secure a second EU (European Union)/IMF bailout and avoid national bankruptcy?

Greece.

33. Which country won the African Nations Cup-2012, beating Ivory Coast 8-7 in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw in the final held in Equatorial Guinea?

Zambia.

African nations Cup -2013 will be held in South Africa.

African nations Cup -2015 will be held in Morocco.

African nations Cup -2017will be held in Libya.

34. Which state won Youth National Volleyball Championship Women’s title-2012 held in Kolkata?

Kerala.

They beat West Bengal in the final. Kerala women won the title for the 12th time. Uttar Pradesh won the Youth National Volleyball Championship men’s title-2012 defeating Kerala in the final.

35. Who has been appointed as Deputy Chief of Indian Army?

Lt Gen Ramesh Halgali.

36. COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS OF BAFTA AWARDS-2012:

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation. Here is the complete list of winners of BAFTA Awards-2012.

Picture: The Artist

Actor: Jean Dujardin - The Artist

            Actress: Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady

            Director: Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist

            Supporting actress: Octavia Spencer - The Help

            Supporting actor: Christopher Plummer - Beginners

            Animated film: Rango

            Documentary: Senna

            Outstanding British film: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

            Film not in the English language: The Skin I Live In

            Outstanding debut: Tyrannosaur

Adapted screenplay: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan

            Original screenplay: The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius

            Production design: Hugo - Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo

            Cinematography: The Artist - Guillaume Schiffman

            Makeup and hair: The Iron Lady - Mark Coulier, J. Roy Helland, Marese Langan

            Costume design: The Artist - Mark Bridges

            Editing: Senna - Gregers Sall and Chris King

            Sound: Hugo - Philip Stockton, Eugene Gearty, Tom Fleischman, John Midgley

            Original score: The Artist - Ludovic Bource

            Rising star award: Adam Deacon

            Academy fellowship: Martin Scorsese

            Outstanding contribution to British cinema: John Hurt

Special visual effects: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 - Tim Burke, John Richardson, Greg Butler and David Vickery

            Short animation: A Morning Stroll - Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe

            Short film: Pitch Black Heist - John Maclean and Geraldine O'Flynn

37. British singer who won 6 Grammy Awards at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards held on 12 February 2012, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles?

Adele. (Adele Laurie Blue Adkins).

She won six Grammies for her Album, 21equalling the record for most Grammy Awards won by a female artist in one night.. Adele released her album, 21, in early 2011.At the 2009 Grammy Awards; Adele received the awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

            List of Grammy winners in select major categories

Album of the Year: ‘21’, Adele

Record of the Year: ‘Rolling in the Deep’, Adele

Song of the Year: ‘Rolling in the Deep’, Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth

New Artist: Bon Iver

Pop Solo Performance: ‘Someone Like You’, Adele

Pop Performance by a Duo or Group: ‘Body and Soul’, Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse

Pop Vocal Album: ‘21’, Adele

Alternative Album: ‘Bon Iver’, Bon Iver

Rock Song: ‘Walk’, Foo Fighters

Rock Album: ‘Wasting Light’, Foo Fighters

Rock Performance: ‘Walk’, Foo Fighters

Hard Rock/Metal Performance: ‘White Limo’, Foo Fighters

R&B Album: ‘F.A.M.E’., Chris Brown

R&B Song: ‘Fool For You’, Cee Lo Green, Melanie Hallim & Jack Splash

R&B Performance: ‘Is This Love’, Corrine Bailey Rae

Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: ‘Fool For You’, Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona

Rap Album: ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’, Kanye West

Rap Performance: ‘Otis’, Jay-Z and Kanye West

Rap Song: ‘All of the Lights’, Jeff Bhasker, Stacy Ferguson, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West

Rap/Sung Collaboration: ‘All of the Lights’, Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie

Dance Recording: ‘Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites’, Skrillex

Dance/Electronica Album: ‘Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites’, Skrillex

Musical Theater Album: ‘The Book of Mormon’, Robert Lopez, Trey Parker & Matt Stone

World Music Album: ‘Tassili’, Tinariwen

Latin Pop Rock, Rock or Urban Album: ‘Drama y Luz’, Mana

Tropical Latin Album: ‘Last Mambo’, Cachao

Banda or Norteno Album: ‘Los Tigres Del Norte and Friends’, Los Tigres Del Norte

Regional Mexican or Tejano Album: ‘Bicentenario’, Pepe Aguilar

Country Solo Performance: ‘Mean’, Taylor Swift

Country Album: ‘Own the Night’, Lady Antebellum

Country Performance by a Duo or Group: ‘Barton Hollow’, The Civil Wars

Country Song: ‘Mean’, Taylor Swift

Jazz Vocal Album: ‘The Mosaic Project’, Terri Lyne Carrington & various artists

Jazz Instrumental Album: ‘Forever’, Corea, Clark & White

Improvised Jazz Solo: ‘500 Miles High’, Chick Corea

Large Ensemble Jazz Album: ‘The Good Feeling’, Christian McBride Big Band

Blues Album: ‘Revelator’, Tedeschi Trucks Band

Folk Album: ‘Barton Hollow’, The Civil Wars

Pop Instrumental Album: ‘The Road From Memphis’, Booker T. Jones

Bluegrass Album: ‘Paper Airplane’, Alison Krauss & Union Station

Americana Album: ‘Ramble at the Ryman’, Levon Helm

Reggae Album: ‘Revelation Pt. 1: The Root of Life’, Stephen Marley

New Age Album: ‘What's It All About’, Pat Metheny

Children's Album: ‘All About Bullies... Big and Small’, various artists

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Paul Epworth

Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: ‘Cinema (Skrillex remix)’, Sonny Moore

Gospel Song: ‘Hello Fear’, Kirk Franklin

Gospel/Contemporary Christian Performance: ‘Jesus’, L'Andria Johnson

Gospel Album: ‘Hello Fear’, Kirk Franklin

Choral Performance: ‘Light & Gold’, Eric Whitacre

Classical Contemporary Composition: ‘Elmer Gantry’, Robert Aldridge & Herschel Garfein

Producer of the Year, Classical: Judith Sherman

Orchestral Performance: ‘Brahms: Symphony No. 4’, Gustavo Dudamel

Opera Recording: ‘Adams: Doctor Atomic’, Alan Gilbert, conductor

Spoken Word Album: ‘If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't)’, Betty White

Comedy Album: ‘Hilarious’, Louis C.K.

Compilation Soundtrack Album For Visual Media: ‘Boardwalk Empire’, various artists

Score Soundtrack Album For Visual Media: ‘The King's Speech’, Alexandre Desplat

Song Written For Visual Media: ‘I See the Light’, Alan Menken & Glenn Slater

Historical Album: ‘Band on the Run (Paul McCartney Archive Collection - Deluxe Edition)’, Paul McCartney

Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists: ‘Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)’, Jorge Calandrelli

38. Who becomes the first Indian wicket-keeper batsman to play in 200 ODI Cricket matches?

Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

He is the fifth wicket-keeper batsman in the world to play 200 ODIs after South Africa's Mark Boucher, Australia's Adam Gilchrist, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara and Pakistan's Moin Khan.

39. Man of the Match winners of three ODI cricket series between New Zealand and Zimbabwe held in New Zealand in February 2012:

First ODI played between New Zealand and Zimbabwe at Dunedin on February 3, 2012:

Man of the match: Martin Guptill. (New Zealand). He scored 70 runs.

Result: New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 90 runs.

Second ODI played between New Zealand and Zimbabwe at Whangarei on February 6, 2012:

Man of the match: Rob Nicol (New Zealand). He scored 146 runs and took 1 wicket.

Result: New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 141 runs.

Third ODI played between New Zealand and Zimbabwe at Napier on February 9, 2012:

Man of the match: Brendon McCullum (New Zealand). He scored 119 runs.

Result: New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 202 runs.

Series Status: New Zealand wins the 3 ODI series 3-0

40. Man of the Match winners of Two 20-20 cricket series between New Zealand and Zimbabwe held in New Zealand in February 2012:

 First 20-20 International played between New Zealand and Zimbabwe at Auckland on February 11, 2012:

Man of the match: Martin Guptill. (New Zealand). He scored unbeaten 91 runs from 54 balls.

Result: New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 7 wickets.

Second 20-20 International played between New Zealand and Zimbabwe at Hamilton on February 14, 2012:

Man of the match: James Franklin. (New Zealand). He scored 60 runs from 37 balls.

Result: New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 5 wickets.

 

41. Man of the Match winners of Three 20-20 International cricket series between New Zealand and South Africa held in New Zealand in February 2012:

First 20-20 International played between New Zealand and South Africa at Wellington on February 17, 2012:

Man of the match: Martin Guptill. (New Zealand). He scored unbeaten 78 runs from 55 balls.

Result: New Zealand beat South Africa by 6 wickets.

Second 20-20 International played between New Zealand and South Africa at Hamilton on February 19, 2012:

Man of the match: Richard Levi. (South Africa). He scored unbeaten 117 runs from 51 balls.

Result: South Africa beat New Zealand by 8 wickets.

Third 20-20 International played between New Zealand and South Africa at Auckland on February 22, 2012:

Man of the match: Johan Botha (South Africa). He took 2 wickets conceding 20 runs in 4 overs.

Result: South Africa beat New Zealand by 3 runs.

Series Status: South Africa wins the 3 T20I series 2-1

 

42. Man of the Match winners of 2 ODI cricket matches played between New Zealand and South Africa held in New Zealand in February 2012:

First ODI between New Zealand and South Africa played at Wellington on February 25, 2012:

Man of the match: AB de Villiers. (South Africa). He scored unbeaten 106 runs.

Result: South Africa beat New Zealand by 6 wickets.
Second ODI between New Zealand and South Africa played at Napier on February 29, 2012:

Man of the match: Morne Morkel. (South Africa). He took 5 wickets conceding 38 runs.

Result: South Africa beat New Zealand by 6 wickets.

43. Senior BJP leader and Higher Education Minister of Karnataka who passed away after a massive heart attack during a function in Bangalore on February 14, 2012?

 V.S.Acharya.

44. Who has been appointed as the Bowling Coach of the Indian Cricket team, for a period of two years?

Joe Dawes.

He will replace Eric Simons whose term ends at the completion of India’s ongoing Tour of Australia.

45. A fire at a prison on February 15, 2012 in country in Central America killed more than 300 inmates and left dozens unaccounted for in the worst tragedy of its kind in recent memory. Which is that country?

            Honduras

          

46. As per the world wide ‘Cost of living’ survey by Economist Intelligence Unit, which Indian city becomes the second least expensive city in the world?

Mumbai.

Delhi ranked fourth in that list.

47. Which country has overtaken India as the World’s largest gold consumer according to the latest data released by the World Gold Council?

China.

48. The former Australia all-rounder, who has announced his retirement from all forms of professional cricket including the IPL, citing family reasons?

Andrew Symonds.

49. Which city has outpaced Tokyo as the world's most expensive city to live in, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's most recent world-wide cost-of-living survey.

Zurich.

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich.

50. Who won the The Duleep Trophy Cricket Title for the season 2011–12 defeating Central Zone by an innings and 20 runs in the final?

East Zone.

This is their maiden Duleep Trophy Title.

51. Two Indian fishermen being shot at and killed by the security personnel of Italian ship, about 14 nautical miles off Alappuzha in Kerala, on February 15, 2012. Name of that Italian Ship?

Enrica Lexie.

It was an Italian oil tanker ‘Enrica Lexie’, from which gunshots were fired by the security guards of the ship, killing two Indian fishermen off Alappuzha, in Arabian Sea off Kerala coast around 4:30 pm on 15^th Feb 2012.

52. Who is appointed as the new chairperson of Kerala State Women's Commission?

K.C. Rosakutty.

53. Man of the Match winners of Four ODI cricket series between Pakistan and England held in Abu Dhabi in February 2012:

 First ODI between Pakistan and England held in Abu Dhabi on February 13, 2012:

Man of the match: Alastair Cook. (England). He scored 137 runs.

Result: England beat Pakistan by 130 runs

Second ODI between Pakistan and England held in Abu Dhabi on February 15, 2012:

Man of the match: Alastair Cook. (England). He scored 102runs.

Result: England beat Pakistan by 20 runs.

Third ODI between Pakistan and England held in Abu Dhabi on February 18, 2012:

Man of the match: Kevin Pietersen. (England). He scored unbeaten 111 runs.

Result: England beat Pakistan by 9 wickets.

Fourth ODI between Pakistan and England held in Abu Dhabi on February 21, 2012:

Man of the match: Kevin Pietersen. (England). He scored 130 runs.

Result: England beat Pakistan by 4 wickets.

Series Status: England wins the 4 ODI series 4-0.

54. Who won the Player of the Series award in the Four ODI cricket series between Pakistan and England held in Abu Dhabi in February 2012?

Alastair Cook. (England).

55. Man of the Match winners of Three T20 International cricket series between Pakistan and England held in UAE in February 2012:

First T20 between Pakistan and England held in Dubai on February 23, 2012:

Man of the match: Umar Gul. (Pakistan).

Result: Pakistan beat England by 8 runs.

Second T20 between Pakistan and England held in Dubai on February 25, 2012:

Man of the match: Jonathan Bairstow. (England).

Result: England beat Pakistan by 38 runs.

Third T20 between Pakistan and England held in Abu Dhabi on February 27, 2012:

Man of the match: Kevin Pietersen. (England).

Result: England beat Pakistan by 5 runs.

Series Status: England wins the 3 T20I series 2-1

56. Who won the Player of the series award in the Three T20 International cricket series played between Pakistan and England held in UAE in February 2012?

Kevin Pietersen. (England).

57. German President who has resigned from his position as head of state on February 17, 2012 in the midst of mounting criticism over a home loan scandal?

Christian Wulff.

58. Bollywood actor who has been appointed as the ‘Brand Ambassador’ for Rs.10 crore prize money World Series Hockey Tournament?

Sunil Shetty.

59. The two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning ‘New York Times’ journalist who died in eastern Syria while on a reporting assignment on February 16, 2012?

Anthony Shadid.

He was a foreign correspondent for The New York Times based in Baghdad and Beirut. Shadid twice won the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting, in 2004 and 2010, for his coverage of the Iraq War.

60. Sri Lanka batsman who has completed 10,000 runs in one-day international cricket and becomes 10th batsman to in the world for completing 10,000 runs?

Kumar Sangakkara.

He has achieved this landmark at the tri series match against Australia, on February 17, 2012 by hitting 11 runs of his innings.

61. Former External Affairs Ministry Secretary who was India's first Ambassador to Tanzania when the African country gained Independence in 1962, died on 16-02-2012?

M.A. Vellodi.

He had a remarkable career until he retired from service in 1979. Mr. Vellodi was posted in Switzerland, Pakistan and Tanzania. He headed the Indian Mission to the U.N. and was associated with the U.N. for 45 years. An associate of Secretary General U Thant, he functioned in the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the Human Rights Commission, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. He was Chairman, Expert Group of the UNSG on Nuclear Weapons, and Chairman, U.N. Disarmament Commission. He was in the International Commission for Supervision and Control in Indo-China.

62. The UN General Assembly has approved a resolution on 16-02-12, condemning human rights violations in country in Western Asia, and calling for an end to the violence. Which is that country?

Syria.

It was approved by 137 votes to 12 against, with 17 abstentions. Vetoes are not allowed in the assembly. The resolution calls for President Bashar al-Assad to relinquish power.

63. South African all-rounder who hit the fastest ever Twenty20 international century in the match against New Zealand?

Richard Levi.

He scored unbeaten 117 runs from 51 balls which include 13 sixes.

He scored 100 from 45 balls.

64. Australia's Foreign Minister who has resigned amid widespread reports of a leadership tussle between him and Prime Minister Julia Gillard?

Kevin Rudd.

65. Which country was suspended from the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (the most powerful panel of the Commonwealth body) on 22-02-12, following the recent developments in the country including the ousting of its democratically-elected president Mohamed Nasheed?

Maldives.

66. Eminent Scientist and the senior most member of the Space Commission, who has resigned to protest the blacklisting of former Indian space agency chairman G. Madhavan Nair and three others in connection with the Antrix-Devas spectrum deal?

Roddam Narasimha.

67. Two-time Olympic champion who broke indoor pole vault world record at the XL Galan meet on February 23, 2012?

Yelena Isinbayeva.

She cleared 16 feet, 5 ¼ on her second attempt at Globe Arena, topping her mark of 16-4 ¾ set in 2009 at Donetsk, Ukraine.

68. Australian batsman who has announced his retirement from one-day international cricket on February 21, 2012?

Ricky Ponting

69. A team of Russian biophysicists at the Institute of Cell Biophysics has successfully regenerated the ancient plant species, using tissue material that stayed frozen in the Siberian region for an estimated 30,000 years. What is the name of that ancient plant species?

Sylene stenophylla.

The plant is by far the oldest to be brought back from the dead: the previous record holder was a sacred lotus, dating back about 1200 years. The late David Gilichinsky from the Soil Cryology Laboratory in Moscow, Russia, and colleagues recovered the fruits of the ice age flowering plant (Silene stenophylla) from a fossilised squirrel burrow in frozen sediments near the Kolyma River in north-east Siberia. Radiocarbon dating of the fruit suggests the squirrel stashed it around 31,800 years ago, just before the ice rolled in.

70. As per the new scheme announced by Govt. of India, the single longest national highway will be?

NH 44

NH 44 will run from Srinagar to Kaniyakumari.

71. Indian cricketer who has bagged the fifth ESPN cricinfo best batting performance award in Tests?

Sachin Tendulkar.

It was Tendulkar's second ESPNcricinfo Award. He had won the ODI batting performance in 2009 for his 175 against Australia in Hyderabad.

72. The prime minister of Haiti, who has resigned on February 24,2012 after a power struggle within the government?

Garry Conille.

73. Who is the new President of Yemen?

Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Hadi replaces Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled the country for 33 years before leaving office after a year of political turmoil.

74. A villager from Nepal who is officially the shortest living man ever according to the Guinness World Records?

Chandra Bahadur Dangi.

He is the shortest man in the world, measuring 0.546 m (1 ft 9 in). Chandra is the only person in Guinness' 57 years history to record the title of the shortest man at the age of 72.

75. News Corp. Chief Executive Officer Rupert Murdoch recently started a British sunday tabloid to replace the News of the World newspaper that was closed last year following a phone-hacking scandal. Name of that Tabloid?

The Sun.

76. By defeating which country, Indian men's hockey team qualified for the 2012 London Olympics?

France.

India defeated France 8-1 in the final of a qualifying tournament held in New Delhi. However Indian women hockey team's Olympic dream came crashing down as they lost the final 3-1 to a formidable South African (SA) team.

77. Which country has been ranked as the world's wealthiest country in a new list compiled by the prestigious US magazine Forbes?

Qatar.

Qatar booked an estimated gross domestic product per capita of more than $ 88,000 for 2010, Forbes said, compared with $ 47,500 for the UAE, which was placed sixth while Kuwait stood at 15th in the list.

78. COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS OF OSCAR AWARDS-2012:

Here is the complete list of winners of the 84th Academy Awards, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2011 and took place February 26, 2012, at the Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

BEST PICTURE: The Artist
Best actress: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Best actor: Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Best director: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Best Cinematography: Robert Richardson, "Hugo"
Best Costume Design: Mark Bridges, "The Artist"

Best Makeup: Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland, "The Iron Lady"

Best Foreign Language Film: "A Separation"

Best Sound Editing: Phillip Stockton and Eugene Gearty, "Hugo"

Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Best Art Direction: Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schavo, "Hugo"
Best Documentary: "Undefeated"
Best Editing: Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Best Sound Mixing: Tom Fleischman and John Midgley, "Hugo"
Best Animated Feature: "Rango"
Best Visual Effects: "Hugo"
Best Original Score: Ludovic Bource, "The Artist"
Best Original Song: Bret McKenzie, "Man or Muppet"
Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, "The Descendants"
Best Original Screenplay: Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Best Live Action Short: "The Shore"
Best Documentary Short: "Saving Face"
Best Animated Short: "The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr. Morris Lessmore"

79. Former India football captain, who led the country to the inaugural Asian Games gold medal in 1951, passed away at his Kolkata residence on February 27,2012 due to prolonged illness?

Sailendra Nath Manna

He is known popularly as Sailen Manna and is considered to be one of the best defenders India has ever produced. He has represented and captained India in different international competitions including Olympics and Asian Games. He also has a record of playing for Mohun Bagan, one of the best clubs in India, for a continuous period of 19 years. The club conferred him ‘Mohun Bagan Ratna’ in 2001. He is the only Asian Footballer ever to be named among the 10 best Captains in the world by the English FA in 1953 and awarded the ‘Footballer of the Millennium’ by the All India Football Federation in 2000. He was awarded the Padmashree in 1971.

80. India's men's doubles duo who won the Austrian International Challenge-2012 Men’s Doubles Badminton title held in Vienna?

K.T. Rupesh Kumar and Sanave Thomas.

They defeated Japan’s Hiroyuki Saeki and Ryota Taohata in the final.

 

81. Which club has won the Football League Cup for the eighth time after a narrow penalty-shootout win over Cardiff City?

Liverpool.

Liverpool won the 2011-2012 Football League Cup and this is Liverpool’s first trophy since winning the FA Cup in 2006. The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from recent sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout (single elimination) basis.

82. Which Asian country has been removed by The World Health Organisation (WHO) from the list of polio-endemic countries, suggesting that the wild polio virus had been totally eliminated from the environment?

India.

83. What is PURA?

Providing Urban Amenities to Rural Areas (PURA).

It is a strategy for rural development in India. It is a concept given by former president Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.and framed by Prof.Emerson. PURA proposes that urban infrastructure and services be provided in rural hubs to create economic opportunities outside of cities. Physical connectivity by providing roads electronic connectivity by providing communication network and knowledge connectivity by establishing professional and Technical institutions will have to be done in an integrated way so that economic connectivity will emanate. The Indian central government has been running pilot PURA programs in several states since 2004.

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