1. Who became the first bowler in history of cricket to claim a hat-trick on his debut in one-day cricket?
Taijul Islam. (Bangladesh).
He achieved this feat during the ODI match against Zimbabwe.
The 22-year-old left-armer bowled Tinashe Panyangara off the last ball of the 27th over and then trapped John Nyumbu leg-before and bowled Tendai Chatara off successive deliveries at the start of his next over to take a split hat-trick.
2. Former chief Minister of Maharashtra and veteran Congressman, passed away on December 2, 2014?
A.R.Antulay.
He was the former union minister for Minority Affairs and a Member of Parliament in the 14th Lok Sabha of India. He was forced to resign from Chief Minister post after being convicted by the Bombay High Court on charges that he had extorted money for a trust fund he managed. Mr. Antulay was the first and only Muslim Chief Minister of Maharashtra during the years 1980 to 1982.
3. Who won the Player of the series Award in the 5 ODI cricket matches played between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh held in Bangladesh in 2014?
Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh)
Series - Bangladesh won the 5-match series 5-0.
Taijul Islam. (Bangladesh).
He achieved this feat during the ODI match against Zimbabwe.
The 22-year-old left-armer bowled Tinashe Panyangara off the last ball of the 27th over and then trapped John Nyumbu leg-before and bowled Tendai Chatara off successive deliveries at the start of his next over to take a split hat-trick.
2. Former chief Minister of Maharashtra and veteran Congressman, passed away on December 2, 2014?
A.R.Antulay.
He was the former union minister for Minority Affairs and a Member of Parliament in the 14th Lok Sabha of India. He was forced to resign from Chief Minister post after being convicted by the Bombay High Court on charges that he had extorted money for a trust fund he managed. Mr. Antulay was the first and only Muslim Chief Minister of Maharashtra during the years 1980 to 1982.
3. Who won the Player of the series Award in the 5 ODI cricket matches played between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh held in Bangladesh in 2014?
Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh)
Series - Bangladesh won the 5-match series 5-0.
4. Who has been appointed as the new Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on December 2, 2014?
Anil Kumar Sinha.
He is a Bihar Cadre Indian Police Service officer of the 1979 batch. He has been appointed for two years. He has earlier served as DIG and IG in Special Protection Group, New Delhi, and Additional Secretary in Central Vigilance Commission.
5. Who scored a record 23rd hat-trick in La Liga and his 200th goal in the Spanish top flight as Real Madrid equalled the Spanish record of 18 consecutive wins in all competition?
Cristiano Ronaldo.
6. Who scored the 100th goal of the Indian Super League?
Romeo Fernandes.
He scored that goal against North East United FC .He plays for FC Goa in ISL.
7. About 16,500 people were evacuated from the German city of Dortmund while experts deactivated a 1.8-tonne bomb from World War II that was found during construction work. What is the name of that bomb?
The HC 4000 bomb.
The HC 4000 bomb, which was found on November 26, was three metres long, 80 centimetres wide and packed with 1.5-tonnes of explosives.
8. Veteran Hindi film and television actor who graced Bollywood for four decades with endearing roles in classic domestic comedies, passed away on December 2, 2014?
Deven Verma.
He has also produced and directed some films including Besharam. He has won Filmfare Best Comedian Award for “Chori Mera Kaam”, “Chor Ke Ghar Chor “and “Angoor”.
9. Which two wheeler company has signed American golf legend Tiger Woods as its brand ambassador in a four-year deal for Rs 250 crore?
The Hero MotoCorp.
10. Name the rocket carrying asteroid probe which was successfully launched by Japan on December 3, 2014?
Hayabusa 2.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully launched the rocket carrying asteroid probe Hayabusa 2 from the Tanegashima Space Center in south-western Japan. Hayabusa 2 will travel 300 million kilometres to the 1999 JU3 asteroid. It is expected to arrive at the asteroid in 2018 and return with samples in late 2020.
Hayabusa was an unmanned spacecraft developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to return a sample of material from a small near-Earth asteroid named 25143 Itokawa to Earth for further analysis.
11. Sri Lanka batsman who became the fourth batsman to complete 13000 One-Day Internationals (ODI) runs.
Kumar Sangakkara.
12. Legal luminary and former judge of the Supreme Court who was known for his passionate commitment to human rights, passed away on December 4, 2014?
Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer.
Iyer was the law minister in India’s first Communist government in Kerala. He was appointed a Supreme Court judge in 1973 and served for a period of a little over seven years, during which he delivered several landmark judgements. In 1999, he was awarded the second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan. “Wandering in Many Worlds” is his autobiography.
13. Parliaments of which countries recently called for the recognition of Palestine State?
France and Ireland.
14. Who has been nominated as the new U.S. defense secretary, replacing Chuck Hagel, who resigned last week?
Ashton Carter.
He is also a physicist, and a former Harvard University professor of Science and International Affairs. He was nominated by President Barack Obama, and confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 93–5, to replace Chuck Hagel as the US Secretary of Defense.
15. Video of which pop song becomes the first video to be viewed more than 1 billion times on YouTube, the world's largest video sharing site?
“Gangnam Style”.
The record breaking pop song “Gangnam Style” released in 2012 has crossed 2,147,483,647 views and YouTube was forced to upgrade its counter to 64-bit integer code. The blockbuster song is composed and sung by the famous South Korean entertainer, Psy, (real name: Park Jae-sang). Psy has also earned two other Guinness World Records achievements; most watched video online, and most "liked" video online.
16. Which footballer has received the ‘World’s Top Goalscorer 2013’ award by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS)?
Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo scored 15 goals for Real Madrid in the Champions League and 10 for Portugal during 2013 – more than any other player on international level. Overall, he scored 69 goals in all competitions for club and country.
17. On November 30, 2014, the Simon Wiesenthal Center reported that a senior Nazi figure who centrally involved in the implementation of the Holocaust had died in Syria around 2010, or four years earlier. Who is that Nazi figure?
Alois Brunner.
Brunner was an Austrian officer who worked as Adolf Eichmann's assistant. (Adolf Eichmann was a German Nazi lieutenant colonel and one of the major organisers of the Holocaust. Eichmann referred to Brunner as his "best man." Brunner is held responsible for sending at least 140,000 European Jews to the gas chambers. He was commander of the Drancy internment camp outside Paris from June 1943 to August 1944, from which nearly 24,000 people were deported. He was condemned to death in absentia in France in 1954 for crimes against humanity. In 1961 and in 1980, Brunner lost, respectively, an eye and the fingers of his left hand, as a result of letter bombs sent to him by the Israeli Mossad.
18. Who was named 'Asian of the Year (2014)' for being development-focused leader of India by editors of Singapore's leading daily, The Straits Times?
Narendra Modi.
19. Name the spacecraft successfully test fired by NASA on December 5, 2014 which is designed to carry astronauts to an asteroid and eventually to Mars in the 2030s?
Orion.
20. Retired senior leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) who has been expelled from the party in December 2014?
Zhou Yongkang.
Zhou was the first Politburo Standing Committee member to be expelled from the party since the fall of the Gang of Four in 1980 at the conclusion of the Cultural Revolution. Zhou was charged with abuse of power, bribery, and intentionally leaking state secrets.
“The Gang of Four” was a political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party officials. They came to prominence during the Cultural Revolution (1966–76) and were later charged with a series of treasonous crimes. The gang's leading figure was Mao Zedong's last wife Jiang Qing. The other members were Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, and Wang Hongwen.
21. Which documentary film was given the top award for best feature by the International Documentary Association in December 2014?
"CitizenFour."
Citizenfour is a 2014 documentary film directed by Laura Poitras concerning Edward Snowden and the NSA spying scandal.
22. Real Madrid and Portugal forward who has won the BBC's 2014 Overseas Sports Personality award?
Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sebastian Vettel (Germany, F1) won the BBC's 2013 Overseas Sports Personality award.
23. Name the floral masterpiece by Vincent van Gogh which has sold in New York for $61.8m (£38.7m)?
“Still Life, Vase with Daisies, and Poppies.”
Van Gogh's painting was created at the French home of his doctor just months before his death in 1890 and was one of the few works he sold during his lifetime.
24. India's communication satellite which was successfully launched by the Ariane-5 launch vehicle VA221 of Arianespace from Kourou, French Guiana on December 7, 2014?
GSAT-16.
25. Azerbaijani investigative journalist who was arrested in December 2014 on charges of incitement to suicide, a charge widely criticized by human rights organizations as bogus?
Ismayilova.
On 5 December 2014, Ismayilova was arrested. She was sentenced to two months of pre-trial detention on the charge of Article 125 of the Criminal Code, accused of inciting her former colleague Tural Mustafayev to suicide. If convicted, she faces a prison sentence of three to seven years.
26. Who won the Player of the Series award in the ODI cricket series between Sri Lanka and England held in Sri Lanka in 2014?
Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka).
Series - Sri Lanka won the 7-match series 5-2.
27. The Pakistan all-rounder who has been suspended from bowling in December 2014 after the International Cricket Council ruled his action was illegal?
Mohammad Hafeez.
28. Name the second most intense tropical cyclone in 2014 which hit the Philippines in early December?
Typhoon Hagupit.
Typhoon Hagupit, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Ruby.
29. Who has been appointed as the next chief of Intelligence Bureau (IB)?
Dineshwar Sharma .
Sharma, who hails from Bihar, will succeed Syed Asif Ibrahim whose tenure ends on December 31, 2014.
30. Name the nature documentary which aired on Discovery Channel on December 7, 2014 in which a man tried (and failed) to get a green anaconda to eat him?
Eaten Alive.
The special focused on an expedition by wildlife author and conservationist Paul Rosolie to locate a green anaconda named "Chumana", which he believed to be the world's longest, in a remote location of the Amazon rainforest. The special was to feature Rosolie being "eaten" by an anaconda, protected by a suit designed specifically for this purpose. Eaten Alive was widely criticized for not containing the content that was originally promised by Discovery Channel whilst promoting the special; while it did feature Rosolie attempting to feed himself to an anaconda, the snake did attack, but did not swallow Rosolie as the title of the special implied, and the stunt itself was called off due to safety concerns.
31. Name the spacecraft of NASA which is nearing the end of its nine-year voyage to Pluto, with just over 100 million miles (160 million kilometers) to go before reaching there in July 20145?
New Horizons spacecraft.
32. Name the Dutch actress and adventurer who has arrived at the South Pole after a 2,500 km journey across the ice of Antarctica in a red Massey tractor?
Manon Ossevoort.
33. Man of the Match winners of three Test Cricket matches between India and Australia (Border Gavaskar Trophy) held in Australia in December 2014:
First Test cricket match between India and Australia held in Adelaide from December 9-13, 2014:
Man of the Match: Nathan Lyon (Australia). He took 5 wickets each in both innings.
Result: Australia won by 48 runs.
Second Test cricket match between India and Australia held in Brisbane from December 17-20, 2014:
Man of the Match: Steven Smith (Australia). He scored 133 runs in first innings.
Result: Australia won by 4 wickets.
Third Test cricket match between India and Australia held in Melbourne from December 26-30, 2014:
Man of the Match: Ryan Harris (Australia). He scored 74 runs in first innings and took 4 wickets.
Result: Australia won by 4 wickets.
34. Indian-American who has been sworn in as the US Ambassador to India by Secretary of State John Kerry?
Richard Rahul Verma.
Verma is the first ever Indian-American to be the top US diplomat in New Delhi.
35. Palestinian minister who died on December 10, 2014following clashes with Israeli troops during a West Bank demonstration?
Ziad Abu Ein.
36. West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra was arrested by CBI on December 12, 2014 in connection with Saradha chit fund scam?
Madan Mitra .
37. Which picture of Australian photographer Peter Lik has been sold for 6.5 million dollars setting a new world record?
“Phantom”.
The photograph shows a shaft of light cutting through a monochromatic Arizona landscape and the price it has been sold for is reportedly the most ever paid for a photograph.
38. Bengaluru-based Software engineer who was arrested on December 13, 2014, accused of being the key voice of the global jihadi group ISIS on Twitter?
Mehdi Masroor Biswas.
Biswas had been broadcasting the group's terror missions and luring recruits to fight in the Syrian and other Middle East theatres.
39. Prime minister of Haiti who resigned in December 2014 after violent anti-government protests over delayed elections?
Laurent Lamothe.
40. Which tennis team won the inaugural International Premier Tennis League (ITPL)-2014 defeating Singapore Slammers in the final?
Indian Aces.
The International Premier Tennis League is a team tennis league founded in 2013, that launched in November 2014, with teams in four Asian cities: Dubai, Manila, New Delhi and Singapore.
41. Who has been voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2014?
Lewis Hamilton.
42. Who is Miss World 2014?
Rolene Strauss (South Africa).
Miss World 2014, the 64th edition of the Miss World pageant was held on 14 December 2014 at the ExCeL London in London, UK. Megan Young of the Philippines crowned her successor Rolene Strauss of South Africa at the end of the event. 121 contestants competed for the crown. This is the second time that South Africa has won the title outright and the third time they have held the title. For the first time, the event was streamed to mobile devices, tablets and game consoles via the official Miss World app and YouTube.
43. On 16 December 2014, seven gunmen affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) conducted a terrorist attack on the Army Public School in the north western Pakistani city killing 145 people, including 132 schoolchildren, ranging between eight and eighteen years of age. The school is situated at?
Peshawar.
2014 Peshawar school massacre was the deadliest terrorist attack ever to occur in Pakistan, surpassing the 2007 Karachi bombing. It was the worst attack on children anywhere in the world since the Beslan mass killing by Chechen Islamist rebels in 2004.
44. Five-time chess world champion who won his maiden London Classic title (2014) after defeating British Grandmaster Michael Adams in the fifth and final round?
Viswanathan Anand.
45. Which country won the 2014 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy?
Germany.
The 2014 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy was the 35th edition of the Hockey Champions Trophy for men. It was held between 6–14 December 2014 in Bhubaneswar, India. From this year on the tournament began to be held biannually due to the introduction of the Hockey World League, returning to its original format changed in 1980.
Germany won the tournament for the tenth time after defeating Pakistan 2–0 in the final. Australia won the third place match by defeating India 2–1.
46. Senior IAS officer who was appointed as Joint Secretary in Prime Minister's Office on December 10, 2014?
Anurag Jain.
47. Name the book written by Pranab Mukherjee, President of India?
“The Dramatic Decade: The Indira Gandhi Years.”
The book seeks to throw more light on the topsy-turvy decade of the 1970s, which saw emergency being imposed and the beginning of coalition politics in the country.
48. Who has been appointed as new Director General of CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) on December 22, 2014?
Prakash Mishra.
49. Who have been named Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2014?
The Ebola fighters.
50. Which country won the Blind Cricket World Cup (BCWC)-2014 defeating Pakistan in the final?
India.
51. As per recently released Global Financial Integrity’s (GFI’s) 2014 Annual Global Update on Illicit Financial Flows report, which country has placed third rank on black money list?
India.
India ranked third with an estimated USD 94.76 billion (nearly Rs 6 lakh crore) illicit wealth outflows in 2012. Russia is on the top with USD 122.86 billion, followed by China at the second position (USD 249.57 billion) in terms of the quantum of black money moving out of a country for 2012 — the latest year for which these estimates have been made.
52. 2014 United Nations Climate Change Conference was held in?
Lima, Peru, from December 1 to 12, 2014.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP20 or CMP10 was the 20th yearly session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 20) to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 10th session of the Meeting of the Parties (CMP 10) to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The conference delegates held negotiations towards a global climate agreement. The overarching goal of the conference was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) to limit the global temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius above current levels.
53. Former Arsenal and France striker Thierry Henry has announced his retirement from football in December 2014?
Thierry Henry.
He is a retired French professional footballer, who played as a forward. He spent eight years at Arsenal where he is the club's all time record Goalscorer. Henry enjoyed success with the French national team, winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2000 and 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. In October 2007, he surpassed Michel Platini's record to become France's top goalscorer of all time. Henry retired from international football after the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
54. Sri Lankan batsman who became the 15th player in ODI history and the fifth from his nation to go past 9000 runs in the limited overs game?
Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Dilshan passed the 9,000-run mark in ODIs on his way to his 18th one-day century in the match against England.
55. Who has been appointed as first woman bishop by Church of England?
Libby Lane.
Libby Lane became the new Bishop of Stockport following legislation adopted last year to allow female bishops for the first time since the Church's foundation by King Henry VIII in 1534.
56. Indian-American Amit who has been confirmed by the US Senate as a federal judge in the District of Columbia, becoming the first Asian Pacific American to occupy this important position?
Priyavadan Mehta
57. India’s most powerful and heaviest rocket which is successfully launched from
Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh in December 18, 2014?
GSLV Mk-III.
GSLV Mk-III is 42.4 meters tall and costs about Rs. 160 crores. Weighing 640 tonne, the three-stage rocket with two S-200 solid boosters, stated to be the second largest in the world liquid and cryogenic stage, is nearly 50% heavier than the existing Geo Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
58. Which countries agreed on December 17, 2014 to restore diplomatic ties that they disengaged more than 50 years ago?
Cuba and USA.
Cuba and the United States of America have no diplomatic relations since 1961. The U.S. continues to maintain a commercial, economic, and financial embargo, which makes it illegal for U.S. corporations to do business with Cuba. U.S. diplomatic representation in Cuba is handled by the United States Interests Section in Havana, and there is a similar Cuban Interests Section in Washington, D.C.; both are officially part of the respective embassies of Switzerland.
On 17 December 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced the beginning of a process of normalizing relations between Cuba and the U.S., which media sources have named "the Cuban Thaw." Negotiated in secret in Canada and Vatican City over preceding months, and with the assistance of Pope Francis, the agreement is expected to see the lifting of some U.S. travel restrictions, fewer restrictions on remittances, U.S. banks access to the Cuban financial system, and the establishment of a U.S. embassy in Havana, which closed after Cuba became closely allied with the USSR in 1961.
59. Well-known Malayalam writer who bagged this year’s (2014) Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel 'Manushyanu Oru Aamukham'?
Subhash Chandran.
The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a plaque. The novel 'Manushyanu Oru Aamukham' has won numerous awards including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award (2011), Odakkuzhal Award (2011), FOKANA Award (2012), Bhasha Institute's Basheer Puraskaaram (2012) and Kovilan Puraskaaram (2012).
60. Former Barcelona and France defender who has retired from international football on December 17, 2014?
Eric Abidal.
Eric Abidal is a French retired professional footballer who played as a left back or a central defender. In his career he played mainly for Lyon and Barcelona, winning 21 major titles the two teams combined, including two Champions League trophies with the latter. His later career was marked by liver disease, resulting in a transplant. Abidal represented the nation in two World Cups – finishing second in 2006 – and Euro 2008.
61. Men and women teams of which country won the fifth Kabaddi World Cup 2014?
India.
This is the fifth consecutive win for the Indian men team and the fourth consecutive time for the women’s team. The Indian men's team defeated Pakistan in the final, while the women team beat New Zealand in the final.
62. Which country tested an indigenously developed 1,000-kg glide bomb on December 19, 2014?
India.
The precision-guided bomb designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was dropped by an Indian Air force aircraft in the Bay of Bengal off Odisha. The flight of the glide bomb was monitored by radars and electro-optic systems stationed at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Odisha's Balasore district, about 230 km from Bhubaneswar. With the success of this glide bomb, India can now launch heavy bombs for delivery up to 100 km away with high precision.
63. Which club clinched the inaugural Indian Super League (ISL) crown with a 1-0 win over Kerala Blasters?
Atletico de Kolkata.
Mohammed Rafique's headed goal from a corner kick in the fourth minute of added time sealed the historical win for the Kolkatans.
Kerala blasters is co-owned by cricket great Sachin Tendulkar and the Atletico de Kolkata is co-owned by Spanish club Atletico Madrid and former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly.
64. Which state has withdrawn the Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Protection Bill in December 2014?
Karnataka.
65. Which club won the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup?
Real Madrid.
the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup was the 11th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, a FIFA-organised international club football tournament between the champion clubs from each of the six continental confederations, as well as the national league champion from the host country. It was hosted by Morocco and played from 10 to 20 December 2014.
Real Madrid won their first FIFA Club World Cup after defeating San Lorenzo 2–0 in the final, and their fourth world club title counting the 1960, 1998 and 2002 Intercontinental Cups, equalling Milan's record.
66. Who has been chosen for the Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR) National Award 2014, instituted by the Akkineni International Foundation?
Amitabh Bachchan.
67. Name the first warship exported by India to Mauritius on December 20, 2014?
CGS Barracuda.
CGS Barracuda is the first ever naval ship to be built by India for a foreign nation. Built by defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) in Kolkata, the $58.5 million ‘CGS Barracuda’ measures 74.10 m in length. It is capable of moving at a maximum speed of 22 knots with an approximate displacement of 1350 tonnes.
68. Who has been appointed as the new chief of Research and Analysis Wing, the external intelligence agency of India?
Rajinder Khanna.
He joined R&AW in 1978 and is the first chief of R&AW who was directly recruited into the Research and Analysis Service (RAS) cadre and not seconded from any other cadre (most other chiefs who came from IPS cadre). Mr Khanna will succeed present chief Alok Joshi, who is set to retire on December 31, 2014.
69. Which cricketer has been named as the brand ambassador for the 2015 Cricket World Cup by the international Cricket Council (ICC)?
Sachin Tendulkar.
70. Who won the inaugural $500,000 Dubai Open Golf Championship title?
Arjun Atwal(India).
71. Who becomes Tunisia's first freely elected president?
Beji Caid Essebsi.
Essebsi is the founder of the Nidaa Tounes political party, which won a plurality in the 2014 parliamentary election. In December 2014, he won the first regular presidential following the Tunisian Revolution, becoming Tunisia's first freely elected president. Previously he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1981 to 1986 and as Prime Minister from February 2011 to December 2011.
72. Legendary Tamil movie and drama director, screen writer and producer who was instrumental in bringing talents like Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Prakash Raj to the film industry, passed away on December 23, 2014?
K. Balachander.
Balachander's films are well known for their portrayal of women as bold personalities and central characters. Popularly referred to as Iyakkunar Sigaram(literally The Director who scaled the peak), his films are usually centred on unusual or complicated interpersonal relationships and social themes. In a career that spread over 50 years, he had contributed to nearly 100 feature films either as a screenwriter or director. Balachander had won nine National Film Awards and 13 Filmfare Awards. He was honoured with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award, in 1987, and is a recipient of the ANR National Award and Dadasaheb Phalke Award. He made his debut in the Tamil movie world with Neerkumizhi, starring comedian Nagesh. His hit movies are Moondru Mudhichu, 47 Naatkal , Avargal , Apoorva Raagangal and Aval Oru Thodar Kathai.
73. Which film won the Suvarna Chakoram (Golden Crow Pheasant) award at the 19th edition of International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) held in December 2014?
‘Refugiado’.
Argentinean film ‘Refugiado’, directed by Diego Lerman, tells the story of a seven-year-old boy and his mother interred in a shelter for abused women, where they spend two days. The award carries a purse of 15 lakh and a citation.
Hiroshi Toda won the Rajatha Chakoram (Silver Crow Pheasant) award for the best director for his film summer, Kyoto (Kyoto, Natsu). Rajatha Chakoram for the best debutant director was bagged by Hossein Shahabi for The Bright Day.
74. Which football club won the Italian Super Cup 2014?
Napoli.
Napoli beat Juventus 6-5 on penalties to win the Italian Super Cup-2014. The 2014 Supercoppa Italiana was the 27th edition of the Supercoppa Italiana, Italian football super cup, played on 22 December 2014 at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar. It was held between 2013–14 Serie A champions, Juventus, and the winners of the 2013–14 Coppa Italia, Napoli.
75. Former cabinet minister of Bangladesh who has been sentenced to death by a Bangladeshi war-crimes tribunal, after convicting him of crimes against humanity committed during the country’s 1971 war of independence from Pakistan?
Syed Mohammad Qaisar.
Mr. Qaisar, who was minister for agriculture in a military-backed government in the 1980s, denied all charges against him. Qaisar was found guilty of 14 counts of murder, rape, arson and torture by the special court.
76. The Joint-Chairman and Managing Director of Sun Hung Kai Properties, the largest property developer in Hong Kong who has been sentenced to five years in jail for corruption?
Thomas Kwok.
Hong Kong's former deputy leader Rafael Hui and property tycoon Thomas Kwok were jailed on December 23, 2014 after being convicted of corruption in a blockbuster trial that shocked Hong Kong. Hui was jailed for seven and a half years after being convicted on five graft charges, including misconduct in a public office, making him the highest-ranking official in Hong Kong's history to be convicted of taking bribes. Kwok was sentenced to five years after he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office over a series of payments totalling US$1.1 million to former Hong Kong Chief Secretary Hui.
77. Who has been awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2015?
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Former Prime Minister) and Madan Mohan Malaviya (freedom fighter).
Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India. Instituted on 2 January 1954. The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were politician C. Rajagopalachari, scientist C. V. Raman and philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who were honoured in 1954. Though usually conferred on Indian citizens, the Bharat Ratna has been awarded to one naturalised citizen, Mother Teresa in 1980, and to two non-Indians, Pakistan national Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan in 1987 and former South African President Nelson Mandela in 1990. In 2013, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, aged 40, became the youngest recipient while social reformer Dhondo Keshav Karve(1958) was awarded on his 100th birthday.
Most recently, Indian government has announced the award to freedom fighter Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumously) and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on 24 December 2014.
78. The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), a multilateral treaty that regulates the international trade in conventional weapons entered into force on ?
December 24, 2014.
The treaty was negotiated at a global conference under the auspices of the United Nations from July 2–27, 2012, in New York. On 2 April 2013, the UN General Assembly adopted the ATT.
79. Name the controversial Hollywood film which depicting an assassination attempt of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and the theatrical release of which has been cancelled by Sony Pictures Entertainment drawing criticism from the media, Hollywood figures and the White House?
The Interview.
"The Interview" is a 2014 American political satire comedy film directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg in their second directorial work, following This Is the End. The film stars Rogen and James Franco as journalists instructed to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (played by Randall Park) after booking an interview with him.
In June 2014, the North Korean government threatened merciless action against the United States if the film's distributor, Columbia Pictures, went ahead with the release. Columbia delayed the release from October 10 to December 25, and reportedly edited the film to make it more acceptable to North Korea. In November, the computer systems of parent company Sony Pictures Entertainment were hacked by the "Guardians of Peace", a group the FBI believes has ties to North Korea. After leaking several other then-upcoming Sony films and other sensitive internal information, the group demanded that Sony pull The Interview, which it referred to as "the movie of terrorism". On December 16, 2014, the Guardians of Peace threatened terrorist attacks against cinemas that played The Interview.
Sony made The Interview available for online rental and purchase on December 24, followed by a limited release at select cinemas on December 25. The Interview has earned $40 million in digital rentals, making it Sony's most successful digital release, and over $11 million at the box office.
80. Malayalam film actor and still-photographer who was an integral part in projects of ace directors such as Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Aravindan and John Abraham, passed away on December 25, 2014?
N.L.Balakrishnan.
81. Which cricketer smashed New Zealand’s fastest test century in the match against Sri Lanka?
Brendon McCullum (100 from 74 balls).
82. Left-arm spinner of India who has been barred By ICC from bowling in competitive cricket after his action was found to be illegal?
Pragyan Ojha
83. Which footballer has been declared 'AIFF Player of the Year-2014?'
Sunil Chhetri .
Chhetri has been declared AIFF player for the third time in four years while Bala Devi has been declared the 'Woman Player of the Year-2014'.
84. Who holds the world record for effecting the most number of stumpings in One Day international cricket?
M.S.Dhoni.
Dhoni, the wicketkeeper-batsman overtook Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara when he stumped Mitchell Johnson off the bowling of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the Test match against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground . Dhoni took 389 matches for achieving this world record.
85. Imam of Red Mosque and Islamic cleric who has been issued an arrest warrant by a Pakistani court for allegedly justifying the heinous Peshawar school attack by Taliban?
Abdul Aziz.
The cleric, who is also known as 'Mullah Burqa', is accused of threatening the protesters outside the Red Mosque after he refused to condemn the deadly Taliban massacre in Peshawar school that killed over 140 children. Abdul Aziz, is known to be a pro-Taliban cleric and earlier this year he was in news for renaming a school library in the honour of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
86. Indian cricketer who has retired from Test cricket after the third Test between India and Australia concluded in a draw at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 30, 3014?
M.S.Dhoni.
Dhoni led India in 60 Tests and has the most number of victories (27) by an Indian captain. He took over from Anil Kumble in 2008. Under his leadership, India reached a historic No. 1 Test ranking in December 2009, a position it held for 18 months. An often explosive middle-order batsman, Dhoni made 4,876 runs in 90 Tests at 38.09. As a largely safe if not flamboyant wicket-keeper for the most part, he held 256 catches and effected 38 stumpings.
87. Which country clinched the title of the inaugural South Asian Women's Invitational Volleyball Championships after thrashing Bangladesh?
India.
88. Which party won the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly election, 2014?
B.J.P.
Out of the 81 seats, BJP won 37 seats. Indian National Congress won only 6 seats.
89. Who was sworn in as the 10th chief minister of Jharkhand state on 28 December 2014?
Raghubar Das.
90. Senior IAS officer who has been appointed as the chairman and managing director of Coal India Ltd (CIL)?
S Bhattacharya.
91. Former al-Badr leader who has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War?
ATM Azharul Islam.
Bangladesh's war crimes court sentenced Azharul to death for rape, mass murder and genocide during the country's 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. Azharul Islam became the 16th person and the 11th Islamist to be convicted of atrocities by the International Crimes Tribunal, which found him guilty of being a key member of a notorious pro-Pakistan militia.
92. Who won the Man of the Match award in the first test cricket between New Zealand and Sri Lanka held in Christchurch from December 26-29, 2014?
Brendon McCullum (New Zealand).
He scored 195 runs in first innings. New Zealand won the match by 8 wickets.
93. Real Madrid midfielder who has been named 2014 Sportsman of the Year by the AIPS (International Association of Latin American Sports Journalists) for his performances with Colombia in the 2014 World Cup and with Real Madrid?
James Rodriguez.
94. Who has been appointed as the head coach of the national football team of India?
Stephen Constantine.
Constantine was then manager of the Indian national team from 2002 to 2005.
95. Name the actress who became the first winner of consecutive Oscars in the 1930s, passed away on December 30, 2014?
Luise Rainer .
She was the first actor to win multiple Academy Awards and the first person to win them consecutively. She captured back-to-back Academy Awards for The Great Ziegfeld in 1936 and The Good Earth in 1937.
96. Who has been appointed as the new coach of Zimbabwe cricket team ahead of the 2015 World Cup?
Dav Whatmore.
97. Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who retired on December 31, 2014?
K. Radhakrishnan.
Dr. Radhakrishnan led ISRO in many achievements over the past five years after he took over the reins in November 2009. The historic Mars Orbiter Mission was launched and guided to an orbit around the red planet under his leadership. The partial experimental sub-orbital flight of the GSLV Mark-III heavy-lift launch vehicle was another success.
India.
India ranked third with an estimated USD 94.76 billion (nearly Rs 6 lakh crore) illicit wealth outflows in 2012. Russia is on the top with USD 122.86 billion, followed by China at the second position (USD 249.57 billion) in terms of the quantum of black money moving out of a country for 2012 — the latest year for which these estimates have been made.
52. 2014 United Nations Climate Change Conference was held in?
Lima, Peru, from December 1 to 12, 2014.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP20 or CMP10 was the 20th yearly session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 20) to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 10th session of the Meeting of the Parties (CMP 10) to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The conference delegates held negotiations towards a global climate agreement. The overarching goal of the conference was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) to limit the global temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius above current levels.
53. Former Arsenal and France striker Thierry Henry has announced his retirement from football in December 2014?
Thierry Henry.
He is a retired French professional footballer, who played as a forward. He spent eight years at Arsenal where he is the club's all time record Goalscorer. Henry enjoyed success with the French national team, winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2000 and 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. In October 2007, he surpassed Michel Platini's record to become France's top goalscorer of all time. Henry retired from international football after the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
54. Sri Lankan batsman who became the 15th player in ODI history and the fifth from his nation to go past 9000 runs in the limited overs game?
Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Dilshan passed the 9,000-run mark in ODIs on his way to his 18th one-day century in the match against England.
55. Who has been appointed as first woman bishop by Church of England?
Libby Lane.
Libby Lane became the new Bishop of Stockport following legislation adopted last year to allow female bishops for the first time since the Church's foundation by King Henry VIII in 1534.
56. Indian-American Amit who has been confirmed by the US Senate as a federal judge in the District of Columbia, becoming the first Asian Pacific American to occupy this important position?
Priyavadan Mehta
57. India’s most powerful and heaviest rocket which is successfully launched from
Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh in December 18, 2014?
GSLV Mk-III.
GSLV Mk-III is 42.4 meters tall and costs about Rs. 160 crores. Weighing 640 tonne, the three-stage rocket with two S-200 solid boosters, stated to be the second largest in the world liquid and cryogenic stage, is nearly 50% heavier than the existing Geo Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
58. Which countries agreed on December 17, 2014 to restore diplomatic ties that they disengaged more than 50 years ago?
Cuba and USA.
Cuba and the United States of America have no diplomatic relations since 1961. The U.S. continues to maintain a commercial, economic, and financial embargo, which makes it illegal for U.S. corporations to do business with Cuba. U.S. diplomatic representation in Cuba is handled by the United States Interests Section in Havana, and there is a similar Cuban Interests Section in Washington, D.C.; both are officially part of the respective embassies of Switzerland.
On 17 December 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced the beginning of a process of normalizing relations between Cuba and the U.S., which media sources have named "the Cuban Thaw." Negotiated in secret in Canada and Vatican City over preceding months, and with the assistance of Pope Francis, the agreement is expected to see the lifting of some U.S. travel restrictions, fewer restrictions on remittances, U.S. banks access to the Cuban financial system, and the establishment of a U.S. embassy in Havana, which closed after Cuba became closely allied with the USSR in 1961.
59. Well-known Malayalam writer who bagged this year’s (2014) Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel 'Manushyanu Oru Aamukham'?
Subhash Chandran.
The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a plaque. The novel 'Manushyanu Oru Aamukham' has won numerous awards including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award (2011), Odakkuzhal Award (2011), FOKANA Award (2012), Bhasha Institute's Basheer Puraskaaram (2012) and Kovilan Puraskaaram (2012).
60. Former Barcelona and France defender who has retired from international football on December 17, 2014?
Eric Abidal.
Eric Abidal is a French retired professional footballer who played as a left back or a central defender. In his career he played mainly for Lyon and Barcelona, winning 21 major titles the two teams combined, including two Champions League trophies with the latter. His later career was marked by liver disease, resulting in a transplant. Abidal represented the nation in two World Cups – finishing second in 2006 – and Euro 2008.
61. Men and women teams of which country won the fifth Kabaddi World Cup 2014?
India.
This is the fifth consecutive win for the Indian men team and the fourth consecutive time for the women’s team. The Indian men's team defeated Pakistan in the final, while the women team beat New Zealand in the final.
62. Which country tested an indigenously developed 1,000-kg glide bomb on December 19, 2014?
India.
The precision-guided bomb designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was dropped by an Indian Air force aircraft in the Bay of Bengal off Odisha. The flight of the glide bomb was monitored by radars and electro-optic systems stationed at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Odisha's Balasore district, about 230 km from Bhubaneswar. With the success of this glide bomb, India can now launch heavy bombs for delivery up to 100 km away with high precision.
63. Which club clinched the inaugural Indian Super League (ISL) crown with a 1-0 win over Kerala Blasters?
Atletico de Kolkata.
Mohammed Rafique's headed goal from a corner kick in the fourth minute of added time sealed the historical win for the Kolkatans.
Kerala blasters is co-owned by cricket great Sachin Tendulkar and the Atletico de Kolkata is co-owned by Spanish club Atletico Madrid and former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly.
64. Which state has withdrawn the Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Protection Bill in December 2014?
Karnataka.
65. Which club won the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup?
Real Madrid.
the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup was the 11th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, a FIFA-organised international club football tournament between the champion clubs from each of the six continental confederations, as well as the national league champion from the host country. It was hosted by Morocco and played from 10 to 20 December 2014.
Real Madrid won their first FIFA Club World Cup after defeating San Lorenzo 2–0 in the final, and their fourth world club title counting the 1960, 1998 and 2002 Intercontinental Cups, equalling Milan's record.
66. Who has been chosen for the Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR) National Award 2014, instituted by the Akkineni International Foundation?
Amitabh Bachchan.
67. Name the first warship exported by India to Mauritius on December 20, 2014?
CGS Barracuda.
CGS Barracuda is the first ever naval ship to be built by India for a foreign nation. Built by defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) in Kolkata, the $58.5 million ‘CGS Barracuda’ measures 74.10 m in length. It is capable of moving at a maximum speed of 22 knots with an approximate displacement of 1350 tonnes.
68. Who has been appointed as the new chief of Research and Analysis Wing, the external intelligence agency of India?
Rajinder Khanna.
He joined R&AW in 1978 and is the first chief of R&AW who was directly recruited into the Research and Analysis Service (RAS) cadre and not seconded from any other cadre (most other chiefs who came from IPS cadre). Mr Khanna will succeed present chief Alok Joshi, who is set to retire on December 31, 2014.
69. Which cricketer has been named as the brand ambassador for the 2015 Cricket World Cup by the international Cricket Council (ICC)?
Sachin Tendulkar.
70. Who won the inaugural $500,000 Dubai Open Golf Championship title?
Arjun Atwal(India).
71. Who becomes Tunisia's first freely elected president?
Beji Caid Essebsi.
Essebsi is the founder of the Nidaa Tounes political party, which won a plurality in the 2014 parliamentary election. In December 2014, he won the first regular presidential following the Tunisian Revolution, becoming Tunisia's first freely elected president. Previously he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1981 to 1986 and as Prime Minister from February 2011 to December 2011.
72. Legendary Tamil movie and drama director, screen writer and producer who was instrumental in bringing talents like Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Prakash Raj to the film industry, passed away on December 23, 2014?
K. Balachander.
Balachander's films are well known for their portrayal of women as bold personalities and central characters. Popularly referred to as Iyakkunar Sigaram(literally The Director who scaled the peak), his films are usually centred on unusual or complicated interpersonal relationships and social themes. In a career that spread over 50 years, he had contributed to nearly 100 feature films either as a screenwriter or director. Balachander had won nine National Film Awards and 13 Filmfare Awards. He was honoured with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award, in 1987, and is a recipient of the ANR National Award and Dadasaheb Phalke Award. He made his debut in the Tamil movie world with Neerkumizhi, starring comedian Nagesh. His hit movies are Moondru Mudhichu, 47 Naatkal , Avargal , Apoorva Raagangal and Aval Oru Thodar Kathai.
73. Which film won the Suvarna Chakoram (Golden Crow Pheasant) award at the 19th edition of International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) held in December 2014?
‘Refugiado’.
Argentinean film ‘Refugiado’, directed by Diego Lerman, tells the story of a seven-year-old boy and his mother interred in a shelter for abused women, where they spend two days. The award carries a purse of 15 lakh and a citation.
Hiroshi Toda won the Rajatha Chakoram (Silver Crow Pheasant) award for the best director for his film summer, Kyoto (Kyoto, Natsu). Rajatha Chakoram for the best debutant director was bagged by Hossein Shahabi for The Bright Day.
74. Which football club won the Italian Super Cup 2014?
Napoli.
Napoli beat Juventus 6-5 on penalties to win the Italian Super Cup-2014. The 2014 Supercoppa Italiana was the 27th edition of the Supercoppa Italiana, Italian football super cup, played on 22 December 2014 at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar. It was held between 2013–14 Serie A champions, Juventus, and the winners of the 2013–14 Coppa Italia, Napoli.
75. Former cabinet minister of Bangladesh who has been sentenced to death by a Bangladeshi war-crimes tribunal, after convicting him of crimes against humanity committed during the country’s 1971 war of independence from Pakistan?
Syed Mohammad Qaisar.
Mr. Qaisar, who was minister for agriculture in a military-backed government in the 1980s, denied all charges against him. Qaisar was found guilty of 14 counts of murder, rape, arson and torture by the special court.
76. The Joint-Chairman and Managing Director of Sun Hung Kai Properties, the largest property developer in Hong Kong who has been sentenced to five years in jail for corruption?
Thomas Kwok.
Hong Kong's former deputy leader Rafael Hui and property tycoon Thomas Kwok were jailed on December 23, 2014 after being convicted of corruption in a blockbuster trial that shocked Hong Kong. Hui was jailed for seven and a half years after being convicted on five graft charges, including misconduct in a public office, making him the highest-ranking official in Hong Kong's history to be convicted of taking bribes. Kwok was sentenced to five years after he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office over a series of payments totalling US$1.1 million to former Hong Kong Chief Secretary Hui.
77. Who has been awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2015?
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Former Prime Minister) and Madan Mohan Malaviya (freedom fighter).
Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India. Instituted on 2 January 1954. The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were politician C. Rajagopalachari, scientist C. V. Raman and philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who were honoured in 1954. Though usually conferred on Indian citizens, the Bharat Ratna has been awarded to one naturalised citizen, Mother Teresa in 1980, and to two non-Indians, Pakistan national Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan in 1987 and former South African President Nelson Mandela in 1990. In 2013, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, aged 40, became the youngest recipient while social reformer Dhondo Keshav Karve(1958) was awarded on his 100th birthday.
Most recently, Indian government has announced the award to freedom fighter Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumously) and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on 24 December 2014.
78. The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), a multilateral treaty that regulates the international trade in conventional weapons entered into force on ?
December 24, 2014.
The treaty was negotiated at a global conference under the auspices of the United Nations from July 2–27, 2012, in New York. On 2 April 2013, the UN General Assembly adopted the ATT.
79. Name the controversial Hollywood film which depicting an assassination attempt of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and the theatrical release of which has been cancelled by Sony Pictures Entertainment drawing criticism from the media, Hollywood figures and the White House?
The Interview.
"The Interview" is a 2014 American political satire comedy film directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg in their second directorial work, following This Is the End. The film stars Rogen and James Franco as journalists instructed to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (played by Randall Park) after booking an interview with him.
In June 2014, the North Korean government threatened merciless action against the United States if the film's distributor, Columbia Pictures, went ahead with the release. Columbia delayed the release from October 10 to December 25, and reportedly edited the film to make it more acceptable to North Korea. In November, the computer systems of parent company Sony Pictures Entertainment were hacked by the "Guardians of Peace", a group the FBI believes has ties to North Korea. After leaking several other then-upcoming Sony films and other sensitive internal information, the group demanded that Sony pull The Interview, which it referred to as "the movie of terrorism". On December 16, 2014, the Guardians of Peace threatened terrorist attacks against cinemas that played The Interview.
Sony made The Interview available for online rental and purchase on December 24, followed by a limited release at select cinemas on December 25. The Interview has earned $40 million in digital rentals, making it Sony's most successful digital release, and over $11 million at the box office.
80. Malayalam film actor and still-photographer who was an integral part in projects of ace directors such as Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Aravindan and John Abraham, passed away on December 25, 2014?
N.L.Balakrishnan.
81. Which cricketer smashed New Zealand’s fastest test century in the match against Sri Lanka?
Brendon McCullum (100 from 74 balls).
82. Left-arm spinner of India who has been barred By ICC from bowling in competitive cricket after his action was found to be illegal?
Pragyan Ojha
83. Which footballer has been declared 'AIFF Player of the Year-2014?'
Sunil Chhetri .
Chhetri has been declared AIFF player for the third time in four years while Bala Devi has been declared the 'Woman Player of the Year-2014'.
84. Who holds the world record for effecting the most number of stumpings in One Day international cricket?
M.S.Dhoni.
Dhoni, the wicketkeeper-batsman overtook Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara when he stumped Mitchell Johnson off the bowling of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the Test match against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground . Dhoni took 389 matches for achieving this world record.
85. Imam of Red Mosque and Islamic cleric who has been issued an arrest warrant by a Pakistani court for allegedly justifying the heinous Peshawar school attack by Taliban?
Abdul Aziz.
The cleric, who is also known as 'Mullah Burqa', is accused of threatening the protesters outside the Red Mosque after he refused to condemn the deadly Taliban massacre in Peshawar school that killed over 140 children. Abdul Aziz, is known to be a pro-Taliban cleric and earlier this year he was in news for renaming a school library in the honour of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
86. Indian cricketer who has retired from Test cricket after the third Test between India and Australia concluded in a draw at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 30, 3014?
M.S.Dhoni.
Dhoni led India in 60 Tests and has the most number of victories (27) by an Indian captain. He took over from Anil Kumble in 2008. Under his leadership, India reached a historic No. 1 Test ranking in December 2009, a position it held for 18 months. An often explosive middle-order batsman, Dhoni made 4,876 runs in 90 Tests at 38.09. As a largely safe if not flamboyant wicket-keeper for the most part, he held 256 catches and effected 38 stumpings.
87. Which country clinched the title of the inaugural South Asian Women's Invitational Volleyball Championships after thrashing Bangladesh?
India.
88. Which party won the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly election, 2014?
B.J.P.
Out of the 81 seats, BJP won 37 seats. Indian National Congress won only 6 seats.
89. Who was sworn in as the 10th chief minister of Jharkhand state on 28 December 2014?
Raghubar Das.
90. Senior IAS officer who has been appointed as the chairman and managing director of Coal India Ltd (CIL)?
S Bhattacharya.
91. Former al-Badr leader who has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War?
ATM Azharul Islam.
Bangladesh's war crimes court sentenced Azharul to death for rape, mass murder and genocide during the country's 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. Azharul Islam became the 16th person and the 11th Islamist to be convicted of atrocities by the International Crimes Tribunal, which found him guilty of being a key member of a notorious pro-Pakistan militia.
92. Who won the Man of the Match award in the first test cricket between New Zealand and Sri Lanka held in Christchurch from December 26-29, 2014?
Brendon McCullum (New Zealand).
He scored 195 runs in first innings. New Zealand won the match by 8 wickets.
93. Real Madrid midfielder who has been named 2014 Sportsman of the Year by the AIPS (International Association of Latin American Sports Journalists) for his performances with Colombia in the 2014 World Cup and with Real Madrid?
James Rodriguez.
94. Who has been appointed as the head coach of the national football team of India?
Stephen Constantine.
Constantine was then manager of the Indian national team from 2002 to 2005.
95. Name the actress who became the first winner of consecutive Oscars in the 1930s, passed away on December 30, 2014?
Luise Rainer .
She was the first actor to win multiple Academy Awards and the first person to win them consecutively. She captured back-to-back Academy Awards for The Great Ziegfeld in 1936 and The Good Earth in 1937.
96. Who has been appointed as the new coach of Zimbabwe cricket team ahead of the 2015 World Cup?
Dav Whatmore.
97. Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who retired on December 31, 2014?
K. Radhakrishnan.
Dr. Radhakrishnan led ISRO in many achievements over the past five years after he took over the reins in November 2009. The historic Mars Orbiter Mission was launched and guided to an orbit around the red planet under his leadership. The partial experimental sub-orbital flight of the GSLV Mark-III heavy-lift launch vehicle was another success.
