Ans: B

Exp:

On June 7, 1893, 131 years ago, Gandhi’s first satyagraha began when he was thrown off a first-class train in South Africa for being non-white.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Satyagraha was born against new legislation in South Africa that made it compulsory for Indians to carry certificates of registration with their fingerprints at all times.

• Gandhi evolved Satyagraha’s technique during his stay in South Africa. It was based on truth and non-violence.

Statement 2 is correct: In 1913, Mahatma Gandhi launched the famous Volkrust Satyagraha against the Registration of Marriages Act, the Pound tax, and the restriction on Indians’ movement. 

• Gandhi faced imprisonment multiple times for nonviolent protests, including the famous Volkrust Satyagraha in 1913.

Statement 3 is incorrect: In the initial phase (1894-1906) of Gandhi’s struggle in South Africa, he relied on sending petitions and memorials to the authorities in South Africa and Britain. 

• It was hoped that once the authorities were informed of the plight of Indians, they would take sincere steps to redress their grievances as the Indians were, after all, British subjects. 
• The second phase, which began in 1906, was characterized by the use of passive resistance or civil disobedience, which Gandhi named satyagraha.

Ans:  A

Exp:

Recently, the Nagi and Nakti Bird Sanctuaries in Bihar have been recognized as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve. It is a human-made Village Irrigation Tank in Karnataka.

•  It supports more than 1% of the biogeographic population of Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) and Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus).

Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: The Nagi and Nakti Bird Sanctuaries are human-made wetlands in Jamui district, Bihar.

• These wetlands provide habitats for various flora and fauna, especially migratory birds.

Pair 3  is correctly matched: Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary: It is one of the largest inland wetlands of Tamil Nadu. Fauna: 

• Bar-headed Goose, Pin-tailed duck, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Eurasian Wigeon, Common teal and Cotton teal.

Pair 4 is incorrectly matched: Sandi Bird Sanctuary is a freshwater marsh in the Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the Ramsar sites in UP. 

It is home to over 1% of the South Asian populations of common teal (Anas crecca), red-crested pochard (Netta rufina) and ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca). At the same time, the vulnerable sarus crane (Grus antigone) has a population of 200 individuals within the Sanctuary.

Ans: D

Exp:

• Recently, Space agency ISRO has announced a joint Indo-French infrared earth observation satellite mission, TRISHNA (Thermal Infra-Red Imaging Satellite for High-Resolution Natural Resource Assessment),

Statement 1 is incorrect: TRISHNA is a future high-resolution space-time mission in the thermal infrared (TIR) led jointly by the French (CNES) and the Indian (ISRO) space agencies for a launch planned in 2025.

•  ISRO and the French space agency CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales) have collaborated on two joint missions: ‘Megha-Tropiques,’ launched in 2011, and ‘Saral-Altika,’ launched in 2013.

Statement 2 is incorrect: TRISHNA is engineered to deliver high spatial and high temporal resolution monitoring of earth’s surface temperature, emissivity, and biophysical and radiation variables for surface energy budgeting at regional to global scale.

• This mission addresses critical water and food security challenges, focusing on the impacts of human-induced climate change and efficient water resource management through evapotranspiration monitoring.

Ans: A

Exp:

• Recently, the Biopharmaceutical Alliance was launched in response to the drug supply shortages experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

• • Option A is incorrect: The Biopharmaceutical Alliance is a joint initiative between South Korea, India, the United States, Japan, and the European Union (EU); hence, the first statement is Incorrect.

• The announcement was made at the inaugural meeting of the Biopharmaceutical Alliance, held in San Diego, California, during the Bio International Convention 2024, the world’s largest biopharmaceutical exhibition.

• It aims to collaborate on building a reliable, sustainable and resilient supply chain in the biopharmaceutical sector.
• It will coordinate the respective countries’ bio policies, regulations, and research and development support measures. 
• It was launched in response to the drug supply shortages experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ans: C

Exp:

The United Nations has recently released the UNESCO State of the Ocean Report for 2024.

Option C is correct: During the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference, taking place from 27 June to 1 July, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched a new flagship report entitled “State of the Ocean Report”

• It offers a brief, accessible, one-stop overview of the current state of the ocean, and to mobilize global society to act – and monitor progress – towards global goals.

Key Findings of the Report:

• Ocean Warming: Oceans’ upper 2,000 meters have warmed significantly, with the rate doubling over the past 20 years.
• Energy Absorption: Oceans absorb 90% of Earth’s excess energy, leading to deoxygenation and threatening marine ecosystems and economies.
• Ocean Acidification: Global ocean acidity is increasing, notably in the open ocean, since the late 1980s.
• Sea Level Rise: Sea levels have been steadily rising since 1993, necessitating better monitoring systems.
• Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal: Interest in removing carbon dioxide from the ocean is growing, but effectiveness and environmental impact are uncertain.