Option (d) is correct

Explanation:

• Escalating the ongoing ‘chip war’, China put curbs on the exports of germanium and gallium, two niche metals used in the manufacturing of semiconductors and electronics.
• Semiconductors are materials that possess properties between those of conductors and insulators. 
  • For Example: Germanium, Silicon, Gallium Arsenide, Selenium and Tellurium
• They are widely used in the electronics industry as the foundation for manufacturing electronic devices such as transistors, integrated circuits (ICs), and microchips. 

Option (d) is correct

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct:The Global Peace Index is released annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
• Statement 2 is  not correct: India has occupied the 126th spot in the rankings.
• India has witnessed a positive change in its overall peacefulness, with a notable improvement of 3.5 percent in the past year due to various factors, including advancements in the areas of violent crime, relations with neighbouring countries, and political stability.
• Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world while Afghanistan is the least peaceful country in the world.
• GPI measures the state of peace over three parameters:
  • Societal safety and security
  • Ongoing domestic and international conflict
  • Militarization

Option (d) is correct

Explanation:

• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed for setting up of a campus of IIT Madras in Zanzibar, which is a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa.
• The United Republic of Tanzania is an East African country bordering the Indian Ocean.
•  Its neighbours are Kenya and Uganda, to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south.

Image Credits: BBC

Option (b) is correct

Explanation:

Convention on Cluster Munitions: 

• It was adopted in 2008, enforced in 2010
• It prohibits all use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions.
• It establishes a framework to support the victim assistance, clearance of contaminated sites, risk reduction education, and stockpile destruction.
• Statement 1 is not correct: It has been signed by more than 120 countries. The US, Russia and Ukraine haven’t signed it.
• Statement 2 is correct: Secretary-General of the United Nations is the Depositary of the Convention.

Option (a) is correct

Explanation:

• The Third edition of the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) portal was recently inaugurated by the Secretary of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG)
• NeSDA helps the respective governments improve their delivery of citizen centric services and shares best practices across the country for all States, UTs and Central Ministries to emulate.
• Improvement in the country’s e-Governance landscape due to last 2 editions of NESDA study may be summarised in the following key takeaways:
  • Increase in e-Service Delivery
  • Rise in use of Integrated / Centralised Portals for delivery of e-Services
  • Improvement across assessment parameter scores

Option (d) is correct

Explanation:

• The Gujarat High Court has dismissed an opposition leader’s plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case in which he has been sentenced to two years in prison.
• Defamation is the act of communicating false statements about a person that injure the reputation of that person when observed through the eyes of an ordinary man.
• Statement 1 is correct: Article 19 of the Constitution grants various freedoms to its citizens. However, Article 19(2) has imposed reasonable exemption to freedom of speech and expression granted under Article 19(1) (a). Contempt of court, defamation and incitement to an offence are some exceptions.
• Statement 2 is correct: In a Criminal Offense, defamation has to be established beyond reasonable doubt but in a civil defamation suit, damages can be awarded based on probabilities.
• Statement 3 is correct: A Civil Wrong sees a wrong being redressed with monetary compens