Option (a) is correct

Explanation:

• The United Kingdom formally signed a treaty to join a major Indo-Pacific bloc —‘Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership(CPTPP)’
• The CPTPP is a landmark pact agreed upon in 2018 that cuts trade barriers among 11 countries, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
• The pact requires countries to eliminate or significantly reduce tariffs and make strong commitments to opening services and investment markets.

Option (b) is correct

Explanation:

• Recently, the Supreme Court emphasised that all accused have a right to silence and investigators cannot force them to speak up or admit guilt.
• The right to silence emanates from Article 20(3) of the Indian Constitution, which states that no one can be compelled to be a witness against himself. 
• This provision gives an accused the right against self-incrimination — a fundamental canon of law.

Option (c) is correct

Explanation:

• The final shipment of grain from Ukraine, as part of the Black Sea Grain deal, is scheduled to end on July 17, 2023.Russia has still not agreed to extend it.
• In 2022, the UN and Turkey got Russia to agree to the Black Sea Grain Initiative, under which cargo ships would be allowed to travel from and to three Ukrainian ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi (Yuzhny), after inspection that they weren’t carrying arms. 

Option (a) is correct

Explanation:

• Heavy rainfall has caused landslides, resulting in the isolation of significant areas in northern and eastern Sikkim, including Nathula pass.

Option (b) is correct

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: BIMSTEC was founded as BIST-EC, in 1997, with the adoption of the Bangkok Declaration, with Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand as members. 
• BIMSTEC is a multilateral regional organisation established with the aim of accelerating shared growth and cooperation between littoral and adjacent countries in the Bay of Bengal region.
• Secretariat: Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Statement 2 is correct: Membership: It has a total of seven member countries:
  • Five from South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka;
  • Two from Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand.

Option (d) is correct

Explanation:

• Gibbons are the smallest and fastest of all apes.
• The hoolock gibbon is one of 20 species of apes and is the only ape found in India.
• Statement 1 is correct: They live in tropical and subtropical forests in the southeastern part of Asia. 
• The estimated population of hoolock gibbons is 12,000. 
• Statement 2 is correct: Both species of Hoolock Gibbon are protected under the Indian (Wildlife) Protection Act of 1972 and included in Schedule 1.
• Threats: Felling of trees for infrastructure projects.