Option (d) is correct

Explanation:

• The Global Slavery Index presents a global picture of modern slavery.
• Statement 1 is not correct. It is constructed by Walk Free, a human rights organisation and is based on data provided by the Global Estimates of Modern Slavery, which, in turn, is produced by International Labour Organization (ILO), Walk Free, and International Organization for Migration (IOM).
• This is the fifth edition of the Global Slavery Index and is based on the 2022 estimates.
• According to the index, “modern slavery” refers to situations of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, deception, or abuses of power. 
  • Modern slavery is an umbrella term and includes a whole variety of abuses such as forced labour, forced marriage, debt bondage, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, slavery-like practices, forced or servile marriage, and the sale and exploitation of children.
• There are three sets of key findings.
• The first looks at the highest prevalence of modern slavery. The prevalence refers to the incidence of modern slavery per 1000 population. On this count the worst offenders are North Korea, Eritrea and Mauritania.
• The second looks at the countries with the lowest  prevalence of modern slavery and countries are Switzerland, Norway and Germany.
• Statement 2 is correct. The third looks at the countries hosting the maximum number of people living in modern slavery  and countries are India, China and North Korea.
  • Collectively, these countries account for nearly two in every three people living in modern slavery and over half the world’s population. Notably, six are G20 nations: India, China, Russia, Indonesia, Türkiye, and the US.

Option (a) is correct 

Explanation:

• Recently, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) announced that the United States planned to rejoin it and pay more than $600 million in back dues, after a decade-long dispute sparked by the organisation’s move to include Palestine as a member.
• The Organization has 193 Members and 12 Associate Members. Membership of the United Nations carries with it the right to membership of UNESCO. States that are not members of the United Nations may be admitted to UNESCO, upon recommendation of the Executive Board, by a two-thirds majority vote of the General Conference.
• Australia, Ukraine, Fiji, India and Japan are members of UNESCO. Currently, Israel and the United States of America are non-members of the group.

Option (c) is correct

Explanation:

• Recently, the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, graced the PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) Meet in the Sports Ground of the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
• In a first of its kind initiative , the President invited the Members of 75 PVTGs for a visit to the Rashtrapati Bhawan for an extensive interaction with and apprised them about the various Schemes and Initiatives of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• The Mal Pahariya of Bihar, the Siddi of Gujarat, the Irula of Kerala, the Sahariya of Rajasthan, the Baiga Pardhauni of Madhya Pradesh, and the Budigali of Odisha gave scintillating performances at the venue, raising the spirits of the gathering.

Option (d) is correct

Explanation:

• The Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) are released on 12th of every month (or previous working day if 12th is a holiday) with a six weeks lag and compiled with data received from source agencies, which in turn receive the data from the producing factories/ establishments.
• April’s industrial growth still reflected the second slowest uptick in six months, even as the National Statistical Office (NSO) revised the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) for March to show that production had grown 2.3% instead of the earlier estimate of 1.1%.
• IIP measures the changes in the volume of production of industrial products during a given time period.
• Statements 1 and 2 are not correct. It is published monthly by the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
• Statement 3 is not correct. Its base year is 2011-2012.

Option (b) is correct 

Explanation:

• Shares of Zee Entertainment plunged 7 per cent in early trade on Tuesday after the Securities and Exchange Board of India barred Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) MD and CEO Punit Goenka from holding directorial positions.
• Statement 1 is not correct: SEBI is a statutory body.
• It was established on April 12, 1992 in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992.
• Statement 2 is correct. Its basic function is to protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote and regulate the securities market.
• Its headquarters is situated in Mumbai. 
• The regional offices of SEBI are located in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi.

Option (a) is correct 

Explanation:

• The size of China’s nuclear arsenal increased from 350 warheads in January 2022 to 410 in January 2023, and it is expected to keep growing, according to estimations by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
• China could potentially have at least as many intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) as either the U.S. or Russia .
• According to SIPRI estimates, the nuclear arsenals of India grew from 160 in 2022 to 164 in 2023 and that of Pakistan from 165 to 170.
• The nine nuclear-armed states —the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Israel—continue to modernise their nuclear arsenals and several deployed new nuclear-armed or nuclear-capable weapon systems in 2022, SIPRI said.
• Statement 1 is not correct: ICBM is a missile with a minimum range of 5,500 kilometres.
• Statement 2 is correct: It is primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery.
• Conventional, chemical and biological weapons can also be delivered with varying effectiveness, but have never been deployed on ICBMs.

• Important International Convention:
  • The International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (ICOC), now known as The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC)
  • The voluntary Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)