Option (b) is correct

Explanation:

• The United States’ Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified locally acquired malaria cases in Florida and Texas in the last two months. 
• Statement 1 is correct: Locally acquired malaria denotes cases where the disease presents in patients with no travel history, indicating that it has been acquired within their geographical area.
• Malaria is caused by plasmodium parasites. The parasites spread through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
• Statement 2 is correct: It is predominantly found in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, South America as well as Asia.

Option (a) is correct

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is not correct: Article 163(1) of the Constitution says “there shall be a Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of his functions”.
  • Thus, there is no mention of the post of Deputy Chief minister in Article 163(1) of the constitution.
• The Deputy Chief Minister enjoys the same pay and perks as a Cabinet Minister.
• Statement 2 is correct: Article 164 of the Constitution envisages that the Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor.
  • A leader of the party that has got the majority share of votes in the assembly elections, is appointed as the Chief Minister of the state.

Option (d) is correct

Explanation:

• Recently, the Centre has identified 30 critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, tin and copper, which are essential for the country’s economic development and national security.
• Critical Minerals are minerals that are essential for economic development and national security, and the lack of availability of these minerals or the concentration of extraction or processing in a few geographical locations could potentially lead to “supply chain vulnerabilities and even disruption of supplies”.

Option (c) is correct

Explanation:

• Jharkhand celebrates June 30 as ‘Hul Diwas’, marking the beginning of the  Santal rebellion, even though some historical accounts date it to the first week of July instead.
• The Santal rebellion or ‘Hul’ – literally, revolution – began in 1855, two years before the uprising of 1857, often referred to as “the first war for Indian independence”.
• Statement 1 is correct: The Santhal rebellion took place in the lush Damin-i-Koh region – ‘Damin-i-Koh’ meaning the ‘skirts of the hills’ – and took the British by complete surprise. 
  • This region falls in present-day Jharkhand, more specifically, around the Rajmahal Hills of eastern Jharkhand’s Sahibganj district.
• Statement 2 is correct: It was an “organised war against colonialism”, led by two brothers Sidhu and Kanhu.

Option (b) is correct

Explanation:

• Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued a statement on the use of cryptocurrency in the Latin America and Caribbean market, and about the rising interest in blockchain-based central bank digital currencies (CBDCs)
• Statement 1 is not correct: India is a founder member of the IMF.
• Statement 2 is correct: The IMF, also known as the Fund, was conceived at a UN conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, United States, in J 1944.
• Objectives of IMF:
  • Foster global monetary cooperation
  • Secure financial stability
  • Facilitate international trade
  • Macro-economic growth:

Option (a) is correct

Explanation:

• China is rushing to complete a bridge across the Pangong Tso, connecting the north and south banks.