Ans: A

Exp:

Recently, the fourth global mass coral bleaching event has been triggered by extraordinary ocean temperatures, According to the  US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) .

Statement 1 is correct: Coral bleaching is a phenomenon that takes place when the symbiotic relationship between algae (zooxanthellae) and their host corals breaks down under certain environmental stresses. 

• Sea algae and corals share a symbiotic existence in the ocean. When the sea waters turn warm in summers and remain so for more than 28 days, the corals experience thermal stress.
•  Due to this, the corals expel the algae residing in their tissues and turn colourless or bleach. 
• Corals are sensitive to temperature changes, which affect photosynthesis and calcification of their structures, making them prone to diseases and even death

Statement 2 is  incorrect: Coral bleaching doesn’t immediately lead to the death of corals. They rather go under more stress and are subject to mortality. 

• Coral bleaching reduces the reproductivity of corals and makes them more vulnerable to fatal diseases.
•  If the bleaching is not too severe, corals have been known to recover.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Recently, the fourth global mass coral bleaching event has been triggered by extraordinary ocean temperatures, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

• Third Mass Bleaching event took place during 2020.

Ans:  B

Exp:

 Recently, NASA  welcomed Sweden as the 38th country to sign the Artemis Accords. 

Statement 1 is incorrect: Artemis Accords is a non-binding multilateral arrangement between the US government and other global governments. 

• This is an effort by America to return humans to the moon by 2025 for the sole purpose of space exploration. 

Statement 2 is correct: Artemis Accords are established by the U.S. State Department and NASA with seven other founding members: Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom in 2020 for setting common principles to govern civil exploration and use of outer space, the moon, Mars, comets, and asteroids, for peaceful purposes.

• India is the 27th country to sign the Artemis Accords.

Statement 3 is correct: Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon, make new scientific discoveries, and explore more of the lunar surface than ever before for the benefit of all.

Ans: A

Exp: 

Recently, for the first time, members of the Shompen tribe who reside in the dense tropical rain forests of the Great Nicobar island   casted  their votes

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2024 amends the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 to modify the list of SCs and STs in Odisha. PVTGs added to the Scheduled Tribes list in Odisha:

• Pauri Bhuyan and Paudi Bhuyan (included as synonyms of Bhuyan Tribe).
• Chuktia Bhunjia (recognized as Bhunjia tribe).
• Bondo community (sub-tribe of Bondo Poraja).
• Mankidia community (synonym of Mankirdia tribe).

Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: Shompen, one of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the country reside in the dense tropical rain forests of the Great Nicobar island. 

• The estimated population of Shompen was 229 as per the 2011 Census data.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 seeks to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, in relation to Andhra Pradesh. The Order lists the tribes deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in states and union territories.

• •  The Bill adds the following Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) to the list of STs in Andhra Pradesh: 

• Bondo Porja, 

• Khond Porja, and 

• Konda Savaras.

Pair 4 is incorrectly matched: The Onge are one of the tribes of India’s Andaman Islands. 

• They were the sole permanent inhabitants of Little Andaman until the 1940s when their land was stolen by settlers from India, Bangladesh and the Nicobar Islands.
• Now, they share their island with about 17,000 settlers, and are forced to live in a cramped reserve, a tiny fraction of the size of their original territory.

Ans: B

Exp:

Recently, Three new archaeological sites were  discovered in Telangana.

Option B is correct:  A team of archaeologists claimed to have discovered a unique Iron Age megalithic site at Ooragutta near Bandala village in SS Tadvai mandal of Mulugu district, Telangana. 

• Though the exact number of monuments could not be counted in the dense forest and slopes of the hill, there appears to be more than 200 megalithic monuments.

Ans: B

Exp:

Recently India delivered the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Philippines.

Statement 1 is incorrect: BrahMos is a long-range nuclear-capable supersonic cruise missile system. It possesses the capability to be deployed from several platforms, including air, sea, and land. 

• It is capable of travelling at speeds of up to Mach 3, and it is one of the world’s fastest cruise missiles. It was developed by BrahMos Aerospace and tested for the first time in 2001.

Statement 2 is correct: BrahMos has been jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, India, and NPOM, NPO Mashinostroyeniya Russia. BrahMos weapon systems have been inducted and are operational with the Indian Armed Forces. 

• BrahMos is named after the rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva (Russia). BrahMos is the potent offensive missile weapon system already inducted into the Armed Forces.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Cruise missiles can be launched from a variety of platforms, including ground, air, sea, and submarine. 

• The missile has an identical configuration for land, sea, and sub-sea platforms and uses a Transport Launch Canister (TLC) for transportation, storage, and launch.

Statement 4 is correct: Brahmos uses stealth technology and a guidance system with advanced embedded software.

•  It uses the “Fire and Forget” principle of operation and has a high supersonic speed throughout the flight (up to 290 km).