Answer: (c)

Explanation: 

Sea otters also are members of the animal kingdom’s tool-wielding club. And a new study offers a fuller understanding of the tool use – utilizing rocks and other objects to break open hard prey – by these marine mammals. 

About Sea Otters:

• Aquatic mammals found along the Pacific coasts of North America and Asia. 
• Spend most of their time in water, feeding mainly in kelp forests and seagrass beds. 
• With their webbed feet and water-repellent fur, they consume about a quarter of their body weight daily, primarily sea urchins and other marine creatures. 
• Keystone species, maintaining the balance of kelp forests by preying on sea urchins. 
• Classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to their declining population, with only about 3,000 individuals along California’s coastline.

Use of Tools in Animals:

• Galapagos Islands finches: The woodpecker finch Cactospiza pallida, endemic to the Galápagos Islands, uses modified twigs or cactus spines to pry arthropods out of tree holes.
• Dolphins: Some dolphin species use marine sponges to protect their rostrums (snouts) while foraging on the seafloor.

Answer: (b) 

Explanation: 

A new study has uncovered the origins of baobabs, the tall and uniquely shaped deciduous trees which are famously spotted on the island of Madagascar.

Baobab Trees (Genus Adansonia):

• Longevity: Can live up to 2,000 years.
• Height: Some reach up to 50 meters.
• Distribution: Native to Africa, Madagascar, and Australia; introduced in Asia.
  • Statement 1 is incorrect: In India too, a few baobab trees exist, including one near the Golconda Fort in Andhra Pradesh; more than 400 years old. Mandu in Madhya Pradesh is known for its abundance of baobab trees, estimated to be around 1,000 in number, situated in the periphery of Mandu. 
• Statement 2 is correct: Appearance: Large trunks, spindly branches, known as “upside-down” trees because their tops resemble an uprooted plant turned upside down.
• Uses: Edible fruits/seeds, seed oil for cooking, bark fiber for clothing.
• Ecological Role: Keystone species, essential for ecosystem stability.
• Conservation: Three Madagascar species of the baobab trees are threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Answer: (b)

Explanation:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a revised timeline for the auction of Government of India treasury bills.

Government Securities (G-Secs):

• G-Secs are tradeable instruments issued by either the Central Government or State Governments.
• They acknowledge the government’s debt obligation.
• G-Secs can be either short-term (referred to as treasury bills) or long-term (known as Government bonds or dated securities).
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The Central Government issues both treasury bills and bonds, while State Governments issue only bonds (called State Development Loans or SDLs).
• G-Secs are considered risk-free gilt-edged instruments because they carry practically no risk of default.

Treasury Bills (T-bills):

• They are short-term debt instruments issued by the Government of India.
• Statement 1 is correct: Unlike regular bonds, T-bills are zero coupon securities, meaning they pay no interest.
• Statement 3 is correct: T-bills come in three tenors: 91 days, 182 days, and 364 days.
• Instead, they are issued at a discount and redeemed at the face value upon maturity.

Answer: (b)

Explanation:

In an interim order passed recently, the Delhi High Court has protected the personality and publicity rights of actor Jackie Shroff while restraining various entities – e-commerce stores, AI chatbots, social media accounts etc – from misusing the actor’s name, image, voice, and likeness without his consent.

About Personality Rights:

• Personality Rights: Legal rights to protect an individual’s personality under privacy or property rights.
• Importance for Celebrities: Protects against misuse of names, images, voices in advertisements.
• Publicity vs. Privacy Rights:
  • Publicity Rights: Prevent unauthorized commercial exploitation of one’s likeness.
  • Privacy Rights: Protect against public representation without consent.
• Protection in India:
  • Constitutional Basis: Article 21 provides the foundation for privacy and publicity rights.
  • Copyright Act, 1957: Grants moral rights to authors and performers for credit and damage prevention.
  • Trademarks Act, 1999: Section 14 restricts the use of personal names and representations.

Answer: (b)

Explanation: 

Recently, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian died in a helicopter crash in the East Azerbaijan province of Iran.

Pair 1 is correctly matched:

Pair 2 is not matched: Odessa Port: Largest Ukrainian seaport in the Black Sea basin.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: Khan Younis: Gaza’s largest governorate, bombed and attacked by Israel