Answer: C

Explanation:

Recently, the UN Security Council demanded that Sudanese paramilitary forces end their eight-week siege of El Fasher in Darfur. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is an organ of the United Nations (UN) and is responsible for maintaining international peace and security. It was established by the UN Charter in 1945 and is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

The United Nations Security Council consists of 15 members including five permanent members (P5) and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms and each member has one vote. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

The five permanent members are China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States and they have veto power. Its headquarter is in New York, USA. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Recently, the President of India attended the Raja Parb celebration at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. The Raja Parb is one of the most celebrated festivals of Odisha. The three-day-long agricultural festival is celebrated during the onset of monsoons, dedicated to celebrating womanhood. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Women are encouraged to rest and refrain from walking barefoot, symbolizing their honored status. During Raja Parb, Bhudevi, the wife of Lord Jagannath, is worshipped; women wear sarees or new clothes on the first day called Pahili; and the second and third days are known as Mithun Sankranti and Basi Raja, respectively. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Answer: D

Explanation:

Various cultural performances, including Raja geet, Mayurbhanj Chhau dance, Sambalpuri dance and Karma dance were performed recently on the occasion of Raj Parb Festival. Mayurbhanj Chhau is a martial arts dance form from Mayurbhanj district in Odisha. It's a dramatic, rhythmic dance that combines dance and is performed by men at night in open spaces. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Chhau exists in three distinct styles, each named after its place of origin: the Purulia Chhau of Bengal, the Seraikella Chhau of Jharkhand and the Mayurbhanj Chhau of Odisha. In 2016, the state government launched Project Chhauni to revive Mayurbhanj Chhau by establishing a performing unit and selecting 100 dancers through auditions. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Recently, in Jammu and Kashmir, thousands of Kashmiri Pandits thronged the revered Kheer Bhawani temple dedicated to Ragnya Devi on the occasion of Mela Kheer Bhawani festival. The Kheer Bhawani Temple, also known as the Ragnya Devi temple, is a Hindu shrine in the village of Tulmulla, Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir. It was built in the 1910s under Maharaja Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir and was later renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh. References to Kheer Bhawani can be found in ancient texts such as Kalhana's Rajtarangini and the Bhrigu Samhita.

Here, statements I and II both are correct and statement II is the correct explanation of statement I. Hence, option (a) is correct.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Recently, a 2022 World Wildlife Fund report highlighted an 83% decline in global freshwater vertebrate populations since 1970, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced monitoring and conservation efforts using environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis. Environmental DNA (eDNA) refers to the DNA fragments shed by organisms into their environment through sources like mucus, feces, mucus and tissue particles. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

It provides detailed insights into ecosystem biodiversity and health without causing harm to the environment. It is collected by filtering water samples to capture the DNA fragments. Hence, statement 2 is correct.