Answer: (C)

Explanation: Recently the 1st INDUS-X Investors Meet held was held at Delhi ahead of 2+2 Indo-US Ministerial Dialogue. INDUS-X stands for enhanced strategic and defence partnership between India and the US. It is aimed at deepening the partnership between the US and Indian defence innovation sectors. INDUS-X was launched in June 2023 to expand strategic technology partnership and defines industrial cooperation between governments, businesses, and academic institutions of India and US. INDUS-X will focus on advancing high-tech cooperation and fostering joint research, development, and production opportunities in the defence sector. The INDUS-X initiative will enable the defence industries of both India and the US to come together to jointly develop and produce military equipment, including the transfer of technology. INDUS-X Investors Meet was organised by the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence and US Department of Defence. The INDUS-X Educational Series (Gurukul) was also launched during the event. INDUS-X Educational Series is named as Gurukul that aims to help the innovators and start-ups to navigate in the defence eco-system of the US and India. Hence, all statements are correct.

Answer: (A)

Explanation:
The Nayi Chetna Campaign aims to advance the rights of women and gender-diverse individuals, for a life without fear, and gender-based discrimination and violence. Campaign activities will deepen awareness on gender-based violence (GBV) amongst self-help group members and encourage GBV reporting. It will also address social norms which sanction and help such forms of violence to prevail. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
The campaign is to be launched on 25 November which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It will be observed across 34 Indian states and UTs till 23 December. The annual campaign will be led by DAY-NRLM’s self-help groups network of over 9.8 crore rural women members with the spirit of a Jan Andolan or people’s movement. Participating ministries includes: Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Women and child development, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Ministry of Education and Literacy Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Answer: (C)

Explanation: NASA probe to observe Apophis, an asteroid as wide as Empire State Building near-Earth encounter. Asteroid 99942 Apophis is a near-Earth object (NEO) estimated to be about 1,100 feet (340 meters) across. Apophis was identified in 2004 as one of the most hazardous asteroids that could impact Earth. It is a stony asteroid believed to consist mostly of silicate materials along with iron and nickel. A radar observation campaign in March 2021, combined with precise orbit analysis, allowed astronomers to conclude that there is no risk of Apophis impacting our planet for at least a century. Its next approach in 2029 will bring the asteroid within a cosmic cat's whisker of Earth - less than one-tenth the moon's distance. OSIRIS-Rex has been rebranded as OSIRIS-APEX to probe the Apophis by the NASA. The spacecraft is set to observe the asteroid's Earth flyby as it nears and ultimately catches up with Apophis. Tidal forces could trigger landslides on Apophis and dislodge rocks and dust particles to create a comet-like tail. Hence, option (c) is correct.

Answer: (C)

Explanation: Kashmiri saffron, also known as Zafran or Kesar, is cultivated and harvested in the Karewa (highlands) of Jammu and Kashmir, especially Pampore. Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) by the FAO recognizes 3 agricultural heritages in India:
1. Koraput Traditional Agriculture, Odisha
2. Kuttanad below Sea Level Farming System, Kerala
3. Pampore Saffron Heritage, Jammu & Kashmir Hence, both statements are correct.

Answer: (B)

Explanation: The animals that are extinct now includes Formosan clouded leopard,Bali tiger, Schomburgk’s deer, Japanese sea lion and Syrian wild ass.

Sumatran elephant is not extinct and are present between 2,400 and 2,800 in numbers. In 2012, the Sumatran elephant was changed from “Endangered” to “Critically Endangered.

Formosan clouded leopard – A leopard species was first described in 1862. Within the next 120 years, it went extinct in its home range in Taiwan. An extensive 15-year survey from 1997 to 2012 also failed to find any individuals.

Bali tiger – It is a tiger species was believed to have gone extinct in the 1950s. The species was described as being the smallest tiger on the Sunda Islands. After a 2017 reform in taxonomy, this species was brought under Panthera tigris sondaica, which includes the extant Sumatran tiger.

Schomburgk’s deer – This species of deer was endemic to Thailand and resembled the barasingha. It was described in 1863. The deer’s population dwindled after Thailand intensified rice cultivation, and was last recorded in 1938.

Japanese sea lion – This species of aquatic mammal went extinct in the 1970s. Until 2003, it was thought to be a subspecies of the California sea lion, but has since been classified as a separate species. It was driven to extinction by over-hunting and possibly submarine warfare during World War II.

Syrian wild ass – This equine species was also called the hemippe. It was rendered extinct by 1927 by overhunting as well as by the consequences of World War I. It was the smallest equine species and couldn’t be domesticated.