Answer: A

Explanation:

On account of the 10th International Day of Yoga today, Prime Minister of India led celebrations at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) on the banks of Dal Lake. The International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually on June 21. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in December 2014. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

The initiative to establish an International Day of Yoga was proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech at the UNGA on September 27, 2014. The first International Day of Yoga was celebrated on June 21, 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

The International Yoga Day 2024 theme is “Yoga for Self and Society.” The theme for 2023 was "Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" which means "Yoga for the World is One Family". Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

Answer: A

Explanation:

June 21 is the day of Summer Solstice in 2024. The Summer Solstice is an astronomical event that marks the longest day of the year, typically occurring around June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

It happens because the Earth's axial tilt is inclined towards the Sun, at approximately 23.5 degrees. The Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N latitude) experiences direct sunlight. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Recently, a Limbless amphibian (Striped caecilian), recorded for the first time in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve during a rapid herpetofauna survey conducted from June 14-17. The striped caecilian (Ichthyophis spp) is a limbless amphibian. The Western Ghats of India is a biodiversity hotspot for caecilians, with 26 of the 39 described species in India being endemic to the region. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Caecilian is generalist predator that eats soil invertebrates like earthworms, ants, termites and beetle pupae. It also eats leaf humus and other plant fragments. It burrows under the soil; found in diverse ecosystems such as flood plains, wetlands, grasslands and hill tracts on the periphery of Kaziranga. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Recently, NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) orbiter captured a stellar display of purple-colored lights on Mars. The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) Orbiter is a spacecraft launched by NASA on November 18, 2013. Hence, statement I is correct.

MAVEN’s primary objective is to study the upper atmosphere of Mars and its interaction with the solar wind. It is equipped with instruments such as the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS), Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NGIMS) and Solar Wind Electron Analyzer (SWEA). Hence, statement II is correct.

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

Answer: D

Explanation:

Recently, the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reached Colombo as part of his official visit to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean, south of India. It is separated from the Indian peninsula by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait Sri Lanka shares its maritime borders with the Maldives to the southwest and India to the northwest. Colombo is the capital of Sri Lanka. The highest point of Sri Lanka is Pidurutalagala. The major rivers of Sri Lanka include Mahaweli, Kelani, Walawe, Arivi Aru, Kalunganga and Maduru Oya. Hence, option (d) is correct.