I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?

Known by all without exception, Forever here, for your protection, Sometimes strong, sometimes weak, Right after the night I come - hot and chic. And while millions of miles away, I always get to you, I find my way. No life around could do without me, Can you guess what I might be?

The first person saw the bridge step on it and crossed,
the second person saw the bridge did not step on it but crossed,
the third person did not see the bridge did not step on it but crossed.
Who are these people?

There is a river to cross using a river raft and there are eight people (father, mother, policeman, thief, 2 daughters and 2 sons). No one knows to operate the raft except the adults and also excluding the thief. Only two people can go in the raft at a time. The raft should keep coming back and forth in order to pick and drop the people.
Rules to be followed:
Father: the father cannot stay in the raft or outside the raft without the presence of the mother.
Mother: the mother cannot stay in the raft or outside the rat without the presence of the father.
Thief: the thief is not allowed to stay with any of the family members unless there is a policeman.
Policeman: the policeman can travel with anyone.
2 sons and 2 daughters: they are not allowed to travel in the raft without the presence of an adult. They cannot either travel in the presence of only thieves without the policeman. The sons cannot be with their mothers without their father's supervision. The daughters are not allowed to be there with their fathers without the supervision of their mothers. But the daughters and the sons can be left unsupervised (as long as the other rules are applied).
What is the sequence that the people should follow in order to cross the river through the raft keeping in mind all the rules?
The rules are applicable not only in the raft but also outside the raft.

Can you find the thief by just looking at the picture below?

What word is identified by the below rebus?

Your Your Your Your Your
Your Your Your Your Your

You are a thief and you are being punished for your crime. People have tied your head down on a tree with a rope that has been anchored in the ground. A candle is burning below the rope which is slowly burning it away. Just below your head, a Lion has been left loose and is waiting for you to drop down on the ground so he can have you as his lunch.

You have to survive the scenario. How will you do it?

Look at this sequence from top to bottom. What is the next number in the sequence?
1
11
21
1211
111221
312211

There are five vowels (a, e, i, o, u) in the English language.
Can you tell us a word that contains all these vowels?

Below the four parts have been reorganised. The four partitions are exactly the same in both arrangements. Why is there a hole?