Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled his visit to Vicharpur village in Shahdol district, Madhya Pradesh, during a conversation with podcaster Lex Fridman. He called Vicharpur a “Mini Brazil” due to its deep football culture. Prime Minister Modi also mentioned Vicharpur in the 103rd episode of Mann Ki Baat. Every family in the village has played football for four generations. Around 80 national-level players have emerged from Vicharpur.

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Amid tensions with the United States, Iran installed missile systems on the disputed islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa near the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, specifically the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Musandam (Oman). It connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. Iran is on the north coast, while the UAE is on the south coast. The strait is 167 kilometers long, with a width ranging from 39 to 95 kilometers. It allows the passage of large vessels despite narrowing towards the north. Key islands in the strait include Hengam, Hormuz, and Qishm. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global trade route, with 30% of the world’s liquefied gas and 25% of oil passing through it.

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Rushikonda Beach in Visakhapatnam regained its Blue Flag certification after a temporary withdrawal due to compliance issues. The Blue Flag certification is administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), Denmark. Rushikonda Beach is the only Blue Flag-certified beach in Andhra Pradesh. Known for its golden sands and clear waters, it is a popular destination for relaxation and swimming. The certification ensures high environmental, safety, and cleanliness standards for sustainable beach tourism.

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China recently deployed two long-range H-6 bombers near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea to assert sovereignty. Scarborough Shoal, also called Scarborough Reef, is a coral atoll in the eastern South China Sea. It is located 220 km west of Luzon, Philippines, and is the largest atoll in the region. The atoll is submerged at high tide, with only a few rocks visible above sea level. It is a rich fishing ground with valuable marine life. The shoal is a disputed territory between China and the Philippines, with both claiming exclusive rights.

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A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Tonga, triggering a tsunami warning. Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an archipelago of 169 islands, with 36 inhabited. It lies south of Samoa, east of Fiji, and north of the Tropic of Capricorn in the South Pacific Ocean. The western islands are volcanic, with four active volcanoes, while the eastern islands are coral and low-lying. Tongatapu, Ha’apai, and Vava’u are the largest islands, with Nuku‘alofa as the capital. Located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, Tonga frequently experiences volcanic activity.

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A United States (U.S.) national was arrested in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for allegedly entering the prohibited tribal reserve area of North Sentinel Island. North Sentinel Island is part of the Andaman Islands, an Indian Union Territory in the Bay of Bengal. It is located west of the central Andaman Islands and covers about 60 square kilometers. The island is densely forested, surrounded by a shallow reef, and home to the Sentinelese tribe. The Sentinelese are believed to be direct descendants of the first humans who migrated from Africa around 60,000 years ago. They have lived in isolation for thousands of years, resisting contact with the outside world. The island is protected under the Andaman and Nicobar Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act, 1956, prohibiting anyone from approaching within 5 nautical miles.

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The United States President imposed a 10% tariff on imports from Heard and McDonald Islands, even though these islands have no known exports to the US. Heard and McDonald Islands are remote volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about 4,100 km from Perth, Australia, and 1,600 km from Antarctica. They are one of Australia’s seven external territories and are directly governed by the Australian government. Heard Island has Big Ben volcano with Mawson Peak, the highest mountain in Australia outside mainland and Tasmania. McDonald Island is smaller but has doubled in size due to volcanic eruptions in the 1990s and 2000s. These are the only volcanically active sub-Antarctic islands and are used to study earth’s crust, climate change, and glaciers. They are part of a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site since 1997

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United States (US) air strikes on Yemen’s Ras Isa oil port have killed at least 80 people. Ras Isa Port is located on the Ras al-Mashawn Peninsula in Yemen. It lies along the Gulf of Aden, about 35 kilometers west of the city of Al Mahrah. The Marib–Ras Isa oil pipeline is a vital part of Yemen’s energy network. This pipeline connects the inland oil fields of Marib to the Ras Isa Marine Terminal on the Red Sea. The port plays a major role in Yemen’s oil exports and overall economic stability.

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Recently, Indonesia and China reaffirmed their commitment to maritime cooperation amid rising tensions over Chinese activity near the Natuna Islands. Natuna Island, also known as Bunguran Island, is the largest in the Natuna Islands archipelago. It is located in the northernmost part of Indonesia’s Riau Islands Province in the South China Sea. The island lies roughly halfway between Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo Island. It features Mount Ranai, the highest point on the island, which stands at 1,035 meters above sea level. This region is strategically important and often sees overlapping maritime claims.

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A massive explosion recently hit Iran’s Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, causing a huge fire and leading to many deaths and injuries. The blast is suspected to have been caused by sodium perchlorate, a chemical used in ballistic missile propulsion. Shahid Rajaee Port is Iran’s largest and most advanced commercial port. It is located near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route through which about 26% of the world’s oil is transported. The port manages 85% of Iran’s container cargo, 52% of its oil trade, and over half of its total maritime cargo. It lies along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), linking the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea, Russia, and Northern Europe.