Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city and a key economic hub in East Africa, faces severe water shortages due to aging infrastructure, rapid urbanization, and inadequate government response. Located along the Indian Ocean, the city’s growing population and outdated water systems exacerbate the crisis, impacting residents’ daily lives and regional economic activities.

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Russia’s Defence Ministry reported that Russian warplanes intercepted two U.S. strategic bombers over the Barents Sea, preventing a border violation. The Barents Sea, a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, covers 1.4 million sq. km and borders Norway and Russia. Named after Dutch explorer Willem Barents, it was known to Vikings as the Murmean Sea. It is bounded by several archipelagos and seas, including the Svalbard and Novaya Zemlya archipelagos.

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UNESCO has inscribed China’s Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf (Phase II) to its World Heritage List. The Bohai Gulf, the innermost part of the Yellow Sea, covers about 78,000 sq. km along China’s northeastern coast. Historically known as the Gulf of Chili or Pechili, it is surrounded by the Liaodong and Shandong Peninsulas. Major cities like Dalian and Tianjin are located on its shores, and it features important bays such as Liaodong Bay and Bohai Bay. The Yellow River flows into the gulf, which is a key area for petroleum deposits and industries.

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A deadly strike on a playing field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights has heightened concerns about a possible new conflict. The Golan Heights is a rocky plateau in southwestern Syria, about 60 km from Damascus. It covers 1,000 sq km and is surrounded by the Jordan River, the Sea of Galilee, Mount Hermon, the Wadi Al-Ruqqad River, and the Yarmuk River. It is considered occupied territory under international law.

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A state of emergency was declared in Kursk, Russia, after a Ukrainian incursion. Kursk is a city in southwestern Russia, near the Ukrainian border, located along the Seym River, 450 km south of Moscow. It’s known for its fertile soil and moderately continental climate. Kursk is one of Russia’s oldest cities, first mentioned in 1032, and was rebuilt in 1586 as a military outpost. It was the site of the largest tank battle in WWII, the Battle of Kursk, in 1943. Today, Kursk is known for its industries, including machine building, food processing, and a nuclear power station.

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Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused the USA of trying to overthrow her due to her refusal to cede control of Saint Martin Island. Saint Martin Island is Bangladesh’s only coral reef island, located in the southernmost part of the country. The island is also known as “Narikel Zinzira” (Coconut Island) or “Daruchini Dwip” (Cinnamon Island). It was originally part of the Teknaf peninsula but became separated due to submergence.

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The Panama Canal is working to regain trade in liquefied natural gas and food commodities after a historic drought disrupted traffic last year. It connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Isthmus of Panama, serving as a key maritime trade route. Construction began in 1881 by France but failed due to financial and health issues. The U.S. completed the canal in 1914 and managed it until 1999, when Panama took full control under the Torrijos-Carter Treaties.

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Russian forces attacked port infrastructure in Odessa, injuring two people, including a port employee and a grain carrier driver. The attack involved a ballistic missile. Ukraine’s port infrastructure has faced frequent Russian attacks since Russia withdrew from a U.N.-brokered grain shipment deal. Kyiv has since created its own maritime corridor for shipments.

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A British man set a new Guinness World Record for the highest altitude ski BASE jump, leaping from 18,753 feet on Mera Peak in Nepal. Mera Peak is located in the Khumbu region of Nepal, standing at 6,476m above sea level, making it the highest trekking peak in the country. The peak dominates the area between the Hinku and Hongu Drangkas valleys and is considered the gateway to Everest. Trekkers usually climb Mera Central, although Mera North Peak is the highest. Mera Peak was first climbed in 1953 by Col. Jimmy Roberts and Sen Tenzing.

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Researchers from the University of Chile found that Chile’s Atacama Salt Flat is sinking due to lithium brine extraction. The Atacama Salt Flat, or Salar de Atacama, is the largest salt deposit in Chile. It features a white surface with a large salt lake beneath it. The lake under the salt flat holds one of the world’s largest lithium reserves. Located in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, the northern part of the basin includes the San Pedro River delta.