Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Amidst ongoing conflict, Russia and Ukraine exchange accusations of launching kamikaze drones targeting Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Captured early in the war, the plant’s reactors are gradually being shut down despite intermittent attempts to reconnect to the Russian energy grid. Situated near Enerhodar in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine, the plant’s six power units utilize VVER reactors. The proximity to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster site adds gravity to potential risks.

Notes:
Archaeologists in Pompeii unearthed a black-walled banqueting hall adorned with vibrant frescoes depicting Greek mythology. Pompeii, a preserved ancient Roman city near Naples, Italy, lies at the base of Mount Vesuvius. Established in the Bronze Age, it thrived under Roman rule, boasting a population of 10-12,000. Buried by Vesuvius in 79 CE, Pompeii remained hidden until rediscovery in 1748. Its remarkably preserved state offers profound insights into Roman life, earning it UNESCO World Heritage status.

Notes:
Mount Ruang, a stratovolcano in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province, recently erupted, sending an ash cloud over a mile high. Standing at 10,932 feet, it boasts a two-mile-wide caldera. Stratovolcanoes, like Ruang, are tall, steep, and cone-shaped, often found near subduction zones. They account for about 60% of Earth’s volcanoes, characterized by explosive eruptions due to cooler, more viscous lavas. Ruang’s summit typically features a small crater, sometimes filled with water or ice.

Notes:
The G-7 foreign ministers convened in Capri, Italy from April 17-19, 2024, led by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. Amid Iran’s attack on Israel and ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, they issued three communiques condemning Iran’s actions and pledging sanctions. Representatives from EU joined. The ministers urged de-escalation and called upon Iran and Israel to prevent further conflict. Italy, as G7 chair, hosted the crucial diplomatic gathering.

Notes:
Russian peacekeepers are withdrawing from Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan regained control from Armenian separatists. Nagorno-Karabakh, also Artsakh, is a mountainous region in the South Caucasus, claimed by both Azerbaijan and Armenia since 1917. Although internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, it’s predominantly inhabited by ethnic Armenians with their own government. Both Armenians and Azerbaijanis have historical and religious ties to the region, leading to ongoing tension.

Notes:
Experts fear that Kitum, the world’s deadliest cave in Mount Elgon National Park, Kenya, could harbor the next pandemic, Marburg virus, flagged as “epidemic-prone” by World Health Organization. Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) is a severe hemorrhagic fever affecting humans and primates, caused by a unique zoonotic RNA virus related to Ebola. Transmitted through bat-inhabited caves, it spreads via direct contact with infected bodily fluids, raising concerns about potential outbreaks and the need for heightened vigilance.

Notes:
French President hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at Pyrenees’ Tourmalet Pass for private talks. The Pyrenees form a natural border between Spain and France, extending 500 km from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Created by the collision of Iberia with Eurasia, it’s politically divided between Spain and France, with Andorra in between. Aneto Peak, at 3,404 m, is its highest point. The mountains also merge with the Cantabrian range in Spain.

Notes:
The Cook Islands, self-governing since 1965, aims to mine minerals from its seabed for electric car batteries. The Cook Islands are located in the South Pacific Ocean, about 2,900 km northeast of New Zealand and 4,500 km south of Hawaii. Its 15 islands, once a New Zealand colony, host a vast territorial water area, comparable to Mexico’s size. Researchers found nodules rich in cobalt and manganese on the seabed, growing as thick as a credit card every million years. Technological barriers to extraction have recently eased, sparking international interest in the Cook Islands’ mineral potential.

Notes:
Pirates’ recent assault in the Gulf of Aden sparks alarm. The gulf acts as a crucial maritime corridor connecting the Red Sea and Arabian Sea. Named after Yemen’s Port of Aden, it borders Somalia to the south and Yemen to the north, with the Arabian Sea to the east and Djibouti to the west. The prominent Sheba Ridge characterizes its terrain, extending from the Indian Ocean ridge system.

Notes:
In the Strait of Gibraltar, orcas sank a sailing yacht, with the incident occurring in Moroccan waters. The strait connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, separating Europe and Africa. Its narrowest point lies between Morocco and Spain. Geological studies attribute its formation to the movement of tectonic plates. Water flow dynamics involve the Mediterranean Sea’s highly saline waters flowing outward beneath the Atlantic Ocean’s currents, while less saline waters flow inward atop the Mediterranean current.