Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Willingdon Island, a man-made island in Kochi, Kerala, is undergoing discussions for rejuvenation to revive its commercial operations. It is a man-made island named after Lord Willingdon, a British Viceroy, and is among the largest of its type in India. The island houses the Kochi Naval Base, Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, and the Port of Kochi, and is linked to the mainland by the Venduruthy Bridge. Lord Willingdon (1931-1936) was known for major events like the Government of India Act, 1935, the Poona Pact, and the Round Table Conferences involving Gandhi and Ambedkar.

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The Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland experienced its seventh volcanic eruption since December 2023. It is located in southwest Iceland. It is part of the submarine Reykjanes Ridge on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The region hosts volcanic systems such as Reykjanes, Svartsengi, Fagradalsfjall, Krýsuvík, Brennisteinsfjöll, and Hengill. It features en-echelon fissure systems and attracts tourists for volcano tours, hiking trails, and the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. The peninsula has a population of around 27,829 (2020), with Reykjanesbær as its largest settlement.

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French President praised over 1,000 craftspeople who rebuilt Notre-Dame Cathedral after a devastating fire in 2019. Notre-Dame is a famous Gothic cathedral in located in Paris, France. It is known for its size, age, and architectural features. Its construction began in 1163 and continued throughout the Gothic period, completed by 1250. It was the site of significant events, including Napoleon’s coronation and royal weddings. A fire on April 15, 2019, severely damaged the roof and spire. The cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showcasing naturalistic sculptures and stained-glass windows.

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The Phlegraean Fields, near Naples, Italy, are a massive supervolcano starting to show signs of activity, raising concerns among scientists. Unlike Mount Vesuvius, it’s a volcanic system with multiple centers within a caldera, a large depression formed by a past eruption 39,000 years ago. The caldera spans 12-15 km and extends under the Tyrrhenian Sea. Phlegraean Fields is Europe’s largest active caldera and more active than Vesuvius. It has been restless since 1950 due to bradyseism and last erupted in 1538, forming Monte Nuovo. It is among the top carbon dioxide emitters worldwide.

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Thousands of political prisoners were released from Syria’s Saydnaya Prison, infamous for inhumane conditions. Saydnaya Prison, near Damascus, was established in the 1980s and operated by the Syrian military police since 1987. The prison was notorious for being a “human slaughterhouse” with severe human rights violations. Syria, located in the Middle East, shares borders with Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, and the Mediterranean Sea. Its strategic location connects the Levant region to the broader Arab world.

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Israel’s military recently targeted several key Syrian military sites, including naval vessels at Latakia Port. Latakia Port is located on the East Mediterranean coast, with a good harbor and a vast agricultural hinterland to the west of Syria. It serves as Syria’s principal port, exporting products like bitumen, asphalt, cereals, cotton, fruit, eggs, vegetable oil, pottery, and tobacco. The port city’s local industries include cotton ginning, vegetable oil processing, tanning, and sponge fishing.

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A Russian oil tanker recently split during a storm, spilling oil into the Kerch Strait. The Kerch Strait connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov and separates Crimea from Russia’s Taman Peninsula. It’s 3 km long, 15 km wide, and 18 meters deep, with its narrowest point being just 3-5 km. Kerch city is located on the Crimean side, and the strait is a vital global shipping route. After Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, it has been a point of conflict. The Kerch Strait Bridge, completed in 2018, links Russia to Crimea and is Europe’s longest bridge.

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Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano, one of the world’s most active, is erupting again. It is located in Hawaii’s Big Island within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, USA. Kilauea is the youngest and most active shield volcano in Hawaii, known for frequent eruptions. Its eruptions occur from vents at its summit caldera or along rift zones. The central crater, Halemaumau, holds mythological significance as the believed home of the Hawaiian fire goddess Pele.

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US President-elect Donald Trump has expressed interest in buying Greenland, the world’s largest non-continent island. It is located between North America and Europe in the North Atlantic Ocean. Greenland is geographically part of North America. It is surrounded by the Arctic Ocean, Greenland Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Davis Strait, and Baffin Bay. Once a Danish colony, Greenland is now an autonomous province of Denmark. Greenland’s highest point is Gunnbjorn’s Fjeld, and its capital is Nuuk.

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Mount Ibu, an active stratovolcano in Indonesia, erupted, sending ash clouds 3 kilometers high. It is located on Halmahera Island’s northwest coast. Mount Ibu is one of Indonesia’s 127 active volcanoes. Indonesia, part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” with 127 active volcanoes, often experiences such events. A stratovolcano, or composite volcano, has a conical shape formed by layers of volcanic material from successive eruptions.