Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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The Port of Baltimore, a vital seaport on the Patapsco River in Maryland, serves as a commercial hub connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. Despite its closure due to a bridge collapse on March 26, efforts are underway to remove containers from the stranded ship Dali, a 984-foot vessel. Once completed, it will take weeks to tow the ship and reopen the port, which ranks ninth in the U.S. by trade volume.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Mount Erebus, Antarctica’s most southerly active volcano on Ross Island, spews $6000 worth of gold dust daily. It’s a stratovolcano with a persistent lava lake since 1972, unique for its constant activity and occasional Strombolian eruptions. Researchers monitor it via satellites due to its remote location. Erebus is characterized by a conical shape and layers of lava, tephra, and ash, making it a significant geological phenomenon.

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The first case of bird flu killing a walrus was found on Hopen Island, part of Svalbard, Norway. Hopen Island is located in the Arctic Ocean, in the Svalbard Archipelago, which is part of Norway. The island is situated in the southern part of the archipelago, between the Barents Sea and the Greenland Sea. Hopen Island is one of the smaller islands in the Svalbard group, covering an area of about 47 square kilometers. The island’s landscape is mainly made up of low-lying tundra, rocky outcrops, and coastal cliffs.

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The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is set to build the Shinkun La Tunnel, spanning 4.1 km under the 16,580 feet high Shinku-La pass, linking Himachal’s Lahaul valley and Ladakh’s Zanskar valley. It will be the world’s longest high altitude highway tunnel. Costing Rs. 1,681.5 crores, it promises all-weather connectivity to Ladakh, shortening routes to border areas. Expected to streamline transportation, it will also provide security against long-range artillery shelling or missile firings.

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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.

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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.

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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.