Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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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 National Green Tribunal (NGT) has requested a response from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) regarding the deteriorating condition of Varkala cliff, a national geo-heritage site. It is located in Varkala, Kerala. The cliff stretches 3 km and exposes sedimentary rocks from the Mio-Pliocene Age (13 lakh to 2.5 crore years ago). Varkala is the only place on India’s west coast where these ancient sediments are visible. The cliff towers up to 80 meters and is home to the Papanasam Beach, known for its therapeutic springs. It supports local biodiversity and is essential for coastal aquifers and fishing communities.

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The Nazca Lines, ancient geoglyphs in Peru, have seen a surge in discoveries thanks to AI technology. A recent study utilized drones and AI to analyze over 600 sq km of the Nazca Pampa, leading to the identification of 303 new geoglyphs in just six months. This advancement marks a significant increase in archaeological discoveries, highlighting AI’s potential to revolutionize the field, similar to the impact of aerial imaging in the past. Nazca Lines (Pampa de Nazca) is located in the South American country Peru.

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Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, has been overtaken by Islamist rebel factions for the first time in over a decade. Located in northern Syria, about 30 miles from the Turkish border, Aleppo is a significant ancient trade hub. The Quwayq River runs through Aleppo, often drying up due to heavy water usage in Turkey. The terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is involved in the takeover. Aleppo is home to the UNESCO World Heritage site “Old City of Aleppo,” known for its medieval Islamic architecture, including the iconic citadel.

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The mass die-off of nearly 400 elephants in Botswana’s Okavango Delta in 2020 was linked to climate change-induced toxic algal blooms. Researchers found that elephants drank from contaminated waterholes where cyanobacteria thrived due to a shift from a very dry year to an extremely wet one. This environmental change led to the proliferation of harmful toxins in stagnant water, resulting in the deaths of elephants across the region. The study emphasizes the need for monitoring water quality to prevent similar ecological disasters. Okavango Delta is located in Botswana. It is both UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ramsar Wetland.

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The Mount Kanlaon volcano in the Philippines erupted, leading to evacuations from nearby villages. It is the highest mountain on Negros Island and ranks 42nd among the tallest peaks on islands globally. Kanlaon is an active stratovolcano, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The summit, at 2,435 meters, features a broad caldera with a crater lake and a smaller, more active crater to the south. The volcano’s base spans 30 km by 14 km and is composed of volcanic materials like lava flows, lahar deposits, and pyroclastic materials.

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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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Israel plans to double its population in the occupied Golan Heights, a hilly region overlooking the upper Jordan River valley. The Golan Heights, originally Syrian territory, was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981, though this is not internationally recognized. It spans 71 km north to south, 43 km wide, and covers 1,150 sq. km. The region has 30+ Israeli settlements with 20,000 settlers, considered illegal under international law, alongside 20,000 Druze Arabs who remained after the occupation. The Golan Heights is strategically important for water resources, overlooks Damascus, and borders Jordan and Lebanon.

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A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.3 struck Vanuatu, causing significant damage and potential casualties. Vanuatu is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and west of Fiji. Its capital, Port Vila, is located on the island of Efate. The country consists of 13 principal volcanic islands and many smaller ones, with active volcanoes like Yasur, Manaro, and Garet. Initially colonized by Melanesians, it became the New Hebrides under Anglo-French rule and gained independence in 1980. Vanuatu is highly vulnerable to climate change, with sea levels rising twice the global average, ranking it most at risk globally.