Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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The recent fire in Mangaf, Kuwait, resulting in the deaths of Indian migrant workers, highlights the poor living conditions and neglect of low-income workers’ rights in GCC states. The Kafala system ties migrant workers’ visas to their employers, granting employers extensive control and contributing to exploitation and vulnerability. Low wages, restricted movement, and the absence of worker unions further exacerbate these issues, worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic by confinement and deportations.

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Tamluk, located in West Bengal, was a significant ancient city known as Tamralipta or Tamralipti. It served as the capital of the Suhma kingdom and later the Pala Empire during the 7th to 9th centuries CE. Excavations have revealed remnants of the ancient town Chandraketugarh. Today, Tamluk is renowned for its production and export of paan (betel leaf), shedding light on its historical trade importance in Indian kingdoms.

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Julian Assange is heading to a courtroom in Saipan, capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, to plead guilty to a single charge and return to Australia. Saipan, located in the Western Pacific Ocean, is a US commonwealth with a history of Spanish, German, and Japanese colonization. Tourism, especially from Korea and China, drives its economy. It’s unique for allowing visa-free entry to Chinese citizens.

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A severe bleaching event has ravaged 97% of coral at Lizard Island, part of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, due to extreme heat stress. Known as Jiigurru or Dyiigurra, Lizard Island is located in Queensland. The island’s traditional owners are the Dingaal people, an Aboriginal Australian clan also known as Dingiil, Walmbarddha, or Walmbaria.

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Researchers discovered 230 million metric tons of minerals essential for electric car batteries on the seabed off Minami-Torishima Island, also known as Marcus Island. This isolated Japanese atoll in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, southeast of Tokyo, has a triangular shape formed by a raised coral reef. The island has a flat terrain with a maximum altitude of 9 meters and an oceanic climate, with an average annual temperature of 25.6°C.

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India’s external affairs minister affirmed support for Mauritius regarding the Chagos Archipelago, aligning with its decolonization stance. Located in the central Indian Ocean, about 1,000 miles south of India’s tip, this UK overseas territory was established on November 8, 1965. Key islands include Diego Garcia, hosting a strategic US military base. The archipelago experiences a tropical marine climate, moderated by trade winds, with high temperatures and humidity.

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Scientists from ISRO successfully mapped the submerged structure of Adam’s Bridge (Ram Setu), a 48 km limestone chain connecting Rameswaram Island (India) to Mannar Island (Sri Lanka). The bridge separates the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait, with shallow waters of 1-10 meters. Geological evidence indicates it was a former land connection, referenced in the Ramayana and Islamic legend, but submerged since 1480 due to natural calamities.

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In the harsh environment of Death Valley, 97 runners recently embarked on the Badwater 135, a 48-hour ultramarathon renowned as the world’s toughest foot race. Death Valley, located in southeastern California, USA is the lowest, hottest, and driest part of North America, spanning 7,800 sq. km, with about 1,425 sq. km below sea level. This rift valley, formed by the sinking of rock between major faulted mountains, is part of Death Valley National Park and the Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve. It is bordered by the Grapevine, Funeral, and Black Mountains to the east, and the Panamint and Cottonwood Mountains to the west.

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A group of senators in Liberia, located along the coast of western Africa, has proposed relocating the capital city, Monrovia, due to recurring flash floods. Liberia is Africa’s oldest republic and the only African state never subjected to colonial rule. Bounded by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, and the Atlantic Ocean, Liberia features notable elevations like Cape Mount, Cape Mesurado, and Cape Palmas. Major rivers include the Mano, Morro, and Cavalla, which form parts of its boundaries. Liberia is rich in natural resources such as iron, diamonds, gold, lead, manganese, graphite, and cyanite.

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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.