Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed a redevelopment plan for Powai Lake in Mumbai, with consultancy support from AECOM Asia Company Limited. Powai Lake is an artificial lake located in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It was constructed by the British in 1890 by damming the Mithi River to augment Bombay’s water supply. The lake is surrounded by the Powai Bird Sanctuary and serves as an important habitat for resident and migratory birds, besides supporting Marsh Crocodiles and the conservation of the Indian Mahaseer.

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A recent study found that more than 1,000 tiny earthquakes have revealed a deep, slanted magma reservoir beneath Lake Laach, instead of the vertical reservoir scientists had expected. Lake Laach is a volcanic caldera lake located in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is part of the East Eifel volcanic field in the larger Eifel volcanic region. The lake was formed by a massive volcanic eruption and still shows signs of volcanic activity through mofettes, which release carbon dioxide bubbles.

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The Prime Minister recently visited the Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Temple during his State visit to Seychelles. It is a Hindu temple located in Victoria, the capital of Seychelles. It is the only Hindu temple in Seychelles. The temple was built in 1992 by the Hindu community in Seychelles. It is dedicated to Lord Vinayagar (Lord Ganesha) and is located on Mahé Island. The temple is built in the Dravidian architectural style, resembling the temples of Tamil Nadu.

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Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports conducted a 22-member mountaineering expedition to the Mt Khyam Tso Massif in the Rumtse Phu region of Ladakh. The expedition was flagged off on 26 June 2026 under the leadership of Hem Chandra Singh. Mt Khyam Tso Massif is a rugged, high-altitude mountain range located in the remote Rumtse Phu region of Ladakh. The massif consists of technically challenging peaks, many of which rise to over 6,000 metres above sea level. It is known for its difficult terrain and extreme weather conditions, making it a demanding destination for mountaineering expeditions.

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Recently, a Chinese Navy destroyer, along with Russian naval vessels, conducted live-fire drills near Japan’s Okinotori Island, marking the first such disclosure by Japan. Okinotori (also called Parece Vela) is a tiny, uninhabited atoll in the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is Japan’s southernmost island and part of the Ogasawara Islands. At high tide, only two rocky outcrops remain above sea level. Japan claims an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around Okinotori, a claim disputed by China. Its location between Taiwan and Guam makes it strategically important for military and shipping routes.

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UNESCO has added Sebastia (West Bank) and five castles in Lebanon’s Mount Amel region, including Beaufort Castle, to both the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger. Sebastia, near Nablus in the West Bank, was the ancient city of Samaria, the capital of the biblical Kingdom of Israel. The Mount Amel inscription covers five historic castles in southern Lebanon, including Beaufort Castle. These castles represent a blend of Crusader, Ayyubid, Mamluk, and local architectural styles, reflecting nearly 900 years of military and cultural history.

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Lake Mead was recently in the news after its water level fell to about 1,040.4 feet, the lowest recorded level since the reservoir was created. It is a reservoir on the Colorado River, located on the Arizona–Nevada border in the southwestern United States. Lake Mead was created by the construction of Hoover Dam, which impounds the Colorado River. It is the largest reservoir in the United States by total water-storage capacity.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin recently visited Iturup, one of the disputed southern Kuril Islands, for the first time. Japan claims four southern Kuril Islands as the “Northern Territories”, while they are administered by Russia. The Kuril Islands form a volcanic chain stretching about 1,300 km from Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula to Japan’s Hokkaido. The islands lie along the Pacific Ring of Fire and separate the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean. The region is strategically important because of its location, fishing grounds and mineral resources. The territorial dispute has contributed to the absence of a formal Russia–Japan World War II peace treaty.

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Flores Island is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands, also known as Nusa Tenggara. It is located in eastern Indonesia and belongs administratively to East Nusa Tenggara province. The island lies along the Sunda Arc, making the region highly active seismically and volcanically. The Lesser Sunda Islands form a volcanic arc associated with the subduction of the Indo-Australian Plate. Flores was recently in the news following a powerful 7.7-magnitude shallow earthquake offshore, with the epicentre near Ende.

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On 30 August 2026, US forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz. Larak Island is a small Iranian island located in the Strait of Hormuz. It lies south of Hormuz Island, southeast of Bandar Abbas, and southeast of the eastern end of Qeshm Island. The island is strategically important because it is situated close to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s major maritime chokepoints. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, providing a crucial maritime route for global energy transportation.