Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Mount Olympus has been nominated for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a Mixed Site. It is being recognised for both its outstanding natural and cultural heritage. Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, with Mytikas (2,917.7 m) as its highest peak. It is located in northeastern Greece, on the border of Thessaly and Central Macedonia. In Greek mythology, it is regarded as the abode of the Twelve Olympian Gods, led by Zeus.

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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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The two-day Telugu Mahotsavam was inaugurated at the Undavalli Caves in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh. The Undavalli Caves are one of India’s finest examples of rock-cut architecture. They are located at Undavalli village in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, overlooking the Krishna River. The caves were built between the 4th and 5th centuries CE and are associated with the Gupta period. They were carved out of solid sandstone on a hillside. The largest cave has four storeys and houses a monolithic reclining idol of Lord Vishnu on the second floor.

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Oman is tackling an oil spill from a grounded tanker near the Hallaniyat Islands in the Arabian Sea. The Hallaniyat Islands, formerly known as the Kuria Muria Islands, are a five-island archipelago located in the Arabian Sea, off the southern coast of Oman. The islands are a protected nature reserve known for coral reefs, turtle nesting beaches and rich marine biodiversity. They provide habitat to Arabian Sea humpback whales, whale sharks, dolphins and diverse fish species.

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Recently, the Indian Army’s Red Shield Division conducted a 14-day joint security and counter-drone training programme for CISF personnel at the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport. Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport is located in Agartala, Tripura. It is named after Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya, the former ruler of Tripura. The airport is an important centre for regional connectivity and logistics in Northeast India. Its location near the India-Bangladesh international border gives it strategic importance.

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A German-Turkish research team conducted the first scientific survey of Mount Ararat’s glacier in eastern Turkey in July 2026. The researchers worked at an altitude of over 5,000 metres, facing extreme cold, strong winds and very low oxygen levels. Mount Ararat is a snow-covered dormant/inactive compound stratovolcano in eastern Turkey, near the borders of Armenia and Iran. It has two main peaks: Greater Ararat (5,137 m) and Lesser Ararat (3,896 m). Greater Ararat is the highest mountain in Turkey, standing at 5,137 metres. Mount Ararat is traditionally associated with the resting place of Noah’s Ark and holds significant cultural importance, particularly for Armenians.

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On August 15, 2026, the Gujarat Forest Department released 20 blackbucks into the Banni Grasslands of Kutch as part of a wildlife rewilding initiative. Banni grassland is located in Gujarat’s Kutch district and is home to 22 ethnic groups, mainly pastoralists. It has rich biodiversity with 37 grass species, 275 bird species, and domesticated animals like buffalo, sheep, and camel. The Banni Grasslands include the Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary and Chhari Dhand Conservation Reserve.

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The Orinoco Oil Belt is located in Venezuela, in the southern basin of the Orinoco River. It contains some of the world’s largest deposits of extra-heavy crude oil. The region has gained renewed attention following US licences allowing certain international entities, including ONGC Videsh Limited, to resume upstream petroleum operations. The development is significant for energy security and recovery of pending dividends.

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SpaceX recovered its Starship spacecraft nearly 24 days after its controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The spacecraft was towed near Christmas Island for inspection and assessment. Christmas Island is an external territory of Australia located in the eastern Indian Ocean. It is situated about 350 km south of Java and Sumatra and around 1,550 km northwest of mainland Australia.