Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Russian troops launched a large-scale offensive to retake parts of the western Kursk region from Ukrainian forces. Kursk is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, located along Russia’s southwestern border. It lies about 450 km (280 miles) south of Moscow, along the upper Seym River. The region is part of the Black Earth territory, known for its highly fertile soil. Kursk has a moderately continental climate, experiencing distinct seasonal variations.

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Japan will introduce a US$27 climbing fee on Mount Fuji’s four main trails this summer to reduce overcrowding and improve safety. Mount Fuji (Fuji-san) is Japan’s tallest mountain at 3,776 meters, located in Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures. It lies 100 km southwest of Tokyo and is part of the Fuji Volcanic Zone, a chain extending from the Mariana Islands to northern Honshu. It is a stratovolcano, dormant since 1707 but still classified as active. It is one of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains” and a UNESCO World Heritage site (2013).

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Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano in Indonesia erupted frequently, sending an ash column 8,200 meters high. Authorities expanded the danger zone, but evacuation details are unavailable. It is located on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. It is part of a twin-volcano system, with Lewotobi Laki-Laki (male) and Lewotobi Perempuan (female). These are stratovolcanoes, formed by repeated lava layers. Indonesia frequently experiences volcanic eruptions as it lies on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire,’ where tectonic activity causes earthquakes and tsunamis.

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A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Tonga, triggering a tsunami warning. Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an archipelago of 169 islands, with 36 inhabited. It lies south of Samoa, east of Fiji, and north of the Tropic of Capricorn in the South Pacific Ocean. The western islands are volcanic, with four active volcanoes, while the eastern islands are coral and low-lying. Tongatapu, Ha’apai, and Vava’u are the largest islands, with Nuku‘alofa as the capital. Located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, Tonga frequently experiences volcanic activity.

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A United States (U.S.) national was arrested in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for allegedly entering the prohibited tribal reserve area of North Sentinel Island. North Sentinel Island is part of the Andaman Islands, an Indian Union Territory in the Bay of Bengal. It is located west of the central Andaman Islands and covers about 60 square kilometers. The island is densely forested, surrounded by a shallow reef, and home to the Sentinelese tribe. The Sentinelese are believed to be direct descendants of the first humans who migrated from Africa around 60,000 years ago. They have lived in isolation for thousands of years, resisting contact with the outside world. The island is protected under the Andaman and Nicobar Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act, 1956, prohibiting anyone from approaching within 5 nautical miles.

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A major archaeological discovery in Lefkada, Greece, revealed the first ancient Greek theater ever found in the Ionian Islands. The Ionian Islands are located off the western coast of Greece in the eastern Ionian Sea, covering 2,306.94 square kilometers. They are also known as “Heptanese,” meaning “Seven Islands,” which include Corfu (Kerkyra), Paxi, Lefkada, Ithaki, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, and Kythira. Kefalonia is the largest, with Mount Ainos as the highest point at 1,628 meters. Historically, they were ruled by Venice, later by Russian and Turkish forces, and finally ceded to Greece by Britain in 1864.

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The Ream Naval Base is on Cambodia’s Gulf of Thailand coast near Sihanoukville and recently gained global attention due to its expansion and China’s involvement. On April 5, 2025, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet inaugurated the expanded base, supported financially and technically by China. Cambodia claims the expansion supports its national defense, but concerns remain over possible Chinese military use. The base is close to the Malacca Strait, a key route for global trade and energy transport. China’s role suggests it aims to boost its influence in the Indo-Pacific and strengthen its naval presence near the South China Sea.

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Mount Kanlaon, a stratovolcano in north-central Negros Island, Philippines, recently erupted, sending a 4,000-metre ash plume into the sky. It is the highest mountain on Negros and the 42nd tallest island peak in the world. It is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines. The volcano has multiple pyroclastic cones and craters, including a northern caldera with a crater lake and a smaller, active southern crater. Its base covers 30 km by 14 km, made of lava flows, lahar, airfall tephra, and pyroclastic deposits. It supports rich biodiversity and serves as a water source for major rivers on Negros Island. Since 1866, eruptions have mostly been small phreatic explosions with light ashfall nearby.

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After two years of civil war, Sudan’s Tuti Island was reclaimed by the national army but is now devastated and depopulated. Tuti Island is located at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile rivers in Khartoum, Sudan and was known for its lush greenery and agriculture. The island spans 8 square kilometers and was called “Khartoum’s garden” due to its farming and fishing activities. The Mahas community, who settled there in the 15th century, consider the island a symbol of indigenous identity. The war has displaced 13 million people and caused severe famine in Khartoum. Climate change has worsened the island’s vulnerability, disrupting the Nile’s flooding cycle. To preserve the Taya system and document community knowledge, the HEART (Heritage Empowered Action for Risk in Tuti) Project was initiated.

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United States (US) air strikes on Yemen’s Ras Isa oil port have killed at least 80 people. Ras Isa Port is located on the Ras al-Mashawn Peninsula in Yemen. It lies along the Gulf of Aden, about 35 kilometers west of the city of Al Mahrah. The Marib–Ras Isa oil pipeline is a vital part of Yemen’s energy network. This pipeline connects the inland oil fields of Marib to the Ras Isa Marine Terminal on the Red Sea. The port plays a major role in Yemen’s oil exports and overall economic stability.