Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, the Noon River in Rampur Narua village, Kanpur district, Uttar Pradesh, was revived under the “One District, One River” campaign launched during the Saryu Mahotsav on June 5 by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The 48.5 km-long Noon River flows through 34 gram panchayats and originates from Kanhaiya Lake, ending at the Ganga near Bithoor. It had dried up mainly due to jal kumbhi (water hyacinth) infestation, waste dumping, and boulders from nearby construction sites. The revival work began on February 22, 2024, and was completed using old satellite images, drone mapping, and technical support from institutes like IIT Kanpur, BHU, BBAU, and the Remote Sensing Application Centre.

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Recently, glaciers of Mount Cilo in southeastern Turkey have lost nearly 50% of their ice cover in 40 years due to climate change and rising heatwaves. Mount Cilo is the second-highest mountain in Turkey, reaching 4,135 meters at its summit called Reşko or Gelyaşin or Uludoruk. The mountain stretches 30 kilometers and forms the western arm of Cilo-Sat Mountains National Park, declared in 2020. The terrain features sharp ridges, limestone cliffs, gorges, and glacial valleys.

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Krasheninnikov volcano erupted on 2 August 2025 in Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. It was the first recorded eruption of the volcano in modern times. The eruption occurred three days after a nearby magnitude 8.8 earthquake. Ash emissions from the volcano reached an altitude of 20,000 feet. Krasheninnikov is an active stratovolcano located in Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. It lies within a 9 km wide caldera formed by a massive eruption 39,600 years ago. The volcano is part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and has two eruptive cones.

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Kabak Yano, a mountaineer from Arunachal Pradesh, has successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak. She is on a Seven Summits expedition to scale the tallest peaks on all seven continents. Mount Kilimanjaro, located in northeastern Tanzania near the Kenya border, stands 5,895 meters above sea level. It is Africa’s tallest peak and the world’s highest free-standing mountain. Kilimanjaro is a stratovolcano with three cones — Kibo (dormant), Mawenzi, and Shira (both extinct).

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Pacific microstate Nauru launched its “climate resilience citizenship” programme in February 2025 to sell passports for funding climate action. Since early this year, it had approved only six applicants under the scheme. Each “golden passport” costs 105,000, aiming to raise over 5 million in the first year, equal to 66 passports. So far, only six applications have been approved. Nauru Island is located in the South Pacific Ocean. Specifically, it is situated within the Micronesia subregion of Oceania. It was a raised fossilized coral atoll with a central phosphate plateau and coral cliffs.

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Recently, the Colorado River faces a severe water crisis as its flow declines, causing disputes over future water rights. It is a major North American river, originating in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, United States. It flows 1,450 miles (2,330 kilometres) west and south into the Gulf of California, Mexico. The river passes through seven U.S. states and two Mexican states, serving over 40 million people. It drains vast arid and semi-arid regions and is called the “Lifeline of the Southwest.”

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Three of six reactors at Gravelines Nuclear Power Station in Northern France were shut down. The shutdown was caused by a massive swarm of jellyfish clogging the cooling system. The plant is operated by Électricité de France (EDF). Jellyfish are gelatinous zooplankton belonging to the phylum Cnidaria. They are simple invertebrates with stinging tentacles and jet propulsion movement. They lack brains, blood, or hearts and are made of epidermis, mesoglea, and inner layer. Jellyfish blooms disrupt ecosystems by reducing biodiversity and collapsing fish populations.

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A Ukrainian drone attack recently caused a short-lived fire at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia. Kursk region is located in the European part of Russia, bordering Ukraine to the west. It is historically famous for the Battle of Kursk in 1943, the largest tank battle in history and a turning point in World War II. The region lies within the basins of the Dnieper and Don rivers. Kursk hosts the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly, the world’s largest magnetic anomaly and one of the richest iron ore deposits. The incident raised concerns over nuclear safety in a strategically important region.

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Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Africa’s largest hydroelectric project, calling it a “great achievement.” GERD is a megadam built for power generation and regional energy trade. It is constructed on the Blue Nile River, about 30 km upstream from Sudan in Guba, Ethiopia. The Blue Nile provides approximately 85% of Nile waters, making the dam geopolitically sensitive. Initiated in 2011, GERD symbolizes Ethiopia’s self-reliance, development, and regional influence.

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Vembanad Lake in Kerala is facing a severe ecological crisis. It is the longest lake in India and the largest in Kerala. The lake is a Ramsar site and recognized as a wetland of international importance. It is fed by 10 rivers including Pamba, Meenachil, Achankovil, Manimala, and Periyar. The lake finally opens into the Arabian Sea. Recent concerns highlight threats to its ecosystem, fisheries, and biodiversity. Conservation efforts are needed to protect this vital freshwater-lagoon system.