Places in news ( World )

1. Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe/Zambia

• Issue: Severe drought has led to critically low water levels, affecting power generation and
local fisheries.

• Impact: The lake is at only 13% capacity, threatening livelihoods and ecosystems.

• Location: Southern Africa, along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

2. Triton Island, South China Sea

• Issue: Military buildup by China is ongoing with the construction of new facilities.

• Details: Enhancing military presence in contested waters raises regional tensions.

• Location: Part of the Paracel Islands, claimed by China, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
3. Solomon Islands

• Discovery: World's largest coral found near Solomon Islands: Scientists

“Measuring 34 metres wide and 32 metres long,” the team said the “mega coral” was three
times bigger than the previous record holder — a coral dubbed “Big Momma” in American
Samoa

• Significance: Important for biodiversity and conservation efforts.

• Location: Southwestern Pacific Ocean.

4. Blue Line, Israel-Lebanon Border

• Event: Israeli military fired upon UN peacekeepers near the Blue Line.

• Repercussions: This incident has escalated tensions in an already volatile region.

• Location: The Blue Line is a border demarcation between Israel and Lebanon established by
the United Nations in 2000. Its primary purpose is to confirm Israel's withdrawal from
Lebanon after its occupation, which lasted from 1982 to 2000

5. Alau Dam, Nigeria

• Crisis: Dam collapse has resulted in severe flooding in Northeast Nigeria.

• Consequences: Significant displacement of local populations and destruction of

infrastructure.

• Location: Northeastern Nigeria.

6. Philadelphia Corridor, Israel – Egypt border

The Philadelphi corridor is a ribbon of land about nine miles (14km)s in length and 100 metres wide
along Gaza’s border with Egypt, including the Rafah crossing.It was designated as a demilitarised
border zone after the withdrawal of Israeli settlements and troops from Gaza in 2005 and runs from
the Mediterranean to the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel.

It was seized by Israel in May this year as its Gaza ground offensive pushed into Rafah.
7. Thailand

• Milestone: First Southeast Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage.

• Significance: A landmark decision for LGBTQ+ rights in the region.

• Location: Southeast Asia.

8. Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

• Event: Earthquake triggered the Shiveluch volcano eruption.

• Impact: Ash clouds are affecting air travel and local communities.

• Location: Far East Russia.

9. Guam Island

• Visit: INS Shivalik visited Guam as part of naval exercises to strengthen maritime
partnerships.

• Importance: Enhances military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Location: Western Pacific Ocean.

10. St. Martin Island, Bangladesh

• Controversy: US proposal to build a military base amid political tensions with Sheikh Hasina's
government.

• Implications: Potential geopolitical shifts in South Asia.

• Location: Bay of Bengal.

• . St. Martin Island, Bangladesh

11. Japan

• Innovation: Introduction of 3D holograms to combat counterfeiting in various industries.

• Significance: Enhancing security measures for products and intellectual property rights.

• Location: East Asia.

12. Leang Karampuang Cave, Indonesia

• Discovery: Oldest known cave painting found here, providing insights into prehistoric human
life and art.

• Location: Sulawesi, Indonesia.

13. Liberia

• Decision: Plans to relocate capital due to frequent flash floods impacting governance and
infrastructure planning.

• Location: West Africa.

14. Sundhnokagigar Volcano, Iceland

• Activity: Recent volcanic activity prompting monitoring by geological agencies due to

potential eruptions affecting air travel and local communities.

• Location: Iceland

15. Nord Stream Pipeline, Baltic Sea

Nord Stream is a network of offshore natural gas pipelines which run under the Baltic Sea from
Russia to Germany to provide Western Europe with natural gas. It comprises two separate projects,
Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2

• Issue: Methane leakage reported from the Nord Stream pipeline system raises
environmental concerns about marine ecosystems.

• Location: Baltic Sea

16. Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, Iran-UAE Conflict

• Tensions Rise: Ongoing disputes over territorial claims between Iran and UAE regarding these
strategic islands.

• Location: Persian Gulf

17. Mount Kanlaon, Philippines

• Activity: Increased volcanic activity leading to alerts for local communities due to potential
eruptions affecting air travel.

About Phreatic Eruption

• 1. A phreatic eruption is a steam-driven explosion that occurs when water beneath the ground
or on the surface is heated by volcanic activity.
• 2. Process: The heated water begins to boil or can even flash into steam, causing an explosion.
Phreatic eruptions can occur before, during, or after a more traditional volcanic eruption.
• 3. Causes: Groundwater near volcanic vents gets heated as magma rises to the surface, leading
to these phreatic eruptions.
18. Lake Natron, Tanzania

• Concern: Climate change impacts causing ecological shifts in one of the world's most alkaline
lakes. Experts note a steady decline in the flamingo population at Lake Natron, as extreme
weather and encroachment cause fewer birds to return each year.

19. Campi Flegrei, Italy

• Activity: Seismic activity raises concerns about potential volcanic eruptions in this
supervolcano region near Naples.

• Location: Italy
20. Kaza Region (Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area)

• Collaboration: Five countries (Angola, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe) working

together for conservation efforts in a biodiverse area.

The Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA)

It is a 520,000 square kilometer area that spans the Kavango and Zambezi river basins in
Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It's the world's largest Transfrontier
Conservation Area (TFCA) and is roughly the size of France.

●It is a wetland paradise with a high concentration of wildlife, including the largest elephant
population.

●The region comprises 103 wildlife management areas and 85 forest reserves.

●Contains three World Heritage sites: Victoria Falls, Okavango Delta, and Tsodilo Hills.

●The KAZA TFCA includes 36 protected areas, such as national parks, game reserves, forest
reserves, community conservancies, and game management areas. The area is home to the
Okavango Delta, a World Heritage Site and the largest inland delta in the world, where large
numbers of megafauna migrate annually.
21. Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Islands)

• Dispute: Ongoing territorial disputes between China and Japan over these strategically
located islands in the East China Sea.

• Location: East China Sea

22. Lambert Glacier, East Antarctica

• Significance: largest glacier in the world; its melting poses significant concerns for global sea
levels due to climate change.

• Location: East Antarctica

•
 Doomsday Glacier

• Thwaites Glacier, also known as the “Doomsday Glacier,” is located in the remote Amundsen
Sea in West Antarctica.

• It’s a wide and fast-flowing glacier, roughly the size of Florida or Great Britain, and it has been
a significant focus of scientific study due to its sensitivity to climate change.

• It is one of the most vulnerable and important glaciers in the world in terms of future global
sea-level rise.

23. Hubbard Glacier, Alaska

• Activity: Known as a "galloping glacier," it is experiencing rapid movement that could impact
local ecosystems and communities.

• Location: Alaska
24. Fedchenko Glacier, Tajikistan

• Ranking: The third-largest glacier in the world; its retreat is indicative of climate change
impacts in Central Asia.

• Location: Tajikistan

25. Baltoro Glacier, Gilgit-Baltistan (Pakistan)

• Importance: A major glacier system that feeds into several rivers; its health is crucial for
water supply in the region.

• Location: Gilgit-Baltistan, POK

26. Golan Heights (Israel-Syria Border)

• Event: Recent Israeli airstrikes reported in this contested area have heightened tensions with
Syria.

• Location: Israel-Syria Border

27. Gobi Desert, China

- Development China plans to build its first nuclear power plant using molten thorium salt
technology within this desert region.

28. Lake Turkana, Kenya

- Significance: The world's largest permanent desert lake; important for biodiversity and local
communities' livelihoods.
29. Mexico

- Reform: First country to allow voters to elect judges at all levels as part of judicial reforms aimed
at increasing transparency and accountability.

30. Namibia

- Crisis: Experiencing its worst drought in a century exacerbated by El Niño effects impacting
agriculture and water supply.

NPCI International Payments Ltd. (NIPL) signed an agreement with the Bank of Namibia to create a
real-time instant payment system similar to India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI).
31. Vietnam

- Disaster: Typhoon Yagi has claimed at least 143 lives due to severe flooding and landslides across
affected areas.

32. Trinidad and Tobago

- Partnership : National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) partners with Trinidad and Tobago to
build a digital payment platform similar to UPI.
33. Lake Michigan, USA

- Phenomenon: Strange circles observed on the lakebed raise questions about geological
processes affecting one of North America's Great Lakes.

34. Jordan

- Achievement: First country to eliminate leprosy as a public health problem through effective
health interventions and community outreach programs.