General Knowledge

Zealandia is a recently recognized submerged continent located in the southwest Pacific Ocean. It was identified based on geological and geophysical evidence distinguishing it from surrounding oceanic crust.

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is located in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, making Chile the correct answer.

The European Parliament's official headquarters is located in Strasbourg, France, where plenary sessions are held. This makes option A the correct answer.

The current First Lady of the United States is Jill Biden, wife of President Joe Biden. Therefore, option A is correct.

The Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) was established in 1884 during the International Meridian Conference held in Washington, D.C., where the prime meridian was set at Greenwich, England.

East Timor is the only country in Asia that uses the Euro as its official currency, despite not being a member of the Eurozone. Cyprus, although using the Euro, is geographically considered part of Europe, not Asia. Armenia and Georgia use their own national currencies.

Lord Louis Mountbatten was assassinated by the IRA on 27 August 1979. The bomb was planted on his boat during a fishing trip off the coast of Mullaghmore, County Sligo, Ireland. He died from his injuries shortly after the explosion. Therefore, the correct year of his death is 1979, corresponding to option B.

The World Day of Social Justice is observed annually on February 20th, as designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007. This is confirmed by official United Nations sources and related UN observance pages. Therefore, the correct answer is option C (February 20th).

Burkina Faso is known as "The land of honest men." This nickname comes from the meaning of the country's name in the Mooré language: "burkina" means upright or honest, and "faso" means men or fatherland. The name was adopted in 1984 by revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara when he renamed the country from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso. The other countries listed (Mali, Burundi, Niger) are not commonly referred to by this nickname.

The Crimean Peninsula was annexed by the Russian Federation in 2014 following a disputed referendum. This event is widely recognized as occurring in that year.

The longest recorded megaflash lightning in the Southern USA occurred on April 29, 2020, spanning approximately 477 miles, which converts to about 768 kilometers. This is the officially certified record by the World Meteorological Organization and NOAA. Therefore, the correct answer is option C (765 km), which is the closest to the verified length.

The Kivu conflict began in 2004 in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and primarily involved the Congolese national army (FARDC) fighting against various rebel groups, including the Hutu Power-aligned Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). The conflict also involved the Rwandan-backed National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) and later the March 23 Movement (M23), both Tutsi-dominated rebel groups. Foreign state actors like Rwanda and Uganda supported different militias, while the Congolese army was supported by regional forces and the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO). Therefore, the main parties at the start of the conflict were the Congolese military and Hutu Power groups, making option D the most accurate answer.

A platinum jubilee traditionally marks a 70th anniversary, representing 70 years of reign or service. For example, Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in 2022 celebrated her 70 years on the throne. This is well established in historical and contemporary contexts.

Khalil Gibran is the author of the book "The Prophet," a well-known collection of poetic essays. The other options are unrelated to this work.

The Education for Justice (E4J) initiative was launched by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to promote ethics and the rule of law through education. This makes option D the correct answer.

Noktundo is a former island located in the delta of the Tumen River, currently on the Russian side of the Russia–North Korea border in Primorsky Krai. Historically, it was under Korean administration until 1860 when the Qing dynasty ceded Outer Manchuria, including Noktundo, to Russia in the Convention of Peking without Korean participation. North Korea recognizes Noktundo as Russian territory following a 1990 border treaty with the Soviet Union, while South Korea continues to claim it as Korean territory. The dispute is primarily between Russia and North Korea, with South Korea also asserting claims. It is not a disputed territory between Pakistan and China or New Zealand and Australia. Therefore, the correct answer is C: Russia and North Korea.

Indonesia announced that its new capital city will be called Nusantara, replacing Jakarta as the administrative center. This is a well-known fact confirmed by official government sources.

"The Broken Wings" is a famous novel written by Khalil Gibran, making option B the correct answer.

The main objective of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is to stop terror financing and money laundering by setting international standards and promoting effective implementation of legal, regulatory, and operational measures.

Tonga is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean, making option C the correct answer.

The Rijksmuseum is a famous national museum located in Amsterdam, which is in the Netherlands. It is renowned for its collection of Dutch art and history.

Manaslu is the eighth highest mountain in the world and is located in the Himalaya mountain range in Nepal. Therefore, the correct answer is Himalaya.

According to the official World Health Organization (WHO) sources, the Executive Board is composed of 34 technically qualified members elected for three-year terms. This is confirmed by the WHO website and official WHO documents from recent Executive Board sessions. Therefore, the correct answer is option B (34), not A (32).

The Kuril Islands are a group of islands disputed between Japan and Russia, with both countries claiming sovereignty over some of the islands. This dispute has been ongoing since the end of World War II.

Operation Rah-e-Haq was the first major military operation launched by Pakistan Army in 2007 in the Swat region against Taliban militants. It aimed to restore government control and eliminate insurgent activity in the area. Therefore, the correct answer is Operation Rah-e-Haq.