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Places in News · October 2026 · Week 1
Places in News UPSCOctober 2026 Week 1
This page covers 6 places from the news of 1–7 October 2026, each on the map with the UPSC angle. The video has Hindi and English audio tracks.
Tap a pin to jump to that place.
Hindi audio · For English: ⚙ Settings → Audio track → English
Places in News This Week: Quick Table
The 6 places in this week’s video are listed below with chapter start times.
| No. | Place | Where | Why in news | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UAE–Israel | West Asia | UAE–Israel flight made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia | |
| 2 | Ladakh | India | 28 places got standard names on India’s official map | |
| 3 | Yemen | Arabian Peninsula | Yemeni officials claim a town north of Bab-el-Mandeb retaken from Houthis | |
| 4 | Poompuhar | Tamil Nadu, India | Torpedo-jar piece and ring wells found under the sea | |
| 5 | Tigray | Ethiopia | TPLF pulled out of Mekelle; government forces entered | |
| 6 | Buxa TR and Desert NP | West Bengal and Rajasthan | Tigress released in Buxa; captive-bred bustards freed |
28.4°N 36.6°E · Abraham Accords · IMEC
UAE–Israel, West Asia: Abraham Accords and IMEC
A flydubai flight from the UAE to Israel made an emergency landing at Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on 30 September 2026. The co-pilot allegedly stabbed the Indian captain and tried to crash the plane.
Passengers and crew overpowered the co-pilot. The motive is unknown; the UAE is probing a possible terror link.
Key Facts
- The UAE and Bahrain normalised relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords, signed on 15 September 2020 at the White House. Morocco joined in December 2020.
- Normalised ties mean normal diplomatic, trade and travel links. Israelis holiday in the UAE, hence the flights.
- Before 2020, only Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994) had peace treaties with Israel.
- Saudi Arabia lies between the UAE and Israel, has no diplomatic ties with Israel, yet has let UAE–Israel and Bahrain–Israel flights cross since 2020. Saudi airspace opened to all airlines in July 2022.
- Saudi Arabia stays out of the Accords and wants a path to a Palestinian state first.
Map Memory
- Red Sea coast, 6 countries: Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti (west); Saudi Arabia, Yemen (east).
- Gulf of Aqaba head touches 4: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia.
- The Red Sea gets little rain, and no river flows into the Red Sea (PYQ 2024).
India Angle
About 34 lakh Indians live in the UAE. India–UAE trade crossed US$ 100 billion in FY 2024–25 under the CEPA trade pact.
UPSC PYQ (2023)
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Israel has established diplomatic relations with some Arab States.
Statement-II: The ‘Arab Peace Initiative’ mediated by Saudi Arabia was signed by Israel and Arab League.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- (a)Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
- (b)Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
- (c)Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
- (d)Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Show answer
(c) — The Arab Peace Initiative (Beirut, 2002) was Saudi-proposed and Arab League-endorsed; Israel never signed the initiative.
Mains Link
GS-II, 2025: “Energy security constitutes the dominant kingpin of India’s foreign policy, and is linked with India’s overarching influence in Middle Eastern countries.” How would you integrate energy security with India’s foreign policy trajectories in the coming years?
More on UCNIMEC corridor explained
34.2°N 77.6°E · Standard names · Aksai Chin · Siachen
Ladakh, India: 28 Standard Names on the Official Map
India gave standard names to 28 places in Ladakh on the official Survey of India map on 2 October 2026. The names cover peaks, glaciers, passes, a river and a lake.
Two of the 28, Gogra and Hot Spring, were friction points in the 2020 India–China standoff.
Key Facts
- Aksai Chin is Ladakh’s north-east corner, about 38,000 sq km of high, dry land. India’s position: Indian territory under China’s illegal occupation since the 1962 war.
- The LAC (Line of Actual Control) is the line where the two armies stand today. The LAC is not a border; in some areas the two sides see the line differently.
- Several new names lie across the LAC, in Aksai Chin, according to The Tribune. Kumarayana Point sits on the China-built G219 highway; Guru Rinpoche Lake lies east of the highway.
- 2020 standoff: clashes on the north bank of Pangong Tso (5 May) and in Galwan valley (15 June, 20 Indian soldiers killed). Gogra–Hot Springs disengagement: September 2022.
- Names carry history. Kanishka Peak honours the Kushana king who held a Buddhist council; Zorawar Peak honours the Dogra general who took Ladakh in 1834.
Map Memory
- Water line: Siachen → Nubra → Shyok → Indus. Siachen (Karakoram) is the 2nd-longest non-polar glacier.
- Ranges: Karakoram, Ladakh, Zaskar; the Indus flows north-west between the Ladakh and Zaskar ranges.
- Cold desert: −45 °C winters, under 50 cm of rain; salt lakes Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri.
India Angle: Background
Ladakh became a Union Territory on 31 October 2019. Galwan 2020 brought the first deaths on this border in 45 years.
UPSC PYQ (2020)
Siachen Glacier is situated to the
- (a)East of Aksai Chin
- (b)East of Leh
- (c)North of Gilgit
- (d)North of Nubra Valley
Show answer
(d) — Siachen’s meltwater forms the Nubra River, so the glacier lies at the head (north) of the Nubra Valley. Aksai Chin lies to its east.
Mains Link
GS-III, 2026: Ladakh is strategically located between China and Pakistan. As a measure to win hearts and minds of locals, discuss the Border Area Development Programmes (BADP) by the Central Government and civic actions by the Army. Also discuss demand of promulgation of provision of the Sixth Schedule of constitution for Ladakh.
12.6°N 43.4°E · Bab-el-Mandeb · Chokepoints
Yemen, Arabian Peninsula: Fighting Near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait
Yemeni officials said on 5 October 2026 that forces of the Saudi-backed government retook a town north of the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. Areas around the town were retaken from the Houthis as well, the officials said.
The Houthis are an Iran-backed armed group from northern Yemen. In September the Houthis had seized Yemen’s Red Sea coast up to the strait, and Perim island in the strait.
Key Facts
- Bab-el-Mandeb is a narrow strait between Arabia and Africa, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The name is Arabic for ‘Gate of Tears’, after old sailing dangers.
- Shores: Yemen (Asia); Djibouti and Eritrea (Africa). Yemen’s small Perim island splits the strait into two channels.
- Why now? Iran has blockaded Hormuz since February 2026, so Saudi oil goes west by the East-West pipeline to the Red Sea coast.
- Two Yemens, North and South, existed until 1990. The Houthis took the capital in 2014; a Saudi-led coalition joined in 2015. The recognised government sits in the south.
- On 4–5 October, Yemen’s military, with Saudi air cover, claimed 1,000+ strikes. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye agreed on ‘rapid deployment’ of forces in Saudi Arabia.
Map Memory
- Yemen has only 2 land neighbours: Saudi Arabia (north) and Oman (east).
- Djibouti sits on the strait: Eritrea to the north, Ethiopia west, Somalia south.
- Socotra is Yemen’s largest island, in the Arabian Sea.
India Angle
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia in a statement on 15 September. The attacks ‘threaten freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb’, the MEA said.
The Indian Navy has run an anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden since 2008.
UPSC PYQ (2024)
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I : Sumed pipeline is a strategic route for Persian Gulf oil and natural gas shipments to Europe.
Statement-II : Sumed pipeline connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements ?
- (a)Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
- (b)Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
- (c)Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
- (d)Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct
Show answer
(a) — SUMED runs through Egypt from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. Gulf oil that has entered the Red Sea can go on to Europe by this pipeline.
Mains Link
GS-I, 2022: Mention the significance of straits and isthmus in international trade.
11.1°N 79.9°E · Sangam ports · Ring wells
Poompuhar, Tamil Nadu: Underwater Finds at the Kaveri Mouth
Divers of the Tamil Nadu archaeology department, with the Indian Maritime University, explored the sea off Poompuhar from 6 to 22 September 2026. Poompuhar is where the Kaveri meets the Bay of Bengal.
About 2 km offshore, at about 10 m depth, the divers found a torpedo-jar piece believed to be from West Asia. The survey turned up 4 ring wells and 250+ ceramic pieces.
Key Facts
- A torpedo jar is a long, cylinder-shaped clay jar with a narrow mouth, used to ship wine or oil; the shape stopped spills. This piece is the first such find underwater off Poompuhar.
- Poompuhar sits at the Kaveri’s mouth, where the river meets the sea. Crops of the fertile Kaveri valley reached this coast, where sea routes began.
- Then called Puhar (Kaveripoompattinam), Poompuhar was the chief port of the early Cholas. Ships sailed from Puhar to Southeast Asia, Arabia and Rome.
- Sangam literature means early Tamil poems, believed composed in assemblies (sangams) of poets. Pattinappalai, praising Chola king Karikala, describes Puhar’s ships and markets.
- The Tamil epic Manimekalai says the sea swallowed Puhar. A large part of the city is thought lost to floods, coastal erosion, a rising sea and perhaps a tsunami.
Map Memory
- Three chiefs (Muvendar), three ports: Poompuhar = Chola; Korkai = Pandya; Muchiri (Muziris) = Chera.
- Muziris: Periyar mouth, Kerala. Korkai: Thamirabarani, south Tamil Nadu.
- Early Chola capital: Uraiyur; Puhar is called a Chola capital as well (PYQ trap).
India Angle: What Next
Tamil Nadu surveyed the sea off Korkai as well; reports on the Korkai and Poompuhar surveys are due by February 2027.
UPSC PYQ (2023)
With reference to ancient South India, Korkai, Poompuhar and Muchiri were well known as
- (a)capital cities
- (b)ports
- (c)centres of iron-and-steel making
- (d)shrines of Jain Tirthankaras
Show answer
(b) — Puhar was the premier Chola port, Korkai the major Pandya port and Muchiri a Chera port.
Mains Link
GS-I, 2013: Though not very useful from the point of view of a connected political history of South India, the Sangam Literature portrays the social and economic conditions of its time with remarkable vividness. Comment.
More on UCNKaveri river on the map
13.8°N 39.5°E · Landlocked Ethiopia · Horn of Africa
Tigray, Ethiopia: Fighting Over Red Sea Access
TPLF fighters, Tigray’s own party with its own army, pulled out of Mekelle, capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, on 3–4 October 2026. Government forces entered the city and seized its airport.
The fighting began on 23 September, the worst since the 2020–22 civil war.
Key Facts
- Tigray is Ethiopia’s northernmost region: Eritrea (north), Sudan (west), Amhara (south), Afar (east). The rebels first attacked Amhara and Afar.
- The TPLF ruled all of Ethiopia from 1991 to 2018, then lost power. In 2020–22 the TPLF fought the government in a civil war, a war inside one country.
- The Pretoria Agreement of 2 November 2022, led by the African Union, stopped that war but was never fully implemented.
- Eritrea backed the government in 2020–22. Ethiopia now accuses Eritrea, Egypt and Sudan of backing the rebels; all three deny the charge. Ties have broken.
- Eritrea says Ethiopia plans to seize its coast; the TPLF leader calls the conflict “a war to control the Red Sea”.
Map Memory
- Ethiopia’s 6 neighbours: Eritrea (N), Djibouti (NE), Somalia (E), Kenya (S), South Sudan and Sudan (W).
- Horn of Africa, core 4: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia.
- UPSC asked Ethiopia’s regions 3 times: Oromia 2018, Amhara 2022, Tigray 2023.
India Angle
PM Modi paid his first bilateral visit to Ethiopia in December 2025; ties rose to a Strategic Partnership. About 2,500 Indians live in Ethiopia.
UPSC PYQ (2023)
Consider the following pairs:
Area of conflict mentioned in news : Country where it is located
- Donbas : Syria
- Kachin : Ethiopia
- Tigray : North Yemen
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
- (a)Only one
- (b)Only two
- (c)All three
- (d)None
Show answer
(d) — Donbas is in Ukraine, Kachin in Myanmar, Tigray in Ethiopia. All three pairs are wrong.
Mains Link
GS-II, 2021: “If the last few decades were of Asia’s growth story, the next few are expected to be of Africa’s.” In the light of this statement, examine India’s influence in Africa in recent years.
More on UCNHorn of Africa on the mapRed Sea on the map
26.7°N 89.6°E · 26.3°N 70.6°E · Buxa tigress · Great Indian Bustard
Buxa Tiger Reserve and Desert National Park: Rewilding
A tigress from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve was released in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, on 2 October 2026, in Wildlife Week.
On 4 October two captive-bred male Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) were freed in Rajasthan’s Desert National Park. The two birds are the first captive-bred GIBs released into the wild.
Key Facts
- Buxa was empty of tigers because habitat degraded and broke up, land use changed and prey declined; no tiger settled. Camera traps saw tigers only passing through.
- Buxa lies in North Bengal, with Bhutan’s forests to the north and Manas Tiger Reserve (Assam) to the east. Tigers can move along this forest chain.
- Valmiki is Bihar’s only tiger reserve, in the Himalayan foothills on the Nepal border, with terrain like Buxa’s. A move from the mangrove Sundarbans ‘may not have worked’.
- The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is Rajasthan’s state bird, Critically Endangered, about 150 or fewer in the wild. Weak forward vision makes the bird fly straight into power lines.
- The GIB is a slow breeder: eggs once in 1–2 years. Since 2019, wild eggs are hatched at the Sam and Ramdevra centres: 40 birds from wild eggs, 57 bred in captivity.
Map Memory
- First tiger reintroduction: Sariska (Rajasthan), 2008; then Panna (Madhya Pradesh).
- Valmiki touches Nepal’s Chitwan National Park; Buxa touches Bhutan.
- The Thar desert lies north-west of the Aravalli, with rain below 150 mm a year.
India Angle: Court Angle
The Supreme Court ordered in December 2025 the burial of 80 km of 33 kV lines and 250 km of ‘critical’ power lines in Rajasthan. The deadline is 2 years.
UPSC PYQ (2020)
With reference to India’s Desert National Park, which of the following statements are correct?
- It is spread over two districts.
- There is no human habitation inside the Park.
- It is one of the natural habitats of Great Indian Bustard.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- (a)1 and 2 only
- (b)2 and 3 only
- (c)1 and 3 only
- (d)1, 2 and 3
Show answer
(c) — Statement 2 is wrong: 73 villages lie inside the park.
Mains Link
GS-III, 2026: Discuss the aim and goals of Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework. Mention India’s commitments and initiatives to achieve the goals and targets of this framework giving suitable examples.
Practice Questions: October 2026 Week 1
The 6 practice MCQs below follow the UPSC Prelims format, one for each place in this week’s video.
Question 1
Consider the following countries:
I. Egypt II. Jordan III. Lebanon IV. Saudi Arabia
How many of the above touch the head of the Gulf of Aqaba?
- (a)Only one
- (b)Only two
- (c)Only three
- (d)All four
Show answer
(c) — Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia (with Israel) touch the head of the Gulf of Aqaba; Lebanon lies on the Mediterranean.
Question 2
Consider the following pairs:
Glacier/River : Its water flows into
I. Siachen Glacier : Nubra
II. Nubra : Shyok
III. Shyok : Jhelum
In how many of the above rows is the information correctly matched?
- (a)Only one
- (b)Only two
- (c)All three
- (d)None
Show answer
(b) — Siachen’s meltwater forms the Nubra, which joins the Shyok; the Shyok drains into the Indus, not the Jhelum.
Question 3
Which of the following countries have a coastline only on the Red Sea?
- Sudan 2. Eritrea 3. Egypt 4. Oman
Select the answer using the code given below:
- (a)1 and 2 only
- (b)1, 2 and 3 only
- (c)3 and 4 only
- (d)1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer
(a) — Sudan and Eritrea face only the Red Sea (their ships pass Bab-el-Mandeb to reach the Indian Ocean). Egypt has a Mediterranean coast as well; Oman faces the Arabian Sea.
Question 4
Consider the following pairs:
Port : Dynasty
I. Korkai : Pandya
II. Kaveripoompattinam : Chola
III. Muchiri : Chola
In how many of the above rows is the information correctly matched?
- (a)Only one
- (b)Only two
- (c)All three
- (d)None
Show answer
(b) — Korkai was a Pandya port and Kaveripoompattinam (Poompuhar) a Chola port; Muchiri (Muziris), in Kerala, was a Chera port.
Question 5
Consider the following countries:
I. Djibouti II. Eritrea III. Somalia IV. Sudan
How many of the above share a land border with Ethiopia?
- (a)Only one
- (b)Only two
- (c)Only three
- (d)All four
Show answer
(d) — All four border Ethiopia; its six neighbours are Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan and Sudan.
Question 6
Consider the following pairs:
Tiger Reserve : State
I. Valmiki : Bihar
II. Buxa : West Bengal
III. Sariska : Madhya Pradesh
In how many of the above rows is the information correctly matched?
- (a)Only one
- (b)Only two
- (c)All three
- (d)None
Show answer
(b) — Valmiki is in Bihar and Buxa in West Bengal; Sariska is in Rajasthan.
Download the Notes PDF
Free English and Hindi PDF notes for Places in News, October 2026 Week 1, carry the maps, facts, PYQs and practice questions from this page. New notes come every week on the Telegram channel.