International Current Affairs MCQs

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Senegal has recently been declared free of trachoma by the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 15, 2025. It became the 25th country globally and the 9th in Africa to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. Trachoma is a bacterial eye infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and leads to preventable blindness. It contributes to about 1.4% of global blindness, affecting 1.9 million people. Senegal faced trachoma since early 1900s and joined WHO’s global elimination alliance in 1998.

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Prime Minister of India gifted two BHISHM cubes to Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu on Maldives’ 60th Independence Day. This was a major step in healthcare diplomacy and regional cooperation. BHISHM stands for Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita & Maitri. It is developed under National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the cubes are compact, portable, and self-contained. Each cube includes essential medicines, trauma care, surgical tools, and AI systems. It can handle 200 emergency cases, including trauma and minor surgeries.

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Recently, Chinese Premier Li Qiang launched construction of a huge hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, near India’s Arunachal Pradesh border. The project has raised concerns due to its massive scale, lack of transparency, and no consultation with lower riparian countries like India and Bangladesh. The project is worth 1.2 trillion yuan or 167.8 billion US dollars and includes five cascade hydropower plants in Medog County, just 30 km from the Indian border. It aims to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, over three times that of China’s Three Gorges Dam.

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Infrastructure work on Bhutan’s 1125 MW Dorjilung Hydropower Project began recently. This marks deeper India-Bhutan economic diplomacy with private sector involvement. Tata Power Company Limited from India is partnering with Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) in a joint venture. Dorjilung is a run-of-river project located in Lhuentse and Mongar districts of Bhutan on the Kurichhu River. It houses six Francis turbines to produce 4.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually.

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Slovenia became the first European Union (EU) country to ban all weapons trade with Israel. The arms embargo was announced by Prime Minister Robert Golob after a cabinet meeting. The decision was taken due to the ongoing war in Gaza. Slovenia acted independently as the EU failed to agree on a joint position due to internal divisions. No military export permits to Israel have been issued by Slovenia since October 2023.

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Moldova became the 107th member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a global initiative launched in 2015 by India and France during COP21 in Paris. Moldova handed over the Instrument of Ratification in New Delhi. It aims to unlock solar investments by 2030 and lower technology and finance costs. It promotes solar energy use in agriculture, health, transport, and power sectors.

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India will be the ‘Guest of Honour’ at the 38th Bogota International Book Fair (FILBo) 2026. This will strengthen people-to-people connections between India and Colombia. Indian Ambassador to Colombia Vanlalhuma highlighted the role of literary exchange in building deeper ties. Since 1988, the Colombian Book Chamber and Corferias have organised FILBo as a major Spanish-speaking cultural event. The announcement was attended by Colombia’s Cultural Minister, FILBo Director, Corferias President, and Book Chamber President. Recently, at the 37th FILBo 2025 (April 25–May 11), India’s National Book Trust showcased a collective exhibit of Indian books for the first time.

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South Korea and the United States will conduct major joint military drills called Ulchi Freedom Shield. It is an annual exercise to strengthen readiness and cooperation to defend the Korean Peninsula and the wider region. The drills originated in the 1960s as the Taeguk Exercise and evolved through Ulchi-Focus Lens before being renamed Ulchi-Freedom Guardian in 2008. This year’s drill will test upgraded responses to increased North Korean nuclear threats. It will also showcase advanced technologies used in modern warfare.

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The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has created two new mechanisms to strengthen global cooperation on Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance. The initiatives include the UN Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance. The Global Dialogue on AI Governance will serve as an inclusive platform for States and stakeholders to discuss critical AI issues affecting humanity. The Scientific Panel on AI will provide rigorous, independent scientific assessments bridging cutting-edge AI research and policymaking. The initiatives aim to harness AI benefits while mitigating risks, ensuring AI serves the common good of humanity.

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The Government of Nepal has decided to ban all unregistered social media sites in the country. Minister of Communications and Information Technology (MoCIT) Prithvi Subba Gurung announced the decision. Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) is instructed to disable unregistered social media platforms. On August 28, 2025, MoCIT issued a 7-day ultimatum for domestic and international platforms to register, requiring a local office and contact person under the Directive for Regulation of Social Media Use, 2080. 26 sites, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, X, YouTube, Viber, Botim, will be banned.