International Current Affairs MCQs

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The Union Minister of Labour and Employment signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Government of India and International Labour Organisation (ILO). The MoU is for collaboration to develop the International Reference Classification of Occupations. This classification will improve comparability of data and promote mutual recognition of skills. It aims to address significant skill shortages faced by many countries due to demographic deficits and digitalisation. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN). The headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland. ILO received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969 for its contribution.

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India has signed a 15-year contract with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for exclusive rights to explore polymetallic sulphides in the Indian Ocean. Polymetallic sulphides form around hydrothermal vents and contain copper, zinc, gold, and silver essential for clean energy and high-tech applications. India becomes the first country to hold two International Seabed Authority (ISA) contracts for polymetallic sulphides. The earlier agreement covered the Central and Southwest Indian Ridges. India now holds the largest ISA-allotted exploration area for deep-sea minerals. It is also seeking exploration licences in the Pacific Ocean.

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Britain, Canada, and Australia formally recognized Palestinian statehood on 22 September 2025, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York. Portugal also confirmed recognition, while France pledged to vote for Palestinian state recognition at the UN this week. The move increases diplomatic pressure on Israel and isolates Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu internationally. Recognition is largely symbolic, supporting Palestinian self-determination but not immediately affecting Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Tens of thousands have died in Gaza, and humanitarian conditions remain dire. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized sustaining hope for a two-state solution despite challenges.

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China has launched a new visa category called the “K Visa” to attract foreign science and technology talent. It was created by revising the Regulations on the Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners. The K Visa will come into effect from October 1, 2025. It is aimed at foreign youth and professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Eligible applicants include graduates with a bachelor’s degree or higher from reputed universities or research institutions and STEM researchers or teachers. It allows multiple entries, longer validity, wider activities like education, entrepreneurship, and no need for local sponsorship.

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched its first Sovereign Mobility Cloud at the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport in 2025. It is enabled by Core42’s Sovereign Public Cloud and powered by Microsoft Azure. The platform ensures all transport data is hosted within the UAE and governed under national regulations. It supports high-definition mapping, telematics, fleet operations, traffic management, and digital twins. The initiative provides regulatory sandboxes and test hubs for innovation in autonomous mobility.

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India deepened engagement with Central American Integration System (SICA) countries at the India-SICA Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New York. Key collaboration areas include trade, digital payments, agriculture, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and information technology (IT). Central American Integration System (SICA) is the institutional framework for regional integration in Central America. It was established in 1991 through the Tegucigalpa Protocol by amending the Charter of the Organization of Central American States (ODECA) of 1962.

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India has been re-elected to Part II of the Council of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Part II includes States contributing most to international civil air navigation facilities. ICAO is a United Nations (UN) specialized agency established in 1944 under the Chicago Convention. Its purpose is to develop safe, secure, and efficient international air transport for peaceful purposes. India has been a founding member of ICAO since 1944, maintaining 81 years of uninterrupted Council presence. India focuses on aviation safety, security, sustainability, equitable connectivity, technology, innovation, and No Country Left Behind initiative.

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Recently, former US President Donald Trump supported Russian President Vladimir Putin’s idea of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). The New START is the last remaining nuclear arms control deal between Russia and the United States of America. It was signed in 2010 by Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev in Prague and came into force on February 5, 2011. The treaty limits the number of deployed nuclear warheads to reduce Cold War–level arsenals. It focuses on strategic long-range weapons that can destroy key power and control centers. It replaced the 1991 START I Treaty and the 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT). It was extended in 2021 for five years, valid till February 4, 2026.

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In October 2025, China inaugurated the world’s first solar thermal power station in the Gobi Desert, Gansu Province. The plant is built by China Three Gorges Corporation and uses two 200-meter-high towers feeding a single turbine system. 27,000 mirrors concentrate sunlight, storing heat up to 570°C for electricity generation after sunset or cloudy weather. The dual-tower setup is 25% more efficient than single-tower designs and reduces mirror requirements, saving costs. It complements solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind farms, addressing intermittency in solar/wind energy.

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Armenia has become the newest State Member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Announcement made during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi highlights Armenia’s growing role in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Armenia is located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, with habitats including alpine meadows, mountain forests, semi-deserts, and freshwater ecosystems. The country is home to rare and threatened species, including the Critically Endangered Caucasian leopard, endemic Bezoar goat, and Sevan trout found only in Lake Sevan.