International Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, a United States federal court blocked President Donald Trump’s broad tariffs, stating that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not allow him to impose sweeping import taxes. The International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) was legislated on 28 October 1977. It gives the US president the power to regulate financial transactions after declaring a national emergency. The IEEPA allows the president to act against unusual and exceptional threats to national security, foreign policy, and the economy, especially if the threat comes from outside the country. It empowers the president to freeze assets and restrict transactions.

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A cholera outbreak has killed many people in war-affected Sudan, raising urgent health concerns. Cholera is a dangerous diarrheal disease caused by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the bacteria Vibrio cholerae. It spreads rapidly in areas with poor sanitation, unsafe drinking water, and weak healthcare systems. The disease causes sudden, severe watery diarrhea and can lead to death within hours if not treated quickly. According to the 2024 World Health Organisation (WHO) report, cholera deaths are rising due to climate change and poor sanitation. Most cases can be treated with Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), but quick access is critical. Preventing such outbreaks requires clean water, proper hygiene, and better sanitation.

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In May 2025, Japan passed a new law called the Act on the Promotion of Research, Development and Utilisation of Artificial Intelligence-Related Technologies. This law aims to make Artificial Intelligence (AI) the core of Japan’s digital leadership and economic growth. Unlike strict global rules, Japan’s approach encourages coordination and voluntary responsibility instead of heavy regulation. This is different from the European Union’s AI Act passed in 2024. The EU law divides AI into risk levels like “Unacceptable” and “Minimal” and places strict rules on high-risk uses. Japan’s flexible model reflects a major shift in global AI policy thinking.

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The Prime Minister recently discussed with Paraguay’s President expanding the Preferential Trade Agreement with MERCOSUR. MERCOSUR stands for the Southern Common Market in Spanish. It is a South American regional economic group formed in 1991 by the Treaty of Asunción. Its goal is to allow free movement of goods, services, capital, and people among members.
Original members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Bolivia and Venezuela joined later, but Venezuela has been suspended since 2016. Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Suriname are associate members. MERCOSUR’s headquarters is in Montevideo, Uruguay.

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have launched a two-year humanitarian initiative to fight severe malnutrition on Yemen’s Socotra Island. Socotra Island faces a health emergency with a Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate of 10.9% and Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) rate of 1.6% among children under five. The program focuses on reducing maternal and child deaths caused by malnutrition through food, health, and awareness support. It includes strengthening healthcare systems by training staff, supplying medicine, and improving epidemic response capacity.

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Recently, Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, and Liberia were elected as non-permanent members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council. Their two-year terms will start in January 2026 and last until the end of 2027. They will join existing non-permanent members Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia, serving through 2026. These new members will replace Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia, whose terms end in December 2025. The Security Council has 15 members, including five permanent members with veto power: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

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The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has officially declared the year 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. This resolution was proposed by the United States of America and was adopted by all member countries through consensus. The main aim is to recognize and highlight the vital role women farmers play in ensuring food security, improving nutrition, and fighting poverty. It also focuses on promoting gender equality and empowering women in the agriculture sector.

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On 24 June 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Romania launched ConvEx-3 (2025), the world’s largest and most complex nuclear emergency exercise. It will simulate a severe accident at Romania’s Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant, the country’s only nuclear plant located 160 km east of Bucharest. It aims to improve global coordination under the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. ConvEx-3 is the highest level of Convention Exercises, testing full-scale international emergency response capabilities. Romania last hosted ConvEx-3 in 2005.

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Recently, scientists confirmed rocks from the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt are about 4.16 billion years old using two radioactive dating methods. The Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt is on the eastern shore of Hudson Bay in Quebec, Canada, known for its ancient rock formations. These rocks might be the oldest on Earth, rivaling the Acasta Gneiss Complex, which is about 4 billion years old. Radiometric dating helps track radioactive decay to estimate rock age. Most rocks from Earth’s early history were destroyed, making these samples rare.

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Recently, on 3rd July 2025, Russia became the first country to formally recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan since it took power in 2021. Russia removed the Taliban from its list of outlawed organisations. The Russian Foreign Ministry accepted credentials from Afghanistan’s newly appointed Ambassador Gul Hassan Hassan. Russia stated that this recognition will support productive bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry called the move historic and hoped it would encourage other countries to follow.