International Current Affairs MCQs

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India has joined the Health AI Global Regulatory Network (GRN) to strengthen oversight of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) announced the move to share safety protocols and monitor AI performance in clinical settings. ICMR – National Institute for Research in Digital Health and Data Science (NIRDHDS) and IndiaAI will collaborate with HealthAI for global cooperation. GRN members include UK and Singapore. This supports India’s National AI Strategy for public services, startups, and job creation. The initiative promotes responsible AI, data privacy, patient safety, and equitable access to healthcare.

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Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is an intergovernmental organization controlling exports of missiles capable of delivering nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons and related technology. It was founded in 1987 by Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States to prevent the spread of nuclear-capable missiles. In 1993, MTCR expanded to include chemical and biological weapons-capable missiles. Currently, 35 countries are members; India joined on 27 June 2016. Member states impose export controls on rocket systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), technical components, and software. MTCR guidelines are voluntary, non-binding, with no legal penalties, but US sanctions may apply for violations. India’s membership strengthens its strategic missile and defense technology cooperation with global powers.

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Bangladesh recently announced export of hilsa fish to India ahead of Durga Puja as a mark of “enduring Bangladesh-India friendship.” Earlier in September 2024, Bangladesh had banned hilsa export to India but relaxed it after appeals from traders. Hilsa, also called Ilish fish, is culturally significant in Bengali traditions, offered during pujas, weddings, and to Goddess Lakshmi. It lives in both saltwater and freshwater, spending most life in the ocean but migrating to rivers like Padma, Meghna, Ganges, and Godavari for breeding. Bangladesh produces about 70% of the world’s hilsa and it is the national fish of Bangladesh. Hilsa contributes 12% of Bangladesh’s total fish catch and nearly 1% of GDP.

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Sebastien Lecornu has been appointed as France’s fifth Prime Minister in less than two years. French President Emmanuel Macron announced his appointment after the government collapsed following a no-confidence vote. Lecornu is 39 years old and has served as France’s Armed Forces Minister for the past three years. He played a key role in responding to the Russia-Ukraine war and is the only minister retained since Macron’s 2017 election. Lecornu pledged to defend France’s independence, unity, and political stability.

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Albania has become the first country to induct an AI minister, a virtual government official named Diella. Diella is powered entirely by artificial intelligence (AI), made of code and pixels, and is not a human minister. The AI minister was introduced on 11 September 2025 by Prime Minister Edi Rama at the Socialist Party assembly in Tirana. Diella is tasked with overseeing public procurement and reducing corruption in government spending. The AI evaluates and awards public tenders, processes citizen requests via the digital services portal, and can hire talent globally. The move aims to curb bribes, bureaucratic rigidity, and administrative prejudice.

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Nepal’s former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was sworn in as interim Prime Minister after mass protests forced the resignation of former PM KP Sharma Oli. Karki, 73, is Nepal’s first woman Chief Justice (2016-17), known for her zero-tolerance stance on corruption. Her selection amid protests against corruption draws parallels with Muhammad Yunus heading Bangladesh’s interim govt. Her rise symbolizes public demand for integrity, justice, and anti-corruption leadership in Nepal’s democracy.

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The World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies has recently come into force. It is the first WTO multilateral agreement focused on environmental sustainability. It was adopted at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) in 2022 at Geneva. The agreement prohibits subsidies for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. It also bans subsidies for fishing targeting overfished stocks and for fishing in unmanaged high seas. The WTO Fish Fund was created to help developing countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) with technical support.

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The Taliban government recently rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s bid to retake Bagram Air Base, four years after the U.S. withdrawal. Bagram Air Base is the largest airbase in Afghanistan, located north of Kabul. It holds a strategic position near Iran, Pakistan, China’s Xinjiang, and Central Asia. Originally built by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, it supported Soviet operations until the late 1980s. The United States later revamped it and used it as a hub for war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda since 2001. It served as the largest U.S. military installation in Afghanistan for air operations, intelligence, and logistics.

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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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The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) launched the second edition of the Brazil–India Cross-Incubation Programme in Agritech (Maitri 2.0) in New Delhi. The programme aims to foster innovation-driven growth and strengthen collaboration between Indian and Brazilian agritech ecosystems. It builds on the 77-year-long agricultural partnership between India and Brazil and aligns with cooperation under BRICS and the G20. ICAR has grown from 74 patents in 1996 to 1,800+ annually, with 5,000 licensing agreements supporting innovations. Maitri 2.0 is a two-way learning platform for co-creation, digital technologies, value-chain development, and sustainable farming.