International Current Affairs MCQs

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Adani Power signed a pact with Bhutan’s Druk Green Power to build the 570 MW Wangchu Hydroelectric Project. Project will follow a BOOT (Build, Own, Operate, Transfer) model with power purchase and concession agreements signed. It is a run-of-river project on Wangchu River (Raidāk River in India) in Chukha District, Bhutan. Construction will start in first half of 2026 and complete within five years. It will meet Bhutan’s peak winter electricity demand and export surplus power to India in summer.

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Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia unveiled the UPI–UPU Integration project at the 28th Universal Postal Congress in Dubai. The initiative integrates India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Interconnection Platform. It is developed jointly by the Department of Posts, NPCI International Payments Limited, and UPU, it aims to transform cross-border remittances and expand financial inclusion. The project allows instant, secure, and low-cost money transfers for families across borders. India will contribute USD 10 million for innovation, e-commerce, digital payments, training, and capacity building. India aims for the UPU Council of Administration and Postal Operations Council membership.

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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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Union Education Minister inaugurated India’s first overseas Atal Innovation Centre at IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi campus during a two-day UAE visit on September 10-11. The visit aims to deepen India-UAE cooperation in education, innovation, and academic excellence. Two academic programs were launched: Ph.D. in Energy and Sustainability and B.Tech in Chemical Engineering. The initiative is under Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), India’s flagship program for innovation and entrepreneurship. The centre will promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and strengthen the Indian diaspora’s access to quality education in the UAE.

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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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The Philippines strongly objected to China’s announcement of creating a nature reserve at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Scarborough Shoal is a disputed atoll located 220 km west of the Philippines’ Luzon Island and is the largest atoll in the South China Sea. It remains mostly submerged at high tide, with only a few rocks above sea level. China calls it Huangyan Island and claims historical ownership tracing back to the Yuan Dynasty of the 1200s. The Philippines claims it lies within its 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The shoal is commercially significant due to rich fishing grounds, valuable shellfish, and sea cucumbers.

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Recently, the governments of the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) announced a series of nuclear power deals. Leading US-based companies will build nuclear projects overseas. The initiative aims to accelerate advanced reactor deployment and reduce dependence on Russian nuclear fuel. It is named the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy. The partnership includes faster safety approvals, regulatory cooperation, and billions in private sector investment. The initiative strengthens transatlantic cooperation in nuclear energy and strategic energy security.

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Brazil has become the first country to invest in the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), a multilateral fund for global tropical forest conservation. The fund aims to attract contributions from both wealthy and developing countries to support climate policy. TFFF is envisioned as a $125 billion fund combining sovereign and private-sector contributions, paying countries based on preserved tropical forests.

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An Indian migrant became the first person deported from the UK under the new One-In, One-Out migration deal with France. The One-In, One-Out Scheme is a migration agreement between the United Kingdom (UK) and France. The deal aims to deter dangerous crossings of the English Channel in small boats by migrants without visas or permits. Many migrants pay gangs in northern France to make these risky journeys, which have led to deaths. Under the agreement, France takes back asylum seekers who crossed illegally without family connections in the UK. For each migrant returned to France, the UK grants asylum to one eligible migrant from France with proven family ties. The scheme targets safe and legal migration while discouraging illegal attempts.

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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.