International Current Affairs MCQs

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India launched the ‘Study in India’ campaign at the 20th International Education Show in Sharjah to attract international students to its universities. Organized by EdCIL, the campaign aims to position India as a global education hub, showcasing over 590 universities offering diverse courses and benefits like scholarships. The centralized Study in India portal simplifies admissions, helping students explore programs, apply, and manage visas in one place. India’s higher education sector is the second largest globally, with institutions like IITs and IIMs gaining recognition. The program has attracted over 69,000 students for the 2024-25 academic year, with 4,000 already in India.

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India’s National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) launched its first Mid-Career Training Programme for civil servants from BIMSTEC nations. BIMSTEC is a regional organization of seven countries around the Bay of Bengal: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand. Established on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration, its goal is to promote economic cooperation among its member states. BIMSTEC focuses on 14 areas of cooperation, with India leading in Transport & Communication, Tourism, Environment & Disaster Management, and Counter Terrorism & Transnational Crime.

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Mongolia has designated October 25 as Khulan Conservation Day to raise awareness about the Mongolian Wild Ass, or Khulan.
The initiative, led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Mongolia, highlights Khulan’s role as a keystone species in the Gobi-Steppe ecosystem. This initiative, supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society, aims to raise awareness about the ecological role of the Khulan and the challenges it faces, especially after recent extreme weather events like the dzud that impacted wildlife and livestock in the region. The Khulan is crucial for maintaining biodiversity in its habitat.

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Typhoon Kong-rey hit Taiwan, marking the largest typhoon impact in nearly 30 years. It made landfall on Taiwan’s eastern coast with initial winds over 200 km/h. Authorities closed schools, offices, and financial markets, evacuating thousands from high-risk areas. Supermarkets faced shortages as residents prepared. The storm injured over 70 people, caused one death, and led to power outages for about 500,000 households. Severe weather conditions delayed emergency responses in affected areas.

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India and France have been re-elected as President and Co-President of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) until 2026. ISA is an intergovernmental organization uniting solar-rich countries to promote solar energy as a clean and affordable resource. Launched by India and France in 2015 at the UN Paris Climate Conference, the ISA Framework Agreement came into force in 2017. ISA focuses on financing solar projects, technology collaboration, capacity building, and energy transition. The “Towards 1000” strategy aims to mobilize USD 1000 billion in solar investments by 2030. The ISA Secretariat is located in Gurugram, Haryana.

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India’s new consulate in Brisbane, Australia, was inaugurated by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The consulate marks a milestone in India-Australia relations, strengthened by recent trade deals. Queensland, home to about 100,000 of Australia’s nearly one million Indian-origin residents, is key to these ties, with India as its second-largest export market. India also has consulates in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. The Brisbane consulate will be led by diplomat Neetu Bhagotia, who has prior experience in India’s missions in Bhutan and Russia.

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Over 65 million people in the Horn of Africa are food insecure, according to a UN report. The Horn of Africa includes Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, and Somalia. The region is arid and nearly equidistant from the Equator and Tropic of Cancer. It is a UNESCO Biodiversity Hotspot and holds strategic geopolitical importance, located near the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean.

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The Cia-Cia tribe in Indonesia is using Hangul, the Korean alphabet, to preserve their indigenous language, which has no formal script. The tribe, with around 93,000 people, has relied on oral tradition for centuries. Hangul was adopted in 2009 to document the Cia-Cia language, as Arabic script didn’t match its sounds. The script is now used in schools, textbooks, and public signs. While some worry about cultural influence, others see it as vital for preserving the language’s uniqueness and preventing extinction.

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The Keris Woomera 2024 exercise involved around 2,000 troops from Indonesia and Australia, focusing on air, maritime, amphibious, and land operations. It took place near Banongan beach in East Java and was part of the broader Indo-Pacific Endeavour initiative, enhancing military cooperation between the two nations. This exercise aims to strengthen trust and interoperability, addressing regional security challenges amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific, particularly concerning China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea. Recent agreements also reflect Indonesia’s defense priorities under President Prabowo Subianto.

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China’s president has launched the $1.3 billion Chancay megaport in Peru, transforming a small fishing town into a major global port. The port, majority-owned by China’s Cosco shipping company, is located in Peru’s coastal desert. Chancay, a remote area where many lack basic amenities like running water, is being developed into a deep-water port. This megaport aims to capitalize on China’s increasing interest in South America’s resources, linking the region more closely with Asian markets.