International Current Affairs MCQs

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President of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami, announced that Russia will build eight nuclear power plants in Iran under an existing agreement. This statement was made during a visit by the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee to AEOI headquarters in Tehran. The Bushehr nuclear plant, Iran’s only operational facility, was completed by Russia in May 2011. It plays a key role in Iran’s civilian nuclear energy program.

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Iran launched ‘Operation True Promise 3’ in response to Israel’s ‘Operation Rising Lion’, which targeted Iran’s military and nuclear sites. This conflict is rooted in history, as after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Iran became an Islamic Republic and adopted an anti-Israel policy. Before 1979, Iran and Israel were allies.

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The military conflict between Tel Aviv and Tehran intensified recently as Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field, the largest gas field in the world, located in Bushehr province. South Pars is a joint offshore gas field shared by Iran and Qatar. Iran is the world’s third-largest gas producer after the United States and Russia, with an annual output of about 275 billion cubic meters.

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After 250 years, the long-lost ship of Captain James Cook, HMS Endeavour, has been found off Newport Harbour, Rhode Island. The ship was the first European vessel to reach eastern Australia during Cook’s 1768–1771 expedition. It was later renamed Lord Sandwich and sank in 1778 during the American War of Independence. The Australian National Maritime Museum confirmed the wreck after 25 years of underwater exploration and global research. The shipwreck, labeled RI 2394, was identified by matching its structure with Cook’s 1768 plans.

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Recently, as Israel’s conflict with Iran intensifies and threats grow from various regional actors, global focus has turned to Israel’s nuclear deterrent known as the Samson Option. The Samson Option refers to Israel’s alleged strategy of launching massive nuclear retaliation if the country faces an existential threat. The name comes from the biblical figure Samson, who destroyed himself and his enemies, symbolizing total retaliation. Israel follows a policy called amimut, meaning deliberate ambiguity in Hebrew, where it neither confirms nor denies possessing nuclear weapons.

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Recently, the United States carried out a secret mission called Operation Midnight Hammer, targeting Iran’s underground uranium enrichment sites with 30,000-pound bombs. U.S. submarines also supported the strike by firing dozens of cruise missiles at another key nuclear facility. The attack aimed to deliver a surprise blow to Iran’s nuclear program, which is seen by Israel as a serious threat. The mission was supported by aerial refuelling tankers, fighter jets, and reconnaissance aircraft to ensure secrecy and precision.

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Recently, the QUAD nations launched their first-ever At Sea Observer Mission to strengthen maritime cooperation. QUAD includes the Coast Guards of India, Japan, the United States, and Australia. The mission aims to boost maritime security and teamwork in the Indo-Pacific under the Wilmington Declaration. Two officers, including women, from each country have joined the United States Coast Guard Cutter Stratton, now heading to Guam.

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Recently, Trinidad and Tobago became the first Caribbean country to adopt Unified Payments Interface (UPI), India’s flagship digital payment platform. Both countries agreed to explore further cooperation on India Stack solutions like DigiLocker, e-Sign, and Government e-Marketplace (GeM). Trinidad and Tobago requested India’s support to digitise and upgrade its state land registration systems. The leaders highlighted that digital governance and public service delivery can drive inclusive development.

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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.

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Recently, the Prime Minister said descendants of Girmitiyas are now known for their success, service, and values instead of struggle. Girmitiyas were Indian indentured labourers who left India in the 19th century to work in British colonies. The term Girmitiya comes from the word “girmit”, an Indian pronunciation of “agreement”. These labourers signed agreements hoping for better wages and jobs. They travelled on old slave ships and lived in poor slave-like barracks. They faced a practice called “blackbirding”, meaning forced or deceptive recruitment for cheap labour abroad.