International Current Affairs MCQs

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India has appointed Aliawati Longkumer as its next Ambassador to the North Korea. He is a 2008 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and is currently Charge d’affaires at the Indian Embassy in Asuncion, Paraguay. This move marks India’s diplomatic return to Pyongyang after a four-year gap since the embassy closure in July 2021 due to the pandemic.

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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, Bangladesh announced August 8 as “New Bangladesh Day” to mark the anniversary of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. This government took charge three days after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5 last year following a student-led uprising. August 5 will be observed as “July Uprising Day”.

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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 Women Empowerment Vertical of the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BRICS CCI WE) launched a new initiative focused on women in technology and leadership. The initiative is called WE WISE – Women in Innovation, Science and Entrepreneurship. It was launched during the BRICS Women Business Alliance (WBA) Annual Plenary Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The goal is to empower women in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology to build a sustainable global economy.

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Recently, 101 Indian students, including 50 women, received the Erasmus+ scholarship for master’s programs in Europe. Erasmus+ stands for European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students Plus. It is the flagship programme of the European Union (EU) for international academic mobility, launched in 1987. It allows students to study at two or more European universities and earn joint, double, or multiple degrees. The scholarship covers tuition fees, travel costs, and living expenses.

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Senegal has recently been declared free of trachoma by the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 15, 2025. It became the 25th country globally and the 9th in Africa to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. Trachoma is a bacterial eye infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and leads to preventable blindness. It contributes to about 1.4% of global blindness, affecting 1.9 million people. Senegal faced trachoma since early 1900s and joined WHO’s global elimination alliance in 1998.

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The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) recently adopted Resolution 2788 to strengthen peaceful ways of resolving international disputes. The resolution was adopted unanimously by all 15 UNSC members, showing global consensus. It urges all UN member states to use tools listed in Article 33 of the UN Charter, such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, judicial settlement, and regional arrangements. Resolution 2788 reaffirms the UNSC’s role in recommending proper methods for peaceful dispute resolution. It calls on countries to take strong steps to implement UNSC resolutions supporting peaceful settlements.

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently launched the global initiative ‘Global Specs 2030’ to ensure affordable eye care access for all by the year 2030. The initiative focuses on five key action areas: Services, Personnel, Education, Cost, and Surveillance. Services aim to improve access to refractive eye care. Personnel focuses on training and building the capacity of eye care workers. Education promotes public awareness about eye health. Cost targets reducing prices of eyeglasses and services. Surveillance strengthens data collection and eye care research. The Global SPECS Network supports collective advocacy, experience sharing, and professional collaboration.