International Current Affairs MCQs

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Malaysia has launched Ryt Bank, the world’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered bank. It is led by YTL Group in partnership with Sea Limited. Ryt Bank combines AI innovation with Malaysia’s values, languages, and lifestyles to shape the nation’s digital future. The bank offers in-app access in Bahasa Malaysia and English, with Mandarin to be added by September 2025. This multilingual approach ensures inclusivity and cultural connection in banking. Ryt AI works as an intelligent assistant, handling bill payments, spending tracking, and financial guidance

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The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has created two new mechanisms to strengthen global cooperation on Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance. The initiatives include the UN Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance. The Global Dialogue on AI Governance will serve as an inclusive platform for States and stakeholders to discuss critical AI issues affecting humanity. The Scientific Panel on AI will provide rigorous, independent scientific assessments bridging cutting-edge AI research and policymaking. The initiatives aim to harness AI benefits while mitigating risks, ensuring AI serves the common good of humanity.

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Australia developed the MQ-28A Ghost Bat, a 38-foot-long unmanned military drone, as a “robot wingman” for fighter jets. It operates autonomously alongside manned fighter jets to enhance capabilities and reduce pilot risks. Australia has invested about $650 million in partnership with Boeing to develop and produce the drones domestically, the first aircraft designed in Australia in over 50 years. About 70% of components are made in Australia; production includes new factories in Toowoomba, Queensland State. The program aims to strengthen sovereign defense capabilities and reduce reliance on the U.S. for military equipment.

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The U.K.-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB), launched in September 2024, marked its first anniversary on September 8, 2025, in London. It is a joint initiative led by NITI Aayog of India and the City of London of the United Kingdom. The bridge was created under the UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD). It aims to channel sustainable infrastructure investments into India using the U.K.’s expertise in structuring large-scale projects. Focus areas include national highways, regional rapid transport, and renewable energy projects. Stakeholders will build a long-term, stable, and sustainable financing system with manageable risks. It prioritizes green projects aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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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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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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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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The Kokrajhar–Gelephu rail line between India and Bhutan has been declared a Special Railway Project (SRP) by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). It is the first-ever railway connectivity for Bhutan, giving the project huge strategic importance. The 69 km line will connect Kokrajhar in Assam (India) with Gelephu in Bhutan. Another link, the 16 km Banarhat–Samtse line, will connect West Bengal with Bhutan. The project supports India’s Act East Policy and strengthens bilateral ties with Bhutan.

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India has been re-elected to Part II of the Council of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Part II includes States contributing most to international civil air navigation facilities. ICAO is a United Nations (UN) specialized agency established in 1944 under the Chicago Convention. Its purpose is to develop safe, secure, and efficient international air transport for peaceful purposes. India has been a founding member of ICAO since 1944, maintaining 81 years of uninterrupted Council presence. India focuses on aviation safety, security, sustainability, equitable connectivity, technology, innovation, and No Country Left Behind initiative.