International Current Affairs MCQs

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On June 23, 2025, Iran launched Operation Bashayer Al-Fath, meaning Annunciation of Victory, targeting the United States’ Al-Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar. This was a response to Operation Midnight Hammer, where the United States attacked three Iranian nuclear sites using GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs and Tomahawk missiles. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the missile attack, calling it a response to U.S. aggression and violation of international law. Iran declared it will never compromise on its territorial integrity, sovereignty, and national security.

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On July 6, 2025, Suriname’s Parliament elected Jennifer Geerlings-Simons as the country’s first female President. She was elected unopposed by a two-thirds vote of the National Assembly after forming a coalition following an inconclusive May election. Geerlings-Simons leads the National Democratic Party and will take office on July 16, 2025. Her election comes as Suriname prepares for expected oil wealth from major offshore oil deposits, with production starting in 2028. She aims to stabilise national finances, focusing on improving tax collection, especially in small-scale gold mining.

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Recently, Ukraine’s parliament appointed Yulia Svyrydenko as the country’s new Prime Minister, the first in five years. This is part of a major cabinet reshuffle aimed at improving wartime governance as peace with Russia remains uncertain. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy tasked her with boosting domestic weapons production and reviving Ukraine’s loan-dependent economy. The target is to increase domestic weapons use on the battlefield from 40% to 50% in six months. Key goals also include deregulation and expanding economic cooperation with allies.

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United States lawmakers passed the first major national cryptocurrency law, called the Genius Act, in July 2025. The bill focuses on regulating stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency backed by assets like the US dollar. It requires stablecoins to be backed 1-to-1 by US dollars or low-risk assets. The crypto industry welcomed the bill as a way to boost mainstream acceptance and clarify rules.

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The United States has recently decided to withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The US cited reasons like alleged anti-Israel bias, UNESCO’s values being “out-of-step” with the “America First” foreign policy, and need for internal reforms. The withdrawal affects UNESCO’s budget, as the US is one of its major funders, putting education, culture, and heritage programs at risk. UNESCO was founded in 1945 to promote peace through global cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication.

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Recently, Chinese Premier Li Qiang launched construction of a huge hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, near India’s Arunachal Pradesh border. The project has raised concerns due to its massive scale, lack of transparency, and no consultation with lower riparian countries like India and Bangladesh. The project is worth 1.2 trillion yuan or 167.8 billion US dollars and includes five cascade hydropower plants in Medog County, just 30 km from the Indian border. It aims to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, over three times that of China’s Three Gorges Dam.

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Russia has officially declared that it is no longer bound by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. The INF Treaty was signed in 1987 between the United States and the Russia (formerly Soviet Union). Its objective was to destroy two categories of lethal missile systems to slow down the nuclear arms race. The treaty targeted ground-launched missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres. It emerged after a massive missile build-up in Europe by both powers that threatened continental security. It was signed during the leadership of US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The treaty enabled mutual verification, leading to the dismantling of 2,619 missiles in three years.

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South Korea and the United States will conduct major joint military drills called Ulchi Freedom Shield. It is an annual exercise to strengthen readiness and cooperation to defend the Korean Peninsula and the wider region. The drills originated in the 1960s as the Taeguk Exercise and evolved through Ulchi-Focus Lens before being renamed Ulchi-Freedom Guardian in 2008. This year’s drill will test upgraded responses to increased North Korean nuclear threats. It will also showcase advanced technologies used in modern warfare.

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Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica, has won a third term in office. His Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) secured 34 seats in the 63-seat House of Representatives. The opposition, People’s National Party (PNP) led by Mark Golding, won 29 seats. The election was held amid concerns over corruption, economic challenges, and social inequity. Under Holness, Jamaica has recorded a 43% drop in killings in 2025, the largest decline in decades. The improvement is credited to increased firearm seizures and a stronger, coordinated security force across the island. The victory underscores public trust in Holness’ governance and law-and-order measures.

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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.