International Current Affairs MCQs

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United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has temporarily suspended the repatriation of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. UNHCR was established in 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly after the Second World War. It was earlier called the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees. Its main aim is to save lives and protect the rights of refugees, internally displaced people, and stateless persons. Its headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland.

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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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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.

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Thailand’s parliament elected Anutin Charnvirakul as the new Prime Minister. He is the third Prime Minister in Thailand in the last two years. Anutin replaced Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was ousted by the Constitutional Court for ethical violations over a Cambodia border dispute. Anutin leads the Bhumjaithai Party. The party secured over 247 votes, surpassing the majority threshold in the 492-member House of Representatives. His election reflects political stability efforts after frequent leadership changes in Thailand.

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Albania has become the first country to induct an AI minister, a virtual government official named Diella. Diella is powered entirely by artificial intelligence (AI), made of code and pixels, and is not a human minister. The AI minister was introduced on 11 September 2025 by Prime Minister Edi Rama at the Socialist Party assembly in Tirana. Diella is tasked with overseeing public procurement and reducing corruption in government spending. The AI evaluates and awards public tenders, processes citizen requests via the digital services portal, and can hire talent globally. The move aims to curb bribes, bureaucratic rigidity, and administrative prejudice.

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Recently, the governments of the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) announced a series of nuclear power deals. Leading US-based companies will build nuclear projects overseas. The initiative aims to accelerate advanced reactor deployment and reduce dependence on Russian nuclear fuel. It is named the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy. The partnership includes faster safety approvals, regulatory cooperation, and billions in private sector investment. The initiative strengthens transatlantic cooperation in nuclear energy and strategic energy security.

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The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) launched the second edition of the Brazil–India Cross-Incubation Programme in Agritech (Maitri 2.0) in New Delhi. The programme aims to foster innovation-driven growth and strengthen collaboration between Indian and Brazilian agritech ecosystems. It builds on the 77-year-long agricultural partnership between India and Brazil and aligns with cooperation under BRICS and the G20. ICAR has grown from 74 patents in 1996 to 1,800+ annually, with 5,000 licensing agreements supporting innovations. Maitri 2.0 is a two-way learning platform for co-creation, digital technologies, value-chain development, and sustainable farming.

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Patrick Herminie, opposition leader of Seychelles, won the presidential election, defeating incumbent Wavel Ramkalawan. Herminie secured 52.7% of votes, while Ramkalawan got 47.3% in the run-off election. He represents the United Seychelles party, which ruled for four decades before losing power in 2020. Herminie’s victory gives United Seychelles full control of the government, after winning a parliamentary majority in the first round of elections last month. In 2023, Herminie was arrested on witchcraft charges, which were later dropped. He served as parliament speaker from 2007 to 2016.

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Pakistan has recently sought help from China, its “iron friend,” to join the New Development Bank (NDB). The NDB, earlier called the BRICS Development Bank, was set up by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It was created to fund infrastructure and sustainable development projects in developing nations. Its headquarters are in Shanghai, China.

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Rodrigo Paz, a centrist senator, won Bolivia’s presidential election. He defeated conservative rival Jorge Tuto Quiroga amid the country’s worst economic crisis. Paz secured 54.5% of the vote, while Quiroga got 45.5%, according to Bolivia’s Electoral Tribunal. His victory ends nearly two decades of leftist rule by Movement to Socialism (MAS). Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country in western-central South America. The constitutional capital is Sucre, while the seat of government and executive capital is La Paz.