International Current Affairs MCQs

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Mindaugas Sinkevičius was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Lithuania in July 2026. He succeeded Inga Ruginienė after the formation of a centre-left coalition government. The coalition includes the Social Democrats, Democrats “For Lithuania”, and the Farmers and Green Union. Key priorities are National security, poverty reduction, social welfare expansion, normalising ties with China, and continued support for Ukraine.

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Andy Burnham officially became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 20 July 2026, succeeding Keir Starmer. Formerly the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham became the leader of the Labour Party before being invited by King Charles III to form the government. He became the 7th UK Prime Minister in a decade. The transition occurred without a general election, following Keir Starmer’s resignation as Labour leader and Prime Minister.

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Recently, India hosted the 2nd BRICS Expert Network on Asset Recovery in Hyderabad under its BRICS Presidency 2026. The meeting focused on asset recovery, cross-border corruption, and tracing fugitive offenders. The Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (StAR) was highlighted as an important international framework for recovering assets obtained through corruption. StAR is a joint initiative of the World Bank Group and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). It helps countries recover stolen assets, prevent money laundering, and strengthen international cooperation against corruption.

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Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in as the 36th President of Colombia on August 7, 2026. He assumed office for the 2026–2030 term, succeeding Gustavo Petro. De la Espriella won the June 21, 2026 runoff election with 49.66% of the vote. His administration has pledged a hardline approach to drug trafficking and a reduction in the size of the state. Colombia is a vibrant country in northwestern South America. It has coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The capital and largest city is Bogotá.

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Hungary’s Parliament elected András Baka, former Supreme Court chief, as the country’s next President. The President holds a largely ceremonial role in Hungary. Baka was elected with the support of the ruling centre-right Tisza Party. Opposition Fidesz lawmakers boycotted the presidential election. The move is being seen as Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s attempt to dismantle political structures associated with former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

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The United States customs administration has introduced “Detective Border,” an advanced artificial intelligence-driven analytics tool designed for automated trade pattern recognition, risk scoring, and origin verification. The tool enables US authorities to conduct deep-network analysis and detect anomalies in supply chain documentation to identify tariff evasion. For Indian exporters, the deployment of this tool means higher pre-shipment scrutiny, longer onboarding timelines, and a critical need to digitize certificates of origin. It signals a major shift toward automated, data-driven customs enforcement globally.

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The United States government announced “Operation Economic Outcast” to disrupt and widen sanctions against cyber, petroleum, shipping, and procurement networks linked to Iran. This operation utilizes the global dominance of the US dollar to block transactions and freeze assets of designated entities. By targeting foreign facilitators and shipping networks, the US aims to limit Iran’s revenue streams from petroleum trade and missile procurement. The operation highlights how unilateral financial measures are used as foreign policy tools to pressure adversaries by restricting their access to international trade and global banking channels.

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Estonia’s parliament elected Ülle Madise as the country’s next President on 2 September 2026. She secured 71 votes in the Riigikogu, exceeding the required 68 votes for a two-thirds majority. Madise will serve a five-year term and is scheduled to take office on 12 October 2026, succeeding Alar Karis. She served as Chancellor of Justice (human rights ombudsman) since 2015. She will become Estonia’s seventh President and the second woman to hold the office.

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The G20 Innovation Ministers’ Meeting was held on September 1–2, 2026, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. Hosted by the US Department of Commerce and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, this meeting served as the platform where India’s Union Minister of State Jitin Prasada and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick discussed India’s entry into the US-led multilateral 6G initiative. The meeting concluded with the adoption of the ‘Carolina Principles,’ which advocate for open, market-driven, and proportionate regulatory frameworks for trusted emerging technologies.

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Belgium has constructed Princess Elisabeth Island in the North Sea, which is being developed as the world’s first artificial energy island. The island will act as an offshore electricity hub, collecting power generated by nearby offshore wind farms. It will transmit electricity to the Belgian mainland and enable electricity interconnections with countries such as the UK and Denmark. The project is being developed by Elia, Belgium’s electricity transmission system operator. It combines high-voltage electrical infrastructure with nature-inclusive measures, including artificial oyster reefs.