International Current Affairs MCQs

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François Bayrou, a 73-year-old centrist leader, was named French Prime Minister by Emmanuel Macron, succeeding Michel Barnier after a confidence vote ousted him. Bayrou leads the MoDem party, part of Macron’s centrist alliance, and is known as the “third man” in French politics for his centrist approach during the 2007 presidential election. He is the high commissioner of planning, mayor of Pau, and president of the European Democratic Party. Born into a wealthy farming family near the Pyrenees, he taught Latin and Greek before entering politics in the 1980s. He served as education minister and was a member of both the National Assembly and European Parliament.

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US President-elect Donald Trump has suggested that his administration may consider efforts to regain control of the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal is a 40-mile-long man-made waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans across the Isthmus of Panama. Built by the United States, it was completed in August 1914 and is one of the world’s two most strategic artificial waterways, alongside the Suez Canal. The U.S. controlled the canal solely from 1914 to 1979, after which control transitioned to the Panama Canal Commission, and full control passed to Panama on December 31, 1999. The canal uses a sophisticated lock system to manage elevation differences between the two oceans, acting as water elevators to lift or lower ships. It has three sets of locks, serviced by artificial lakes and channels.

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An anti-corruption outfit in Bangladesh is investigating the USD 12.65 billion Rooppur nuclear power plant. The plant, located 160 km from Dhaka, is one of the largest projects by Russia’s Rosatom. The deal for the plant was initiated in February 2011, with a contract signed in December 2015. The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission issued a site license in 2016, and construction began in 2017. The first unit is expected to be completed by 2025, generating 2400 megawatts of electricity once fully operational. A 2018 trilateral agreement involving India, Bangladesh, and Russia supports the project.

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China approved building the world’s largest hydropower dam near the Indian border, raising concerns in India and Bangladesh. The dam will be constructed at a Himalayan gorge where the Yarlung Zangbo River (Brahmaputra) turns sharply before flowing into Arunachal Pradesh and Bangladesh. The project, costing over 1 trillion yuan ($137 billion), will generate over 300 billion kWh annually, surpassing the Three Gorges Dam’s 88.2 billion kWh capacity. It forms part of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan and long-term goals for 2035. Located on a tectonic plate boundary, the site poses significant earthquake risks.

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China launched the Sichuan, the first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, designed to enhance long-distance naval combat capabilities. The 40,000-ton ship features an electromagnetic catapult for fighter jet launches and arrestor technology for safe landings. It can deploy ground troops via landing crafts and provide air support. Developed indigenously, it follows the earlier Type 075 ships launched in 2019. The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) aims to operate globally, modernizing its fleet for over a decade. China is also researching nuclear-powered aircraft carriers for extended deployments, competing with the U.S.’s 11 nuclear-powered carriers.

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Romania and Bulgaria became full members of the EU’s Schengen area on January 1, 2025. Previously, both countries held partial membership in the Schengen area. The Schengen area operates as a single jurisdiction with a common visa policy for international travel.

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More than 100 people, including child rights activists from Nepal and India, launched the ‘Child Marriage Free Nepal’ campaign in Kathmandu. The campaign, supported by Indian organization Just Right for Children and Nepal’s Backward Society Education, aims to end child marriage by 2030. Nepal has the second-highest prevalence of child marriage in South Asia, with the legal marriage age set at 20. Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli pledged support for the campaign.

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Bangladesh is reportedly considering purchasing Abdali Short Range Ballistic Missiles (Hatf 2) from Pakistan amid rising India-Bangladesh tensions. Abdali (Hatf 2) is a short-range, road-mobile ballistic missile developed by Pakistan’s Space Research Commission (SUPARCO). The missile is 6.5 m long, 0.56 m in diameter, weighs 1,750 kg, and has a range of 180-200 km. It carries a 250-450 kg high explosive or submunition warhead with a CEP of 150 m. It targets military bases, airfields, and critical infrastructure.

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Indonesia officially joined BRICS as a full member, announced by Brazil. Indonesia called its membership a strategic step for partnerships with developing nations. As the fourth most populous country, Indonesia aimed to strengthen Global South alliances. BRICS focuses on strengthening cooperation among nations in the Global South. BRICS has recently expanded its membership. New members include Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE. This expansion showcases BRICS’ increasing influence among developing nations.

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John Dramani Mahama was sworn in for a second term as Ghana’s president on January 7 in Accra. Mahama, 66, won the December 7 election by a wide margin, making a political comeback. He replaces Nana Akufo-Addo, who stepped down after two terms. Mahama promised to boost the economy and create jobs to address public discontent. The ceremony was attended by over 20 global leaders, marking a significant event in Ghana’s democratic tradition. Ghana is the world’s second-largest cocoa producer and maintains democratic stability in a region facing challenges.