International Current Affairs MCQs

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The Prime Minister welcomed New Zealand’s participation in the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), emphasizing shared interests in regional peace and stability. India launched Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) in November 2019 at the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bangkok. It builds on the Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) initiative of 2015. The initiative promotes a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific for regional safety and development. IPOI is a non-treaty-based voluntary arrangement relying on EAS mechanisms and includes seven pillars of cooperation led by different countries.

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Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was sworn in as Namibia’s first female president on the country’s 35th independence anniversary. She succeeded Nangolo Mbumba, who was interim president after President Hage Geingob passed away in February 2024. After Geingob’s death, she was promoted to vice president before assuming the presidency. Nandi-Ndaitwah has been a lawmaker since 1990. She previously served as Namibia’s Foreign Minister before becoming vice president.

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The Maasai tribe in Tanzania is resisting international carbon credit projects, fearing land loss and threats to their traditional way of life. The Maasai are semi-nomadic pastoralists and a prominent indigenous community in East Africa, primarily in Tanzania and Kenya. They speak Maa, a Nilo-Saharan language, and are known for their distinct dress, beadwork, and warrior traditions. Their society follows a patrilineal structure with age-set systems, transitioning from junior warriors to senior elders. They rely on livestock for meat, milk, and blood, practice transhumance, and live in kraals with mud-dung houses and thorn fences.

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The Prime Minister of Thailand gifted a copy of the Tipitaka in Pali language to the Indian Prime Minister during his ongoing visit. Tipitaka, meaning “three baskets,” is a collection of Buddhist scriptures written in the Pali language and is the core of Theravada Buddhism. The Vinaya Pitaka contains rules and guidelines for monks and nuns in the monastic community, called the sangha. The Sutta Pitaka includes the sermons and teachings of Gautama Buddha. The Abhidhamma Pitaka explains deep philosophical ideas about the nature of reality. Theravada Buddhism is the oldest surviving Buddhist tradition followed by those called theravadins, meaning followers of the old teachers or theras.

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Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, who chairs the Intergovernmental Negotiations on UNSC reforms, recently stated that India will be a strong contender if the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is expanded. Kuwait and Austria currently co-chair the Intergovernmental Negotiations on United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reform. The UNSC is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, tasked with maintaining international peace and security. All UN member states must comply with UNSC decisions under the UN Charter. The UNSC determines threats to peace, recommends settlement methods, imposes sanctions, and authorizes military actions. It consists of 15 members: 5 permanent members with veto power and 10 elected non-permanent members. The UNSC is headquartered in New York City.

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Sayoni Das, a swimmer from Bengal, recently became the first Asian woman to successfully cross the Strait of Gibraltar. The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow body of water that separates Europe from Africa and connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered by Spain and the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar in the north, and by Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in the south. The strait is around 58 kilometres long and narrows to about 13 kilometres at its tightest point. The eastern end features the famous Pillars of Heracles — the Rock of Gibraltar and Mount Hacho.

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The Indian government has recently announced that nationals of Pakistan will not be allowed to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). The SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme was launched in 1992 to allow certain dignitaries from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries to travel visa-free within the region. Under this scheme, special visa stickers are issued by each member state to eligible persons of their own country. These stickers are usually valid for one year and reviewed regularly by immigration authorities of SAARC nations. The scheme simplifies travel by removing visa, police reporting, and extra form requirements.

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Angola signed the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement and became its 123rd member during President Joao Lourenco’s visit to India. This visit coincided with the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and Angola. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a defence Line of Credit of 200 million US dollars to support Angola’s armed forces. India and Angola will work together to develop Angola’s new oil fields and set up onshore and offshore refineries. New cooperation areas include diamond processing, pharmaceuticals, automobile components, and digital infrastructure. Three agreements were signed on ayurveda, agriculture, and culture.

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US President Donald Trump plans to rename the ‘Persian Gulf’ as the ‘Arabian Gulf’ during his visit to Saudi Arabia, aligning with Arab Gulf nations’ preferences. The term ‘Persian Gulf’ has been used since the 16th century, recognized in historical records and international treaties. Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE, prefer the term ‘Arabian Gulf’ and use it in national maps. In 2012, Iran threatened to sue Google for not labeling the water body correctly, asserting its historical naming rights. The Persian Gulf is a vital geopolitical area, connected to the Arabian Sea via the Strait of Hormuz.

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New sites from China, Brazil, Mexico, and Spain have been recognized as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). GIAHS was launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2002. It addresses threats to traditional farming like climate change and loss of biodiversity. The program supports farmers by promoting traditional knowledge, conservation, and sustainable development. FAO’s network now includes 95 heritage systems in 28 countries worldwide. The new sites include a traditional agroforestry system growing erva-mate in Brazil. Three Chinese sites are recognized for pearl mussels, white tea, and pears. Mexico’s site conserves important food crops and biodiversity. Spain’s Lanzarote island has a unique farming system on volcanic land.