International Current Affairs MCQs

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Mauritius has become the first African country and the fourth globally to sign a Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a global platform that promotes solar energy cooperation among member countries. The CPF offers a structured plan for long- and medium-term collaboration on solar projects aligned with Mauritius’s national goals. This agreement aims to speed up clean energy transition through joint solar initiatives. A Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) will be created to suit Mauritius’s energy needs.

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The Philippines confirmed the deployment of the United States anti-ship missile system NMESIS for this year’s Balikatan military exercises. NMESIS stands for Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System. It is developed for the United States Marine Corps (USMC) to support land-to-sea missile attacks. It uses the Naval Strike Missile (NSM), the latest anti-ship missile of the United States Navy. The missile is mounted on an unmanned version of the Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). The vehicle platform is called Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary (ROGUE) Fires. Oshkosh Defense supplies the ROGUE Fires vehicle. The Naval Strike Missile is jointly made by Raytheon Missiles and Defense from the United States and Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace from Norway.

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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 Jwaneng Diamond Mine in Botswana is currently the richest diamond mine in the world, with an estimated value of 1 billion euros. It is famously known as the ‘Prince of Mines’ and is located near the edge of the Kalahari Desert. The mine lies in an ancient volcanic crater about 170 kilometers southwest of Botswana’s capital, Gaborone. It is operated by Debswana, a joint venture between De Beers, a leading global diamond company, and the Government of Botswana. Jwaneng means “a place of gems” in the Setswana language. The mine sits on a kimberlite pipe, a volcanic formation that brings diamonds from deep inside the Earth to the surface. The site was discovered by De Beers in the 1970s and has been in operation since 1982. The recent highlight of its value and global importance makes it a key player in the international diamond industry.

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The Iranian government declared a day of national mourning on April 28 following a deadly blast at Shahid Rajaee port. The explosion occurred when a fuel tanker detonated at the port near Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan Province. The blast resulted in 28 deaths and over 1,200 injuries. The oil facilities at the port were not affected by the blast.

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Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was elected as the 10th Chancellor of Germany by the Bundestag on 6th May 2025. He succeeded Olaf Scholz after Scholz’s coalition lost the 2025 Bundestag general election. Merz leads a three-party coalition government including the CDU, Christian Social Union (CSU), and Social Democratic Party (SPD). For the first time since World War II, a German Chancellor was elected in the second round of voting in the Bundestag. The Chancellor is nominated by the President and must win an absolute majority in the Bundestag. Merz failed in the first round but secured victory in the second.

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The 83rd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC-83) under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently adopted a landmark decision to address shipping emissions. The IMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) focused on the safety and security of international shipping. It works to prevent marine and atmospheric pollution caused by ships and directly supports UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, which aims to conserve oceans and marine resources. The IMO formulates regulations on shipping safety, maritime security, and environmental protection, though it doesn’t enforce them. It has 174 member states and is headquartered in London.

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Recently, Cambodia and China launched their largest-ever Golden Dragon joint military exercise. Golden Dragon is a yearly bilateral military drill between China and Cambodia started in 2016 to boost strategic and defense cooperation. The 2025 edition focuses on joint counter-terrorism operations and humanitarian relief, showcasing peace and capacity-building goals. It is being held at the Ream Naval Base in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, which was inaugurated in April 2025 with the arrival of Chinese warships. The exercise includes high-tech tools like reconnaissance and attack drones, surgical robots, and robot dogs, showing a move towards tech-driven warfare.

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Recently, Colombia officially joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) during a meeting of Latin American leaders in Beijing. Colombia’s capital is Bogotá. It is called the “Gateway of South America” because it connects South America with Central and North America. China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also called One Belt, One Road (OBOR), plans to build many roads, railways, and ports across several countries. It aims to boost China’s economic leadership by creating infrastructure in nearby regions. The initiative is known as the “21st Century Silk Road.”

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a polio outbreak in Papua New Guinea, highlighting an urgent health concern. The outbreak was detected after samples of the poliovirus were found in healthy children during routine screening in Lae city. Polio is caused by the highly infectious poliovirus, which spreads through contact with faeces or respiratory droplets of an infected person. It mainly affects children under five years old and can lead to permanent paralysis. Papua New Guinea was polio-free since 2000, but low immunisation rates have led to its return. WHO has called for an immediate vaccination campaign to contain the spread.