International Current Affairs MCQs

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Russia declared a federal-level emergency due to a massive oil spill along the Black Sea coast, caused by storm-damaged tankers near the Kerch Strait. The spill released thousands of tons of mazut (heavy fuel oil), polluting about 55 kilometers (34 miles) of coastline. The spill has raised serious concerns about cleanup efforts and potential long-term environmental damage. The Black Sea, a large inland sea in southeastern Europe, is one of the marginal seas of the Atlantic Ocean, spanning 436,000 square kilometers. It is bordered by Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Bulgaria, Georgia, and Romania.

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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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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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US President Donald Trump has banned the creation and issuance of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in the United States. Agencies are prohibited from promoting or issuing CBDCs without legal approval. The executive order defines CBDC as a digital currency directly backed by the central bank. Concerns cited include risks to privacy, sovereignty, and financial stability. The order promotes a private-sector-led digital asset ecosystem, focusing on dollar-backed stablecoins as alternatives. CBDCs differ from cryptocurrencies as their value is fixed by the central bank, with several countries adopting them for centralized digital currency control.

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Switzerland will end development aid for Bangladesh, Albania, and Zambia due to budget cuts in foreign aid. The Swiss parliament reduced its 2025 foreign aid budget by 110 million Swiss Francs, and another 321 million Swiss Francs for 2026-2028. These cuts will impact both bilateral and multilateral cooperation. However, Switzerland will still fund humanitarian efforts. This decision is part of Switzerland’s financial adjustments and shift in international aid priorities.

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US President Trump has officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America”. He designated February 9 as “Gulf of America Day” through an executive order, requiring the Secretary of the Interior to formalize the change within 30 days.

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The oldest known Jurassic bird fossil was recently found in China’s Fujian Province. The fossil is of a species called Baminornis zhenghensis and is estimated to be 149 million years old. The discovery of Baminornis zhenghensis is considered a landmark discovery and one of the most important bird fossils ever found. It shows that birds and dinosaurs lived alongside each other in China during the Jurassic period.

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The UN launched the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative in 2022 to protect people from hazardous weather, water, and climate events through early warning systems by 2027. The initiative aims to safeguard vulnerable populations as climate-related disasters become more frequent and intense. In 2023, early warning systems received record-high funding, but its distribution remains uneven. 54% of national EWS investments are concentrated in five countries—China, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Indonesia. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) face significant funding gaps. The Global Observatory for Early Warning System Investments was launched in December 2024 by the WMO and UNDRR to track and optimize investments. As of February 12, 2025, the observatory tracks 329 projects across 127 countries, funded by institutions like the World Bank and Green Climate Fund.

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Indonesia launched a new sovereign wealth fund, Daya Anagata Nusantara (Danantara), to manage state assets worth over USD 900 billion. Danantara is set to become the largest sovereign wealth fund in Southeast Asia. A sovereign wealth fund (SWF) is a state-owned investment fund used to manage national savings. SWFs are funded by surplus revenues from natural resources, state-owned enterprises, or other public wealth sources. These funds invest in stocks, bonds, infrastructure, and real estate to grow national wealth. This marks a significant step in Indonesia’s economic strategy.

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Mount Fentale in northern Ethiopia released huge methane plumes starting January 31, 2025. This event, described as a “burp,” involved large amounts of methane escaping from underground gas deposits. The phenomenon was first detected through satellite monitoring and later confirmed by GHGSat. This unprecedented natural event could have significant climate change implications due to the high potency of methane as a greenhouse gas.