International Current Affairs MCQs

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Pakistan has recently sought help from China, its “iron friend,” to join the New Development Bank (NDB). The NDB, earlier called the BRICS Development Bank, was set up by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It was created to fund infrastructure and sustainable development projects in developing nations. Its headquarters are in Shanghai, China.

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Saudi Arabia has officially ended the Kafala System, giving millions of migrant workers more rights and freedom. The Kafala System was a sponsor system tying migrant workers to a single employer, requiring employer consent to switch jobs or exit the country. Saudi Arabia will replace it with a contractual model under Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program. The new system allows job mobility, contract-based transfers, and exit/return rights without employer approval. Bahrain abolished Kafala in 2009; UAE partially reformed it in 2015; Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman still have strict Kafala rules.

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China has started pre-service trials for its new high-speed train CR450, announced on October 21, 2025. The CR450 is hailed as the world’s fastest bullet train. During trials on the Shanghai–Chongqing–Chengdu high-speed railway line, it reached a top speed of 281 miles per hour (450 km/h). The CR450 marks a major step in China’s next-generation high-speed rail technology. It aims to improve travel efficiency and connectivity across major Chinese cities. Once operational, it will surpass the speed record of China’s current CR400 series trains.

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Recently, Cyclone Montha made landfall along the Bay of Bengal coast. The name “Montha” means a fragrant flower in the Thai language. It is a tropical cyclone, a rapidly rotating storm formed over tropical oceans around a low-pressure system. Such storms are called Hurricanes in the Atlantic, Typhoons in the Western Pacific and South China Sea, and Willy-willies in Western Australia.

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In October 2025, Paul Barthélemy Biya’a bi Mvondo, representing the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), won Cameroon’s 2025 Presidential Election with 53.7% votes, defeating Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who got 35.2% votes. This victory marked his eighth consecutive term as President. At 92 years, he became the world’s longest-serving and oldest President. He joined the Presidency of the Republic in 1962 and served as Secretary-General from 1968–1975. He became Prime Minister (PM) in 1975 and succeeded Ahmadou Ahidjo as President in 1982. In 2008, he removed presidential term limits, allowing indefinite re-elections.

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The Global Virus Network (GVN) has recently expanded by adding three new Centers of Excellence in the Americas. This move strengthens its global response to emerging viral threats. GVN is a voluntary consortium of virology laboratories and scientists working to prevent and control viral diseases worldwide. It represents over 25 countries with experts covering every class of human virus. No single institution can handle all viral areas, so GVN unites global expertise. It brings top medical virologists together to tackle major scientific problems. Its strength lies in global collaboration, deep research, and commitment to solving viral challenges.

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India has ended its military presence at the Ayni Airbase in Tajikistan after the bilateral agreement with Tajikistan expired around four years ago. The Ayni Airbase, located 10 km west of Dushanbe, was built in the Soviet era and later renovated by India. India spent around $100 million upgrading the base with runway extensions, shelters, fuel depots, and air traffic control facilities. Su-30MKI jets and around 200 Indian personnel from the Army and Air Force were once deployed there. All Indian personnel and equipment were withdrawn by 2022. The base initially supported the Northern Alliance in its fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

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Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania, was sworn in for her second term amid tight security in Dodoma, the capital. The election was marred by violent protests and opposition rejection of the results. She was declared winner with 98% votes, as several opposition leaders were jailed or barred from contesting. In her victory speech, she called the election free and democratic, labelling protesters as unpatriotic.

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Sweden has become the world’s first cashless country, replacing physical money with digital payments through phones and cards. Travellers can easily pay anywhere — from shops to northern lights tours — using digital transactions. The transformation began with the launch of Swish, a mobile payment app introduced in 2012. Swish enables real-time money transfers between individuals, businesses, and organizations using just a phone number. Its fast adoption made digital payments common across shops, cafés, museums, and even churches. This shift marks a major milestone in Sweden’s journey toward a fully digital and cash-free economy.

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India recently joined the Brazil-led Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) as an observer ahead of COP30, reaffirming its commitment to climate action and forest conservation. The TFFF is a global initiative that financially rewards countries for preserving tropical forests, crucial for mitigating climate change. It offers $4 per hectare of protected forest annually as a performance-based conservation incentive. It is a budget-neutral financing model, not dependent on new taxes or donor grants. It functions through the Tropical Forest Investment Fund (TFIF), which invests sponsor funds sustainably, avoiding deforestation-linked sect