International Current Affairs MCQs

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East Timor (Timor Leste) was formally admitted to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on October 26, 2025, marking the bloc’s first expansion since the 1990s. The formal ceremony took place in Kuala Lumpur, with the East Timor flag added alongside 10 other member states. Timor Leste is an island country in the Eastern Lesser Sunda Islands at the southern end of the Malay Archipelago in Southeast Asia.

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Recently, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung awarded U.S. President Donald Trump the “Grand Order of Mugunghwa,” South Korea’s highest national honour. The award recognises Trump’s role as a peacemaker on the Korean Peninsula. The ceremony was held in Gyeongju during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. Trump received a replica of the golden “Cheonmachong” crown, symbolising peace and unity from the Silla dynasty. He became the first U.S. president to receive this honour, acknowledging his diplomatic outreach to North Korea.

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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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Maldives became the first country in the world to implement a generational ban on tobacco use, effective November 1, 2025. The law bans the sale and use of tobacco for anyone born after January 1, 2007, including visitors. The ban was enacted through the Second Amendment to the Tobacco Control Act, ratified by President Mohamed Muizzu. It covers all tobacco and vaping products, which are banned for import, sale, distribution, and use. The policy aligns with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

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Bangladesh became the first country in South Asia to join the United Nations (UN) Water Convention. The UN Water Convention is officially called the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes. It was adopted in Helsinki in 1992 and came into force in 1996. Initially designed for the pan-European region, it became open to all UN Member States after March 2016. It is a legally binding treaty promoting sustainable management of shared water resources. It helps prevent conflicts, promote peace, and support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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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

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Oman has been elected to the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme for the 2025–2029 term. The election took place during the 43rd UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The Environment Authority of Oman represented the Sultanate at the session. This achievement aligns with Oman Vision 2040 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The MAB Programme promotes scientific collaboration to conserve biodiversity, manage protected areas, and support climate research. It also empowers youth and researchers through grants and promotes sustainable environmental practices globally.

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The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) launched the UN-endorsed “Integrity Matters Checklist” to help companies align their climate disclosures with UN standards for credible net-zero commitments. It was developed by GRI in partnership with the United Nations, based on the UN High-Level Expert Group (HLEG) recommendations on Net Zero Commitments. The checklist ensures transparent, science-based, and verifiable climate actions aligned with the Paris Agreement and 2030 Agenda goals. It integrates with GRI 102: Climate Change 2025 Standard, promoting consistency in sustainability reporting. It urges companies to phase out fossil fuels, adopt just transition pathways, and strengthen climate accountability globally.

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched the ‘Walk to Mars’ campaign ahead of the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026. The nationwide initiative encourages people to collectively cover 54 million kilometres, symbolising the UAE’s 54th year. It coincides with the 100-day countdown to the Games, the region’s largest multi-sport event. Participants can walk, run, cycle, or swim, promoting daily movement, health, and fitness under the theme “Every Step Makes a Difference.”

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Iceland has officially declared the possible collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) as a national security and existential threat, becoming the first country to do so. AMOC carries warm tropical waters to the Arctic, moderating Europe’s climate and making winters milder. Iceland’s Climate Minister Johann Pall Johannsson presented AMOC as a potential existential threat before the National Security Council, a first for any climate-related phenomenon. AMOC, a key climate tipping element, could collapse irreversibly if pushed beyond a threshold, possibly triggering a modern ice age in Northern Europe.