International Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, the QUAD nations launched their first-ever At Sea Observer Mission to strengthen maritime cooperation. QUAD includes the Coast Guards of India, Japan, the United States, and Australia. The mission aims to boost maritime security and teamwork in the Indo-Pacific under the Wilmington Declaration. Two officers, including women, from each country have joined the United States Coast Guard Cutter Stratton, now heading to Guam.

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Recently, Bangladesh announced August 8 as “New Bangladesh Day” to mark the anniversary of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. This government took charge three days after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5 last year following a student-led uprising. August 5 will be observed as “July Uprising Day”.

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Recently, on 3rd July 2025, Russia became the first country to formally recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan since it took power in 2021. Russia removed the Taliban from its list of outlawed organisations. The Russian Foreign Ministry accepted credentials from Afghanistan’s newly appointed Ambassador Gul Hassan Hassan. Russia stated that this recognition will support productive bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry called the move historic and hoped it would encourage other countries to follow.

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Scientists, policymakers, and activists from India have raised concerns about proposed amendments to Annex I of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The treaty was adopted on 3 November 2001 by the Thirty-First Session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It recognises farmers’ contributions to global crop diversity. It sets up a worldwide system giving farmers, plant breeders, and scientists access to plant genetic materials. It ensures benefit-sharing from the use of these materials.

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Typhoon Danas recently made landfall in Taiwan. It made a rare direct landfall in Chiayi County, marking the first recorded typhoon strike in the area. The Central Weather Administration described Danas’s path as “very unusual,” with gusts up to 222 km/h in the southwest.

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Recently, 101 Indian students, including 50 women, received the Erasmus+ scholarship for master’s programs in Europe. Erasmus+ stands for European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students Plus. It is the flagship programme of the European Union (EU) for international academic mobility, launched in 1987. It allows students to study at two or more European universities and earn joint, double, or multiple degrees. The scholarship covers tuition fees, travel costs, and living expenses.

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On July 11, 2025, the Maputo Protocol marked its 22nd anniversary, prompting calls for stronger implementation and removal of state reservations. Officially named the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, it was adopted by the African Union (AU) in Maputo, Mozambique on July 11, 2003. The protocol aims to protect and empower women and girls across Africa, with a focus on healthcare, legal rights, and political participation.

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A recent joint report by World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) revealed that contaminated medicines have killed 1,300 people over the past 90 years. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) was established in 1997 by merging the United Nations Drug Control Programme and Centre for International Crime Prevention. UNODC is a global leader in fighting illicit drugs, international crime, and terrorism. It educates people on drug abuse dangers and helps strengthen actions against drug trafficking and drug-related crimes. Its headquarters is in Vienna, Austria.

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Prime Minister of India gifted two BHISHM cubes to Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu on Maldives’ 60th Independence Day. This was a major step in healthcare diplomacy and regional cooperation. BHISHM stands for Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita & Maitri. It is developed under National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the cubes are compact, portable, and self-contained. Each cube includes essential medicines, trauma care, surgical tools, and AI systems. It can handle 200 emergency cases, including trauma and minor surgeries.

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Russia has officially declared that it is no longer bound by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. The INF Treaty was signed in 1987 between the United States and the Russia (formerly Soviet Union). Its objective was to destroy two categories of lethal missile systems to slow down the nuclear arms race. The treaty targeted ground-launched missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres. It emerged after a massive missile build-up in Europe by both powers that threatened continental security. It was signed during the leadership of US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The treaty enabled mutual verification, leading to the dismantling of 2,619 missiles in three years.