International Current Affairs MCQs

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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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Maldives President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and India’s Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu jointly inaugurated the Hanimaadhoo International Airport on November 10, 2025, a project completed with India’s financial assistance. President Muizzu hailed the airport as a “gateway to prosperity” and a “symbol of economic transformation” for the northern Maldives, boosting tourism, fisheries, agriculture, and regional development. The project symbolizes 60 years of India–Maldives diplomatic ties, and aligns with India’s “Neighbourhood First” and “MAHASAGAR” visions for regional cooperation.

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India recently addressed the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) Roundtable at UNFCCC COP30 in Belém, Brazil, highlighting global efforts on industrial decarbonisation. LeadIT was launched in 2019 by India and Sweden with support from the World Economic Forum. It is the first global high-level initiative targeting net-zero emissions from heavy industries by 2050. It brings together countries and companies to promote public-private partnerships, finance, and best-practice sharing for an inclusive, just transition. LeadIT 2.0 (2024-26), launched at COP28, focuses on inclusive transition, low-carbon technology transfer and financial support to emerging economies. Its secretariat is hosted by the Stockholm Environment Institute, with 18 member countries and 27 companies.

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The United States has officially designated Saudi Arabia as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) after the meeting between Donald Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) is a special strategic status that gives defence partners military, financial and technological benefits but does not provide NATO-style security guarantees. The MNNA category was created under U.S. law in the 1980s to expand America’s alliance network beyond NATO countries. The main aim of MNNA status is to boost defence cooperation, access to advanced weapons, joint military training and security coordination. The move strengthens U.S. strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia, especially given the region’s geopolitical importance.

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Nepal has extended the survey license deadline for the West Seti Hydropower Project and allowed a direct agreement for another project by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) to support Indian power companies in developing hydropower in the Himalayan region. West Seti Hydropower Project is planned as a 750 Megawatt hydroelectric storage project on the Seti River, a tributary of the Karnali River in Nepal. It is a storage-based project, not a run-of-river project, allowing water to be stored during monsoon and electricity to be generated year-round. The project is being developed by National Hydro Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) of India under a Public-Private Partnership model.

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Oman is making history with the launch of its first-ever communications satellite OmanSat-1, marking a major leap in national digital sovereignty and space capability. The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT) signed an agreement with Airbus Defence and Space to design, manufacture and launch the satellite. OmanSat-1 is built on Airbus’ OneSat platform with full digital flexibility to reconfigure while in orbit and will operate in the high-capacity Ka frequency band covering Oman, Middle East, East Africa and Asia. The mission aims for a fully Omani-operated satellite ecosystem to deliver secure high-speed communications and boost technological expertise and the national space economy.

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Indonesia officially ended the polio type 2 outbreak after years of low vaccination. Nearly 60 million extra polio vaccine doses were given to children during the response. No poliovirus detected since June 2024 in children or the environment. WHO declared the outbreak closed on 19 November 2025. First case appeared in Aceh in October 2022 and later spread to multiple provinces. Two rounds of nationwide campaigns using novel Oral Polio Vaccine 2 (nOPV2) were conducted. Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) coverage increased from 63 percent in 2023 to 73 percent in 2024. Indonesia introduced hexavalent vaccine combining DPT HB Hib and IPV to protect against six diseases in one shot

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Russia has recently ratified the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistic Support (RELOS) agreement with India. RELOS is a military logistics-sharing agreement signed in February 2025 between India and Russia. The agreement allows the military forces of both nations to use each other’s bases, ports, and facilities for fuel, supplies, maintenance, and repairs. The operational scope includes joint exercises, training missions, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and other mutually agreed activities. It extends India’s operational reach into the Arctic via Russian Arctic and Far East ports and strengthens bilateral military cooperation.

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The Government of India recently showcased the country’s pioneering achievements in rural transformation and development leadership at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) – India Day event held in Rome, Italy. The event highlighted India’s successful policies, programmes, and innovations aimed at eradicating rural poverty, strengthening livelihoods, and transforming rural economies. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialised agency of the United Nations. Its primary objective is to eradicate poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries by empowering rural communities.

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Australia has implemented the world’s first nationwide ban on social media access for children below the age of 16 years, with the objective of strengthening child online safety and protecting minors from digital harms. The law places the responsibility of enforcement on social media companies rather than on children or their parents. It aims to shield minors from addictive algorithms, cyberbullying, online predators and exposure to harmful or inappropriate content, while promoting healthier boundaries between childhood, family life and the digital environment.