International Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, Brazil decided not to formally join the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), seeking alternative collaborations with China while prioritizing its own infrastructure projects. Brazil becomes second BRICS country after India not to join BRI. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched by China in 2013, aims to enhance global trade and economic connectivity through infrastructure development and investments in various countries. The BRI encompasses various sectors, including transportation, energy, and trade, and has faced scrutiny and resistance from several nations due to concerns over debt and sovereignty.

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The Nepal government has announced provide free cancer treatment to children under 14 in designated public hospitals.This initiative is effective from November 16 and aims to ease the financial burden on parents. Treatment can be accessed at Kanti Children Hospital, Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, and BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital. If government funds are insufficient, the Ministry will arrange additional funding from internal sources. In 2022, Nepal reported 22,000 new cancer patients, with cancer causing 11% of deaths, and around 1,500 children are diagnosed with cancer each year.

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India’s Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has joined the Steering Committee of the Asset Recovery Interagency Network-Asia Pacific (ARIN-AP). ARIN-AP is a major network focused on tracking and recovering criminal proceeds across the Asia-Pacific region. It enhances cross-border cooperation in tracing, freezing, and confiscating assets linked to crime. With 28 member jurisdictions and nine observers, ARIN-AP serves as a vital, informal framework for intelligence sharing. The network, part of the broader CARIN Network, helps law enforcement quickly access information on assets, aiding in efficient crime proceeds recovery across more than 100 countries.

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Duma Boko of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) has been declared Botswana’s sixth president by Chief Justice Terence Rannowane. Botswana’s electoral law requires a party to win at least 31 of 61 National Assembly seats to secure victory. UDC has gained 34 seats, while the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) secured only four seats. Outgoing President Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat as preliminary results confirmed the BDP lost its parliamentary majority after almost 60 years in power. The BDP has governed Botswana, a diamond-rich nation, since its independence in 1966.

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The Harare Declaration, adopted at the Climate and Health Africa Conference (CHAC 2024) in Zimbabwe, emphasizes enhancing climate resilience within health systems across Africa. It aims to address the severe health impacts of climate change, advocating for immediate collaborative actions from governments, researchers, and civil society. The declaration calls for prioritizing climate change as a public health emergency and strengthening research to combat climate-related health risks, ensuring that African nations proactively shape their health futures amidst climate challenges.

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Pro-Western President Maia Sandu was re-elected in Moldova with 55.26% of the vote, defeating Alexandr Stoianoglo of the pro-Russian Party of Socialists by over 10 percentage points. Sandu gained strong support from Moldovans abroad, helping her secure victory, though she narrowly lost within Moldova itself. The election saw incidents, including bomb threats at four diaspora polling stations where Sandu had significant backing. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticized the election as “undemocratic.”

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Zimbabwe launched its second satellite, ZIMSAT-2, marking a major step in its space program. ZIMSAT-2, a low Earth observation satellite, was launched from Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome in a collaboration with ZINGSA and Southwest State University. The satellite is equipped with a high-resolution multispectral camera for agriculture, resource exploration, and environmental monitoring.

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Alix Didier Fils-Aime was sworn in as Haiti’s Prime Minister. In his inaugural speech, he promised to tackle insecurity and hold uncontested elections. Haiti is facing severe humanitarian and security crises due to escalating gang violence. In the first three months of 2024, around 2,500 people were killed or injured by gangs. Fils-Aime’s predecessor, Garry Conille, was dismissed by the Transitional Presidential Council. The council, formed in April, is responsible for selecting new leaders and organizing elections.

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Australia appointed its first anti-slavery commissioner, Chris Evans, a former senator and human rights official. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced Evans’s five-year term starting in December. The role aims to strengthen efforts across government, business, and society to combat modern slavery. Modern slavery robs victims of dignity, rights, and freedoms, as stated by Dreyfus. Walk Free’s 2023 Global Slavery Index estimated 41,000 people in modern slavery in Australia in 2021. A recent report from New South Wales’ anti-slavery commissioner estimated 16,400 people in modern slavery within the state.

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Japan has agreed to provide its integrated antenna system, UNICORN, to the Indian Naval Ships. UNICORN stands for Unified Complex Radio Antenna, and it’s a conical structure that houses antennas on warships. The system is designed to increase the stealth characteristics of naval platforms. On November 15, 2024, India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Implementation (MoI) to co-develop and co-produce the UNICORN mast for Indian Navy ships. The agreement was signed at the Embassy of India in Tokyo by the Ambassador of India to Japan, H.E. Shri Sibi George, and Mr. Ishikawa Takeshi, Commissioner of Acquisition Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) under Japan MoD. This is India’s first military technology transfer pact with Japan. It’s also the first case of co-development and co-production of defense equipment between the two countries.