International Current Affairs MCQs

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The Indian government has recently announced that nationals of Pakistan will not be allowed to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). The SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme was launched in 1992 to allow certain dignitaries from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries to travel visa-free within the region. Under this scheme, special visa stickers are issued by each member state to eligible persons of their own country. These stickers are usually valid for one year and reviewed regularly by immigration authorities of SAARC nations. The scheme simplifies travel by removing visa, police reporting, and extra form requirements.

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Uganda recently declared the end of the Ebola Sudan Virus Disease (SVD) outbreak after completing a 42-day mandatory countdown without new confirmed cases. The declaration came less than three months after the virus was detected in Kampala, the capital. The World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines require 42 days without new cases for a country to be declared Ebola-free. Uganda first declared the SVD outbreak on January 30, following the death of a nurse. There are no approved treatments or vaccines for the Sudan strain of Ebola, as vaccines are still in clinical trials.

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Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is working to convince President Donald Trump’s administration to continue vital funding by emphasizing that a donation would benefit the US vaccine industry. Gavi is an independent public-private partnership created in 2000 to improve access to new and underused vaccines for children in the world’s poorest countries. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, Gavi unites public and private sectors to ensure equal access to vaccines for all children. It includes governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, vaccine manufacturers, and private philanthropists. Gavi provides financial support, technical expertise, and market-shaping efforts to help lower vaccine costs.

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On May 2, 2025, Australian boatbuilder Incat launched the world’s largest electric-powered ship, named Hull 096. The ship is a 130-metre-long aluminium catamaran designed for South American ferry operator Buquebus. It can carry 2,100 passengers and up to 225 vehicles across the River Plate between Buenos Aires and Uruguay. Hull 096 is powered by over 250 tonnes of batteries with an Energy Storage System (ESS) providing more than 40 megawatt hours of capacity. It was initially planned to run on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) but was later converted to battery power. The launch highlights a major step towards reducing maritime carbon emissions, which account for about three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. This comes after the International Maritime Organization (IMO) voted for a global carbon pricing system, with cleaner fuels required by 2028.

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The Quad countries recently conducted a Tabletop Exercise at the Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii to advance the launch of the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN). The Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN) aims to help Quad countries use shared logistics resources to quickly and efficiently respond to natural disasters in the Indo-Pacific region. This initiative shows the Quad’s strong commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and the importance of working together to face regional challenges. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) includes India, Japan, Australia, and the United States. It was first formed after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to improve disaster relief efforts and was formalised in 2007 by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

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Sanjay Seth, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, represented India at the 80th Victory Day celebration in Moscow, Russia, on 9 May 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was initially scheduled to attend but could not due to the Pahalgam terror incident and sent Sanjay Seth instead. During his visit, Sanjay Seth met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Deputy Defence Minister Colonel General Alexander Fomin. They discussed military and military-technical cooperation and agreed to strengthen ties through existing institutional frameworks. His visit reaffirmed the strong strategic partnership between India and Russia. Victory Day is celebrated every year on 9 May in Moscow’s Red Square to mark the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

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Recently, Colombia officially joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) during a meeting of Latin American leaders in Beijing. Colombia’s capital is Bogotá. It is called the “Gateway of South America” because it connects South America with Central and North America. China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also called One Belt, One Road (OBOR), plans to build many roads, railways, and ports across several countries. It aims to boost China’s economic leadership by creating infrastructure in nearby regions. The initiative is known as the “21st Century Silk Road.”

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a U.S. government agency under the Department of Commerce, was established in 1970 to study oceans, atmosphere, and coastal regions. Its headquarters is in Washington, D.C. NOAA recently announced it will stop updating its main database that tracked the financial costs of climate change-related weather disasters such as floods, wildfires, hurricanes, and heatwaves. This database was widely used to understand economic impacts of extreme weather in the United States. NOAA also developed tools like the tsunami wave height model used for mapping major events like the 2011 Pacific tsunami after the Sendai earthquake in Japan.

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After two years of civil war, Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan appointed former United Nations (UN) official Kamil al-Taib Idris as the new Prime Minister (PM). The announcement was made by Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council through a constitutional decree. This decision comes nearly a month after the Sudanese army regained control of Khartoum as the war entered its third year. Kamil Idris is the first PM appointed since the 2021 military coup that ousted the civilian government. He is a seasoned diplomat who served as Director General of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) from 1997 to 2008. His selection is seen as a step towards restoring governance in conflict-torn Sudan.

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A cholera outbreak has killed many people in war-affected Sudan, raising urgent health concerns. Cholera is a dangerous diarrheal disease caused by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the bacteria Vibrio cholerae. It spreads rapidly in areas with poor sanitation, unsafe drinking water, and weak healthcare systems. The disease causes sudden, severe watery diarrhea and can lead to death within hours if not treated quickly. According to the 2024 World Health Organisation (WHO) report, cholera deaths are rising due to climate change and poor sanitation. Most cases can be treated with Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), but quick access is critical. Preventing such outbreaks requires clean water, proper hygiene, and better sanitation.