Current Affairs - International

Merida, a city in Mexico, secured the first position in the Friendliest Cities Index 2026 with an impressive score of 95 out of 100. The index was developed by Fernwayer, a travel platform, based on an analysis of more than 1.2 million Reddit comments discussing 200 cities worldwide. Glasgow in Scotland ranked second with 94.9 points, followed by Bogotá in Colombia with 94.5 points. The study examined travellers’ descriptions of residents’ friendliness, hospitality and welcoming attitudes. Delhi, India, received 43.6 points and appeared among the ten lowest-ranked cities. The rankings reflect online perceptions and should not be considered a scientific assessment of the character of local residents.

New Delhi hosted the first-ever BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting on October 13, 2026, under the leadership of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Representatives from all seven member countries participated in the meeting, which concluded with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration. The participating nations also agreed to strengthen cooperation against major regional security threats, including terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime and illicit financial flows. BIMSTEC stands for the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. It promotes regional cooperation between South and Southeast Asian countries in areas such as security, trade, connectivity and economic development. The meeting highlighted the importance of collective action to address cross-border crimes and strengthen regional security.

New York declared a statewide disaster emergency on October 5, 2026, in response to rising measles cases. Governor Kathy Hochul issued the emergency order to strengthen public health measures and expand access to measles testing and vaccination. The order was scheduled to remain in effect until November 4, 2026. It expanded the roles of healthcare professionals, allowing registered nurses to order measles testing and pharmacists to administer the MMR vaccine to children aged two years and older. The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. These measures aim to improve vaccination access, particularly in rural and under-immunised communities.

India joined the United States and 13 other economies in a joint ministerial statement aimed at addressing structural excess capacity in key manufacturing industries. The statement was issued by the US Trade Representative on October 7, 2026, following discussions at the G20 Trade Ministerial in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The participating economies identified sectors such as automobiles, electric vehicles, batteries, chemicals, foundational semiconductors and solar panels as areas of concern. They agreed to strengthen cooperation, exchange non-confidential information and examine measures to reduce market distortions caused by non-market policies. The initiative aims to protect fair competition, support investment and reduce negative effects on international trade and employment.

Bimal Patel assumed office as a judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Hamburg, Germany, on October 1, 2026. He was elected for a nine-year term after securing 115 votes out of 168 valid ballots during the election held at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Patel succeeded Neeru Chadha, whose tenure ended on September 30, 2026. Before his appointment, he served as Vice Chancellor of Rashtriya Raksha University in Gujarat, was a member of the National Security Advisory Board and served on the United Nations International Law Commission. ITLOS is an independent judicial body that resolves disputes concerning the interpretation and application of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).