Current Affairs - International

On May 16, 2025, Honduras officially inaugurated its new embassy in New Delhi, marking a significant step in deepening ties with India. This move aims to bolster cooperation in trade, development, technology, and climate resilience, while also enabling Honduras to utilize India as a strategic gateway to Asia. In turn, India can leverage Honduras’ position as a bridge to Central America. The inauguration followed a series of bilateral engagements and reflects India’s growing outreach to Latin America. Notably, Indian companies like Bajaj, Hero, and TVS have a strong presence in Honduras, further reinforcing the value of this diplomatic expansion.

Nigeria experienced a severe outbreak of Lassa fever in 2025, resulting in 138 deaths and 717 confirmed cases, as reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The outbreak affected 18 out of the country’s 36 states, with a high case fatality rate of 19.2%. Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, which is commonly transmitted to humans through food or household items contaminated by the urine or feces of infected Mastomys rats. The scale and spread of the outbreak highlight the urgent need for improved public health surveillance and preventive measures in affected regions.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a polio outbreak in Papua New Guinea after detecting virus samples in healthy children during routine screenings in Lae, a coastal city in the country’s northeast. Polio is a highly infectious disease that mainly affects children under five years of age and spreads through contact with infected faeces or respiratory droplets. The declaration aims to prompt urgent vaccination efforts to contain the spread of the virus and protect vulnerable populations. This situation underscores the importance of sustained immunisation campaigns in preventing outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases globally.

Mariangela Hungria, a renowned microbiologist from Brazil, has been honoured with the 2025 World Food Prize for her groundbreaking work in agricultural microbiology. Her research focuses on using beneficial bacteria such as rhizobia and Azospirillum brasilense to enhance soil fertility and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. By improving nitrogen fixation in soybeans and promoting root development in crops like corn, her work significantly boosts nutrient and water uptake. These innovations contribute to sustainable farming practices and food security, particularly in regions heavily reliant on agriculture. Her recognition marks a major achievement for Brazilian science and global food sustainability efforts.

Jamia Millia Islamia has suspended all its Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with academic institutions affiliated with the government of Turkey due to concerns related to national security. This step follows a similar decision by Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), which suspended its MoU with Inonu University, also located in Turkey. The move reflects heightened scrutiny and caution in India’s academic collaborations where national interest and security are perceived to be at stake. Such measures underline the growing sensitivity in international academic relations and the importance of aligning institutional partnerships with national strategic priorities.