International Current Affairs MCQs

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Researchers in Japan have created a new plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, helping fight ocean pollution. It was developed by the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo. A lab demo in Wako city showed a plastic piece dissolving in salt water after stirring for one hour. The plastic breaks into safe components that are processed by natural bacteria, leaving no microplastics behind. It is as strong as petroleum-based plastic but is non-toxic, non-flammable, and does not emit carbon dioxide (CO₂). In soil, it breaks down in about 200 hours.

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The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has officially declared the year 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. This resolution was proposed by the United States of America and was adopted by all member countries through consensus. The main aim is to recognize and highlight the vital role women farmers play in ensuring food security, improving nutrition, and fighting poverty. It also focuses on promoting gender equality and empowering women in the agriculture sector.

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Recently, Israel launched its first naval strike on Yemen’s Hodeidah Port, escalating tensions in the Red Sea region. Hodeidah Port is located in western Yemen along the Red Sea coast. It is a critical lifeline for the country, with about 70% of Yemen’s imports and 80% of humanitarian aid entering through Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa ports. These ports are vital for both trade and relief operations in war-affected Yemen.

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Iran launched ‘Operation True Promise 3’ in response to Israel’s ‘Operation Rising Lion’, which targeted Iran’s military and nuclear sites. This conflict is rooted in history, as after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Iran became an Islamic Republic and adopted an anti-Israel policy. Before 1979, Iran and Israel were allies.

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The World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) recently passed a resolution titled “Skin Diseases as a Global Public Health Priority.” The resolution highlights that skin diseases affect 1.9 billion people worldwide, yet are often underfunded and neglected, especially in low- and middle-income countries. It was strongly supported by the International League of Dermatologic Societies (ILDS), the world’s largest dermatology alliance. The resolution calls for a Global Action Plan focused on prevention, early detection, effective treatment, and long-term care of skin diseases. It urges increased health investment and promotes research, surveillance, and better data collection.

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The Bajau tribe, also known as the Sama-Bajau, lives in coastal areas of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines and depends entirely on the sea. They are excellent free divers, diving 20–30 meters deep and holding their breath for 5–13 minutes without equipment. Recent research shows that the Bajau have spleens that are 50% larger than average, helping them dive longer and deeper. This adaptation is linked to a variation in the PDE10A gene.

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On 24 June 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Romania launched ConvEx-3 (2025), the world’s largest and most complex nuclear emergency exercise. It will simulate a severe accident at Romania’s Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant, the country’s only nuclear plant located 160 km east of Bucharest. It aims to improve global coordination under the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. ConvEx-3 is the highest level of Convention Exercises, testing full-scale international emergency response capabilities. Romania last hosted ConvEx-3 in 2005.

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Recently, on 3rd July 2025, Russia became the first country to formally recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan since it took power in 2021. Russia removed the Taliban from its list of outlawed organisations. The Russian Foreign Ministry accepted credentials from Afghanistan’s newly appointed Ambassador Gul Hassan Hassan. Russia stated that this recognition will support productive bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry called the move historic and hoped it would encourage other countries to follow.

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Recently, the Prime Minister said descendants of Girmitiyas are now known for their success, service, and values instead of struggle. Girmitiyas were Indian indentured labourers who left India in the 19th century to work in British colonies. The term Girmitiya comes from the word “girmit”, an Indian pronunciation of “agreement”. These labourers signed agreements hoping for better wages and jobs. They travelled on old slave ships and lived in poor slave-like barracks. They faced a practice called “blackbirding”, meaning forced or deceptive recruitment for cheap labour abroad.

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On July 6, 2025, Suriname’s Parliament elected Jennifer Geerlings-Simons as the country’s first female President. She was elected unopposed by a two-thirds vote of the National Assembly after forming a coalition following an inconclusive May election. Geerlings-Simons leads the National Democratic Party and will take office on July 16, 2025. Her election comes as Suriname prepares for expected oil wealth from major offshore oil deposits, with production starting in 2028. She aims to stabilise national finances, focusing on improving tax collection, especially in small-scale gold mining.