International Current Affairs MCQs

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Taiwan completed the first underwater sea trial of its first domestically developed submarine, Narwhal. The submarine programme is part of Taiwan’s effort to strengthen deterrence against China and protect vital sea lanes. Taiwan aims to deploy at least two domestic submarines by 2027, with later models potentially missile-equipped. Taiwan’s military modernisation focuses on asymmetric warfare with mobile systems like submarines, drones, and truck-mounted missiles to counter China’s larger forces.

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The United States has launched Project Vault, a $12-billion critical minerals stockpiling initiative. It was announced by Donald Trump. The project is a public–private programme. It aims to secure supplies of critical minerals and rare earth elements. These minerals are essential for defence, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. The initiative seeks to reduce US dependence on China. It also helps protect industries during global supply disruptions. Project Vault functions like the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. It stabilises prices and strengthens national security.

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Spain has announced a nationwide ban on social media access for children below 16 years of age. It became the first European country and the second globally after Australia to take this step. The ban is expected to come into force within a week. Social media companies must enforce strict age verification and compliance. Australia introduced a similar ban in December 2025, leading to removal of over 5.5 lakh underage accounts. The move may influence other European Union countries to adopt stricter digital child protection laws.

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Israel joined United States President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” initiative during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington. Netanyahu signed Israel’s accession and met Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Board was authorized by a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution in November to help form an international stabilization force in Gaza. It will supervise Gaza’s temporary governance and discuss reconstruction in its first meeting on February 19 in Washington. The Board plans to expand its role to address global conflicts.

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The World Economic Forum (WEF) launched the Davos Compact on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) 2025 to tackle the global health crisis of drug-resistant infections. It acts as a voluntary non-state counterpart to the UNGA 2024 Political Declaration on AMR, engaging non-government actors in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. The Compact sets a dual target: to prevent 100 million deaths and mitigate an estimated $1.7 trillion economic loss by 2050 due to unchecked drug resistance. Signatories pledge to adopt the “One Health” approach, linking human, animal, and environmental health in AMR mitigation strategies. The Compact ensures equitable access to essential and newly developed antibiotics for low- and middle-income countries.

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The United States of America (USA) conducted its first air transport of a micro nuclear reactor using a C-17 military aircraft. The Departments of Energy (DOE) and Defense (DOD) transported the Ward microreactor developed by Valar Atomics from California to Hill Air Force Base without nuclear fuel. This shows rapid nuclear deployment capability for military and civilian use. The reactor can generate up to 5 megawatts, enough for about 5,000 homes. It will start at 100 kilowatts and gradually scale to full capacity.

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India and the United Kingdom launched the Offshore Wind Taskforce under India-UK Vision 2035 and the Fourth Energy Dialogue. It aims to accelerate India’s offshore wind sector through coordinated policy, infrastructure and financing support. The partnership combines the UK’s mature offshore wind ecosystem with India’s 71 GW offshore wind potential and large domestic market. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is the nodal ministry. The National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) will conduct resource assessment

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The United States Department of Energy has removed the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) philosophy from its directives and regulations, marking a significant shift from long-standing international radiation protection practices. For decades, the global radiation protection framework has been based on the Linear No-Threshold (LNT) model and the ALARA principle as its conceptual and operational foundations. The LNT model is a risk assessment framework which states that any amount of ionising radiation, no matter how small, carries some risk of causing harm, particularly cancer.

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India and Germany launched a Large Grant project worth up to 20 million Euro under the International Climate Initiative. International Climate Initiative is part of Germany’s global climate finance commitment and was established in 2008. It works under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Convention on Biological Diversity frameworks. It supports climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation in developing and emerging countries. It helps countries implement Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.

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Villages of Excellence was announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his state visit to Israel in February 2026. The Villages of Excellence is a collaborative initiative between India and Israel aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and farmer income. It aims to bring Israeli agricultural technology from centralized research centers directly to villages, increasing productivity and income for lakhs of Indian farmers.