International Current Affairs MCQs

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Researchers from the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science and Technology (IASST), under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), discovered that Peptidomimetic Drugs can treat Neurodegenerative Diseases (NDs). Neurodegenerative Diseases (NDs) are complex illnesses causing neuron loss and nervous system degeneration, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Peptidomimetic Drugs are synthetic molecules that mimic natural proteins called neurotrophins, which help neuron growth and survival. These drugs have better stability and bioavailability than natural neurotrophins. They target specific cells and reduce side effects, showing promise for safer and effective Neurodegenerative Diseases (NDs) treatments.

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India has formally taken over as Chair of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) for the 2025–26 term during the 67th Governing Body Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Indian delegation is led by the Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Shri Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. India committed to strengthening the APO Vision 2030 and advancing the Green Productivity 2.0 framework. India stressed regional cooperation for digital transformation, sustainability, innovation, and entrepreneurship. More than 100 Indian professionals take part in APO programs annually through the National Productivity Council (NPC) under DPIIT. India is implementing projects focused on Green Productivity and Industry 4.0 for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The APO, based in Tokyo, was founded in 1961 and currently includes 21 member economies.

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India is projected to become the world’s top potato producer, overtaking China, according to scientists from the International Potato Center (Centro Internacional de la Papa – CIP). This was highlighted at a recent symposium on ‘Root and Tuber Crops Research and Development in India and South Asia’. Experts estimate that India’s potato production may grow from 60 million tonnes now to 100 million tonnes by 2050. The International Potato Center (CIP), founded in 1971, is a global research organization focusing on potato, sweetpotato, and Andean roots and tubers. Headquartered in Lima, Peru, CIP promotes nutritious food, sustainable businesses, and climate resilience in over 20 countries.

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In May 2025, Japan passed a new law called the Act on the Promotion of Research, Development and Utilisation of Artificial Intelligence-Related Technologies. This law aims to make Artificial Intelligence (AI) the core of Japan’s digital leadership and economic growth. Unlike strict global rules, Japan’s approach encourages coordination and voluntary responsibility instead of heavy regulation. This is different from the European Union’s AI Act passed in 2024. The EU law divides AI into risk levels like “Unacceptable” and “Minimal” and places strict rules on high-risk uses. Japan’s flexible model reflects a major shift in global AI policy thinking.

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India and the United States are deepening ties through the Technology for Resilient, Open and Unified Security and Trust (TRUST) framework. The TRUST framework replaces the earlier U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET). It promotes secure, open, and reliable digital cooperation, with a focus on trusted technology supply chains. TRUST aims to boost India’s role as a regional digital hub and net security provider in the Indo-Pacific.

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External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced that India has been elected to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the 2026–2028 term. India was elected from the Asia-Pacific States group, which has four seats, along with Lebanon, Turkmenistan, and China. ECOSOC was established in 1945 under the UN Charter and is one of the six main organs of the United Nations. It is headquartered in New York, United States.

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Recently, Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, and Liberia were elected as non-permanent members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council. Their two-year terms will start in January 2026 and last until the end of 2027. They will join existing non-permanent members Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia, serving through 2026. These new members will replace Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia, whose terms end in December 2025. The Security Council has 15 members, including five permanent members with veto power: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

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Interpol coordinated a global cybercrime crackdown called ‘Operation Secure’ from January to April 2025. More than 20,000 malicious Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and domains linked to information-stealing malware were taken down. Law enforcement agencies from 26 countries, including India, joined efforts to locate servers and dismantle cybercriminal infrastructure. Interpol worked with private companies like Group-IB, Kaspersky, and Trend Micro to share cyber intelligence across Asia.

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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, scientists confirmed rocks from the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt are about 4.16 billion years old using two radioactive dating methods. The Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt is on the eastern shore of Hudson Bay in Quebec, Canada, known for its ancient rock formations. These rocks might be the oldest on Earth, rivaling the Acasta Gneiss Complex, which is about 4 billion years old. Radiometric dating helps track radioactive decay to estimate rock age. Most rocks from Earth’s early history were destroyed, making these samples rare.