“What In The World? Weekly Quiz” – Dec 9-15, 2019

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Derek Hughey, Nashville TN

Himanshu Manchanda, Nashville, TN

Charles Bowers, Nashville, TN

David Hillinck, Huntsville, AL

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We’ll post the answers and the names of the winner(s) in next week’s quiz.

Here’s last week’s questions and answers:

WHAT IN THE WORLD QUIZ

WEEK OF DEC 9-15, 2019

1. Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong held up “Swole Trump” posters– showing the President’s face superimposed on the body of Sylvester Stallone as fictional boxing champion Rocky Balboa– at a “Thanksgiving Rally” in response to THIS action by U.S. lawmakers. Many of those gathering also draped themselves in American flags and sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

A. Advancing a resolution before the UN Security Council to sanction Hong Kong’s leadership
B. Labeling the government’s crackdown on protestors an act of “political genocide”
C. Putting a halt on trade war negotiations until Hong Kong is granted new elections
D. Passing legislation that promises to punish officials who restrict freedoms in the territory

Correct Response: D. Passing legislation that promises to punish officials who restrict freedoms in the territory
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/11/29/hong-kong-protestors-wave-swole-trump-posters-thanksgiving-rally/

2. Apple has committed to “taking a deeper look at how [they] handle disputed borders,” after making changes to the way it labels THIS highly sensitive region in its Maps and Weather apps for some users. The region has been disputed since it was annexed in 2014 after a referendum that many Western countries have called illegal.

A. Hong Kong
B. Crimea
C. Somaliland
D. West Bank

Correct Response: B. Crimea
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-crimea/apple-taking-a-deeper-look-at-map-policies-after-calling-crimea-part-of-russia-idUSKBN1Y32GP

3. Iraqi legislators have approved THIS during a parliament session in Baghdad, amidst weeks of deadly anti-government protests around the country. This came shortly after top sectarian figure, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, condemned the use of lethal force against protestors and called for a new government.

A. The resignation of embattled Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi
B. The suspension of top leadership in Iraq’s security forces
C. The imposition of a ceasefire between security forces and protestors
D. The acceptance of UN peacekeeping forces to monitor the demonstrations

Correct Response: A. The resignation of embattled Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi

4. In response to THIS announced plan by the Trump administration, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has insisted that he will not permit armed foreign intervention in his country. While taking this action would not directly give authority for foreign military operations, many Mexicans are nervous it could lead to unilateral US action in Mexico.

A. Passing a Congressional resolution to label drug violence in Mexico a “humanitarian disaster”
B. Authorizing an American military unit to identify and arrest those responsible for the deaths of nine Americans in Mexico last month
C. Increasing foot patrols where border terrain has hindered construction of “The Wall”
D. Designating Mexican cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations” through the State Department

Correct Response: D. Designating Mexican cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations” through the State Department
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/mexico-invasion-trump-comments-191129163017229.html

5. As record Black Friday sales took place across Europe this year, activists from Germany to Italy held “Green Friday” demonstrations in opposition to THIS. While Black Friday has long been ridiculed by many Europeans, the trend has caught on across the continent in recent years.

A. Increasing inequality amidst growing consumerism
B. Stagnating currency valuations as manufacturing leaves the European Union
C. The environmental impact of excessive consumerism
D. The increase in permanent residency permits available to non-EU citizens

Correct Response: C. The environmental impact of excessive consumerism
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/11/29/black-or-green-friday-europe-shopping-frenzy-is-triggering-fierce-protests/

6. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned North Korea for “repeated launches of ballistic missiles” after two projectiles were fired last Thursday. In response, North Korean state media branded Abe an “imbecile” and “political dwarf” and warned THIS.

A. Japan “may see what a real ballistic missile is in the not so distant future”
B. Japan “is fear-mongering and promoting fake news to preserve its weak alliances”
C. Japan “would not know a real missile if it hit [Japanese lawmakers] in the face[s]”
D. Japan “should rid itself of [US] missiles before it makes demands of its neighbors”

Correct Response: A. Japan “may see what a real ballistic missile is in the not so distant future”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50613051

7. In his second visit to US troops overseas, President Trump arrived in Afghanistan on Thanksgiving and made THIS surprise announcement. The visit to Bagram Air Base, Trump’s first time in Afghanistan, also included a bilateral meeting with President Ashraf Ghani.

A. The US will begin pulling out troops from Afghanistan in 2020
B. Peace talks between the US and the Taliban have resumed.
C. The US and Afghanistan have jointly accepted an offer of security assistance from China
D. The US is pledging an additional $800 million in food and education aid

Correct Response: B. Peace talks between the US and the Taliban have resumed.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/28/politics/trump-afghanistan-visit/index.html

8. Saudi Arabia is pressing its OPEC partners to hold tight on production quotas in an effort to steady global oil prices in advance of the IPO of its state-owned oil company. The IPO is expected to set a valuation of THIS company at $2 trillion with about $25 billion in shares being made available on the Saudi stock market. What is the name of THIS company?

A. Saudi Petroleum
B. Saudi Aramco
C. SABIC
D. Saudia

Correct Response: B. Saudi Aramco
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/01/saudi-arabia-oil-price-stock-market-debut-aramco-ipo

9. Six more nations joined France, Britain and Germany in support of the INSTEX bartering system. The “Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges” was created for THIS purpose.

A. As a method to finance Chinese Belt and Road infrastructure projects in the EU region.
B. As a program to address “Hard Brexit” commercial relationship concerns in Ireland-Northern Ireland over the “Backstop.”
C. As a work around with Iran to avoid American sanctions and dollar trading restrictions.
D. As a method to regularize trade with EU nations that are dropping the Euro as their currency.

Correct Response: C. As a work around with Iran to avoid American sanctions and dollar trading restrictions.
https://www.rferl.org/a/european-allies-join-instex-iran-barter-system-us-sanctions/30301213.html

10. Singapore made headlines this past week for its use of a controversial new law aimed at THIS, which critics have argued would lead to increased censorship and overreach by officials in a country where freedom of expression is already under pressure.

A. Requiring all media publications to host government-affiliated ‘liaisons’
B. Banning political opposition groups from holding gatherings of more than 30 people
C. Identifying and removing “fake news” from the Internet
D. Imprisoning purchasers and distributors of pornography and other “obscene” content

Correct Response: C. Identifying and removing “fake news” from the Internet
https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/29/media/singapore-fake-news-facebook-intl-hnk/index.html

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THE MISSION of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Tennessee World Affairs Council is to promote international awareness, understanding and connections to enhance the region’s global stature and to prepare Tennesseans to thrive in our increasingly complex and connected world.

THE VISION of  the Tennessee World Affairs Council is a well-informed community that thinks critically about the world and the impact of global events.   

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