“What In The World? Weekly Quiz” – Jan 20-26, 2020

Charles Bowers, Nashville, TN
Pat Miletich, Nashville, TN
Himanshu Manchanda, Nashville, TN
Yezzie Dospil, Nashville, TN
Jacob Williams, Franklin, TN
John Trudel, Nashville, TN
Jason Hicks, Cookeville, TN
Pete Griffin, Nashville, TN
Sam Horner, Nashville, TN
Jane Dillard-Eggers, Brentwood, TN
Sue Kizer, Crossville, TN
Danielle, El Paso, TX
Campbell Lahman, Nashville, TN

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JANUARY 2020 MONTHLY QUIZ PRIZE

Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World

Tim Marshall

In this New York Times bestseller, an award-winning journalist uses ten maps of crucial regions to explain the geo-political strategies of the world powers—“fans of geography, history, and politics (and maps) will be enthralled” (Fort Worth Star-Telegram).

Maps have a mysterious hold over us. Whether ancient, crumbling parchments or generated by Google, maps tell us things we want to know, not only about our current location or where we are going but about the world in general. And yet, when it comes to geo-politics, much of what we are told is generated by analysts and other experts who have neglected to refer to a map of the place in question.

All leaders of nations are constrained by geography. In “one of the best books about geopolitics” (The Evening Standard), now updated to include 2016 geopolitical developments, journalist Tim Marshall examines Russia, China, the US, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Japan, Korea, and Greenland and the Arctic—their weather, seas, mountains, rivers, deserts, and borders—to provide a context often missing from our political reportage: how the physical characteristics of these countries affect their strengths and vulnerabilities and the decisions made by their leaders.

Offering “a fresh way of looking at maps” (The New York Times Book Review), Marshall explains the complex geo-political strategies that shape the globe. Why is Putin so obsessed with Crimea? Why was the US destined to become a global superpower? Why does China’s power base continue to expand? Why is Tibet destined to lose its autonomy? Why will Europe never be united? The answers are geographical. “In an ever more complex, chaotic, and interlinked world, Prisoners of Geography is a concise and useful primer on geopolitics” (Newsweek) and a critical guide to one of the major determining factors in world affairs.

Source: Simon and Schuster

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To get in on the quiz make sure you’re getting TNWAC emails (here’s the free subscription link: http://eepurl.com/gt6dn) and make sure you’re following @TNWAC on Twitter.

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 JAN 13-19, 2020

1. Iran responded to the killing of Al Quds force head Major General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad by taking THIS action and then signaling its retaliation was over for now.

A. Ballistic missile strikes on two airbases housing American personnel.
B. An attempted car bomb attack against the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
C. Seizure of a Liberian tanker carrying an American owned cargo of oil.
D. Assassination of a leading pro-U.S. official in Lebanon.

Correct Response: A. Ballistic missile strikes on two airbases housing American personnel.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/11/middleeast/iran-strike-al-asad-air-base-exclusive-intl/index.html

2. Secretary of Defense Esper said on Sunday [Jan 12] he did not see intelligence reports supporting THIS assertion by President Trump to justify the killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani.

A. Imminent attacks on four U.S. embassies.
B. Soleimani’s delivery of attack orders to Iraqi militias.
C. Reports that Soleimani was responsible for the death of a U.S. contractor.
D. Imminent hostage-taking of U.S. citizens in Basra, Iraq.

Correct Response: A. Imminent attacks on four U.S. embassies.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/senior-administration-officials-struggle-to-explain-intelligence-behind-killing-of-soleimani/2020/01/12/daf7e896-3582-11ea-bf30-ad313e4ec754_story.html

3. On Wednesday (Jan 8) Iran launched a ballistic missile attack against Iraqi bases hosting American military personnel and accidentally destroyed a civilian airliner killing 176 civilians. The plane was flown by THIS airline.

A. Air Canada (ACA)
B. Aeroflot (SU)
C. Ukraine International Airlines (UIA)
D. Iran Air (IRA)

Correct Response: C. Ukraine International Airlines (UIA)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-crash/our-enemy-is-here-iran-protesters-demand-leaders-quit-after-plane-downed-idUSKBN1ZA0X6

4. The Philippines capital city, Manila, has largely shutdown as a result of THIS.

A. Earthquake damage along the Marianas Trench Fault.
B. Damage from Typhoon Toraji.
C. Eruptions from a increasingly unstable Taal volcano.
D. Threat of widespread flooding from the likely failure of the Olongopo dam.

Correct Response: C. Eruptions from a rapidly unstable Taal volcano.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-volcano-taal/rumbling-volcano-shuts-down-philippine-capital-idUSKBN1ZC0BL

5. Protests in multiple cities in Iran over the past several days have focused on THIS recent action have resulted in bloodshed.

A. The killing of Major General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad on January 3rd.
B. The new U.S. sanctions on goods bound for Iran.
C. The shootdown of an airliner bound for Kyiv on January 8th
D. The increase in gasoline prices in Iran.

Correct Response: C. The shootdown of an airliner bound for Kyiv on January 8th
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-crash/clerics-get-lost-iran-protests-rage-on-over-plane-disaster-idUSKBN1ZC0P1

6. The United States will sign a Phase I trade deal on January 15th with THIS country which calls for it to buy $40 billion to $50 billion in agricultural products each year and at least $200 billion in goods over two years.

A. United Kingdom
B. Brazil
C. South Africa
D. China

Correct Response: D. China
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china/chinas-u-s-trade-deal-commitments-not-changed-in-translation-mnuchin-idUSKBN1ZB0LU

7. A U.S. Navy destroyer on patrol with the Truman carrier battle group in the North Arabian Sea was “aggressively approached” by a warship of this nation in an incident that was recorded and widely broadcast showing a near-collision situation.

A. Iran
B. Russia
C. China
D. India

Correct Response: B. Russia
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/10/politics/russian-warship-us-aircraft-carrier-video/index.html

8. Lawyers for the founder of WikiLeaks told a British court their client needed more time to prepare a defense in extradition to the U.S. proceedings. Who is the founder of WikiLeaks who is facing charges in the U.S. for conspiracy to hack government computers and violation of an espionage law.

A. Edward Snowden
B. Julian Assange
C. Chelsea Manning
D. Roger Stone

Correct Response: B. Julian Assange
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-assange/wikileaks-founder-assange-needs-time-to-speak-to-lawyer-court-told-idUSKBN1ZC18K

9. The leader of THIS former colonial power called together the leaders of Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania to discuss rising hostility in their countries and how to combat Islamic extremists in the region, threatening a pull out of military support.

A. Netherlands
B. Belgium
C. France
D. United Kingdom

Correct Response: C. France
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/12/world/africa/france-sahel-summit.html

10. Queen Elizabeth summoned Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry to a meeting to discuss the surprise announcement that Harry and his wife Meghan were stepping down as “senior royals” and would seek to become “financially independent.” Harry’s and Meghan’s official title is THIS.

A. Duke and Duchess of Earl
B. Duke and Duchess of Sussex
C. Duke and Duchess of Windex
D. Duke and Duchess of Wales

Correct Response: B. Duke and Duchess of Sussex
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/13/royal-showdown-as-queen-holds-crisis-talks-with-harry-and-meghan.html

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