“What In The World? Weekly Quiz” – June 29-July 5, 2020

LAST WEEK’S QUIZ WINNERS

Pete Griffin, Nashville, TN
Himanshu Manchanda, Nashville, TN
Charles Bowers, Nashville, TN
David Hillinck, Huntsville, AL
Mary Raffety, Nashville, TN
Allan Ramsaur, Nashville, TN
Mathew Miletich, Nashville, TN
Pat Miletich, Nashville, TN
Yezzie Dospil, Nashville, TN
Campbell Lahman, Nashville, TN
Kathy Ingleson, Nashville, TN

1. The United States and Russia opened talks in Vienna on June 22nd on the extension of THIS least remaining treaty covering nuclear arms. IT expires in February but can be extended for five years with mutual agreement.

A. JCPOA
B. New Start
C. Start II
D. INF

Correct Response: B. New Start
https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/06/22/world/europe/22reuters-usa-russia-nuclear.html

2. President Trump told reporters he held off imposing sanctions on China in 2018 for THIS reason, in response to claims by John Bolton that Trump sought support from President Xi Jinping for his reelection. At the time Congress was pressing for human rights related sanctions over construction of detention camps for over one million members of the Uighur minority in Xinjiang Province.

A. Concern over a crackdown in Hong Kong.
B. Attempts to get an agreement on China’s withdrawal from South China Sea outposts.
C. To avoid complicating trade talks with Beijing.
D. Assurances from President Xi on the handling of the Uighur issue.

Correct Response: C. To avoid complicating trade talks with Beijing.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/21/us/politics/trump-uighurs-china-trade.html

3. Britain, France and Germany – three signatories to the Iran nuclear deal – aid they will not back U.S. efforts to do THIS in response to the prospect of the expiration of a UN arms embargo on Iran.

A. Blockade Iranian oil exports.
B. A unilateral trigger, or “snapback,” of UN sanctions under the JCPOA.
C. Launch sanctions against countries selling arms to Iran.
D. All of the above.

Correct Response: B. A unilateral trigger, or “snapback,” of UN sanctions under the JCPOA.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-europe/europe-tells-u-s-we-wont-back-unilateral-iran-sanctions-snapback-idUSKBN23Q1DB

4. The United States will implement sanctions against THIS country “to prevent the … regime from securing a military victory.” The “Ceasar … Civilian Protection Act” is a sweeping set of sanctions that will seriously damage the country’s economy.

A. Yemen
B. Syria
C. Myanmar
D. Lebanon

Correct Response: B. Syria
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-security-usa-un/u-s-to-impose-sanctions-aimed-at-blocking-syria-military-victory-idUSKBN23N2YT

5. The Government of Israel announced it would develop a new town in THIS area it annexed last year and would name it in honor of President Trump. In March 2019 Trump signed an executive order recognizing this land captured from Syria as Israeli territory.

A. Golan
B. Gaza
C. Sinai
D. Jordan Valley

Correct Response: A. Golan
https://apnews.com/5fbb3c6f1df39edeeb59353665f1f168

6. At the opening of nuclear talks between the United States and Russia there was an empty chair with a flag of THIS nation at the table, signifying U.S. claims that this nuclear power should be in the negotiations.

A. China
B. United Kingdom
C. India
D. France

Correct Response: A. China
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-nuclear/performance-art-china-rebukes-u-s-envoy-for-photo-stunt-at-talks-with-russia-idUSKBN23T0XT

7. President Trump told a reporter June 21 that he was open to meeting with THIS Venezuelan leader while seeming to undercut Juan Guaido, the man named by Washington as the legitimate President.

A. Chavez
B. Maduro
C. Caldera
D. Perez

Correct Response: B. Maduro
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-usa-trump/trump-says-he-would-consider-meeting-venezuelas-maduro-but-has-turned-them-down-axios-idUSKBN23T00J

8. A new book by former National Security Advisor John Bolton attacked President Trump on a number of international affairs issues including the President’s knowledge of the world. Bolton claimed Trump was uncertain if THIS was a part of Russia.

A. Poland
B. Finland
C. Iceland
D. Belarus

Correct Response: B. Finland
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/19/finns-aghast-that-trump-could-think-their-country-is-part-of-russia

9. An Iranian spokesman said last week they would send “black boxes” from an airliner that was shot down in January by an Iranian missile battery on the night of a surface to surface missile attack against U.S. forces based in Iraq. What was the flag nation for the airliner that was downed at the cost of 176 people?

A. Yemen
B. Ukraine
C. France
D. Malaysia

Correct Response: B. Ukraine
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-ukraine-black-box/iran-to-send-black-boxes-from-downed-ukrainian-airliner-to-ukraine-minister-idUSKBN23O3KB

10. North Korea is planning a campaign to do THIS in a tit-for-tat response to South Korea which led Pyongyang to blow up a joint liaison office in Kaesong last week.

A. Dispatching commandos across the DMZ to scout week points of ingress.
B. Launch a cyber disinformation campaign to discredit the leadership
C. Present defectors from the other side on national TV to launch personal attacks.
D. Distribute propaganda leaflets by balloons.

Correct Response: D. Distribute propaganda leaflets by balloons.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/22/world/asia/north-korea-leaflets-south-korea.html

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