1. Japan-US economic and political relations were on the table as THIS prime minister visited the White House.
A. Yoshihide Suga
B. Yukio Hatoyama
C. Yoshihiko Noda
D. Fumio Kishida
Correct Response: D. Fumio Kishida
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/01/12/japan-united-states-biden-summit/
2. Russian President Putin said their troops were making advances after claiming to have taken the contested town of Soledor in eastern Ukraine. Putin labeled Russian military activities in Ukraine by THIS term.
A. Anti-fascist combat
B. Special military operations
C. Ukraine De-Nazification
D. Counter insurgency
Correct Response: B. Special military operations
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-it-launched-missile-strikes-against-ukraine-saturday-2023-01-15/
3. In 2023 THIS country will take the title of most populous country from China.
A. Indonesia
B. Pakistan
C. India
D. Nigeria
Correct Response: C. India
https://www.economist.com/podcasts/2023/01/09/india-will-become-the-worlds-most-populous-country-in-2023-so-what
4. Russia and THIS ally began military drills that has Kyiv worried about possible plans for a new ground attack across Ukraine’s northern border. Leaders in Minsk allowed Russia to use its territory last February as launching point for the first phase of the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
A. Romania
B. Moldova
C. Belarus
D. Crimea
Correct Response: C. Belarus
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/16/belarus-russia-to-start-defensive-in-nature-air-force-drills
5. The foreign ministers of France and Germany were in Addis Ababa to support a peace agreement between the rebels in the Tigray region and THIS government to end a civil war that has killed as many as six hundred thousand.
A. Eritrea
B. Ethiopia
C. Mozambique
D. Somalia
Correct Response: B. Ethiopia
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/amhara-forces-leave-northern-ethiopias-tigray-region-army-says-2023-01-13/
6. A panel of experts at the United Nations announced that THIS upper atmosphere protective layer shielding the planet from harmful UV rays is recovering thanks to banning of harmful chemicals under the Montreal Protocol of 1987.
A. Stratosphere
B. Ozone
C. Van Allen Belt
D. Troposhere
Correct Response: B. Ozone
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/09/the-earths-ozone-layer-is-slowly-recovering-un-report-finds-.html
7. Christine Lambrecht, a member of Olaf Scholz’s SPD party, is resigning over a series of missteps, mismanagement and public relations gaffes. Lambrecht, THIS country’s Defense Minister, was due to meet other defense ministers this week to discuss aid to Ukraine.
A. Netherlands
B. Sweden
C. Germany
D. Belgium
Correct Response: C. Germany
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64288267
8. The Biden Administration wants to push through a $20 billion arms deal for Turkey, including 40 F-16 fighter jets to be conditioned on Ankara’s ratification of Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO ascension. The deal faces stiff opposition from Congress over THIS Turkish president’s conduct.
A. Meral Akşener
B. Vahagn Khachaturyan
C. Katerina Sakellaropoulou
D. Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Correct Response: D. Recep Tayyip Erdogan
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/13/us/politics/us-turkey-f16s.html
9. The World Economic Forum, also known by THIS resort town where it is held, is in a transformation as globalized world icon to a meeting where international elites are grappling with the aftermath of Covid, the war in Europe, the surge of autocracies, great power conflicts and more.
A. Davos
B. Buenos Aires
C. Aspen
D. Whistler
Correct Response: A. Davos
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/14/world/davos-world-economic-forum.html
10. Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida toured several G-7 countries ahead of hosting its May summit in Hiroshima. He consulted on security concerns in the Indo-Pacific after Tokyo announced a boost in defense spending, new deployments of American military forces and a bilateral military pact with Britain in response to regional security threats from THIS country.
A. North Korea
B. China
C. Russia
D. All of the above
Correct Response: B. China
https://www.reuters.com/world/kishida-says-g7-should-show-strong-will-russias-ukraine-invasion-2023-01-14/
