1. Russia is making advances against THIS embattled eastern Ukraine city after months of grueling, costly combat despite fierce resistance by Ukrainians. Meanwhile, amid reports that Russian troops have resorted to fighting with shovels, Wagner militia group chief Prigozhin questioned Kremlin support as either “just ordinary bureaucracy or a betrayal.”
A. Kherson
B. Bakhmut
C. Mariupol
D. Odessa
Correct Response: B. Bakhmut
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russian-troops-fight-shovels-ammo-shortage-bakhmut-prigozhin-wagner-rcna73501
2. The world's largest democracy with a population of more than 1.3 billion, India, has been eager to position itself as a leader of emerging and developing nations (commonly referred to as the Global South) and has been hosting THIS premier forum for international economic cooperation compromising 19 countries and the European Union, which concluded in talks ultimately with no consensus on the Ukraine war.
A. G20 (Group of Twenty) Summit
B. G8 (Group of Eight) Summit
C. G7 (Group of Seven) Summit
D. SDG Summit
Correct Response: A. G20 (Group of Twenty) Summit
https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/01/india/india-g20-foreign-ministers-meeting-intl-hnk/index.html
3. After years of pandemic-forced cancellations, Athens recently hosted carnival celebrations, with scores of young people and college students on a night train that tragically collided with a freight train on their return trip, killing 47 people, the worst train crash in THIS country's history. Anger mounts over the country's dismal rail safety record in the European Union as it remains unclear how the accident would influence voting during its upcoming general election.
A. France
B. Italy
C. Turkey
D. Greece
Correct Response: D. Greece
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/world/europe/greece-train-crash.html
4. There have been reports of toxic gas attacks in 26 girls’ schools in THIS Middle Eastern country with regime retribution suspected over anti-government protests.
A. Iran
B. Saudi Arabia
C. Lebanon
D. Syria
Correct Response: A. Iran
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-64816750
5. Last week THIS nuclear watchdog group reported Iran had enriched uranium to 83.7%, close to weapons grade material, as its Director General Rafael Grossi met with Iranian officials to discuss monitoring of facilities. The restoration of monitoring equipment may not be enough to satisfy Western nations about to discuss Tehran’s nuclear developments.
A. IATP
B. G-20
C. IAEA
D. P5+1
Correct Response: C. IAEA
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iaea-says-discussions-with-iran-after-report-enrichment-2023-02-19/
6. The popular chocolate Toblerone will no longer carry the image of the Matterhorn on its packaging after the company moved from THIS Alpine country to Slovakia. Its former home forbids the use of national symbols on milk-based products not produced inside its borders.
A. Italy
B. Andorra
C. Switzerland
D. Liechtenstein
Correct Response: C. Switzerland
https://www.itv.com/watch/news/toblerone-to-drop-matterhorn-from-packaging-due-to-strict-rules-on-swissness/by1dq9n
7. The leaders of THIS Asian nation and THIS European nation, both aligned with Moscow, issued a joint statement after a summit on Wednesday calling for peace in Ukraine.
A. Japan and Serbia
B. China and Hungary
C. South Korea and Poland
D. China and Belarus
Correct Response: D. China and Belarus
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/1/china-belarus-presidents-call-for-ukraine-cease-fire-talks
8. Reports from Tallinn indicate the Reform Party’s Kaja Kallas, THIS Baltic state’s prime minister since 2021 and advocate of support to Ukraine, won a convincing victory over a far-right party that sought to end aid to Kyiv.
A. Estonia
B. Poland
C. Kaliningrad
D. Latvia
Correct Response: A. Estonia
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/article/estonia-s-pro-ukraine-prime-minister-kallas-wins-17821874.php
9. South Korea and THIS WWII occupier worked out an arrangement for compensation of victims of forced labor, clearing an obstacle to better relations, a move hailed as positive by President Biden.
A. Russia
B. North Korea
C. China
D. Japan
Correct Response: D. Japan
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/new-plan-end-south-korea-japan-wartime-forced-labor-disputes-rcna73500
10. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute, a security think tank, released a study showing THIS country has a "stunning lead in high-impact research" on 37 out of 44 critical and emerging technologies in the global competition with the US and other Western democracies. The study also showed this country hosts seven of the world's top 10 research institutions.
A. Russia
B. China
C. United Arab Emirates
D. Germany
Correct Response: B. China
https://www.reuters.com/technology/china-leads-us-global-competition-key-emerging-technology-study-says-2023-03-02/
