1. The ceasefire that facilitated an exchange of hostages in Gaza for detainees in Israel ended with renewed intense ground combat around THIS major city in the Strip where Palestinian civilians in the north had previously been directed to find shelter.

A. Rafah
B. Jalia   
C. Khan Yunis
D. Deir al-Balah 

Correct Response: C. Khan Yunis
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67607243

 

2. Prosecutors in the U.S. charged a national of THIS country with attempting to arrange the assassination in New York of a leading proponent of a separate state for Sikhs. The target, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, is one of the leaders of the Khalistan movement.

A. China
B. India
C. Pakistan
D. Saudi Arabia

Correct Response: B. India 
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/29/india-assassination-attempt-american-citizen

 

3. World leaders attended the COP28 global climate summit in THIS city but the event was criticized for being hosted by a petrostate and chaired by a national oil company CEO.

A. Riyadh
B. Singapore
C. Kuwait City
D. Dubai

Correct response: D. Dubai
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/12/01/climate/cop28-climate-change-summit?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare 

 

4. The U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Carney and several merchant vessels were attacked by Yemen-based, Iranian-armed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea near THIS major global maritime chokepoint, an escalation in conflict in the region. 

A. Hormuz
B. Malacca
C. Bab el-Mandeb
D. Dardenelles

Correct Response: C. Bab el-Mandeb
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/03/pentagon-us-warship-attack-red-sea-00129789

 

5. The White House warned Congress that it would “kneecap” an American ally if THIS action wasn’t taken.

A. Approve export of F-16 fighters to Ukraine
B. Approve U.S. based-launch of a South Korean spy satellite 
C. Approve additional aid funding to Ukraine by the end of the year
D. Approve export of four U.S. built destroyers to Taiwan

Correct Response: C. Approve additional aid funding to Ukraine by the end of the year

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4340410-white-house-warns-it-will-run-out-of-money-for-ukraine-unless-congress-acts-by-end-of-year/

 

6. Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger died at age 100 leading to a flurry of laudatory and critical commentary over his complicated impact on U.S. foreign policy. Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for THIS development.

A. For concluding a peace agreement after the Middle East “Yom Kippur” war
B. For jointly having negotiated a cease fire in Vietnam
C. For negotiating a peace treaty between North and South Korea
D. For bringing peace to the conflict in East Timor 

Correct Response: B. For jointly having negotiated a cease fire in Vietnam
https://thehill.com/opinion/international/4339155-kissinger-offered-absolution-for-the-sins-of-american-foreign-policy/

 

7. An assault on a military barracks and jail in Freetown, the capital of THIS country, killed 20 people, including 13 soldiers, and freed 2,000 inmates. The country’s information officer depicted the attack as a failed coup directed by bodyguards loyal to the former president.

A. Algeria
B. Guinea
C. Liberia
D. Sierra Leone

Correct Response: D. Sierra Leone
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/sierra-leones-leader-says-most-behind-the-weekend-attacks-are-arrested-but-few-details-are-given/ar-AA1kA3HN

 

8. On the occasion of the COP28 climate summit U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said the world is “minutes to midnight” in its goal of limiting warming to THIS Paris Climate Agreement target.

A. 5 degrees Celsius
B. 3 degrees Celsius
C. 2 degrees Celsius
D. 1.5 degrees Celsius

Correct response: D. 1.5 degrees Celsius
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/12/01/cop28-climate-summit-dubai-world-leaders/

 

9. An embattled Chinese property giant and its biggest foreign creditors sought to negotiate an 11th hour deal to prevent a liquidation of the company’s offshore businesses.  THIS Guangdong-based company has $300B in liabilities and has led the drag on China’s real estate economy. 

A. China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services
B. China Evergrande Group
C. Longfor Group Holdings
D. CBRE Realty

Correct response: B. China Evergrande Group
https://www.wsj.com/articles/evergrande-negotiating-11th-hour-restructuring-deal-to-avoid-liquidation-b03329b0

 

10. The first military spy satellite from THIS nation that faces threats from its neighbor was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

A. Australia
B. South Korea
C. Philippines
D. Indonesia

Correct response: B. South Korea
https://www.npr.org/2023/12/02/1216703493/south-korea-launches-first-spy-satellite