1. Defense Secretary Austin announced THIS new operation in the Red Sea bringing together navies of at least ten nations to defend international shipping that has been subject to missile and drone attacks from Yemen-based Houthi militias.
A. Operation Freedom of Navigation
B. Operation Prosperity Guardian
C. Operation Maritime Shield
D. Operation Earnest Will
Correct Response: B. Operation Prosperity Guardian
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3624836/ryder-gives-more-detail-on-how-operation-prosperity-guardian-will-work/
2. A mass shooting at a university in THIS city left 14 dead and 20 wounded. Mass gun murders are rare in Europe compared to the United States, but this country is alone in the EU as having legal gun ownership rights for citizens.
A. Stockholm
B. Budapest
C. Berlin
D. Prague
Correct Response: D. Prague
https://www.semafor.com/article/12/21/2023/prague-mass-shooting-university
3. Egypt reelected THIS strongman as President with about 90 percent of the vote as his main rival was blocked from running and indicted on what opposition figures called politically motivated charges. The former general took power in a 2013 coup.
A. Mohamed Morsi
B. Bashar al-Assad
C. Kais Saied
D. Abdel Fatah El-Sisi
Correct Response: D. Abdel Fatah El-Sisi
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/18/egypt-presidential-election-sisi-economy-gaza
4. The Rapid Security Force, a renegade military group at war with the government of THIS country, captured Wad Madani, the country’s second largest city and the nation’s breadbasket. Over 300,000 people fled the city in advance of the takeover as humanitarian officials called the situation a “nightmare.”
A. Mali
B. Sudan
C. Libya
D. Zimbabwe
Correct Response: B. Sudan
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/19/sudan-madani-rsf-war/
5. THIS body reached a milestone agreement on immigration policy that tightens asylum rules and makes deportations easier to pursue. The agreement is seen as an effort to defuse anti-immigrant right-wing parties’ advances.
A. Security Council
B. European Union
C. ASEAN
D. NATO
Correct Response: B. European Union
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-migration-deal-roberta-metsola-refugees-migration-asylum-rules/
6. The newly elected president of THIS country, Javier Milei, has begun his promised shakeup of the struggling economy with industry deregulations and privatizations and an auction of $3.7B of government debt. Thousands took to the streets of Buenos Aires in protest.
A. Brazil
B. Argentina
C. Ecuador
D. Peru
Correct Response: B. Argentina
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentinas-milei-signs-decree-boost-exports-deregulation-2023-12-21/
7. Russia threatened to sever relations with the United States over THIS possible move. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the U.S. “must not act under an illusion … that Russia is clinging with both hands to diplomatic relations with that country.
A. Congressional passage of supplemental aid package
B. Supplying Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles
C. Building an ABM system in Estonia
D. Confiscation of frozen Russian assets
Correct Response: D. Confiscation of frozen Russian assets
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-ukraine-war-live-putin-drones-mouse-fever-b2468200.html
8. Caracas released ten wrongfully detained Americans and extradited a fugitive wanted in Pentagon bribery case in exchange for Alex Saab, a notorious criminal held in the United States. Saab is known as a personal operative of THIS Venezuelan ruler.
A. Nicolás Maduro
B. Daniel Ortega
C. Jair Bolsonaro
D. Daniel Noboa
Correct Response: A. Nicolás Maduro
https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-saab-detained-americans-biden-d7148a34dd009d5bab3d5f50c28ed93e
9. Leaders in THIS nation’s parliament, from the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suspended a total of 141 lawmakers from the upper and lower houses in part due to calls for investigation of a security breach. The BJP is expected to take advantage of the purge to push through contentious legislation.
A. Malaysia
B. India
C. Pakistan
D. Indonesia
Correct Response: B. India
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/19/why-141-india-opposition-mps-suspended-from-parliament
10. The presidential election in THIS nation, the second largest in Africa, was extended as voting irregularities and disruptions led opposition candidates in Kinshasa to call for a new vote.
A. Sierra Leone
B. Democratic Republic of Congo
C. South Africa
D. Chad
Correct Response: B. Democratic Republic of Congo
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-21/voting-snafus-spur-congo-opposition-to-demand-fresh-elections
