World Boston What in the World? Weekly Quiz – April 24-30, 2023

The United States evacuated its diplomats and their families from THIS country as fighting between rival commanders worsened. The fighting has killed hundreds and many thousands are fleeing, and the country is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster and a broader conflict.

The United Nations estimates THIS country will have 1.4286 billion people by the middle of 2023, becoming the world's most populous country. The demographic boom will likely present opportunities and challenges for the South Asian nation.

The recent major leak of highly classified U.S. intelligence materials disclosed Afghanistan was a staging ground for terrorist attack planning against America by THIS group.

A comprehensive Defense Review released by THIS AUKUS member highlighted “radically different” security threats and positioned defense policy to deal with a “major conflict in the region that directly threatens our national interest.”

Ukraine’s “rightful place” is in NATO according to THIS Secretary General of the alliance on a visit to Kyiv.

 

Comments by THIS leader on a flight back from a Beijing summit calling for European strategic autonomy and warning about following Washington policy too closely continue to draw criticism from foreign capitals. Referring to the threat to Taiwan he said his country should avoid “getting caught up in crises that are not ours.”

A Russian warplane bombed the city of Belgorod causing concern because of THIS consideration.

Officials in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania summoned ambassadors from THIS country for clarification of comments made by its Ambassador to France that former Soviet countries lacked “effective status in international law,” questioning the sovereignty of many European nations.

Chile announced the state will take control of THIS industry, essential to the global production of electric vehicles. Chile has the world’s largest reserves and produces the second largest amount of the critical mineral.

Leaders of THIS 15-nation bloc agreed to introduce bans on assault-style weapons in their countries to curb the spike in gun violence and weapon smuggling. Bahamian Prime Minister and Chairman Phillip Davis said that nearly 99 percent of illegal guns collected in his nation could trace back to the US.