Current Affairs - Foreign

Question 1

Name 5 current foreign affairs

Answer 1

Ukraine Invasion

US Abortion Rights

Climate Change - Germany

Sudan and Ethiopia Conflict

Oslo Attacks

Question 2

When and why did tension originally start between Russia and Ukraine?

Answer 2

2014 - The Revolution of Dignity

Yanukovych (president of Ukraine) was overthrown and the interim government installed

Question 3

What did protests for and against the interim government result in?

Answer 3

Russian military intervention

Annexation of Crimea (2014) by Russia

Creation of self-breakaway states Donetsk and Lyshank

Question 4

When did the Donbas War begin?

Answer 4

April 2014

Question 5

Why is there conflict between Russia and NATO?

Answer 5

Russian military aircrafts keep flying over the Baltic and Black Seas and don’t communicate with air traffic controllers

Question 6

How many Russian troops were along the Ukrainian border in 2021?

Answer 6

Up to 190,000

Question 7

When did Russia invade Ukraine?

Answer 7

24th February 2022

Question 8

What has the invasion of Ukraine caused globally and why?

Answer 8

Food shortages and inflation

Russia and Ukraine export nearly 1/3 of the world’s wheat and barley, and Russia is the top fertiliser producer

Question 9

What have Russia done to stop Ukraine exports?

Answer 9

Blockaded the Black Sea Coast because their exports usually go via the sea

Question 10

Name three events from the first phase of the Russo-Ukrainian war

Answer 10

• Russian forces were unable to get a quick victory in Kyiv so turned to indiscriminate bombing
• March - missile attacks in Mariupol resulted in more than 2,500 deaths
• Ukraine attack Millerovo air base which destroyed many Russian Air Force planes

Question 11

Name three events from the second phase of the Russo-Ukrainian war

Answer 11

• 8th April-present - Russia renewed invasion front from the South East with missiles direct at Kyiv
• 26th May - Russia captured Lyman and used scorched earth tactics
• Fall of Mariupol to Russia

Question 12

Name two things associated with air warfare in the Russo-Ukrainian war

Answer 12

• June - Russia lost around 165 combat aircraft (10% of frontline strength)
• Russia has air advantages but Ukraine mainly based on the ground so aircraft practically ineffective

Question 13

How many states are planning to outlaw abortion and how many already have?

Answer 13

Roughly half

Thirteen

Question 14

How many women will be cut off from abortion access due to the overturn of Roe vs Wade (1973)?

Answer 14

36 million

Question 15

Why was Roe vs Wade overturned?

Answer 15

Due to the Dobbs vs Jackson Women’s Health Organization case - challenged Mississippi’s ban on abortion after fifteen weeks and the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the state

Question 16

Name three states planning to outlaw abortion

Answer 16

Texas

Arkansas

Kentucky

Question 17

What could happen in states closely split between pro-life and pro-choice?

Answer 17

The legality of the procedure could be determined on an election by election basis and may set off legal battles (e.g. if a woman can leave the state to have an abortion)

Question 18

What was the conclusion of COP26?

Answer 18

Coal not to be phased out but phased down due to last minute edits by China and India

Limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees

Question 19

How much natural gas and coal does Germany get from Russia?

Answer 19

More than half for both

Question 20

How much does Germany spend per year subsidising renewable energy?

Answer 20

20 billion

Question 21

How much of a share did renewable energy reach on the German power grid in 2020?

Answer 21

50.9%

Question 22

What did Angela Merkel express after becoming chancellor?

Answer 22

Concerns for over reliance on Russian energy but she received little support

Question 23

Which country is second to Germany in providing natural gases to the EU and how much does Russia provide?

Answer 23

Norway - 21% in 2020

43% from Russia

Question 24

When did Sudan fire heavy artillery at Ethiopia?

Answer 24

29th June

Question 25

Why is there conflict between Sudan and Ethiopia?

Answer 25

Sudan blame Ethiopia for allegedly execution seven Sudanese soldiers and a civilian

Ethiopia blame it on a local fighter group

Question 26

What is another reason for conflict between Ethiopia and Sudan?

Answer 26

al-Fashaqa - lies within Sudan’s international borders but has been settled by Ethiopian farmers for decades

Ethiopia has dropped all claims to the land since 2008 as long as their farmers can remain undistrubed

Question 27

When did the Oslo attack occur and what were the casualties?

Answer 27

25th June 2022

2 dead, 21 injured

Question 28

Who was the instigator of the Oslo attack?

Answer 28

An Iranian with Norwegian citizenship believed to be a radicalised Islamist

Known to the intelligence services since 2015 and has a history of mental illness

Question 29

What was the result of the Oslo attack?

Answer 29

Pride parade called off but thousands marched anyways waving rainbow flags

President of the EU Commission condemned the attack as well as other international figures

Question 30

Name two ISTAR aircrafts

Answer 30

Poseidon MRA1

Reaper (MQ-9A)

Question 31

Give details on the Poseidon MRA1

Answer 31

201 Squadron

RAF Lossiemouth

Multi-role maritime patrol aircraft - used for anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue missions

Question 32

Give details on the Reaper (MQ-9A)

Answer 32

13 and 39 squadrons

RAF Waddington

Remotely piloted by a three-person crew on the ground

Question 33

Name two future aircrafts

Answer 33

Protector RGMk1 (MQ-9B)

Tempest

Question 34

Give details on the Protector RGMk1 (MQ-9B)

Answer 34

Remotely piloted MALE (medium altitude long endurance)

Can fly up to 40 hours consistently

Question 35

Give details on the Tempest

Answer 35

Will be in use in 2035

Adaptable physical architecture - changeable hardware and software such as weapons and fuel tanks