The week in questions

Question 1

Which country's military has vowed to retaliate after a U.S. destroyer fired on an Iranian-flagged cargo ship?

1. Iraq
2. Iran
3. Syria
4. Yemen

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Iran

Iran's military has promised to respond after a U.S. destroyer fired on an Iranian cargo ship that was attempting to evade a U.S. naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman.

Question 2

What reduction in the risk of non-ventilator-associated hospital-acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) was observed after improving oral hygiene for hospital patients?

1. 20%
2. 40%
3. 60%
4. 80%

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60%

A trial presented at ESCMID Global 2026 showed that improving oral hygiene for hospital patients can reduce the risk of non-ventilator-associated hospital-acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) by 60%.

Question 3

Which UK Foreign Secretary is visiting Japan for a strategic dialogue?

1. David Cameron
2. Yvette Cooper
3. James Cleverly
4. Lisa Nandy

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Yvette Cooper

The UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, is visiting Japan to hold the tenth Japan-UK Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue.

Question 4

Which space company confirmed that its New Glenn rocket placed a satellite into the wrong orbit?

1. SpaceX
2. Blue Origin
3. Virgin Galactic
4. Rocket Lab

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Blue Origin

Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, confirmed that its New Glenn heavy rocket placed a satellite into an incorrect orbit during its third launch.

Question 5

Which sporting event will be co-hosted by Novak Djokovic and Eileen Gu in Madrid?

1. Olympic Games
2. FIFA World Cup
3. Laureus World Sports Awards
4. Commonwealth Games

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Laureus World Sports Awards

Novak Djokovic and Eileen Gu will co-host the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards at the Palacio de Cibeles in Madrid.

Question 6

What new policy regarding mobile phones in schools was announced for England this week?

1. Restricted use during lunch breaks only
2. A ban on their use throughout the school day
3. Allowed for educational apps only
4. Mandatory storage in lockers during lessons

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A ban on their use throughout the school day

The government announced plans to introduce a statutory ban on mobile phones in schools across England, making existing guidance legally enforceable.

Question 7

What is the current status of the peace talks between Iran and the US, according to recent reports?

1. A ceasefire agreement has been reached
2. Iran states no talks will occur 'under shadow of threats'
3. The US has withdrawn from negotiations
4. A new round of talks is scheduled for next week

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Iran states no talks will occur 'under shadow of threats'

Iran has indicated it will not send negotiators for talks with the US as long as it perceives a 'shadow of threats,' casting doubt on ongoing mediation efforts.

Question 8

What significant athletic achievement was recently accomplished by a humanoid robot in Beijing?

1. It completed a full marathon
2. It won a sprint race against an Olympic athlete
3. It broke the human half-marathon world record
4. It set a new record for high jump

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It broke the human half-marathon world record

A humanoid robot named Lightning completed the Beijing E-Town Half-Marathon in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, beating the human world record by nearly seven minutes.

Question 9

What change has the UK government implemented for older wind and solar farms to reduce price shocks?

1. Increasing subsidies for renewable energy
2. Introducing a new carbon tax
3. Shifting them to fixed-price deals
4. Privatizing all state-owned energy assets

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Shifting them to fixed-price deals

The UK government has confirmed plans to move older wind and solar farms onto fixed-price contracts to help protect households and businesses from future gas market shocks.

Question 10

In which famous Mexican tourist location was a Canadian tourist recently killed in a shooting incident?

1. Chichen Itza
2. Tulum ruins
3. The Teotihuacán pyramids
4. Palenque

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The Teotihuacán pyramids

A Canadian tourist was killed and several others were wounded in a shooting incident at the Teotihuacán pyramids near Mexico City.

Question 11

Which company's CEO, Tim Cook, is stepping down, to be replaced by John Ternus?

1. Microsoft
2. Google
3. Apple
4. Amazon

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Apple

Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple CEO, and hardware chief John Ternus will be taking over the position.

Question 12

The UK parliament approved a bill that bans people born after which year from buying tobacco?

1. 2005
2. 2008
3. 2010
4. 2000

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2008

A bill banning people born after 2008 from buying tobacco has cleared the UK parliament.

Question 13

Which country's election chief stepped down amid frustration over a long vote count?

1. Brazil
2. Peru
3. Argentina
4. Colombia

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Peru

Peru's election chief has stepped down due to frustration over the extended vote counting process.

Question 14

What is the name of the new economic strategy introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, focusing on boosting production and strengthening supply chains?

1. Reevesonomics
2. Supply-Chain Economics
3. Securonomics
4. Productivity Plus

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Securonomics

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has introduced a new economic strategy called 'securonomics,' which focuses on boosting production and strengthening supply chains.

Question 15

Which country's military government had their offer of peace talks with armed resistance groups rebuffed?

1. Syria
2. Myanmar
3. Afghanistan
4. Yemen

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Myanmar

Myanmar's military government's offer to hold peace talks with armed resistance groups was rebuffed.

Question 16

Which UK city is seeing a surge in a Victorian-era disease outbreak?

1. London
2. Manchester
3. Birmingham
4. Glasgow

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Birmingham

A Victorian-era disease is currently experiencing a surge in cases in Birmingham.

Question 17

Which company is acquiring AI coding platform Cursor?

1. Microsoft
2. Google
3. SpaceX
4. Amazon

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SpaceX

SpaceX has secured an option to purchase the AI coding platform Cursor for $60 billion.

Question 18

What is the UK's inflation rate as of March 2026?

1. 2.8%
2. 3.3%
3. 3.8%
4. 4.2%

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3.3%

The UK inflation rate rose to 3.3% in March 2026, marking the highest level in over three years.

Question 19

Which country is South Africa struggling to secure a TV deal with to screen the England Test series?

1. Australia
2. India
3. United Kingdom
4. United States

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United Kingdom

South Africa is currently facing difficulties in securing a UK television deal to broadcast the upcoming England Test series.

Question 20

Which country's parliament recently passed a bill banning tobacco sales to those born after 2008?

1. United States
2. Canada
3. United Kingdom
4. Australia

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United Kingdom

The UK parliament has approved a bill that prohibits the sale of tobacco to individuals born after 2008.

Question 21

What significant health-related bill did the UK Parliament pass this week, aiming to create a "smoke-free generation"?

1. A) A bill to ban the sale of high-sugar drinks.
2. B) A bill to increase the legal drinking age to 21.
3. C) A bill to eventually ban cigarette purchases for future generations.
4. D) A bill to make vaping illegal for under 25s.

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C) A bill to eventually ban cigarette purchases for future generations.

The UK Parliament passed a bill that will progressively raise the legal smoking age by one year, every year, effectively banning cigarette purchases for future generations.

Question 22

Which two countries agreed to extend a ceasefire by three weeks following talks at the White House on Thursday, April 23, 2026?

1. A) Russia and Ukraine
2. B) Israel and Lebanon
3. C) United States and Iran
4. D) Saudi Arabia and Yemen

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B) Israel and Lebanon

US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks after White House talks.

Question 23

What strategic waterway saw Iran's Revolutionary Guards seize two commercial container ships this week, amid ongoing tensions and a US naval blockade?

1. A) Suez Canal
2. B) Strait of Malacca
3. C) Strait of Hormuz
4. D) Panama Canal

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C) Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized two container ships in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing them of operating without permits and tampering with navigation systems, as a US naval blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.

Question 24

By approximately how much did UK government borrowing fall in the year to March, according to official figures released this week?

1. A) £5 billion
2. B) £10 billion
3. C) £20 billion
4. D) £50 billion

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C) £20 billion

UK government borrowing fell by almost £20 billion last year, according to the latest official figures.

Question 25

Which two major tech companies announced significant workforce reductions this week, citing heavy investments in AI and increased productivity from the technology?

1. A) Apple and Google
2. B) Amazon and Tesla
3. C) Microsoft and Meta
4. D) Samsung and Huawei

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C) Microsoft and Meta

Meta announced it would cut some 10% of its personnel, and Microsoft offered voluntary retirement to about 7% of its American workforce, as both companies make heavy investments in AI.

Question 26

Which AI company's CEO, Sam Altman, apologized for not reporting a mass shooter's activity?

1. Google AI
2. OpenAI
3. DeepMind
4. Anthropic

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OpenAI

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman apologized for the company's failure to alert authorities about the concerning online activities of a teen who committed a mass shooting in Canada. The teen's ChatGPT account had been flagged for misuse before the incident.

Question 27

What action did the U.S. Treasury take regarding cryptocurrency linked to Iran?

1. Seized $10 million in Bitcoin
2. Froze $344 million in cryptocurrency assets
3. Launched a new cryptocurrency
4. Invested in Iranian crypto startups

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Froze $344 million in cryptocurrency assets

The United States has frozen $344 million in cryptocurrency assets over ties to Iran, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. This action aims to increase pressure on Tehran amid energy supply disruptions.

Question 28

Which country is King Charles III visiting to strengthen ties?

1. France
2. Germany
3. United States
4. Canada

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United States

King Charles III is embarking on a state visit to the U.S. to strengthen ties between the two nations, following in his mother's footsteps.

Question 29

Where are US envoys headed for talks with Iranian representatives?

1. Vienna
2. Geneva
3. Islamabad
4. Doha

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Islamabad

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are heading to Islamabad, Pakistan, for a new round of talks with Iran on ending the war.

Question 30

What health issue has Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly acknowledged?

1. Heart condition
2. Prostate cancer
3. Alzheimer's disease
4. Parkinson's disease

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Prostate cancer

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has undergone treatment for prostate cancer, revealing that he had surgery a year and a half ago and radiation therapy more recently.