The week in questions

Question 1

Which two countries exchanged missile attacks on June 7-8, 2026, leading to one closing its airspace around its capital?

1. Russia and Ukraine
2. Israel and Iran
3. North Korea and South Korea
4. China and Taiwan

Show the answer

Israel and Iran

Iran launched multiple waves of ballistic missiles toward northern Israel, and Israel responded with strikes on targets inside Iran, leading Iran to close its airspace around Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport.

Question 2

What did the UK Parliament's Business and Trade Committee call for to unlock up to £200 billion of annual growth?

1. Increased government spending on infrastructure
2. A radical overhaul of Britain's investment system
3. New trade agreements with Asian economies
4. Lowering corporate taxes for small businesses

Show the answer

A radical overhaul of Britain's investment system

The Business and Trade Committee warned that the government would not achieve its ambition of delivering the highest growth in the G7 unless it undertakes sweeping reforms to Britain's investment institutions.

Question 3

What new technology is NHS England providing to over half a million staff to free up time for patient care?

1. Advanced robotic surgical assistants
2. Microsoft 365 Copilot AI tools
3. Wearable diagnostic devices
4. Virtual reality training simulations

Show the answer

Microsoft 365 Copilot AI tools

NHS England announced that 505,000 clinicians and support staff are being given access to Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI personal assistant, to help with administrative duties.

Question 4

Which three European leaders met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London on June 7, 2026, to discuss direct ceasefire talks with Russia?

1. The Prime Ministers of Italy, Spain, and Poland
2. The Presidents of France, Germany, and the UK Prime Minister
3. The Chancellors of Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands
4. The Presidents of the European Commission, European Council, and European Parliament

Show the answer

The Presidents of France, Germany, and the UK Prime Minister

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to back his call for direct ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Question 5

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of which country on June 8, 2026, triggering tsunami alerts across Asia?

1. Indonesia
2. Japan
3. Philippines
4. Chile

Show the answer

Philippines

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern island of Mindanao in the Philippines, causing damage and triggering tsunami warnings across Asia.

Question 6

Which two countries exchanged direct strikes this week, threatening a fragile ceasefire?

1. Russia and Ukraine
2. Israel and Iran
3. China and Taiwan
4. North Korea and South Korea

Show the answer

Israel and Iran

Israel and Iran exchanged direct strikes for the first time since an April ceasefire, raising concerns about a return to open conflict.

Question 7

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly set to announce a ban on 'harmful' online platforms for which age group?

1. Under 13s
2. Under 16s
3. Under 18s
4. Under 21s

Show the answer

Under 16s

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to announce a ban on 'harmful' online platforms for children under 16, while allowing access to some safer forms of social media.

Question 8

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck which country this week, causing deaths and displacement?

1. Japan
2. Indonesia
3. Philippines
4. Chile

Show the answer

Philippines

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Mindanao in the Philippines, leading to landslides and a rising death toll.

Question 9

NHS England is accelerating AI adoption by providing how many clinicians and support staff with access to Microsoft 365 Copilot?

1. 50,500
2. 105,000
3. 250,000
4. 505,000

Show the answer

505,000

NHS England announced it is providing 505,000 clinicians and support staff with access to Microsoft 365 Copilot to streamline administrative processes and improve patient care.

Question 10

A UK parliamentary committee has called for a radical overhaul of Britain's investment system to unlock how much growth per year?

1. Up to £50 billion
2. Up to £100 billion
3. Up to £200 billion
4. Up to £500 billion

Show the answer

Up to £200 billion

The Business and Trade Committee warned that sweeping reforms to Britain's investment institutions are needed to unlock an additional £180–200 billion of investment every year.

Question 11

What event prompted the U.S. military to carry out strikes against Iran on June 9-10, 2026?

1. An attack on a U.S. naval vessel
2. The downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter
3. A cyberattack on U.S. infrastructure
4. New Iranian nuclear enrichment activities

Show the answer

The downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter

The U.S. military launched strikes against Iran after a U.S. Army Apache helicopter crashed off the coast of Oman, an incident U.S. President Donald Trump blamed on the Islamic Republic.

Question 12

Which autoimmune disease did the UK's MHRA authorize the medicine nipocalimab (Imaavy) to treat on June 9, 2026?

1. Multiple Sclerosis
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis
3. Generalized Myasthenia Gravis
4. Lupus

Show the answer

Generalized Myasthenia Gravis

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) authorized nipocalimab (Imaavy) to treat adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG).

Question 13

What major update did Apple announce for its Siri assistant at WWDC on June 8, 2026?

1. Integration with Amazon Alexa
2. A complete rebuild powered by a custom Google Gemini model
3. New hardware for Siri-enabled smart home devices
4. Offline functionality for all commands

Show the answer

A complete rebuild powered by a custom Google Gemini model

Apple introduced Siri AI, an entirely new version of Siri, powered by Apple Intelligence and running on a custom 1.2-trillion-parameter Google Gemini model.

Question 14

In which UK city did anti-immigration protests, involving burning vehicles and bins, occur on June 9, 2026, following a knife attack?

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

Show the answer

Belfast

Hundreds of anti-immigrant protesters took to the streets of Belfast on June 9, with some setting vehicles alight, after police charged a Sudanese man over a knife attack.

Question 15

Which England sports captain is reportedly weighing his future after being involved in a nightclub incident and breaches of team protocols?

1. Harry Kane (Football)
2. Owen Farrell (Rugby)
3. Ben Stokes (Cricket)
4. Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1)

Show the answer

Ben Stokes (Cricket)

England cricket captain Ben Stokes is considering his leadership future following his involvement in a nightclub incident that has prompted an investigation by the country's cricket board (ECB).

Question 16

According to the World Bank's latest Global Economic Prospects report, what is the projected global economic growth rate for 2024?

1. 3.1%
2. 2.4%
3. 2.6%
4. 4.0%

Show the answer

2.6%

The World Bank's latest Global Economic Prospects report projects global growth to hold steady at 2.6% in 2024.

Question 17

Which tax did the UK Conservative Party pledge to cut in their recently launched election manifesto?

1. Income Tax
2. Value Added Tax (VAT)
3. Corporation Tax
4. National Insurance

Show the answer

National Insurance

The Conservative Party's election manifesto included a pledge for another 2 percentage point cut in National Insurance.

Question 18

What major cybersecurity incident was reported this week, affecting several companies including Ticketmaster and Santander Bank?

1. A ransomware attack on government systems
2. A data breach involving the Snowflake cloud platform
3. A widespread phishing campaign targeting banking customers
4. A denial-of-service attack on major internet providers

Show the answer

A data breach involving the Snowflake cloud platform

A hacking group claimed to have compromised credentials for hundreds of corporate Snowflake accounts, affecting companies like Ticketmaster and Santander Bank.

Question 19

Which country's Vice President and nine others were killed in a plane crash this week?

1. Nigeria
2. Malawi
3. Sudan
4. Ethiopia

Show the answer

Malawi

Malawi's Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others were killed in a plane crash, with the wreckage found in a mountainous area.

Question 20

What was the primary reason cited for record A&E demand in June, according to NHS England figures?

1. A new viral outbreak
2. Increased sports injuries
3. Hot weather and industrial action by junior doctors
4. A surge in mental health crises

Show the answer

Hot weather and industrial action by junior doctors

NHS England reported record A&E attendances for June, attributing the pressure to several yellow heat health warnings and four days of industrial action by junior doctors.

Question 21

Who resigned as the UK Defense Secretary on Thursday, June 11, 2026, citing insufficient military spending?

1. Ben Wallace
2. Grant Shapps
3. John Healey
4. Keir Starmer

Show the answer

John Healey

John Healey resigned as the UK Defense Secretary due to a dispute with Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the government's military spending plan.

Question 22

What major announcement did US President Donald Trump make on Thursday, June 11, 2026, regarding the conflict with Iran?

1. He ordered new, larger military strikes.
2. He declared a full withdrawal of US troops from the region.
3. He announced a potential deal to end the war could be signed in days.
4. He imposed new sanctions on Iranian oil exports.

Show the answer

He announced a potential deal to end the war could be signed in days.

US President Donald Trump announced that a deal to end the war with Iran could be signed in the coming days, leading to a stock market rally.

Question 23

According to a new analysis from the Centre for Social Justice, what crisis is Britain facing with record numbers turning to illegal lenders?

1. A housing affordability crisis
2. A growing illegal lending crisis
3. A national food poverty crisis
4. A widespread unemployment crisis

Show the answer

A growing illegal lending crisis

The Centre for Social Justice warned that Britain is facing a growing illegal lending crisis, with over two million people across the UK potentially borrowing from loan sharks.

Question 24

Which organization launched a new survey on June 12, 2026, concerning the workplace experiences of LGBTQ+ solicitors in England and Wales?

1. The Bar Council
2. The Solicitors Regulation Authority
3. The Law Society of England and Wales
4. Stonewall

Show the answer

The Law Society of England and Wales

The Law Society of England and Wales launched its Pride in the Law 2026 survey to gather anonymous feedback on LGBTQ+ solicitors' experiences in the legal sector.

Question 25

What percentage of short journeys in towns and cities does the UK Department for Transport aim to have walked, wheeled, or cycled by 2035?

1. 30%
2. 45%
3. 55%
4. 70%

Show the answer

55%

The Department for Transport announced new national targets aiming for 55% of short journeys in towns and cities to be walked, wheeled, or cycled by 2035.

Question 26

Who resigned as the UK's Defense Secretary this week, citing insufficient military spending?

1. Ben Wallace
2. John Healey
3. Grant Shapps
4. Michael Fallon

Show the answer

John Healey

John Healey resigned as British Defense Secretary after a dispute with Prime Minister Keir Starmer over military spending, warning the government's defense investment plan leaves the country underprepared.

Question 27

Which two countries are reportedly close to signing a peace deal this week to end their ongoing conflict, despite continued military exchanges?

1. Russia and Ukraine
2. Israel and Palestine
3. United States and Iran
4. China and Taiwan

Show the answer

United States and Iran

The United States and Iran are reportedly close to signing a peace deal that would reopen shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, although Iran's foreign ministry stated no final conclusion has been reached.

Question 28

What was the main focus of the UK government's multi-billion pound investment announcements at London Tech Week 2026?

1. Quantum Computing
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
3. Cybersecurity
4. 5G Infrastructure

Show the answer

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a new national AI compute strategy, including a £400 million investment to purchase specialist AI compute capabilities, at London Tech Week 2026.

Question 29

According to a new analysis, what is the primary reason record numbers of UK households are turning to loan sharks?

1. Funding luxury purchases
2. Investing in new businesses
3. Covering essential everyday living costs
4. Paying off existing credit card debt

Show the answer

Covering essential everyday living costs

The Centre for Social Justice warned that record numbers of cash-strapped households are turning to loan sharks to cover essential everyday living costs such as groceries and household bills.

Question 30

Which country hosted and won the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 against a nine-man South Africa?

1. Canada
2. United States
3. Mexico
4. Brazil

Show the answer

Mexico

Mexico ignited their World Cup party with a 2-0 victory over nine-man South Africa in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Question 31

Who resigned as the UK's Defence Secretary this week, citing insufficient military funding?

1. Ben Wallace
2. John Healey
3. Grant Shapps
4. Michael Gove

Show the answer

John Healey

John Healey resigned as Defence Secretary, stating that the government's defence investment plan was not sufficiently funded.

Question 32

Which two countries were expected to sign a peace deal on June 14, 2026, aiming to end a conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz?

1. Russia and Ukraine
2. Israel and Lebanon
3. United States and Iran
4. China and Taiwan

Show the answer

United States and Iran

A deal between the United States and Iran was scheduled to be signed on June 14, 2026, with the aim of ending the war and immediately reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Question 33

What type of new medication for weight loss was approved in the UK this week?

1. A new insulin variant
2. A GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet
3. A cholesterol-lowering injection
4. A stimulant-based appetite suppressant

Show the answer

A GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved the first GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet for weight loss and weight management.

Question 34

Which airline is currently under investigation by the UK's competition watchdog for charging parents to sit with their children?

1. EasyJet
2. British Airways
3. Ryanair
4. Wizz Air

Show the answer

Ryanair

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Ryanair over its policy of charging parents to sit next to their children on flights.

Question 35

What significant change is the United States reportedly planning regarding its contribution to NATO operations in Europe?

1. Increasing its troop presence
2. Reducing its aircraft and warships
3. Withdrawing from the alliance
4. Doubling its financial contributions

Show the answer

Reducing its aircraft and warships

The United States plans to significantly reduce the aircraft and warships it makes available for NATO operations in Europe.