Which piece of legislation funding a United States department was blocked by Senate Democrats over objections to the war in Iran?

1. The State Department appropriations bill
2. The Pentagon budget bill
3. The Homeland Security funding bill
4. The Energy Department spending bill

Which Caribbean nation suffered its fifth nationwide blackout of 2026 last Tuesday?

1. Haiti
2. Dominican Republic
3. Jamaica
4. Cuba

China’s second quarter GDP growth came in at what rate, its weakest quarterly performance since 2022?

1. 5.0%
2. 4.3%
3. 4.5%
4. 3.9%

Which North Korean official made a surprise visit to Moscow this weekend, meeting with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin?

1. Kim Yo Jong
2. Pak Thae Song
3. Choe Son Hui
4. Kim Jong Un

Which country signaled interest in joining the Ocean of Peace Alliance, the defense pact recently signed by Australia and Fiji?

1. New Zealand
2. Papua New Guinea
3. Japan
4. The Philippines

Which Pacific leader made a historic first state visit to New Zealand last week?

1. Surangel Whipps Jr. of Palau
2. Sitiveni Rabuka of Fiji
3. James Marape of Papua New Guinea
4. Hilda Heine of the Marshall Islands

Answers

1. B: Senate Democrats blocked the $1.15 trillion Pentagon budget bill over the war in Iran, as US strikes continued into a ninth consecutive day after peace talks collapsed over a memorandum of understanding focused on the Strait of Hormuz. Recent attacks have targeted civilian infrastructure, including a railway station and six bridges.
2. D: Cuba’s national power grid collapsed on July 14th, its third nationwide blackout in less than ten days, leaving approximately 10 million people without electricity. The collapse comes amid Cuba’s worst economic crisis in decades, worsened by a US oil blockade that has worsened fuel shortages and tested the island’s aging power system.
3. B: China’s economy grew 4.3% in the April to June period, missing economists’ forecast of 4.5% and slowing from 5% in the first quarter. The figure falls short of China’s annual target range of 4.5% to 5%, as sluggish domestic consumption and the war in Iran offset export growth of 27%.
4. C: North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui met with Putin at the Kremlin on Sunday, July 19th. The visit comes without an obvious occasion, raising speculation that she may be coordinating a possible visit to Russia by Kim Jong Un.
5. A: The Ocean of Peace Alliance, signed by Australia and Fiji on July 6th, binds Canberra and Suva to come to each other’s defense if attacked. Days later, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon welcomed the pact and signaled Wellington’s interest in joining, a move analysts say may mark the start of a broader security alliance covering the South Pacific.
6. A: Palauan President Whipps made a historic first state visit to New Zealand, where he met with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. The visit comes amid heightened strategic attention on the Pacific, following criticism from Australia and New Zealand of China’s recent testing of a nuclear-capable missile in the South Pacific.