INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SCHOLASTIC CONCLAVE 2016

PRESENTS

QUESTION HOUR:THE WORLD POLITICS QUIZ

Conducted by: Krishnadev Roy

FINALS

GENERAL RULES• Total 30 questions• Clockwise for the first 15 questions• Anti-clockwise for the next 15• +10 for every correct answer• Infinite Bounce• Limited Pounce (10)• No negatives on a direct or on bounce• -10 for an incorrect pounce• Quizmaster’s decision is final

1• Almost 2.5 million copies of X were printed between 23rd August

and 3rd September, 1939 by the British govt., but it wasn’t sanctioned for any public display. It was instead decided that the copies of the poster should remain in cold-storage for use after serious air raids.

• It remained in cold-storage till 2000, when Stuart Manley, co-owner with his wife Mary, of Barter Books Ltd. in Alnwick, Northumberland, were going through a box of used books bought at an auction when he uncovered one of the original copies of X.

• The couple framed it and hung it up by the cash register. It attracted so much interest that Manley began to produce and sell copies of the same.

• Other companies followed suit, and the design rapidly began to be used as the theme for a wide range of products, gaining a cult status worldwide in a short span of time.

• Identify X.

Keep Calm and Carry On

2• At the centre of X is a large and busy traffic

circle. On the north-east side is a plaza with a statue of nationalist hero Omar Makram, celebrated for his resistance against Napoleon I's invasion of Egypt, and beyond is the Omar Makram Mosque.

• X is the northern terminus of the historic Qasr al-Ayni Street, the western terminus of Talaat Harb Street, and via Qasr al-Nil Street crossing its southern portion it has direct access to the Qasr al-Nil Bridge crossing the nearby Nile River.

• Identify X that was in the news in 2011.

Tahrir Square

3• Michael Dobbs, a British Conservative politician and best-selling

author had this to say about his work-• “I started writing the book beside a swimming pool. I had no idea it

was about to change my life so completely. Nearly thirty years later it’s still doing that, changing my life.

• The idea for a novel based around the dark political arts came to me shortly after the 1987 general election campaign, which had been particularly bruising. Margaret Thatcher won that election but made many enemies while doing so – too many, I thought. It inspired me to begin work on a plot – entirely fictional, of course – to get rid of a Prime Minister. The book was dramatised by the BBC, and in the very week it was first broadcast Margaret was forced out of Downing Street. It seemed almost impossible, but she was gone. Fact had overtaken Fiction.”

• The BBC's television adaptation has been one of the best-selling television series ever made by the BBC. And now the US adaptation is a global success.

• What work is being talked about here ?

House of Cards

4• Radovan Karadžić is a Bosnian Serb former politician

and convicted war criminal who served as the President of Republika Srpska during the Bosnian War and sought the direct unification of that entity with Serbia. He was a fugitive from 1996 until July 2008 after having been indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). On 24 March 2016, he was found guilty of genocide in Srebrenica, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and sentenced to 40 years' imprisonment.

• Ratko Mladić is a former Bosnian Serb military leader accused of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. He was accused by the ICTY of being responsible for the Siege of Sarajevo (1992-96) and the Srebrenica massacre.

• What 3 word sobriquet connects both of them ?

Butcher of Bosnia

5• Here’s a sitter!• During World War II, which popular

food item in the US was dubbed as ‘Liberty Steaks’ owing to the staunch anti German sentiment prevalent during that time ?

The Hamburger

6• X, literally translates as the servants of God,

represented a non-violent struggle against the British Empire by the Pashtuns of the North-West Frontier Province of British India.

• Formed out of the Society for the Reformation of Pashtuns, it initially targeted social reformation and launched campaigns against prostitution.

• Also called "Surkh Posh" or "Red Shirts", it was originally a social reform organisation focussing on education and the elimination of blood feuds known as the Anjuman-e-Islah-e Afghania. The movement was led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.

• What is X ?

Khudai Khidmatgar

7• During the Cold War, the Bering Strait marked

the border between the Soviet Union and the United States. The Diomede Islands—Big Diomede (USSR) and Little Diomede (US)—are only 3.8 km apart. Traditionally, the indigenous people in the area had frequently crossed the border back and forth for "routine visits, seasonal festivals and subsistence trade", but were prevented from doing so during the Cold War.

• What was the border also called during this period, that had a very similar sounding name as another famous Cold War term ?

The Ice Curtain

8• This politician who made headlines in

May this year, recently went on a five-day trip to North America in a bid to prove that ______ is still “open for business”.

• He was given the honour of opening the play at the Mets’ Citi Field ground before their clash with Minnesota Twins.

• Identify X.• Images follow.

Sadiq Khan

9• In international law, a country given MFN

status enjoys special trading privileges with a host company.

• Holland, for instance, is an MFN trading partner with the US, for which it is allowed a high export quota and low tariff rates.

• The MFN tradition began in the 11th century, but came into its own with the establishment of the WTO in 1994. All its members enjoy MFN status with one another.

• So what does MFN stand for ?

Most Favoured Nation

10• X was a theory prominent from the 1950s to the

1980s, that speculated that if one country in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow in a ______ effect.

• X was used by successive US administrations during the Cold War to justify the need for American intervention around the world.

• The theory was first proposed by President Harry Truman to justify sending military aid to Greece and Turkey in the 1940s, but it became popular in the 1950s when President Eisenhower applied it to South-east Asia, especially South Vietnam.

• What is X ?

Domino Theory

11• The Affordable Care Act (ACA), is a United

States federal statute enacted on March 23, 2010.• Under the act, hospitals and primary physicians

would transform their practices financially, technologically, and clinically to drive better health outcomes, lower costs, and improve their methods of distribution and accessibility.

• The law requires insurers to accept all applicants, cover a specific list of conditions and charge the same rates regardless of pre-existing conditions or sex.

• How do we better know the ACA ?

Obama Care

12• Gaya Lal, a Member of the Legislative

Assembly from Haryana in 1967 changed party thrice in a fortnight- first from the Indian National Congress to United Front, back to Congress and then within nine hours to United Front again.

• When Gaya Lal decided to quit the United Front and join the Congress, the then Congress leader Rao Birendra Singh brought him to the Chandigarh press and said something that became the subject of numerous jokes and cartoons.

• What popular phrase in India was thus coined after this incident ?

Aaya Ram Gaya Ram

13• In military terminology, X Y is a two word

term given to denote all accidents involving nuclear weapons. For example, if a plane carrying nukes gets lost in transit without a blast, it is termed as an X Y. Till date, there have been 32 such cases.

• A film by the same name released in 1996, starring John Travolta and Christian Slater, that dealt with the theft of two American nuclear weapons.

• Name X Y.

Broken Arrow

14• X was the name of a Thembu chief who

ruled in the Transkei in the 18th century and is also gives its name to the Xhosa clan.

• Besides being a term of endearment, respect and familiarity, it is considered very polite to use someone’s clan name.

• Identify X or tell me who is the most famous person to have been referred to as X.

Madiba

15• In the years since Mao Zedong’s communist revolution in 1949, relations between the People’s Republic of China and the United States had been clouded by Cold War propaganda, trade embargos and diplomatic silence. The two superpowers had met on the battlefield during the Korean War, but no official American delegation had set foot in the People’s Republic in over 20 years. By 1971, however, both nations were looking to open a dialogue with one another.

• On April 10, 1971, the U.S. table tennis team arrived in China for a 10-day visit, becoming the first group of Americans in over 20 years to get a peek behind the “Bamboo Curtain.” Their trip led to a renewed dialogue between the two nations, opening the door for President Richard Nixon’s own China visit in 1972.

• With respect to foreign policy, what popular phrase did these series of events lead to ?

Ping-Pong Diplomacy

16

• Prior to it’s release, Shorgul created a lot of buzz on social media, despite not having a big name in its star cast.

• It piqued the interest of many, thanks to the lyricist of this particular song.

• Who wrote the lyrics of this song ?

Kapil Sibal

17• During the 2011 G20 summit at Cannes, French

President Nicolas Sarkozy and US President Barack Obama were due to appear in a joint press conference. Moments before the press-conference, unaware that their mic was on, the two of them were overheard by the reporters having a private discussion about X.

• “I cannot bear ________ , he’s a liar,” said Sarkozy , to which Obama replied, “You’re fed up with him? I have to deal with him even more often than you.”

• While the exchange wasn’t published by the media during the summit, it did eventually leak out soon after causing ample embarrassment for both the leaders.

• Whom were they talking about ?

Benjamin Netanyahu

18• 2012 was a American disaster film directed by

Roland Emmerich which released in 2009. It went on to be a successful hit worldwide at the box office. However, it was banned in the country X for a peculiar reason.

• 2012 was the birth centenary of the founder of that country, and was designated as "the year for opening the grand gates to becoming a rising superpower“. It was perceived that the destruction depicted in the film would bring ill omen for the country and was deemed offensive by the government.

• Which country ?

North Korea• 2012 was the birth centenary of Kim

Il-Sung

19• The following is an account of Yousuf Karsh, who is widely

regarded as one of the best portrait photographers of all time.

• “X’s cigar was ever present. I held out an ashtray, but he would not dispose of it. I went back to my camera and made sure that everything was all right technically. I waited; he continued to chomp vigorously at his cigar. I waited. Then I stepped toward him and, without premeditation, but ever so respectfully, I said, “Forgive me, sir,” and plucked the cigar out of his mouth. By the time I got back to my camera, he looked so belligerent he could have devoured me. It was at that instant that I took the photograph.”

• X later on said to Karsh, “You can even make a roaring lion stand still to be photographed.”

• And thus, Karsh titled the photo ‘The Roaring Lion’• What iconic photo was Karsh talking about ?

Winston Churchill

20• This is a simplified map showing country X’s claim

(yellow and green), and country Y’s claim (blue and green), and the Hala’ib Triangle (green portion which is claimed by both), and Bir Tawil (the white area which is claimed by neither).

• The no man’s land status of Bir Tawil (the small white portion between X and Y in the map) results from an unusual discrepancy between the straight political boundary between X and Y established in 1899, and the irregular administrative boundary established in 1902.

• As of today, it remains the only place on Earth that is perfectly habitable but is not claimed by any recognized government.

• Identify X and Y.

X: Egypt Y: Sudan

21• X (German for "new eastern policy“) was a West

German foreign policy that began in the late 1960s. It was the normalization of relations between the Federal Republic of Germany (or West Germany) and Eastern Europe, particularly the German Democratic Republic (or East Germany) beginning in 1969.

• Initiated by Willy Brandt as foreign minister and then chancellor, the policy was one of détente with Soviet-bloc countries, recognizing the East German government and expanding commercial relations with other Soviet-bloc countries.

• Treaties were concluded in 1970 with the Soviet Union, renouncing the use of force in their relations, and with Poland, recognizing Germany’s 1945 losses east of the Oder-Neisse Line. X was continued by Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.

• What is X ?

Ostpolitik

22• In 2010, British PM David Cameroon led a large delegation to an

official visit to China. Since it was November, the members of British delegation had attached a symbol of X to their coats. X has been Britain’s symbol of remembrance since World War I. In fact, The Royal British Legion sells paper symbols of X in November to raise funds for veterans in the run-up to Armistice Day on Nov. 11.

• However, the Chinese hosts objected to this symbol being displayed on the British delegates' coats and asked them to remove it because X  signifies a very dark phase in Chinese history and has negative connotations in Chinese public psyche.

• The British delegation however, refused to remove the symbol causing a standoff which threatened to derail the talks. Only after repeated clarifications from the British PM were they allowed to continue wearing the symbol.

• What was the symbol ? Or identify X.

Remembrance Poppies

23• Dr. Akash Singh Rathore, represented India in the

world's toughest triathlon competition - the Ironman held in Equador in July 2016. He left his Visiting Professorship in the School of Social Sciences at the Jawaharlal Nehru University back in May to train full time for the triathlon.He was offered a faculty position in JNU, in February 2014.

• His appointment to JNU was done through an intervention by the Ministry of External Affairs and had created huge interest in the media as well as the diplomatic circles of both India and USA as it was a thorny issue between both these countries.

• Why did his appointment cause such an interest ? Give funda.

• He is the husband of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade

• After she was brought back to India, her husband and kids were stranded in the US as they were american citizens. Devyani could not go there as she would have faced trial. After much speculation, the Indian govt intervened and persuaded JNU to offer him a teaching post.

24• Human rights groups say that the security forces have killed

scores of people in recent weeks as authorities crack down on a wave of anti-government unrest in two key regions, central-western Oromia and Amhara in the north. The government disputes the figures and says illegal protests by 'anti-peace forces' have been brought under control.

• Following a recent incident, X said, “I have relatives in prison back home. If you talk about democracy they kill you. If I go back to Ethiopia maybe they will kill me, or put me in prison.

• It is very dangerous in my country. Maybe I have to go to another country. I was protesting for people everywhere who have no freedom.”

• The signal was in gesture of support for members of his Oromo tribe who have been protesting at government plans to reallocate farmland.

• Identify X or explain what incident is being referred to.

Feyisa Lilesa’s cross armed protest at Rio 2016

25• At the time of her death, there were widespread

protests and condemnations highlighting the barbarism and insensitivity bordering on torture perpetrated towards her.

• The official version stated that she died peacefully and painlessly after about a week into the mission. However, the real cause was revealed a few decades later in 2002, by Dimitry Malashenkov who was closely associated with the mission which resulted in her death.

• While presenting a paper at a conference, he revealed that she had died just a few hours into the mission, and it was far from painless. She had died due to excessive temperature, humidity, and a decrease in pulse rate which was an indication of the stress she was suffering. 

• Whose death are we talking about ?

Laika

26• At the end of WW II, the Allied powers organized the

Nuremberg Trials which were held under the International Military Tribunal (IMT). The IMT was charged with an explicit mission: "fair and expeditious trials" of accused Nazi war criminals.

• But, since the accused men and the judges spoke four different languages - English, German, Russian and French, organizing fair and expeditious trials was sure to be difficult.

• However, a solution was thought up by Col. Leon Dostert who was a foreign language expert for the US Army.

• What solution did he come up with which we take for granted today, but was considered a revolutionary phenomenon back then ? It is a very commonplace sight at various summits or conventions.

Instantaneous Translation developed by IBM

27• X was the highest elected office of the

appointive office under the Roman Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic.

• In modern terminology, X is a type of diplomat. The American Heritage Dictionary defines X as "an official appointed by a government to reside in a foreign country and represent its interests there.”

• Identify X.

Consul

28• Julius Rosenberg was born to a family of

Jewish immigrants in New York City in 1918. He graduated from CCNY with a degree in electrical engineering. Ethel Greenglass was born in 1915, to a Jewish family in NYC. She originally was an aspiring actress and singer, but eventually took a secretarial job at a shipping company. They married in 1939.

• Besides having promising careers, the couple got involved in something during the late 1940s for which they both were tried, convicted, and executed.

• What were they up to during the Cold War period for which they had to pay the ultimate penalty ?

Conspiracy to commit espionage

• They were instrumental in the passing of information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin, speeding his development of Soviet nuclear weapons programs.

29• Connect (inexhaustive)

Leviathan• A Biblical sea monster• Book by Thomas Hobbes based on

the Social Contract Theory• Former stage name of Dave Batista

30• ABC countries, or ABC Powers, is a term sometimes

used to describe countries of X, Y and Z, which are seen as three of the most powerful and wealthy countries in South America.

• The term was mostly used in the first half of the 20th century when they worked together to develop common interests and a coordinated approach to issues in the region with relatively little influence from outside powers in contrast with the Cold War governments.

• On May 20, 1914, the ABC Powers met in Niagara Falls, Canada, to mediate diplomatically in order to avoid war between US and Mexico after increasing tensions over the Tampico Affair and the United States occupation of Veracruz, and developing issues that led to the Mexican Revolution.

• Identify X, Y and Z. No part points.

Argentina, Brazil and Chile

THAT’S ALL FOR THIS YEAR

THANK YOU!