NewsTracker Answers for week of June 12, 2017

Q: The tiny Persian Gulf nation of Qatar has been isolated by fellow Arab states over its alleged support for terrorism. Where is the Persian Gulf?”

Circle the area on this map


Q: Shortly after the U.S. secretary of state urged Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain to ease their blockade of Qatar, his boss President Trump said the nations’ action against Qatar was “hard but necessary” to fight terrorism. How many of the 9/11 terrorists came from Qatar?

A. 1

B. 2

C. 15

D. None


D. Nineteen al Qaeda terrorists hijacked airplanes to attack New York and Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, 2001. Fifteen were from Saudi Arabia, two from the UAE and one each from Egypt and Lebanon. While none of the 9/11 attackers came from Qatar, the wealthy nation has been accused of sending money to terrorist groups including the Islamic State.


Q: The Islamic State claimed responsibility for terrorist attacks last week that killed at least 12 people in Tehran, the capital of which nation on the Persian Gulf?

A. Iran

B. Kuwait

C. Saudi Arabia

D. UAE


A. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards accused Saudi Arabia of supporting the Islamic state in the gun and suicide bomb assaults on Iran's Parliament building and the tomb of the republic's revolutionary founder. Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia and Shiite-majority Iran have long had a sectarian feud and supported opposite sides in wars in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere.


Q: Hackers planted a false story about Qatar seeking closer relations with Iran and Israel apparently helped trigger the Saudi-led blockade. Investigators believe the hackers came from which nation?

A. Iran

B. Israel

C. Russia

D. United States


C. U.S. investigators say the Russian goal appears to be to cause rifts among the US and its allies. In recent months, suspected Russian cyber activities, including the use of fake news stories, have turned up amid elections in France, Germany and other countries.


Q: Turkey’s parliament last week approved plans to deploy to Qatar. What nation already has about 11,000 soldiers in Qatar?

A. Iran

B. Israel

C. Saudi Arabia

D. United States


D.  Qatar is home to 11,000 U.S. military personnel stationed at Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military base in the region. The base has been used to stage attacks against Islamic State targets.