What You Have Seen in 2015 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Litas

The Litas was the official Lithuanian currency until the 1st of January 2015, when it was replaced by the euro. The Litas was used from 1922. The euro was offically introduced on the 1st of January 2002, when the first countries in the European Union (known as the Eurozone) started using the new currency (although in most countries there was an exchange period for the old currency). Lithuania became a member of the European Union in 2004.

It was originally meant to join the Euro in 2007, but this was delayed mainly due to the economic crisis in the Eurozone and continued high inflation in Lithuania.

Answer: France

Germanwings flight 9525 was a flight between Barcelona and Düsseldorf. The co-pilot Andreas Lubitz had been declared not fit to work as a pilot any more due to his psychological condition. He had kept this from his employer. During the flight on March 24th 2015 he locked out the pilot during the flight and deliberately started a descent. Eventually the plane crashed into a mountain in the French Alps, near Prads-Haute-Bleone.

This location is about 62 miles from the city of Nice. All 150 people on board were killed.

The crash caused airlines to review their policies to make sure that there were always two people in the cockpit at all times during the flight.

Answer: Rubella

In April 2015 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Americas free of rubella. This disease is also sometimes called "German measles", as it was first identified by German physicians. The symptoms of rubella are not unlike the flu. A rash usually starts in the face and can spread to the rest of the body. Mostly patients experience a low fever and a sore throat as well. Symptoms are mostly mild, so that patients may not even notice it or mistake it for the flu.

Answer: Ireland

In May 2015 the Irish governement organised a referendum on amendments to the Irish constitution. One of these amendments was to legalize same-sex marriages. This was the 34th amendment. The amendment was approved by 62% of the voters. The legislature of Ireland, known as the Oireachtas, passed a Marriage Act later that year to sign the amendment into law.

At the end of the year the first same-sex marriages could be performed. Ireland was not the first country to legalize same-sex marriages, but was the first to hold a referendum for it.

Answer: Sepp Blatter

In June 2015 Sepp Blatter announced that he would step down as the president of FIFA. He was first elected in 1981, succeeding Joao Havelange. He was re-elected several times, but was regulary plagued by accusations of corruption during his tenure. After his announcement to step down, elections for a new president were to be held with Blatter staying on until a new president was found.

The Swiss government announced they would start a criminal investigation, and Blatter was eventually suspended and banned from FIFA.

In February 2016 Gianni Infantino succeeded him as president of the FIFA.

Answer: Cuba

The normalization process between Cuba and the USA had been initiated in 2014. Both Canada and the Vatican helped out in facilitating the official agreements. Originally relations had soured in 1961, as Cuba was a close ally of the USSR during the Cold War Period. US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro eventually came to an agreement, as gradually travel and trade restrictions were eased.

In March 2016 Obama would visit Cuba, making him the first US President to visit the country since 1928.

Answer: Volkswagen

In September 2015 Volkswagen was found guilty in the us of rigging diesel emissions tests. As a result of the rigging the output of NOx was favourable for Volkswagen cars in a laboratory setting, but was much higher when actually on the road. At first Volkswagen tried to suggest that the problem was caused by technical glitches, but as the evidence mounted the company was forced to confess to actually rigging the emissions tests. Eventually up to 11 million vehicles worldwide were to be recalled, to be refitted with new software.

Answer: Afghanistan

The Afghan city of Kunduz was the scene for major fights between the Taliban militants and the Afghan government. The US backed the government up by airstrikes. On the 3rd of October 2015 the local hospital run by Médecins Sans Frontieres was attacked killing several doctors and patients.

The organization had notified all fighting parties of the location of the hospital. The US would eventually conclude that errors were made during the airstrike. The hospital was accidentally identified as a Taliban building.

Answer: Russian

On the 24th of November 2015 Turkey shot down a plane that according to them had entered Turkisch airspace and had not responded to warnings given. The plane was eventually found to be Russian. The pilot was killed by Syrian rebels as he was parachuting from the plane. Russia claimed the plane had never left Syrian airspace.

The plane was returning to Khmeimim Airbase in Syria, an airbase operated by Russia. The incident led to tension between Turkey and Russia.

Answer: Cologne

On New's Year Eve 2015 the German police was flooded by reports of mass sexual assaults by immigrants. The incident led to a fierce debate on the immigration policies of Germany. This debate took place amidst a refugee crisis in Europe, with increased tension towards immigrants.

The news was reported only a few days after the incident took place, leading to accusations of covering up the story.