Current Events T3 W5 2025

The Japanese city of Hiroshima marked a major anniversary last week. What was it?

• The opening of its first high-speed rail station 15 years ago

• 80 years since an atomic bomb was dropped on the city

• A major tsunami caused devastation 10 years ago

Answer explanation

b. 80 years since the atomic bombing - On 6 August 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and another on Nagasaki which bought an end to World War ll. Nicknamed “Little Boy” and “Fat man” the bombs ended the war but not without taking the lives of many thousands of civilians.

The New Zealand Government is planning major changes for NCEA. How many subjects will students need to pass to gain the new certificates at Year 12 and Year 13?

• Three

• Four

• Five

Answer explanation

b. Four - Under the proposed reforms, NCEA Level 1 would be replaced with foundation literacy and numeracy tests, while Levels 2 and 3 would become the New Zealand Certificate of Education and the Advanced Certificate. Students would take five subjects and need to pass at least four to earn each certificate, with assessments marked out of 100 and graded from A to E.

Which online game has just broken the record for the most people playing at the same time?

• FarmVille 2

• Grow a Garden

• Fortnite

Answer explanation

b. Grow a Garden – Created by a 16-year-old New Zealander, and later acquired by Splitting Point Studios, this Roblox farming game reached 21.6 million concurrent players recently. That figure beat Fortnite’s previous record of 15.2 million, making it the most-played game at one time in history.

Which team will All Black Richie Mo’unga play for in the 2027 Super Rugby season?

• Blues

• Chiefs

• Crusaders

Answer explanation

c. Crusaders - Mo’unga has signed an 18-month deal with NZ Rugby that will see him return from Japan in July 2026, play for Canterbury in the NPC, and rejoin the Crusaders for the 2027 Super Rugby season. His return will also make him eligible for All Blacks selection ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

Why was a zoo in Denmark in the news last week?

• An elephant escaped and ended up on a motorway

• It had to euthanise an entire pride of lions due to a genetic disease

• It asked the public to donate unwanted pets as food for its predators

Answer explanation

c. It asked the public to donate unwanted pets as food for its predators - Aalborg Zoo in Denmark sparked controversy after asking for healthy unwanted animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens. The animals are humanely euthanised by trained staff and fed to carnivores to mimic natural feeding behaviours and reduce waste.

Which New Zealand actor won an award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama at Australia’s Logie Awards?

• Sam Neill

• Karl Urban

• Temuera Morrison

Answer explanation

a. Sam Neill - Sir Sam Neill won the Silver Logie for Best Lead Actor in a Drama for his role as defence lawyer Brett Colby in the Australian legal drama The Twelve. It is his third Logie win, adding to awards in 2005 and 2023, and comes as the series readies its third season.

Why did US President Donald Trump threaten to raise tariffs on Indian goods last week?

• India increased taxes on American technology companies

• India was buying large amounts of Russian oil despite the war in Ukraine

• India blocked US military ships from docking in its ports

Answer explanation

b. India was buying large amounts of Russian oil despite the war in Ukraine - President Donald Trump criticised India for purchasing significant quantities of Russian oil and selling it for profit, saying it helped fund Moscow’s war in Ukraine. He warned that this could lead to a substantial increase in US tariffs on Indian goods, a move India described as unjustified and vowed to resist.

Scientists believe they have found the cause of a disease that since 2013 has killed more than 5 billion ...?

• Starfish

• Jellyfish

• Sea birds

Answer explanation

a. Starfish - Researchers have identified a bacterium related to cholera, as the cause of Sea Star Wasting Disease, which has wiped out over 5 billion sea stars along the Pacific coast of North America since 2013. The illness causes lesions, loss of limbs, and eventual disintegration, devastating more than 20 species, including the sunflower sea star.

Why was Christchurch’s Orana Wildlife Park in the news last week?

• It welcomed the birth of a rare white rhino calf

• A six-month ban on taking in new animals was lifted

• It announced plans to close down

Answer explanation

b. A six-month ban on taking in new animals was lifted - The park, near Christchurch, regained approval to resume animal transfers and breeding programmes after a scheduled review confirmed it had met all conditions set by the Zoo and Aquarium Association. The ban followed an investigation into animal welfare and workplace concerns, after which the park apologised and pledged to improve.

Which country has approved plans to build the world’s longest suspension bridge to link the island of Sicily with its mainland?

• Italy

• Greece

• France

Answer explanation

a. Italy - According to the final project, the bridge over the Messina strait will span 3.3km (2.05 miles) and stretch between two 400- metre (1,300 feet) high towers, with two railway lines in the middle and three lanes of traffic on either side.