Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz.

1. Who are the two candidates vying to replace Boris Johnson as leader of the British Conservative Party and also become the next British Prime Minister?

Spoiler
Rishi Sunak, the Foreign Secretary, and Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs. Although Sunak had an early lead when balloting began, he lost that lead as the number of candidates narrowed. Truss is now deemed as the frontrunner and if elected, she would become Britain’s third female prime minister.

2. Who did the United States kill with a drone strike earlier this week?

Spoiler
Ayman al-Zawahiri. He was seen as a mastermind of the September 11 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in 2001. al-Zawahiri was killed in Afghanistan, causing some pundits to wonder whether the Taliban regime is following through on its promises not to be a safe haven for terrorists.

3. Which five states held party primaries on Tuesday?

Spoiler
Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Washington. Races in Arizona and Michigan got the bulk of media attention because of Republican primary races for Senate and gubernatorial nominees, among a host of other state offices. Extempers should get to know candidates in prominent House, Senate, and governor’s races to enhance their analysis of midterm election questions this season.

4. Who is Sri Lanka’s new president?

Spoiler
Ranil Wickremesinghe. He was elected by Sri Lankan members of parliament after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country after protests over the state of the nation’s economy. Protesters were not happy over the choice, as they wanted Wickremesinghe, an ally of Rajapaksa, to also quit government.

5. The deal brokered between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin includes how much in deficit reduction?

Spoiler
$300 billion. The deal between the two, announced last week, is a comprehensive package that calls for $370 billion in energy and climate spending, three years of subsidies to help Americans with health insurance premiums, and includes corporate tax increases. If it passes, it is seen as giving Democrats something to campaign on in the 2022 midterms.

6. When Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan this week, she was the highest-level U.S. official to visit the island since 1997. Who made a visit to Taiwan that year?

Spoiler
Then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Pelosi visited the island despite warnings by China that it could take military action in response. China has insisted since 1949 that Taiwan is part of China, putting pressure on other governments to recognize its view of a “One China” policy.

7. Who is the U.S. government reportedly willing to trade for WNBA superstar Brittney Griner and detained American citizen Paul Whelan?

Spoiler
Viktor Bout, a noted arms dealer. Whelan was detained in Russia in December 2018 on espionage charges. Griner has been detained in Russia since March after being caught with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. Bout is better known for his nickname as the “Merchant of Death” for bypassing a myriad of international arms embargoes. He was convicted of conspiracy to kill Americans and assisting terrorists in November 2011 and sentenced to twenty-five years in prison.

8. Which two Balkan nations are having a border dispute that analysts worry could blossom into a larger conflict?

Spoiler
Kosovo and Serbia. Kosovo split from Serbia fourteen years ago and was assisted in doing so by an intervention from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Recently, Kosovo has ordered that all those who have Serbian IDs and passports have to get an extra document to enter Kosovo, which is required by Serbia of Kosovars. Demonstrations against the rule have erupted into violence, including gunfire at Kosovo police officers. Serbian nationalists in Kosovo have resented efforts by the West, especially the European Union, to integrate Serbian dominated areas of Kosovo into that country’s government.

9. Why have there been protests against the United Nations in the eastern half of the Democratic Republic of Congo?

Spoiler
Locals allege that the United Nations forces have not protected civilians against militant groups. Over the weekend, nineteen people, including three UN peacekeepers, were killed in anti-UN demonstrations. International observers estimate that there are at least 120 militant groups operating in Eastern Congo, taking advantage of the region’s minerals and exploiting the weaknesses of the country’s central government.

10. How many times has the Federal Reserve raised interest rates this year?

Spoiler
The Fed has raised interest rates four times, amounting to a 2.25% mark up in the first eight months of this year. This is the central bank’s response to an inflation rate in excess of 9%, which is the highest since November 1981. The rate hikes are making the cost of getting a loan for mortgages or automobiles higher. They also have an impact on student loans and credit cards.