Here is this week’s news quiz.  Good luck!

1. Last Friday, the U.S. government shot down an unidentified object ten miles off the coast of what state?

Spoiler
Alaska. U.S. pilots shot down the aircraft, which the U.S. government has yet to define. There are some reports that the object interfered with aircraft sensors but not all pilots said that was a universal experience for the aircraft, which was cruising at 40,000 feet. The incident comes after the U.S. downed a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina a week earlier.

2. In keeping with question #1, a day later the U.S. helped what nation down an unidentified object over that nation’s airspace?

Spoiler
Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked for, and received, U.S. assistance in downing an unidentified flying object over his country, a day after the U.S. downed an unidentified craft near Alaska. Canadian forces are in charge of picking up the debris from the wreck and investigating it.

3. In response to its recent earthquake, the Turkish government has arrested whom?

Spoiler
Building contractors that had ties to collapsed buildings. The death toll from the Kahramanmaras earthquake has reached more than 33,000 across Turkey and Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has come under fire for allowing construction violations to be forgiven, resulting in buildings not being up to code before the disaster. With a presidential election looming later this year, some analysts see the disaster as a bad sign for Erdogan’s re-eleciton effort.

4. Currently, foreigners own about 41 million acres of American farmland. Of what number, what percentage does China own?

Spoiler
1%. This accounts for about 350,000 acres. There are efforts by Republicans in Congress to ban Chinese government ownership of U.S. farmland, citing national security concerns. Proponents note that Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland has grown from 14,000 acres in 2010 to 350,000 acres today.

5. During President Biden’s State of the Union address last week, Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene shouted that he was a “liar” over what claim?

Spoiler
Greene had her outburst over President Biden’s comments that Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has denied such a plan in debt ceiling negotiations with the White House. This was not the first time that Greene interrupted a State of the Union speech as she and Colorado congresswoman Lauren Boebert heckled Biden during last year’s State of the Union as well.

6. What reforms are Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking to make to the country’s legal system?

Spoiler
There is a proposal to have the Israeli Knesset (its Parliament) control judicial appointments instead of an independent committee. Also, the Israeli Supreme Court would no longer have the power to review the legality of “Basic Laws,” which are major pieces of legislation. And there is another proposal under consideration to give the Knesset the ability to overturn Supreme Court decisions. Critics argue that Netanyahu’s reforms mirror those of reactionary governments in places like Hungary. They also note that Netanyahu has a conflict of interest in passing the reforms because he is on trial for corruption charges. The United States has expressed its concern about the reforms as well.

7. Which European country alleged that Russia was plotting to overthrow its government?

Spoiler
Moldova. The tiny European nation, which is wedged between Ukraine and Romania, has been seen as an expansion target for Russian President Vladimir Putin should his country win its war with Ukraine. Moldovan President Maia Sandu alleged on Monday that Russia was trying to overthrow its government to thwart Moldova’s bid to join the European Union.

8. What action did Nicaragua take last week in a pledge to restore better relations with the United States?

Spoiler
It released more than 200 political prisoners and sent them to the United States. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega jailed lots of opposition figures in the lead up to his re-election in November 2021. The move was interpreted as a gesture to show that Nicaragua wants to establish better relations with the United States, which welcomed the move.

9. What role does John F. Kirby play in the Biden White House?

Spoiler
Kirby is currently the National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic COmmunications, a post that he has served in since May 2022. Prior to this he was the Press Secretary for the Pentagon between January 2021-May 2022. During the Obama administration he was Spokesperson for the United Sates Department of State from May 2015-January 2017 and Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs from December 2015-January 2017. A retired rear admiral in the U.S. Navy, Kirby is seen as a possible future White House Press Secretary as he has been called upon to address the press on national security and defense issues for the Biden administration.

10. Which federal official did President Biden fire on Monday?

Spoiler
Brett Blanton, the Architect of the Capitol. Blanton was under fire for misusing government property and was alleged to have impersonated a law enforcement officer during a hit and run near his property. In recent testimony to Congress, Blanton also testified that he avoided the Capitol on January 6, 2021 during the riot there by supporters of President Donald Trump. The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is responsible for maintaining, developing, and preserving the U.S. Capitol Complex.