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

1. Last week California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation to ban local governments from doing what in elections?

Spoiler
Requiring a Voter ID to vote. Some cities like Huntington had passed local laws that imposed Voter ID so the law overturns that. California is one of 14 states that does not require Voter IDs for elections. Advocates argue that it will reduce voting frauds. However, critics of Voter ID argue that it discriminates against the poor and constitutes a poll tax, which violates the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

2.  What hurricane is expected to hit Florida on Wednesday?

Spoiler
Hurricane Milton. Classed as a Category 5 storm in the Gulf of Mexico, it is expected to make landfall near Tampa Bay on Wednesday. However, it could weaken to a Category 3 by that time. Unlike Hurricane Helene, this storm is expected to drift eastward across Florida instead of cycling up through the Southeast. Many Floridians in the target range of the storm are evacuating after seeing Helene’s destruction. Florida is scrambling to pick up debris from Helene so that it cannot become projectiles when Milton arrives.

3. What is the name for South Africa’s unity government?

Spoiler
The Government of National Unity (GNU). It is made up of 11 political parties, headlined by the African National Congress (ANC) and the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA). The unity government has existed for close to 100 days and has been well received by many South Africans, who see it as enacting greater social and economic reforms than the exclusively led ANC government that preceded it.

4. What is the Supreme Court case of Garland v. VanDerStok about?

Spoiler
The case concerns whether the federal government, via the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), can regulate ghost guns under the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). A ghost gun is an unserialized firearm that people can put together in separate pieces or with a kit. Law enforcement agencies argue that the rise of ghost guns is a growing gun safety problem in the United States.

5. What is the new U.S. unemployment rate?

Spoiler
4.1%. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy added 254,000 jobs last month. The news could be good for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in the home stretch of the presidential election. It will probably tip the Federal Reserve into making additional interest rate cuts to provide a “soft landing” for the U.S. economy.

6. Who is Japan’s new prime minister?

Spoiler
Shigeru Ishiba. He took office on October 1 from Fumio Kishida. Like Kishida, Ishiba is from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) that dominates Japanese politics. In his first policy speech on Friday Ishiba expressed regret over a slush fund scandal that has dogged the party and promised stronger national defense. The LDP is hoping that the leadership switch can avoid a disastrous result in parliamentary elections, which will take place on October 27.

7. Which country voted last week on whether to embrace nuclear power?

Spoiler
Kazakhstan. The “yes” vote prevailed, which will allow for the construction of a nuclear power plant. Turnout was 63% and the “yes” side won 70% of the vote. The topic is controversial in Kazakhstan as the country was used by the Soviet Union as a testing ground for its nuclear weapons.

8. Rwanda is using a trial vaccine to combat the spread of which virus?

Spoiler
The Marburg virus. At least 12 people in Rwanda have died of the virus, which is similar to Ebola. Those suffering from it can have fevers, muscle pains, diarrhea, vomiting, and internal bleeding. There is currently no approved treatment for it.

9. Which nations did Israel credit for helping it repel Iran’s ballistic missile attack last week?

Spoiler
Israeli officials thanked the efforts of the United States, Great Britain, France, and Jordan for helping it repel Iran’s ballistic missile strike, which was launched as retaliation for Israel offensive maneuvers against Hezbollah in Lebanon. This was similar to efforts by these nations to fend off an Iranian drone attack several months ago. Despite the assistance, there have been unified calls in the West and Jordan for Israel to de-escalate tensions with Iran, but it is not clear whether the Israeli government will heed those calls.

10. Which cabinet department is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) a part of?

Spoiler
The Department of Homeland Security. FEMA’s operations were folded into the department on March 1, 2003. FEMA was created in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter via executive order and helps prepare for, against, and responding to natural disasters. Some of its operations have been criticized for not helping people in North Carolina enough with Hurricane Helene.