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Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz.
1. Why are people demanding that San Diego mayor Bob Filner resign?
[toggle hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]He is accused of sexually harassing more than a dozen women. If he refuses to resign, which he has done thus far, he could face a recall effort.[/toggle]
2. Who are the two likely candidates to lead the Federal Reserve after Ben Bernanke?
[toggle hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Janet Yellen, who is vice-chairman to Mr. Bernanke and Larry Summers, former Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton (1999-2001), former Director of the White House U.S. Natonal Economic Council (2009-2010), and former President of Harvard University (2001-2006), where he had a controversial tenure.[/toggle]
3. Why might former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s political career be finished?
[toggle hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]The Italian Supreme Court has upheld his conviction on tax fraud charges and did not reject a ban on him from serving in public office again. However, the court did call for a re-examination of the ban by the Italian parliament, which could disrupt Italy’s coalition government. Over the last twenty years, Berlusconi has been convicted of a host of tax, bribery, and embezzlement crimes and has an ongoing trial over paying for sex with a minor, but has always gotten out of his sentences via appeal or having the statute of limitations expire against him.[/toggle]
4. Hardliners in Iran have taken issue with which deecision by new President Hasan Rouhani?
[toggle hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Hardliners have objected to Rouhani’s cabinet selections, which they say favor the West and are against the country’s theocratic government.[/toggle]
5. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe recently unleashed a tirade against his political opponents. What controversial phrase did he utter?
[toggle hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Mugabe said that his opponents “can commit suicide” if they cannot accept his recent election result. Mugabe has a history of highly controversial statements.[/toggle]
6. Great Britain is being pressed by Spain and Argentina to hand over two territories. What are these territories?
[toggle hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Gibraltar (Spain); The Falkland Islands (Argentina)[/toggle]
7. A federal judge recently declared the use of what New York City police tactic unconstitutional and why did they find them unconstitutional?
[toggle hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]”Stop-and-frisk” tactics. Federal Judge Shira A. Scheindlin found these tactics a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which concerns illegal search and seizure.[/toggle]
8. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Senator Rand Paul have not always seen eye-to-eye on legal issues. However, on what issue to they agree on concerning drug offenses?
[toggle hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]They both favor giving federal judges more discretion in applying mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses.[/toggle]
9. What legally prevents Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner from seeking re-election?
[toggle hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Argentinian law does not allow presidential candidates to serve more than two terms. Kirchner’s supporters, though, are looking to change that.[/toggle]
10. On Friday, President Obama called for a reform of this section of the Patriot Act. What section was he referring to and what does that section do?
[toggle hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Section 215. This allows the Director of the FBI to apply for a FISA order to look at an individual’s “books, records, papers, documents, and other items.” Controversially, once this approval is given, the order cannot identify why it was granted.[/toggle]