Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz.

1. What is the name for NASA’s program to put astronauts back on the moon?

Spoiler
Artemis. The aim of the program is to put astronauts back on the moon by 2024, which should pave the way for a future Mars mission. One of the first major milestones to get there is a successful launch of the Space Launch System rocket, which was scheduled for Monday.

2. Which country was hit with devastating floods over the weekend?

Spoiler
Pakistan. The country is appealing for international assistance after monsoon rains led to massive flooding and the death of more than 1,000 people. The Pakistani government reported on Sunday that about 15% of the country’s population had been affected by the flooding, the worst since 2010-2011.

3. How much student loan debt will President Biden’s plan forgive?

Spoiler
$10,000. It will be $20,000 for students that were Pell Grant recipients. To qualify, a borrower has to make under $125,000 per year and a couple has to earn less than $250,000. Republicans have blasted the plan as regressive and inflationary, but the Biden administration has defended it as a way to revive the economy and aid poorer Americans. It is estimated that the plan will wipe out of the student loan of 20 million people and affected 43 million borrowers.

4. Why are there rumors that Pope Francis is going to step down?

Spoiler
Pope Francis recently inducted twenty new cardinals, all of whom agree with his vision of a more progressive Catholic Church. Observers argue that this is a sign that the eighty-five-year-old pope is looking to step down since the changes would aid in the chances that his successor would share his views.

5. By what year is California aiming to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles?

Spoiler
2035. The state’s Air Resources Board approved a rule last week that will ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles by that year. It is the first regulation of its kind in the world. Due to California’s size and impact on the national economy, the rule is expected to transform the U.S. auto industry, although questions remain about the rule’s enforcement and whether California can build the necessary infrastructure to sustain an expansion of electric vehicles in thirteen years.

6. This week marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the passing of which famous individual?

Spoiler
Princess Diana. She passed away after a car crash that also claimed the life of her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, on August 31, 1997. Her death plunged Great Britain into a state of grief and damaged the reputation of Britain’s royal family.

7. What was the “boyfriend loophole,” which was closed by the recent federal gun law?

Spoiler
The “boyfriend loophole” allowed a convicted domestic abuser to still have access to a firearm if they were not married or had a child with the victim. While 19 states had worked to close the loophole, it still existed in federal legislation until the recent federal gun law closed it.

8. The U.S. Navy had one of its sea drones seized by which country in the Persian Gulf this week?

Spoiler
Iran. The Navy reported that Iran seized control of the drone and tried to tow it away, only stopping the effort after U.S. military personnel intervened. It is an example of how tensions between the U.S. and Iran remain high in the region.

9. What change did the U.S. Army recently make to try to bolster its recruiting numbers?

Spoiler
The Army is giving recruits that fall short of its academic and fitness targets ninety days of training to become military ready. The U.S. Army recently reported that it stands to fall short of its recruiting goal by 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers, which would be 18% to 25% of its overall target.

10. Which country saw street fighting earlier this week between rival political camps?

Spoiler
Iraq. On Monday, forces that are loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr clashed with Iraqi security forces and rival militias, paralyzing the capital city of Baghdad. Iraq has been locked in a political dispute for more than 10 months and experts fear the clashes could lead to a larger conflict that would be reminiscent of major sectarian fighting after the U.S. invasion in 2003.