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

1. A New York City jury acquitted defendant Daniel Penny of what crime on Monday?

Spoiler
Criminally negligent homicide. Penny, who is white, was accused of killing Jordan Neely, a black unarmed homeless man with numerous arrests, on a subway on May 1, 2023. Penny, a former Marine, argued that he was defending passengers who Neely was threatening. Progressives argued that Neely’s actions were unjustified because Neely suffered from mental illness and had taken the law into his own hands. The case attracted considerable attention from Black Lives Matter and sparked a debate over the safety of public transportation in New York City.

2. Why did Romania’s constitution court reverse an earlier ruling and annul the first round of its presidential election?

Spoiler
Intelligence documents were declassified to show that Calin Georgescu, a far-right candidate, benefitted from a mass influence operation from outside of the country (believed to be Russian). The court ordered that the first round of voting take place again. Georgescu’s supporters argue that the ruling is an attack on Romania democracy while outgoing Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu hailed the decision as the only correct one for the court to make.

3. Which world leader underwent emergency surgery this week?

Spoiler
Brazilian President Lula da Silva. He underwent surgery Tuesday night for an intracranial hemorrhage. It was reported that Lula had been experiencing headaches after a fall in October. He was reported to be in stable condition.

4. Who does president-elect Donald Trump want to take over the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)?

Spoiler
Kash Patel. A former deputy assistant to Trump as a senior director of counterterrorism, Patel has been tapped by Trump to replace Christopher Wray, who has led the FBI since August 2017 when Trump appointed him to the role. FBI directors serve 10 year terms, which is supposed to make them independent. However, the President of the United States does have the authority to fire them, which is what Trump did with James Comey in May 2017. Patel would have to go through Senate confirmation and his approval is uncertain as Democrats have labeled him as a radical political operative that is a Trump loyalist. Republicans do have 53 votes to potentially confirm, though, able to weather a few defections.

5. How much of the global economy would be affected by the European Union’s recent trade deal with Mercosur?

Spoiler
The deal, which was the product of 20 years of negotiations, covers 25% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). It seeks to establish the world’s largest free trade zone. While Mercosur members will likely approve, there could be objections throughout the EU, especially from farmers who say that Mercosur’s products do not meet EU standards and will produce unfair competition. 15 of 27 nations are required in the EU to approve of a deal.

6. Which famous cathedral reopened its doors last week?

Spoiler
Notre Dame in Paris, France. A fire nearly destroyed it in 2019, leading to a five-year rebuilding project, impressive in its own right as it took hundreds of years to build the original structure. The reopening was attended by several foreign dignitaries, including Donald Trump, First Lady Jill Biden, Prince William of Great Britain, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

7. Which rebel group was largely responsible for victory in the Syrian Civil War?

Spoiler
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamic militia group. The group is designated as a terrorist group by the United States government. Its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, has a $10 million bounty on his head by the United States. Some regional experts believe that HTS will seek to create a radical Islamic government in Syria that mirrors some of the Taliban in Afghanistan. This has sparked some fears from religious minorities in Syria.

8. Last week a federal investigation into what city’s police department uncovered a slew of abuses?

Spoiler
Memphis, Tennessee. A Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation found that members of the police force used excessive force, made illegal traffic stops, targeted African Americans disproportionately, and discriminated against people with behavioral health disabilities. The investigation had been going on for 17 months after officers fatally beat Tyre Nichols after he fled from a traffic stop. Memphis’ city officials say that they are not ready to make a deal with the DOJ to change their police department, citing concerns about cost and implementation.

9. The murder of which executive created fear throughout New York City last week?

Spoiler
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Thompson was gunned down in what police are calling a targeted attack on Wednesday morning outside of a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Luigi Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania on Monday for the crime. UnitedHealthcare is the largest U.S. health insurer.

10. Why did France’s government collapse last week?

Spoiler
Left-wing and far-right lawmakers joined forces on a no-confidence vote on prime minister Michel Barnier. The vote took place because of a standoff over the French budget. Barnier sought to raise taxes and cut spending, using a constitutional measure known as article 49.3 to pass a financial bill without the National Assembly’s approval. However, doing that opened up Barnier for a no-confidence vote. He resigned after the vote, making him the shortest tenured French prime minister of all time. It is also the first successful no-confidence vote against a prime minister since 1962.