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

1. How did the U.S. respond to an attack on U.S. military personnel in Jordan last week by Iranian proxy forces?

Spoiler
The U.S. launched 85 airstrikes on Friday evening, hitting seven locations housing Iranian proxy forces and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in Iraq and Syria. President Biden said that the U.S. would attack more targets as well. Although some floated the idea of attacking Iran within its borders, the U.S. did not do so, possibly due to concern about escalating tensions with the Islamic Republic. Iraq complained about the attack, arguing that its territory was not going to be a battleground between outside interests.

2. What country is currently the world’s largest oil producer?

Spoiler
The United States. Even though the U.S. has fewer oil rigs operating than it did a decade ago, the U.S. is producing 13.3 million barrels of oil a day. Russia is second with 9.5 million barrels a day and Saudi Arabia is third with 9.1 million barrels. The production has helped temper domestic gas prices, which have come down after high prices in the fall.

3. What is the Mattei Plan, which Italy is implementing to improve relations with African nations?

Spoiler
The plan calls for Italy to invest $5.9 billion into African nations for energy, agriculture, water, health, and education projects. Some critics of the plan argue that Italy does not have the resources of other powers that are trying to bend Africa to its will in foreign policy. And the African Union (AU) has been critical, arguing that it should have been consulted first. One of the aims of the plan is to reduce migration into Southern Europe by expanding economic opportunities on the African continent.

4. Why was a recent ruling by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia a setback for former President Donald Trump?

Spoiler
The court ruled yesterday that Trump does not have immunity from criminal prosecution for trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Trump’s attorneys argued that he could not be charged because he was the activing U.S. president at the time of the January 6 storming of the Capitol. It is expected that Trump will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the decision, which could have a big impact on his campaign as most Americans have told pollsters they would not vote for Trump if he were convicted of a crime.

5. Why was the British monarchy in the news this week?

Spoiler
King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer. Charles, who is 75 years old, has been England’s reigning king since the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, 17 months ago. An announcement from Buckingham Palace says that the king does not have prostate cancer and did not specify its stage. However, news has said that it was caught early. King Charles underwent surgery for an enlarged prostate last week.

6. Which African nation postponed its presidential election last week?

Spoiler
Senegal. President Macky Sall announced the postponement of a presidential election scheduled for February 25. The reason given was an investigation into two judges on Senegal’s constitutional council, which has disqualified several candidates. Observers warn that it is another blow to West African democracy. The decision thrusts the country into uncharted constitutional territory.

7. Last week Elon Musk announced that someone had undergone what procedure?

Spoiler
Having a Neuralink brain chip inserted. The alleged patient suffers from severe paralysis. Musk is hoping to use the device to link the human brain to compute devices, allowing people to search for information and perform complex calculations. Bigger dreams are to restore movement to those who have been disabled or restore sight to the blind. U.S. regulators had previously rejected Musk’s bid to test the brain chips in human beings.

8. Why was Nayib Bukele’s campaign for a second term in El Salvador creating controversy?

Spoiler
El Salvador has six articles in its constitution that prevent a president from running for re-election. However, Bukele has appointed judges to the nation’s constitutional court that have ruled that he could serve a second term if he steps away from the presidency six months before he is inaugurated. Bukele did so on December 1, so Claudia Juana Rodriguez de Guevara is the country’s active president before the election, which took place last week. Bukele is popular for his actions to suppress gangs in the country even though critics at home and abroad allege that his methods are too extreme and he is trying to become a dictator.

9. Why are 10 Republican state senators in Oregon unable to run for re-election this year?

Spoiler
Violating Measure 113. Approved by voters in 2022 it amended Oregon’s constitution to prevent lawmakers from running from re-election if they have 10 or more unexcused absences. The ten lawmakers staged a boycott lasting six weeks last year to try to stall bills on abortion, transgender healthcare, and gun rights. Last week, Oregon’s Supreme Court ruled that the lawmakers cannot run for re-election this year because they violated the law, upholding a decision from Oregon’s secretary of state.

10. Which media startup went out of business last week?

Spoiler
The Messenger. The project was launched eight months ago as a digital news alternative to mainstream outles while remaining centrist in its coverage. However, it failed to generate enough revenue through advertising and events to be profitable and burnede through more than $50 million in startup capital. It is yet another sign of the struggles of the news industry in America today.