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Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz. Good luck!
To access a list of all our old quizzes, click here.
1. New Jersey Democratic Senator Robert Menendez is facing an indictment on what charges?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Menendez stands to be indicted on federal corruption charges in connection with receiving improper gifts from one of his financial backers Salomon Melgen. It is also likely that Menendez could be indicted for “honest services fraud,” which means that he engaged in criminal behavior while in office. Menendez has been in the Senate since 2006 when he was appointed by Governor Jon Corzine, who had previously occupied the seat.[/toggle]
2. Who has been named as John Stewart’s replacement on the Daily Show?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]South African comedian Trevor Noah. Stewart is stepping down from the show after sixteen years.[/toggle]
3. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is seeking to replace martial law with this.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Chan-ocha, a former military commander, has asked King Bhumibol Adulyadej to replace martial law with a system of executive powers allowing him to “issue any order deemed necessary ‘to strengthen public unity and harmony’ and to suppress any act that ‘undermines public peace and order or national security, the monarchy, national economics or administration of state affairs.” Critics argue that this would make Chan-ocha a dictator and open the door for gross human rights abuses.[/toggle]
4. What reasons has Greece given for opposing international sanctions against Russia?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras says that the Russian sanctions are a “road to nowhere” and that the Greek economy has been damaged by Russia’s food sanctions against European Union members. Others argue that Tsipras wants to champion the elimination of Russian sanctions so that he can receive discounted Russian natural gas.[/toggle]
5. Who is the President of Myanmar?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Thein Sein. Sein took office in March 2011 and was a former military commander. His government recently brokered a draft ceasefire accord between Myanmar’s government and its various ethnic groups. The two sides have been at war for more than sixty-five years.[/toggle]
6. How many people have fled Syria as a result of its civil war?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]An estimated 3.4 million people have fled Syria as a result of the violence. International donors are trying to fund billions of assistance to help these refugees, as well as other Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance. Aid is also being used to support the Lebanese government, which has taken in a significant numberof refugees.[/toggle]
7. Who won the Nigerian presidential election last weekend?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari, 72, is a former general that served the country’s head of state following a coup between 1983 and 1985. Buhari defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, becoming the first opposition politician to defeat an incumbent president in Nigerian history.[/toggle]
8. The U.S. is resuming military aid to this country after twenty-one months.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Egypt. The Obama administration halted some of America’s military aid to the country after a military coup ousted the Muslim Brotherhood in July 2013. The justification given is that the aid will help the Egyptian government battle radical Islamists in North Africa.[/toggle]
9. Who owns the low-cost airline Germanwings?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]The German airline Lufthansa, which is the largest in Europe. Germanwings Flight 9525 was intentionally crashed by its co-pilot into the French Alps last week, killing 149 passengers and crew.[/toggle]
10. This state’s “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” came under fire last week.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Indiana. The legislation says that the government cannot “substantially burden” a person’s ability to follow their religious beliefs. Opponents of the law say that it will allow businesses to discriminate against homosexuals. Those opposed to the law are calling for people to boycott the state. Arkansas passed a similar measure to Indiana’s yesterday.[/toggle]