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

1. Who were the winners of the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections?

Spoiler
In Virginia, Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin won a narrow victory over former Democratic governor Terry McAuliffe. In New Jersey, Democratic Governor Phil Murphy won a surprisingly narrow victory over Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli. Republican strategists said that the results of both races will give them momentum going into the 2022 midterm elections.

2. According to Dublin-based human rights group Front Life Defenders (FLD), activists representing which peoples had their phones hacked with spyware?

Spoiler
Palestinian. The FLD report notes that six Palestinian human rights advocates had their phones hacked with the spyware, which is believed to have been used by the Israeli government. Israel has been criticized by the United Nations for targeting Palestinian human rights campaigners in recent years as the Israeli government has labeled many human rights groups as fronts for terrorist activities.

3. Which city was the site of a music festival disaster last week, which took place during a performance by rapper Travis Scott?

Spoiler
Houston. Eight fans died at the concert when the crowd rushed the stage, creating conditions where people were crushed and could not breathe. An investigation is ongoing to find out what caused the crowd’s behavior.

4. Chinese astronaut Wang Yaping became the first from her country to do what this week?

Spoiler
Participate in a spacewalk. Yaping did the spacewalk as part of her crew’s six-month mission to China’s Tiangong space station.

5. The U.S. lifted its border restrictions on which two countries this week?

Spoiler
Mexico and Canada. The U.S. land borders with each country were opened for the first time in nineteen months to individuals who have been fully vaccinated.

6. Which two companies have developed COVID-19 treatment pills?

Spoiler
Merck and Pfizer. Each treatment lasts five days, with patients taking pills in the morning and at night. Merck’s regimen is four pills at each time, while Pfizer’s is three. The drugs still need to be approved by regulators in the United States and European Union.

7. President Biden’s vaccine mandate, which has come under legal attack, requires businesses with more than how many employees to receive a COVID vaccine or subject themselves to weekly testing?

Spoiler
100. The mandate operates through a regulatory rule of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and covers 84 million American workers. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals granted an emergency stay to a lawsuit to stop the imposition of the mandate. Currently, twenty-seven states have sued the federal government in opposition to the mandate.

8. Pakistan’s government recently agreed to a one month ceasefire with which militant group?

Spoiler
The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The Pakistani Taliban has been fighting the Pakistani government since 2007. It seeks the government’s overthrow and wishes to impose its harsh brand of Sharia law. Western observers best know the TTP for trying to kill Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Prize winner, for her advocacy of women’s education rights.

9. When will Sudan hold its next national election?

Spoiler
July 2023. This is an important point to remember because General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, who led the October 25 coup against Sudan’s civilian government, recently said he will not stand as a candidate in that election.

10. Who is the new mayor of New York City?

Spoiler
Eric Adams. Adams, a Democrat, won the general election with 66% of the vote. He defeated Republican candidate Curtis Silwa. Adams will be the second African-American mayor in New York City’s history.