Here is the first Extemp Central news quiz of the 2024-2025 season. News quizzes will be posted each week until the end of May. Good luck!
1. Who are the two vice-presidential candidates in this year’s U.S. presidential election?
Spoiler
Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio is Republican nominee Donald Trump’s running mate. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was selected by Democratic nominee Kamala Harris as her running mate. Both are attempts by each campaign to appeal to working class voters in Rust Belt states, which have become a battleground for this year’s election.
2. Pavel Durov, a Russian-born technology creator, was arrested in France on August 24. What messaging app did he create and why is France holding him?
Spoiler
Telegram, a messaging app. France alleges that Telegram has failed to fight the use of its service by criminals who are engaged in illicit transactions, fraud, and child sexual abuse.
3. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), where have most mpox infections taken place?
Spoiler
The Democratic Republic of Congo. Thus far, it has been reported that more than 17,000 people have been afflicted by the disease. The WHO is appealing for millions of dollars to enhance a response and keep cases contained.
4. What is the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)?
Spoiler
The PIF is an inter-governmental organization that tries to enhance cooperation on issues that affect Oceania. 18 nations and territories are part of the group, including Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga, among others. Last week these nations met in Nuku’alofa, Tonga to discuss topics such as climate change, environmental pollution, and costs of living for the region’s residents.
5. A Chinese coast guard vessel was blamed for ramming a ship from which country last week?
Spoiler
The Philippines. The Filipino government claimed that China “directly and intentionally” rammed one of its coast guard vessels in the South China Sea near the Sabina Shoal. That area is claimed by China but the Philippines also lays claim to the territory.
6. Why did Brazil block X, formerly known as Twitter, last week?
Spoiler
Brazil’s Supreme Curt ordered the suspension of X in the country because its owner, Elon Musk, refused to name a legal representative in the country. X had been feuding with Brazilian officials for months, refusing to block accounts per the orders of Brazilian officials for spreading misinformation and hate speech.
7. Which U.S. state began recriminalizing possession of small amounts of hard drugs this week?
Spoiler
Oregon. The state’s House Bill 4002 gives people who are caught with small amounts of hard drugs a choice between being charged or getting treatment. It is a rollback of the state’s more lenient decriminalization of drugs that officials had to rollback because few people who were cited under that decriminalization sought treatment on their own.
8. Who are the two sides battling in Sudan’s civil war?
Spoiler
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which fights for Sudan’s military government under Abdel Fattah al-Burham and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group also known as the Janjaweed coalition. The RSF fights under Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. The war has been happening since April 2023 and has brought in other powers such as Russia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Iran. There are fears that millions are at risk of starvation and that the chaos produced by the war could engulf other states in North and East Africa.
9. What is a hold up between the Trump and Harris campaigns concerning the first presidential debate between them?
Spoiler
The Trump campaign wants microphones muted when the candidates are not speaking but the Harris campaign wants them to be live. Microphones were muted for Trump’s debate with President Joe Biden in late June on CNN. The Trump campaign argues that was part of the agreement that they made with ABC. ABC has said that it will mute microphones although the Harris campaign says it will fight on the issue. Many analysts see the debate as critical as polls show a close race in every swing state. The debate takes place on September 10 in Philadelphia.
10. Which country was facing calls to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin when he came for a state visit yesterday?
Spoiler
Mongolia. Since Mongolia is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) there were calls for it to arrest Putin, who is under an ICC indictment for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. It did not do so and is under criticism for not following the Rome Statute of 2002, which obligated ICC members to detain and surrender to the ICC persons who are subject to an ICC arrest warrant.
Lulu Gurel
I love the resources that you guys supply. and it has helped dramatically with my extemp skills, especially prepping for an upcoming tournament. I love and appreciate the relevance and real-time topics you provide. Amazing, amazing, amazing!
Logan Scisco
Thanks. I appreciate the kind words! Good luck this season!