Here is this week’s news quiz. Good luck!
1. As of Tuesday night, what is the current benchmark interest rate in the U.S.?
Spoiler
The Federal Reserve slashed the nation’s benchmark interest rate by 0.5%. The aggressive move was made to stop a slowdown in the labor market and was a sign that the Fed believes it has successfully tamed inflation that emerged as an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. The last time that the Federal Reserve cut interest rates this aggressively was 2008 during the global financial crisis.
2. How did Israel reportedly attack Hezbollah militants last week without using conventional forces?
Spoiler
There was a mass bombing of electronic communication devices used by Hezbollah, a Shi’ite militant organization that receives support from Iran. Pagers and walkie talkies used by the group simultaneously blew up last Tuesday and Wednesday, seen by outsiders as the beginning of an Israeli assault on the group. Thousands were said to be wounded in the attack and 12 died. Hezbollah’s leadership announced that they viewed the attack as an Israeli declaration of war.
3. Which insurgency group did the Colombian government suspend peace talks with last week and why?
Spoiler
The National Liberation Army (ELN), a Marxist insurgency group that has been active since 1964. The United States classifies it as a terrorist organization. Colombia’s national government suspended peace talks after blaming the ELN for killing two of its soldiers and injuring 20 more in an attack. President Gustavo Petro won election on a platform calling for “total peace” with insurgents but the ELN has caused problems, ending its ceasefire with the Colombian government last August.
4. Which four U.S. states have ballot measures this year to move to ranked choice voting?
Spoiler
Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon. If voters in these states approve, ranked choice voting (RCV) will be used in general elections. Under RCV, voters rank candidates by preference. If a candidate fails to win a majority of the initial vote, then the candidate who finished last in that round is eliminated and those who ranked that candidate first have their second place votes redistributed to the remaining candidates. This continues until a candidate wins a majority. Advocates argue it breaks political machines and can help third-party candidates. Critics say it delays results, is too complicated, and is too expensive. 10 U.S. states have a prohibition against RCV at any level of election.
5. Who announced last week that they would not run in Uganda’s presidential election?
Spoiler
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. Kainerugaba said that he would support his father’s run for a seventh term in 2026 if he opted to do so. Museveni has governed Uganda since 1986 and is 80 years old. The last Ugandan presidential election of 2021 was marred with irregularities and opposition forces claimed it was rigged.
6. Allegations against the Republican gubernatorial nominee in which state could have implications for the presidential election?
Spoiler
North Carolina. Republican nominee Mark Robinson, the state’s current lieutenant governor, has a history of making controversial statements and posts that he allegedly made on a pornographic website were revealed by CNN last week. In one of those posts Robinson called himself a “Black Nazi.” Republican operatives fear that if Robinson loses in a landslide that it could help Democratic nominee Kamala Harris win a state that has not voted for a Democratic presidential nominee since 2008.
7. Which nation asked the European Union (EU) for an exemption from migration rules last week?
Spoiler
The Netherlands. Dutch Migration Minister Marjolein Faber submitted the request, which sets up a clash with EU authorities over an issue that is giving rise to far-right parties across the continent. Dutch officials are planning to declare an “asylum crisis” to impose stricter asylum measures.
8. Which U.S. states “split” their electoral votes?
Spoiler
Nebraska and Maine. Each state follows a system where the candidate who wins the statewide vote gets two electors and candidates win an elector for each congressional district that they carry. In 2020 President Trump won one of Maine’s electoral votes and then-candidate Joe Biden won one of Nebraska’s electoral votes. Nebraska lawmakers had looked into changing their state into a winner-take-all state before the election but that plan was dealt a setback by State Senator Mike McDonnell, who represents Omaha, saying that he would not favor the plan. Democratic lawmakers in Maine have threatened to also turn their state into a winner-take-all state in response, which would negate any advantage Trump would have over Vice President Kamala Harris on the issue.
9. Which African nation suffered an attack by Islamic militants, who attacked an international airport, last week?
Spoiler
Mali. The West African nation saw al-Qaeda aligned militants place a burning rag in the engine of the presidential jet, shoot at plans from the United Nations, and raided a VIP terminal. There was also an attack on a national military academy. The attacks showed the fragile security situation in Mali, which has been fighting militants since 2011. Colonel Assimi Goita has staged several coups in response to what was perceived as the ineffectiveness of other governments to deal with the Islamist threat. As such, the recent attacks were a direct challenge to Goita’s authority.
10. How has China’s central bank decided to response to the nation’s deflating economy?
Spoiler
The People’s Bank of China announced a stimulus package that would reduce the amount of reserves banks are required to keep by 0.5%. Also, payment requirements for buyers of second homes will be reduced from 25% to 15% and interest rates for mortgages will be cut by 0.5%. There were other steps to reduce interest rates on loans to commercial banks. All of this is in an attempt to boost China’s economy, which is going to miss its 5% growth target this year.