[fblike]
Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz. Good luck!
To access a list of all our old quizzes, click here.
[fblike]
Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete! Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.
This R&D provides resources on Russia’s engagement with the Middle East. Russia is one of the Middle East’s largest arms suppliers, which dates back to its support of Arab governments during the Cold War. It recently sold an S-300 missile defense system to Iran, triggering criticism from American and Israeli officials that the sale may prevent an aerial attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, thereby challenging American aims for Assad to step down.
Why Russia is on the verge of becoming the nuclear Wal-Mart of the Middle East: http://t.co/XrPgfUgVvU
— WorldPoliticsReview (@WPReview) April 27, 2015
Regional developments since the Arab Spring have positioned #Russia as a soft power force in the Middle East http://t.co/dStshruHLN
— Al-Monitor (@AlMonitor) April 26, 2015
MT @ClintHinote: Russia’s reversal on selling missiles to Iran is a BIG deal. Here’s why: http://t.co/Qi5j2OOIhA
— CFR (@CFR_org) April 25, 2015
[fblike]
Although the University of Kentucky has hosted an extemporaneous speaking section of its Tournament of Champions (TOC) event for the last three years, this year was the first that a large-scale tournament was held in the Bluegrass State. Forty-eight extempers made the trip to Lexington, which included ten of the top twenty-five extempers in the National Points Race and four of the top six finishers at this year’s Montgomery Bell Academy Extemp Round Robin.
Brian Anderson of LaRue County High School (KY), ranked third in the National Points Race, defended home turf with a resounding victory, winning the cumulative tournament by nine ranks. This was Anderson’s first national circuit victory of the season, although he had several runner-up finishes before this, which include MBA and the Barkley Forum. The victory will help Anderson’s quest to regain the top spot in the National Points Race as he will earn seventy points for his win.
Phoebe Lin of Plano West Senior High School (TX), the National Points Race winner from St. Mark’s, was the runner-up. However, Lin did win the final round by one rank over Anderson, thereby winning her second significant final round of the year. Lin also won the MBA Exhibition Round back in January.
National Points Race leader Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School (FL) finished third.
The final round featured an impressive collection of talent, including four state champions. Texas had two finalists – Lin and Karna Venkatraj of A&M Consolidated High School – the only state that had multiple participants in the final round.
Here are the results of the 2015 University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (Click here for tab sheet):
[fblike]
Extempers are aware of the United States’ illegal immigration problems, but another illegal immigration phenomenon has recently caught the attention of the international media: the travel of migrants from North Africa to Europe. While the migration of peoples from Africa and the Middle East to Europe is not a new phenomenon, growing border controls by nations within the European Union (EU) over the last decade has caused migrants to brave the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Seeking refuge from political or religious persecution or a better economic future, migrants pay smugglers to take them to Southern European countries, which have argued that the EU is not doing enough to help them offset the cost of dealing with the problem. 2015 has already been a deadly year for migrants crossing the Mediterranean as 1,800 people have died making the journey compared with just 180 deaths in the first four months of 2014. On April 19, 900 migrants were thought to have been killed when their overcrowded vessel sank, prompting the EU to hold an emergency meeting in Luxembourg and triple the funding for border operations. Dealing with immigration is a sensitive issue in European countries, where far-right parties have linked excessive immigration with economic problems and claim that the different cultural backgrounds of migrants will erode the foundations of European society. Therefore, the problem is a test of the EU’s tolerance of helping the world’s less fortunate and its ability to work out an effective immigration system for its member states.
This topic brief will explain the causes of the recent migrant wave, discuss why deaths on the Mediterranean have risen this year, and then provide some possible solutions European governments can pursue to end the migrant crisis.
Readers are also encouraged to use the links below and in the related R&D to bolster their files about this topic.
[fblike]
Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on Europe’s migrant crisis.
Migrant rescue mission must extend closer to Libya – Amnesty International http://t.co/GE4Uz4k4Vl
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) April 25, 2015
Europe’s leaders are searching for a military solution to the migrant crisis and it doesn’t exist, writes @APQW http://t.co/ruSke6xEHz
— Foreign Policy (@ForeignPolicy) April 24, 2015
How a migrant & refugee crisis is creating an unprecedented global challenge for the 21st century: http://t.co/CPoLMYiG6m
— Brookings (@BrookingsInst) April 25, 2015
[fblike]
1. Will inquiries into the Clinton Foundation impair Hillary’s ability to win the Democratic presidential nomination?
2. Should states raise the smoking age to 21?
3. What is the best way to evaluate teacher performance?
4. Should Bill de Blasio run for president?
5. Why did the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger unravel?
6. What will be the political impact of growing protests against police brutality?
7. Has the use of drones helped or hindered U.S. counter-terrorism efforts?
8. Will the U.S. still have the death penalty in ten years?
9. What steps should House Republicans take to overhaul the tax code?
10. How will Ben Carson affect the 2016 Republican presidential primaries?
[fblike]
1. How should the EU handle migrants?
2. Is Sri Lanka’s current government a disappointment?
3. Will recent violence between the FARC and the Colombian military wreck the chances for a lasting peace agreement?
4. How can Russia enhance its influence in the Middle East?
5. Why is the reconstruction of Gaza proceeding so slowly?
6. What impact would the TPP have on the Japanese economy?
7. Should the Western world embrace Sudan?
8. How can India improve its literacy rate?
9. What labour reforms does the European economy need?
10. How will the Nepali earthquake affect the country’s political situation?
[fblike]
Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete! Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.
Here is our weekly survey of news stories to round out the week of April 20-26, 2015.
How does the Armenian genocide resonate? Experts @nigargoksel @amberinzaman @TomdeWaalCEIP @endeavoringE respond: http://t.co/xos5SL6Pvi
— CFR (@CFR_org) April 22, 2015
Hillary Clinton backer switches to Martin O’Malley: http://t.co/qZvYoNnrRq pic.twitter.com/SyrVi3OkBu
— The Hill (@thehill) April 22, 2015
America cannot stop genocide as long as policymakers and human rights advocates stick to black-and-white narratives. http://t.co/hJXD1s2AVW
— Foreign Policy (@ForeignPolicy) April 22, 2015
[fblike]
Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete! Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.
This R&D provides resources on the recent wave of anti-immigrant violence in South Africa. Three weeks ago attacks began against Asians and peoples from other African countries, forcing South African President Jacob Zuma to send the South African Army to several locations to quell unrest. The attacks are motivated by joblessness as South Africa has a 25% unemployment rate and South Africans argue that foreigners are taking away jobs. The violence, which has killed seven people and made 5,000 homeless, has been condemned by other African nations, with some calling for an economic boycott of the country.
The current immigration debate in South Africa carries within it some disturbing echoes of apartheid-era discourse: http://t.co/uk5EWgs5S6
— WorldPoliticsReview (@WPReview) April 22, 2015
South Africa’s Xenophobia Problem – Dispelling the Myths: http://t.co/qpfEEfR9jE #Africa
— allAfrica.com (@allafrica) April 22, 2015
South Africa to deploy army in parts of Johannesburg to deal with anti-immigrant violence after wave of attacks http://t.co/1mUhKtXeRG
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) April 21, 2015
[fblike]
Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz. Good luck!
To access a list of all our old quizzes, click here.
[fblike]
Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd, the only software built specifically for extemp. Prepd makes it easy to research, practice, and compete! Visit www.prepd.in to learn more. Like Prepd on Facebook for special info and contests.
This R&D provides resources on the environmental movement. Momentum behind new climate change legislation in the United States has languished and critics allege that the movement is not diverse enough to build a sizable political constituency. Low oil prices have also inhibited some of the calls for alternative energy sources, one of the core demands of environmental activists. This R&D is also timely since today is Earth Day.
White, Wealthy, and Whiney: An Environmental Movement in Need of a Makeover by @pdykstra http://t.co/O30bQlE6z1
— The Energy Collectiv (@EnergyCollectiv) April 20, 2015
In anticipation of #EarthDay, check out this timeline of modern American environmentalism through @thenation‘s lens http://t.co/phFzIvoLFz
— Zoë Carpenter (@ZoeSCarpenter) April 20, 2015
A radical shift in the environmental movement? A Call to Look Past Sustainable Development http://t.co/sFK4OX7jfu
— Kay Hymowitz (@KayHymowitz) April 15, 2015
[fblike]
When 2015 began policymakers figured that the U.S. Federal Reserve would raise interest rates. Optimism about the strength of the U.S. economy, as well as projections that inflation would soon meet the Federal Reserve’s preferable mark of 2%, lent credence to these predictions. However, lower than expected growth during the first quarter, coupled with disappointing unemployment data and stubborn inflation statistics have caused some observers to change their predictions of a rate increase. Instead of expecting an increase in 2015, some are now saying that a change in monetary policy will not occur until next year. The minutes of the Federal Reserve’s meeting last month show that it is divided about what to do and this uncertainty means that extempers could face questions over the next three months about when the Federal Reserve will act, and if it should raise interest rates before the end of the year.
This topic brief will give an overview for how monetary policy works, discuss why “hawks” within the Federal Reserve wish to raise interest rates, and then analyze why “doves” within the Federal Reserve wish to maintain interest rates at their near-zero level for the near future.
Readers are also encouraged to use the links below and in the related R&D to bolster their files about this topic.
[fblike]
Here is today’s premium R&D to accompany today’s premium topic brief on raising interest rates (2015).
How will the @federalreserve raise interest rates? Here’s a primer from The Hutchins Center: http://t.co/W3l5UbaZvl pic.twitter.com/tMhKONC9mR
— Brookings (@BrookingsInst) April 12, 2015
What an interest rate increase means for real people http://t.co/vjM0z67T2b via @CNNMoney #InterestRates #homebuyer
— Gwendolyn Walton (@GwendolynWalton) April 10, 2015
Markets face new threat as US Federal Reserve ponders interest rate rise http://t.co/5RKxfHEDpn
— The Guardian (@guardian) April 18, 2015
[fblike]
1. Will a new bailout for Greece be “Finnished”?
2. Is Jacob Zuma responsible for the recent wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa?
3. Will Yemen ignite a wider sectarian war across the Middle East?
4. Would the TTP damage the German economy?
5. How can Southeast Asian nations better protect their tropical forests?
6. What explains Omar al-Bashir’s domination of Sudanese politics?
7. Will Ukraine’s borders ever be restored?
8. Should the SNP abandon hopes of holding another independence referendum?
9. What does China’s naval buildup mean for the Asian geopolitics?
10. How can Central American nations stem the flow of migrants to the United States?
[fblike]
1. What is the future of the American environmental movement?
2. How can Democrats win back white, working-class male voters?
3. Has Carly Fiorina become the new Sarah Palin?
4. Is it time for the Senate to hold a vote on Loretta Lynch?
5. How can Marco Rubio win the GOP presidential nomination?
6. Is Apple worth $1 trillion?
7. Should the Federal Reserve raise interest rates in June?
8. What should the U.S. do about continued unrest in Libya?
9. Are too many Republicans running for president?
10. What role should the U.S. play in helping the Iraqi government fight ISIS?