Here is this week’s news quiz!
1. Last week the Supreme Court heard arguments about what issue for the 2024 U.S. presidential election?
Spoiler
Whether efforts to disqualifying former President Donald Trump from running for violating the 14th Amendment are constitutional. Conservative and liberal justices expressed skepticism about efforts by Colorado, Maine, and other places to disqualifying Trump. Their questions implied that it would give states too much power and/or that only Congress could disqualify a candidate. Observers believe that the Supreme Court will rule that as of now Trump can run for office. If they were to rule otherwise, it would toss the election into question.
2. Which side won the most seats in Pakistan’s general election?
Spoiler
Allies of jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won at least 90 seats. It was a shocking result as observers thought former Prime Minister’s Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Party (PMLN) were headed for victory. Sharif’s party won 69 seats. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) won 51 seats. None of the three sides have a majority to govern but Khan’s forces have said that they plan to try to form a government.
3. Why was the outcome of the Republican primary in Nevada “embarrassing” for former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley?
Spoiler
Haley lost to a “none of these candidates” option even though she was the only candidate listed on the ballot. Nevada’s Republican Party held a caucus to select delegates to its national convention but state law required a primary. Candidates could only run in one race, so Haley opted for the primary while former President Donald Trump entered the caucus. Although less than 20% of eligible voters cast ballots in last week’s primary, the result was terrible for Haley as she only won 31% of votes cast. The “none of these candidates” option drew 63%. It bodes ill for Haley’s continued campaign and any chance she has of winning her home state against Trump at the end of the month.
4. Why did Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismiss General Valery Zaluzhny last week?
Spoiler
Zelensky opted to dismiss Zaluzhny due to differences of opinion about Ukraine’s strategy for its ongoing war with Russia. The conflict is nearing its third year and Zaluzhny favored a cautious approach but Zelensky and his allies have increasingly argued for more aggressive attacks on Russian positions and regaining all of Ukraine’s lost territory. Zelensky has also blamed Zaluzhny for last year’s failed counter-offensive. Observers worry that the switch of commanding generals could harm Ukraine, which is at a disadvantage in a protracted war with Russia.
5. And due to the disagreements in question #4, who is Ukraine’s new commanding general?
Spoiler
Oleksandr Syrskyi, who previously commanded Ukraine’s ground forces. He is credited with defending Kyiv in February 2022 against Russia’s invasion. Syrskyi has a reputation as a disciplinarian and strategic planner and was trained by the Soviet Union.
6. How much have investors lost in the Chinese stock market since late 2022?
Spoiler
$2 trillion. The nation’s stock market has fallen because of fears that China’s economic engine is running out of reliable growth. China is facing a downturn in its property market, a slowing demand for infrastructure, and is suffering from deflation. As geopolitical tensions rise there are also fears that it will hurt China’s ability to export its surplus production as its national population cannot buy everything that it produces.
7. Which claims by special counsel Robert Hur’s report caused President Joe Biden to give a fiery press conference last week?
Spoiler
Hur’s report, which did not recommend criminal charges against the President for mishandling classified information, made claims that Biden struggles with memory. It argued that Biden forgot the year that his son, Beau, passed away. Hur’s explosive report cast doubts on Biden’s fitness to serve another term as Americans have told pollsters that Biden may be too old for the job. In response, Biden gave a press conference that blasted Hur’s conclusions. That response received a mixed reaction as some Democratic allies championed the President for going on the offensive on the issue while others, such as pollster Paul Begala, thought the President would be best served by shrugging the report off and not giving it attention.
8. What scandal has recently engulfed Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)?
Spoiler
The scandal involves LDP lawmakers pocketing some of the profits of ticket sales of party events from individuals, companies, and other organizations. The money pocketed was to the tune of millions of dollars and violates Japan’s Political Funds Control Law because these transactions were not reported. To this point three LDP lawmakers have been indicted and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was already unpopular with elements of his party and the Japanese public, has been forced to give a public apology.
9. Yesterday there was a special election for the House of Representatives in which state?
Spoiler
New York. At the time of this quiz, the outcome had not been determined but the special election pitted former Democratic Representative Tom Suozzi against Republican challenger and Nassau County legislator Mazi Pilip. Both are running to replace George Santos, who was expelled from Congress in December for breaking federal election laws. If Suozzi wins, it would allow the Democrats to claw back a seat and further reduce the thin Republican majority in the chamber.
10. It was revealed this week that Russia’s interior ministry was looking to bring criminal charges against which European leader?
Spoiler
Kaja Kallas, the prime minister of Estonia. Kallas was put on a wanted list by Russian police for “desecreation of historical memory” by removing statues of the old Soviet Union. According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova “Crimes against the memory of the world’s liberators from Nazism and fascism must be prosecuted.” Last week politicains in the Baltics warned that Russia is planning a military buildup to go to war with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) within the next decade.