Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz. Good luck!
1. Which military figure has recently announced that they will be running for the Libyan presidency?
Spoiler
General Khalifa Hafter, who controlled the Libyan Arab Armed Forces that have run the eastern side of the country since the toppling of dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. Hafter is considered one of the frontrunners, along with Gadhafi’s son, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi. The first round of voting will take place on December 24, with a second round scheduled for January 24.
2. The Israeli government is looking to impose a term limit of how many years on future prime ministers?
Spoiler
Eight years. The government’s ministerial committee unanimously approved term limiting the country’s prime minister to eight years in a bid to reduce corruption. Any legislative effort would not be retroactive, though, so opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been prime minister for fifteen years previously, could regain power and rule again.
3. Moderate House Democrats have said that they will vote for President Biden’s social infrastructure bill if which government entity says that its cost will be fully paid for?
Spoiler
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO is expected to release its “score” of Biden’s social infrastructure package by Friday, but the Biden administration is worried that the CBO will not say that the package is fully paid for, urging House Democrats yesterday to pass it anyway.
4. Which individual lost a defamation case against families of victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting?
Spoiler
Infowars founder Alex Jones. Jones lost the lawsuit after failing to comply with the court’s discovery process. He is facing the lawsuits after his unfounded advocacy that the 2012 shooting was a staged event, a position he reversed in 2019.
5. Prices in the United States have increased by how much since last year?
Spoiler
6.2%. This is the fastest year-to-year increase in prices since 1990, which was the start of an economic recession that cost President George H.W. Bush the White House two years later. According to the Labor Department, the surge in prices reflects rising costs for food, gas, and housing.
6. U.S. journalist Danny Fenster was recently released from imprisonment by which country?
Spoiler
Myanmar. Fenster had spent six months in a Myanmar prison and was convicted last week of “spreading false or inflammatory information,” as well as making contact with illegal organizations and violating the country’s visa rules. He faced an eleven-year prison sentence with hard labor. Fenster was arrested after Myanmar’s military overthrew its civilian government last year. His release was negotiated by former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.
7. Which two nations successfully weakened anti-coal language in the final COP26 climate agreement?
Spoiler
India and China. Both nations successfully forced negotiators to replace wording that called for a “phase out” of coal to a “phase down” of coal. Island nations were upset with the change, but without India and China the recent COP26 meeting on climate change would have ended in Glasgow without an agreement.
8. Which prominent Democrat has announced that they will be running for the Texas governorship next fall?
Spoiler
Beto O’Rourke. O’Rourke previously represented El Paso in the U.S. House of Representatives before embarking on a failed Senate campaign against Republican Ted Cruz in 2018. He also failed to win the Democratic presidential primaries in 2020. Despite his name recognition, O’Rourke is still considered the underdog to unseat Governor Greg Abbott, especially in a midterm year that looks bad for Democratic candidates.
9. The United Kingdom is looking to mandate how many COVID shots to be considered fully vaccinated?
Spoiler
Three. These would be required to obtain a COVID pass to travel, which the British government says is becoming a necessity due to more countries requiring a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
10. What type of weapon did Russia test on Monday?
Spoiler
An anti-satellite weapon. Russia performed the test on Monday, which caused crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to scramble for safety because of a debris field that spread over low-Earth orbit. The United States has criticized the test, which it says endangered ISS crew members and puts global satellite systems at risk.
