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Here is this week’s news quiz. Good luck!
1. List all of the nation-states that are global nuclear powers.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel (note: Israel is deemed an “undeclared nuclear power” because their government has never officially acknowledged that it has nuclear weapons).[/toggle]
2. How are Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) calculated?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]COLAs are calculated based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. This evaluates the cost of food, energy, and other items. It is expected that the next COLA will be a 1.5% increase, but some experts argue that the current measurement is not a great indicator of what senior citizens spend money on.[/toggle]
3. Last weekend, which major Libyan government official was kidnapped by a militia group?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Libya’s prime minister, Ali Zeidan, was kidnapped from a hotel room last week by a militia called the Operations Room of Libya’s Revolutionaries. Zeidan was later released unharmed, but the group said his kidnapping was done to avenge the Libyan government’s allowance of a U.S. raid to capture an al-Qaeda suspect in Tripoli.[/toggle]
4. Yesterday the Supreme Court heard arguments about whether an anti-affirmative action constitutional amendment in this state is unconstitutional.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Michigan. A lower appeals court ruled 8-7 that the state’s constitutional amendment violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Supreme Court watchers expect that this decision will be overturned, especially with Elena Kagan sitting out the case.[/toggle]
5. Computer glitches left thousands unable to use this social program (not ObamaCare) last week.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]A computer glitch impacted the food stamp program over the weekend. At least 17 states saw Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards without spending limits or customers that could not use them, which resulted in several alleged “retail riots.” The failure is being blames on Xerox, who handles the processing of EBT cards in many states.[/toggle]
6. A Malaysian court made international news yesterday when it said that non-Muslims could not use this word.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]The Malaysian appeals court ruled that only Muslims can use the word “Allah” in reference to god. This upheld a government ban on the word by a Catholic publication that dates back to 2008.[/toggle]
7. In terms of monetary policy, what is the difference between a “hawk” and a “dove”?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]A “hawk” in monetary policy is someone who values keeping inflation low more than keeping unemployment low. A monetary “dove” is someone that is willing to let inflation go beyond established levels in the quest to reduce unemployment.[/toggle]
8. What are the three major political parties in France?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]The Socialist Party, the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), and the National Front (FN). Their political affiliation goes from centre-left, to centre-right, to far right.[/toggle]
9. This moderate Republican senator proposed a compromise last week to end the government shutdown. Their plan was rejected.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Susan Collins of Maine.[/toggle]
10. Who won the most recent Nobel Peace Prize?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]This year’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The OPCW is currently working with the United Nations to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles.[/toggle]