The Week of October 20, 2024 by CoenM

Description


Instructions

Answer the questions below to the best of your ability without using outside resources. Outside references include (but certainly are not limited to) searching for an answer on the internet, looking at maps, using a calculator, or asking a friend (or foe) if they know the answer. Basically, you are relying on your brain (and maybe a pencil and paper).

For each correct answer, you will receive 15 points. You must also mark 5 questions as "money" questions. For each money question that you answer correctly, you will receive bonus points equal to the percent of players who answered incorrectly. (That is, if 25% of players got a question right, its money bonus would be worth 75 points.) You still don't get any points for a wrong answer, though, so try to select the hardest questions you think you have answered correctly. (Note: You can't use outside resources to help pick your money questions either.)

This quiz is closed for grading, and you can no longer submit answers. When the author has finished grading, the results will be published on this page.

Questions

Question 1

Israel attacked air defense and missile production facilities in what COUNTRY, in retaliation for that country's missile attack earlier in the month?

Iran

Question 2

Russia hosted leaders from 36 countries for a summit of what ORGANIZATION whose name is a five-letter acronym of its first members? The bloc approved full membership for four new countries: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE.

BRICS

Question 3

What NEWSPAPER said is was returning to its original practice and would not endorse a US presidential candidate? Critics noted that the paper's owner, Jeff Bezos, may have influenced the decision in order to protect government contracts held by his other companies.

Washington Post

Question 4

Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, the owners of the ship that struck what BRIDGE, causing its collapse last March, agreed to a $100 million settlement with the US government? A state lawsuit will seek money for reconstruction.

Francis Scott Key Bridge

Question 5

What ASIAN COUNTRY saw over 350 bomb threats made against commercial air flights, mostly anonymously over X? The threats come just days before Diwali, a festival that sees a spike in air travel.

India

Question 6

The district attorney for Los Angeles County filed a petition for resentencing in the case of what BROTHERS, who were convicted in 1996 of first degree murder in the killing of their parents? The resentencing would allow the brothers a chance at parole.

Erik and Lyle Menendez

Question 7

Ukraine offered evidence that troops from what COUNTRY are now joining Russia in combat against Ukrainian forces? Third parties, including the US, have confirmed that forces from the country are in Russia, and may be involved in trying to retake territory in Kursk currently held by Ukraine.

North Korea

Question 8

Turkey attacked locations in Iraq and Syria associated with the PKK, militants representing what ETHNIC GROUP, which claimed responsibility for an attack on a Turkish defense company that killed five?

Kurds

Question 9

Astronomers announced that they had discovered a "triple" involving what CELESTIAL OBJECT and two stars? Prior discoveries of these objects have had them in a system with one star stuck in its gravitational pull.

black hole

Question 10

Your HallR Memorial Mini-Theme of the Week: выйти из голосования. What EASTERN EUROPEAN NATION saw pro-Western president Maia Sandu win the first round of voting for her position, in the face of an alleged Russian cash for votes scheme seeking to remove her from power and scuttle the country's plan to join the EU?

Moldova

Question 11

What EURASIAN COUNTRY saw its pro-Russian ruling party win an outright majority in parliamentary elections, in the face of widespread allegations of voter intimidation and election tampering? President Salome Zourabichvili, a member of the opposition coalition, called on citizens to protest the results.

Georgia

Question 12

Dozens of people were sickened and one died in an e. coli outbreak primarily involving what McDonalds MENU ITEM? It appears that raw sliced onions, rather than beef, is the source of the contamination.

Quarter Pounder