The Week of December 8, 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

Non-Islamic groups in Syria voiced concern over the dominance of the rebel group HTS as its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Julani had previously been a member of what TERRORIST ORGANIZATION? al-Julani broke with the group in 2016. and has stressed his interest in protecting minority groups in a new Syria.

al-Qaeda

Question 2

75 Nobel laureates signed a letter urging that the US Senate not confirm what NOMINEE as secretary of Health and Human Services? An older letter surfaced later in the week, where a lawyer connected with the nominee asked the US Food and Drug Administration to revoke its approval of the polio vaccine.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Question 3

The news division of what BROADCAST NETWORK agreed to pay $15 million to settle a defamation suit brought by Donald Trump? The suit alleged defamation by George Stefanopoulos during an interview with Nancy Mace where he made references to Trump's civil liability for sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll.

ABC

Question 4

President Biden commuted the sentences for almost 1500 people who had served at least a year of home confinement after being moved out of prison due to what EVENT?

Covid-19 pandemic

Question 5

A federal judge rejected the purchase of InfoWars by what ONLINE HUMOR SITE, noting a lack of transparency in the bidding process and a failure to maximize value for Alex Jones' creditors?

The Onion

Question 6

What CONSULTING FIRM agreed to a $650 million payment to settle a federal charge that its work helped "turbocharge" the sales of OxyContin by Purdue Pharma?

McKinsey & Company

Question 7

Cher and Dick van Dyke were among the 20,000 residents of what seaside CALIFORNIA TOWN who evacuated due to the Franklin Fire? Students at Pepperdine sheltered in place in buildings designed to withstand wildfires.

Malibu

Question 8

Grocery chain Albertsons filed a lawsuit against what OTHER GROCERY CHAIN, a day after a federal judge blocked their proposed merger? The suit alleges breach of contract, and that the chain did not use its best efforts to secure the merger.

Kroeger

Question 9

Governor Phil Murphy requested that the Biden Administration provide more assistance in determining who is behind an increasing number of drone flights over what US STATE?

New Jersey

Question 10

Fourteen people from what ASIAN COUNTRY were indicted by a US federal court for a scheme where they used remote work in IT as a cover to extort funds from employers? The scheme, involving hundreds of workers, made at least $88 million for the country's weapons program.

North Korea

Question 11

What TECH COMPANY introduced its Willow quantum computing chip, noting that its performance on the RCS benchmark test suggests that some of its computations took place in a parallel universe?

Google

Question 12

Name EITHER EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRY that was added to the EU's free travel Schengen zone, 17 years after being admitted to the bloc? Hungary will still enforce land border checks against trucking to fight illegal migration.

Romania or Bulgaria