April 2 Answers

1) Last week, Pope Benedict XVI visited what nation?

d) Cuba

The pontiff kept his criticism of the Cuban government subtle.  https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/benedict-honor-icon-meet-castro-cuba-16009033#.T3G_S8hnAQY

 

2) President Obama became the subject of controversy recently after he was heard over an open microphone asking the president of this country to give him “flexibility” on a missile defense system issue until after the November election.  What country?

c) Russia

The United States wants to place a missile defense system in Eastern Europe to protect against Iran, but Russia objects to a missile defense system being placed so close to its border.   

https://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/26/open-mic-catches-obama-asking-russian-president-for-space-on-missile-defense/

 

3) How many hours of argument did the Supreme Court hear last week in the case challenging the constitutionality of the 2010 health care law (the Affordable Care Act)?

d) 6

Many observers believe - based on the questions the Justices asked during the arguments - that the Court is going to strike down at least part of the law.  The Court will announce its decision until June.

https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/judicial/story/2012-03-28/analysis-health-care-case/53841790/1

 

4) What country agreed last week to stop minting its penny?

c) Canada

Its legislature also agreed to increase the age of eligibility for a government pension from 65 to 67.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17556878

 

5) Television commentator Keith Olbermann was fired last week.  What network pulled the plug on his Countdown show?

d) Current TV

Current TV – owned in part by Al Gore – let Olbermann go in the first year of a 5 year $50 million contract because of alleged unauthorized absences and disparagement of the network.  Olbermann also fought with his superiors at ESPN and MSNBC before coming to Current. 

https://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/current-tv-dismisses-keith-olbermann/

 

6) What country recently barred several Muslim clerics from entering the country to attend a conference?

a) France

The decision comes in the wake of the murder of seven people by a French Muslim of Algerian descent.

https://news.yahoo.com/france-bars-muslim-clerics-entering-france-133324717.html

 

7) The opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) won 40 of 45 legislative seats in what country which has been ruled by a military dictatorship for decades?

b) Myanmar

In the past year, the dictatorship has released several political prisoners, permitted the formation of trade unions, and relaxed media censorship.

https://news.yahoo.com/suu-kyis-party-claims-landslide-win-myanmar-vote-101554419.html

 

8) The Mega Millions lottery was won by three different people last week.  How much was the jackpot?

c) $ 640 million

The winners were from Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland.

https://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2012/03/31/20120331mega-millions-winners-tickets-share-record-jackpot.html

 

9) What former sports star was part of the investment group that agreed to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers last week?

b) Magic Johnson

The group will pay $2.1 billion for the team.  https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/magic-johnson-group-buy-dodgers-2-billion-050903869.html

 

10) What nation’s soccer team prevented the United States men from going to the 2012 Summer Olympics by tying the Americans 3-3 on Tuesday night?

c) El Salvador

El Salvador tied the game in the fifth minute of stoppage time.  Unlike the World Cup, the Olympics has an upper age limit of 23 for male soccer players so many of the best players in both nations were ineligible. 

https://articles.cnn.com/2012-03-27/worldsport/sport_usa-soccer_1_soccer-team-el-salvador-goal?_s=PM:WORLDSPORT


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