1) Protests erupted last week when a grand jury failed to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the killing of Eric Garner. In what state did this occur?
b) New York
Officer Pantaleo put Garner in an illegal chokehold for selling tax free cigarettes and refused to release him as Garner said "I can't breathe."
2) Players from what NFL team engaged in a "Don't Shoot" gesture to support the Ferguson protesters?
d) St. Louis Rams
Ferguson, Missouri is a suburb of St. Louis.
https://www.cnn.com/2014/12/01/us/ferguson-nfl-st-louis-rams/index.html?hpt=hp_t2\
3) President Obama recently nominated Ashton Carter to what position?
c) Secretary of Defense
Carter is slated to replace retiring Defense secretary Chuck Hagel.
4) Seventeen states have sued President Obama over what?
a) His executive order delaying deportation for 4 million illegal immigrants
The lawsuit argues that President Obama exceeded his constitutional powers when he issued the executive order.
https://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/04/us-usa-immigration-lawsuit-idUSKCN0JH2EI20141204
5) The execution of Scott Panetti was halted recently when a court became concerned that he might be mentally ill. What state was planning to execute him?
d) Texas
Panetti was already suffering from early schizophrenia when he murdered his inlaws.
6) What Middle Eastern country recently hit IS with airstrikes?
a) Iran
The Iranian population is predominantly Shiite Muslim and the Iranian government is concerned about the growing power of IS, a Sunni Muslim group.
7) What country recently entered into a recession?
a) Russia
In his recent State of the Nation address, President Vladimir Putin failed to mention his country's contracting economy.
https://money.cnn.com/2014/12/02/news/economy/russia-economy-recession/
8) What is the name of the spacecraft NASA recently sent into space?
b) Orion
The unmanned four and a half hour test flight is seen as a first step in a process that NASA hopes will eventually put men on Mars.
9) Why did Congressional staffer Elizabeth Lauten resign last week?
a) She criticized the Obama daughters on her Facebook account
Lauten criticized the girls for the way they dressed (and for the way they behaved) at a Thanksgiving Day ceremony at the White House.
10) What team won the 2015 MLS Cup?
a) Los Angeles Galaxy
It was the 6th MLS Cup and final game for soccer legend Landon Donovan.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/01/black-friday-weekend-sales-fall_n_6245926.html