1) Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that the Affordable Care Act could not require a closely held corporation to provide birth control coverage to its employees if the corporation had a religious objection to doing so. What company was the plaintiff in the case?
c) Hobby Lobby
The Court did not strike down the entire contraceptive mandate in the Affordable Care Act; rather, it simply granted Hobby Lobby an exemption from it. Not surprisingly, other companies are now petitioning for exemptions.
2) Last month, the unemployment rate reached its lowest level since September 2008. What rate?
b) 6.1%
Also, the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 17,000 for the first time and the economy added 288,000 jobs for the month of June.
https://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/03/us-markets-stocks-idUSKBN0F713U20140703
3) President Obama recently nominated Bob McDonald to head up what cabinet department?
b) Department of Veteran Affairs
McDonald, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, is being brought to clean up management problems in the VA which led to prolonged wait times before veterans can get medical care.
4) What hurricane hit the North Carolina coast last week?
a) Arthur
It hit land as a Category 2 storm.
https://www.cnn.com/2014/07/03/us/holiday-weather/index.html
5) Justin Ross Harris was charged with murder last week after leaving his one year old son in a hot car for seven hours. What state is Harris from?
b) Georgia
Harris claims that he forgot to drop off his son at day care before going to work. It was later discovered that Harris had researched “hot car deaths” and “child free living” on line and had taken out two life insurance policies on his son. If convicted, Harris is eligible for the death penalty.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/dad-faces-execution-deliberately-leaving-3810375
6) Journalists from Al Jazeera were thrown in jail last week for “spreading false news”. What country threw them in jail?
b) Egypt
Three of the journalists received 7 year sentences while three others were jailed for ten years.
7) Over 500,000 pro- democracy protesters blocked part of this Chinese city’s financial district. What city?
d) Hong Kong
The protesters are upset that the Chinese government plans to pre-approve all candidates before residents of the city elect their leader in 2017.
https://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/HK-police-arrest-511-after-big-democracy-rally-5594725.php
8) A study released last week concluded that the measles vaccine is not associated with an increased risk of what?
b) Autism
While some parents, including former co-host of The View Jenny McCarthy, argue that routine vaccinations can cause autism, the study concludes that, according to one leading pediatrician, "[t]he most dangerous aspect of giving your child vaccines is driving to the office to get them."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/07/01/vaccine-side-effects-extremely-rare/11779521/
9) What country recently changed the face of one of its most famous clocks so that it runs “counter clockwise?”
c) Bolivia
The clock, which sits on top of the country’s legislative building, was changed to emphasize the “de-colonization of the [Bolivian] people” and to reflect Bolivia’s location in the Southern hemisphere.
10) American goalkeeper Tim Howard set a World Cup record last week with 16 saves. What team did the United States play in that game?
d) Belgium
Despite Howard’s efforts, the United States lost to the Belgians 2-1 in extra time.
https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2014/0702/Tim-Howard-sets-World-Cup-record-for-saves