1) On Friday night, a raid on ISIS in Syria resulted in the death of 32 ISIS members and what ISIS leader?
a) Abu Sayyaf
The raid was led by the United States Army’s Delta Force team.
https://www.cnn.com/2015/05/16/middleeast/syria-isis-us-raid/index.html
2) ISIS forces captured what Iraqi city last week?
b) Ramadi
Ramadi is seventy miles west of Baghdad.
https://www.cnn.com/2015/05/18/asia/isis-ramadi/index.html
3) Last week, a Court of Appeals held what to be illegal?
d) The NSA’s phone record collection program
Pursuant to the program, which was once secret, the NSA had been collecting phone call records in bulk. The Court held that Section 215 of the Patriot Act did not permit the federal government to do that. That section of the Patriot Act is set to expire on June 1, and Congress has not yet decided whether to renew it.
4) Last week, an AMTRAK train derailed just outside of what city?
d) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
At least six were killed and over a hundred were injured.
5) What man recently received the death penalty from a Boston jury?
b) Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokar Tsarnaev
“The verdict marked the first time in the post-9/11 era that federal prosecutors have won the death penalty in a terrorism case.”
https://www.cnn.com/2015/05/15/us/boston-bombing-tsarnaev-sentence/
6) Last Saturday, eleven declared or prospective Republican presidential candidates gathered together in what state?
c) Iowa
In January, Iowa will be the site of the first caucus of the presidential campaign.
7) A jury in what country recently sentenced its former leader to death?
b) Egypt
Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, was deposed in a military coup in 2013. His death sentence came after he was convicted of conspiring to break out of prison.
8) According to a recent report by NASA, a 10,000 year old ice shelf in Antarctica will likely disintegrate by what year?
a) 2020
The Larsen B shelf partially collapsed in 2002. Ice shelves prevent glaciers from flowing into the ocean. Without them, sea levels rise higher than they otherwise would.
9) What company plans to introduce self-driving cars next summer?
c) Google
The car will not have a steering wheel or a brake pedal. It will be able to travel up to 25 mph and up to 80 miles before needing a charge.
10) What legendary bluesman died last week?
a) B.B. King
King’s greatest commercial success came when he released “The Thrill Is Gone” in 1969. King inspired numerous other musicians including Eric Clapton and John Mayer.
https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-b-b-king-20150515-story.html#page=1
11) Last week the NFL suspended quarterback Tom Brady for how long?
b) Four games
The suspension resulted from an independent investigator’s finding that Brady was “at least generally aware” that employees in the Patriot organization were deflating footballs below league standards in an effort to help Brady get a better grip on the ball. The NFL also fined the Patriots $1 million dollars and took away two future draft picks. The Patriots are not challenging their punishment. Brady is. https://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/12913741/robert-kraft-says-new-england-patriots-appeal-deflategate-punishment