Current events

34. Civil rights advocates say Texas Senate Bill 797 'imposes religion' as new law. Still, the law now requires public campuses to display any donated items bearing what phrase?

"In God We Trust"

14. Kobe Bryant's widow has won a settlement in the approximate amount of ___ against Los Angeles County. The damages were awarded over allegations that sheriff officers and firefighters who responded to the 2020 helicopter crash that killed Mr. Bryant and his daughter took and shared gruesome photographs of the victims. The families of the other victims in the crash have also settled similar claims against L.A. County.

$29 million

The United States has bumped up against the debt ceiling cap, which means the government can borrow no additional money unless Congress agrees to change or suspend the cap. Currently, the cap is at (approximately) ___. Since Republicans now have a majority in the House of Representatives, and many of them are calling for spending cuts, there is concern that Congress will not act in time to prevent an actual default (which would be the first time in U.S. history that has occurred).

$31 trillion

25. According to a U.S. Treasury report released in early October, the nation's gross national debt surpassed how much?

$31.12 trillion

19. Drug giant Eli Lilly has announced it will cap the monthly out-of-pocket expense for insulin at ___. The company has announced plans to drop the price of its insulin products by 70% by the end of the year. More than 8 million Americans need insulin to control their diabetes. While Eli Lilly is a major player in the market, the company says most people with diabetes use drugs from other companies

$35

8. Texas teachers are not the only people hoping to be rewarded by the legislature and the nearly $33 billion in new funds to be spent. Homeowners are hoping for property tax relief. The draft version of the Senate's two-year spending plan proposes raising the homestead exemption on school district taxes from ___. The plan would use $3 billion of the surplus to cover the change.

$40,000 to $70,000

Twenty-five people - mostly far-right extremists and ex-military personnel - were arrested all across ___ in raids that took place in early December. According to law enforcement authorities, the group was planning a coup to take over the government.

. Germany

22. Environmental groups continue to bemoan the use of plastics in the bottled water industry. Globally, bottled water sales total about $325 billion each year. In the U.S. alone, more than 50 billion plastic water bottles are sold annually. Sadly, only ___ of those are recycled, even though plastic bottles are 100% recyclable.

9 percent

38. ___ has announced that foreigners will not be allowed to buy homes there for at least the next two years. The new law goes into effect as a way to - hopefully - reduce the high cost of purchasing a home. There are a few exceptions to the law; people who have temporary work permits, refugee claimants, and international students who have been in the country five years are exempted.

Canada

39. The government of ___ recently pledged to spend $149 billion (in U.S. dollars) over ten years to address its ailing healthcare system. It is hoped that these funds will allow hospitals to hire more staff, which will help reduce lengthy wait times for receiving care.

Canada

Which of these individuals recently revealed that she was suffering from an incurable condition know as Stiff Person Syndrome, a neurological disorder with features of an autoimmune disease?

Celine Dion

13. Beer and wine sales have reached historic lows in ___. The government has published new drinking guidelines, and new taxes on the horizon are probably also partly responsible for the drop in sales. As sales have dropped for beer and wine, ciders and wine coolers have seen a corresponding uptick in sales

Canada

3. When the 118th U.S. Congress convened, which parties had control? a. Republicans controlled the Senate; Democrats controlled the House. b. Democrats controlled the Senate; Republicans controlled the House. c. Democrats controlled both chambers. d. Republicans controlled both chambers.

Democrats controlled the Senate; Democrats controlled the House

33. The first state visits of the reign of King Charles are going to be ___ and ___, according to information recently released by Buckingham Palace. King Charles and Camilla the Queen Consort will travel to the countries on a visit in late March.

France, Germany

5. The Biden administration recently approved plans to build the nation's largest oil export terminal approximately 30 miles off the Texas coastline. The facility will greatly increase the U.S. oil export capacity. This facility will be near the Texas city of ___, and is one of four such terminals to be completed along the Gulf Coast.

Freeport

4. With the change in the U.S. House majority, Nancy Pelosi is stepping down from her leadership position. Who has been chosen to serve as minority leader in the House?

Hakeem Jeffries (New York)

18. U.S. authorities believe it is very unlikely that a mysterious illness dubbed "___ Syndrome" is caused by a hostile foreign power. The illness, first reported in 2016, causes dizziness, headaches, and an intense and painful sound in the ears. Authorities have not suggested an alternative cause.

Havana

13. In what has been dubbed the "suitcase murder," a young woman's body was found wrapped in plastic and stuffed into a suitcase which was discarded near an expressway. Police have now arrested the parents as suspects. This case is ongoing in ___.

India

15. Police in ___ were recently unable to produce a stash of marijuana as evidence during a trial. According to authorities, rats consumed about 440 pounds of the drug. The judge in the case noted that marijuana evidence had been destroyed by rats in at least three other cases.

India

8. Three children were killed and two others wounded in an attack at a home in ___, Texas in early March. The children were apparently attacked by their own mother, who stabbed the children.

Italy

The U.K. has announced plans to develop a new fighter jet to replace the country's aging Typhoon jet. The new Tempest jet will be designed and built with two other nations - ___ - as partners, and it is likely to carry the most current technology available.

Italy and Japan

21. In an attempt to deter people from crossing the English Channel in small boats, Britain's government has unveiled a plan to send the new arrivals on a one-way trip to ___. It is hoped that this policy will "break the business model" of the gangs who smuggle people across the Channel.

Jamaica

18. The Governor of ___, Kate Brown, recently commuted all of the state's death sentences. Governor Brown believes the execution of inmates is immoral. She is currently in the final month of her tenure as governor

Oregon

26. Which of these space capsules - all capable of carrying human beings into space - holds the record for reaching the greatest distance from the Earth?

Orion (United States)

25. The world's longest skating rink (4.8 miles long) - part of a canal in ___ - may not be used this winter due to warmer-than-normal winter temperatures. The "rink" usually opens in late December or early January, but authorities say conditions have not produced a sufficient layer of ice to allow skaters to safely access the surface, and it's already mid-February

Ottawa, Canada

29. Which of these nations recently blocked Wikipedia for displaying "blasphemous content"? This nation has also blocked YouTube, Facebook, and Tinder in the past, drawing criticism from free-speech campaigners.

Pakistan

In late January, a suicide bomber attacked a mosque in ___, killing more than 100 people and injuring at least 150. A terrorist group initially claimed responsibility, via Twitter, for the attack; hours later a spokesperson distanced the group from the bombing, claiming that it was not policy to attack mosques, seminaries, or other religious places.

Pakistan

2. A federal judge ordered three of the country's largest pharmaceutical chains to pay $650.6 million to two Ohio counties that were found to have been flooded with prescription painkillers. Which was NOT one of the three pharmaceutical chains ordered to pay?

RiteAid

29. Russia is sending a Soyuz space capsule to the International Space Station to act as a lifeboat which will return three crew members - one American and two Russians - to Earth. What created the need for this "rescue" mission?

The original capsule began leaking coolant into space and might be usable in an emergency, but officials feel a new capsule is the wiser and safer alternative

5. Europe's largest nuclear power plant has been controlled by Russian forces since early March. What was the name of the plant?

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

6. The city of ___ in East Texas encountered a water-supply issue just prior to Thanksgiving. The residents there were initially told to boil all water before using it, but the problem worsened and the water supply was turned off for several days. The state's emergency department sent bottled water to the city as problems with the system's aging infrastructure were addressed.

Zavalla

11. As a response to what the space agencies of the United States and China are doing, the European Space Agency has announced ___.

a 25% increase to the agency's budget

4. The Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, has made a controversial request of the Texas Department of Public Safety. What information did he request?

a list of Texans who have changed their gender on their driver's licenses over the last 24 months

9. Students in Houston, Aldine, Pasadena, and Spring Branch has their Thanksgiving break extended, as each of these school districts cancelled school on the Monday after Thanksgiving. What prompted the school closings?

a water-supply issue

2. In spite of tense relations between the United States and China, 2022 was a record year of imports and exports between the two countries. The total amount of trade between the two countries totaled ___

about $692 billion

2. Senate Bill 11, filed by Senator Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville), would create a safety and security department to be housed at the Texas Education Agency. The bill also ___.

addresses the lenient truancy laws currently in place

26. Oregon voters in November voted whether Oregon would be the first in the nation to amend its constitution to declare that what is a fundamental human right?

affordable health care

24. In new guidelines that highlight the ongoing mental health crisis among American youth, a panel of medical experts recommended for the first time that primary care doctors screen all children ages 8 to 18 for what?

anxiety

22. Former Trump White House strategist Steve Bannon was sentenced to four months in prison for what?

contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot

29. The animal's population in Antarctica is in significant danger due to diminishing sea ice levels and is being granted endangered species protections. What animal?

emperor penguins

20. Officials in the United States say they seized enough fentanyl in 2022 to kill ___. Most of the fentanyl that reaches the United States comes across the Mexican border. Most of the drug is in "raw" form, but sometimes it arrives disguised to look like prescription painkillers.

every person living in the United States

A ___ visited the Albuquerque-area homes of two county commissioners and two state legislators in November. He then hired four men to return to those homes to shoot the politicians with whom he spoke. No one was hurt in the December shootings that took place, and police announced the arrest of Solomon Pena in mid-January; he was charged with conspiring to kill the four politicians

failed candidate for the New Mexico legislature

18. The United States has arrested Charles McGonigal, a 54-year-old ___, for violating sanctions against a Russian oligarch. Authorities have charged McGonigal with conspiracy and money laundering.

former FBI official

. A U.S. District judge, Janis Graham Jack, has recently threatened to levy contempt of court fines against the state for slow progress on ___.

foster care system reforms

24. A power outage in Central North Carolina ended late Dec. 7 when service was restored to the last of some 45,000 customers who were affected. What caused the outage?

gunfire that damaged two substations

27. The Centers for Disease Control recently released some information on life expectancy in the United States. In 2019, the life expectancy was 78.8 years. In 2021, that number ___.

had fallen to 76.4 years

14. The parents of a child who was killed in the Uvalde school shooting met with Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and asked him to support a federal ban on semi-automatic weapons. The senator declined and instead suggested what?

increasing law enforcement presence on school campuses

23. A proposal to do what would see New Zealand farmers lead the world in reducing emissions and help give New Zealand a competitive advantage in green conscious global marketplace according to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern?

make farmer's pay for the gas emissions of their livestock

40. What is "the Wagner group" as it relates to the war in Ukraine?

mercenary group for which the Russian government claims no responsibility

38. What did Title 42, a law applied 2.5 million times since 2020, allow?

migrants to be expelled on public health reasons

7. California regulators approved stringent rules that would ban the sale of what by 2035 and set interim targets to phase them out?

new gasoline powered cars

21. Spain is the world's biggest producer of this product, accounting for more than two-fifths of the global supply last year. Greece, Italy and Portugal are also major producers. But a drought this past summer threatened the supply of what?

olive oil

New weight guidelines in the United States have been released by The American Academy of Pediatrics. The organization has recommended intensive therapy for children as young as six, and weight loss drugs and surgery for those in their early teens. Some have already criticized the guidelines. In the U.S. ___ is classified as obese

one child in five

8. Which of these coastal Texas industries was negatively impacted in December due to environmental concerns and also government restrictions?

oyster harvesting

13. The last time a public official faced removal from office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was in 1869. But in September, a judge removed Couy Griffin from office as a New Mexico county commissioner for his role in what?

participating in the Jan. 6 insurrection on the U.S. capitol

15. After Boris Johnson was forced to step down, Liz Truss took over as what?

prime minister of the United Kingdom

Mass protests against China's "Zero-Covid" policy appear to have been successful. The major change - the one welcomed by most Chinese citizens - is that ___. (Note that each of these answer choices is an actual change to China's Covid policy.) people who test positive but have no symptoms or only mild symptoms will not be placed in

quarantine camps

19. Although it has been difficult to get a meaningful picture of long-term weather trends in the Arctic - partly due to the lack of weather-reporting stations in the sparsely-populated region, especially over the ocean - scientists have recently reached a conclusion about the Arctic. What did the study led by the University of Alaska Fairbanks discover?

there is more rain and snow falling in the Arctic now than there was in the 1950's

23. What is the goal of NASA's Artemis program?

to place astronauts on the lunar surface and to develop an ongoing presence there

35. Passed in a bipartisan manner by Congress in December, the Respect for Marriage Act requires states to take what action?

to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states

The Canadian government recently released guidelines for alcohol consumption. Abstaining from alcohol is the only risk-free approach, but the government says ___ per week is deemed low risk. The previous low-risk guidelines (2011) allowed women to have 10 drinks per week, while men could consume 15 drinks.

two drinks

21. A lawsuit filed against Jack Daniels has forced the company to halt a building project in Lincoln County, Tennessee. Neighbors of the distillery claim the company's activities have caused ___.

whiskey fungus to coat area properties

Who was named as Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2022?

Volodymyr Zelensky

12. Millions of Americans lost the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which had been created during the COVID pandemic, as it expired on March 1,2023. The end of the program will cost most families about ___ per month during a period when inflation has pushed food prices higher. Larger families will see their monthly food allowance reduced even more.

. $95

5. Lauren Boebert narrowly defeated the challenger for her seat in the House of Representatives; a recount confirmed her win, but by fewer than 600 votes. Who was her challenger for Colorado's District 3 seat?

. Adam Frisch

23. Sirhan Sirhan has been denied parole - for the 16th time - even though a 2021 panel of the parole board recommended his release. In what state is Sirhan Sirhan being held?

. California

Two years ago, scientists announced the discovery of the ___ whale in the Gulf of Mexico, which they said was one of the rarest whales on the planet. Environmental scientists are now pressing the federal government to set tougher restrictions on oil and gas companies operating in the gulf, which they say is necessary to prevent the extinction of this species.

. Rice's

3. John Sharp, Chancellor for the ___, recently issued a statement that leaders of the system's universities would stop asking job candidates for statements about their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in their applications. Mr. Sharp also said that no university in his system would admit any student or hire any employee based on any factor other than merit. The statement was a response to Governor Greg Abbott's directive to state agencies to stop considering diversity in their hiring practices

. Texas A & M University System

In a move designed to standardize equipment for consumers - and to prevent manufacturers from forcing customers to buy proprietary chargers - ___ has decided that all small and medium-sized rechargeable electronics (including cell phones) must use a USB Type C jack. The deadline for this new standard is December of 2024. The new rules will force companies like Apple to either comply with the new standard or stop selling products that don't meet the standard

. The European Union

Microsoft announced it will cut ___ jobs in the latest round of staff redundancies to hit the tech industry. The cuts will affect 5% of the company's global workforce, and will cost more than $1 billion in severance and reorganization costs. The cuts are in anticipation of a recession, which appears to be unavoidable in some parts of the world. However, there is hope that advances in AI will lead to new hiring even if there is a global recession.

10,000

12. According to U.S. Border Patrol records, more than ___ people from Nicaragua have crossed the border from Mexico into the U.S. so far in 2022. In 2021, the number was just over 50,000; in 2020, the number was 3,164. Ironically, this comes at a time when significant numbers of Americans are buying property and retiring in Nicaragua - a practice the Nicaraguan government encourages. Americans who retire there enjoy a low cost of living and can even qualify for "free" healthcare

110,000

39. Before the James Webb telescope was launched, the most distant galaxy we could see on Earth was identified by the Hubble space observatory. That galaxy was seen to be a little closer to us, at a time when the universe was about 400 million years old. A new discovery with the James Webb telescope goes back to a time when the universe was about 325 million years old. Scientists estimate the age of the Universe is ___ years old.

13.8 billion

12. President Joe Biden warned that Hurricane Ian could be the "deadliest hurricane in Florida's history." The actual death toll, however, was much less than the deadliest even in modern times. That record belongs to the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane with an official death toll of 1,836. How many deaths were attributed to Ian?

148

11. Despite fears of a slowdown or even a recession, jobs growth surged in the United States during January. Employers added 517,000 jobs in January, pushing the unemployment rate down to 3.4% - the lowest rate since ___.

1969

35. Nations have reached a historic agreement to protect the worlds oceans. The High Seas Treaty aims to place 30% of the seas into protected areas by 2030, to safeguard and recuperate nature. The last international agreement on ocean protection was the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, signed in ___.

1982

37. The suspect accused of making a bomb that blew up Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie Scotland in ___ has pleaded not guilty to the three charges he faces at his trial. The pleas were entered at a hearing in a federal court in Washington, D.C. The act of terrorism claimed 288 lives.

1988

36. The Boeing 777 flown by Malaysian Airlines and shot down over Ukraine in ___ was probably brought down by a missile supplied with direct approval from Vladimir Putin himself, according to a newly-released report. The investigators who made the report were from five different countries - those who were impacted the most by the tragedy. The attack on the airliner resulted in almost 300 fatalities. There is no evidence that Putin ordered the airliner to be shot down.

2014

6. With state coffers full and with bipartisan support, Texas teachers may be in the unusual position of achieving a significant pay raise from the legislature. Currently, Texas ranks ___ in compensation for educators, at $7,652 below the national average. A bill filed in the Texas House of Representatives seeks A $15,000 average annual raise for teachers beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. The bill's sponsor says that amount is a starting position and cautions that it may not be the final figure that lawmakers settle on.

28th

Texas led the nation in new nonfarm jobs last year according to a recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state's employers added 650,100 jobs between December 2021 and December 2022, which represents a ___ jump. California was second behind Texas, and the only other state to surpass 600,000 new jobs.

5%

1. Texas heat-related deaths reached a two-decade high in 2022. A large portion of those deaths were migrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Resident deaths were often due to homelessness or a lack of air conditioning. What was the breakdown between resident and non-resident (i.e., migrants) heat-related deaths in 2022 (which was a total of 268 people)?

50% resident/50% non-resident

21. The U.S. Postal Service announced that a first-class stamp would cost how much, effective Jan. 22, 2023?

63¢

1. Signaling major improvements in public health that have lowered the risk of dying and have increased life expectancy, according to the United Nations, the global population reached what on Nov. 15, 2022?

8 Billion

37. Amid record high inflation, Social Security beneficiaries will get an increase to their benefits in 2023, the highest increase in 40 years. How much?

8.7%

19. India will surpass China in population during 2023. Both countries currently have more than 1.4 million people. If demographers are correct, the change will take place in

A. April

9. The University of Texas recently fired men's head basketball coach ___ following a report of domestic violence against him

A. Chris Beard

39. Between 2017 and 2021, at least 7,000 children under the age of six have been "exposed" to cannabis edibles in the United States. More than 500 of these children have been admitted to critical care units. Experts have theorized that the increase in cases is due to ___. This alarming phenomenon represents a 1,375% rise in accidental marijuana poisoning in children.

A. more children being at home during the pandemic, increasing the likelihood of exposure B. the packaging for cannabis edibles looking like regular candy in many cases C. the number of states which have legalized the use of recreational marijuana, which has more than doubled D. All of these

8. Texas has joined California as the first two states to

A. surpass 30 million people

The city of Richmond, Virginia, recently removed its last remaining statue of a Confederate general. The statue of ___ was removed for placement in a museum. It stood over the grave of the fallen Confederate, whose new resting place will be a local cemetery

A.P. Hill

37. Voters in California, Michigan and Vermont approved ballot measures enshrining protections for what in their state constitutions?

Abortion

36. According to the United Nations, 95% of what country's residents were going hungry last fall, in a food crisis exacerbated by the Biden administration's decision to freeze what country's central bank's assets?

Afghanistan

8.LeBron James signed a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, making him the highest-earning player in what sports history?

Basketball

28. The U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition by citizens of what U.S. territory who were living in Utah and who said their designation as U.S. nationals rather than full citizens violates the U.S. Constitution by denying them key rights such as the ability to vote, to run for office and to hold certain jobs?

American Samoa

Bitzlato co-founder ___ has been charged with processing more than $700 million in illicit funds, breaking rules designed to thwart money laundering. He was arrested in Miami, Florida in mid-January. The U.S. Department of Justice says he is a Russian national who was living in China. The firm had processed about $4.5 billion dollars since 2018. Bitzlato says it did not accept customers from the United States, but U.S. officials say that claim is not true.

Anatoly Legkodymov

16. Which of these individuals was recently sworn in as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, a country where political chaos has been the rule rather than the exception in recent months?

Anwar Ibrahim

15. Highlighting the extraordinary stress levels that have plagued the United States since the start of the pandemic, a panel of medical experts recommended for the first time that doctors screen all adult patients under 65 for what?

Anxiety

26. Which of the following states had erected a barrier made from shipping containers at the Mexican border, but has now agreed to remove the structure?

Arizona

38. The youngest black mayor in the United States was recently elected to serve as the leader of the rural town of Earle, ___. Jaylen Smith is 18 years old and graduated from high school in May of 2022.

Arkansas

39. Police in ___ have charged 23 people with domestic terrorism. Those arrested are accused of attacking police with rocks, bricks, Molotov cocktails, and fireworks. The event where the protest occurred was organized to express opposition to a proposed police training center which has been dubbed "Cop City;" critics say the Public Training Safety Center will fuel police brutality.

Atlanta, Georgia

A 16-foot albino reticulated python which went missing in July was recently recovered in a/an ___ neighborhood. People had reported seeing the snake several times, but this time the animal was sluggish due to the cold weather. Law enforcement officers were called to the scene, and they collected the large reptile. It was reunited with its owner, who lives in Dallas. The pet had been stolen from the owner's car while he was travelling during the summer

Austin

24. The United States recently made a formal request of ___ to extradite a former American citizen - Daniel Duggan - who is wanted for providing training to Chinese fighter pilots. Providing such training is a violation of American arms export control laws. Mr. Duggan's lawyer says the extradition is not legal, but the request made by the U.S. has been honored.

Australia

The U.S. Airforce recently unveiled a new nuclear stealth bomber; it is the first new U.S. bomber design in 30 years, and it is slated to replace the B-1 and B-2 bombers currently in service. The new aircraft is called the ___.

B-21

4. Because the Texas Panhandle and the South Plains are experiencing "exceptional" drought conditions, cotton farmers and agricultural experts say it will be the worst cotton harvest since the ___. The overall loss for Texas cotton farmers will be more than 2 billion dollars.

B. 1950's

23. Eight ___ girls, aged between 13 and 16, were charged with attacking and killing a man who may have been preyed upon because he was carrying alcohol. The victim, a 59-year-old man who some witnesses said was homeless, was stabbed during an attack that lasted more than three minutes. Bystanders flagged down emergency services after finding the man with multiple wounds. Authorities did not know why the girls met and attacked their victim at the time of their arrest; it is believed that they had never met each other in person before the attack was carried out.

B. Toronto, Canada

3. Fatal crashes in rural areas of Texas accounted for ___ of the state's 4.489 traffic fatalities in 2021, even though only about 10% of the state's population lives in rural areas. Authorities say poor cell phone reception plays a major role in the high number of rural fatalities.

B. about 50%

7. A U.S. District Court judge has ruled that a federal program that ___ denies a parent "a fundamental right to control and direct the upbringing of his/her minor children."

B. gives teens access to birth control

26. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the situation in the city of ___ is becoming "more and more difficult." Russian forces have been trying to take the city for more than six months.

Bakhmut

20. The Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) says automobile thefts doubled in major U.S. cities between 2019 and 2022. Vehicle thefts had been dropping for decades but took a sharp upturn at the start of the pandemic. Carjackings also rose, especially in certain cities. Which of these pairs of cities experienced the worst rates of automobile theft and carjackings since the start of the pandemic?

Baltimore and Chicago

36. Which of these influential journalists recently died, aged 93?

Barbara Walters

34. A court in ___ has sentenced Ales Bialiatski - a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize winner - to ten years in prison. He was convicted of smuggling and "actions grossly violating public order." Mr. Bialiatski's supporters claim he is being silenced by the authoritarian government.

Belarus

39. A giant aquarium in ___ containing more than 1,500 fish - described as the world's largest freestanding cylindrical aquarium - burst and flooded the Radisson hotel lobby and nearby streets as one million liters of water poured out. Two people were injured in the catastrophe; most of the fish perished, but "several dozen" had been rescued in places where water pooled.

Berlin, Germany

6. Veteran lawyer ___ will be the new El Paso district attorney, following the resignation of Yvonne Rosales. The change was announced by the governor's office in mid-December. Ms. Rosales had faced many criticisms about the way she handled the 2019 Walmart terror attack, and also general complaints about the inefficient way routine prosecutions were conducted.

Bill Hicks

Sales of diamonds from ___ have reached record levels. One reason for this is that diamonds from Russia - a country that normally produces 1/3 of the diamonds sold worldwide - have been shunned by buyers due to the war in Ukraine.

Botswana

The ex-president of ___, currently staying in Florida, has applied for a six-month U.S. tourist visa. He is facing multiple investigations in his home country.

Brazil

22. The arrest and assault of a/an ___ journalist covering recent protests in China is being described as "completely unacceptable," and the Chinese ambassador has been summoned for a rebuke.

British

21. Which of these foreign airlines is planning a major expansion, which has resulted in orders for 470 new planes from manufacturers Boing (220 jets) and Airbus (250 jets)? The size of the order is a new aviation industry record.

British Airways

Canada's province of ___ is experimenting with decriminalizing small amounts of hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin; even fentanyl will be allowed under the new laws. A similar policy was passed in the U.S. state of Oregon in 2020. The law in the Canadian province allows up to 2.5g of the substances on the list. Those in possession will not be arrested or charged with any violations, and they will not have their drugs seized.

British Columbia

11. Police in ___ have cleared a "protest camp" and arrested more than 1,200 people after government buildings were stormed in early January by unruly mobs. Protesters believe the most recent national elections there lacked integrity.

C. Brazil

2. The U.S. House Joint Committee on Taxation recently released tax returns of former president Donald Trump. Representative ___, who serves Texas and is the committee's top Republican, objected to the release but was out-voted.

C. Kevin Brady

10. Texas Monthly magazine is known for its yearly "Bum Steer" awards, which the magazine editors describe as the "dopes, villains, and terrible ideas that bedeviled our beloved state over the past twelve months." This year's top recipient was ___.

C. The City of Austin

5. A federal judge ruled (in 2022) that a state law banning young adults - aged 18-20 - from ___ is unconstitutional. Texas had planned to appeal the ruling, but those plans have been dropped.

C. carrying handguns in public

22. In a ceremony set to follow the traditional pageantry used for anointing monarchs over the last 1,000 years, Buckingham Palace announced that who will be crowned at London's Westminster Abbey in May?

Charles III, Prince of Edinburgh

15. Which of the following politicians recently lost in her bid for reelection?

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot

11. The Supreme Court will take up the issue of student loan forgiveness, and a decision is expected in June. ___ said, "We're talking about half a trillion dollars and 43 million Americans. How does that fit under the normal understanding of modified?" While there is still plenty of debate ahead, many observers believe the court will side with the states who filed the lawsuits, and against President Biden.

Chief Justice John Roberts

Officials in ___ issued warnings after the Lascar volcano rumbled to life in early December, sending a column of ash almost 20,000 feet into the sky

Chile

16. India's foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar says his country has "scaled up troop deployment along a disputed border with ___ to an unprecedented level." He also said that the status quo at the border cannot be unilaterally changed.

China

40. Jacinda Ardern recently stepped down as the Prime Minister of New Zealand. Which of these individuals is the new Prime Minister?

Chris Hipkins

16. FBI chief ___ recently announced that the bureau believes Covid-19 most likely originated in a Chinese government-controlled lab. It is the first public confirmation of the FBI's classified judgment of how the pandemic virus emerged. Some scientists maintain that there is no evidence to support the FBI's claim, and other U.S. government agencies have reached differing conclusions.

Christopher Wray

37. Archaeologists have unearthed a sphinx-like statue and the remains of a shrine in an ancient temple in southern Egypt, the antiquities ministry says. The limestone sphinx with its "smiley face and two dimples" is thought to represent Roman Emperor ___.

Claudius

33. For the first time in its history, Australia has blocked the creation of a ___ mine under environmental laws. The project was seen as a threat to the Great Barrier Reef, which is only 6.2 miles from the proposed mine.

Coal

17. According to the USDA, bird flu has killed more than 50 million turkeys and chickens in the U.S. this year. Transmission to the human population is rare but not impossible. In the recent outbreak, one case of human transmission has been reported this year in the U.S. The individual lived in ___; the illness was mild and lasted only a few days. Bird flu killed 456 people between 2003 and 2022, according to the World Health Organization, so the financial consequences are not the only thing to be considered.

Colorado

27. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation declared a Tier 2 water shortage for which river, reducing the amount of water provided to users in seven U.S. states, including Arizona, which will lose about 20% of its yearly allocation of river water?

Colorado

27. Five ___ police officers have been charged with misdemeanors for neglecting a Black man who was partially paralyzed in the back of a police van. The man was injured when the van braked suddenly, apparently to avoid a collision; the injury was caught on video. The man's pleas for help went unheeded by the officers.

Connecticut

A brewery in ___ recently cancelled a rally which it was set to host in January. The rally, which was to protest censorship, was to be attended by Kyle Rittenhouse. The brewery announced that they were an "apolitical" organization and were focused on making good beer, and they did not feel that "renting out space" for this event reflected the values of the company. Following the cancellation, the company said it had been inundated with harassment and even some threats.

Conroe

36. Russia annexed four regions of Ukraine in September just days after voters supposedly approved Moscow-managed "referendums" that Ukrainian and Western officials denounced as illegal, forced and rigged. Which of the following was NOT one of the regions?

Crimea

35. Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, has been arrested in connection with the murders of four college students in Idaho. Mr. Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania, and the FBI has discovered that he has a PhD in the field of ___ from Washington State University.

Criminology

7. Who became the first person in history to erase more than $200 billion from his net worth?

Elon Musk

28. Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX who has been accused of committing financial crimes against investors, was recently released to his parents on ___ bail.

D. $250 million

14. Hundreds of people have been airlifted to safety by military helicopters as northwest ___ has been inundated by "once-in-acentury" flooding.

D. Australia

1. The Army Corp of Engineers has withdrawn plans to dredge a 27-mile expansion of the ___ ship channel. The project was challenged by an environmental group known as Earthjustice because it could stir up mercury and other toxins.

D. Matagorda Bay

6. The U.S. House committee investigating the January 6 incursion at the U.S. Capitol interviewed four conservative figures from Texas. Which of the individuals listed below was NOT interviewed by the committee?

D. Tim Dunn - the oil and fracking billionaire

12. For the first time in 25 years, not a single named tropical storm formed in August in the Atlantic Ocean Basin. What was the first hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic season?

Danielle

Pope Francis recently made a two-country visit to Africa. The first place he visited, ___, has Africa's largest Catholic community.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Allen Weisselberg has been in the news recently in connection with his long-term business relationship and service to ___.

Donald Trump

32. The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol outlined 17 specific findings in the executive summary of its final report. Which of the following was NOT one of them?

Donald Trump illegally, and without Congressional advice and consent, appointed a Trump loyalist, Jeff Clark, to be attorney general.

9. An image (above) contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted in part by the FBI shows a photo of folders that apparently contained top secret and secret documents. Where were the folders, documents and more than 10,000 other government documents found?

Donald Trump's Mar-a-Logo estate in Florida

4. The famous statues on Rapa Nui suffered "irreparable" damage in a fire, local authorities said. "All the fires on Rapa Nui are caused by human beings," the mayor said. Rapa Nui is also known as what?

Easter Island

A BBC News investigation has discovered that police in ___ pose as "dates" on LGBT dating apps. There is no explicit law against homosexuality in the country, but the charge of "debauchery" is being used to criminalize the LGBT community there.

Egypt

1. Over the second weekend in December, local shelters in ___ were overwhelmed as more than 1,500 migrants waded across the Rio Grande. Most of the new arrivals said they were from Nicaragua, Peru, and Ecuador

El Paso

8. ___ County District Attorney Yvonne Rosales resigned in November. She was facing criticism for her handling of several criminal cases. Critics claim her mishandling of one especially high-profile case has jeopardized the prosecution's case against an individual who allegedly carried out a mass shooting.

El Paso

exas Governor Greg Abbott recently hand-delivered a letter to President Joe Biden in ___. In the letter, Abbott called on the President to "do his job."

El Paso, Texas

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has been sworn in for his sixth term as president of ___. He is 80 years old and has held power since he ascended to the presidency following a 1979 coup d'état. He has been in power longer than any other African leader

Equatorial Guinea

2. Tom Brady, Steph Curry, and other celebrities are facing an investigation for their endorsement of the now-bankrupt crypto firm known as ___. The state of Texas believes some of the celebrity advertisers may have violated state securities laws.

FTX

5. What online cryptocurrency exchange collapsed, filing for bankruptcy last fall?

FTX

9. Several Texas candidates, including Beto O'Rourke, have announced they will return campaign donations they received from ___.

FTX/Sam Bankman-Fried

Texas students and faculty will no longer be able to access TikTok while connected to university internet servers. Governor Abbott directed all state agencies to remove the app from government-issued devices. The ban was announced by Abbott on December 7th; the plan was distributed to state agencies in January, and each agency is expected to create its own policy by ___. Many of the state's universities have already taken action to comply with the directive.

February 15

37. Which of these European leaders recently said, "I must be brutally honest with you, Europe isn't strong enough right now [to stand up to Russian aggression in Ukraine]. We would be in trouble without the United States"?

Finland's Sanna Marin

29. A ___ man has died after becoming infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba. Health experts believe the man was probably infected after rinsing his sinuses with tap water. Naegleria fowleri infects the brain through the nose, but experts say that drinking it is not dangerous, as stomach acid kills the single-celled microorganism. Between 1962 and 2021, only 4 of the 154 Americans who became infected survived. The only safe way to use tap water for a sinus rinse is by boiling the water and then letting it cool.

Florida

. A jury recently found ___ police officer Aaron Dean guilty of manslaughter in the death of Atatiana Jefferson, who was babysitting her nephew in her mother's home when the 2019 shooting occurred. The officer testified that he fired shots because he believed the victim was pointing a gun at him

Fort Worth

5. The ___ ISD will drop sex education courses for the 2022-2023 school year, even though the district spent $2.6 million to purchase an updated curriculum for that purpose. Texas school districts are not required to teach sex education, but those who do so must have parents opt their children into the program. Residents and parents have criticized the district's "old" curriculum, which has been in place since 2014. The superintendent believes the new curriculum was adopted with insufficient input from parents.

Fort Worth

38. ___ is set to endure disruptions to transport and public services as unions protest against plans to raise the pension age from 62 to 64. Most train and metro services will be cancelled beginning the second week of March. Many schools will also be closed.

France

Protests and strikes in ___ have disrupted schools, public transportation, and oil refineries in recent weeks. The government plans to raise retirement age from 62 to 64 before people can receive their pensions. Everyone receives a pension from the government, and the increase in life expectancy is threatening the solvency of the pension system, according to government authorities.

France

24. A coup attempt was foiled in ___ during late December as four soldiers attempted to overthrow President Adama Barrow.

Gambia

19. Merriam-Webster has chosen the word "___" as its word of the year. America's oldest dictionary publisher says searches for the word have spiked by 1,740% in 2022.

Gaslighting

20. It means "manipulating someone over an extended period of time, especially for one's own advantage." It was Merriam-Webster's 2022 word of the year. What is it?

Gaslighting

A campaign watchdog group has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission accusing newly-sworn-in Representative ___ of illegally using campaign funds to pay personal expenses and of concealing the source of more than $700,000 in campaign contributions.

George Santos

13. A 32-year-old Iranian man has been detained in ___ following a tip from U.S. security officials who believe that he was planning a massive attack employing deadly chemicals.

Germany

Ukraine has asked allied nations to supply them with fighter jets in their war against Russia. ___ has agreed to supply its Leopard II tanks to Ukraine, but they have ruled out sending fighter jets.

Germany

24. Two of the survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre have been granted citizenship in the African country of ___. Viola Fletcher, 108, and her brother Hughes Van Ellis, 102, are two of the three living survivors of the event. The pair visited the African nation in 2021 to mark the centenary of the massacre. They will now hold dual citizenship.

Ghana

10. The Department of Education has opened what appears to be the first-of-its-kind investigation into the ___ ISD's policy of removing books that deal with sexuality and gender from the school library. The Texas school district's superintendent was allegedly recorded (in a meeting) ordering the school's librarians to remove LGBTQ-themed books from the shelves. The Department of Education believes the superintendent's actions are in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, prohibiting schools from discriminating on the basis of sex, gender, and sexual orientation

Granbury

28. At least 57 people were killed and dozens more injured when two trains collided head-on in ___ at the beginning of March. The accident is being described as the worst railway disaster in the nation's history.

Greece

30. Even if humans stopped emitting planet-warming greenhouse gases today, scientists in the journal Nature Climate Change said Earth's oceans are already locked into nearly 10.8 inches of sea-level rise from a melting ice sheet. Where?

Greenland

34. Consumer Reports recently tested 28 different dark chocolate candy bars and discovered that many of them contain high levels of lead, cadmium, or both. Some companies, such as Ghirardelli, produce dark chocolate bars that were found to contain low levels of these metals (within the magazine's recommendations). But one company, ___, was found to be well above most of the others in heavy metal content. They have been hit with a class-action lawsuit, filed by a consumer in the state of New York.

Hershey

20. Texas passed a major milestone in September 2022 when the U.S. Census Bureau said what group now made up 40.2% of the population?

Hispanics, while whites were at 39.4%

27. Which of these places recently lifted their mask mandate, which had been in place for 945 days?

Hong Kong

4. Which of these school districts is in danger of being taken over by the Texas Education Agency

Houston

The Texas State Supreme Court recently cleared the way for the state to potentially take control of the ___ ISD. State education officials say the district is mismanaged, and low academic performance at one of its high schools prompted the action

Houston

Several staff members and multiple inmates were sent to the hospital in mid-January after being exposed to a toxic substance inside a/an ___ prison. Staff responded to a medical emergency when one inmate appeared to be under the influence of an "unknown substance." The substance caused those exposed to be nauseated, light-headed, and dizzy; many of them vomited. Most of those affected recovered and were sent home, but several were kept for a longer period of evaluation. The offending substance has not yet been identified.

Illinois

32. Four countries - Canada, Sweden, Ukraine, and the U.K. - have requested that ___ submit to arbitration to settle a dispute over the downing of a Ukrainian jet in January of 2020. The four nations are seeking reparations for the families of those who were killed in the crash, which was caused by surface-to-air missiles.

Iran

18. NASA's DART spacecraft collided with a small asteroid Sept. 26. Why?

It was intentional. NASA was testing the viability of an asteroid deflection concept.

The man accused of killing 23 people at an El Paso Walmart in 2019 will not face the death penalty at his federal trial. Instead, he will plead guilty to federal hate crimes and 23 counts of use of a firearm to commit murder. The maximum penalty he will face is life in prison. The federal trial has been scheduled for ___. The 24-year old could face the death penalty in Texas, based on 23 counts of capital murder, but the state has not set a trial date, and some experts believe him to be mentally ill, which would also preclude the death penalty on the state charges.

January 2024

. Classified documents were discovered in an office at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, which is in Washington, D.C. The discovery occurred on November 2, 2022 - one week before the midterm elections. When did the story become public?

January 9, 2023

23. Which of the following individuals, who served as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party from 1989 to 2002, recently died at the age of 96?

Jiang Zemin

The authorities in South Africa's commercial hub and third-largest city, ___, have launched an investigation after residents there found blue water flowing from their faucets. The water company said copper contamination is the likely cause, but samples were taken for testing

Johannesburg

24. U.S. Senator ___ (Democrat-Pennsylvania) recently checked himself into a hospital to receive treatment for severe depression, a condition he has had at different points in his life. He chose to be treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, near Washington, D.C.

John Fetterman

16. The U.S. Senate recently passed legislation banning TikTok from U.S. government devices. The House of Representatives has yet to consider the matter, so it hasn't been enacted. The Senator who introduced the legislation, ___, says TikTok is a risk to national security because it collects and stores data about who uses the platform. Users can then be "targeted" with specific content, and potentially, their devices can be manipulated by TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance.

Josh Hawley (Missouri)

25. Two men in the state of ___ have been arrested and charged with skirting U.S. export laws to sell sophisticated aviation equipment to Russia. Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, 59, and Douglas Robertson, 55, owned a trading company; the pair is accused of sending avionics equipment to Russia via Armenia and Cyprus. If convicted, they face up to twenty years in prison.

Kansas

17. Tourists had to be airlifted from ___ after being stranded there for several days. In late December, ongoing protests resulted in hundreds of tourists being unable to travel.

Machu Picchu (Peru)

7. The ACLU has called for investigations into two Texas school districts over what it claims are anti-transgender policies. Frisco ISD recently passed a new bathroom policy, and ___ ISD passed a ban on books that reference gender fluidity. The ACLU says both districts are in violation of federal rules prohibiting sex-based discrimination.

Keller

14. Which of these countries recently placed a halt on the export of baobab trees due to environmental concerns, specifically concerning biopiracy?

Kenya

6. Deputy President William Ruto has been elected as the country's next president. Ruto won with 50.49% of the vote, narrowly defeating veteran opposition leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga who was contesting his fifth election. Where?

Kenya

3. During a pre-Thanksgiving visit to the Texas border, ___ called on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to resign. During a speech given after a tour of the border, it was suggested that if Mr. Mayorkas doesn't resign, he will be subjected to investigations and, possibly, impeachment for allowing the border situation to deteriorate.

Kevin McCarthy

3. The city of Austin has a new mayor, ___. He/she will focus on Austin's skyrocketing housing costs and explosive growth. This individual also served as the Mayor of Austin more than two decades ago, from 1997 to 2001.

Kirk Watson

0. A woman in Florida has brought a lawsuit against the Kraft Heinz Company seeking $5 million over one of the company's macaroni and cheese dinners. The woman claims that

Kraft Heinz claims the preparation time is much shorter than the actual time it takes to prepare the dish

Which of these individuals has announced he/she will be leaving the Democratic Party and will now be considered an independent?

Kyrsten Sinema

The individual who is accused of making the bomb that brought down Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988 is now in U.S. custody. The man faces federal charges in the U.S. for committing an act of international terrorism; the attack killed 259 passengers on the plane and 11 people on the ground. He is from ___, and is the first person involved in the bombing to face prosecution in the U.S.

Libya

bill has been filed at the Texas state legislature which will prevent citizens, governments, and other entities from China, Russia, or North Korea from buying land in Texas. Senate Bill 147 was introduced by ___, and the Governor says he will sign the legislation if it passes. Opponents say it will create resentment while it does little to address national security concerns.

Lois Kolkhorst

11. In mid-December, Vice President Kamala Harris conducted the swearing-in ceremony for Karen Bass, who will be the first woman to serve as Mayor of ___. Ms. Bass has indicated that addressing homelessness will by among her top priorities

Los Angeles

Restaurants in ___ are recycling their oyster shells, which are being deposited at the edges of wetlands to form oyster shell "reefs." These new reefs protect against erosion of the coastline and encourage new sea life - including more oysters - to inhabit the newly-created habitats.

Louisiana

The city of ___ has reached a financial settlement with the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed in her own home by police in 2020. Kenneth Walker will receive $2 million in exchange for dropping two lawsuits against the city. Although Mr. Walker did fire on the police, they were not in uniform, and they had entered Ms. Taylor's home on a "no-knock" warrant. He testified that he thought it was a home invasion, and charges against Mr. Walker were dismissed. The warrant had been obtained based upon falsified evidence; the officer who provided the evidence pleaded guilty to the charges against him in August of 2022

Louisville, Kentucky

2. Two Texas Republicans were "attacked" by a member of their own party in both press releases and on social media in recent weeks. The two conservatives - State Representative Steve Toth (The Woodlands) and former State Representative Chris Paddie (Marshall) - became targets for ___, who has a history of aggressively criticizing anyone who crosses him, no matter what party they are from.

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick

40. Which of these African countries has been experiencing its worst-ever cholera outbreak, claiming more than 1,200 lives over the last year?

Malawi

6. Which of these college basketball coaches was recently suspended from his job for making a "racially insensitive" comment to one of his players?

Mark Adams (Texas Tech)

23. A Berklee College of Music student from China was arrested in ___ in December for "stalking" another Chinese student who took part in pro-democracy activism on campus. The individual who was arrested - Xiaolei Wu - allegedly threatened the other student and also reported her family to Chinese authorities. According to court documents, Mr. Wu sent threatening messages to the female student including one that read, "...I will chop off your bastard hands."

Massachusetts

10. Following a series of striking eruptions in recent years of a smaller and nearby volcano, what volcano, located on the Big Island of Hawaii and the Earth's largest active volcano, erupted for the first time in 38 years late in November?

Mauna Loa

Police in ___ are under pressure to account for the death of Tyre Nichols, a black man who suffered unspecified injuries after being pulled over during a traffic stop in early January. There have been several protests in the city since the event occurred.

Memphis, Tennessee

20. Which of these nations has recently proposed a ban on genetically modified (GM) corn, a move which would be harmful to American farmers?

Mexico

31. Barry Croft, Jr. was given a nineteen-year prison sentence a day after his co-conspirator Adam Fox received a sixteen-year sentence for a crime they planned two years ago. Both were convicted in a plot to kidnap the Governor of ___, Gretchen Whitmer.

Michigan

31. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott arranged for free rides for people to travel to cities like New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. These rides have cost the state $12.7 million so far, reports said in late August. Who gets the "free benefit"?

Migrants

7. Governor Greg Abbott recently announced the creation of a Texas "border czar" to work alongside the Texas National Guard, state troopers, and the Texas Facilities Commission to "accelerate the building of the border wall in Texas." ___, who retired from the Border Patrol in January, has been appointed to the position.

Mike Banks

38. U.S. Senator ___ told Republican George Santos he had no place in Congress during a heated exchange that took place at the State of the Union Address.

Mitt Romney

27. The chart above represents cases of what disease in the U.S. as reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the fall of 2022?

Monkeypox

16. A mass shooting in ___, California resulted in eleven fatalities in late January. The victims were Asian Americans who were at a popular dance hall to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The gunman has been identified as 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, also of Asian descent; he apparently took his own life after the shooting at the dance hall. His motive is unknown.

Monterey Park

33. Which country's team became the first African nation ever to make it to the World Cup semifinals?

Morocco

39. Having led the agency for 38 years and advised seven presidents, Dr. Anthony Fauci, 81, the highest paid out of all 4 million federal employees, stepped down from which federal agency to pursue his "next chapter"?

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

13. The coldest windchill ever recorded in the United States happened in early February. Where was this weather event - a windchill of -108 degrees Fahrenheit - recorded?

New Hampshire

1. Representative-elect George Santos admitted to a sizable list of falsehoods about his professional background, educational history and property ownership. But he said he was determined to take the oath of office and to join the House majority representing what state?

New York

17. ___ has agreed to pay at least $21,500 to each of the hundreds of demonstrators at a 2020 George Floyd protest who were arrested, detained, and/or subjected to force by police officers. The overall cost of the settlement could reach almost $7 million

New York

30. GOP Representative-elect George Santos of ___ has admitted that he lied on his "resume" (the biography that voters can access about candidates), but that he fully intends to serve in Congress anyway. Among other things, Santos claimed he had worked directly for both Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, but those claims were fabricated. Instead, Santos said he did business with the two financial giants through his own firm. Santos also claimed he had degrees from two different universities, but in reality, he hasn't graduated from any colleges or universities.

New York

37. In 2019, Washington was the first state to allow so-called human composting, where a person's remains are essentially turned into soil. The practice is seen, by some, as an environmentally friendly alternative to burial or cremation. Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, and California followed Washington in legalizing the practice. Now, ___ has become the sixth state to allow human composting.

New York

23. A cyclone named Gabrielle has resulted in a state of emergency being declared in ___, where people were forced to swim from their homes to safety. At least three people have died (mid-February), but as many as 1/3 of the people have been affected in some way by the storm.

New Zealand

34. The navy of ___ has intercepted a floating haul of cocaine in the Pacific Ocean in what the country says is the largest drug bust in its history. The cocaine weighed in at over 7000 pounds and would be worth $316 million on the street. The packages were strung up with buoys, and some were labeled with Batman symbols. It is believed the source of the cocaine was South America

New Zealand

Which of these countries has passed legislation that bans future generations from purchasing combustible cigarettes? The law will make cigarettes unavailable to people who are currently 14 (when they reach the legal age to use tobacco products), and it also reduces the amount of nicotine in cigarettes for people who will still be legally able to buy them

New Zealand

A TikTok craze has drawn the attention of authorities in ___, who are warning users not to engage in the Invisible Challenge

Nigeria

Which of these women have made an official announcement to run for President of the United States in 2024?

Nikki Haley

26. The 118th Congress convened on Jan. 3 and, on the first day as is tradition, members nominated colleagues as speaker of the House. Who won?

No one

Hackers in ___ stole over $1.7 billion in cryptocurrency in 2022. This edges out the United States, which settles for 2nd place in this dubious category

North Korea

Joe Kennedy III, the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy and the great nephew of John F. Kennedy, has been appointed to serve as the new U.S. special envoy to ___. Mr. Kennedy will focus on economic development and forging closer ties, but not on political matters

Northern Ireland

10. Texas is experiencing a teacher shortage, but that is not the only shortage affecting the Lone Star State. More than 600 ___ met with lawmakers at the state capitol in late February to push for policies that will address the shortage.

Nurses

17. The FDA issued a warning in response to a TikTok video challenge. What were they warning people not to do?

NyQuil Chicken

12. A train derailment in ___ resulted in the release of vinyl chloride into the air (which was burned off) during the early part of February. Vinyl chloride is highly toxic, so residents within a one-mile radius were forced to evacuate their homes

Ohio

7. Which of these states is considering legalizing the sale of marijuana to people over the age of 21, hoping to attract buyers from Texas?

Oklahoma

18. A ___ teen was recently charged with murder after he showed "the legs and feet" of his victim covered with blood, and asked his female friend via an Instagram video call to help him dispose of the body. Police were alerted and they later arrested the boy, a 16-year-old resident of a local trailer park. Inside the boy's home, police found a teenage girl lying dead on the floor with an apparent gunshot wound.

Pennsylvania

22. Authorities have arrested a man who brought an explosive device to a ___ airport in early March. The suspect, 40-year-old Mark Muffley, is accused of putting the device in his checked bag for a flight to Orlando, Florida. TSA officials discovered the device in a routine screening; when airport officials called the man's name on the airport's public address system, he was seen on security cameras fleeing the airport. Authorities tracked him to his home, where he was arrested later that day. Authorities claim the device would have posed considerable risk to the aircraft and to the passengers on board.

Pennsylvania

40. Having defeated TV celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz and with spending approaching $375 million, John Fetterman won the Senate race in what state?

Pennsylvania

30. Up to 15 million people face risk of catastrophic flooding from glacial lakes which could burst their dams at any moment. Researchers have mapped four countries that account for half of those 15 million people at risk. They are India, Pakistan, China, and ___.

Peru

Following a dramatic impeachment, ___ has a new president. Dina Boluarte becomes the country's first female to serve in that role. The impeachment took place when the previous leader tried to dissolve the parliament

Peru

8. What show, the longest-running show in Broadway history, will drop its famous chandelier for the last time in February, becoming the latest show to fall victim to the drop-off in audiences since the pandemic hit?

Phantom of the Opera

9. After a marathon 20-hour negotiating session, leaders and workers from what companies reached a tentative agreement to avert a nationwide strike that could have devastated the economy less than two months before the midterm elections?

Rail

13. To provide a "high level of protection from paralysis," last August Britain rolled out urgent vaccinations for all London-based children under 10. The vaccines were designed to limit the spread of what virus?

Polio

John Harrell, a head football coach at ___ ISD in Texas, has come under fire from parents who claim one of his workouts sent student athletes to the hospital. Football players were expected to do 400 pushups, which resulted in some players having Rhabdomyolysis - the breakdown of muscle tissue which causes the release of a damaging protein into the blood. Mr. Harrell was placed on administrative leave in mid-January. Some student athletes and their parents attended the district's January board meeting to show support for the suspended coach.

Rockwall

17. A recent Suffolk University/USA Today poll indicated that ___ is the current "favorite" for the 2024 Presidential election

Ron DeSantis

5. Which of these individuals recently gave a speech in Houston, claiming that Texas and his/her own state are partners against "woke" ideology?

Ron DeSantis

15. Joe Biden's White House Chief of Staff, ___, recently resigned his position. He has been replaced by Jeff Zients

Ron Klain

2. Frustrated by the outcome of the midterm elections, the executive committee of the Texas GOP has voted unanimously (62-0) to call for new leadership at the national level. The current chair of the Republican National Committee is ___.

Ronna McDaniel

6. Edward Snowden is a former computer intelligence consultant who leaked highly classified information from the National Security Agency in 2013 when he was an employee and subcontractor. As of Sept. 26, he's officially a citizen of what country?

Russia

Alec Baldwin and a crew member working on the movie set for ___ have been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The District Attorney's office of Santa Fe, New Mexico, alleges that many standard safety protocols were recklessly ignored by Mr. Baldwin and by the armorer who was in charge of the firearm that killed Ms. Hutchins.

Rust

18. A 97-year-old woman has been convicted of complicity in the murders of 10,500 people at the World War II Nazi prison camp known as Stutthof. Irmgard Furchner was a civilian worker employed at the camp, but the judge at her recent trial ruled that she was fully aware of what was happening at Stutthof, where approximately 65,000 Jews, non-Jews, and captured Soviet soldiers were killed. Furchner was a ___ at the camp and was 18 or 19 at the time (1943 to 1945). She received a two-year suspended jail term at the conclusion of her trial.

Secretary

31. Beginning in the 1950's - when the threat of nuclear war with the Soviet Union was high - the U.S. government instituted a policy that continues to the present day. During a State of the Union Address, when almost the entire government is in one place, a "designated survivor" is chosen, and he or she does not attend the President's address. This year, the designated survivor was Marty Walsh, who serves as ___.

Secretary of Labor

3. In an attempt to become a smoke-free country in the near future, Spain is now making tobacco companies pay for the cost of what?

cleaning up millions of cigarette butts

33. On Oct. 2, Ketanji Brown Jackson took office after a formal investiture ceremony the previous Friday. As she took office, what "first" did she make?

She was the first African American woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

31. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (affiliated with the publisher of The Economist), New York City is the most expensive place to live in the United States. Which of these foreign cities is tied with New York City as the most expensive place to live?

Singapore

39. Experts last fall warned that a "tripledemic" was due to hit the U.S. This triple threat of viral threats included all of the following EXCEPT which virus?

Smallpox

21. A huge meteorite that fell to Earth contains two minerals never seen before on our planet. Scientists have named them "elaliite" and "elkinstantinite." Canadian researchers say the rock was found in ___ two years ago, but locals believe it is much older. They claim the rock is called "Nightfall," and that it is documented in poems, songs, and dances that stretch back five generations. Researchers are analyzing a third, as-yet unidentified mineral.

Somalia

2. For more than half a century, the states of Iowa and New Hampshire have been at the top of the presidential primary calendar. Now, Democrats have shuffled the order and plan to have ___ as the first state to hold the primary election in 2024. Iowa will sink somewhere down the list, which will cost the state tens of millions of dollars in economic benefits from Democratic candidates and campaign staff that book its hotels, pack its restaurants, and flood its airwaves with advertisements during the Iowa Caucus election.

South Carolina

20. Prior to reaching a guilty verdict against attorney Alex Murdaugh in the murders of his wife and son, the jury was taken to visit the Murdaugh property where the murders took place. The property is approximately 1,700 acres and is currently on the market for nearly $4 million. The Murdaugh property is located in ___.

South Carolina

A Chinese "spy balloon" which first came to the public's attention when it was spotted over Montana in early February was eventually shot down by a U.S. fighter jet near the ___ coastline. China has given conflicting explanations about the purpose of the balloon, initially calling it a weather balloon that had been blown off course.

South Carolina

___ Governor Kristi Noem is demanding answers on how federal agencies allowed her personal information to become public in the aftermath of releases from the January 6 committee. The Social Security numbers for Noem, her spouse, her three children, and for her son-in-law were all included in the release. Noem is asking what the federal government plans to do to protect her family since their personal information has been compromised.

South Dakota

20. The U.S. Space Force - created in 2019 - recently announced its first base to be located on foreign soil. Where is this new facility located?

South Korea

33. While all of the major airlines dealt with bad weather conditions during the holiday season, one of these airlines experienced a catastrophic "system" failure that resulted in thousands of cancelled flights, stranded passengers, and at least $800 million in lost revenues. Which airline had the worst holiday season?

Southwest

25. ___ has passed a transgender rights bill which allows anyone over the age of 16 to change gender on their I.D. card. The legislation has been sharply criticized by many feminists, who fear that men allowed to identify as women might take their places on sports teams, or that men might identify as women to avoid being placed in men's prisons. The law has even divided different political factions, including those that voted in favor of the new law. People who opposed the law have been accused of "transphobia."

Spain

1. Which of these Texas politicians has recently confirmed he/she will seek reelection in 2024?

Ted Cruz

9. Which of these Texas politicians introduced a bill to limit the terms of Congressmen (two six-year terms for Senators, three two year terms for Representatives) that would become a constitutional amendment if passed? The same legislation has been introduced four times previously, but it has never come to a vote in either house of the legislature.

Ted Cruz

28. The founder of the Oath Keepers, ___, and one other member of the group were both found guilty of the rare charge of sedition in connection with the January 6 incursion at the U.S. Capitol.

Stewart Rhodes

19. Which of these categories accounted for the most gun-related deaths in 2022, according to the non-profit Gun Violence Archive?

Suicides

28. The U.S. Defense spending bill authorized increased security cooperation in the region. In response, China's military sent 71 planes and seven ships in a display of force directed at what selfruled island that China claims is its own territory?

Taiwan

4. Although he ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Georgia, Herschell Walker lists his $3 million residence in ___ as his primary residence, for which he receives a property tax homestead exemption. Walker has also voted in two elections in Texas since 2021, according to reports. Mr. Walker recently lost his runoff election for the Senate seat.

Tarrant County

14. Who became the first singer to fill all top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 in the same week?

Taylor Swift

32. The mega-star's 10th studio album was released at midnight on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022. Her 10th album broke the Spotify record for the most-streamed album in a single day. Who released the album?

Taylor Swift

___ has fired two top officials after a report revealed numerous errors in the state's lethal injection system. A separate report from Death Penalty Information Center found that more than one-third of the lethal injections in the United States in 2022 were botched or highly problematic

Tennessee

2. "Her incredible career made its mark on history. And yet her greatest contributions may be yet to come. Thank you, Serena Williams. Your journey continues," wrote Billie Jean King, the trailblazing 12-time singles Grand Slam champion. From what sport did Williams retire after losing the third round of the U.S. Open in September?

Tennis

21. A group of social media influencers, using Twitter and Discord, has been charged with conspiring to manipulate stock prices in an alleged scheme that netted them $114 million from January of 2020 to April of 2022. Each of the eight men involved are between 23 and 28 years of age, and each of them has at least 100,000 followers on Twitter. Criminal and civil charges were filed against them in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of ___. The scheme involved using their social media platforms to hype stocks, causing the prices to rise. The influencers then sold their own stocks while keeping the sales secret from their followers.

Texas

30. The United States is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information that helps capture the leader of a rebel group in the east of ___; the wanted individual has ties to the Islamic State group. Under the command of Seka Musa Baluku, rebel forces have killed, maimed, raped, and abducted civilians, including children.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo

32. The U.K. and Argentina are again bickering over the sovereignty of ___.

The Falkland Islands

30. Which of these news outlets was recently faced with a 24-hour walkout by employees, who were demanding better pay and benefits?

The New York Times

The United States recently secured access to new military bases which will help the U.S. monitor Chinese activity in the South China Sea. The new bases will be located in ___ and will be strategically valuable should China act on its threat to invade Taiwan. China has criticized the move, claiming it only raises tensions in the region.

The Philippines

12. Following a significant earthquake in Indonesia just prior to Thanksgiving, a 7.0 magnitude quake struck ___ and was followed by several aftershocks in the 6.0 magnitude range. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries and only minor damage in this quake, although a tsunami warning was issued. Residents moved to higher ground, but no tsunami appeared.

The Solomon Islands

1. The average age of the 34,000 vehicles belonging to 100 state agencies, colleges and universities in Texas is over ten years. Early budget drafts show that lawmakers are considering funding replacements at the tune of more than $237 million. Fuel and maintenance costs increase yearly, so new vehicles make good financial sense at some point. Which agency is asking for the largest amount - about $12 million - to replace old vehicles?

The Texas Department of Public Safety

35. Although one NATO ally has refused to send fighter jets to Ukraine, another has said that "nothing is off the table," and it appears that ___ is prepared to provide Ukraine with "wings," but that it was a long-term solution that would require proper training of the Ukrainian pilots.

The U. K.

New research by ___ suggests that preparing coffee with "pods" may, in fact, be better for the planet than brewing coffee in the traditional manner. Although the pods are not environmentally-friendly, traditional coffee brewing uses more water and more electricity than brewing with pods. About two billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide each day, with the average American drinking three cups

The University of Quebec

5. Which of these Texas universities recently suspended the men's head basketball coach following an arrest for family violence? The arrest was made after the coach's fiancée accused him of trying to strangle her, resulting in a third-degree felony charge against him

The University of Texas

36. Russia has hinted that peace talks might be possible as a way to end the war in Ukraine. In early December, what did Putin say would be necessary for talks to take place?

The West would have to recognize Russia's annexation of the territories that formerly belonged to Ukraine

17. Brittney Griner, an American basketball star who had been imprisoned in Russia on drug charges, returned to America. How did officials get her released?

They traded her for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer

29. Following the lead of several other GOP governors, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said banning a social media platform run by the Chinese company ByteDance would protect state information from the Chinese Communist Party. What social media platform?

TikTok

22. A police officer who interviewed David DePape - the man who attacked Nancy Pelosi's husband in October - told a court that the attacker had a "hit list," and that actor ___ was on the list

Tom Hanks

15. The Congressional committee which investigated the January 6. incursion at the U.S. Capitol sent a recommendation to the Department of Justice that former president Donald Trump should be prosecuted for all of the following violations except ___. The Department of Justice may pursue the charges, but they are not required to do so

Treason

26. The nation of ___ was hit by a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake on February 6. A chasm that is 984 feet long, 165 feet wide, and 130 feet deep opened up in one area of the country - a space large enough to hide a 13-story building. The death toll is estimated to be in excess of 25,000 people, and neighboring countries also experienced major damage and loss of life

Turkey

19. After months of legal wrangling and public acrimony, Elon Musk closed a $44 billion deal. He subsequently fired the top executives, including CEO Parag Agrawal, of what company?

Twitter

An ex-___ soccer player who refused to kneel during pre-game social justice demonstrations to support the BLM movement in 2020 will get $100,000 in a recently announced settlement. Kiersten Hening is receiving the money after agreeing to dismiss the federal lawsuit she filed in 2021 against her soccer coach. Miss Hening claimed her First Amendment rights had been violated when she was ordered to "go along" with the rest of her team by taking a knee during the National Anthem.

Virginia Tech University

35. Chief Justice John Roberts got into an argument with an attorney representing Harvard who compared oboe players to people of color when the U.S. Supreme Court heard a case challenging affirmative action in admissions policies at Harvard and which other university?

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

10. Stephen F. Austin University has made the choice to become a member of the ___ System. SFA was one of the only remaining "independent" universities in the state, and it had faced leadership challenges and declining enrollments in recent years.

University of Texas

31. In a matter of three days, the Pacific nation of ___ has experienced two cyclones and a 6.5 magnitude earthquake. About 300,000 people live there, and the nation has been ranked most prone to natural disasters by the United Nations.

Vanuatu

36. Mexican officials recently discovered an abandoned truck trailer in the state of ___; there were 343 people inside, including 103 unaccompanied minors. The trailer was bound for the United States and had migrants from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Ecuador inside. All appeared to be unharmed. The driver's whereabouts are unknown

Veracruz

22. Which of these world leaders visited with President Biden at the White House just prior to Christmas?

Volodymyr Zelensky

28. Authorities have arrested a 24-year-old man in connection with the theft of two tamarin monkeys from the Dallas Zoo. The suspect has also been linked to the sabotage of the enclosures of a snow leopard and of langur monkeys. Authorities have not connected this suspect to the death of an endangered ___ at the Dallas Zoo, which was discovered dead in its enclosure with an "unusual wound."

Vulture

25. Following their first World Cup appearance in 64 years, ___ was eliminated in a match against England. In spite of the loss, the fans remained upbeat and have been a source of positive news in a World Cup setting that has had its share of controversies.

Wales

40. U.S. astronaut ___, the last surviving member of the Apollo 7 crew, died in Houston on January 3, 2023. He was 90 years old. He was part of the first NASA mission to ever broadcast live TV from orbit.

Walter Cunningham

29. The Biden administration will help fund the move of three tribal communities which are facing urgent threats due to climate change. The three tribes are located along coastal areas in Alaska and in ___, and will receive approximately $75 million. The funds will be used to relocate buildings - including residential homes - to higher ground.

Washington

9. A Lufthansa flight that departed Austin on March 1 bound for Frankfurt, Germany had to be diverted to ___ due to severe turbulence. At least seven people were taken to area hospitals after landing; fortunately, the injuries were all minor

Washington Dulles Airport (Virginia)

16. After Queen Elizabeth died, her pets were taken in by Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York. What pets?

Welsh Corgi

10. Which of these individuals was recently executed in Texas (on Feb. 1, 2023) by lethal injection, in spite of ongoing controversy over the state's use of "old" lethal injection drugs? The inmate was convicted of killing Dallas Senior Corporal Mark Nix following a high-speed chase in 2007. (Please note: The most recent execution of a Texas inmate is not listed among these choices.)

Wesley Ruiz

31. A record-breaking drought has caused some rivers in China - including parts of the world's third largest river - to dry up, affecting hydropower, halting shipping, and forcing major companies to suspend operations. What river?

Yangtze River

10. Mary Peltola, a Democrat, won a special House election in Alaska. Which of the following is true of the election?

b. She will be the first Alaska native in Congress.

12. Almost half of the top foreign policy experts who were recently surveyed think Russia will ___ by 2033

become a failed state or break up

11. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia accelerated his war effort in Ukraine by doing what?

calling up 300,000 reservists to the military

Two ___ were "purposely" taken from the Zoo in Dallas, Texas in late January. They were recovered in an abandoned Lancaster home - near downtown Dallas - unharmed. The animals were examined by veterinarians and reintroduced to their zoo habitat.

tamarin monkeys

16. The nearly $1 billion award is the largest the Texas conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was ordered to pay as part of three defamation lawsuits against him for falsely claiming what?

that the 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, was a hoax

34. This image is a composite image of Jupiter from three filters and alignment due to the planet's rotation. "We've never seen Jupiter like this; it's all quite incredible," said principal investigator Imke de Pater of the University of California, Berkeley. The image was taken with what?

the James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021

27. The United States recently told Ukraine it would not be sending long-range (about 190 miles) missiles - such as the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) because ___. The recent $2.2 billion aid package for Ukraine does include shorter-range missiles (about 90 miles)

the U.S. doesn't have enough of these systems available, which would compromise our own readiness

11. It's 110 years old. Still, the only surviving battleship that served in both world wars is undergoing a $35 million restoration. What ship?

the U.S.S. Texas

18. A case before the Supreme Court, Merrill v. Milligan, concerned a congressional map drawn by Alabama lawmakers that a lower court said diluted the power of Black voters, violating what landmark legislation?

the Voting Rights Act of 1965

4.The Denver Broncos sold for $4.65 billion, a record for the most money paid for an American sports franchise, breaking the $2.35 billion record for the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. Who bought the Broncos?

the Walton-Penner family, led by Walmart heir Rob Walton

The U.S. government recently released thousands of unedited files related to ___. No huge "revelations" from this release of documents is expected, but conspiracy theorists and historians are still hopeful that new information will be uncovered.

the assassination of John F. Kennedy

40. In accordance with President Joe Biden's memorandum of Dec. 15, 2022, the National Archives posted 13,173 documents containing newly released information related to what?

the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy

19. Law enforcement officials are warning drivers of popular car models, including Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado, to take extra precautions because of the rising number of thefts targeting those vehicles looking for platinum, palladium and rhodium in what part?

the catalytic converter

3. In a recent poll conducted by Texas Lyceum, 62% of those polled said that ___.

the country is "off course"

17. Environmentalists and local officials are attempting to find out what is behind the mysterious death of 14 whales along the east coast of the United States since December 1, 2022. Some are blaming the deaths on ___ in the area, but officials say there is not enough evidence to make that claim

the development of an offshore windfarm

30. It reached an average area of 8.9 million square miles between Sept. 7 and Oct. 13 - slightly smaller than last year and continuing an overall shrinking trend. What?

the ozone hole

25. Anna May Wong, a Hollywood film star who had a trailblazing career, will be the first Asian American featured on U.S. currency. Her face will appear on which currency?

the quarter