Weekly News Quiz: December 15, 2022
By Alexandra Meeks and Ivory Sherman
Into which ocean did NASA’s Orion spacecraft splash down this week, marking the conclusion of the historic Artemis I mission?
The spacecraft completed its 25½-day journey around the moon by splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico’s Baja California.
Which teams faced off in the 2022 World Cup final?
Argentina played France on Sunday to determine who won the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
US scientists made a remarkable breakthrough this week. What did their discovery involve?
For the first time, US scientists successfully produced a nuclear fusion reaction resulting in a net energy gain. The discovery is a massive step forward in a decades-long quest for a new form of clean energy that could eventually power homes and help end dependence on fossil fuels.
According to a new study, Covid-19 vaccinations have saved approximately how many lives across the United States?
Covid-19 vaccines have kept more than 18 million people out of the hospital and saved more than 3 million lives since first becoming available in December 2020, according to researchers from the Commonwealth Fund and Yale School of Public Health.
Which grocery item are people panic buying across China?
An unprecedented wave of Covid-19 cases in China has sparked panic buying of fever medicines, pain killers, and even home remedies such as canned peaches.
Which state’s governor recently commuted the sentences for 17 death row inmates?
Outgoing Oregon Gov. Kate Brown commuted the sentences of 17 inmates, clearing the state’s death row and calling the death penalty “immoral.” The inmates will now spend life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to a statement from her office.
Which country passed a landmark anti-smoking bill this week, banning the sale of tobacco for today’s teens and future generations?
New Zealand passed a historic bill which bans the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009.
The federal government is suing Arizona for creating a makeshift wall to block gaps in the US-Mexico border. What had state officials used to construct it?
Outgoing Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, is contending with a major lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice after instructing state officials to use shipping containers to fill in gaps along the border.
Which billionaire recently lost his top spot as the richest man in world?
Elon Musk is no longer the richest person on the planet, dropping to the second spot behind French fashion mogul Bernard Arnault.
In recent weeks, at least seven states have said they will bar public employees from using which social media app on government devices?
TikTok, the popular short-form video app, is facing growing pushback at the state level over fears users’ personal information could wind up in the hands of the Chinese government.
