August 27 Weekly News Quiz: Birthday, Imbecile, Honey

Merriam-webster dictionary defines imbecilic as something very stupid or foolish. We should note that the terms imbecile, idiot, and moron were formerly used as technical descriptors in medical and legal contexts. These words are no longer in use in neither and are now considered offensive.

Did former British PM Tony Blair refer to US President Joe Biden as imbecilic?

In the context of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan as soon as US forces were preparing to leave, Tony Blair accused US President Joe Biden of being “in obedience to an imbecilic political slogan about ending ‘the forever wars.’”

Pictured is a capybara, a giant rodent native to South America. It usually lives in groups of 10–20 individuals. Adult capybaras can grow up to one meter (3.2ft) in length, stand over 60cm (24in) tall, and can weigh up to 60 kilos (132lb). They are hunted for their meat and grease from their fatty skin.

Capybara News Fact:

Nordelta, Argentina’s most well-known gated community for the rich, has been invaded by capybaras, known locally as carpinchos, who have destroyed lawns, bitten dogs, and caused traffic accidents. The Guardian reported the phenomena Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021.

The US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) gave full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine for people 16 and older Monday, Aug. 23, 2021. Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine is the first to move beyond emergency use status in the United States.

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine new fact

The vaccine will now be marketed as Comirnaty. It is also available under emergency use authorization for individuals 12-15 years old and the third dose in specific immunocompromised individuals.

John Lyndon is best known as the Sex Pistol’s frontman, Johnny Rotten.

Sex Pistols News Fact

A UK high judge ruled Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, that Director Danny Boyle’s (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire) Disney-backed “Pistol” series can feature music by the Sex Pistols. The series is based on a memoir by Sex Pistols’ guitarist Steve Jones. The decision comes after former frontman John Lydon refused to release the songs’ rights, expressing concerns the series would show him negatively. The judge ruled that the other two band members were entitled to invoke “majority voting rules,” which the band agreement outlined. The six-part drama is due to air in 2022.

Le Parisien newspaper reported Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021, that singer, dancer, actress, civil rights activist, and perhaps most notable, French Resistance agent, Josephine Baker, will be reburied at the Pantheon monument Paris. Baker is the first Black woman to get France’s highest honor. French President Emmanuel Macron decided on a Nov. 30, 2021, ceremony at the Paris monument, which houses the remains of scientist Marie Curie, the French philosopher Voltaire, writer Victor Hugo, and other French greats.

North Dakota is the top-producing US state of bee honey.

American honey and almonds shortage 2022

The hot weather conditions are badly hurting North Dakota's honey production, which puts West Coast crops like almonds, plums, and apples at risk. One in five of the 2.7 million managed honey bee colonies in the United States is in North Dakota. Midwestern beekeepers bring their honey-making insects to California almond farms - the top global producer of almonds - to pollinate orchards in the winter, which means the world faces an almonds shortage in 2022.

The Everly Brothers were Don and Phil Everly.

Everly Brothers News Fact

While Phil died of pulmonary disease at the age of 74, on January 3, 2014, Don Everly, the last surviving member of the Everly Brothers, passed away at his home in Nashville on Saturday, Aug 21, 2021. He was 84.

Dogecoin is not acceptable on PayPal’s Checkout with Crypto, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, and Bitcoin Cash are.

Paypal’s Checkout with Crypto UK News Fact

PayPal announced Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, that it will extend its Checkout with Crypto service to allow users in the UK to buy, hold and sell cryptocurrencies through the payment platform. The company launched a similar service in the US on Mar. 30, 2021.

Demi Lovato celebrated her 29th birthday on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, with a beach vacation in the Maldives, and shared a white one-piece swimsuit photoshoot of the occasion on her Instagram account.

Under the Philippine constitution, a president can only serve a single six-year term.

Philippine presidency news fact

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte agreed to be the ruling party's vice-presidential candidate in the 2022 elections, his party said on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. Duterte had already hinted he could seek the VP job. Political observers and critics see the move as a backdoor to a continued unconstitutional presidency.

Soccer star Mohamed Salah wasn’t in Egypt’s World Cup qualifying matches because on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, Liverpool announced it refused to release him due to quarantine requirements upon his return from Cairo. The two-week quarantine also caused Salah to miss two Premier League games.

Universal Music Group (UMG) is the world's largest music company, with artists such as Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, The Killers, The Weeknd, Kanye West, and the Rolling Stones.

UMG-Aerosmith News Fact

Aerosmith and Universal Music Group (UMG) announced that they signed a global alliance deal on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2021, moving the entire Aerosmith recorded music catalog to UMG ahead of the band's 50th anniversary and UMG's IPO in September.

Nicole Ari Parker (pictured) is known for starring in the acclaimed series Empire and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights. She also appeared in this Pine-Sol cleaner commercial.

Sex and the City News Fact

Nicole Ari Parker has been billed as the fourth member of the Sex and the City reboot since Kim Cattrall will not appear in the new series “And Just Like That…”. According to the "Mail on Sunday" Aug. 21, 2021, report, Ari Parker, 50, will play Carrie Bradshaw’s new best friend, documentary-maker Lisa Todd Wexley.

According to the "Spider-Man: No Way Home" trailer, Spiderman beseeches Doctor Strange to cast a spell that will return the world to when no one knew who it was. Villain Mysterio revealed his secret identity in 2019's "Spider-Man: Far From Home."

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" trailer fact

A day after an alleged leak of the "Spider-Man: No Way Home" trailer on social media, Sony Picture released the trailer officially on Monday, Aug. 24, 2021. The leak became a trending topic on Twitter before being removed. Watch the official trailer.

PAW Patrol: The Movie is the first to premiere on Paramount+ streaming service while simultaneously being released in theatres.

Image: Paramount+

PAW Patrol news facts:

Paramount backed the release of PAW Patrol: The Movie by an “eight-figure” marketing blitz. It involved partnerships with almost 200 companies - from Kellogg’s cereal to Best Western hotels - on purchase opportunities for toys and other products, many of which come with a free trial of Paramount+. The film was released Friday, Aug. 27, 2021.