Friday, March 11 News Quiz of the Week: Putin, Poutine

Welcome to our weekly Friday trivia challenge, The March 11 News Quiz of the Week: Test your knowledge of 2022 current events trivia and the week’s headlines. On the Russia-Ukraine front: What’s Ukraine’s most popular news source? In pride: What’s Florida’s Don’t Say Gay bill? And in sports: Why was WNBA player Brittney Griner in Russia? Our weekly what happened this week quiz questions and answers trivia game begins when you hit “Start Quiz.”

March 11 News Quiz Questions for this Week

Take the March 11 News Video Quiz

Current News Quiz of the Week for Friday, March. 11, 2022

News Quiz of the Week: 14 General knowledge questions from the past week. No time-limit. How smart are you this weekend?

1 / 14

1. Which of these letters does not exist in the Cyrillic Russian alphabet?

Z.

O.

X.

A.

The letter Z does not exist in the Cyrillic Russian alphabet. Yet, Z has become the main symbol of public support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Observers first spotted the mysterious Z-shaped letter hand-painted on Russian tanks massed on the Ukrainian border in Feb. 2022. On March 4, 2022, thousands of Serbs waving Russian flags and carrying Z letters marched through Belgrade to the Russian embassy to support Moscow’s brutality. And on March 5, the Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak sported the Z insignia as he stood next to Ukraine’s Kovtun Illia, the gold medallist at a gymnastics World Cup event in Doha. Kremlin-funded state network RT announced on its social media channels that it was selling Z merchandise, including T-shirts and hoodies, to support Russian troops.

Update: On March 26, 2022, Zurich Insurance removed its Z logo – a white Z on a blue background – from social media. The company said it did not want to be mistaken as supporting Russia in the conflict.

 

2 / 14

2. Why was WNBA player Brittney Griner arrested and detained in Russia?

Photo: Lorie Shaull, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Customs Service found hashish oil in her luggage.

She posted anti-war slogans on Twitter.

She is suspected of working for the CIA.

She tested positive for illegal substances while competing.

WNBA player and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner was arrested and detained in Russia in late Feb. 2022 upon arriving from New York. Russian Customs Service found vape cartridges with hashish oil in her luggage.

When was Griner released?

On Dec. 8, 2022, President Joe Biden announced that the US had secured Griner’s release in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout, who had been serving a 25-year sentence.

What was Griner doing in Russia?

Like many other WNBA players, Griner plays overseas in the offseason, where salaries can be much higher. She has been playing offseason with Russian club UMMC Ekaterinburg since 2015.

3 / 14

3. Where is Stolichnaya (Stoli) vodka produced?

Photo: klimkin, CC0, via pixabay

Russia.

Ukraine.

Belarus.

Latvia.

Stolichnaya (Stoli) vodka has long been marketed as Russian vodka, but its production facilities have been in Latvia since 2000, when its founder, Russian-born billionaire Yuri Shefler, was exiled because of his opposition to Putin. On March 4, 2022, the maker of Stolichnaya vodka announced a major rebrand – it will no longer be marketed as Russian and will be renamed Stoli. Stoli Group is a unit of Luxembourg-based SPI Group.

4 / 14

4. What’s Ukraine’s most popular messaging app?

WhatsApp.

VKontakte.

Telegram.

Signal.

Telegram is Ukraine’s most popular messaging app. The app, which has more than 550 million monthly users globally, was banned in Russia in 2018 after its founder Pavel Durov refused to give the authorities access to its user data. Russia lifted the ban in mid-2020. Telegram became a 24-hour news source for civilians, journalists, and even the military in the Ukrainian war.

Does Telegram block Russian and Ukrainian communications?

“We do not want Telegram to be used as a tool that exacerbates conflicts and incites ethnic hatred,” 37-year-old Durov posted on Feb. 27, 2022, as Telegram has been heavily used to spread fake news related to the war. Hours later, he changed his mind, following mass requests from users, who said it was their only source of information. “Double-check and do not take on faith the data that is published in Telegram channels during this difficult period,” Durov advised.

5 / 14

5. According to President Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address, who are the “corrupt leaders who have bilked billions of dollars off this violent regime”?

Screenshot: C-Span.

Russian oligarchs.

Russia’s Kremlin.

Chinese billionaires.

Russian generals.

On his first state of the union address, President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. was launching a task force to go after Russian oligarchs in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine. He called the oligarchs “corrupt leaders who have bilked billions of dollars off this violent regime.” “We are coming for your ill-begotten gains,” he said, adding that the U.S. and European allies were after the Russian oligarchs’ yachts, luxury apartments, and private jets.

6 / 14

6. Ketanji Brown Jackson is the first what?

Photo: White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Supreme Court justice without Juris Doctor from Harvard or Yale.

Black female justice in the US Supreme Court.

Supreme Court justice without an Ivy League degree.

Supreme Court justice confirmed without a single vote from the Senate minority party.

Ketanji Brown Jackson is the first Black female justice in the Supreme Court’s 200-plus-year history. She is the second Supreme Court justice since 1870 to be confirmed without a single vote from the Senate minority party. The first is Amy Coney Barrett.

But what are Ketanji Brown Jackson’s credentials?

In late February 2022, FOX News scandalist Tucker Carlson demanded that Jackson reveal her LSAT scores – implying she hasn’t had the credential needed to be a Supreme Court Justice. In actuality, Jackson attended Harvard Law School, where she was a supervising editor of the Harvard Law Review. She graduated in 1996 with a Juris Doctor cum laude, spent 15 years as a public defender, and eight years as a trial court judge in the US district court in DC. On the other hand, Amy Coney Barrett holds the records for the first Supreme Court justice without an Ivy League degree since the 2010 retirement of John Paul Stevens and the only Supreme Justice who did not receive her Juris Doctor from Harvard or Yale.

7 / 14

7. Where is the Bolshoi Theatre located?

Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Saint Petersburg.

Kyiv.

Moscow.

Warsaw.

The Bolshoi Theatre is located in Moscow, Russia.

Did the Bolshoi Theatre’s music director resign over the war in Ukraine?

The Bolshoi Theatre’s music director and principal conductor, Tugan Sokhiev, announced his resignation on March 6, 2022. He has also left his equivalent position at France’s Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, saying he decided to resign after “being forced to face the impossible option of choosing between my beloved Russian and beloved French musicians.” Sokhiev did not say whether he backs Russia’s actions in Ukraine but stated, “I have never supported, and I will always be against any conflicts in any shape and form.”

8 / 14

8. What’s Florida’s Don’t Say Gay bill?

A bill that limits discussion of homosexuality and gender identity in schools.

A bill that prohibits the use of the term gay as a slur.

A bill that forbids asking a person about his gender identity in job interviews.

A bill that replaces the term gay with LGBTQ+ in official papers.

On March 8, 2022, Florida lawmakers passed a Republican-backed bill that would very much limit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity. Under the law, parents would be allowed to sue school districts they believe violate it. High school students across Florida have staged walkouts to protest the bill. Russia and Hungary passed similar anti-LGBT legislation in recent years.

9 / 14

9. What kind of spider is this?

Photo: 池田正樹 (talk)masaki ikeda, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pumpkin spider.

Jorō spider.

Cane spider.

Golden garden spider.

Jorō spiders, or Trichonephila clavata, are Japanese spiders with colorful yellow, blue and red markings that measure three inches (8 cm) in length. Jorō spiders are venomous but pose little to no threat to humans.

Joro in the USA

The Joro spiders took over north Georgia in 2021 and were spotted in South Carolina. According to a study of the Jorō spider species published in Feb. 2022 in the journal Physiological Entomology, they could also spread into the northeastern United States.

10 / 14

10. Who is Krypto the Superdog?

Screenshot: DC League of Super-Pets / Warner Bros. Pictures

Dogecoin’s mascot.

Superman’s dog.

An American gaming YouTuber.

Paw Patrol’s super pup.

Krypto the Superdog is Superman’s pet dog. The canine character has appeared in numerous cartoon television shows and films, including his own 2005 Cartoon Network series and as a live-action character on The CW’s Smallville. Dwayne Johnson voices Krypto the Superdog in the animated film DC League of Super-Pets, released on May 20, 2022. Watch its hilarious Batman (dog) trailer to find the Batdog’s name. 

11 / 14

11. What is the first Pixar movie directly solely by a woman?

Screenshot: Turning Red / Pixar

Luca.

Inside Out.

Turning Red.

Brave.

Directed by Domee Shi, Turning Red is the first Pixar movie directly solely by a woman – with an almost entirely female crew. The film’s protagonist, 13-year-old Meilin Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang), is a Chinese-Canadian eighth-grader in the throes of puberty. The film was released on March 11, 2022.

Who was the first woman to direct an animated feature from a major studio?

Brenda Chapman, co-director of Pixar’s Brave (2012), became the first woman to direct an animated feature from a major studio in 1998 when she helmed DreamWorks Animation’s The Prince of Egypt.

12 / 14

12. Who played Roxie Hart in the 2022 Broadway production of Chicago?

Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/greg2600/, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Renée Zellweger.

Ashlee Simpson.

Jenny McCarthy.

Pamela Anderson.

Pamela Anderson portrayed Roxie Hart between April 12-June 5, 2022, in the Broadway production musical “Chicago” at the New York Ambassador Theatre. Dozens of women have played the heroine of “Chicago” since the show opened in 1996, including Melanie Griffith, Brooke Shields, Lisa Rinna, and Ashlee Simpson. Renée Zellweger famously portrayed the character in Chicago’s 2002 Oscar-winning film adaptation.

13 / 14

13. What makes the iPhone SE distinguishable from other iPhones?

Image: Apple

It’s large in size.

A Touch ID home button.

It’s the most expensive model.

It uses solar charging.

Apple has announced a new version of its cheapest iPhone, SE, on March 8, 2022. Pre-orders for the new iPhone SE open on March 11, and it will be available starting March 18. Alongside its signature Touch-ID home button, the new iPhone SE will feature a faster processer, more durable 4.7-inch screen, longer-lasting battery, and compatibility with 5G networks. Expect to spend $429 on the new model.

14 / 14

14. What’s a Poutine?

Photo: Yuri Long from Arlington, VA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Minced pork, veal or beef, and potatoes meat pie.

Shredded raw cabbage with vinaigrette or mayonnaise dressing.

A sauce made of garlic, salt, olive oil, and often egg.

Potato fries, cheese curds, and gravy.

Poutine is a classic Quebec dish of french fries and cheese curds topped with brown gravy. The dish’s name is widely believed to come from the French-Canadian pronunciation of the English word “pudding.” The famous dish shares its name – in French transliteration – with the Russian president Vladimir Putin. Poutine restaurants in France received threats following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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More News Trivia Quizzes for this Weekend

• Russia 2022 Quiz
• Women’s History Month Quiz
• Battle of the Sexes Quiz
• Current business quiz questions.
• The Batman Trivia Quiz
• Fun Children’s Classics Quiz 2022
• Oscars Quiz 2022

Take the March 11 News Video Quiz

Sources for the March 11 News Quiz of the Week

• State of the Union: Biden vows to halt Russia, hit inflation (AP News)
• Supreme Court nominee Jackson heading to Capitol Hill (AP News)
• Telegram: the app at the heart of Ukraine’s propaganda battle (The Guardian)
• Stoli vodka announces rebrand (CNN)
• ‘Impossible’: Bolshoi music director quits over calls to denounce Ukraine invasion (The Guardian)
• The U.S. working to secure the release of basketball star detained by Russia (Reuters)
• Poutine, not Putin: classic Quebec dish off the menu in France and Canada (The Guardian)
• Why has the letter Z become the symbol of war for Russia? (The Guardian)
• Florida lawmakers pass a bill limiting LGBTQ discussion in school (Reuters)
• ‘DC League of Super-Pets’ trailer: Batman’s and Superman’s dogs have an adventure (mashable.com)
• Scientists: Asian spider could spread to much of East Coast (AP News)
• Review: Puberty runs amok in Pixar’s ‘Turning Red’ (AP News)
• Pamela Anderson set to make her Broadway debut in ‘Chicago’ (AP News)
• Apple Showcase Unveils Mac Studio, New iPhone SE and More (nytimes.com)

It seems everybody these days has to publically declare their position on the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine. We stand with Ukraine and its people, fighting against military forces attacking civilians. We salute their heroic battle for democracy. We stand with every nation fighting against tyranny and for human rights. Our empathy goes to the Russian people, Belarussians, and all who suffer under oppressing governments, including soldiers forced to die in the name of their leaders. We also side with the truth, so here’s a quick list of reliable sources on the conflict.

• Breaking News & Live Updates on Russia-Ukraine from AP News.
• Live Updates and Video Coverage of the Russia-Ukraine War on The New York Times.
• Coverage of the Russia-Ukraine crisis by The Guardian.

March 11 News Quiz Weekly Questions

• According to President Joe Biden's first State of the Union address, who are the "corrupt leaders who have bilked billions of dollars off this violent regime"?

  Screenshot: C-Span.

  Russian oligarchs.

  Russia’s Kremlin.

  Chinese billionaires.

  Russian generals.

  Ketanji Brown Jackson is the first what?

  Photo: White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

  Supreme Court justice without Juris Doctor from Harvard or Yale.

  Black female justice in the US Supreme Court.

  Supreme Court justice without an Ivy League degree.

  Supreme Court justice confirmed without a single vote from the Senate minority party.

  What’s Ukraine’s most popular messaging app?

  WhatsApp.

  VKontakte.

  Telegram.

  Signal.

  Where is Stolichnaya (Stoli) vodka produced?

  Photo: klimkin, CC0, via pixabay

  Russia.

  Ukraine.

  Belarus.

  Latvia.

  Why was WNBA player Brittney Griner arrested and detained in Russia?

  Photo: Lorie Shaull, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

  Customs Service found hashish oil in her luggage.

  She posted anti-war slogans on Twitter.

  She is suspected of working for the CIA.

  She tested positive for illegal substances while competing.

  Who is Krypto the Superdog?

  Screenshot: DC League of Super-Pets / Warner Bros. Pictures

  Dogecoin’s mascot.

  Superman's dog.

  An American gaming YouTuber.

  Paw Patrol’s super pup.

  Where is the Bolshoi Theatre located?

  Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

  Saint Petersburg.

  Kyiv.

  Moscow.

  Warsaw.

  What’s a Poutine?

  Photo: Yuri Long from Arlington, VA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

  Minced pork, veal or beef, and potatoes meat pie.

  Shredded raw cabbage with vinaigrette or mayonnaise dressing.

  A sauce made of garlic, salt, olive oil, and often egg.

  Potato fries, cheese curds, and gravy.

  Which of these letters does not exist in the Cyrillic Russian alphabet?

  Z.

  O.

  X.

  A.

  What kind of spider is this?

  Photo: 池田正樹 (talk)masaki ikeda, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

  Pumpkin spider.

  Jorō spider.

  Cane spider.

  Golden garden spider.

  What is the first Pixar movie directly solely by a woman?

  Screenshot: Turning Red / Pixar

  Luca.

  Inside Out.

  Turning Red.

  Brave.

  Who played Roxie Hart in the 2022 Broadway production of Chicago?

  Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/greg2600/, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

  Renée Zellweger.

  Ashlee Simpson.

  Jenny McCarthy.

  Pamela Anderson.

  What’s Florida’s Don’t Say Gay bill?

  A bill that limits discussion of homosexuality and gender identity in schools.

  A bill that prohibits the use of the term gay as a slur.

  A bill that forbids asking a person about his gender identity in job interviews.

  A bill that replaces the term gay with LGBTQ+ in official papers.

  What makes the iPhone SE distinguishable from other iPhones?

  Image: Apple

  It's large in size.

  A Touch ID home button.

  It’s the most expensive model.

  It uses solar charging.

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