Friday, Apr. 29 News Quiz of the Week: Musk, Ichthyosaurs

Welcome to our weekly current events trivia challenge, The Apr. 29 News Quiz of the Week: Test your knowledge of 2022 current events trivia and the week’s headlines. On the Russia-Ukraine front: Where’s the Trans-Dniester region? In Business: How much is Elon Musk paying to buy Twitter? And in Animals: What were the Ichthyosaurs? Make sure you know what happened this week. Our weekly news trivia game begins when you hit “Start Quiz” with the week’s best trivia questions and answers.

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News Quiz of the Week (Current Events Trivia) for Friday, April 29, 2022

News Quiz of the Week: 11 General knowledge questions from the past week. No time-limit. How smart are you this weekend?

1 / 11

1. Elon Musk bought Twitter. For how much?

Screenshot: TED on YouTube

$440 billion.

$44 billion.

$4 billion.

$440 million.

In a deal valued at $44 billion, Twitter announced on Apr. 25, 2022, that it had entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Elon Musk. The transaction would result in Twitter becoming a privately owned company.

Did Musk drop out of the Twitter deal?

On May 13, 2022, Elon Musk tweeted, “Twitter deal temporarily on hold pending details supporting calculation that spam/fake accounts represent less than 5% of users.” On July  8, he said in a letter to Twitter that the company’s “misrepresentation of the number of spam accounts” might be a “material adverse effect (MAE)” that would allow him to walk away under the terms of the deal contract.

Was that the end of it?

Twitter filed a lawsuit in the Delaware Court of Chancery against Musk on July 12, 2022, trying to force Musk to complete the takeover. Ahead of the Delaware court face-off on Oct. 17, Musk tweeted on Oct. 4, 2022, that buying Twitter would speed up his ambition to create an “everything app” called X and proposed to proceed with his original $44 billion bid to take Twitter, which he eventually did.

2 / 11

2. Before Emmanuel Macron, who was the last French president to win a second term in office?

Screenshot: France24

Jacques Chirac.

François Mitterrand.

Charles de Gaulle.

Nicolas Sarkozy.

Chirac. Photo: Christian Lambiotte © European Communities, 1997

Only six presidents in the history of won a second-term election. The previous one was Jacques Chirac, who entered his second term in 2002.

Macron was elected to a second term on April 24, 2022, defeating right-wing extremist Marine Le Pen for the second time and becoming the first French presidential candidate to win re-election since 2002.

3 / 11

3. As of Apr. 2022, how many Americans have had COVID infections?

Photo: Nadav Alsheich, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

More than 75%.

Some 58%.

About 22%.

Less than 6%.

A nationwide study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued on Apr. 26, 2022, shows that some 58% of the U.S. population (and more than 75% of younger children) have been infected with the coronavirus since the pandemic started.

4 / 11

4. Trans-Dniester is a separatist province of which country?

China.

Russia.

Ukraine.

Moldova.

Trans-Dniester lies between the eastern bank of the Dniester River in Moldova and the country’s border with Ukraine. The region declared independence in 1990 and insisted it is not part of Moldova, which declared independence in 1991.

What happened in Trans-Dniester?

On Apr. 25 and 26, 2022, explosions rocked the headquarters of Trans-Dniester’s state security ministry and knocked two powerful antennas out of service at a radio broadcasting facility. Earlier, the United States has warned that Russia could launch “false-flag” attacks in nations near Ukraine as a pretext for sending in troops. Expanding to Moldova would give Russia a presence next to NATO member Romania.

5 / 11

5. How long was Myanmar a democracy?

Photo: Claude TRUONG-NGOC, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

15 years.

10 years.

5 years.

It was never a democracy.

Myanmar had a short period of tentative democracy for five years before a coup in February 2021 by the military, which has ruled the former British colony for five of the past six decades.

What happened to the elected leader of Myanmar?

The 76-year-old Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who led the country since the army allowed an election in 2015, was arrested in Feb. 2021 and is held in an undisclosed location. Suu Kyi is charged with at least 18 offenses carrying combined maximum jail terms of nearly 190 years. A military-controlled court sentenced her to five years in prison on Apr. 27, 2022,  in the first of several corruption cases against her. Her trial is being held behind closed doors.

6 / 11

6. How old is the oldest verified living person?

Screenshot: Guinness World Records on YouTube

118.

116.

114.

112.

At the age of 118 years, 76 days, French Lucile Randon, AKA Sister André (Sœur André), became on Apr. 19, 2022, the world’s oldest verified living person, following the death of Japanese Kane Tanaka at 119 years, 107 days.

7 / 11

7. What were the Ichthyosaurs?

Scientifically incorrect (but still impressive) image: Heinrich Harder (1858–1935), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Extinct flying reptiles.

Large extinct marine reptiles.

Extinct marine mollusk animals.

Four-legged, armored dinosaurs.

The Ichthyosaurs were giant extinct marine reptiles. These prehistoric animals were among the largest animals on earth, reaching a height of 20 meters (22 yards) and weighing an astonishing 80 metric tons (88 US tons). Originally appearing 250 million years ago, they left little trace of fossil remains.

Where was the largest ever Ichthyosaurs tooth found?

A study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology on April 27, 2022, reports that fossils of three ichthyosaurs were found at an altitude of 2,800 meters in the Swiss Alps. The fossils feature the largest tooth ever discovered for this species. The rocks that form the new fossils most likely were at the bottom of a shallow coastal area at the time of the Ichthyosaurs.

8 / 11

8. Which US city spawned The B-52s and R.E.M.?

Photo: Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Athens, Georgia.

Rome, Georgia.

Athens, Ohio.

Paris, Texas.

Athens, Georgia, is known for spawning The B-52s, formed in 1976, and R.E.M.

Are The B-52s still touring?

The B-52s, best known for their 80s hit “Love Shack,” announced a final tour kicking off Aug. 22, 2022, in Seattle and ending Nov. 11 in Atlanta. The band is also the subject of a documentary set to be released in 2023, directed by Craig Johnson and produced by Fred Armisen.

9 / 11

9. Which American late-night TV show spawned Apple TV’s Carpool Karaoke?

Screenshot: The Late Late Show With James Corden / CBS

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The Late Late Show With James Corden.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Apple TV’s Carpool Karaoke is based on the recurring segment from The Late Late Show with James Corden. In Aug. 2021, Apple renewed the series for a fifth season.

Is Corden leaving The Late Late Show?

James Corden, who has hosted The Late Late Show on CBS since 2015, is set to end his tenure as host in 2023 after eight years. Corden announced the decision during a taping of his Apr. 28, 2022, episode in Los Angeles.

10 / 11

10. Who portrays the first Latinx superhero to lead a live-action Marvel film?

Screenshot: Daddy Yankee on YouTube

Benicio del Toro.

Xochitl Gomez.

Daddy Yankee.

Bad Bunny.

Sony Pictures has cast Puerto Rican reggaeton star and wrestling aficionado Bad Bunny as El Muerto, the first Latinx superhero to lead a live-action Marvel film. El Muerto is a masked Mexican wrestler who inherits superhuman strength from his powerful ancestors. Bad Bunny’s casting was announced on Apr. 25, 2022, at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

11 / 11

11. Why would “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” be banned in Saudi Arabia?

Screenshot: “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” / Marvel Studios

"Inaccurate historical depiction."

"Depiction of prophets."

"LGBTQ references."

"Occultism and satanism propaganda."

The Hollywood Reporter reported on Apr. 22, 2022, that “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” had been banned in Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality is illegal. According to other reports, Saudi Arabia had asked Disney to cut “LGBTQ references” from the movie, but it had not been banned. The movie features America Chavez, a character who is gay in the comic books, and in the film is portrayed as the daughter of two mothers. 2021’s Eternals was forbidden in Saudi Arabia due to the film’s character Phastos and his husband.

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More Current Events Quizzes for this Weekend

• Le Grand Quiz of France.
• Elon Musk Quiz.
• Russia-Ukraine News Quiz.
• Classic Rock Trivia Quiz.
• Health Quiz 2022.
• TV Shows Quiz 2022.

The Apr. 29 News Quiz of the Week Video Quiz

We Stand with Ukraine

It seems everybody these days has publicly declared their position on the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine. We stand with Ukraine and its people, fighting against military forces attacking civilians. We salute Ukraine’s heroic battle for democracy as we stand with every nation fighting against tyranny and for human rights. Our empathy extends to the Russian people, Belarusians, and all who suffer under oppressive 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.

The Apr. 29 News Quiz Questions List

• Before Emmanuel Macron, who was the last French president to win a second term in office?

  Screenshot: France24

  Jacques Chirac.

  François Mitterrand.

  Charles de Gaulle.

  Nicolas Sarkozy.

  Elon Musk bought Twitter. For how much?

  Screenshot: TED on YouTube

  $440 billion.

  $44 billion.

  $4 billion.

  $440 million.

  How long was Myanmar a democracy?

  Photo: Claude TRUONG-NGOC, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

  15 years.

  10 years.

  5 years.

  It was never a democracy.

  Trans-Dniester is a separatist province of which country?

  China.

  Russia.

  Ukraine.

  Moldova.

  Which US city spawned The B-52s and R.E.M.?

  Photo: Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

  Athens, Georgia.

  Rome, Georgia.

  Athens, Ohio.

  Paris, Texas.

  As of Apr. 2022, how many Americans have had COVID infections?

  Photo: Nadav Alsheich, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

  More than 75%.

  Some 58%.

  About 22%.

  Less than 6%.

  Why would "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" be banned in Saudi Arabia?

  Screenshot: "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" / Marvel Studios

  "Inaccurate historical depiction."

  "Depiction of prophets."

  "LGBTQ references."

  "Occultism and satanism propaganda."

  Who portrays the first Latinx superhero to lead a live-action Marvel film?

  Screenshot: Daddy Yankee on YouTube

  Benicio del Toro.

  Xochitl Gomez.

  Daddy Yankee.

  Bad Bunny.

  How old is the oldest verified living person?

  Screenshot: Guinness World Records on YouTube

  118.

  116.

  114.

  112.

  What were the Ichthyosaurs?

  Scientifically incorrect (but still impressive) image: Heinrich Harder (1858–1935), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

  Extinct flying reptiles.

  Large extinct marine reptiles.

  Extinct marine mollusk animals.

  Four-legged, armored dinosaurs.

  Which American late-night TV show spawned Apple TV’s Carpool Karaoke?

  Screenshot: The Late Late Show With James Corden / CBS

  The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

  Jimmy Kimmel Live!

  The Late Late Show With James Corden.

  The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Sources for the Apr. 29 News Quiz of the Week

Here’s a list for further readings on the week’s most significant current events.

• Reelection bolsters France’s Macron as a powerful player in the EU (AP News)
• Elon Musk and Twitter Reach Deal for Sale (nytimes.com)
• Myanmar’s Suu Kyi handed 5-year jail term for corruption (Reuters)
• EXPLAINER: How is Trans-Dniester related to the war in Ukraine? (AP News)
• The B-52s to launch a US farewell tour this summer (AP News)
• More than half of Americans have had COVID infections, U.S. study shows (Reuters)
• Benedict Cumberbatch returns for ‘riot’ in multiverse ‘Dr. Strange’ (Reuters)
• Bad Bunny fans are confused by his historic Marvel casting (latimes.com)
• Kane Tanaka, World’s Oldest Person, Dies at 119 in Japan (nytimes.com)
• Giant tooth of ancient marine reptile discovered in the Alps (france24.com)
• James Corden on Decision to Leave ‘The Late Late Show’ (The Hollywood Reporter)

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