Jan. 12 Weekly News Quiz: Which Plane Blew Open Midair?

The Boeing 737 MAX 9, which has seen more ups and downs than a roller coaster at Six Flags, was first grounded in March 2019. This was after two tragic crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, killing 346 people. Playing the role of cautious parent, the FAA grounded the aircraft to prevent further incidents. After extensive reviews and modifications, the Boeing 737 MAX was cleared for takeoff again in November 2020, much to Boeing’s relief. However, the aircraft found itself in hot water again in January 2024. An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9, fresh out of the assembly line and barely used (only 145 flights, practically a baby in airplane years), had to make an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon, after a cabin panel decided it had had enough and blew out. This led to the FAA again grounding certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes on January 6, 2024, for safety checks.

This trio of high-profile figures found their names entangled in the web of the late Jeffrey Epstein, a financier who faced severe allegations and legal action for sexual abuse and trafficking. While Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, and Michael Jackson each led vastly different lives in royalty, politics, and music, respectively, they were all associated with Epstein, as was Donald Trump. The release of court documents in January 2024, part of the Epstein lawsuit, brought various associations and interactions with Epstein to light. It’s important to note that being mentioned in these documents does not imply wrongdoing on their part. Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton have both denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes, and Michael Jackson was not accused of any wrongdoing regarding Epstein.

In January 2024, McDonald’s found itself in a pickle due to the aftermath of a controversial decision by McDonald’s Israel to donate meals to Israeli Defence Forces troops involved in the Gaza conflict after the Oct. 7 massacre. This action stirred up a storm of criticism and led to boycott calls from pro-Palestinian groups, including the BDS movement. In response, McDonald’s Malaysia sued the Malaysia BDS group for $1.3 million (£1m), alleging that their social media posts calling for a boycott contained “false and defamatory statements” that negatively impacted its business.

South Africa accused Israel of genocide in Gaza and took the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). This move was inspired by The Gambia’s precedent in 2019, which opened the door for states to bring genocide charges to the ICJ. The trial started on Jan. 11, 2024.

Attendees wore yellow ribbons to show support for hostages held by Hamas. Yellow ribbons became popular during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis when 52 Americans were held captive in Tehran for 444 days. Today, they represent the “Bring Them Back” campaign for the release of some 130 hostages Hamas took into Gaza during the Oct. 7 massacre in southern Israel.

Astrobotic Technology, based in Pittsburgh, stepped into the limelight with its ambitious Peregrine lunar lander. This robotic spacecraft, launched on January 8, 2024, aboard the Vulcan rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, was part of a groundbreaking mission. It was the first moon mission by a private company. The launch was picture-perfect, but not everything was mooncakes and roses. Peregrine encountered a hiccup – a critical propellant loss. This glitch turned its moon landing dreams sour, as it couldn’t maintain the correct orientation to keep its solar panels sunbathing.

According to the US government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s birthday is probably Jan. 8, 1984, making him 40 in 2024. His secretive regime has never confirmed the date. However, state news agency KCNA showed Kim visiting a chicken farm with his daughter and senior officials on the presumed date. That’s one way to celebrate the prestigious Four-Oh.

In traditional South Korean culture, eating dog meat was once viewed as a way to improve stamina during humid summer months. This practice, deeply rooted in historical beliefs, has recently seen a significant cultural shift. As of Jan. 9, 2024, South Korea’s parliament passed a landmark bill to end dog meat eating and selling, reflecting changing perceptions towards dogs as family pets and growing criticism of dog slaughter methods. The practice has become increasingly rare in recent decades.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided to classify the “Barbie” movie’s screenplay as adapted, not because Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach found a dusty old Barbie diary in an attic, but because they based their script on the iconic Barbie and Ken dolls created by Mattel in the late 1950s. This decision, announced in January 2024, placed the screenplay in the same category as other works derived from pre-existing characters or universes.

Fun fact: While the Writers Guild of America initially tagged it as an original screenplay, the Academy’s Writers Branch executive committee had a different view. They saw the script as an adaptation of the well-established and globally recognized Barbie universe, which includes not just the dolls but also decades of associated media, stories, and lore.

Britney Spears has decided to hang up her microphone for good. In early 2024, she firmly shut down the swirling rumors of an upcoming album, declaring that she would “never return to the music industry.” Instead, she’s channeled her creative energies into ghostwriting, penning over 20 songs for other artists in the past two years.

Idris Elba’s song “Knives Down” calls for immediate action against youth knife violence. The music video was released as part of his “Don’t Stop Your Future” campaign in the UK. Elba’s campaign, launched on Jan 8, 2024, included a protest in London’s Parliament Square and an installation representing children who lost their lives to knife violence. The campaign urges the UK government to ban machetes and zombie knives and advocates for more funding for youth services. Police statistics show that 247 people in England and Wales lost their lives to knife violence between July 2022 and June 2023.

If you’re walking down Rue David Bowie, you’re in Paris, France. This street was named after British music icon David Bowie in the city’s southeast. The inauguration of Rue David Bowie took place on Jan. 8, 2024, which would have been Bowie’s 77th birthday. It celebrates Bowie’s first Paris performance in 1965.