Jan. 26 Weekly News Quiz: What’s Nikki Haley’s Birth Name?

Nikki Haley, known for her political insight and as a key player in the 2024 Republican primary, was born in Bamberg, South Carolina, as Nimarata Nikki Randhawa. Her birth name became a focal point in the 2024 primaries when Donald Trump, her rival and former US President, put it in the spotlight. In January 2024, Trump made headlines (and raised eyebrows) by mockingly mispronouncing her birth name on his social media platform, Truth Social, referring to her as “Nimbra” and “Nimrada.” This move was part of Trump’s larger strategy of using racially charged rhetoric against his political opponents, a tactic he’s been known for throughout his political career. Nikki Haley, embracing her middle name ‘Nikki’ and the surname ‘Haley’ from her marriage in 1996, has stood firm against such tactics.

In a plot twist history itself might have penned, the Ram Mandir temple, ceremoniously opened on Jan. 22, 2024, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, now stands tall over what was once the Babri Masjid. This mosque, dating back to the 16th century, found itself in the eye of a historical and religious storm when it was demolished by Hindu mobs in 1992. This demolition sparked widespread riots, leading to nearly 2,000 unfortunate deaths. Fast forward to 2019, when India’s Supreme Court handed over the disputed land to Hindus, ending a saga that had the nation’s rapt attention for decades. This decision paved the way for the BJP-led government to fulfill a longstanding promise and erect the Ram Mandir temple. Just months before the general elections, the temple’s opening adds a dash of political spice to this religious and cultural milestone.

This is a precious cargo of dust and rocks collected from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. These samples were gathered by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which embarked on its grand cosmic adventure on Sept. 8, 2016. After a two-year scenic route to Bennu and a couple of years studying and playing tag with the asteroid, OSIRIS-REx made history on Oct. 20, 2020, by grabbing a piece of the space rock. Fast forward to Sept. 24, 2023, when the spacecraft’s Sample Return Capsule landed back on Earth, specifically in Utah. It wasn’t until Jan. 19, 2024, that NASA’s team managed to open the container, overcoming a pickle jar moment with some stubborn fasteners. Inside, they found an array of asteroid materials that are more than just rocks and dust; they’re a time capsule from the early solar system. This out-of-this-world delivery offers scientists a unique glimpse into the planet’s building blocks and possibly life’s origins.

During a particularly icy period in January 2024, with temperatures nosediving to -9°F (-23°C) in places like Chicago, Tesla drivers faced a frosty challenge. The issue at hand was the car’s battery range taking a nosedive, reducing by as much as 36% in some cases. Charging the vehicles also turned into a glacially slow process, with some Teslas even refusing to juice up at all. This chilly predicament is due to lithium ions in EV batteries moving more slowly in freezing conditions. This impacts both driving range and charging efficiency. While seasoned EV drivers knew to precondition their batteries for better performance in the cold, many new owners were caught off-guard.

On Jan. 22, 2024, Elon Musk, the headline-hitting CEO known for his ventures in space and social media, swapped his usual high-tech surroundings for the historical and solemn grounds of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the infamous Nazi German death camp located in Oswiecim, Poland. Musk’s visit included a short memorial ceremony, where he laid a wreath at the wall of death. His visit was ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It was part of his scheduled appearance at a conference on antisemitism organized by the European Jewish Association in Krakow, Poland.

Palworld burst onto the gaming scene in January 2024, carving a niche of its own in the survival game genre. With over 2 million copies sold in just the first 24 hours of its early access release, it’s like Pokémon met Minecraft and went on an adventure together. The game, developed by Pocketpair, blends the familiar charm of catching and interacting with creatures (affectionately called Pals) with the thrill of an open-world survival environment. Players navigate through this world, crafting, building, and, yes, even making some tough choices about their Pals – like whether to protect them or, well, put them to more pragmatic use.

Fun fact: Palworld faced controversy and plagiarism accusations for its designs, with several Palworld Pals bearing resemblances to existing Pokémon in terms of appearance, design elements, body structures, colors, and themes.

An enlarged prostate, medically known as benign prostate enlargement, is like an unwelcome birthday gift that keeps on giving as men age. It’s not rare and certainly not exclusive to royalty, despite King Charles bringing it into the limelight in January 2024. This condition sees the prostate gland, which should be walnut-sized, growing and squeezing the urethra. The result? A range of urinary symptoms like frequent trips to the loo, especially at night, and the feeling of a never-quite-empty bladder. It’s a common party crasher for the over-50 crowd, with more than one-third of men in this age group likely to experience its less-than-joyous presence. While it’s not usually a serious threat to health, it can be a royal pain. Awareness, as King Charles’ case has shown, is key to managing it effectively.

Dolly Parton, the queen of country music and a US national treasure, graced the world with her presence in 1946. She was born on Jan. 19 and celebrated her 78th birthday in 2024. But instead of receiving gifts, she dished out a musical treat for her fans on her birthday. The gift? A deluxe edition of her “Rockstar” album, now featuring nine additional tracks. The album shot to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in the week of its release.

At the ripe age of 81, Martin Scorsese made Oscar history by becoming the oldest directing nominee ever for his work on “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Despite being in a career phase where most would consider retirement, Scorsese proves that talent and passion for cinema know no age limits. This is his 10th movie nominated for Best Picture, which is also an all-time record.

Leading the pack at the 96th Academy Awards in 2024, “Oppenheimer” secured 13 nominations, making it the film with the most nominations for the year. This biographical drama about J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb captured not only audiences’ attention but also the admiration of the Academy, proving that sometimes, an explosive subject matter is just what the Oscars need.

“When You Finish Saving the World” and “A Real Pain” mark milestones in Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial career. His debut film, “When You Finish Saving the World,” showcased a unique take on family dynamics. His sophomore effort, “A Real Pain,” premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. It received acclaim and struck a deal with Searchlight Pictures for worldwide distribution. In the movie, Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin embark on a Holocaust tour of Poland. This includes visiting the home where their grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, grew up.