1. Back on July 6, President Donald Trump levied a 25 percent tax on imported Chinese products, mostly machinery. China retaliated by levying tariffs of their own against imported American products, kicking off an ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China. What did China place the highest tax on?
a. Milk
b. Soybeans
c. Industrial parts
2. In early November at Maywood High School in Los Angeles, a student yelled racial slurs at a black music teacher and threw a basketball at him, which prompted the teacher to respond. In what way did he respond?
a. Referring the student to the principal’s office and the discipline officer
b. Calling the student’s parents and referring him to the principal’s office
c. Punching the student in the face
3. Sanctions against Iran’s banking, energy and shipping industries went into effect Nov. 5. In order to remind everyone, President Donald Trump tweeted what, which was quickly removed?
a. A political cartoon of the American flag with the line, “God Bless the U.S.A. Sanctions November 5.”
b. A movie-poster style image of himself with the line, “Sanctions are Coming. November 5.”
c. A political cartoon of a nuclear weapon with the line, “No more bombs. November 5.”
4. In mid-October, the investigation began regarding the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul. At the time, Riyadh released a statement claiming Khashoggi was killed in a fight. What did Turkey have to say about that claim?
a. They corroborated Riyadh’s claim, agreeing that Khashoggi was killed in a fight
b. They denied Riyadh’s claim, stating that Khashoggi was the target of a planned plot
c. They denied Riyadh’s claim, but made no counter claim of their own.
Answers:
1. b. The Los Angeles Times reported that China levied the highest tax on soy beans coming from the U.S. In addition to soy beans, China targeted agricultural products, largely produced in states that support Trump or GOP lawmakers. Ultimately, the tariffs on both sides totaled a $17 billion penalty in trading. After the 2018 G20 summit from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1, Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping agreed to halt new tariff increases for 90 days.
2. c. Teacher Marston Riley punched the student across the face, which led to a brawl between the two, according to the Los Angeles Times and Independent. The two fought for several seconds before finally being separated. The child was taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries, and Riley was arrested and then released after posting $50,000 in bail. On Nov. 30, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office released that Riley was charged with one misdemeanor count of corporal injury to a child.
3. c. Trump’s tweet featured a movie-poster image of himself with the text, “Sanctions are Coming,” echoing the phrase “Winter is coming,” from the popular HBO show Game of Thrones. The image used similar design features to the show’s branding. According to Bloomberg News, HBO quickly responded, tweeting, “How do you say trademark misuse in Dothraki?” HBO then told CNBC that they “would rather their trademark not be misappropriated for political purposes.”
4. b. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a statement saying that Khashoggi’s death was the result of a planned plot, according to Bloomberg News. Erdogan claimed to have strong evidence the murder was not accidental and that there were potential collaborators. On Dec. 4, Republican senators stated that they wholly believed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman ordered Khashoggi’s murder.
