Take our Week to Week news quiz and see if your knowledge of the news is up to par. Here are some random, but real hints: Assad -- like father, like son; he was no more a unifier when he was at Headline News; naturally, the board has no power; and she can't even buy a beer with that.
1. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder suggested a cautious approach in which the government would be willing to hold discussions with whom?
a. Reputed mobster Vincent Asaro
b. Wikileaks fugitive Julian Assange
c. Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman
d. NSA leaker Edward Snowden
2. The FBI arrested organized crime figures for what famous unsolved crime?
a. The 1978 Lufthansa "Goodfellas" heist at Kennedy International Airport
b. The disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa
c. The murder of Tupac Shakur
d. The 1983 "Gorilla Two-Fold" robbery of the First New York Federal Bank vault
3. Why is former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell headed to court?
a. He is suing Politico.com, claiming its reporting cost him his job
b. He is being sued by Planned Parenthood over anti-abortion legislation he signed
c. He and his wife have been indicted on federal corruption charges
d. He is seeking to have his duel-citizenship from Canada revoked
4. Thousands of photos of emaciated and tortured corpses are said to be proof of "industrial scale killing" committed by whom?
a. Syria's government
b. Syrian rebels
c. Russian forces in Chechnya
d. al Qaeda in Iraq
5. On Tuesday, one person was killed in a shooting where?
a. Indiana University
b. Purdue University
c. Notre Dame
d. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
6. Who told Fox News, "I think I played a role, unfortunately, in helping tear the country apart and it's not who we are"?
a. Patrick Stewart
b. Glenn Beck
c. Megyn Kelly
d. Bill Clinton
7. What event in Switzerland got off to a contentious start with bickering and sharp accusations?
a. The war crimes trial of Bosnia's former defense minister
b. A meeting between Russia, the United States and the Olympic committee discussing security at the Sochi Olympic games
c. An economic treaty negotiation between the European Union, Russia and Ukraine
d. Syrian peace talks
8. What did a report of the U.S. government's Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board conclude regarding the National Security Agency's collection of bulk data?
a. It's a crucial component of the war against extremists
b. The bulk data collection responsibilities should be transferred to the State Department and the Defense Department
c. It's illegal and hasn't helped in the counterterrorism effort
d. We couldn't come up with a better program if we tried
9. Why did a kangaroo court in an Indian village order a gang rape of a 20-year-old woman?
a. They objected to her recent religious conversion
b. They objected to her relationship with a man from another village
c. She was a member of a terrorist organization
d. She promoted education for girls
10. Why was singer Justin Bieber arrested in Florida on Thursday?
a. Driving under the influence, resisting arrest and suspicion of drag racing in a rented Lamborghini
b. Assaulting a police vehicle, public nudity and lying to police officers
c. His pet monkey assaulted a police vehicle, resisted arrest and was a public disruption
d. His last album wasn't any good
BONUS. According to a lawsuit by an Oakland Raiders cheerleader, how much is she paid per hour?
a. $20
b. Nothing
c. An average of $75
d. Less than $5
Want the live news quiz experience? Join us Monday, January 27 in San Francisco for our next live Week to Week political roundtable with a news quiz and a social hour at The Commonwealth Club. Panelists include Carla Marinucci, Debra J. Saunders and Dr. Larry Gerston.
ANSWERS: 1) d. 2) a. 3) c. 4) a. 5) b. 6) b. 7) d. 8) c. 9) b. 10) a. BONUS) d.
Explanations of the hints Assad -- like father, like son: Bashar al-Assad's father, Hafez, was also known as a mass killer of his own people; he was no more a unifier when he was at Headline News:before heading to Fox News, Glenn Beck was a regular on CNN's Headline News channel; naturally, the board has no power: the privacy board said the actions are illegal, but the board has no power to enforce its decisions; and she can't even buy a beer with that: a beer at Oakland Coliseum costs more than $5.