Recent News: 3/21/25

A cross-country storm system tore through at least eight states over the weekend, accompanied by tornadoes, dust storms and wildfires.

Which region of the country was NOT affected?

• The Midwest

• The Pacific Northwest

• The South

The Trump administration is moving to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent legal resident of the United States who recently graduated from Columbia University. What actions by Mr. Khalil made him a target of the federal government?

• He had helped lead high-profile campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza.

• He owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans.

• His green card expired.

The stock market was in the news this past week. Why?

• For eight weeks in a row, U.S. markets have outperformed leading markets in China and Europe.

• Marketwide trading was halted temporarily for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

• The American stock market has plunged since President Trump took office for a second time.

The above graph appeared in a recent New York Times news story. What conclusion can readers draw from this graph?

• Boys are overconfident in their abilities.

• Girls need to study more if they want to get better grades than boys.

• Teenagers think that girls are equal to boys in school or are ahead.

This past week, the United States attacked Houthi rebels in Yemen. Since Oct. 2023, the Houthis have been disrupting global trade through one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes in what body of water?

• The English Channel

• The Panama Canal

• The Red Sea

• The Strait of Malacca

“Sunrise on the Reaping,” released this week, is the latest novel in which blockbuster young adult book series?

• Harry Potter

• Percy Jackson and the Olympians

• The Hunger Games

• Twilight

The former president of which country was arrested this week on charges of crimes against humanity?

• Cambodia

• El Salvador

• Liberia

• The Philippines

Which retailer, a favorite mall destination for young people in the aughts (2000-2009), filed for bankruptcy this past week?

• Hot Topic

• Forever 21

• GameStop

• Claire’s

Why was an old ship, pictured above, in the news this week?

• Sneak peak photos from the set of the new “Titanic” remake were released.

• The U.S. Navy is conducting research on how long ships can remain under water.

• The wreckage of a ship that sank in Lake Superior in 1892 was discovered.

March Madness is here! How many teams will compete in each of the men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments?

• 32

• 50

• 68

• 200