NewsTracker Answers for week of Jan. 12, 2015

Q: Masked gunmen burst into the Paris offices of a French satirical newspaper last week and killed 12 people, including top journalists and two police officers. Where is France?

Circle the area on this map


Q: Among the dead were four prominent cartoonists who have repeatedly lampooned Islamic terrorists and the Prophet Muhammad. The terrorists reportedly yelled that the Prophet had been “avenged.” What is the predominant belief in France?

A. Agnostic

B. Catholic

C. Muslim

D. Protestant


B. A 2007 poll found that 51% of the French population identified themselves as Roman Catholic, 31% as agnostic or atheist, 4% as Muslim, 3% as Protestant, 1% as Jewish, 1% as Buddhist and the rest as other religions or no opinion. The poll also found only 5% of the people regularly attended religious services. France's government is strictly secular and religious freedom is a constitutional right.


Q: After the newspaper killings, there were reports of several attacks on France's Muslim population which is the largest in Western Europe. Which nation in Western Europe has the second largest number of Muslims?

A. Germany

B. United Kingdom

C. Italy

D. Spain


A. According to Pew Research, France has 4.7 million Muslims, followed by Germany with 4.1 million, the United Kingdom with 2.8 million, Italy with 1.6 million and Spain with 1 million. Anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim feelings have been growing across Europe. Just two days before the newspaper attack, thousands of people attended an anti-Muslim protest in Germany. And, an anti-immigrant politician is leading the polls for France's 2017 presidential election.


Q: Who do Islamic extremists most often attack?

A. Jews

B. Hindus

C. Christians

D. Muslims


D. While all religious groups have suffered, jihadist terrorists such as the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and the Islamic State most often attack and kill other Muslims who don't support their radical interpretations of Islam.


Q: One of the men who attacked the newspaper received training from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, authorities said. Where is that group based?

A. Iraq

B. Somalia

C. Yemen

D. Syria


C. Yemen occupies the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula and has been the site of many air strikes against Al Qaeda targets by U.S. drones. Two men who attacked the newspaper and another who attacked a Kosher market in Paris were killed in shootouts with French police.