HOT TOPICS CURRENT EVENTS
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CRIME AND LAW - Airport Security
TOPIC: Since the discovery and arrest of a group of terrorists in Britain that had
planned a series of bombings on British airlines, U.S. and British airport security has
significantly tightened. What kind of items are being targeted as possibly concealing
bomb material? What has been the impact on air travel?
SEARCH TERMS: airports AND terrorism
INTERNATIONAL - Israel/Lebanon Ceasefire
TOPIC: After a month of warfare for which the primary cost has fallen on civilian
populations, Israel and Lebanon have finally adopted the ceasefire imposed by the United
Nations. Have there been any violations of the ceasefire? What group in Lebanon has
been the primary target of the Israelis? What were the events leading up to this war?
SEARCH TERMS: Lebanon AND Israel
PEOPLE - Fidel Castro Passes Power To Brother Raul
TOPIC: Cuba's President Fidel Castro has temporarily passed his political power to his
brother Raul while undergoing surgery for intestinal bleeding. What has been the
reaction of Cubans living in the United States? What has been the role of Raul Castro
before taking the presidential role?
SEARCH TERMS: Fidel Castro
SOCIAL STUDIES RESEARCH TOPICS
CIVICS, GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS - Connecticut Senate Primary
TOPIC: Incumbent Senator and once-vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman has lost
Connecticut's Democratic Senatorial primary to businessman Ned Lamont. What are the
reasons for this loss? What major political decision has Lieberman made since losing the
primary? What is Ned Lamont's background?
SEARCH TERMS: Joe Lieberman
ECONOMICS - Alaska Oil Pipeline Shut Down to Repair Leaks
TOPIC: British Petroleum has shut down a pipeline in Alaska, the largest oil field in
the U.S., to repair leaks. What has been the impact on oil prices? How much oil has
been reduced due to the shutdown?
SEARCH TERMS: BP Exploration AND Alaska
EDUCATION - Classroom Spending Requirements
TOPIC: Several states are looking to require a majority of school budgets go directly to
classroom costs. What states have this mandate, and what states are considering it?
What school problems do they hope to resolve?
SEARCH TERMS: education funding AND requirements
EDUCATION - ACT Scores
TOPIC: ACT scores for the high school of 2006 show the biggest increase in twenty years
and the highest scores of any class since 1991. What does ACT measure? What are the
reasons for this improvement?
SEARCH TERMS: ACT
HISTORY - 1916 Black Tom Island Blast
TOPIC: 90 years have passed since German saboteurs launched the first major terrorist
attack in the U.S. with the bombing on Black Tom Island just off the New Jersey coast in
New York Harbor. What war was being fought at the time? How successful had been
investigations into this plot?
SEARCH TERMS: sabotage AND islands AND New York
SOCIAL ISSUES - Minority Population Increase
TOPIC: Minority ethnic populations are growing rapidly in 49 of the 50 U.S. states
according to the recent Census Bureau findings. What state is unique in not seeing this
increase? What ethnic populations are most heavily increasing?
SEARCH TERMS: census AND ethnic groups
SCIENCE AND HEALTH RESEARCH TOPICS
ENVIRONMENT - Heat Wave
TOPIC: Record heat waves have proved fatal for many people across the U.S. What state
suffered the most fatalities? How have cities and states responded to the crisis?
SEARCH TERMS: heat waves
HEALTH - International AIDS Conference
TOPIC: Toronto is hosting the 16th International AIDS Conference. What continent has
suffered the most from AIDS? What policies have been discussed most as the conference?
What have been to controversies brought up in global AIDS relief?
SEARCH TERMS: AIDS and meetings
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - New Planets TOPIC: Scientists are proposing a change to the
definition of a planet that would increase the number of them in the solar system. Why
is this up for discussion? What changes are being suggested? What impact would these
changes have on the number of planets and textbooks?
SEARCH TERMS: planets
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - Crude Oil in Pig Manure
TOPIC: Of all the recent research into renewable energy sources, one of the more novel
approaches is the discovery that pressure-cooking pig manure produces an energy-dense
crude oil. What other alternative energy sources have recently become popular
considerations? SEARCH TERMS: hogs AND renewable energy sources
SPORTS RESEARCH TOPICS
SPORTS - 88th PGA Championship
TOPIC: The Professional Golfers Association will be holding its championships in
Medinah, Illinois. Large crowds are expected because of some key players competing in
the championship this year. Who are these players? Why will their presence create
heightened interest in this event? SEARCH TERMS: Professional Golfers Association
SPORTS - Preseason Football TOPIC: Preseason football games have started preparing teams
for the new season. What are some of the changes in players and coaches that could
impact the outcome of the season?
SEARCH TERMS: preseason AND football
SPORTS - Wimbledon
TOPIC: Roger Federer has beaten Rafael Nafdal to win the Wimbledon tennis championship.
What is significant about this win for Federer? SEARCH TERMS: Roger Federer AND Wimbledon
SPORTS - World Boxing
TOPIC: Oleg Maskaev is the new World Boxing Council heavyweight champion. Various
boxing associations have produced heavyweight champions from the same region. What
region is this? Why would they have so many champions?
SEARCH TERMS: Oleg Maskaev AND boxing
ARTS AND LITERATURE RESEARCH TOPICS
FILM AND TELEVISION - World Trade Center TOPIC: Oliver Stone, primarily known for
controversial films suggesting historical conspiracy, has made a film focusing on
ordinary heroes during the Sept. 11th attack on New York City's World Trade Center. What
film was Stone known to have outlined several conspiracy theories of the Kennedy
assassination? What has been the reaction to Stone's new film, World Trade Center?
SEARCH TERMS: World Trade Center AND film
FINE ARTS AND ARCHITECTURE - Julio Galan
TOPIC: Mexican expressionist painter Julio Galan was part of the neo-expressionist
movement in the 1980s. What are some of the other painters of this movement? Who are
some of the great painters that came from Mexico before Galan?
SEARCH TERMS: Julio Galan
LITERATURE - UC Joins Google Project
TOPIC: The University of California is joining Google's book scanning project, adding
another 100 academic libraries to the list of sources that Google is scanning into its
databases. What have been the legal questions regarding Google's project? What two
major groups have files lawsuits against Google?
SEARCH TERMS: Google Inc. AND digitization
PERFORMING ARTS - Duke Jordan
TOPIC: Duke Jordan, along with alto saxophone player Charlie Parker and trumpeter Dizzy
Gillespie, helped create the be-bop jazz movement. After leaving the U.S., in what
country did Jordan live and perform for many years? In what famous French film did he
play the soundtrack?
SEARCH TERMS: Duke Jordan
