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What in the World?

This week in FP’s international news quiz: Fighting escalates in Ethiopia, COP26 convenes in Scotland, and the Russian military is on the move.

By Nina Goldman, a deputy copy editor at Foreign Policy.

A man points at the cover of a local newspaper in Ethiopia.

November 5, 2021, 4:05 PM

Are you up to speed on international news? Test yourself with our weekly quiz!

1. Tensions have spiked in Ethiopia this week, with rebels now threatening the country’s capital. What is the rebel paramilitary group called?

2. Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party held on to its majority in last Sunday’s elections, with the help of its longtime coalition partner, a small pacifist party. What is this partner party called?

Experts Tobias Harris and Levi McLaughlin break down how the Komeito party has had an outsized impact in Japanese politics.

3. As world leaders discussed how to address climate change at the United Nations summit in Scotland this week, who notably chose to attend the event virtually?

4. At the U.N. climate summit, known as COP26, U.S. President Joe Biden promoted his Build Back Better World initiative—which is often seen as an effort to compete with which major Chinese project?

Last month, FP’s Keith Johnson took a deep dive into the competing projects.

5. When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, some advocates argue kelp would be a big help in offsetting their impact.

What percentage of federal waters off the California coast would need to be turned into kelp farms to offset emissions from the state’s agriculture industry?

In the most recent episode of Heat of the Moment, a podcast by FP Studios in partnership with the Climate Investment Funds, a regenerative ocean farmer details how to save the planet with a little shellfish, seaweed, and kelp.

6. Several Persian Gulf states pulled their ambassadors from which country last weekend over a government minister’s controversial remarks on the war in Yemen?

Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi said the Houthis are acting in “self-defense” in the conflict.

7. Peru’s Congress approved the president’s new cabinet this week. What is the national leader’s name?

8. On Monday, the European Commission intervened in an ongoing dispute between France and the United Kingdom over what issue?

9. U.S. officials raised concerns this week over Russian equipment movements near the border of which country?

FP’s Amy Mackinnon reports on what the equipment movements might mean.

10. Which creature was controversially voted in as New Zealand’s 2021 Bird of the Year this week?

The long-tailed bat’s victory prompted contest spokesperson Laura Keown to joke, “I think I’m going to be fired.” But in the bat fans’ defense, the Maori word for bird, manu, can also describe other flying creatures.

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Have feedback? Email whatintheworld@foreignpolicy.com to let me know your thoughts.

Nina Goldman is a deputy copy editor at Foreign Policy.