What in the World?

Test yourself on the week of Nov. 26: China protests, Germany and Qatar sign a deal, and Biden hosts his first state visit.

An illustration of Alexandra Sharp, World Brief newsletter writer
An illustration of Alexandra Sharp, World Brief newsletter writer
Alexandra Sharp
By , the World Brief writer at Foreign Policy.
Paul Mashatile, the African National Congress’s acting secretary-general, addresses the media at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Johannesburg on Dec. 2.
Paul Mashatile, the African National Congress’s acting secretary-general, addresses the media at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Johannesburg on Dec. 2.
Paul Mashatile, the African National Congress’s acting secretary-general, addresses the media at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Johannesburg on Dec. 2. GUILLEM SARTORIO/AFP via Getty Images

After a holiday hiatus, we’re back with our signature news quiz! How much do you remember about the world this week?

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

After a holiday hiatus, we’re back with our signature news quiz! How much do you remember about the world this week?


1. Thousands of people took to China’s streets over the weekend to protest the country’s strict zero-COVID measures. Which symbol are protesters using to defy Beijing’s censorship laws?

These demonstrations represent “the largest wave of popular protest” since those before the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, FP’s James Palmer explains.


2. A monthslong cease-fire between Pakistan’s government and which group collapsed on Monday after an uptick in attacks?

The terrorist group is exploiting weak governance and political turmoil, FP’s Lynne O’Donnell reports.


3. U.S. President Joe Biden met with which national leader this week for the first state visit of his administration?

The Biden administration hopes this meeting will repair diplomatic damage after the so-called AUKUS deal snubbed France last year.


4. Germany and Qatar signed a 15-year deal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) on Tuesday. Beginning in 2026, how many tons of LNG will Doha supply to Berlin each year?

Germany has struggled to diversify its energy supply sources since Russia cut its gas flows to the country, FP’s Anchal Vohra wrote in August.


5. Which former world leader—a proponent of market reform—died on Wednesday at the age of 96?

Many may be nostalgic for Jiang’s openness to Western culture as well as his seeming willingness to hear some criticism of the Chinese Communist Party, Victor Shih remembers.


6. Also on Wednesday, the European Union proposed establishing a special tribunal to address which crimes against humanity?

The two models under consideration are an international court or a hybrid court, both of which have been used in past conflicts, I explained in July.


7. UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance sent 2 million vaccines to Syria this week to combat the outbreak of which disease?

Preparing for pandemics is no longer solely the health sector’s problem but an issue that must be addressed by world leaders, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Helen Clark argued in August.


8. Authorities in South Africa are accusing President Cyril Ramaphosa of potentially violating the country’s constitution after failing to report that he was the victim of a theft of more than $4 million in 2020—though he claims only about $500,000 was taken. From where does Ramaphosa say the money came?

Despite Ramaphosa’s charm and confidence, he has struggled to lead the African National Congress party, Eusebius McKaiser argued in 2019, a year before the 2020 “Farmgate” scandal occurred.


9. On Thursday, Mexico announced it would raise the nation’s minimum wage by 20 percent beginning in 2023. What is the current minimum wage?

From fueling the drug war to disputing trade agreements with its North American neighbors, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has made drastic changes to his country’s economic foundations throughout his tenure.


10. UNESCO added which classic food to its famous cultural heritage list on Wednesday?

Macron hailed the U.N. body’s decision, calling the loaf “250 grams of magic and perfection in our daily lives.” The author of this quiz enthusiastically agrees.

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Alexandra Sharp is the World Brief writer at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @AlexandraSSharp

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