What in the World? Weekly Quiz – August 10-16, 2020

Authorities in Hong Kong escalated the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement using the newly enacted Chinese national security law by arresting THIS media chief who publishes the “Apple Daily,” a frequent critic of Beijing. About 200 police officers raided the “Apple Daily” offices carting off box-loads of documents while the journalists live-streamed the searches on Facebook.

G-7 members France and Germany have rejected American proposals for THIS response to pandemic issues after weeks of talks to address this global challenge, with one European official telling Reuters the American contributions were “rude.”

Canada has quickly responded to THIS new Trump Administration trade measure announced on Thursday with a $2.7 billion retaliatory tariff on U.S. goods with Deputy Prime Minister Chyrstia Freeland saying, “We will impose dollar-for-dollar countermeasures in a balanced and perfectly reciprocal retaliation.” THIS step just one month after a new trade deal, the USMCA, went into effect is likely to return tension to bilateral relations.

The head of the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center released a report Friday identifying foreign interference in the 2020 elections. President Trump, responding to conclusions his candidacy was being boosted by foreign efforts, commented that, "I think the last person [THIS COUNTRY] wants to see in office is Donald Trump … nobody's been tougher on [THIS COUNTRY] than I have, ever."

As U.S.-China ties continue to fray, THIS American visited Taiwan, the most senior official to go to the island, claimed by Beijing as a renegade province, since Washington cut ties with Taipei in 1979. China showed its irritation to this challenge to its sovereignty by sending two fighter jets toward the island as the talks began.

The State Department and the CDC canceled the “Do Not Travel” advisory for Americans planning trips abroad. The blanket declaration was replaced with country-by-country recommendations. THIS grouping of countries, respectively, were listed as “Level One – Low Risk,” and “Level Four – Do Not Travel.”

The State Department lead envoy in its “Maximum Pressure” campaign against Iran, Brian Hook, stepped down with no reason given. He will be replaced by Iran hard-liner Elliott Abrams as tensions with Tehran are likely to increase with THIS vote at the United Nations next week.