What in the World? Weekly Quiz – December 14-20, 2020

Margaret Keenan, a 90-year old grandmother, was first to get the COVID-19 vaccination “jab” as the UK became the first country to deploy the Pfizer vaccine. Second in line was another senior citizen who shares THIS famous playwright’s name, giving the Internet time for such humor as “Taming of the Flu,” and “Two Gentlemen of Corona.”

The White House called a weekend meeting for the National Security Council to discuss a breach of computer security at the Commerce and Treasury Departments and possibly other U.S. Government agencies believed to be the result of an attack by THIS country.

Prime Minister Metter Frederiksen issued an apology last week for a policy of THIS country in 1951 to remove 22 children from their homes in Greenland, now an autonomous region, “as part of a social experiment to improve cultural links.” Sixteen of the children ended up in orphanages and many never saw their families again. [“Daily Chatter,” Members’ Newsletter Question of the Week]

Activists around THIS country are back in the streets in renewed #EndSARS protests that were quieted by the army opening fire on demonstrators in the capital, Lagos, in October. The initial protests responded to police violence by the Special Anti-Robery Squad (SARS), grievances that have not yet been resolved. [USIP Question of the Week]

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen concluded talks last week on a December 31 Brexit agreement deadline with THIS result.

The Secretary General of the United Nations called on every country to declare a “climate emergency” on the fifth anniversary of the Paris agreement, challenging, “Can anybody still deny that we are facing a dramatic emergency?” WHO is the UN Secretary General?

Iran has angered THIS P5+1 partner with the execution of dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam. He headed “Amandnews” from exile in THIS country before being grabbed last year by Iranian Guard forces in Iraq. The hanging of Zam already has resulted in THIS country pulling out of business talks with Tehran.

The Vietnam Communist Party leadership is meeting this week in THIS capital city to discuss top posts that will be confirmed in a January Congress. Vietnam does not have a “paramount” leader instead relying on “four pillars” – president, prime minister, party chief and assembly leader. Leaders are chosen by age and origin, for example general secretaries have been chosen only from the northern half of the country.

The United States will fund a project to monitor water levels at Chinese dams on the Mekong River that are blamed for damage to 60 million people downstream who rely on the river for fishing and farming. The American role is likely to increase US-China tensions over South East Asian nations’ issues. The 2,700-mile Mekong flows from China through these countries except THIS one.