What in the World?

Test yourself on the week of Sept. 26: Trump pressures Zelensky, Venezuelans protest, and Morocco picks a new prime minister. A woman places messages on the shields of Bolivarian National Police members during an anti-regime protest outside the National Electoral Council headquarters in Caracas. A woman places messages on the shields of Bolivarian National Police members during an anti-regime protest outside the National Electoral Council headquarters in Caracas on Oct. 1. Juan BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images Politics October 2, 2026, 2:24 PM It’s October! Before you start carving pumpkins, see if you kept up with (equally spooky) global headlines with this week’s international news quiz. Have feedback? Email [email protected] to let me know your thoughts. It’s October! Before you start carving pumpkins, see if you kept up with (equally spooky) global headlines with this week’s international news quiz. 1. What did U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday urge Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to do? The White House’s strategy of repeatedly shifting pressure to end the Russia-Ukraine war from Kyiv to Moscow is not an effective use of U.S. power—and does nothing to help end the war, FP columnist Stephen M. Walt argues. 2. Venezuelans took to the streets on Sunday to demand the safe return of a major opposition leader as well as presidential elections. What is that opposition figure’s name? Trump, meanwhile, has continued to pursue opportunities to exploit Venezuela’s resources, including a recent push to develop its gold reserves, FP’s Sam Skove reported in September. 3. The Trump administration announced a wave of visa restrictions on political and business figures from several Latin American countries on Monday. Which of the below countries was not included on that list? The United States said that the sanctioned individuals—many of whom are on the political left—are connected to corruption and narcotrafficking but did not provide evidence, FP’s Catherine Osborn reports in Latin America Brief. 4. Moroccan King Mohammed VI named Urban Planning and Housing Minister Fatima Zahra Mansouri as the country’s prime minister on Tuesday. What is notable about her appointment? Mansouri’s party, the Authenticity and Modernity Party, secured 97 seats in the country’s lower house of parliament. Because the body has 395 seats, that means she will need to form a coalition government, FP’s Nosmot Gbadamosi reports in Africa Brief. 5. According to a report published on Tuesday, generative artificial intelligence adoption in China in the first half of 2026 exceeded what notable benchmark? There is greater trust in AI in China than in the United States, FP’s James Palmer writes in China Brief. 6. Against what enemy did Pakistan say it would defend Saudi Arabia by “whatever means are available” on Tuesday? Pakistan’s security pact with Saudi Arabia and its desire to be a mediator for conflicts in the wider Middle East may eventually force Islamabad to make a difficult choice, Salman Masood wrote in April. 7. What did British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday suggest that the United Kingdom would consider doing? Burnham’s suggestion signals a desire to hedge against dependence on the United States, something that previous prime ministers in the post-Brexit era have done to their own detriment, Andi Hoxhaj argued in July. 8. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio waived a restriction on $320 million in military aid to Egypt on Thursday. The aid had previously been withheld on what grounds? As Egypt finds itself entangled in numerous regional conflicts, it has had to maneuver between competing and contradictory demands, FP columnist Steven A. Cook writes. 9. Two pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, arrived at a U.S. zoo on Sunday following last week’s summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Where are the pandas now housed? The pandas, which arrived via a dedicated “FedEx Panda Express,” are the first at the zoo since 2024, Zoo Atlanta said. 10. Why was a lower-division English soccer club given a chance to replay a game on Tuesday? A Woodford Town goal was disallowed due to player encroachment, which led to the indirect free kick by Mulbarton and a Woodford loss, The Associated Press reports. You scored It’s a big world out there! Brush up on global goings-on by subscribing to World Brief, Foreign Policy’s flagship daily newsletter. You scored Perfection! You’re a pro who needs the in-depth insights offered in Situation Report, our newsletter on national security and defense. Have feedback? Email [email protected] to let me know your thoughts. Politics Drew Gorman is a deputy copy editor at Foreign Policy. 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