What in the World?

Test yourself on the week of Aug. 22: A U.N. monitoring mission goes to Congo, the U.S. unveils an economic plan against Iran, and Putin issues a warning. Two humanoid robots run in the 100-meter final in the small robot category at the 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing. Two humanoid robots run in the 100-meter final in the small robot category at the 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on Aug. 26. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images Politics August 28, 2026, 1:23 PM U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order changing the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” this week. Beyond that eye-popping story, what else happened? Find out with our international news quiz! Have feedback? Email [email protected] to let me know your thoughts. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order changing the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” this week. Beyond that eye-popping story, what else happened? Find out with our international news quiz! 1. In a video released on Sunday, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced he would order the country’s immigration service to begin doing what? Recent government data suggests that there are hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who have fled economic and political crises to Colombia—and now they have to worry about deportation, FP’s Catherine Osborn writes in Latin America Brief. 2. A United Nations-backed monitoring mission deployed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Monday. What is it meant to oversee? The peace deal brokered by Trump in eastern Congo to disarm M23 means nothing to locals—and many would prefer M23 remains, Krista Karch and Merveille Kavira Luneghe reported in January. 3. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday unveiled a plan to cut Iran off from the global economy. What is that campaign called? If policymakers work on the assumption that the worst of the economic fallout from the Iran war is behind us, that could lead to true economic catastrophe, FP’s Emma Ashford and Matthew Rojansky argue. 4. What did Russian President Vladimir Putin say on Monday would happen to privately owned critical infrastructure facilities if their owners failed to protect them from Ukrainian attacks—or repair them after strikes? Concerns of nuclear escalation if Russia were on the verge of losing in Ukraine are misplaced. Other great powers have previously been humbled in conflict without resorting to nuclear warfare, Andreas Umland argues. 5. The commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces on Tuesday announced the official dissolution of the group. What will now happen to its remaining fighters? The practical and symbolic nature of daily governance in the Kurdish-led northeastern territory, formerly known as Rojava, remains fraught as it integrates into Syria, Hanna Davis reported earlier this month. 6. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that CIA director John Ratcliffe traveled to Russia earlier this week to do what? The trip came after new U.S. intelligence assessments suggested that Putin could seek to launch a limited attack on a member of the trans-Atlantic alliance, FP’s John Haltiwanger and Rishi Iyengar write in Situation Report. 7. Zambian police said on Thursday that opposition leader Brian Mundubile and his running mate are in police custody after being questioned in connection with which alleged crime? The results of the presidential election earlier this month are still being contested amid allegations of interference by incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema, FP’s Nosmot Gbadamosi reports in Africa Brief. 8. Taiwan’s opposition-controlled parliament on Thursday rejected the government’s proposed special military budget that would have focused on funding what? Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo criticized the opposition’s plan as limiting Taipei’s ability to bolster its drone capabilities, FP’s Alexandra Sharp reports in World Brief. 9. A humanoid robot set a new world record in the 100-meter dash at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday. Which human set the previous record of 9.58 seconds? (Hint: It was in 2009.) The robot beat Bolt’s record by 0.19 seconds, slamming full speed into a padded wall and crashing to the ground to end its race, the New York Times reports. 10. Fat Marmot Week kicked off in Colorado on Monday, aiming to raise money for what? Scientists hope to raise $200,000 to ensure research into marmots can continue next summer, 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. OTHER SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS Stories Readers Liked Go to slide 1 Go to slide 2 Go to slide 3 Go to slide 4 Go to slide 5 Go to slide 6 Go to slide 7 Go to slide 8 Go to slide 9 Go to slide 10 A woman crosses a road in front of a mural depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kashira, Russia, southeast of Moscow, on Oct. 16, 2017. The Western Myth of Russian Greatness By Christian Caryl A battle scene from the film ‘The Odyssey’ by director Christopher Nolan. An illustration depicting a man submerged up to his nose in water. The wavy water is divided horizontally into three color bands that mimic a flag: white foam at the very top peaks, a deep blue middle section filled with bubbles, and a red lower section covering his neck and suit jacket. His blue eyes look upward with a wide, strained expression. As the Tide Turns Against Putin, Beware the Drowning Man By Peter Frankopan Negotiators from the United States, Canada, and five European countries converse after finishing the draft of the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington on March 18, 1949. Trans-Atlanticism Isn’t Dead—It’s Being Renegotiated By Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer An illustration of a vintage-style map featuring North America and parts of Europe and Africa. Overlaid on the map are 3D red brick walls shaped exactly like the borders of the contiguous United States and Alaska, casting long shadows to the right. America, the Once Global Nation By Odd Arne Westad A creative illustration against a pale yellow background showing a garden planter containing a dense green hedge. Five human arms emerge from the hedge, with four of the hands holding small flags of China, Russia, the United States, and the European Union, while the fifth hand holds the flag of India. An illustration showing a pair of hands tightly wringing out an American flag. Water droplets shaped like missiles squeeze out of the twisted fabric and fall toward a puddle shaped like the map of Iran on a red background. Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin raises his right hand in a salute to Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is walking a level lower in a red-carpeted auditorium. Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he walks off stage at the end of a campaign rally at the Santander Arena on November 04, 2024 in Reading, Pennsylvania. An aerial photo shows Doha in the booming petrostate of Qatar. Back to School An illustration shows the back of a person wearing a graduation cap with a globe motif on it. A hand reaches in to move a locator pin on the top of the cap/map. So You Want to Work in International Affairs A veteran practitioner’s 12 tips to land that first job. An illustration of hands tossing graduation caps into the air against a blue sky and lines of a chart for a ranking of international relations schools. A teacher interacts with students at a UNRWA school. Students graduate during a ceremony at Tsinghua University in Beijing on July 18, 2007.