2022 World Affairs Council of the Year
Network of Independent World Affairs Councils of America
TODAY IS A GREAT DAY TO BECOME A MEMBER OF YOUR WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL
Give to support global affairs awareness programs in the community and in your schools.
LAST WEEK’S QUIZ WINNERS
David Hillinck, Huntsville, AL
Mathew Miletich, Nashville, TN
Himanshu Manchanda, Nashville, TN
Charles Bowers, Nashville, TN
Oliver Fisk, Richmond, VA
Allan Ramsaur, Nashville, TN
Pete Griffin, Nashville, TN
Tucker Handley, Cleveland, OH
Connie Trisdale, Nashville, TN
Yezzie Dospil, Nashville, TN
July 2020 – Quiz Prize
You must be a TNWAC active member to win.
“Crude Oil, Crude Money: Aristotle Onassis, Saudi Arabia and the CIA”
By Thomas Lippman
Mr. Lippman was the TNWAC distinguished speaker for our July 14, 2020 Webinar on global energy and his book, “Crude Oil, Crude Money.”
Watch Here (YouTube) | Listen Here (Podcast)
“Crude Oil, Crude Money” — Tells the untold story of how Exxon, Mobil, Chevron, and Texaco teamed up with the CIA and Department of State to thwart the plans of Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who almost managed to reshape the Middle East.
In 1954 Aristotle Onassis (long before he married Jacqueline Kennedy) made a bold business gamble: he tried to corner the crude oil shipping market by signing a deal with the King of Saudi Arabia. If it had worked, it would have reshaped the history of the Middle East. As it was, the proposed deal terrified British and U.S. oil companies and the Dulles brothers, who saw it as the first move in the nationalization of Saudi oil. Complicating things were the burgeoning Arab nationalist movement led by Egypt’s newly elected president, Gamal Nasser. And of course there were the Soviets, now without Stalin, eager to build influence in the region.
This little known story about the collision of nationalism, money, celebrity, and oil sheds new light on the tangled history of the Middle East. Drawing on the author’s immense knowledge of the Middle East, and original research incorporating unexplored declassified documents, the book is an eye-opener for students of U.S. foreign policy, anyone interested in the global oil business, and scholars and historians of the role of the U.S. in the Arab world.
• Dramatically illustrates the convergence of interests of the U.S. government and big business
• Shows how McCarthy-era phobia about communism affected U.S. foreign policy decisions―even when no communists were involved
• Examines history with enduring ramifications through narrative to engage students and general readers
• Unveils a world of international intrigue unknown to most citizens
Give to support global affairs awareness programs in the community and in your schools.
Last week’s questions and answers:
WHAT IN THE WORLD QUIZ – WEEK OF July 13-19, 2020
1. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan officially declared that THIS 1,500-year-old monument is a mosque and announced that the first Muslim prayers will begin there in two weeks. The monument was converted to a museum by founding statesman Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, but a top Turkish court ruled last week that the museum conversion was illegal.
A. Hagia Sophia
B. Topkapi Palace
C. Blue Mosque
D. Basilica Cistern
Correct Response: A. Hagia Sophia
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-museum-verdict/erdogan-declares-hagia-sophia-a-mosque-after-turkish-court-ruling-idUSKBN24B1UP
2. China has expressed that it would be “happy” to join trilateral nuclear arms control talks with the United States and Russia but on the condition that the US does THIS.
A. Allows Chinese company Huawei to expand its 5G technology across the US
B. Publicly condemns Hong Kong pro-democracy protestors
C. Ends “inflammatory rhetoric” about Chinese policies in Xinjiang
D. Reduces its nuclear arsenal to match China’s
Correct Response: D. Reduces its nuclear arsenal to match China’s
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/08/asia/china-us-nuclear-treaty-intl-hnk/index.html
3. President Andrzej Duda, an ally of President Trump, won reelection in a tough contest over the weekend in THIS country. An ally of the conservative “Law and Justice” (PiS) government, Mr. Duda’s win is expected to bring controversial changes to the country’s judiciary as well as continued opposition to abortion and gay rights and more friction with the country’s media and the EU.
A. Hungary
B. Germany
C. Poland
D. Serbia
Correct Response: C. Poland
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-election/polish-president-duda-wins-election-new-battles-with-eu-loom-idUSKCN24E0CT
4. Among new measures put in place by South Africa to help contain the spread of coronavirus, THIS restriction is aimed at taking pressure off the national healthcare system. This comes weeks after the lifting of a similar three-month restriction that had been put into place to prevent fighting, curb domestic violence, and reduce emergency admissions to hospitals in the country.
A. A mandatory 14-day quarantine for all non-citizens living in or traveling to South Africa
B. A stay-at-home mandate applying to all citizens except non-essential workers
C. A ban on the sale of alcohol
D. An expansion of police presence in high-crime areas
Correct Response: C. A ban on the sale of alcohol
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53382797
5. After months of downplaying the seriousness of the COVID-19 virus, THIS South American leader tested positive for the disease last week. His country is second only to the United States in numbers of coronavirus infections and deaths, but he has regularly appeared in public and at rallies without a face mask or physical distancing protocols.
A. Ivan Duque Marquez of Colombia
B. Juan Guaido of Venezuela
C. Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela
D. Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil
Correct Response: D. Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/07/americas/brazil-bolsonaro-positive-coronavirus-intl/index.html
6. Over 600,000 Hong Kong citizens took part in THIS “symbolic protest” gesture over the weekend, following the imposition of tough national security laws on the Chinese-ruled city by the government in Beijing.
A. An opposition primary election to choose the strongest pro-democracy candidates for September’s Hong Kong Legislative Council elections
B. A masked ‘die-in’ demonstration set in the luxury shopping and office district, Times Square
C. A choreographed flash mob set to the pro-democracy “Glory to Hong Kong” march anthem
D. A 29+ hour period of silence, each minute representing the number of pro-democracy protestors charged since March 2019
Correct Response: A. A pro-democracy opposition primary election
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-election/500000-hong-kongers-cast-protest-vote-against-new-security-laws-idUSKCN24D0CP
7. The UN Security Council voted to do THIS, scoring a victory for Russia on behalf of their ally Syria, but threatening to cut off a crucial lifeline for 1.3 million people in northwest Syria. The vote comes as the rebel-held territory has recently reported its first case of COVID-19 in the region.
A. Limit humanitarian aid deliveries the region to a single border crossing point from Turkey
B. Prohibit World Health Organization officials from working with rebel leadership in the region to access communities
C. Implement a no-fly zone over the region to limit military exercises, that would also eliminate humanitarian supply drops
D. Formally recognize several of the dominant rebel groups in the region as “foreign terrorist organizations”
Correct Response: A. Limit humanitarian aid deliveries to northwest Syria to a single border crossing point
https://apnews.com/819e448a1cd3a48b221d1b5e2638c4cb
8. In a report released by Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, Iranian investigators blamed THIS for the downing of a Ukrainian jetliner in January that killed 176 people.
A. International sanctions and a reliance on malfunctioning Russian technology
B. A rebel group of Zaydi Shiites whose actions were blamed on Iran due to Israeli propaganda
C. The American drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad
D. Misaligned missile technology and miscommunication within the military
Correct Response: D. Misaligned missile technology and miscommunication within the military
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/12/iran-blames-errors-for-jet-shootdown-357459
9. In response to allegations of human rights violations against Muslim minorities in Western China, the US has announced new sanctions that target THIS. Sanctions have also been placed on the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau.
A. Private security contractors helping to administer forced labor camps in the region
B. Prominent American firms that subcontract labor to factories in Xinjiang
C. The US-connected financial interests of regional Chinese officials
D. Members of the Chinese military named in leaked documents as participants in program for the forced sterilization of Uighur people
Correct Response: C. The US-connected financial interests of regional Chinese officials
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53355697
10. Amidst the fight against coronavirus, Southeast Asia has seen “exploding numbers” of cases of THIS tropical disease. Public health officials suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic could be facilitating the disease’s spread, with more people staying at home in countries like Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia who therefore have more contact with the mosquitos that are spreading the disease.
A. Cholera
B. Dengue fever
C. Yellow fever
D. Chagas disease
Correct Response: B. Dengue fever
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/10/outbreak-of-dengue-fever-in-southeast-asia-is-exploding-amid-the-coronavirus-fight.html
Copyright: 2020 Tennessee World Affairs Council
Give to support global affairs awareness programs in the community and in your schools.
THANKS TO SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FOR SUPPORT OF ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST 2020
THANKS TO SUSTAINING PARTNER BELMONT UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
THANKS TO SUSTAINING PARTNER NASHVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL
THANKS TO THE TNWAC WEEKLY QUIZ PARTNERS
THE MISSION of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Tennessee World Affairs Council is to promote international awareness, understanding and connections to enhance the region’s global stature and to prepare Tennesseans to thrive in our increasingly complex and connected world.
THE VISION of the Tennessee World Affairs Council is a well-informed community that thinks critically about the world and the impact of global events.
Learn more about the Council and find how you can join, donate and volunteer:
