“What in the World? Weekly Quiz" | Jun 19-25, 2023

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Last Week’s Quiz Winners

Tim Stewart, Nashville, TN
Rick Casebeer, Nashville, TN
Tim Douglas, Nashville, TN
Pete Griffin, Nashville, TN
Marcus Murphy, Sewanee, TN
Desikan Gandarva, Rocky River, OH
Martha Trammell, Nashville, TN
Bernie Drake, Peoria, IL
Donald McKenzie, Nashville, TN
Chris Culverhouse, Opelika, AL
Yezzie Dospil, Nashville, TN
Jim Shepherd, Nashville, TN
David Holmes, Madrid, Spain
Hannah Osborne, Chapel Hill, TN
Seth Osborne, Chapel Hill, TN

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MONTHLY QUIZ PRIZES ARE AWARDED TO DUES PAYING MEMBERS OF THE TNWAC WHO ARE AMONG THE WEEKLY WINNERS FOR THAT MONTH.

Where the United States and China could collide.

On Dangerous Ground: America’s Century in the South China Sea

by Gregory B. Poling (Author)

A robust yet accessible history of US involvement in the world’s most dangerous waterway, and a guide for what to do about it.

Lamentations that the United States is “losing” the South China Sea to China are now common. China has rapidly militarized islands and reefs, projects power across the disputed waterway, and freely harasses US allies and partners. The US has been unable to halt these processes or convince Beijing to respect the rights of smaller neighbors. But what exactly would “losing” mean?

In On Dangerous Ground, Gregory B. Poling evaluates US interests in the world’s most complex and dangerous maritime disputes by examining more than a century of American involvement in the South China Sea. He focuses on how the disputes there intersected and eventually intertwined with the longstanding US commitment to freedom of the seas and its evolving alliance network in Asia. He shows that these abiding national interests–defense of maritime rights and commitment to allies, particularly the Philippines–have repeatedly pulled US attention to the South China Sea. Understanding how and why is critical if the US and its allies hope to chart a course through the increasingly fraught disputes, while facing a more assertive, more capable, and far less compromising China.

With an emphasis on decisions made not just in Washington and Beijing, but also in Manila and other Southeast Asian capitals, On Dangerous Ground seeks to correct the record and balance the China-centric narrative that has come to dominate the issue. It not only provides the most comprehensive account yet of America’s history in the South China Sea, but it also demonstrates how that history should inform US national security policy in one of the most important waterways in the world.

Looking for a few good books? Check out Foreign Affairs bookshelf. [Link]

LAST WEEK’S QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

What in the World? Quiz – Week of Jun 12-18, 2023

1. The highest-level visit of a U.S. official to China since 2018 is set for next week when THIS Secretary of State travels to Beijing. He was set to visit last year but that trip, to restore high level contacts, was derailed by the spy balloon incident.

A. Janet Yellin
B. Jake Sullivan
C. William Burns
D. Antony Blinken

Correct Response: D. Antony Blinken
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/08/blinken-beijing-trip-cuba-00101152

2. Explosions breached the Nova Kakhova dam on the Dnipro River in THIS region of Ukraine. Kyiv blamed Russia for deliberately destroying the dam to prevent use of its roadway in the newly launched counteroffensive. The flooding has dislocated tens of thousands, caused environmental contamination and loosened landmines that are flowing downstream.

A. Kherson
B. Crimea
C. Donetsk
D. Zaporizhzhia

Correct Response: A. Kherson
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65818705

3. Ahead of a report and sanctions he misled Parliament over “Partygate” THIS former British Prime Minister resigned amid his charges the investigation was a “kangaroo court.” The so-called Partygate scandal stemmed from Covid-era gatherings at 10 Downing Street that violated pandemic restrictions.

A. Rishi Sunak
B. Boris Johnson
C. Tony Blair
D. David Cameron

Correct Response: B. Boris Johnson
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/06/09/boris-johnson-resigns-from-parliament-after-allegedly-misleading-mps/?sh=3c7a951b2d17

4. The White House confirmed that China established intelligence collection activities in THIS nation since at least 2019 in exchange for billions of dollars in support to this cash-strapped economy.

A. Venezuela
B. Nicaragua
C. Guatemala
D. Cuba

Correct Response: D. Cuba
https://apnews.com/article/china-cuba-spy-base-us-intelligence-0f655b577ae4141bdbeabc35d628b18f

5. Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees living in squalid camps in THIS neighboring country are calling for repatriation to Myanmar, their homeland, where they fled a murderous crackdown.

A. Malaysia
B. Bangladesh
C. Indonesia
D. India

Correct Response: B. Bangladesh
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/rohingya-refugees-bangladesh-camps-protest-demanding-repatriation-myanmar-2023-06-08

6. The former first minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party was arrested on financial corruption charges. THIS politician was known for leading an unsuccessful referendum for Scotland to leave the United Kingdom.

A. Alasdair Allen
B. Jeremy Balfour
C. Siobhian Brown
D. Nicola Sturgeon

Correct Response: D. Nicola Sturgeon
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/11/world/europe/nicola-sturgeon-scotland-arrest.html

7. Ebrahim Raisi, president of THIS country, visited Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba to boost ties with “like-minded and friendly” countries.

A. Libya
B. North Korea
C. Iran
D. Sudan

Correct Response: C. Iran

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/06/irans-president-travels-nicaragua-cuba-venezuela-anti-us-blitz

8. The European Union is considering a mandatory ban of THIS Chinese telecommunications giant over security threats posed by its 5G networking, as individual EU countries’ restrictions have not moved fast enough.

A. Huawei
B. Alibaba
C. China Mobile
D. Baidu

Correct Response: A. Huawei
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/huawei-says-proposed-eu-ban-093000421.html

9. The PGA Tour and THIS Saudi funded rival golf league announced a merger that highlighted the Kingdom’s financial weight.

A. Gulf Golf
B. XLV
C. LIV
D. Kingdom League

Correct Response: C. LIV
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-11/saudi-arabia-s-golf-deal-puts-biden-and-pga-in-same-awkward-position

10. The former multi-term Italian Prime Minister who dominated politics for decades has died. THIS media mogul who survived numerous scandals in office including “bunga bunga” parties was 86.

A. Silvio Berlusconi
B. Mario Draghi
C. Guisseppe Conte
D. Romano Prodi

Correct Response: A. Silvio Berlusconi
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/12/world/europe/silvio-berlusconi-dead.html

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Tennessee World Affairs Council Profile | Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

Member, Center for Nonprofit Management

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.