"What in the World?" - Week of October 24, 2016

The Philippines President walked back comments made in Beijing about a “separation” from a historic partnership with the United States a day after his summit with Chinese leaders where he also called for closer Manila-Moscow ties. In his clarification he said, “It is not severance of ties. When you say severance of ties, you cut diplomatic relations. I cannot do that," adding, “It's in the best interest of my countrymen to maintain that relationship." WHO is the President of the Philippines?

Just as US-Philippines relations were becoming more strained Vietnam opened the door to a more vigorous American presence in the region when Hanoi announced, through the Defense Ministry, that the country would support U.S. “intervention” in the Asia-Pacific if it would help keep peace and stability. The statement was a milestone in the long road back for US-Vietnam relations from America’s war there that ended with the fall of Saigon ON THIS DATE:

The International Criminal Court (ICC), the world’s first permanent war crimes court, has been under pressure over charges it was pursuing a “neo-colonial” agenda based on 9 out of 10 of its prosecutions having been against African leaders. Last week THIS COUNTRY announced its intention to withdraw from the court after it was criticized for failing to arrest visiting Sudanese President Bashir, wanted by the court for genocide and war crimes.

WHAT COUNTRY announced it could not remain idle and would “take measures” in response to prospects that Kurdish militants and Shi’ite militias would participate in current fighting in Iraq after Baghdad declined its offer of military support.

A Reuters article noted that, “A cartoon which appeared on social media shows a drowning Egyptian, only his hand protruding from the depths, waving for help. The next strips show [the country’s President] diving in, taking the drowning man's watch and turning away. The cartoon captures the mood of desperation and anger among Egyptians clobbered by tax rises, soaring food price inflation and cuts in state subsidies. Some fear a repeat of the mass street protests that drove [THIS PRESIDENT’S] two immediate predecessors from power.

Viktor Orban, right-wing leader of THIS COUNTRY, marked the commemoration of the 1956 anti-Communist uprising in his country by saying they must stand up to Europe’s “Sovietization” and defend against mass migration. He said they wanted to be a European nation not a nationality within Europe.

A three-day truce to allow for humanitarian aid movement expired last Sunday without extension and was marked by renewed air strikes from a coalition led by Saudi Arabia in THIS COUNTRY.

THIS BRITISH LEADER told the European Unit summit that the UK would “play a full role until we leave” but in reality Britain’s representatives in EU offices and the Parliament have already become sidelined following the Brexit decision.

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister invited his Russian counterpart to an important Gulf meeting of energy ministers as part of efforts to cooperate with non-OPEC members to stabilize the oil market according to Reuters. Which of these countries is NOT A MEMBER of OPEC?

The American general responsible for US military forces in the Middle East said he thought THIS COUNTRY had a “role” in the recent anti-ship missile attacks against U.S. Navy ships off the coast of Yemen.