Naples Council on World Affairs What in the World? Weekly Quiz – December 18-24, 2023

The European Council agreed to open accession negotiations with THESE countries, a decision Ursula von der Leyen called "strategic" and "a day that will remain engraved in the history" of the European Union.

The lawyer for THIS leading Russian opposition figure said he had disappeared within the penal system. The Kremlin ignored requests for information and waved off Washington’s criticism of his treatment.

Authorities arrested seven people in Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands over THESE charges of terrorism.

Washington will continue to urge Israeli restraint in the war in Gaza with the visit of THIS U.S. Secretary of Defense who is said will urge PM Netanyahu to scale back the attacks and move on to the next phase of the campaign.

The trial of iconic publishing figure Jimmy Lai opened in THIS regional city. Lai ran the pro-democracy paper “Apple Daily” which was shut down in 2021 as a result of a draconian national security law. Lai, charged with “colluding with foreign forces,” faces life imprisonment.

Four of the largest global container ship companies announced a pause in sailings through the Red Sea and Suez Canal where 30% of global container traffic passes. The outbreak of anti-ship attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen, backed by Iran, has increased the danger of sailing through THIS global maritime chokepoint.

The year end, highly choreographed, marathon program "Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin” included all of these comments from the Russian ruler except THIS one.

The European Union’s rules for unanimous decisions allowed THIS Putin leaning leader, experienced in extortion and blackmail of his EU partners, to kill a $52B aid lifeline to Ukraine.

The prospect of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was rejected in an interview with THIS Israeli official who said, “Absolutely, no,” in response to a question about a Palestinian state, just as President Biden had said, “You cannot say no Palestinian state,” to bring peace.

The U.S. and China are in a “competitive relationship” when it comes to economic and military issues according to a recent statement by THIS U.S. Ambassador to China. He said the U.S. expects China to refrain from interference in next month’s presidential election in Taiwan.