***What in the World? Weekly Quiz – August 31-September 6, 2020***

The longest serving prime minister in Japan’s history is stepping down due to health reasons. THIS Prime Minister, the head of the Liberal Democratic Party, was famous for economic policies dubbed “Abenomics” that sought to rebuild Japan’s troubled economy. 

The Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) suspended THIS country from its institutions, shut their borders and stopped banking ties after an August 18^th coup toppled President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The ECOWAS nations are concerned that instability in THIS country could affect the fight against Islamist militants in the region.

President Macron of France is calling for a hard stance among EU allies against Turkey over Ankara’s gas exploration encroachment in the off-shore economic zone of THIS nation. The face-off has taken on a military dimension in the latest irritant between Turkey and France.

The United States will step up responses to what National Security Advisor O’Brien said was “very aggressive” behavior by China, by organizing talks among the so-called “Quad” security partner nations. Which of THESE countries is NOT in the “Quad.”

American and Russian Army patrols met in a skirmish that involved patrol vehicles colliding in an open field with a Russian helicopter flying low over U.S. Forces in THIS country. President Trump pulled back much of the U.S. Force deployed there last year.

Last week Tehran reversed itself in a feud with the international community over THIS just as the UN Security Council is wrangling over restoring sanctions against Iran’s economy.

The world’s largest oil exporter reported a year-on-year decline in oil exports of 55%, or $8.7 billion in revenue, that followed a $12 billion year on year drop in May. THIS country faces a deepening recession as global energy demand has dropped amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Chinese military spokesman said, “China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters in the region, and the command troops are always on high alert to resolutely protect national sovereignty and safeguard peace and stability in the region of the South China Sea,” in response to THIS development last week.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence will no longer brief key Congressional committees on THIS issue.