What in the World?

Have feedback? Email [email protected] to let me know your thoughts. 1. The results of Peru’s presidential runoff election on Sunday were still too close to call at time of writing. How many presidents has the country had in the past decade? Whoever wins will still face an uphill battle to govern effectively, as Peruvians have forced out six of those nine leaders, Foreign Policy’s Catherine Osborn reports in Latin America Brief. 2. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Southeast Asia on Monday. Which country was home to its epicenter? The disaster struck just eight months after another major quake hit the Philippine province of Cebu, FP’s Joseph Rachman writes in Southeast Asia Brief. 3. On Monday, the European Union voted to expand its Operation Irini to inspect ships suspected of transporting oil from which country? The move—along with the bloc’s latest sanctions package—marks a renewed effort to stifle the oil revenues funding Russia’s war in Ukraine, FP’s Keith Johnson reports. 4. Estonia hosted a summit for regional leaders on Tuesday. Which leader joined to discuss ways to shoot down drone incursions? Ukraine has faced criticism for its drones straying into the airspace of Estonia, Lithuania, and other countries, and Zelensky has responded by offering to share his country’s counter-drone expertise, FP’s Alexandra Sharp reports in World Brief. 5. Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a visit to North Korea on Tuesday. When was the last time that Xi visited the country? One of Xi’s priorities on this week’s trip was preventing Pyongyang from drifting too far into Russia’s orbit, FP’s James Palmer writes in China Brief. 6. Also on Tuesday, soccer referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan announced that he had been denied entry to the United States, where he was supposed to officiate at the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Which African nation is his home country? The Trump administration’s prohibitive travel bans and crackdown on immigration threaten the success of the tournament, Antonio De Loera-Brust argued in December. 7. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on social media to take over Kharg Island and other Iranian oil infrastructure. How long did it take him to make another post backing down from the threat? The administration’s flip-flops and false signals are symptoms of a situation spiraling out of Washington’s control, FP’s John Haltiwanger reports. 8. Officials from which country announced on Thursday that the rate of Amazon deforestation had dropped by 61.4 percent in the month of May compared to the previous year? Deforestation and land theft in the Amazon have sparked another type of disaster: increased risk of forest fires, Antônio Sampaio wrote in 2024. 9. On Friday, Pope Leo XIV concluded a weeklong trip to Spain. Which other VIP was visiting the country this week? On the visit, the pope prioritized addressing Europe’s migration crisis. Other recent issues on his agenda have included peace and artificial intelligence, the latter of which Christopher White wrote about in May. 10. Thursday saw the opening match of the World Cup, played in Mexico City between South Africa and Mexico. Including both the men’s and women’s tournaments, which player has scored the most goals in World Cup history? With 17 career World Cup goals, the generational player, known mononymously as Marta, has revolutionized women’s soccer within Brazil and worldwide, SB Nation reports. It’s a big world out there! Brush up on global goings-on by subscribing to World Brief, Foreign Policy’s flagship daily newsletter. Great job! Now dig deeper by subscribing to Foreign Policy’s one-stop regional newsletters: Africa Brief, China Brief, Latin America Brief, South Asia Brief, and Southeast Asia Brief. Perfection! You’re a pro who needs the in-depth insights offered in Situation Report, our newsletter on national security and defense. Have feedback? Email [email protected] to let me know your thoughts. Commenting is a benefit of a Foreign Policy subscription. Join the conversation on this and other recent Foreign Policy articles when you subscribe now. Please follow our comment guidelines, stay on topic, and be civil, courteous, and respectful of others’ beliefs. I agree to abide by FP’s comment guidelines. (Required) The default username below has been generated using the first name and last initial on your FP subscriber account. Usernames may be updated at any time and must not contain inappropriate or offensive language. I agree to abide by FP’s comment guidelines. (Required)

What in the World?

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