This week's Conservative party conference was dominated by rows about HS2, despite Rishi Sunak’s efforts to focus attention on his proposals for motorists and net zero.
The prime minister had hoped to use the conference in Manchester to reframe his administration as one committed to making tough "long-term decisions for a brighter future". But headlines were dominated by speculation that the Birmingham-to-Manchester leg of the high-speed rail link was being scrapped – a rumour that Sunak finally confirmed in his closing speech.
Other political gatherings this week include the third meeting of the European Political Community, an informal group of nations formed after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Top of the European leaders' agenda is the possible enlargement of the European Union to include Ukraine, as well as several other nations hoping to join the bloc.
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In the US, the House of Representatives is grappling with the historic removal of Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his position. McCarthy's long-time ally Patrick McHenry has been installed as a temporary replacement as the House gears up to elect a new speaker.
After being mentioned by Fox News host Sean Hannity as a possible short-term speaker, Donald Trump then endorsed his staunch conservative ally Jim Jordan for the role, further increasing the tensions within the Republican Party between centrists and the right-wing.
To find out how closely you've been paying attention to the latest news and global events, put your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week.
1. How many times had a US House of Representatives speaker been removed from the role prior to the ousting of Kevin McCarthy?
5
3
2
0
2. Infestations of which unwanted pest are causing panic across Paris?
Wasps
Ants
Bedbugs
Fleas
3. Sharon White is to step down as chair of John Lewis after how many years in the role?
14
11
8
5
4. Customs agents at a Minnesota airport seized a box of giraffe poo from a woman who wanted to use the droppings to make what?
Health drinks
Jewellery
Face packs
Crockery
5. Which Spanish city hosted the third European Political Community summit?
Barcelona
Granada
Seville
Málaga
6. How many of the six planned central towers on Barcelona's unfinished Sagrada Familia cathedral have now been completed?
5
4
3
1
7. Which Hollywood actor is warning fans to "beware" a video advert featuring an AI-generated version of him?
Tom Holland
Tom Cruise
Tom Hiddleston
Tom Hanks
8. What will be the leading cause of cancer in women under 60 by 2030, according to a new study?
Obesity
Smoking
UV radiation
Alcohol
9. Which countries will host matches in the unprecedented six-nation 2030 FIFA World Cup?
Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Greece, Denmark and Finland
Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay
France, Ireland, UK, Germany, Sweden and Italy
Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Chile, South Africa and Egypt
10. Who won this year's Nobel Peace Prize?
Narges Mohammadi
Mahbouba Seraj
Ales Bialiatski
Abiy Ahmed Ali
1. 0 McCarthy made history on Tuesday by becoming the first House speaker to be voted out of the job, following a revolt by members of his own Republican Party, including Donald Trump. Florida congressman Matt Gaetz spearheaded the rebellion after McCarthy relied on Democratic votes to get a short-term spending deal passed to avert a government shutdown.
2. Bedbugs
Viral videos on social media appear to show bedbugs swarming inside the French capital's trains, subways, buses, cinemas and even at Charles-de-Gaulle airport. The authorities are under pressure to tackle the infestations before the city hosts the Olympics next summer, but experts say the tiny insects are on the rise worldwide.
3. 5
White announced she is to step down – making her the shortest-serving chair in John Lewis's history – after the retail group posted a £234 million loss in the last financial year. To find out more, listen to The Week Unwrapped podcast.
4.Jewellery
The unnamed Iowa woman, who was returning from Kenya, declared the small box of poo and explained her plan after her belongings were inspected at Minneapolis-Saint Paul airport. She told officials that she had previously made a necklace with moose faeces, but the border protection agency destroyed the giraffe droppings, citing their potential to spread disease.
6. 5
This week saw the installation of the final sculptural piece on the tower of Matthew the Evangelist, followed by the crowning of the tower of John the Evangelist with the figure of an eagle. The Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, which oversees the church's construction, is aiming to complete the planned central tower, which will represent Jesus, by 2026 – 144 years after building began.
7. Tom Hanks
The Oscar winner told his 9.5 million Instagram followers that he had "nothing to do" with "a video out there promoting some dental plan with an AI version of me". The actor has previously spoken about the "artistic challenge" posed by the use of artificial intelligence in film and TV.
8. Obesity
According to forecasts by Cancer Research UK, obesity will overtake smoking as the leading cause of cancer among women under 60 by 2030. The UK is "reaping the consequences" of a government failure to tackle rising rates of people being overweight and obese, said Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance.
9. Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay
In a controversial selection of six joint World Cup hosts for 2030, the majority of matches will be played in Morocco, Portugal and Spain, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will hold the opening three games.
10. Narges Mohammadi The jailed Iranian women's rights activist was awarded the prize this week for her fight against the oppression of women in the country, and for her efforts in promoting human rights and freedom for all. The Nobel committee's decision to honour Mohammadi was widely applauded, but the awards have also triggered controversies over the years.
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Sorcha Bradley is a writer at The Week and a regular on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. She worked at The Week magazine for a year and a half before taking up her current role with the digital team, where she mostly covers UK current affairs and politics. Before joining The Week, Sorcha worked at slow-news start-up Tortoise Media. She has also written for Sky News, The Sunday Times, the London Evening Standard and Grazia magazine, among other publications. She has a master’s in newspaper journalism from City, University of London, where she specialised in political journalism.
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