Friday 26 May 2017

Here's this week's newsquiz - give it a go

Last week’s top scorer in the newsquiz was Toby Brown - who ‘danced a little news jig’ - with 19. It was the same score achieved by my mates from my student days at our 40-year reunion. Simon O’Neill and Liz Gerard continued their strong runs with 18. The Batstone Collective scored 17 as did Janet Boyle. This week’s quiz is obviously dominated by the terrible events in Manchester. As usual there are 25 questions. Let me know how you get on.  



1. The bomb attack at Manchester Arena was at the end of a concert by which American singer?
2. The suicide bomber's father Ramadan Abedi and brother Hashim were arrested in which country?
3. After the attack the UK threat level was raised from ’severe’ to which category?
4. Tony Walsh's poem at a vigil in Albert Square to remember the victims of the Manchester terror attack was greeted with cheers and applause. What is the poem called?
5. Which comedian quit Twitter after being trolled for sending a supportive tweet to the singer whose concert was targeted by the Manchester bomber?
6. Manchester police stopped passing information about the bombings to American intelligence after photos of the attack were apparently leaked to which newspaper?
7. The Queen met child victims of the Manchester Arena suicide bomb on a visit to which hospital?
8. Who dedicated Manchester United’s Europa Cup victory over Ajax to 'England, Manchester and the people who died’?
9. Who was heckled and booed at the UKIP manifesto launch after saying it 'sounds as if you are near as damn it blaming the Prime Minister for this attack and the circumstances that led to it’?
10. In an interview with Theresa May, BBC’s Andrew Neil said the hastily-announced cap on social care costs sounded ‘uncosted and ________’. What is the missing hyphenated word?
11. A YouGov poll published this week said that the Conservative lead over Labour had fallen to how many percentage points?
12. Who described Jeremy Corbyn as being on 'the right side of history’?
13. Seventy-three-year-old Isabella Jackson from Fife was jailed for 45 months for making death threats to whom?
14. Whose solicitor suggested his client’s approach of seeking witnesses to his alleged crime was the actions of an innocent man or an idiot?
15. One Premier League manager saved his team from relegation and then quit. Another two failed to save their teams from relegation and quit. Name two of the managers. Half a point for each. 
16. What was bought at a car boot sale in Middlesex 30 years ago and is expected to riase £350,000 when it is auctioned at Sotheby’s next month?
17. Which TV drama by David Lynch returned for a third series - 26 years since its last episode?
18. US president Donald Trump met the Pope at the Vatican and presented him with a large box filled with books written by whom?
19. Which country's Prime Minister did President Trump push out of the way to be in the front row of a group photo of world leaders at the Nato summit in Brussels?
20. Why was Giles Deacon in the headlines?
21. Appeal court judges ruled that doctors should be allowed to stop life-support treatment for an ill baby. What is his name?
22. How many times did Roger Moore, who died aged 89 this week, play James Bond?
23. Five people from Romania were killed when a car crashed into a lorry on which motorway?
24. Former TV weatherman Fred Talbot has been found guilty of historical sex offences. On which TV programme did he present weather reports from a large floating map of the British Isles?
25. Who indavertently posed with pictures of Fred West, Peter Sutcliffe, Adam Johnson, Stalin and Harold Shipman?

Answers here

Friday 19 May 2017

Here's the newsquiz: Give it a go

Well done to Janet Boyle who scored 17 in last week's newsquiz, the top individual scorer, and to Team Beyeler who were the top team with an impressive 21. Other notable scores were the Penman Partnership on 17.5, Liz Gerard and other half with 15, Toby Brown with 15 and Damon Wake on 14. Here's this week's quiz. As usual there are 25 questions about the week. Give it a go and let me know how you get on. 

The Sun's take on the Tory Manifesto
 1. Theresa May, launching the Conservative election manifesto, said: 'There is no _____  there is only good solid Conservatism that puts the interests of working people at its heart’. What is the missing word?
2. The Conservative manifesto included a promise that anyone with assets of less than how much would not pay for social care in later life?
3. The manifesto said the Tories would increase overall spending on what by a minimum of £8 billion over the next five year?
4. In an 11-point plan by the Conservatives how long will employees be allowed to take from their job to care for elderly relatives?
5. The Labour manifesto promised how many extra bank holidays per year?
6. On The Marr Show, Labour's Emily Thornberry revealed that defence secretary Michael Fallon was where on May 27, 2007?
7. Which American tweeted: 'U.K. You've got the guy. Register by May 22nd. Vote for Jeremy Corbyn...show us how it's done!#grime4corbyn’? 
8. The Lib Dems said in their manifesto they would put how much on income tax in the next financial year to raise around £6 billion a year for the NHS, care services and public health?
9. Moors murderer Ian Brady died in a secure psychiatric unit in Merseyside, where he had been detained since 1985. What is it called?
10. What was the name of the moor where Ian Brady and Myra Hindley buried four of their victims?
11. Why was 26-year-old Richard Rojas in the headlines?
12. What was the name of the Windows ransomware which attacked computers in 150 countries?
13. The hackers who took control of computers in 150 countries demanded $300 (£230) payments to restore access. What currency did they want payment?
14. What is the name of the 22-year-old blogger who was credited with stopping the ransomware attack from spreading across the globe by triggering a 'kill switch’?
15. Antonio Conte won the title with Chelsea and then set his players a target of becoming the first team in Premier League history to reach how many wins by beating Sunderland on Sunday?
16. James Hewitt suffered a heart attack and stroke and was rushed to the Derriford Hospital in which city?
17. Which country won this year’s Eurovision?
18. Name the newly appointed Prime Minister of France.
19. Pippa Middleton will marry a millionaire hedge fund manager at a lavish ceremony on Saturday. What is his name?
20. Paul McCartney is to feature in which film?
21. The demolition of which London stadium, which opened in 1899, began this week?
22. Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, who was found hanged this week, wrote and sang the theme song for which James Bond film?
23. Who was released from today ready to face a trial at Southwark Crown Court, charged with the indecent assault of three teenagers?
24. Who was awarded this year’s prestigious Bafta fellowship, saying it was the 'grandest and most unexpected prize I have ever had the joy of receiving.’ 
25. What did film producer Trevor Beattie buy for £4,200 at an auction and describe his purchase as 'like Charlie Chaplin's moustache or Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves’?

Answers here

Friday 12 May 2017

Have a crack at this week's newsquiz

The top individual score in last week's newsquiz was Simon O'Neill with a modest 13. Liz Gerard was second with 12. It must have been a tough one. The top teams were Dominic and Greg Hurst with 17, narrowly ahead of the Penman Partnership and the Batstone Collective on 16. Here is this week's quiz. As usual there are 25 questions about the week. Give it a go and let me know how you get on. 


The front and back pages of Liberation - 
Well played on the front, Well done on the back (Questions 9 and 10)

1. The Labour manifesto said it would repeal a Tory act from 1993 and bring what under state ownership?

2. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell promised Labour would not increase income tax in the next parliament for anyone earning less than what amount?
3. Labour said a policy in the Tory manifesto was 'desperate stuff' while the Lib Dems said it was 'never a good idea to copy the economic strategy of Ed Miliband'. What policy were they referring to
4. Philip May, appearing with his wife Theresa on the One Show, said he could decide when, but not if, he carried out which household chore?

5. Why was BBC cameraman Giles Wooltorton taken to hospital?
6. The Bank of England raised its forecast for inflation this year from its earlier forecast of 2.4 per cent to what figure?
7. US President Donald Trump fired the FBI director James Comey this week. How old is Comey?
8. In his letter to James Comey, Donald Trump wrote: ‘You are hereby ________ and removed from office, effective immediately’. What is the missing word?
9. Emmanuel Macron gained what per cent of the vote to win the French election?
10. French President-elect Macron vowed during his election campaign to renegotiate the agreement which enables British border officials to carry out checks in France. Which town in Northern France is the agreement named after?
11. What was the name of the ride at Drayton Manor on which an 11-year-old girl was killed?
12. How many schoolgirls did Islamist militants Boko Haram release on Sunday?
13. England have been drawn with which other two countries in Pool C for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan? Half a point each.
14. He played the lead role in Catweazle, was the Crowman in Worzel Gummidge, and turned down the role of Doctor Who twice. Who is he?
15. Who made his Hollywood debut as a knight called Trigger in King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword?
16. Why were 21-year-old Rizlaine Boular and her mother in the headlines?
17. Who received a best actor award at the MTV movie and TV awards and said: 'Acting is about the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. And that doesn’t need to be separated into two different categories'?
18. Which country destroyed a box of rare daisies from the 1850s which were on loan from National Museum of Natural History in Paris after a paperwork mix-up?
19. Which musician was charged with a public order offence after witnesses alleged he hit a woman with a sports racquet?
20. An oil trader who built up a fortune in a Russian energy business has been ordered to pay how much to his estranged wife by a London High Court judge?
21. FIFA launched an investigation after it was alleged that agent Mino Raiola is to earn £41 million from the transfer of which footballer?
22. Lucie Jones is singing the UK’s entry in the Eurovision song contest in Kiev on Saturday. What is the song called?
23. Italian DJ Robert Miles, who died this week age 47, was best known for a dance anthem which reached No.1 in 12 countries after its release in 1996. What was it called?
24. Former Countdown presenter Carol Vordeman said she had felt suicidal and suffered 'extreme depression' brought on by what?
25. Southeastern tweeted that trains were being ‘cautioned’ in Kent after what was spotted on a railway line?

Answers here

Friday 5 May 2017

The newsquiz: 25 questions about this week

The top solo scorer in last week's newsquiz was Nick Martin with 18, narrowly ahead of Simon O'Neill and Liz Gerard on 17. Other notable scores were by Ginger Elvis on 16 and Gavin Devine on 15.5. The top team was the Penman Partnership featuring Daisy, who is clearly the driving force, with 19. Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe scored a collective 16. Here we go again ... another 25 questions about the week. Let me know how you get on. Good luck.

Prince Philip's retirement dominates today's front pages (Questions 6 and 7)
1. Who insisted that derailing Brexit was not 'defying the will of the people’ and pledged to re-enter politics, even if he gets a 'bucket of wotsit' thrown over him?
2. Theresa May dismissed reports of her dinner with EC President Jean-Claude Juncker, published in German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine, by saying: 'I have to say from what I've seen of this account I think it's ______ ______.’ What are the two missing words?
3. In a muddled interview shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the cost of providing how many extra police officers would be £300,000 ... before she revised the figure to £80 million?
4. What links Warwickshire, Lincolnshire, Gloucestershire, the Isle of Wight and Monmouthshire?
5. What is the name of the political party that is headed by French election favourite Emmanuel Macron?
6. Prince Philip’s last official engagement, before it was announced he would be stepping down from public life, was to open the Warner Stand? Where is it?
7. Which British newspaper’s website briefly reported that Prince Philip had died? 
8. Princess Charlotte, who celebrated her second birthday this week, is _____ in line to succeed the Queen. What is the missing number?
9. Prince William demanded €1.5 million compensation from which magazine over topless photographs of his wife Kate?
10. Londoner Anthony Joshua beat Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley to become unified world heavyweight boxing champion in how many rounds?
11. Which bank was named as the UK’s ninth largest mortgage lender in a report by Legal and General and the Centre for Economics and Business Research?
12. Samata Ullah from Cardiff, who was jailed for eight years after admitting being a member of Islamic State, used what to store extremist data?
13. Which supermarket announced plans to end the sale of all imported fresh meat in a drive to back British farmers?
14. Footballer Aaron Lennon is receiving care and treatment for a stress-related illness. Which club does he play for?
15. A service was held at St Mary and St John Church in Rothley to remember what?
16. Damon Smith was found guilty of leaving a bomb on which London Underground line?
17. What did Sheila Miyoshi Jaeger claim happened to her twice?
18. Why was insurance executive Guy Hedger in the headlines?
19. Surfer Matthew Bryce, who was found off the Argyll coast after drifting for 32 hours, set off from which beach?
20. What name did celebrity couple Cheryl and Liam Payne give to their five-week-old son?
21. According to Rentokil the number of call-outs to deal with infestations of which ‘pest’ have more than doubled since last year?
22. The hosts of Loose Women stripped to their underwear to be photographed for a body confidence campaign. Who was the photographer?
23. What did Natalie Lowe quit, after seven years, 'with a very heavy heart’?
24. Adele is the UK’s richest solo female musician with a fortune of £125 million, according to the Sunday Times Rich List. How much did she earn last year?
25. Catherine Hettinger revealed she hasn’t made a single penny from a toy she invented, which has become a global craze, because she couldn’t afford the £310 to renew the patent. What is the toy?

Answers here