Time for the last newsquiz of 2017

The top scorer in last week's newsquiz was Dominic Hurst with 16, narrowly ahead of Gavin Devine with 15.5 and Sophie Jamieson with 15. The top team was the Penman Partnership (helped by Daisy back from university) with a score of 17.5, just ahead of Toby Brown (with help from home) on 16.5. Here is this week's newsquiz. There are 25 questions about the week's events. It has been traditionally quieter over the Christmas period, so you might have to dig a little deeper. Give it a go and let me know how you get on. Here's to a healthy and happy 2018 - with plenty of good news.  

The Boxing Day front pages - raise a glass to all the journalists who work Christmas Day to make sure the papers come out

1. A rightwing Conservative pressure group, whose patrons include Norman Lamont and John Redwood, called for the whip to be withdrawn from Lord Heseltine after he said a Labour Government was preferable to Brexit? What is the group called?

2. Lord Heseltine said: 'We have survived Labour governments before. Their damage tends to be short-term and capable of _______. Brexit is not short-term and is not easily capable of _______’.  What is the missing word?

3. Retailers blamed a sharp increase in shoplifting on a policy that says criminals who steal goods valued at less than what amount won't be pursued by the police?

4. Which Bishop urged American Christians to consider whether their support of Donald Trump is justifiable as part of their faith?
5. At least 40 people were killed when a car bomb exploded in which capital city?

6. Which supermarket apologised to customers who claimed their Christmas Day was ruined after buying 'rotten, rancid' turkeys that tasted like 'acid and bleach’?
7. Laura Plummer, a shop assistant from Hull, was jailed for three years after being convicted of smuggling painkiller tablets into which country?

8. Spurs footballer Harry Kane broke the record for the most Premier League hat-tricks in a single calendar year? How many league hat-tricks did he score?

9. Barack Obama told interviewer Prince Harry on Radio 4’s Today programme about how he felt when he relinquished power to Donald Trump, saying: 'Overall there was ______ there, more than I would have expected’? What is the missing word?
10. Who told Prince Harry on Radio 4’s Today programme that  ‘climate change is causing untold horrors in different parts of the world’?

11. The head of the NHS in England, Simon Stevens, said he would closely monitor what on New Year's Eve before deciding if they should become a regular feature?

12. What did district judge Ian Mulkis officially bring to an end following a 25-second hearing at London’s Central Family Court?

13. The worst fire in New York for 25 years killed at least 12 people in an apartment block in which borough? 

14. A police officer and a 61-year-old woman died after a head-on crash in which city on Christmas Day?

15. The Queen's broadcast topped the television ratings on Christmas Day with an audience of 7.6 million but which programme had the second highest number of viewers, with an audience of 6.8 million?

16. Who apologised for making ‘inappropriate’ comments in an Instagram video in which he said says 'boys don't wear princess dresses’?

17. American president Donald Trump reacted to a cold snap across the US by tweeting that the East Coast would benefit from 'a little bit of that good old' what?

18. Managers of the The Alexandra pub in Wimbledon used social media to track down a man who left his pay packet in their pub. How much was in the packet?

19. A flight, with model Chrissy Teigen and her musician husband John Legend, was turned around on its journey from LA because a passenger boarded in error. Where was the flight meant to be going?

20. Former Chelsea and Manchester City footballer George Weah was elected president of which country?

21. What was Piers Morgan celebrating when he tweeted 'BOOM! No. 1’?

22. What did Karen Murdoch, from Norfolk, do on Christmas Day that is set to earn her thousands of pounds? 

23. Cricketer Alastair Cook became the first English batsman since Mike Atherton 20 years ago to do what?

24. Channel 4 dedicated its Christmas Eve episode of Gogglebox to whom?

25. Four meerkats and which other animal were killed in a fire at London zoo?

Answers here

Take a Christmas break ... and do the newsquiz

The top scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Janet Boyle with an impressive 19, narrowly ahead of Elly Rewcastle on 18. Peter Solomons scored 17, one ahead of Dominic Hurst and Toby Brown. The top team was the Penman Partnership with 18.5 just one point ahead of Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe on 17.5. Here is this week’s newsquiz … as usual there are 25 questions about the week’s events. Let me know how you get on. I hope all you newsquizzers have a lovely Christmas break and the news stories over the festive period are all good ones. 

Damian Green's sacking dominates the front pages (Question 1)

1. Damian Green, sacked for 'inaccurate and misleading' statements, was Theresa May’s deputy but what was his actual Cabinet position?

2. Who chaired the Home Affairs Committee that questioned Facebook, Google and Twitter on hate speech?
3. Twitter's Sinead McSweeney told the Home Affairs Committee that what was 'broken’ and now suspended?

4. The Speaker, John Bercow, told Parliament: 'You as MPs are never ______, you are never ______, you are never malcontents, you are never enemies of the people.’ What are the two missing words? Half a point for each.

5. Who said he had been shouted and sworn at, pelted with eggs, had the bolts on his car wheel loosened, received numerous death threats and could not slip out for a pint at his local without security?
6. Cyril Ramaphosa was elected president of which political party?
7. A journalist and a TV producer died after a fire broke out at which hotel beside Loch Lomond?
8. Around 2,500 jobs were saved after which business put forward a company voluntary arrangement with the backing of the Pension Protection Fund?

9. A US passenger train that derailed, killing three people, in Washington State was travelling at what speed on a curve with a speed limit of 30mph, according to authorities?
10. What was Labour MP Mary Creagh referring to when she tweeted that no-one under 45 will have owned one and 'they're not worth £50 billion'? 

11. An alleged Islamist terror plot was foiled when three men were arrested in Sheffield and one in which other town?
12. Mo Farrah won Sports Personality of the Year but who picked up the lifetime achievement award?
13. A disabled refugee murdered by a vigilante was ‘failed' because of 'discriminatory behaviour and institutional racism' within which police force?
14. World champion sprinter Justin Gatlin said he was 'shocked and surprised at doping allegations that were made against his coach and an agent’ after an investigation by which newspaper?
15. Why was 22-year-old student Liam Allan in the headlines?

16. Sarah Mullally was appointed to which position?
17. Only nine countries, at the United Nations general assembly, voted to support Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Two were Israel and the US. Name any two of the other seven countries? Half a point for each.

18. Arthur Collins who threw acid in a London nightclub, injuring 22 people, was jailed for how many years?

19. Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow were the only two Englishmen to do what?

20. A 30-year-old woman died after being stabbed in which supermarket, in Skipton, North Yorkshire?

21. What, according to Rear Admiral Christopher Parry, 'is no big deal’?

22. Who did I’m a Celebrity winner Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo describe as a ‘sex god’?

23. Heather North, who died age 71, was most famous for being the voice of Daphne Blake for over 30 years in which TV programme and film franchise?

24. Residents in the Bristol neighbourhood of Clifton caused a stir by doing what to protect their expensive cars?

25. What did 55-year-old Patricia Aldridge, who won £1million on the lottery, say she would be doing on Christmas day?

Answers here

Have a crack at this week's newsquiz ...

The top solo scorer in last week's newsquiz was Steve Silk with a personal best of 19. Gavin Devine, Dominic Hurst and Liz Gerard all scored 17 and Izzy Lyons also recorded a personal best with 16 - the same score as Toby Brown. My drinking pals at the Three Legs Brewery were the top team with a very impressive 21 on Saturday night. The Penman Partnership scored 18 and Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe a solid 17. Here's this week's quiz, as usual 25 questions about the week's events. Give it a go and let me know how you get on.

Today's front pages

1. How many Tory MPs voted against the Government and backed the amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill?

2. Which former attorney general said he had received death threats after leading the rebellion that resulted in the Prime Minister’s first Commons defeat on Brexit?

3. Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr programme, Brexit Secretary David Davis said of Ireland: 'I think if we don't get a deal we're going to have to find a way of making sure we keep the _______ border’. What is the missing word? 

4. In an open letter asking EU migrants to stay in the UK after Brexit, Theresa May said she was proud that how many EU citizens had chosen to make their 'homes and livelihoods here in our country’? 

5. The Scottish government announced a new ‘intermediate rate’ for those on incomes between £24,000 and £44,273. How much will they pay in the pound?
6. A school bus was hit on a level crossing by a train travelling from which French city?

7. Why were David Worrall, Zac Bolland and Courtney Brierley in the headlines?

8. Vanellope Hope became the first UK baby to survive with which condition?
9. Doug Jones became the first Democrat in 25 years to win a Senate seat in which state?

10. Graham Tomlin, the Bishop of Kensington, said he hoped a word would change from a symbol of 'sorrow, grief or injustice' to 'a symbol of the time we learnt a new and better way - to listen and to love’? What is the word?

11. Manchester City broke the record for the most consecutive wins in the Premier League. How many games in a row have they won?

12. Who collapsed in Littlehey prison in Cambridgeshire and died in hospital?  

13. Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach warned that Britain's economy and way of life are at 'catastrophic' risk from what?
14. Made In Chelsea's Georgia ‘Toff’ Toffolo won I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here but who were the two runners-up? Half a point for each name.
15. According to an article in the British Medical Journal which doctor could be contributing to 'unrealistic expectations of primary care' by taking phone calls out of working hours and making inappropriate home visits?
16. According to New York law enforcement officials, Akayed Ullah planned to set off a pipe bomb in front of what at Manhattan’s Port Authority Bus Terminal?

17. He played pop, appeared in a Superstore and wrote an autobiography called Shaken But Not Stirred. Who is he?

18. Walt Disney agreed to buy the bulk of which business for $52.4billion (£39billion)?

19. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding date has been announced. What is it?
20. Bradley Wiggins's wife Cath apologised after writing about Chris Froome on Facebook, saying: 'If I was given to conspiracy theory I’d allege they’d thrown my boy under the bus on purpose to cover for this ____ ____'. What are the two missing words?

21. Kepler, with the help of Google, announced it had discovered what?

22. There were more than 500 midnight screenings of which film at Odeon cinemas across Britain on Wednesday night?

23. Scientists at the University of Cambridge have found that the size of what has ballooned nearly seven-fold over the last 300 years?

24. The Met office announced that the coldest night of the year in Britain was recorded in Shawbury, Shropshire, this week. What was the temperature?

25. Today is Christmas Jumper Day during which people are encouraged to wear sweaters and make a minimum donation of £1 for which charity?

Answers here

Test your knowledge with this week's newsquiz

Well done to Jake Hurfurt who was the top scorer in last week's newsquiz with 19 points. He just squeezed past four people - Janet Boyle, Gavin Devine, Toby Brown and Dominic Hurst - who had been joint leaders on 18 for most of the weekend. The top team score was 17 by Daisy and John Penman and Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe. Here is this week's quiz. As usual there are 25 questions about the week. Let me know how you get on. 

Brexit and the weather dominate the front pages (Questions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 15)

1. After Brexit talks suddenly stalled on Monday over the Irish border issue, who told Parliament that ‘the DUP tail is wagging the Tory dog’?

2. Following a 'breakthrough’ deal between the UK and EU later in the week, leader of the DUP Arlene Foster said she was pleased to see changes which meant there was 'no ___ ___ down the Irish Sea’. What are the two missing words?

3. Brexit Secretary David Davis said no assessments of Brexit's impact on the UK economy have been carried out but claimed a document given to MPs last week provided a 'sectoral analysis’. How many pages is the document?

4. Who said he would not be giving up his taxpayer-funded EU pension of £73,000 after Brexit, asking ‘why should my family suffer?’  

5. Who appeared on Good Morning Britain and asked if Boris Johnson was still Prime Minister?

6. New defence secretary Gavin Williamson said: 'A ____ ____ can’t cause any harm to Britain.’ What are the two missing words?

7. What did Theresa May and Boris Johnson, describe as ‘unhelpful’ while Russia said it risked 'dangerous and uncontrollable consequences’?

8. Sir Howard Davies, chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland, called on banking authorities around the world to launch a coordinated warning against what, comparing it to Dante’s Inferno?

9. Christine Keeler, who died this week age 75, gained notoriety for an affair which forced Conservative MP John Prufumo to resign from which Cabinet position?

10. England have been drawn with Belgium and which other two countries in Group G for the football World Cup in Russia next year? Half a point for each.

11. What is to go up by an average of 3.4 per cent from January 2?
12. Grace Davies came second in what?
13. Which two manoeuvres were scrapped from the new driving test that was introduced on Monday? Half a point for each.

14. East of England Co-op stores are to sell food that is past its 'best before' date for what price?

15. What is the name of the storm that brought snow, wind and temperatures of -5C to Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern parts of England?

16. Liverpool broke a British record by scoring 23 goals in their six Champions League games. How many did they score in their final game against Spartak Moscow?

17. He recorded more than 1,000 songs, sold more than 110 million records, sold out 180 tours and featured on 60 Paris Match covers. Who is he?

18. Why did singer Lionel Richie, socialite Paris Hilton and actress Chrissy Teigen move out of their homes?

19. Naa'imur Zakariyah Rahman, 20, was charged with plotting to kill who?

20. Russia's flag, uniform and anthem have been banned from the Winter Olympics in February. In which country will the Olympics be held?

21. What in Naples has been granted world heritage status?

22. England cricketer Monty Panesar withdrew from what after breaking an ankle in training?

23. Which line in the Lord’s Prayer does the Pope want changing, arguing it is a bad translation?

24. Border Force revealed that fake goods coming into the UK included more than 80,000 packs, worth £1.5m, which were seized at Southampton’s port. What was in the packs? 

25. The hunt to find a man who bragged about cheating on his girlfriend while on a train went viral after a passenger overheard him and tweeted a warning to the wronged woman. What was the boyfriend called?

Answers here

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

The top scorer in last week's newquiz was Ellie Rewcastle with an astonishing personal best of 22. Other notable individual scores were Gavin Devine with 17.5 and Toby Brown with 16. The previous week's runaway winner Liz Gerard came 'back down to earth' with 15 while Dominic Hurst 'hit some early runs and a couple of boundaries, then suffered a late spectacular batting collapse, ending 13 all out'. The best team effort was the Penman Partnership with 17. 

Meanwhile consistent high-scorers Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe scored a below-par 14. Here is this week's quiz. As usual, there are 25 questions about the week's events. Let me know how you get on.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dominated Tuesday's front pages
(Questions 1 to 3)

1. The first official duty by newly-engaged Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was in which city?

2. The engagement ring, designed by Prince Harry, was made of three diamonds. The two outside ones were from his mother’s collection. Which country was the central diamond from?

3. Prince Harry’s fiancee's first name is the same as the character she plays in the American drama Suits. What is the name?

4. Theresa May said US president Donald Trump was wrong for retweeting material from which group? 

5. Who tweeted to Donald Trump: 'You have a mass shooting every single day in your country, your murder rate is many times that of the UK, your healthcare system is a disgrace, you can’t pass anything through a congress that you control. I would focus on that’?

6. Which supermarket was found liable for the actions of a former member of its staff who stole the data of thousands of employees and posted it online?

7. Chancellor Philip Hammond announced the Government is considering introducing a tax to tackle ‘the scourge’ of what?

8. What did England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow say had been 'completely blown out of proportion’?

9. The Royal Bank of Scotland announced it was closing 259 branches - including 197 in England and Wales which use which bank name? 

10. A 15-year-old appeared at Leeds Youth Court facing how many counts of causing death by dangerous driving?

11. Why was ‘mum from Bognor’ Theresa Scrivener in the headlines?

12. What did the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, wear for the first time in almost ten years?

13. The dancefloor of the Butterfly Disco Pub collapsed, injuring 40 people, on which island?

14. Former Scotland Yard detective Neil Lewis said he was ‘shocked’ by what discovery?

15. The Irish prime minister (Taoiseach) is insisting on a written guarantee that there will be no hard border. What is his name? 

16. Elise Christie, Johanna Konta, Anya Shrubsole and Bianca Walkden were included in which list?

17. How did 72-year-old Slobodan Praljak die?

18. Glynis Breakwell stepped down from which role?

19. Who won three prizes including best male artist and best album at the MOBO awards?

20. How are Ray Tindall, Paul Towers, John Armstrong, Nicholas Simpson, Nick Dunn and Billy Irving collectively known?

21. Who said he was 'enthused and energised' about returning to Premier League football management?

22. Thousands of people were stranded on Bali after which volcano erupted?

23. Anthony Senerchia Jnr, who died age 46, was credited with being the inspiration behind what?

24. Why did boxer Amir Khan and Iain Lee fall out with their colleagues?

25. Prince William presented Santa Claus with a hand-written letter from Prince George at a Christmas market in Helsinki which asked for only one gift. What was it?

Answers here