Test your knowledge with the newsquiz

There were some big scores in last week’s newsquiz. Well done to Simon, Sue and Will Cole who, after coming close so many times, scored the maximum 25. They were just ahead of Maura and Phil Parsons with a very impressive 24. Other good team scores were posted by Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe 22, The Roberts family 21.5, Marc Beyeler’s team, Mrs and Mrs Smith 21 and Bruce and Sarah Hayward and the Three Legs Drinkers with 20. The top solo scorer was Toby Brown with a personal best of 23, ahead of Marguerite Turner on 22, Matt Chorley 21.5, Jayme Bryla 20.5, Robert Rea 20, Gavin Devine 19 and Janet Boyle 18.5. Liz Gerard, Rob Lawrence, Peter Mourant and Stuart Bagnall all scored 18. Here is this week’s newsquiz. As usual there are 25 questions about the week’s events. Give it a go and let me know how you get on.

The Budget dominated Thursday's front pages

1. In the Budget Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that the UK’s 'national living wage’ is to go up to how much an hour, for workers aged over 23, from April?
2. What did Boris Johnson, Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab do during the Chancellor’s Budget speech that Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey and Attorney General Suella Braverman did not?

3. Chancellor Rishi Sunak's overhaul of alcohol taxes in the Budget means that which of these will go up in price rather than reduce if bought in a shop? a) Bailey’s Irish Cream b) Echo Falls Zinfandel rose wine c) Canti Prosecco d) Taylor's Port
4. In the Budget Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a new tax on 'ultra long haul' flights covering distances of more than what distance?
5. Who took the place of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who had tested positive for coronavirus, to make the response to the Chancellor’s Budget statement?
6. Which former Tory minister faces a 30-day suspension from the Commons after an MPs' watchdog found he had ‘repeatedly' used his position to benefit two companies who paid him as a consultant?
7. Greater Manchester police, investigating threatening and abusive phone calls, emails and letters, arrested a 52-year-old man in Halifax who was accused of making threats against which Labour MP?
8. Carl Davies, 44, pleaded guilty at Caernarfon Crown Court to stalking by sending intimidating comments to which TV presenter and her daughter on Instagram?
9. Motorist Andrew Dutton was filmed squirting what into the faces of Insulate Britain protesters sitting across the A40 in west London?
10. The Department of Transport announced that how many remaining countries would be removed from the UK’s travel red list on Monday?
11. COP26 starts in Glasgow on Sunday (Oct 31). What does COP stand for?
12. Mark Zuckerberg announced what new name for Facebook’s parent company?
13. Why was Cornelis Gert Jan in the headlines?
14. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency announced it was inviting manufacturers of what product to submit goods for approval to be offered on prescription?
15. The House of Lords backed, by 213 votes to 60, a proposal to place a legal duty on water companies to 'take all reasonable steps' to prevent what?
16. The Duchess of Cornwall told a Women of the World festival in London that: 'We do not, in any way, hold all men responsible for sexual violence. But we do need them all on board to tackle it. After all, ___ are not born, they are constructed.’ What is the missing word?
17. Walter Smith, who died aged 73, won 21 trophies in two spells as manager of Glasgow Rangers but in between managed which English club?
18. Adelaide United player Josh Cavallo become the only current top-flight male professional footballer in the world to do what?
19. Jesus College Cambridge returned a looted bronze cockerel, taken by British colonial forces in 1897, to which country?
20. The Queen presented a poetry award via video link from Windsor Castle, telling recipient David Constantine: 'I'm very glad to have the chance to see you if only ___ this morning.' What is the missing word?
21. Businesswoman Doreen Lofthouse, involved in the success of Fisherman's Friend cough sweets, left her £41million fortune to a charity that aims to develop which town?

22. John Lewis pulled an advert showing a boy in a dress rampaging around his home after the financial watchdog found it was 'misleading and confusing’. What was it advertising?

23. James Michael Tyler, who died aged 59, was most famous for playing which character in the TV series Friends?
24. Brett Chamberlain, 54, was awarded £5,000 in damages by the police after he was investigated for paying for fuel at Tesco in Exeter with what?

25. Why did Shirley Ballas thank viewers who got in touch after watching her appearance as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing?

Answers here

It's newsquiz time ...

The top scorer in last week's newsquiz was Rod Ardehali with 20.5, ahead of Toby Brown on 18, Robert Rea on 17.5, Stuart Bagnall on 16 and Jayme Bryla on 15. The top team was the Roberts Family with 21, ahead of Bruce and Sarah Hayward 19. Maura and Phil Parsons scored 18.5 and Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe 15.5. Here is this week's newsquiz. There are 25 questions about the week. Give it a go and let me know your score.

A selection of today's front pages

1. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the Queen had agreed that which town would be granted city status following the killing of MP Sir David Amess?

2. In the first PMQs after the killing of MP Sir David Amess, Boris Johnson committed to bringing which Bill back to the Commons 'before Christmas’?
3. Ali Harbi Ali was charged at Westminster Magistrates’ Court with murder and what other offence after the fatal stabbing of MP Sir David Amess?
4. The Government published its climate strategy which showed how the UK will meet its target to cut CO2 emissions to net zero by what year?
5. Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that thousands of households would be able to access grants worth £5,000 to replace what?
6. The Queen cancelled a two-day visit to where after doctors advised that she should 'rest for the next few days’?
7. At a Downing Street Press conference Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'Cases are rising, and they could go yet as high as ___ a day. We’re also seeing greater pressure on the NHS across the UK, approaching ___ hospitalisations per day.’ What are the two missing numbers? Half a point for each.
8. Which country announced that flights to and from the UK would be banned from yesterday (Thurs) due to soaring Covid-19 cases?

9. Who said that Conservative MPs didn’t need to wear masks during debates because the party's 'convivial, fraternal spirit’ meant they knew each other and were acting in line with Covid guidance?
10. America announced it would reopen its borders to fully vaccinated travellers from 33 countries, including the UK, on what date?
11. Actor Alec Baldwin accidentally shot dead a woman with a prop gun while filming a Western called what?
12. A statement from which former Labour MP, urging peers to back the Assisted Dying Bill and revealing that he was terminally ill, was read out in the House of Lords?
13. Colin Powell, who died aged 84, was the US's first African-American secretary of state and served the role under which president?
14. Two adults and two children were taken to hospital, and dozens were left homeless, after an explosion at a housing estate in which Scottish town?
15. A petition calling for compulsory searches at nightclubs was signed by more than 100,000 people, and Home Secretary Priti Patel asked police forces for an update, after reports of what?
16. Strictly Come Dancing contestant Tilly Ramsay criticised LBC radio host Steven Allen after he called her a ___ little thing’. What is the missing word?
17. The National Farmers’ Union said a trade deal with which country would 'damage the viability of many British farms in the years ahead’?
18. Penelope Jackson, 66, told jurors at Bristol Crown Court that she stabbed her husband to death after a row when she served what with steak on her birthday?
19. Who left his job saying: 'To never really be wanted, to feel that people wanted me to fail, to read people constantly saying I would fail, that I was useless, a fat waste of space, a stupid, tactically inept cabbage head’?
20. The Queen 'politely but firmly’ turned down which magazine award saying she did not believe she met the relevant criteria?
21. Rapper Kanye West will officially be known as what after a Los Angeles judge granted his name change request?
22. Which Channel 4’s fundraiser made more than £31million, the highest total since its launch in 2012?
23. Costa Rica, Indian company Takachar, a land-based coral farm in the Bahamas, the city of Milan and a Thai-German-Italian team all collected £1million as the first winners of which awards, founded by the Duke of Cambridge?
24. Who married his pregnant girlfriend Frida Andersson on Monday at Chelsea Register office?
25. A Worcestershire pub landlord is organising a night for people with what name after the Office for National Statistics showed no babies were given the name last year?

Answers here

The pros and cons of working from home

Since the pandemic began newsrooms have proved that working from home works. What has been achieved is staggering. So, logic, the accountants and time-management all say it should be here to stay. But is the death of the newsroom really in the best long-term interests of the business or the staff? Newsrooms are creative places where journalists pick up skills, ideas, direction from others. In my long career, I learned huge amounts in the newsroom. Sometimes it was just a nuance, a raised eyebrow or a random idea. Like all journalists, I have forged lifelong relationships, contacts and close friends. How many people met their partners at work? Maybe the answer is a hybrid? But is it reasonable to have one group paying for their commute, getting their lunch at Pret a Manger and forking out for office clothes on the same salary as those sitting at home in their pants and making a snack from the fridge? For my latest article in InPublishing magazine I spoke to editors about the pros and cons of working from home. Read it here.

Have a crack at the newsquiz...

Last week’s newsquiz appeared to be another tough one with scores well below average. The top solo performers were Marguerite Turner and Robert Rea both with 18. The best team was the Roberts Family with 23, just ahead of Phil and Maura Parsons, with special guest Dominic Hurst, who scored 21. Here is this week’s quiz. As usual there are 25 questions about the week’s events. Give it a go and let me know how you get on. 

A selection of today's front pages

1. Who owns the £25,000-a-week villa near Marbella where Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on holiday with his family?
2. A report by MPs, called Coronavirus: Lessons Learned To Date, said it was clear that what was 'the wrong policy’ that 'led to a higher initial death toll’?
3. What was the name of the Conservative MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, a former secretary of state for Northern Ireland, who died of lung cancer aged 53?
4. Tory MP James Gray stepped back as a commander of the St John Ambulance after apparently mixing up which two Government ministers? Half a point for each name.
5. Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock accepted a job as a United Nations' special representative for where?
6. Philip Allott, who faced criticism for urging women to be ‘streetwise’ after the Sarah Everard case, resigned as police, fire and crime commissioner for which county?
7. Testing at a private Wolverhampton laboratory was suspended following an investigation by NHS Test and Trace which revealed that around how many people may have been wrongly told their Covid-19 test was negative?
8. Star Trek actor William Shatner said he was 'overwhelmed' at becoming the oldest person in space after a flight on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. How old is he?
9. A Danish citizen was arrested after five people were killed in a bow and arrow attack in which Norwegian town?
10. The Queen was pictured with what, for the first time since 2004, at the Centenary of the Royal British Legion at Westminster Abbey?
11. Two passengers were injured when a train crashed through barriers at which London station?
12. Sebastian Kurz announced that he was stepping down as the leader of which country after he became a target of a corruption investigation?
13. Who said she was flashed by Wayne Couzens 13 years before he murdered Sarah Everard - but police officers 'laughed off' her report?
14. A judge at Oxford County Court ruled that Dr Mary Fairhurst’s privacy had been breached by what?
15. Which island was hit by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake this week?
16. World record holder Agnes Tirop, 25, who was found dead at her home, represented which country at this year’s Olympics?
17. PC Chris Dwyer was sacked from West Yorkshire Police after a misconduct hearing decided he took what from a charity stall without paying the full amount?
18. Tyson Fury came back from two knockdowns and stopped Deontay Wilder in which round in the heavyweight championship fight in Las Vegas?
19. In an interview with the BBC, Prince Charles said that his Aston Martin ran on waste from what two products? Half a point for each.
20. The remains of the shredded Banksy artwork Girl With Balloon sold for £18.6million at an auction at Sotheby's in London? What is the artwork now called?

21. Who caused an online stir when it was revealed he was bisexual and will be romantically involved with a pink-haired reporter named Jay Nakamura?
22. Which song, that guitarist Keith Richard said was about the horrors of slavery, have the Rolling Stones dropped from their US tour?
23. Netflix announced that what had become its most popular ever series, drawing 111 million fans in less than four weeks?
24. Who said he had been going to gay bars for as long as he could remember because he didn’t get into punch-ups and when he was single they were good places to meet women?
25. Which two celebrities announced they were pulling out of this week’s Strictly Come Dancing due to health issues? Half a point for each.

Answers here

Time to tackle the newsquiz

Last week’s newsquiz was clearly a tough one with a lot of people posting scores well below average. The top scorer was Janet Boyle with an impressive 20, ahead of Rob Lawrence 17, Alice Feilden 16 and Marguerite Turner, Robyn Schaffer and Gavin Devine all on 15. The top team was Simon, Sue and Will Cole with 21. Maura and Phil Parsons, Bruce and Sarah Hayward and the Three Legs drinkers all scored 16. Here is this week’s quiz. As usual there are 25 questions about the week. Give it a go and let me know your score. 

A selection of today's front pages

1. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in his conference speech, said that who would 'not have ignored this meteorite that has just crashed through the public finances’?

2. Boris Johnson, talking about levelling-up, asked what 'monkey glands’ and 'royal jelly' were being used so that people in Ribble Valley live seven years longer than those in which town 33 miles away? 

3. Prime Minister Boris Johnson refered to Michael Gove by saying: 'Let’s hear it for ___ ___ ___ living proof that we all represent the most jiving hip happening and generally funkapolitan party in the world.’ What are the missing three words? 

4. Five people were arrested after former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith was hit on the head with what during the Conservative party conference?

5. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg apologised for the ‘disruption’ caused after its social media services went down for how many hours on Monday?

6. The defence minister of which country said that tensions with China were at their worst in 40 years and warned of the risk of an accidental strike between the two?

7. Justice Secretary Dominic Raab appeared confused about the meaning of which word, suggesting it could apply to both women and men?

8. Insulate Britain refused to move for a woman who was following her 81-year-old mother to A&E at which London thoroughfare?

9. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced that how many countries would be removed from the Government's international travel 'red list' from 4am on Monday?
10. Only seven countries will remain on the Government’s travel 'red list' from Monday. Name any two of them. Half a point for each.

11. The Bank of England warned that UK inflation is expected to rise above what per cent by the end of the year, fuelled by rising energy costs?

12. The Government launched the biggest flu programme in the history of the NHS, with more than how many million people in England eligible for a free vaccine?
13. Scientists writing in the British Journal of Dermatology explained why some people who catch Covid develop lesions where? 

14. The High Court ruled that Dubai leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum hacked the phone of his ex-wife Princess Haya and two lawyers using which controversial spyware?

15. The leaks of almost 12 million documents that revealed the hidden wealth, tax avoidance and money laundering by some of the world's rich and powerful were known by what name?

16. Which bank faces a large fine after pleading guilty to failing to prevent alleged money laundering of £365million by one customer?

17. The Premier League said it had 'received legally binding assurances' that who will not control Newcastle United Football Club?

18. Who described receiving an honorary doctorate at Manchester University as 'bittersweet' as it coincided with the £20 top up of Universal Credit ending?

19. Twenty-five men who claim they were victims of historical sexual abuse launched proceedings against which football club?

20. What historic moment in English football will take place at the World Cup Qualifier in Andorra tomorrow (Saturday)?

21. Who posted on instagram to say he was 'in the bad books at home’ after having his wedding ring stolen in California?

22. The Oxford English Dictionary added 26 new words from a foreign language to its latest edition, saying 'we are all riding the crest of the ___ wave’. What is the language?

23. What did Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia and Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya win?

24. A rare collection of drawings, sketches and paintings by which sportsman sold at Bonhams auction house in New York for nearly $1million (£733,760)?

25. What number was projected on to landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum, the Brandenburg Gate and the Empire State Building, leading to speculation that an Adele album was on the way?

Answers here

Robyn wins the newsquiz champagne

Trainee subs Alice Feilden, Poppy Sowerby, Robyn Schaffer with the champagne and Jess Broadbent

I said goodbye to the four Daily Mail trainee sub-editors this week who now head off for their placements at the Evening Standard, the i newspaper and the Mail in Dublin. They are very smart and likeable bunch and I will follow their careers with interest. They had a productive final week with sessions from assistant chief sub Richard Hall, deputy night-editor Chris Dean, copytaster Lottie Young and they did real-time subbing exercises with Tom Belcher. They also designed pages for a new supplement and a breaking news story. Last night they caught up with some of the senior staff in the Greyhound. As usual we finished with the newsquiz. This week’s winner was Alice Feilden with 16 points, just ahead of Robyn Schaffer on 15 who collected the champagne for the top score over the four weeks. The top solo scorers in last week’s quiz were Imogen Horton and Toby Brown with 20, just ahead of Janet Boyle on 19.5, Marguerite Turner on 19, Clara Gaspar on 18.5, Damon Wake on 18, Stuart Bagnall on 16 and Tali Fraser and Jayme Bryla on 15.5. The top team were the Three Legs drinkers with 20, ahead of Team Swindle and Maura and Phil Parsons on 19 and Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe on 16.5. Here is this week’s quiz. There are 26 points up for grans this week as there is a bonus point on question 11. Give it a go and see if you can beat Alice's score.

Today's front pages

1. Sentencing murderer Wayne Couzens at the Old Bailey, Lord Justice Fulford said the severity of the case was so 'exceptionally high' it warranted a WLO. What does it stand for?
2. Wayne Couzens’s colleagues in the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, where he worked before the Metropolitan Police, were reported to have given him what nickname?
3. Koci Selamaj, who appeared via video link at the Old Bailey accused of the murder of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, was arrested in which town?
4. How many minutes long was Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s conference speech?
5. Andy McDonald resigned as shadow secretary of state for employment rights because he said he was ordered to argue against lifting the national minimum wage to how much an hour?
6. Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner declined to apologise for saying about the Conservatives: 'We cannot get any worse than a bunch of ___, homophobic, racist, misogynistic, absolute vile … banana republic, vile, nasty, Etonian … piece of ___’ . What is the missing word that she used twice?

7. Legislation, introduced this week, which requires retailers to display ingredients and allergen labelling on food made on the premises or pre-packed, is known as whose law?
8. The Government announced that, from Tuesday, what was no longer valid for British drivers travelling abroad? 
9. Activist Greta Thunberg gave a speech at the Youth4Climate summit in Milan saying: 'Build back better. ___ ___ ___. Green economy. ___ ___ ___. Net zero by 2050. ___ ___ ___. This is all we hear from our so-called leaders.’ What is the missing word that she used nine times?
10. R&B singer R. Kelly was found guilty of sex trafficking and which other offence at a New York court?  
11. The death of former Liverpool and England footballer Roger Hunt, aged 83, means there are now only how many survivors of the team that won the world Cup in 1966? And for a bonus point, name them.
12. A petrol station in London turned away motorists queuing for fuel because actor James Nesbitt was filming for which TV series in the garage?
13. According to figures from the Department for Transport 100, people were injured by what last year?
14. What was the name of the indoor ski centre in Tamworth where a 12-year-old boy died after being injured?

15. The National Union of Students warned against forcing graduates to start repaying loans earlier after it emerged ministers were considering cutting the threshold from just over £27,000 a year to what amount?
16. Which hospitality company reported a record annual loss of £154.7million, following a £34.1million loss a year earlier, which its chairman blamed on the 'use of lockdowns and draconian restrictions’?

17. Who pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates’ Court to drink-driving, driving without insurance and while disqualified after crashing near Partridge Green in West Sussex?
18. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall joined Daniel Craig on the red carpet for the premiere of No Time To Die at which London venue?
19. Police in Merseyside defended shooting dead what animal that was 'out of control' and roaming the streets of Bootle?
20. Europe slumped to the heaviest ever defeat by the Americans in the Ryder Cup. What was the score?
21. Who posted a video during a flying lesson with the message 'on cloud nine right now’?
22. An artist, who was given 534,000 kroner ($83,000) to recreate old artworks using banknotes by a Danish museum, produced blank canvasses with what title?
23. A bill from internet chef Salt Bae's newly opened restaurant in London's Knightsbridge went viral with a single tomahawk steak priced at what amount?
24. Five acts have been announced as the half-time performers at next year's Super Bowl, name any two of them?
25. Former Strictly Come dancing judge Arlene Phillips is to appear in I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here as the oldest ever contestant. How old is she?

Answers here