Time to tackle the newsquiz ...

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Jayme Bryla with 23, ahead of Marguerite Turner 21.5, Liz Gerard 20, Gavin Devine 19 and Stuart Bagnall 17. The top team score was 22.5 which was scored by Simon, Sue and Will Cole, Phil and Maura Parsons and the Roberts Family. Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe scored 21.5, Three Legs drinkers Bryan, Heather, Peter, Thom and Rosie 20 and Bruce and Sarah Hayward 17.5. Here is this week’s newsquiz. 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 page

1. Prime Minister Boris Johnson lost his thread and muttered the words ‘forgive me’ three times during a speech to which organisation?
2. Where did Prime Minister Boris Johnson say was 'very much my kind of place’ with its 'very safe streets, discipline in schools, heavy emphasis on new mass-transit systems’?
3. A newly-identified coronavirus variant led the Government to put travel restrictions, including suspending flights until a hotel quarantine system is in operation, on six countries. They are South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini and which other?
4. How many people were confirmed drowned in the deadliest Channel crossing on record on Wednesday?
5. French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin reacted to a letter from Boris Johnson on the Channel crossing crisis by saying: 'We consider the British prime minister's public letter unacceptable and counter to our discussions between partners. As a result ___ ___is no longer invited.’ What is the missing name?
6. Cody Ackland, 24, appeared at which magistrates court charged with the murder of 18-year-old Bobbi-Anne McLeod who disappeared while on her way to meet her boyfriend?
7. What name has been given to new legislation which will mean that anyone who kills an on-duty police officer, firefighter, paramedic, prison officer or medic will receive a mandatory life sentence?
8. Which Government department announced it will relocate 9,000 staff to a new office complex in Newcastle, owned by billionaire property tycoons David and Simon Reuben?
9. Three people were seriously injured when police fired shots during a demonstration against Covid-19 restrictions in which European city?
10. The Met Office issued an amber wind warning for parts of north-east England and Scotland from this afternoon (Friday), as the result of a storm called what?
11. A couple were stabbed to death as their two children were asleep upstairs in their home in a village in which county?
12. Which MP tweeted 'mothers in the mother of all parliaments are not to be seen or heard it seems’ after being told she could not bring her baby into the Commons?
13. Six people, including two children, were killed when a car crashed into a Christmas parade in which American state?
14. The Royal family appeared to have fallen out with the BBC after Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Clarence House said which documentary, broadcast on Monday, had made 'overblown and unfounded claims’?
15. Who called for mourners to be strengthened to 'combat evil with good' and 'build a society of ever greater justice’ in a message read out at the funeral of MP Sir David Amess?
16. Footballer John Fleck was stretchered off and taken to hospital after receiving lengthy treatment on the pitch when he collapsed while playing for which team?
17. Rudy Guede was freed early from jail, having served 13 years of a 16-year sentence for the murder of who?
18. Which country declared three-days of national mourning after 46 people, including 12 children, were killed in a bus crash in Bulgaria?
19. Manchester United parted ways with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær after his side’s 4-1 defeat to which team?
20. A farmer’s son in Rutland discovered a Roman villa beneath a field that contained a mosaic depicting scenes from which epic poem?
21. The Brit Awards announced it will scrap which categories from next year?
22. Who branded Instagram's nudity policies as sexist and compared the social stigma around the female nipple to that of the 'lies' told about the Pilgrims' 'peaceful' treatment of Native Americans at Thanksgiving?
23. TV presenter Richard Madeley left I’m A Celebrity after a hospital visit and issued a statement saying: 'By leaving the camp, I had consequently broken the ___ ___ and as such I’ve had to leave the castle and all the wonderful celebs that remain in the camp.’ What are the two missing words?
24. Giuseppe Dell’Anno won this year’s Great British Bake Off after a final round in which contestants had to make food for what event?
25. Adele burst into tears and briefly left the stage after being introduced to who during her An Audience With concert?

Answers here

Time to tackle the newsquiz

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Stuart Bagnall with 21, ahead of Janet Boyle on 20, Marguerite Turner 19, Toby Brown 18 and Gavin Devine 16. The top team was the Roberts Family on 22. The Three Legs Drinkers Heather, Bryan and Peter scored 20, Maura and Phil Parsons 19.5, Bruce and Sarah Hayward 19 and Simon, Sue and Will Cole 18. 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. At Prime Minister’s Questions, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called Boris Johnson ‘a ___ not a leader’ as they clashed over 'Tory sleaze’. What is the missing word?
2. At Prime Minister’s Questions, Boris Johnson was repeatedly told by the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, that he was not allowed to do what?
3. COP26 President Alok Sharma said he was 'deeply sorry’ for a last-minute one word change to the agreement on coal. What was the original word and what was it changed to? Half a point for each.
4. Transport secretary Grant Shapps told the Commons that the high-speed rail network will no longer run from Birmingham to which city?
5. Azeem Rafiq told the digital, culture, media and sport select committee that: 'I got pinned down at my local cricket club and had ___ ___ poured down my throat, literally down my throat’. What are the two missing words?
6. Who issued a denial of the racism allegation levelled at him by former Yorkshire teammate Azeem Rafiq by insisting it 'simply never happened’?
7. What is the name of the taxi driver who survived when a homemade bomb exploded inside his cab after he pulled up outside Liverpool Women's Hospital?
8. After the Liverpool taxi bomb, Home Secretary Priti Patel announced the terror threat level would be raised from substantial to what, meaning another attack was 'highly likely’?
9. Which Conservative MP accused the Prime Minister’s father Stanley Johnson of inappropriate touching at the party conference in Blackpool in 2003?
10. Which company said it would not accept UK registered Visa credit cards from next year due to the high fees charged on transactions?
11. Nine Insulate Britain activists were jailed at the High Court for blocking the M25 despite an injunction but why was one of them, Ben Taylor, give a longer sentence than the others?
12. A £100m stealth jet F-35 crashed into the Mediterranean after taking off from which aircraft carrier?
13. Which country responded to record Covid case numbers, and one of the lowest vaccination levels in Western Europe, by announcing it would go back into full lockdown from Monday?
14. Which Premier League footballer was charged with two more rapes - on top of the four counts he is already facing?
15. Libyan man Saleh Ibrahim Mabrouk was found jointly liable at the High Court for the fatal shooting of who 37 years ago?
16. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced that 100 British troops would be sent to build a border wall between which two countries? Half a point for each.
17. QAnon Shaman, whose real name is Jacob Chansley, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for his role in what?
18. A 25-page document published by Scotland Yard detailed in an ABC guide how police officers should use what?
19. In England’s 10-0 World Cup qualifier victory over San Marino, which of these players did not score? a) Harry Maguire b) Phil Foden c) Tyrone Mings d) Tammy Abraham
20. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced that, from next year, drivers will face £200 fines and six points on their licence if they do what?
21. A gang of jewellery thieves from which country were jailed for a total of 28 years for high-end burglaries on the London homes of Tamara Ecclestone, Frank Lampard and the late Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha?
22. The Duchess of Sussex took part in her first TV interview since her famous chat with Oprah Winfrey. Who was the host this time?
23. The names of which two famous people were removed from houses at Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School in Richmond, and replaced by footballer Marcus Rashford and nurse Mary Seacole, in a bid to be 'more diverse’? Half a point for each.
24. Actress, singer and songwriter Cynthia Erivo will replace who on television this weekend after he tested positive for Covid-19?
25. Who raised more than £1million by completing a 24-hour kitchen disco ‘danceathon’ for Children In Need?

Answers here

Time to tackle the newsquiz

There were some cracking scores in last week's newsquiz. The top solo scorer was Rob Lawrence with a personal best of 24. Stuart Bagnall scored 22, Liz Gerard and Damon Wake 21, Andrew Burdett, Gavin Devine, Nick Turner and Yvonne Ridley 20, Cormac Connelly-Smith 19, Toby Brown 18, Robert Rea 17 and Jayme Bryla 16.

The top team was Simon, Sue and Will Cole with a huge 24.5, Phil and Maura Parsons scored 22, Neil and Jo Benson 20, Bruce and Sarah Hayward 19 and Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe 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.   

A selection of today's front pages

1. When asked about 'Tory sleaze’ at COP26, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, said: 'I genuinely believe that the UK is not remotely a ___ country and I genuinely think that our institutions are not___.' What is the missing word?
2. Former US President Barack Obama caused an online stir after he appeared to get his geography mixed up at COP26 when he said that he was where, before quoting Shakespeare?
3. Who said of the Owen Paterson case: 'I think the way the government handled that was shameful, wrong and unworthy of this or indeed any government. It also had the effect of trashing the reputation of parliament’?
4. Former Attorney General Geoffrey Cox was criticised for being paid £150,000 for working for a month where during lockdown?
5. Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed that health service workers in England will have to be fully vaccinated by what month next year or risk being sacked?
6. Who said he was 'devastated' and would work to 'heal and support' families after nine people died during his performance at the Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas?
7. Why was George Linnane, 38, from Bristol in this week’s headlines?
8. John Eaddie was revealed to be Patient Zero, the first man in the UK to have died from what?
9. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace accused three opposition MPs of disrespecting the armed forces by getting drunk on a trip to visit soldiers where?
10. Who said that a meeting with a Foreign Office minister James Cleverly left him feeling 'deflated' and 'stuck in the same status quo'?
11. David Henderson, 67, who organised the flight that crashed and killed footballer Emiliano Sala, was sentenced to how long in prison? 

12. FW De Klerk, the former president of South Africa who died this week aged 85, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for helping to negotiate an end to apartheid. Who did he share the award with?
13. Which country deployed 15,000 troops after thousands of refugees from the Middle East and North Africa gathered at its border?

14. A woman was arrested after a ten-year-old boy was killed by a dog in a house in which town?
15. Which broadcaster, who died aged 91, covered four World Cups for ITV between 1970 and 1982, worked on the Olympics for the BBC and commentated on games for Match Of The Day?
16. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said students at the University of Oxford were owed an explanation after it accepted a donation from which family?
17. Why was teacher Sarah Moulds removed from her team manager role at the Pony Club?
18. Which country beat England by five wickets in the semi-final of the T20 cricket World Cup?
19. The Court of Appeal heard that the Duchess of Sussex considered calling her father what in a letter, which is at the centre of a legal battle with the Mail on Sunday, because it might 'pull at the heartstrings' if leaked?
20. Who said he warned Twitter’s boss Jack Dorsey about the platform allowing a 'coup to be staged' the day before the Capitol riots?
21. Footballer Aminata Diallo was released without charge by police investigating an attack on her team-mate Kheira Hamraoui. Which team do they play for?
22. Premier League football teams Aston Villa and Newcastle United both appointed new managers this week. Name them. Half a point for each.
23. Who was granted permission to marry his partner Stella Moris in Belmarsh prison?
24. More than 150,000 people signed a petition attempting to block James Corden from starring in the film adaptation of what musical?
25. Aldi's Christmas advert, released this week, features Marcus Rashford voicing which vegetable?

Answers here

Test your knowledge with the newsquiz

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Marguerite Turner with 20, just ahead of Janet Boyle, Stuart Bagnall and Robert Rea on 19 and Jayme Bryla with 17. The top team was Maura and Phil Parsons on 21, followed by The Three Legs Drinkers with 20, Simon, Sue and Will Cole 19, Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe 18.5 and the Roberts Family and Bruce and Sarah Hayward who 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 the opening ceremony at COP26, said it was what time on the Doomsday Clock?
2. Before COP26 began, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that humanity was losing by what score at half-time in the fight against climate change?
3. In a video address to COP26, the Queen said: 'It has sometimes been observed that what leaders do for their people today is government and politics. But what they do for the people of tomorrow, that is ___.' What is the missing word?
4. At COP26 the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby apologised for comparing politicians who failed to act on climate change to those who had 'ignored' what?
5. Who asked at the opening ceremony at COP26: 'Is this how our story is due to end? A tale of the smartest species doomed by that all too human characteristic of failing to see the bigger picture in pursuit of short-term goals?'
6. Why was Israeli energy minister Karine Elharrar unable to get into COP26 in Glasgow on Monday?
7. Owen Paterson, the subject of a lobbying investigation that led to a controversial vote in the Commons this week, resigned as an MP saying: 'I will remain a public servant but outside the ___ world of politics.' What is the missing word?
8. Labour ruled out standing aside in favour of a cross-party 'anti-sleaze' candidate at the by-election to replace Tory MP Owen Paterson in which constituency?
9. What is the name of the former Leicester East Labour MP, now an independent, who was given a ten-week suspended sentence after being convicted of harassment?
10. Hospital worker David Fuller, 67, admitted murdering two women in 1987 and sexually abusing at least 100 female corpses in two hospital morgues in which English county?
11. Mina Smallman called on Dame Cressida Dick to 'get the rot out' of the Met after two police officers admitted doing what?
12. Jes Staley, group chief executive of Barclays, stood down after an investigation into his links with who?
13. Health Secretary Sajid Javid called for 'heads to roll' and Julian Knight, chairman of the digital, culture, media and sport committee, said: 'I struggle to think of any reason why the board should remain in post.' What organisation were they referring to?
14. Three people, who died after getting into difficulty in the River Cleddau in West Wales, were taking part in what activity?
15. The Bank of England surprised financial markets by voting to keep the interest rate unchanged at its historic low of what per cent?
16. Which former England footballer announced that he needed an urgent liver transplant?
17. Fourteen people were taken to hospital when two trains crashed in a tunnel near which city’s railway station?
18. Dawn Voice-Cooper, 76, from Sevenoaks, sipped champagne, smoked a cigarette and listened to Nick Drake’s Day is Done before doing what?
19. What was the name of the four-year-old girl who went missing for 18 days in Australia and was found alive in a locked house?
20. Entertainer Lionel Blair, who died aged 92, was captain of one of the teams in which TV game show that ran throughout the 1980s?
21. Italian restaurateur Ado Campeol, who died aged 93, is widely credited with inventing which dish with a name that translates as 'lift me up'?
22. Quadruple amputee Harmonie-Rose Allen, the Oxford vaccine team and sisters Amy and Ella Meek, who founded Kids Against Plastic, were all winners of what?
23. Why was baby Alpha, born to Cherral and Tyson Mitchell at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, in the headlines?
24. Actress Sarah Jayne Dunn was dropped from which TV programme after refusing to remove photos from the adult subscription site OnlyFans?
25. Where did TV viewers see space traveller Skye crash-landing in the woods near the home of 14-year-old Nathan?

Answers here