The New Year's Eve newsquiz

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Janet Boyle with 20, followed by Marion Fountayne on 19, Robert Rea 18, Toby Brown 17, and Marguerite Turner 16. The top team was a big gang in the Three Legs brewery on Christmas Eve night. Peter, Stacey, Heather, Bryan, Jim, Julie and Ian scored a maximum of 25. Well done to them. Other good team scores were Maura and Phil Parsons, the Penman and Allen families and Simon, Sue and Will Cole who all scored 19, followed by Bruce and Sarah Hayward on 18 and Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe on 16. Here is this week's quiz. As usual there are 25 questions about the last seven days. Give it a go and let me know your score. Thanks for taking part in the quiz each Friday and let's hope the 2022 news headlines are no longer dominated by Covid. Happy New Year.

A selection of today's front pages

1. After 40 hours of deliberation the jury in Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial found her guilty of how many of the six charges she faced?

2. Following the verdict in the Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial, Virginia Giuffre’s lawyers requested from Prince Andrew 'all documents concerning your alleged medical condition of anhidrosis, hypohidrosis, or your inability to ___’. What is the missing word?

3. On a visit to a vaccine centre, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that around what per cent of people in intensive care with Covid were not boosted?
4. John Swinney, Scotland’s deputy first minister, discouraged people from doing what adding that it would be the 'wrong course of action' and went against the spirit of Scottish policy?
5. Anti-vax activists marched through a Covid testing site in which town tearing down signs, throwing traffic cones and allegedly taking medical supplies?

6. The NHS announced that how many Coronavirus 'surge hubs’, temporary Nightingale units housing about 100 patients, were to be set up at hospitals across England in preparation for a wave of Omicron admissions?

7. Train operator Southern cancelled trains to and from which London station for two weeks, until January 10, as a result of pandemic-related staff shortages?

8. In her Christmas Day speech, the Queen paid tribute to her late husband Prince Philip, saying: 'That mischievous, enquiring ___ was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.’ What is the missing word?.

9. A 19-year-old man from Southampton was sectioned under the Mental Health Act after being found in the grounds of Windsor Castle on Christmas Day with what weapon?
10. Desmond Tutu, who died aged 90, was credited with coining which two-word phrase to describe the non-racial South Africa that he and Nelson Mandela wanted to rise from the ashes of apartheid?
11. A Government campaign warned that teenagers whose parents smoked were how many times more likely to take up the habit than those from non-smoking households?

12. Policeman Ryan Connolly, who photographed himself at a murder scene and took pictures of vulnerable people while on duty, was dismissed by which force?
13. The first woman to have her own weekday show on BBC Radio 1 and the first to become a regular presenter of Top of the Pops died this week. What was her name?

14. According to think-tank the Resolution Foundation, UK households will face increased costs of how much in 2022 as static wages and rising tax and energy bills will cause a 'cost of living catastrophe’?
15. What was the name of England’s former cricket captain, who led his side to victory in Australia in 1971 and then retained the Ashes at home in 1972, who died on Christmas Day?

16. What is the name of the pro-democracy news website in Hong Kong that announced it was to shut after police raided its offices, froze its assets and arrested senior journalists and board members?

17. Which bank mistakenly deposited £130million into 75,000 accounts on Christmas day?

18. Actress, model and activist April Ashley, who died aged 86, was awarded an MBE in 2012 for her campaigning work for which community?

19. The fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old boy in Hillingdon took teenage homicides in London in 2021 to what record number, surpassing the previous peak in 2008?
20. England surrendered the Ashes after being bowled out in their second innings of the third test for how many runs, their lowest total in Australia since 1904?
21. Amazon apologised after Alexa challenged a ten-year-old girl in America to do what?
22. Papers released from the National Archives showed that the Dean of Westminster personally appealed to Buckingham Palace to ensure which song was sang at Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997?
23. What is the name of the $10billion telescope that was sent into space 'to the birth of the Universe’ from French Guiana on Christmas day?
24. What animal named Stripe was captured and put down after attacking and injuring 18 people in Flintshire, Wales?
25. Which movie took the title of highest-grossing film of 2021, making more than $1billion (£750million) at the global box office?

Answers here

The Christmas week newsquiz

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Liz Gerard with 20, narrowly ahead of Marguerite Turner on 19.5, Robert Rea 19, Gavin Devine 18.5, Stuart Bagnall 17 and Toby Brown 16. The top teams were Maura and Phil Parsons and Bruce and Sarah Hayward 21 with Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe on 20. Here is this week’s newsquiz. As usual, there are 25 questions about the week. If you find the time between the mince pies and mulled wine, give it a go and let me know your score. Hope you all have a good Christmas and manage to dodge the virus.

A selection of yesterday's front pages

1. Daily Covid-19 cases in the UK exceeded what milestone figure on Wednesday, for the first time since the pandemic began?
2. Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced that people infected with Covid in England could stop self-isolating after how many days by providing negative lateral flow results on the last two days?

3. Research by which college suggested people with Omicron are 15-20 per cent less likely to need hospital treatment compared with Delta?

4. Sue Gray took over from Simon Case in what role?

5. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, when asked if what was a moral issue, said 'I'm going to step out on thin ice here and say yes, I think it is’?

6. Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted a leaked photograph of him, his wife Carrie and staff eating cheese and drinking wine in the Number 10 garden showed 'people at ___ talking about ___'. What is the missing word?

7. Who resigned from the Government saying, in a letter to Boris Johnson, that he hoped the Prime Minister would 'not be tempted by coercive measures' to tackle Covid?

8. Who was kicked out of a Conservative WhatsApp group after urging MPs to show Prime Minister Boris Johnson 'a bit of loyalty’ and calling him a hero?

9. Which member of the Royal Family tested positive for coronavirus, meaning he and his wife will not now be spending Christmas with the Queen at Windsor Castle?

10. Ali Harbi Ali, 25, appeared before the Old Bailey to plead not guilty to whose murder?
11. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who was ordered to pay around £550million to his former wife and their two children, is the prime minister of which country?

12. Former soldier Carl Davies, 44, was jailed for two years and eight months at Mold Crown Court after admitting sending death threats to which television presenter? 

13. Two babies were found safe in an upturned what that had been ripped from their home by a tornado in Kentucky?

14. The jury in the New York sex trafficking trial were sent home for Christmas, meaning Ghislaine Maxwell will spend her birthday on December 25 in prison. How old will she be tomorrow (Saturday)?

15. Four women accused actor Chris Noth, who played John James 'Mr Big’ Preston in which TV series, of sexual abuse?

16. Carlos Marín, who died at 53, was a singer for the last 17 years with which band?
17. Who is to take legal action against a website over claims she was born male with the name Jean-Michel Trogneux?

18. What was the name of the character Sally Ann Howes, who died aged 91, played in the children's classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?

19. US Open champion Emma Raducanu was named the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year but who won the Lifetime Achievement award?

20. According to reports in India, monkeys, enraged by the killing of a fellow primate, killed 250 what in the state of Maharashtra by throwing them from trees?

21. In the Ashes at Adelaide, Stuart Broad became the tenth cricketer in Test history to win how many caps?

22. Spectators watching the 2022 World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London chanted ‘stand up if you hate' who?

23. Which TV programme filmed its last episode, bringing an end to more than 1,000 episodes over 23 years?

24. Which veteran TV journalist bowed out by walking through the newsroom followed by credits describing him as a Voice, Mentor, Leader, Inspiration, Driving Force, Moral Compass and Friend?

25. Almost 70 years after his first appearance in the Beano, Bash Street Kid James Scott Cameron had his nickname changed to Scotty over concerns his previous name could be offensive. What was it?

Answers here

Northern hacks reunite

A reunion mock front page

I spent a weekend this month chasing, and finding, ghosts in Darlington. Pam and I joined around 60 former colleagues who had worked for North of England Newspapers before 1986. The papers, based in Priestgate, were The Northern Echo, the Evening Despatch (which closed in 1986), the Darlington and Stockton Times and the Durham Advertiser series. The reunion was the brainchild of Mike Amos, Ross Forbes and Neil McKay who planned it all, unsurprisingly, on nights at the pub. At times, with Omicron causing last-minute wobbles, it all looked precarious. But in the end there was a great turnout at Darlington Cricket Club for drinks, food, stand-up bingo, a digital display of old photos put together by Ross and an auction of newsroom memorabilia that raised £1,050 for the Journalists’ Charity. I started at Priestgate in 1979 as a 23-year-old sub on the Echo, spent three years as chief sub of the Despatch and returned to the Echo as night editor, deputy editor and finally, from 1989 to 1993, editor. I met Pam in my second year and left as a 38-year-old married father-of-three. So, Darlington played a huge part in my life and shaped many of the things I have done since. In my 14 years there I made many lifelong friends and it was lovely to catch up with some of them on Friday. We were so reluctant to say goodbye that ten of us ended up in an Indian restaurant till 2am! 

Those who made it (and almost made it) were:

Mike Amos MBE: Reporter, John North, news-editor and columnist. Chairman of Northern Football League 1996-2016 and author of three books.
Mel Attrill: Photographer. Served under ten Echo editors, ending in 1999 when he retired after 42 years.

Heather Barron: Trained as a journalist at Darlington College, where she met Peter Barron. Editor of Yorkshire Living magazine and works in the family business.

Peter Barron MBE: Reporter, news-editor, deputy editor of the Echo, then editor of the Hartlepool Mail in 1997. Returned to Echo in 1999, becoming the longest-serving editor. Runs Peter Barron Media.
Stephen Brenkley: D&S Times Barnard Castle reporter. Returned as John North. Cricket correspondent of the Independent on Sunday/Independent. Retired. Author of The Life and Times of Barnard Castle Cricket Club.

Mike Bridgen: Reporter at Despatch, Echo and D&S Times. D&S news-editor and farming editor.

Mike Brough: Graphic artist and designer on the Echo who runs his own design company and has redesigned newspapers all over the world.

Andy Brown: Reporter and sub at Advertiser. Reporter and chief sub on the Despatch, sub and chief sub at the Echo and sub, chief sub and deputy editor of the D&S Times. Helps news-edit Talking Newspaper.
Derek Butler: Wire room technician, church ministry and garage business. Married Dorothy Bainbridge.
Dorothy Bainbridge/Dot Butler: Reporter D&S Times and Despatch. Women’s editor Sunderland Echo. Dot Butler Consultancy. Director ROC, group delivering Ofsted and services to children, and ROC Solid housing charity.
Ruth Campbell: Reporter on Despatch and Echo features and supplements. Freelance for Living magazine and Mum at Large column. Moved into marketing.
Jane Chilton: Advertiser and D&S reporter. Journal, BBC Radio Humberside, presenter BBC Look North, GMTV and Sky News Scotland correspondent. Scottish Water digital content creator.
Brian Clough: Echo photographer. Presenter/producer of Smooth Radio show. Director of internet site serving North-East with news, stories and pix. Presents and produces a country music radio show streamed to 19 different stations.
Mike Cowling: Echo photographer for 11 years. Chief photographer Swindon Evening Advertiser. Chief photographer/picture-editor Yorkshire Evening Post and Yorkshire Post. Retired but writes cycling column for the YP.
Ross Forbes: Despatch and Echo reporter. Career in PR and corporate management. Now working to restore and renew the Miners’ Hall in Durham and organising the annual Gala.
Lynda Fothergill: Reporter at D&S Times in Thirsk and with Ackrill group in Northallerton and Ripon offices. Headed communications for four Tyne and Wear authorities before starting communications consultancy.
Mike Gibb: Echo photographer from 1972 and chief photographer from 1985-2006. Freelance.
Alan Gilliland: Despatch photographer and Echo graphic artist. Graphics editor of The Daily Telegraph. Writes and illustrates fiction.
Janet Gleeson: Echo Northallerton reporter then Tyne Tees Television.
Anne Graham: Advertiser reporter. Echo Newcastle office. National newspapers and television. Freelanced in corporate communications and PR. Launch editor of Archant’s North East Life magazine. Published two books.
Sharon Griffiths: Echo Northallerton reporter. Freelance with columns in Echo, Eastern Daily Press and other papers, including one in Dubai. Published three novels.
Steve Hobman: Echo reporter, chief reporter, deputy news editor. News editor with Birmingham Daily News. PR for national organisations. PR to independent breweries and runs a beer tourism business.
Christine Holt: Features writer at the Echo. Worked in international development. Taught yoga classes. Works for charity supporting yoga in prisons.
David Kelly: Echo features editor, assistant, deputy and managing editor. North of England Newspapers MD.
June Kelly: Reporter on D&S and Evening Gazette. Owns Juicy Marketing and Design.
Clive Kerfoot: Echo Hartlepool and Stockton reporter. News-editor and programme editor at Tyne Tees Television. News-editor and head of planning at Sky News.
Peta King: Echo reporter in Darlington and later a sub.
John Knighton: Echo sub. Chief sub of Edinburgh Evening News, assistant editor of Sunderland Echo and editor of Hartlepool Mail, production editor at The Journal. Editorial consultant for Trinity Mirror. Is now a stall-holder selling cheeses at markets.
Andy Lamb: Long-serving photographer, deputy chief photographer.
Phil Lambell: Echo sub, splash sub, chief sub, production editor. Chief desk editor for the Journal and Chronicle. Freelance, D&S, Bradford T&A.
Sue Leitch (Kell): Advertiser reporter in Durham office and then Despatch. Echo, Advertiser and D&S sub. House renovator. 
Chris Lloyd: Echo reporter, deputy editor and author of books about North-East. Now chief feature writer.
Gerry Loughran: Reporter in Echo Hartlepool office. Echo sub. Chronicle in Newcastle. Bureau chief in Beirut, Paris and Moscow, then foreign editor in New York for UPI. Worked in Africa on papers owned by Aga Khan.
Graham Marples: Echo deputy and chief reporter. Middlesbrough Gazette news-editor. Tyne Tees news-editor, managing editor and head of news. Launched occupational health company.
Kathy Marshall (Cook): Despatch reporter for 13 years, then Echo and Advertiser. Gazette Media reporter at the Herald and Post. Cover supervisor at college until retirement.
Tony Marshall: Art department of the Echo. Set up design and print company Marford Litho. Lecturer on design management and copyright. Supplies vehicles for television series. Editor of Wheel and Track magazine. Charity volunteer.
Neil McKay: D&S Times and Echo reporter in Peterlee. Sunday Sun chief reporter. News-editor of Shields Gazette. Edit UK news agency and Journal chief reporter. Charity driver, exam invigilator, writes for community newsletter.
Mike Morrissey: Echo reporter. Deputy news editor and industrial editor at Middlesbrough Gazette. Saltburn correspondent for the D&S Times. Freelance for Catholic press.
Dave Nicholson: Echo reporter in Middlesbrough and Bishop Auckland. Echo sub. Twenty years in Fleet Street and editor of Evening Press in York. Freelance copy editor and compiler of puzzles. Founded hyperlocal site YorkMix.com.
Brian Page: Echo chief reporter, deputy features editor, sports editor, assistant editor and deputy editor. Daily Post in Liverpool. Two spells as editor of Irish Post. Editor of Mensa Magazine.
Caroline Parnell (nee Finkill): D&S Times journalist. PR with Easington council and NHS. Set up Sentry PR Ltd, supporting public sector organisations in crisis. Director of comms and corporate affairs at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.
Bill Perfitt: Echo Redcar reporter. Lancashire Evening Gazette/Fleetwood Chronicle. Editor of ICI in-house newspaper. Enron Teesside public affairs manager. Huntsman UK and European director of public affairs. SABIC UK director of public affairs. Volunteer at Guisborough Town FC.
Allan Prosser: Echo editor and later MD. Editorial director Kent Messenger. Editor of Farmers Guardian. Sixteen years with the Cork-based Irish Examiner, retiring as editor in 2020.
Colin Randall: Despatch Bishop Auckland reporter. Echo reporter in Stanley, Darlington and Bishop. Chief reporter Harrow Observer, Press Association reporter. Daily Telegraph chief reporter, executive news editor, French correspondent. Executive editor at The National in Abu Dhabi.
Yvonne Ridley: Echo reporter, assistant news-editor. Editor of Wales on Sunday. Chief reporter of Sunday Express. TV launches at Al Jazeera in Qatar, Islam Channel in London and Press TV in Iran. Film and documentary maker. Runs peafowl sanctuary. Honorary doctorate in journalism. Author.
Sian Roberts: Echo reporter in Chester-le-Street and Richmond.
Pam Sands: Priestgate sales department, looking after promotions for the papers. Company secretary at Editorial Centre and Sands Media Services. Volunteer at Covid vaccination centre in Rye.
Peter Sands: Echo sub, night-editor, deputy editor and editor. Chief-sub Despatch. Westminster Press development editor. Founded the Editorial Centre and then Sands Media Services. Training director at Press Association and editorial director at Northcliffe. Consultant at DMGT.
Martin Shipton: Echo reporter, deputy chief reporter and investigative reporter. NUJ FoC. Wales on Sunday, chief reporter and political editor at large of the Western Mail. Written three books.
Tim Sinclair: Despatch reporter then Echo sub. Bradford T&A sub. Night editor/chief sub for paper in Papua New Guinea. Returned to Echo subs.
Jon Smith: Echo features editor and chief sub. Assistant editor Sunday Today and deputy chief sub The Times. Lecturer at Darlington College. Newsquest and NTCJ lifetime achievement awards. Produced several books. Thirty-four years as parish chairman.
Colin Tapping: Durham Advertiser reporter and Echo’s Sunderland reporter. Deputy business editor, business editor, assistant editor and deputy editor. Editor Hexham Courant.
Sally Taylor: Advertiser, Despatch and Echo reporter and sub on and off from 1974 to 2008, interspersed with living abroad and raising a family. Retired on Christmas Eve 2008 and hasn’t done a day’s work since.
Steve Verrill: Echo reporter in Whitby. Yorkshire Post chief reporter for North Yorkshire. Head of Press and PR at North Yorkshire County Council. Director of Public Relations Company. Set up Verrill Public Relations.
Malcolm Warne: Echo York reporter, news-editor and assistant editor, Editor D&S Times. Constituency communications officer for Richmond MP.
Tony Watson: Despatch reporter and news-editor. Reporter for Granada’s World in Action. Yorkshire Post deputy editor and editor. Editor-in-chief and MD at the Press Association.
Maggie Weir: Echo sub and widow of Ian Weir, much missed former deputy chief photographer.
Red Williams: Despatch chief reporter, Bishop Auckland. Ipswich Press Agency, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, News of the World, Coventry Telegraph, Leicester Mercury, UK News, Southend Echo, Quicksilver Media, Archant and Stamford Mercury. Edits Harborough Mail.
Jennifer Wilson: Despatch reporter. News, features and women’s affairs at The Journal. Worked at dog groomer’s, retail, as admin officer with the Inland Revenue and IT tutor Newcastle College.
Malcolm Wright: Echo York reporter and chief reporter in Darlington. Guardian correspondent. Lecturer at Darlington College. More than 100 documentaries and dramadocs for Tyne Tees Television as controller of features. Exec producer of programmes for ITV, C4 and Discovery. Launched SignPost. Retired from ITV as an MD after 29 years.
Ted Young: Echo Darlington and Newton Aycliffe reporter and sub. Sub at Today and Daily Mail. Night editor/assistant editor The Sun, executive editor Daily Express, editor London Life, editor MailOnline, editor New York Daily News Online. Now editor of Metro.

Test your news knowledge with this week's quiz

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Jayme Bryla with 22. Stuart Bagnall, Marguerite Turner and Toby Brown all scored 19, Peter Gavan 18, Dominic Hurst, Gavin Devine and Robert Rea scored 17. The top teams were Simon, Sue and Will Cole and Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe both with 21, ahead of Maura and Phil Parsons on 20 and Bruce and Sarah Hayward 17. 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 your score. 

A selection of today's front pages

1. What is the name of the Liberal Democrat who overturned a Tory majority of almost 23,000 and won the North Shropshire seat which the Conservatives had held for nearly 200 years?
2. Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered his largest revolt since taking office as how many Tories voted against his plan B measures, including Covid passes?
3. Speaking at a Downing Street press conference on Wednesday Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged people to get a booster, saying: 'Let’s keep going. Let’s carry on giving Omicron ___ ___’. What are the two missing words?
4. Who quit as chair of the police and crime committee after it emerged he attended a Covid regulation-breaching Christmas party last year?
5. The Queen cancelled her annual family Christmas lunch next Tuesday for around 50 relatives which was due to be held where?

6. Chancellor Rishi Sunak cut short a trip to where and flew back to London to draw up an emergency rescue package for hospitality firms hit by Christmas cancellations because of Omicron?

7. From 11pm tonight (Friday), travellers who are not French citizens must give a 'compelling reason' for entry to France from the UK. Which of these is not listed as a compelling reason? a) People working on the land b) People working for the Channel Tunnel c) Second-home owners who are triple vaccinated d) Travellers in transit for less than 24 hours in French airports.
8. The Bank of England raised interest rates for the first time in more than three years from 0.1 per cent to what?
9. Savannah Brockhill was jailed for a minimum of 25 years for the murder of 16-month-old Star Hobson as Frankie Smith, the girl's mother, was jailed for how many years for doing nothing to stop her?
10. Tornadoes swept through America killing at least 88 people, the majority of them in which state?
11. Coastguards opened an investigation into 'drunkenness at sea’ after one crew member of a Danish barge died and another was feared drowned in a crash with a UK-flagged carrier in what sea?
12. Which bank was fined more than £264 million for anti-money-laundering failures that involved black bin liners stuffed with cash being deposited?
13. The Crown Prosecution Service announced that who would appear via video-link at Westminster Magistrates' Court on January 18 to face charges of death by dangerous driving?
14. A 27-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of child neglect after two sets of twins, aged three and four, were killed in a house fire in which London borough?
15. The judge at a Crawley Court told former model Katie Price she would avoid jail for drink-driving while disqualified but said: 'Unlike you not everyone has the luxury of putting themselves into the ___ ___ when their lives get hard.' What are the two missing words?
16. A tearful Sergio Aguero, 33, announced he was making the 'very difficult’ decision to retire from football in order to protect what?
17. Mike Nesmith, who died aged 78, was a member of which 1960s pop group who had their own TV series and reached No 1 in the UK with I’m A Believer?
18. Two of the six nominees for the BBC’s Sports Personality Of The Year, to be held on Sunday, are women. Tennis player Emma Raducanu is one, who is the other?
19. Carrie Johnson announced the three names of her baby daughter on Instagram saying: 'Romy after my aunt, Rosemary. ___ from the Greek, meaning rainbow. ___ after Boris's late mum whom we miss so much’. What are the two missing names? Half a point for each.
20. Max Verstappen became Formula 1 world champion after overtaking Lewis Hamilton on the last lap at which Grand Prix after a late safety car was introduced?

21. Lewis Hamilton became the fourth Formula 1 racer to receive a knighthood. Name any one of the other three.
22. Marks & Spencer went to the High Court to seek an injunction against Aldi for the alleged infringement of the design of what?
23. Who was Time’s Person of The Year, with the magazine describing him as a 'clown, genius, edgelord, visionary, industrialist, showman’?
24. What had to be redone three hours after it was initially carried out due to a ‘technical problem with the software of an external service provider’?
25. Who came second to Emmerdale actor Danny Miller, who was crowned King of the Castle in I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here?

Answers here

Tackle this week's newsquiz

The top solo scorers in last week’s newsquiz were Liz Gerard, Jayme Bryla and Robert Rea who all scored 22, just ahead of Janet Boyle on 21. Marguerite Turner scored 19 and Stuart Bagnall 18. The top team was Bruce and Sarah Hayward with a score of 20. Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe scored 19.5 and Maura and Phil Parsons 19. 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 your score.

A selection of today's front pages

1. In a leaked video of a mock press conference, what is the name of the special adviser who asked the questions to the Prime Minister’s then Press secretary, Allegra Stratton, about 'a Downing Street Christmas party’?

2. In the leaked video, Downing Street staff told Allegra Stratton to say that ‘it wasn’t a party, it was ___ and ___’. She then 

asked ‘is ___ and ___ all right?’. What are the two missing words? Half a point for each.

3. At Prime Minister’s Questions, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer challenged Boris Johnson about the alleged party at Downing Street, and said that even who 'were ahead of the Prime Minister on this’? 

4. After the video leak, Allegra Stratton stepped down from her role as Government’s spokesperson for what … a position she held since April?

5. Which former Government minister was said to have delivered a speech to two dozen of his staff who gathered for 'drinks and canapes' on December 10 last year while London was under Tier 2 restrictions?

6. Following the Government’s Covid Plan B, in which of these places will it not be mandatory to wear a mask from today (Friday)? a) theatres and cinemas  b) churches c) pubs d) public libraries?

7. Which Tory MP criticised the Government over its approach to the Omicron Covid variant, accusing ministers of putting businesses at risk by 'stopping and starting sectors of our economy’?

8. The Conservative Party was fined £17,800 by the Electoral Commission for 'failing to accurately report a donation' that mainly paid for what?

9. What did former Foreign Office employee Raphael Marshall say was 'dysfunctional and chaotic' and was not 'fully understood' by Dominic Raab?

10.  Prime Minister Boris Johnson said no Government ministers would attend what event because of alleged human rights abuses?

11. Metropolitan police officers Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis, who shared photos of two murdered sisters on WhatsApp, were jailed for two years and nine months after being pleading guilty to what offence?

12. An 80-year-old woman died after being swept into which Dorset river during Storm Barra?
13. Why did football fans at grounds around the country, including Birmingham, West Ham, Watford, Coventry, Wolves and Newcastle, applaud at the sixth-minute of their games at the weekend. 

14. Which long-standing Republican, who stood as presidential candidate against Bill Clinton in 1996, died aged 98?

15. New Zealand announced it was banning young people from ever being allowed to buy what in their lifetime?

16. Students at which university demanded the resignation of Professor Tim Luckhurst after he invited journalist Rod Liddle to talk at an end of year event? 

17. Angela Merkel’s 16-year reign as Chancellor came to an end as the German parliament elected who as her successor?

18. Vishal Garg, the chief executive of US mortgage company Better.com, apologised to 900 members of his staff for the way he sacked them. How did he do it? 

19. Cricketer Rory Burns became the first England player since Stan Worthington in 1936 to do what?

20. The co-founder of which band from the 80s, who had Top Ten hits with Smalltown Boy, Why? and a cover of Donna Summer’s I Feel Love, died this week aged 61?

21. What will not be replaced in London despite being described as thin, sparse, anaemic and ugly?

22. According to the Unicode Consortium which emoji was the world's most used in 2021?

23. Prince Harry said people who did what during the pandemic should be ‘celebrated’ as the start of a 'mental health awakening’?

24. Prince William, speaking on an Apple podcast, recalled his mother used to play songs in the car saying: ‘One of the songs I massively remember and has stuck with me all this time, and I still, to this day, still quite enjoy secretly.' What song was he referring to?

25. Four out of the first five campmates to be eliminated from I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! were women, meaning there is only one female left. Name her. 

Answers here

Test your knowledge with the newsquiz

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Janet Boyle with 22, just ahead of Rob Lawrence on 21. Marguerite Turner and Stuart Bagnall scored 20, Chris Matthews and Toby Brown 19, Jayme Bryla 18 and Gavin Devine and Robert Rea 17. Maura and Phil Parsons were the top team with 23. Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe scored 21, Simon, Sue and Will Cole and Three Legs drinkers Bryan Heather and Peter 19 and Bruce and Sarah Hayward 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. Omicron, the Covid-19 variant that emerged in South Africa, was named after what number letter of the Greek alphabet?
2. At Prime Minister's Questions, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused Boris Johnson of 'taking the public for fools' in a clash over allegations of what?
3. Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey said that people should enjoy Christmas but added she didn’t think there should be much 'snogging' where?
4. Which European country ruled that unvaccinated people would not be allowed in restaurants, cinemas, leisure facilities and non-essential shops in a bid to fend off a fourth wave of Covid?
5. In Sir Keir Starmer's reshuffle who became shadow Home Secretary, returning to a role she held from 2011-2015?
6. A trial of seven different vaccinations led by the University of Southampton and published in the Lancet, concluded that Pfizer and which other booster were the most effective at raising immunity?
7. Relatives of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, whose father and stepmother were convicted of killing him, blamed which town’s social services for missing a raft of opportunities to save the boy's life?

8. Emma Tustin, 32, was sentenced to life for the murder of her six-year-old stepson Arthur Labinjo-Hughes with a minimum term of how many years.
9. Conservative Louie French won which by-election with 11,189 votes but with a reduced majority?

10. Three victims of Storm Arwen, in Antrim, Cumbria and Aberdeenshire, were all killed by what?

11. What is the name of Britain’s highest pub where 61 guests were stranded by heavy snow from Storm Arwen?
12. Who told ITV political editor Robert Peston that he 'had blown up every part of my life'?
13. Stephen Sondheim, who died aged 91, was a leading figure in musical theatre for more than six decades after becoming famous in 1957 as the lyricist for which Broadway production that became a film in 1961?
14. At the Court of Appeal, the Duchess of Sussex won the latest stage in her legal fight against which newspaper over a letter she sent to her father?
15. Prosecutors in a New York trial produced a 58-page booklet that instructed staff working for who 'to see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing, except to answer a question directed at you'?
16. Pub chef John Croucher was given a suspended four-month jail sentence at Reading Crown Court after admitting serving an undercooked what at a church harvest supper which killed one person and poisoned 31 others?
17. Former Arsenal and Liverpool footballer Ray Kennedy, who died aged 70, became the public-face of a charity spreading awareness of which disease, a condition he was diagnosed with when he was 33?
18. Jack Dorsey stepped down as chief executive of which company, saying 'it's finally time for me to leave' and that the company was 'ready to move on'?
19. Which South Shields born man, who lost the use of all four limbs in a car crash in 1986, was knighted in 1999 for services to his sport?
20. The Weston family agreed terms to sell which department store to Central Group, a Thai conglomerate, for around £4billion?

21. Who did president Sandra Mason replace as her country’s head of state?
22. Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player in football history to reach which goalscoring milestone?
23. Ellen White became the Lionesses's record goalscorer as England beat which team 20-0 to record their biggest-ever competitive victory?
24. Which two musicians unveiled a song, called Merry Christmas, which they hope will become the Christmas number one, describing it as a bittersweet track that remembers 'the ones who have gone' in a painful year? Half a point for each.
25. How many nights did the camp-mates in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! spend in solo quarantine away from Gwrych Castle because of the damage caused by Storm Arwen?

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