Have a crack at the newsquiz

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Tim (still totally unremarkable) with 23, narrowly ahead of Janet Boyle on 22.5. George Mann scored 20 and Phil Lambell and Robert Rea both scored 19. The top team was Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe with 22, ahead of The Spectator team of John, Lara and William on 21, the Barnard Castle FOC of Trevor, Carole, Our Peter and Jackie on 20 and Danny and Thom at the snooker and Bill and Coo in Florida on 18. Here is this week’s newsquiz. As usual there are 25 questions about the week. Why not give it a go and let me know your score.

Robert Jenrick dominates today's front pages

1. Robert Jenrick was sacked from which shadow cabinet role?
2. In his speech at a Reform UK Press conference, criticising the Conservative Party, who did Robert Jenrick say 'created the migration system that enabled five million migrants to come here. The greatest failure of any British Government in the post-war period’?
3. Commenting on Robert Jenrick’s defection, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: 'I'm just glad that Nigel Farage is doing my __ __ for me.’ What are the two missing words? 
4. Which former Conservative Chancellor also defected to Reform UK?
5. Former Conservative minister Lord Offord was appointed to what role?
6. Downing Street announced it was backing down on its plan to introduce what, which had been announced by Prime Minister Kier Starmer in September?
7. The Government paid 'substantial' compensation to Palestinian Abu Zubaydah who has been detained where for almost 20 years?
8. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson warned that toddlers, who spend five hours a day looking at screens, had their ability to do what damaged?
9. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs she has no confidence in West Midlands Chief Constable Craig Guildford following a 'damning' report into what?
10. The Armed Forces Bill is to raise the maximum age at which veterans can be recalled from 55 to what age?
11. What reason did Lord Mandelson give for being 'kept separate' from the sexual side of Jeffrey Epstein’s life?
12. US President Donald Trump announced 'immediate' tariffs of what per cent on countries doing business with Iran?
13. Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said she had presented Donald Trump with what in 'recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom’?
14. An employment tribunal found that the nurses from Darlington suffered harassment when the NHS trust allowed what to happen, resulting in 'a hostile, intimidating, humiliating and degrading environment’?
15. A van driver was jailed for 13 years and six months for hitting and killing mother-of-three Suzanne Cherry, 63, while she was doing what in Staffordshire?
16. Three teenagers and a man in his 50s were killed in a head-on collision between a car and a taxi in which town?
17. Former Premier League footballer Shay Given apologised for describing sacked Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy's time as an 'absolute __’. What is the missing word?
18. Two women accused which singer of sexually assaulting them while they were working for him at his properties in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas?
19. Why did astronauts from the International Space Station return to Earth a month earlier than planned?
20. An American company is asking for a £750,000 deposit for a five-night stay in a hotel which it plans to open where in 2032?
21. Who announced he was to leave BBC Radio 4's Today programme, saying he intended to launch his own company?
22. Sasha Nash became the first woman to lead which team in its history?
23. Which non-league team were credited with pulling off FA Cup’s greatest shock by knocking out the trophy holders?
24. What sporting event will return to Britain next year, for the first time since 2014?
25. Adolescence star Owen Cooper became the youngest person to receive an award at the Golden Globes. How old is he?

Answers here

Time to tackle the newsquiz

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was George Mann with 23, just ahead of Tim (still totally unremarkable) on 22, Janet Boyle and Ian McCulloch on 20, Robert Rea on 19 and Cepe Smith on 18. The top team was the Barnard Castle FOC with Bill, Sue, Trev, Carole, Our Peter, Jackie, Sam and Anna with 23, ahead of the Broad Oak Boozers of Craig, Danny, George, Thom and Tim on 18, Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe on 17.5 and Joe and Sarah on 16. Here is this week’s newsquiz. As usual there are 25 questions about the week. Why not give it a go and let me know your score. 

Today's front pages

1. What is the name of the Venezuelan president who was captured by the US on Saturday?
2. The government of which country said that 32 of its soldiers and intelligence staff were killed during the US operation to seize the Venezuelan leader?
3. The White House said that US President Donald Trump has been discussing 'a range of options' including use of the military, to acquire where as a 'national security priority’?
4. US President Donald Trump said that the president of which country was a 'sick man' who 'likes making cocaine’ and warned him to 'watch his ass.’
5. Protests erupted in America over the fatal shooting of mother-of-three Renee Good by an ICE agent in which city?
6. Government sources said Chancellor Rachel Reeves was finalising a support package for which industry that would include reductions to business rates?
7. The Met Office issued red, amber and yellow weather warnings as a storm with what name brought heavy snow and winds to the UK?
8. Tributes were paid to 67-year-old Mark Ratcliffe who drowned while trying to rescue a mother and daughter from the sea at which East Yorkshire coastal town?
9. Which company issued a global recall of baby formula products over concerns they contained a toxin which causes food poisoning?
10. An NHS online hospital service, to be launched in England next year, will focus on nine different conditions. Which of these is not included? a) inflammatory bowel disease b) cataracts c) prostate enlargement d) high blood pressure.
11. Under Government plans to reform driving laws in Britain, drivers over 70 would have to do what every three years?
12. Which singer shared that her eight-month-old twins had been diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy and may never walk?
13. How many people were found guilty of cyber-bullying Brigitte Macron, the wife of the French President, by spreading false claims about her gender?
14. The chief executive of which food chain said there was 'no doubt’ that the wide-spread use of fat jabs and other appetite-suppressing medication was having an impact on its business?
15. The mayor of Swiss town Crans-Montana said Le Constellation bar, where more than 40 people died in a fire on New Year’s Eve, had not undergone safety checks for how many years?
16. Jonathan Carley, 65, was fined £500 after he admitted doing what at a Remembrance Sunday event in Llandudno?
17. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society warned people to limit the use of what to seven days or risk addiction?
18. Elon Musk's platform X limited the use of which tool after it came under fire for allowing people to make sexualised deepfakes?
19. Martin Chivers, who died aged 80, was the third top scorer of all-time for which football club?
20. Martin Clunes is to portray who in a controversial new two-part drama on Channel 5?
21. Why did presenter Gabby Logan leave Match of the Day mid-broadcast on Wednesday night?
22. Liam Rosenior was appointed head coach of Chelsea while Manchester United and Celtic appointed interim managers. Name them. Half a point each.
23. Where were John Sugden and Billy Mayhew killed?
24. How much did Luke Littler, 18, take home in prize money after winning the World Darts Championship for the second year running?
25. Fiona Hughes, a 62-year-old local government officer from Swansea, was revealed as what?

Answers here

30th anniversary of the Editorial Centre

Marine Court in Hastings, home of the Editorial Centre

It is 30 years ago today that my wife Pam and I set up the Editorial Centre in Hastings. This evening we will raise a glass to mark the anniversary of the day our lives changed forever. I had worked as a reporter for the Shields Weekly News in Tyneside, a sub at The Northern Echo, shifted at The Sun, chief-subbed the Evening Despatch in Darlington and ended up as editor of the Echo.
Pam worked for the Echo as a promotions executive. We enjoyed every minute but after 15 years on the nightshift, and as parents of three young children, we were looking for the next move - especially as our GP had us down as 'a one-parent family'. 

In 1993 the Echo’s parent company, Westminster Press, offered me a management role in the South, based at its training centre in Hastings. It was a tough decision but we left our native North-East and settled in a village near Rye in East Sussex. Two years later the parent company, Pearson, announced it was to sell Westminster Press.

The incoming company would have no need for a deputy editorial director and I was offered an MD’s job at one of the regional divisions. I was also offered night-editing positions on national papers. We faced a huge dilemma. Was I ready to be an MD or to go back on the night-shift? Would a four-hour daily commute be feasible or would we move our kids, who had settled nicely in the village school, to London? If we didn't choose one, what on earth were we going to do? East Sussex wasn’t really a thriving media centre.

As we were pondering our options, along came an amazing opportunity. Pearson announced that one of the casualties of the sale was to be the pioneering but unprofitable training centre - the brainchild of Nick Herbert and Bob James.

Pam and I offered to buy it and, to our astonishment, the company said Yes. It was on December 22, 1995, that we bought the training centre in Hastings and we reopened it as the Editorial Centre on Monday January 8, 1996.

An early Editorial Centre brochure

By the time we signed the deal we had contracts to guarantee our business would be profitable for the first two years. Those working at the centre - Robin Thompson, Steve Nelson, Frank le Duc, Steve Gladwyn, Sarah Jackson (nee Dixon), shorthand supremo Sylvia Bennett and Anne Scott included - all came with us and helped turn it into a success. The first course we ran in 1996 had 21 trainees on it. In 2016 some of them held a 20th anniversary dinner near King's Cross. Gareth Dant wrote a nice piece about it here. 

The Editorial Centre trained thousands of people, many now award-winning journalists and executives. They include editor-in-chief of the New York Post Keith Poole, BBC broadcaster and comedian Matt Chorley, author Sathnam Sanghera, Sam Coates and Ed Conway of Sky, Sam Greenhill chief reporter of the Daily Mail who was named Journalist of the Year in 2025, Andy Bounds of the FT and Matt Nixson of the Express - to name just a few. We trained in Ireland too and many of today’s senior journalists passed through the training organised by the Irish Examiner.
Thirty years ago we set off on adventure, a gamble, which turned out better than we could have ever imagined. It has seen us work for almost every national and regional newspaper. It has led to jobs in India, China, America, Australia, Malta, Gibraltar, the Channel Islands and Ireland and with companies from Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Hungary and Russia. We have redesigned more than 100 newspapers, produced live publications with our long-standing partner, designer Mike Brough, and met some amazing people. We will always be indebted to Shamus Donald, the human resources director of WP, who eased the deal through, negotiated an ongoing contract and made it as painless as possible. Without him, none of what happened later would have been possible.

Some of the Editorial Centre's services

The Editorial Centre thrived for nine years before we sold it to the Press Association in 2004. Thanks to Paul Potts, Tony Watson, Pat Pilton, Nick Teunon and Steven Brown for setting that sale in motion. We then helped PA absorb it into its own training company, buying the Trinity training centre in Newcastle and establishing centres in London and Howden in East Yorkshire. In 2007 I stood down as training director and we set up our new company, SMS. We still work for many media groups, including the Daily Mail whose schemes we run in London and New York, The i Paper and The Spectator.
When I was 22 I loved being a reporter on the Shields Weekly News. As I walked down to the river Tyne each day to pick up the fish prices to phone over to the Shields Gazette, I could never have imagined where the journey would take me. Now I see countless young journalists starting out on their journeys and watch their twists and turns with fascination. 

We owe a big thanks to the many people who have helped and guided us, called on our services or just had a pint with us along the way. Here’s to the next 30 years!

First newsquiz of 2026

Happy new year to all you quizzers and thanks for playing each week. Trust you had a great time but were still able to keep-up with what was going on in the world. The top scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Tim (still totally unremarkable) with an impressive 24, ahead of George Mann, Janet Boyle, Nick Turner and Robert Rea on 21 and Ian McCulloch on 16. The top teams were the Barnard Castle FOC with Our Peter, Jackie, Bill, Sue, Trevor, Carole, Rosie and Gordon and the Broad Oak Boozers of Jack, Franki, Danny, Anna, Dale and Thom. Both teams scored 23 and were just ahead of Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe on 21. Here is the first quiz of 2026. Good luck for this - and for the coming year.

Today's front pages

1. What was the name of the bar in the Swiss ski resort, Crans-Montana, where at least 47 people died in a fire at a New Year’s Eve party?
2. What was believed to have caused the fire at the Swiss bar where at least 47 people were killed?
3. The Government said that how many thousand people arrived in the UK on small boat crossings in 2025 - the second highest number on record?
4. Thousands of passengers faced hours of delays after which company cancelled its services due to a power supply problem?
5. After a two-hour meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Florida, US President Donald Trump said a draft agreement to end the war was nearly '__ per cent done'. What is the missing number?
6. In a New Year address Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a peace agreement to end the war with Russia was ’__ per cent ready’. What is the missing number?
7. The FTSE 100 index climbed above how many points, passing a stock market milestone for the first time, on the first trading day of 2026?
8. A vaccine to protect children from what infection was rolled out on the NHS for the first time today (Fri), with Health Secretary Wes Streeting saying it would 'make a real difference for children and families’?
9. A mother and two children died in a fire that destroyed their home in which Costwolds town on Boxing Day?
10. The Conservatives called for British-Egyptian activist Abd El Fattah to be deported and his UK citizenship to be revoked after social media messages emerged of him calling for who to be killed?
11. French actress Brigitte Bardot, who revolutionised 1950s French cinema and became a symbol of sexual liberation, died at what age?
12. The death of Brigitte Bardot means that there are only three people still alive from the 59 mentioned in which 1989 hit song?
13. British boxer Anthony Joshua was injured and two of his team members killed in a car crash in which country?
14. Which of these were NOT awarded an OBE in the New Year's Honours a) presenter Gabby Logan b) comic Matt Lucas c) golfer Rory McIlroy d) author Richard Osman?
15. Six people were injured by a man using what weapon at Newton Community Hospital on Merseyside?
16. The police and crime commissioner for Sussex, Katy Bourne, urged the Government to look into making asylum seekers wear what?
17. In a conversation with racing commentator John Hunt, about his wife and two daughters being murdered, Queen Camilla said she had fought back after being indecently assaulted while travelling on what?
18. At least two people were killed as protests, with demonstrators chanting for economic justice and demanding an end to the regime, spread across which country?
19. Derek Egan, 39, was charged with trespassing after twice gaining access to the grounds of whose London home on December 21 and 23?
20. Climate journalist Tatiana Schlossberg, who died aged 35, was the granddaughter of which former US President? 
21. An exhibition tennis match billed as the Battle of the Sexes between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios was held where?
22. Olympic gold-medal-winning swimmer Adam Peaty added what as his middle name after getting married at Bath Abbey on Saturday?
23. Which sportsman reacted to being booed by saying: 'You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize so thanks for booing me’?
24. Which football manager left his club on New Years day after 18 months in charge?
25. The Traitors returned to TV screens on New Years Day but with what new addition?

Answers here