This week's newsquiz - 25 points to be won

Last week’s top newsquiz scorer was Chris Lennon with an impressive 14. Other notable individual scores included 13 by Damon Wake and Phil Lambell. On the team front, my mates in The Plough scored a remarkable 15 on Friday night. Well done Nicky and Les Castell. The Batstone Collective, distracted by Lucy’s big birthday, scored 12. Here is this week’s quiz … as usual 25 points to be won. Let me know how you get on.

Headline of the week by the Mirror on the Olympics scandal (Q1)

1. The London Olympics were 'sabotaged' by Russian athletes involved in state-sponsored cheating, according to a report by WADA. What does WADA stand for?
Bonus: The former International Association of Athletics Federations president is being investigated by French police over allegations he took bribes to cover up positive drugs tests when in charge of the IAAF. Name him?
Bonus: Where did Russia come in the London 2012 Olympic medal table?

2. The first storm to be officially named by the Met Office was upgraded from yellow to amber. What is its name?

3. Why was 59-year-old Jackie Baker in the headlines?

4. What is the name of the political party led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi that won the Myanmar elections?

5. Paramedics, police and firefighters attended a Remembrance Day service as 40 pupils were treated for complaints including nausea and dizziness brought on by ‘anxiety’ at a school in which city?

Bonus: An impromptu rendition of which song at an Armistice Day ceremony at Stormont caused a political furore?

Bonus: What item of clothing was designed by 25-year-old Tabinda-Kauser Ishaq?

6. Who married business consultant and polar explorer Jason De Carteret at a church in Soho?

7. Which company apologised to six black schoolboys after asking them to leave a shop in Melbourne for fear they would shoplift?

8. Nathan Matthews and his girlfriend were found guilty of killing teenager Becky Watts? Name the girlfriend.

Bonus: At which court did the trial take place?

9. He was crowned champion jockey 11 times and won four Prix de l'Arc de Triomphes. Who is he?  

10. Why did students Phil Shepphard and Peter Lyons set up the company Lyon Shepphard Webb Solutions?

11. Former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who died this week, was reported to have stockpiled 38,000 of which item?

12. Who said: 'Let us cast aside a common misconception. Everyone out of work is not an idler. Everyone in receipt of benefits is not a scrounger.’?

13. A man was killed and two seriously wounded in a shooting at which New York City station?

14. David Cameron was accused of hypocrisy after he protested about cuts to public services suggested by which Conservative council?

15. Asda announced it would not be taking part in which event due to 'shopper fatigue’?

16. Michael Cheika, Eddie Jones, Warren Gatland, Joe Schmidt and Jake White were all linked with which job?

17. Benedict Cumberbatch received which honour from the Queen at Buckingham Palace?

18. An inquest heard how musician Nick Cave's teenage son took LSD before he fell off a cliff in which city?

19. Shares in which company fell by 20 per cent after a profit warning, concern over the prospect of £650m of 'headwinds next year and a review likely to involve job losses among its 2,000 senior managers?

20. Stafford Borough Council is equipping wardens with hi-tech £200 goggles in an attempt to catch out who?

Answers here

Try your hand at this week's newsquiz

Last week's quiz proved a toughie for the departing Telegraph trainees but the online quizzers did much better. Former MailOnline trainee and one-time winner of the Champagne Lydia Willgress was top scorer with an impressive 15. Others in double figures included Chris Lennon with 13, Damon Wake 11 and the Batstone Collective which weighed in with ten. Here are this week's questions. As usual there are 25 points up for grabs. Let me know how you get on.

The Mirror reports on the Sharm el-Sheik crisis (Question 1)

1. What was the flight number of the Russian MetroJet flight that crashed in Egypt?
Bonus: How many people were killed on the flight?
Bonus: Passengers hoping to fly home from Sharm el-Sheik were emailed by EasyJet to say what would not be allowed on the flight?

2. What was the name given to the anti-capitalist protest organised by Anonymous in London on Guy Fawkes night?
Bonus: An effigy of David Cameron was burnt at the famous Lewes Bonfire night event. He was depicted sitting on a throne and holding what?

3. How much will Gatwick airport charge for its ‘premium passport control’ service which will fast-track travellers through immigration?

4. How many women are featured in the new British passport?
Bonus: Name one of them

5. Why was baby Layla Richards in the headlines?

6. Amazon opened a bookstore (made of bricks and mortar rather than a virtual one) in which city?

7. The Bank of England froze interest rates again … at what percent?

8. Serena Williams sprinted after a thief who stole her mobile in a San Francisco restaurant while she was on a date with Alexis Ohanion. Which company did Ohanion found?

9. Vauxhall announced the recall of 220,000 cars following a series of fires. What is the name of the car model?

10. The John Lewis Christmas advert is intended to raise awareness of which charity?

Bonus: The song used in the advert is Half The World Away sung by Norwegian artist Aurora. Who wrote it?

11. Who lodged an individual legal claim against a former boss citing victimisation and discrimination?
12. Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush apologised to which country after implying its workers were lazy?

13. What is the name of the prison in County Antrim which, according to a damning report by inspectors, is 'unsafe and unstable' for prisoners and staff?

14. Why was former soldier Rob Lawrie arrested?

15. Which county’s police force is considering raising cash by fining every motorist caught over the speed limit - even if only by one mile per hour?

16. Which football team has been rocked by a sex-tape blackmail scandal?

17. Who was accused in court of refusing to listen to a colleague unless she 'spoke with her breasts’?

18. He was born in Northumberland, played 79 tests for England and scored 11 centuries, was awarded the OBE while still playing and became the first professional cricketer to hold the post of president of the MCC. Who is he?

19. The Environment Secretary Liz Truss said she was quite happy to eat what?

20. What has Twitter changed this week?

Answers here

This week's newsquiz - Harry's 9 to beat

The Daily Telegraph trainees were pretty busy on their penultimate week in Howden - with a law exam, a project to prepare, a visit to the Liverpool Echo and sessions with Andy Drinkwater, Paul Francis and Martin Keene. So they were clearly distracted when it came to the newquiz - or maybe it’s just a tough one this week. Anyway the top scorer was Harry Yorke with 9 points. Well done to him (although the overall performances were by far and away the worst of their seven weeks so far). 

Last week’s top trainee Sam Dean fought off all scores submitted online and remained that weeks top scorer with 15.5. The closest online player was Mike Lowe with an impressive 15. Here are this week’s 20 questions (with five bonus points). Let me know how you get on - someone surely has to get better than Harry’s nine!

Down the pub: The Telegraph's front page shows David Cameron enjoying a pint with President Xi - but which pub? (Q1)

1. David Cameron took Chinese President Xi for fish and chips and a pint at a Buckinghamshire pub where he once left his daughter. Name the pub.
Bonus: Name the daughter?
2. In which constituency will there be a by-election following the death of veteran Labour MP Michael Meacher?
3. Bank of England governor Mark Carney made an important speech on the UK’s place in the EU this week. In which city was he speaking?
Bonus: What nationality is Mr Carney?
4. John Kennedy dos Santos Gurjao died on board an Aer Lingus flight that was scheduled to travel between which two cities? (half a point for each)
Bonus: A post-mortem reportedly found Gurjao had ingested 0.8kg of suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of £40,000 in how many pellets?
5. Former BBC journalist Jacky Sutton was found dead at which airport (airport name and city required)?
6. Why was Craig Joubert in the headlines?
7. Mollie Muetzel and Kathleen Lowndes, both 89, thought they boarded a train at King’s Cross that would take them home to Knebworth near Stevenage. Where did they end up?
8. Which famous politician was a dinner guest in Sunday’s blood-spattered episode of Downton Abbey?
9. The shadow business minister says Britain’s steel makers are unable to operate on a level playing field. Name him.
10. Coral the bookmakers have cut the odds of something happening this year to even money. What is it?
11. According to Public Health England (PHE) the consumption of sugary foods and drinks are costing the NHS how much a year?
Bonus: Who welcomed the PHE report, saying: 'Let’s tackle this like parents not politicians.’?
12. Why has Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger consulted his lawyers?
13. Which town is holding a 'Christmas in October' for a terminally-ill seven-year-old Evan Leversage?
14. Which golf club has asked members for a £100,000 debenture?
15. Former England footballer Gary Neville has paid for showers, toilets and hot meals for homeless squatters living in a building he owns with Ryan Giggs. What is the name of the building?
Bonus: The activists group that Neville is supporting go by the name of the Manchester _____. What is the missing word?
16. What was the name of the town in Sweden where a man stabbed teachers and pupils with a Samurai sword?
17. One of Britain's biggest communications companies suffered a 'significant and sustained cyber attack' in which the bank details and credit card information of customers may have been accessed. Name the company.
18. What do hoverboards, flying cars and self-tying laces have in common?
19. More than 100 refugees arrived at which RAF base in Cyprus?
20. The new film SPECTRE features Monica Bellucci as the oldest actress to be cast as a 'Bond girl’. How old is she? 

Answers here

This week's newsquiz: Sam's 15.5 to beat

I have been in Howden with The Daily Telegraph trainees this week. They are six weeks into their course and had a good few days with the head of PA’s diploma course, Paul Jones, Telegraph lawyer Adam Cannon and my colleague Mike Watson. Drinks were taken in the Tailor's Chalk, a new, tiny and first rate addition to Howden's long list of pubs. We finished the week, as usual, with the newsquiz. Top scorer was Sam Dean with an impressive 15.5 points out of 25. Here are this week’s questions, see if you can do better … and let me know how you get on.  

The Telegraph's front page picture shows the reconstruction of flight MH17 (Page 16) 

1. 258 MPs voted against the Government’s Charter for Fiscal Responsibility but how many voted in favour?

Bonus: How much Corporation Tax did Facebook pay in 2014?
Bonus: The number of jobless people in the UK fell by 79,000 in the three months from May to August. How many people are now officially unemployed?
2. What were Alison Sharland and Varsha Gohill given the go-ahead to do?

3. The official watchdog has rated three-quarters of NHS hospitals as unsafe. What is the body called? 

4. Stephen Fry announced he is to stand down as presenter of TV programme QI. Who is to succeed him?
5. In which hospital is nurse Pauline Cafferkey being treated?

6. What is the name of the virus which cyber attackers have used to steal £20m from British bank accounts?
7. Permission was given to build a new 450-pupil grammar school, the first in the UK in 25 years, in which town?

8. What was Boris Johnson playing when he knocked over ten-year-old Toki Sekiguchi

9. Who took over from Nick Hewer in the Apprentice?

10. Which record did England cricketer Adil Rashid achieve?

Bonus: New Zealand are favourites to win the Rugby World Cup but who are the outsiders with odds as long as 100/1?

11. Two male veteran broadcasters died this week. Name them (half point for each).
12. Where was Lamar Odom, the ex-husband of Khloe Kardashian, found unconscious? 

13. Why did senior Labour MP Helen Goodman apologise?

14. According to the Metropolitan Police, how much has it cost in total to guard Julian Assagne at the Ecuadorian embassy?

15. The early arrival of a Siberian swan has been taken as a sign of a hard winter ahead. What kind of swan was it? 

16. What is the name of the Russian-made missile that Dutch authorities claim hit flight MH17?

17. What did Marlon James win?

18. What was the name of the cafe said to be a fertile recruiting ground for Islamists in the Turkish city of Adiyaman where hundreds, including the Ankara bombers, are said to have joined Isis?

Bonus: The Fatah movement and Hamas declared a day of what across the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem?
Bonus: British mother Shukee Begum, who has left Isis in Syria said the 'gangster mentality' among the women was not her __ __ __ . What are the missing words?
19. In which river has the wreck of one of Henry V's warships been found?

20. What record did 977 people set in Spitalfields, London? 

Answers here

Have I got rude news for you

I have posted many times on the need for subs to have dirty minds and good taste ... so that they keep all things dodgy out of the paper and off the website. 

It's advice that should have been heeded by the Bismarck Tribune's caption writer last week. If you can't read it, this is what it says: Waterfowl hunters, from left Darrel Spencer, Alex Spencer and Auston Crist, all of Duluth, keep an eye out for fucks during a hunt in Grand rapids, Minn., on Sept 30. Oops! At least hunt was spelled correctly. Thanks to Wills Robinson for that. 

There was also a dodgy bill poster doing the rounds on Twitter this week. But my friends at the The Courier in Dundee assure me it's a fake. Apparently some wag with a pair of scissors switched the words 'jobs' and 'blow' on a bill outside a newsagent in the city.

This is the original bill ... and the Courier has posted a piece online to say 'while we welcome, and indeed champion, creativity, we just wanted to let you know – it wisnae us.' Good to know.

Ben wins the newsquiz Champagne

The Mail's trainee subs outside the Press Association's Howden HQ

The Daily Mail’s trainee sub-editors and designers had their final training at the Press Association's Howden offices with Mike Watson and me this week. Some are now off to placements at the Manchester Evening News, the Liverpool Echo, Metro and the Standard while others are off to work for the Mail in Glasgow. They had a good final week producing some excellent work. The sports subs had a session with production editor Jon Dolan on Tuesday. And on Thursday assistant chief sub Jenny Ryan, aided by former trainee Lauren Davis, put them all through their paces. We all had drinks in the Greyhound in the evening. We finished as always with the newsquiz. They clearly found it tough with Tom Belcher getting the top score of 11.5. He narrowly beat Ben Jackson and Justin Guthrie on 11. It meant Ben won the Champagne for top score over the four weeks, finishing a clear ten points ahead of his nearest rival Nick Martin. Well done to Ben and good luck to them all on the next stage of their training.

Quiz winner Ben Jackson with his Champagne prize

My trip to Howden also meant I met The Daily Telegraph trainees for the first time. They were visited by Telegraph executives, Ben Clissitt, Gordon Rayner and Malcolm Coles and had sessions with Chris Gregory and former Journal deputy editor Graham Pratt (who I hadn’t seen for 20 years). Yesterday the trainees went to court in Newcastle with Garry Willey and took a shorthand exam. The visit by the Telegraph execs clearly galvanised the trainees in their quiz rivalry with the Mail. Cristina Criddle took on the mantle of Leonadis and trounced everyone with a top score of 15. She also collected £8 on her winning scratch card.

Here is this week’s quiz. As usual there are 20 questions with five bonuses ... so 25 points up for grabs. See if you can do better than Cristina’s 15 and let me know how you get on.

1. According to Boris Johnson in his conference speech what has gone up by between 18 and 19 months since his tenure as Mayor of London began?
Bonus: Johnson described anti-austerity protesters as an assorted mob of ………… What? 
Bonus: Michael Gove promised a ‘reforming zeal in the dark corners'. What Cabinet position does Gove hold?
Bonus: Charlotte Church attended a Manchester protest carrying a placard which said: ‘A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth’. Who is the quotation attributed to? 
2. Britain's most senior policeman has been urged to apologise over the Leon Brittan affair. Who is he? 
Bonus: Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has also been asked to apologise. Which constituency does he represent? 
3. How long did it take for all official Glastonbury tickets to sell out?
4. Shops must charge 5p for plastic bags unless they have fewer than how many employees?
Bonus: 4p collected for every plastic bag sold will go to charity. Where does the other 1p go?
5. Why was 77-year-old former mayor Kallash Chander in the headlines?
6. American Airlines Pilot Captain Michael Johnston died on a flight from where to where? (Half point for each place)
7. How many viewers watched the final of the Great British Bake off? 
8. Spencer Stone, who thwarted a terrorist attack on a French train in the summer, was stabbed multiple times. In which city?
9. Why was Peter Ball jailed?
10. More than a 100 protesters demonstrated at the premiere of Suffragette in Leicester Square. Which group did the activists represent?
11. Footballer Mame Biram Diouf's mother died in the Hajj crush. Which team does he play for?
12. Why was Jade Hatt in the headlines?
13. British tourist Zoe Woolmer died while posing for a photograph at which Australian tourist spot? 
14. Who described himself as ‘The Normal One’?
15. What was the name of the hospital where Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe was allowed to walk around without handcuffs?
16. Which Yorkshire village has a 10,000-tonne pile of stinking waste? 
17. A car once driven by Stirling Moss was involved in an expensive shunt in a race with a Jaguar XK 120 and an Austin Healey 100. What was the make of car? 
18. He called his memoirs The Time of My Life, referred to his rivals as Silly Billies and was beach master at the World War 2 amphibious landings at Anzio? Who is he?
19. Nineteen people died in floods when a river in the French Riviera burst its banks. Which river? 
20. Pulse nightclub in Letterkenny cancelled a party night after complaints it was racist. What was the evening called?

Answers here
  

Spencer wins the newsquiz Champagne

The online trainees with senior journalists David Krantz and Katie Davies

The MailOnline trainees finished their formal training in Kensington this week and now head off to start their regional placements. They had a good final week with sessions by picture editor Paul Ashton, head of video Lisa Snell, science and technology editor Rachel Reilly, health editor Anna Hodgekiss, Marianna Partasides from the newsdesk and last night enjoyed a few farewell drinks in the Greyhound. During their three weeks of training, they had plenty of stories published on the website ... the first of many bylines.  
Goodbye and good luck to them for the next stage and special thanks to senior journalists Katie Davies and David Krantz for their excellent assistance. Next week I am joining the Daily Mail subs and designers at the Press Association's HQ in Howden.

The subs putting their pages on display in Howden

The subs spent their week with Pat Hagan, Fiona Webster and Mike Brough and the sports subs did live European football shifts for PA on Tuesday, Wednesday and last night.  

Spencer Brown - runaway quiz winner - with his Champagne prize

As always we finished with the newsquiz. Well done to Spencer Brown who was top scorer again with 16 - and collected the Champagne. The Mail subs top scorer was Ben Jackson with 14 and the top Daily Telegraph trainee was Sam Dean with 15. Online trainee Olivia Waring pulled a fast one and also set a quiz for the trainers. I am delighted to say I was joint top (although not so happy with the actual score!) and won the chocolates. My excuse is I was red-penning their copy all week. Here is this week's newquiz. See if you can beat Spencer's 16 ... and let me know how you get on.

1. Jeremy Corbyn used the words of an ‘obscure blogger’ as part of his first conference speech. Name the blogger?
Bonus: Sir Paul Kenny said of Corbyn’s position on Trident that 'maybe somebody else should be given the (nuclear) button.’ Kenny is general secretary of which union?
Bonus: What did Lord Sugar advise everyone to do if Corbyn became Prime Minister?
2. Vladimir Putin signed a decree that will see how many conscripts called up into the Russian military?
Bonus: Who tweeted: 'Just found out from an article that David Cameron has put me on a UN Sanctions list as i lol @England for giving me a travel ban :)’?
3. Which town had its steel plant mothballed?
4. VW made a statement saying how many vehicles in the UK were affected by the emissions scandal?
5. Why was Marie Black in the headlines?
6. What was the name of the cafe in Brick Lane, London, that was firebombed by anarchist group Class War?
7. What has journalist Mazher Mahmood  been charged with?
Bonus: BBC Economics Editor, Robert Peston, is understood to have been offered which role at ITN's News at Ten?
8. What did the students union at the University of East Anglia ban during freshers' week saying it was racist?
9. What happened on the A6201 between Upton and Hemsworth?
10. Moorfields hospital in London performed a pioneering operation that could lead to a cure for what?
11. In which town was an RAF sergeant asked to move out of an A&E waiting area because his uniform might offend other patients?
12. Which TV cartoon is expected to double worldwide retail sales following a £140m buyout?
13. It’s been a bad week for English sports teams … England play Australia in their crucial World Cup Group A game at Twickenham tomorrow. Who will their final group game be against next Saturday?
Bonus: British football teams fell short in Europe this week with only the two Manchester teams winning. Name their opponents (half point for each)
14. A scheme run by St Ninians school in Stirling, Scotland, may be adopted by all UK schools. What is the scheme?
15. What was the name of the fountain in Rome where six British architects took a naked dip?
16. Who signed off a Tweet with: 'I hope I have been a light to my nearest and dearest.’?
17. Jaywick, near Clacton-on-Sea, topped a Government list for what?
18. What was the name of the Oregon college where a 26-year-old gunman shot 16 students?
19. Who went viral after asking: ‘Do you know who I am?’
20. Why was Sebastiano Magnanini in the headlines? 

Answers here

Trainee Mail subs dominate newsquiz with 16

I have been with the MailOnline trainees in Kensington this week while the Daily Mail subs have been in Howden with my colleague Mike Watson.
The onliners had sessions with travel editor Ted Thornhill, SEO specialist Kevin Singer, acting Femail editor Carol Driver and deputy managing editor Scott Langham. 
Trainees Amitai Winehouse, Spencer Brown, Rory Tingle and Ellen Scott all had stories published on the website. Well done to them.
The subs had sessions with former trainees, now Mail production execs, Lara King and Ailsa Leslie and with the Press Association’s picture editor Martin Keene. On Wednesday they went to the Hull Daily Mail offices to see the subbing operation in action.
As usual we finished with the newsquiz. Last week’s top trainee score was 14 by Ben Jackson. The top score submitted online was 15 by Janet Boyle.
This week the Mail subs dominated. Ben Jackson, Aaron Payne and Henry Bird each got 16. MailOnline sports trainee Spencer Brown scored 15. The Daily Telegraph trainees, also in Howden, did the quiz too. Their top scorers were Sam Dean and Tom Ough with 13.5. See if you can do any better ... and let me know how you get on. 

PigGate revelations in the Mail. Question 1

1. What was the name of Lord Ashcroft’s book about David Cameron that made the headlines this week?
Bonus: The book was co-written by a journalist. What is her name?
Bonus: Cameron is said to have put a private part of his anatomy into a pig’s head as part of an initiation into which society?
Bonus: A songbook created by which club at the Liberal Democrat conference included lyrics about PigGate and Charles Kennedy’s drinking?
2. Another book, called Leading, has been hitting the headlines with revelations of a different kind. Who is the author?
3. More than 700 people died in a stampede on the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Pilgrims were on their way to a ritual to throw stones at seven pillars called Jamarat. What do these pillars represent?
Bonus: Which country’s Supreme National Security Council accused the Saudis of ‘incompetence' and urged them to 'take responsibility' for the deaths?
4. Fans have petitioned ITV to replace Paloma Faith's 'truly awful’ theme song for the Rugby World Cup? What is it called?
Bonus: Japan v South Africa provided the shock result of the tournament but what was the score?
5. Art critic Brian Sewell died this week. How old was he?
6. Figures compiled by The Grocer magazine revealed that Daniel Craig is the booziest of all the James Bonds. How many units has his character averaged per Bond film?
7. Matthias Mueller has been tipped to replace who?
8. Which 1970s band are kicking off their comeback tour in Glasgow?
9. China is part funding a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point. Which county is the station in?
10. How much was Harrods' security guard John Perrett awarded for unfair dismissal after claiming he was the 'victim of a witch hunt over a cup of coffee?'
11. Who did actress Jeanne Marine marry?
12. Which show collected 12 Emmys to surpass The West Wing and take home the most TV Academy awards in a single year?
13. Syriza won the Greek election but which party came second?
14. Who described herself as a 'hovering Buddhist’ who believed death was peaceful and said she was not frightened of it?
15. Prince Harry and Prince William joined a BBC team to help turn a derelict Manchester street into housing for veterans. Prince Harry laid paving stones. What did William do?
16. Channel 4 presenter Matt Frei apologised for saying Barak Obama was smiling like a what?
17. What is the newly-opened tourist attraction at Shiniuzhai Geopark in Hunan, China?
18. Michelle Mone tweeted that she was doing what in her Government Jaguar?
19. Why were father and son Trevor and Scott Taylor in the headlines?
20. Why did North Swindon Police make an apology on Facebook?

Answers here