Have a crack at the newsquiz

The top solo scorers in last week’s newsquiz were George Mann and Janet Boyle with 21.5, narrowly ahead of Robert Rea and Liz Gerard on 21. Toby Brown scored 20.5, Nick Turner 19 and Jon Ball 17. The top team was Tony and Christine Smith with an impressive 24, just ahead of Bruce and Sarah Hayward and Maura and Phil Parsons on 23, Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe on 21, Neil and Jo Benson and Jack Elsom and Monica Greep on 20.5 and Gavin Devine and his Ypres Castle friends on 18. 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 pages

1. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle faced calls to resign for breaking with parliamentary convention by doing what?
2. Britain's top immigration officer David Neal was sacked after claiming the UK Border Force failed to check hundreds of private jets arriving at which UK airport?
3. Lord David Cameron was the first Foreign Secretary in 30 years to visit where?
4. A row erupted between former Post Office chairman Henry Staunton and the Government after he said in a Sunday Times interview that he had been told to do what by a top civil servant?
5. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, talking about new guidance for headteachers, said: 'You go to school, you go to learn, you go to create those friendships, you go to speak to people and socialise and you go to get educated – you don’t go to sit on your __ __.’ What are the two missing words?
6. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps saw what go ‘plop’?
7. The Foreign Office froze the assets of six Russians and banned them from travelling to the UK. Where did they work?
8. The Home Office said it was 'pleased' with which Court of Appeal ruling, saying: 'Our priority remains maintaining the safety and security of the UK and we will robustly defend any decision made in doing so’?
9. NHS England announced the introduction of __ rule under which patients will be granted the right to obtain an urgent second opinion about their care. What is the missing name?
10. Three children, aged nine months, three and seven, were found dead at a suburban semi-detached house in which city?
11. American firm Intuitive Machines became the first private company to land a spacecraft on the Moon. What was the craft called?
12. The Equality and Human Rights Commission said that what symptoms should be considered a disability and employers face being sued if they do not make 'reasonable adjustments'?
13. At least four people died and more were missing after a massive fire ripped through apartment blocks in which European city?
14. Which London building is set to become a hotel after it was sold to MCR Hotels for £275million?
15. Police said they were investigating after a Star of David necklace on whose statue, in Camden Market, London, was covered with a sticker of a Palestinian flag?
16. Footballer Dani Alves, who played 126 times for Brazil, was sentenced to four years and six months for raping a woman in a nightclub in which city?
17. Which former Olympic champion said he was 'optimistic, positive and surrounded by love' after revealing he was diagnosed with cancer?
18. Actor Michael J.Fox, who was diagnosed with what condition when he was 29, made a surprise appearance at the Baftas to present the best film award?
19. John Savident, known for playing butcher Fred Elliott in which TV series, died aged 86?
20. Roy Hodgson, who left Crystal Palace days after falling ill during a training session, was the oldest ever manager in the Premier League. How old is he?
21. What was the name of the former dancing professional on Strictly Come Dancing, who partnered Patsy Kensit, Anita Dobson, Lisa Riley and Deborah Meaden, who died aged 44?
22. The V&A museum in London is looking to recruit an adviser to give the insights into memorabilia related to who?
23. To the nearest million how much did Richard and Debbie Nuttall from Colne, Lancashire, win in the EuroMillions jackpot?
24. A study by Chemnitz University in Germany found there were 546 words in the English language which mean what?
25. According to research by Perspectus Global what was voted the UK's favourite sweet?

Answers here 

It's newsquiz time!

The top solo scorers in last week’s newsquiz were Chay Quinn and Johnny Jenkins both with a score of 23, ahead of George Mann on 21.5, Janet Boyle on 20.5, Jon Brady on 20 and Robert Rea on 16. The top team was Alicia Edwards and the Global Newsroom with a maximum score of 25, ahead of Red Lion drinkers Stacey, Peter, Kevin, Amanda, George, Nicky and Les on 23. Jack Elsom and Monica Greep scored 22, Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe 20, Maura and Phil Parsons 18.5 and Bruce and Sarah Hayward 18. 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. 

Today's front pages

1. The swing from the Conservatives to Labour in which constituency’s by-election was the second biggest in any post-war election, overturning a majority of 18,000?
2. What is the name of the Rochdale by-election candidate who the Labour Party will no longer support because of his comments about Israel?
3. After the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: 'Having spent years in the slow lane, Rishi Sunak has now put our economy into reverse. This is Rishi’s __ and it is the British people who will pay the price.’ What is the missing word?
4. Despite the first monthly fall in food prices in more than two years, inflation remained unchanged in January at what per cent?
5. What is the name of the small border town in Gaza, where around 1.5 million civilians are living, which came under heavy Israeli air strikes?
6. Police were called to which Tory backbencher’s home after dozens of people, some holding Palestinian flags, were filmed gathering outside and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza?
7. Three people who wore and displayed images of what were found guilty of a terror offence and given a 12-month conditional discharge at Westminister magistrates court?
8. US presidential candidate Donald Trump said he would 'encourage' Russia to attack any Nato member that failed to do what?
9. Where was mother-of-two and radio DJ Lisa Lopez-Galvan killed?
10. DJ Steve Wright, who presented programmes for BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 for more than four decades, died 'unexpectedly’. How old was he?
11. In a controversial revamp Harry and Meghan's website Archewell now automatically redirects people to __.com. What is the missing word?

12. In an interview with Good Morning America, Prince Harry said he had considered becoming what, adding ‘the thought has crossed my mind but not a high priority right now’?
13. The Times reported that the Home Office had a budget of about £30,000 to pay influencers on TikTok to do what?
14. According to the British Retail Consortium what hit a record high last year with 16.7 million incidents recorded?
15. Names for London's six Overground lines were revealed. They are the Mildmay line, the Weaver line, the Suffragette line, the Liberty line and which two others? Half a point for each.
16. Cosmetics chain The Body Shop, which collapsed into administration putting more than 2,200 jobs at risk, was founded in 1976 by which environmental campaigner?
17. Piran Ditta Khan, 75, appeared in court charged with murdering PC Sharon Beshenivsky in 2005 when she had responded to a robbery at a travel agents in which city?
18. Retailers, including Sainsbury’s, warned that Britain could face shortages of what due to supply issues caused by Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea?
19. More than 100 people were told by a clinic, at Guy's Hospital in London, that what may have been damaged?
20. The High Court ruled which university had contributed to the death of a 20-year-old student who took her own life while suffering from a mental health condition?
21. What was watched by 123.4 million people in the US, making it the most viewed broadcast since the 1969 moon landing?
22. Which country won the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations title for the third time?

23. Sir Paul McCartney was reunited with what after 51 years?

24. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean appropriately announced their retirement from skating on a visit to which city?
25. Which presenters were unveiled as the new hosts of ITV’s This Morning, replacing Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. Half a point for each name.

Answers here

Time to tackle the newsquiz

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was George Mann with 22.5, ahead of Robert Rea and Toby Brown on 20, Meg Byrom on 19.5 and Emily Cooper on 17.

The top teams were Bruce and Sarah Hayward, Maura and Phil Parsons and Red Lion drinkers Peter and Stacey all on 20. Also on the leaderboard were Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe with 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. 

Today's front pages

1. After his cancer diagnosis King Charles was driven from Clarence House to Buckingham Palace where he was flown by helicopter to where?

2. The day after visiting his cancer-stricken father in London, the Duke of Sussex gave a speech and presented awards at a ceremony in Las Vegas for which sport?

3. Rishi Sunak declined to apologise after listing a 'number of Labour U-turns' at Prime Minister’s Questions and accusing Keir Starmer of changing his position on defining what?
4. Liz Truss and Jacob Rees-Mogg were among politicians who launched a new political movement to 'rally right-wing Tory MPs ahead of a General Election'. What is the group called?
5. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was accused of taking a 'depraved’ £1,000 bet with who over whether deportation flights to Rwanda will take off before the election?
6. Labour leader Keir Starmer said he had no choice but to ditch his party's green investment pledge of how much a year?
7. America fired more than 125 'precision munitions' from long-range bombers at which two countries, warning they could be just 'the beginning' of its response? Half a point for each.
8. The Government announced a bonus of how much to dentists who set up practices in areas with poor access to NHS care?
9. Hundreds of people queued up outside St Pauls Dental Practice, which enrolled 1,500 people in two days, in which city?
10. Russian leader Vladimir Putin gave an interview with which American broadcaster, his first with the Western media since the invasion of Ukraine?
11. US President Joe Biden, responding to a report that said his memory had 'significant limitations', inadvertently referred to Egyptian leader Abdul Fattah al-Sisi as the president of which country?
12. Who will remain in prison after losing a Parole Board bid for freedom with the panel saying he continued to show a 'lack of victim empathy'?
13. Rapper Ashley Warren was arrested after the death of 68-year-old grandmother Esther Martin in his house in Essex. How did she die?
14. Which singer's lawyers issued a cease-and-desist letter to 21-year-old Florida student Jack Sweeney?
15. Which airline started weighing passengers at departure gates?
16. Jonnie Irwin, who died aged 50, was best known for presenting Channel 4's A Place In The Sun and which BBC programme?
17. Ian Lavender, who died aged 77, was best known for playing Private Pike in the comedy Dad’s Army but was also Derek Harkinson in which BBC series?
18. What was the name of the Wales and Lions fly-half, nicknamed 'the King' after a victorious tour of New Zealand in 1971, who died aged 79?
19. The Premier League said it had ruled out being part of an International Football Association Board pilot scheme to introduce what?
20. F1 Red Bull boss Christian Horner, who is facing allegations of inappropriate behaviour, is married to which singer? 
21. TV presenter Kate Garraway said that being called what, by an Amazon deliveryman, 'took my breath away'?
22. What happened to US rapper Killer Mike after he won three categories at the Grammys?
23. Taylor Swift has now won the most number of Album Of The Year awards at the Grammys, moving ahead of Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra and Paul Simon. How many has she won?

24. Fifa announced that the 2026 football World Cup final will be held on July 19 in which American state?
25. An image of what animal, taken by British amateur photographer Nima Sarikhani, won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award?

Answers here

Meg wins the newsquiz wine

Meg, with the wine, and Emily

I have spent the last week with two bright Daily Mail trainees in London. They wrote stories, pitched to the newsdesk and to Femail and gained an understanding of Mail style. As usual we finished with the newsquiz. The winner, who collected a bottle of Picpoul, was Meg Bryom with 19.5 points, narrowly beating Emily Cooper. They now head back to the newsrooms in London and Glasgow and I wish them well. 

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was George Mann with 23, ahead of Giles Borg on 21, Tom Savage on 20, Toby Brown on 19 and Robert Rea on 16.
The top team was Amelia Cox and the Global newsroom with a maximum score of 25. Well done to them. The Queen’s Head drinkers Kevin, Mandy, Peter, Stacey, Nicky, Les and Simon scored 23, Jack Elsom and Monica Greep scored 20, Thom, Tim and Craig and Neil and Jo Benson scored 19.5, Maura and Phil Parsons 19 and Bruce and Sarah Hayward 17. Here is this week’s score. See if you can beat Meg’s score.

Today's front pages

1. The identity of the two underage killers of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey was lifted at Manchester Crown Court. What are their names? Half a point for each.
2. The International Monetary Fund advised Chancellor Jeremy Hunt against doing what in his spring budget?
3. In a controversial speech Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said: ’We should be starting to set out what a __ __ would look like - what it would comprise, how it would work.’ What are the two missing words?
4. What is the name of the Conservative MP who announced he would not contest the next election, saying: 'There comes a point when the threats to your personal safety become too much’?
5. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the Government would take ’strong action’ to ban what?
6. A tearful Nicola Sturgeon told the Covid Inquiry that a large part of her wished she had not been what when the pandemic struck?
7. Politician Michelle O'Neill looks set to become the first ever what?
8. The Office for National Statistics projected that the UK population will be how many million in two years time?
9. Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, was on the run after a 'targeted’ chemical attack on a mother and her two daughters in which London suburb? 
10. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was given two prison sentences in two days. The first was for ten years. How long was the second?
11. Civil servants were told at workshops that looking at their phones or doing what could be interpreted as micro-aggression?
12. A 30-year-old man, who was shot dead by police after breaking into a South London house, was carrying a knife, sword, hatchet and which other weapon?
13. A 44-year-old man was charged with murder and five others were detained after the fatal stabbings of two boys aged 15 and 16 in which city?
14. King Charles was discharged on Monday, after treatment for an enlarged prostate, having spent how many nights in the London Clinic private hospital?
15. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak revealed that he did not eat anything for how many hours at the start of each week?
16. Tech billionaire Elon Musk claimed his Neuralink company has successfully done what?
17. Who claimed that he was a target at the BBC because of professional jealously and that he was 'a second-generation immigrant of non-white, working-class roots’?
18. Who became the first football team from the sixth tier to reach the last 16 of the FA Cup since 1978?
19. Footballer Marcus Rashford was dropped from Manchester United’s FA Cup tie after going on a two-day bender in which city?
20. The Metropolitan police apologised after a volunteer officer was filmed telling 20-year-old Harmonie London to stop doing what?
21. Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton announced he will leave Mercedes at the end of the 2024 season and join which rival team?
22. What was shot with a tranquilliser dart while feeding off a bird table and returned to the Highland wildlife park where it lives?
23. Who auctioned off 120 of his guitars and amps raising over £8million - some for charity? 
24. Who was announced as Paul O’Grady's replacement on the TV series For the Love of Dogs?
25. Harry Clark collected £95,000 for being a good what?

Answers here

Daily Mail looking for trainees

Last year I celebrated my 20th year running the Daily Mail's editorial training scheme. There have been more than 500 trainees in London, New York and Sydney ... many who are now senior executives on the papers and online. The details are here. And today we start all over again. We are looking for budding journalists who want to work for Britain's most successful newspaper group. The details are on Hold The Front Page here. Get your application in and I might see you in September. 

Test your knowledge with the newsquiz

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Toby Brown with 22.5, just ahead of George Mann and Robert Rea on 22, Janet Boyle on 21.5, Johnny Jenkins on 20 and Jon Ball on 18. The top team was the Queen’s Head drinkers Amanda, Kevin, Nicky, Les, Peter and Stacey with 22.5, narrowly ahead of Maura and Phil Parsons with 22. Bruce and Sarah Hayward and Neil and Jo Benson scored 20.5, Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe 19 and Thom and Rosie 15.5. 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. 

Today's front-pages

1. What is the name of the former Cabinet minister who called for his party to replace Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister or be 'massacred' in the General Election?
2. The former Cabinet minister who called for Rishi Sunak to be replaced told the BBC: 'No one likes that guy that’s shouting __ but I suspect that people will be even less happy if we hit the __.’ What is the missing word?
3. The House of Lords voted by 214 to 171 to not ratify what?

4. The head of the Army, General Sir Patrick Sanders said Britain should train a '__ army' ready to fight a war on land in the future? What is the missing word?
5. Messages revealed to the COVID inquiry showed that Scotland’s former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described ex PM Boris Johnson as what during the pandemic?
6. Paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane was sentenced to indefinite detention in a high-security hospital after randomly killing two students and a caretaker during a knife rampage in which city?

7. According to the Hamas-run health ministry how many people have been killed in Gaza since Israel's offensive began?
8. A health charity warned that almost 10 million people in England can no longer access the free removal of what on the NHS?
9. An Ofcom consultation document on the future of the postal service, led Downing Street to say: 'The Prime Minister would not countenance seeing __ deliveries scrapped.’ What is the missing word?
10. With Jocelyn causing chaos, how many named storms have now hit the UK this season - equalling the record?
11. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dropped out of the 2024 presidential race, leaving who as Donald Trump’s only significant Republican rival?
12. Which country become the fifth to land a spacecraft on the moon?
13. Alabama executed convicted murderer Kenneth Eugene Smith using what?
14. Which retailer dropped an advert for school uniforms after it was accused of sexualising young children?
15. Scientists kept the Doomsday Clock - which shows how symbolically close the world is to Armageddon - at how many seconds to midnight?
16. Who announced he was quitting his job saying he was 'running out of energy' and 'I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again'?
17. Who said on Instagram: 'Naturally another cancer diagnosis has been a shock, but I'm in good spirits and grateful for the many messages of love and support?’
18. German music producer Frank Farian, who died aged 82, was founder of which disco band who had hit singles including Daddy Cool, Rasputin and Rivers of Babylon?
19. Actress Reese Witherspoon caused an online stir by sharing a TikTok video in which she enjoyed a 'chococinno' made of what topped with coffee, chocolate and salted caramel syrups?
20. Which sporting personality said he would 'swap eyes' with his son if it was possible to help the teenager see again?
21. Oppenheimer was shortlisted in how many categories for next month’s Oscars - the most nominations for a single film since 2018?
22. The second leg semi-finals of the Carabao Cup were played this week, meaning which two football teams will meet in the final on February 25? Half a point for each?
23. Actor Tom Hollander told how he was mistakenly sent a seven-figure bonus for a role in a film he wasn't in. What was the film?
24. The BBC pulled an episode of which TV programme from iPlayer after concerns were raised about ‘extravagant claims’ for health products?
25. Which singer-songwriter received seven Brit Award nominations, a new record for one artist in a single year?

Answers here

Regional Press Awards shortlist announced

I am delighted to be chairing the judges again, along with Alison Gow, in this year’s Regional Press Awards. We spent yesterday in intense and lively debate with more than 50 respected judges from the industry. Whatever challenges the regional titles might be facing, I am delighted to report that the standard in all categories was exceptionally high. The shortlists are here and there is a report on Hold The Front Page here. Well done all those nominated and I look forward to a celebratory drink on April 16. 

It's newsquiz time ...

Last week’s newsquiz was clearly tougher than usual with average scores well down. To spare their blushes, I haven’t included those who recorded a score of less than 15. The top solo scorers were Damon Wake and George Mann with 18.5, ahead of Janet Boyle on 18 and Robert Rea on 15. The top team was the Queen's Head drinkers Amanda, Kevin, Stacey, Peter and Les with 19. Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe scored 17, Bruce and Sarah Hayward 15.5 and Maura and Phil Parsons 15. Here is this week’s newsquiz. As usual there 25 questions about the week. Give it a go and let me know your score. 

Wednesday's front pages

1. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda deportation bill passed its final Commons hurdle with what majority?
2. Name the two Tory party deputy chairmen who resigned over Rishi Sunak's Rwanda bill? Half a point for each.
3. Which of these was NOT one of the 11 Tory MPs who voted against the Government on the Rwanda bill - a) Robert Jenrick b) Mark Francois c) Suella Braverman d) Jacob Rees-Mogg
4. The European boss of Fujitsu, Paul Patterson, told the Commons’ Business and Trade Committee that his company had a 'moral obligation' to do what?
5. Tata Steel announced it was to push ahead with plans to close both blast furnaces at its works in which town, leading to around 2,800 UK job losses?
6. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said ‘the world is in a pre-war phase’, adding that 'in five years' time we could be looking at multiple theatres involving Russia, China, __ and __.’ What are the two missing countries? Half a point for each.

7. Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles was to undergo a 'corrective procedure’ in hospital for what?
8. China accused the US of sending 'a gravely wrong signal’ after Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated the winner of the election in which country?.
9. Donald Trump won an overwhelming victory in the US’s first election contest of 2024, taking 51 per cent of the Republican votes in which state’s caucuses?

10. Dame Jenny Harries, chief executive of the Health Security Agency, said what disease was likely to spread rapidly across the UK unless more people take up the vaccine?
11. A report found that Greater Manchester Police and which town’s council had 'seriously’ failed to protect children from sexual abuse by grooming gangs?

12. According to a biography by Robert Hardman, a member of Queen Elizabeth's staff said she was 'as angry as I'd ever seen her’ over what?
13. A two-year-old boy was believed to have starved to death after his father died of a heart attack, leaving him alone at their house in which coastal town?

14. What did a dogwalker find in a shopping bag dumped on a street in Newham, East London?
15. At least nine people were killed after which country launched retaliatory missile strikes into Iran?
16. ITV sports presenter Eni Aluko said on social media that she had been genuinely scared, didn’t leave her house and was now abroad following controversial comments by who?
17. What was the name of BBC Radio 1’s first female presenter, who went on to become its longest-serving host, who died aged 83?
18. The former prime minister of which country married her long-term partner Clarke Gayford, after cancelling the wedding during strict Covid restrictions in 2022?
19. An official portrait of King Charles, created to hang in public buildings across the UK, was made available under a Government scheme costing how much?
20. Wales and Gloucester winger Louis Rees-Zammit, 22, announced he was quitting rugby union to do what?
21. Snooker champion Ronnie O’Sullivan exchanged insults with Ali Carter, the defeated Masters finalist, after being accused of '__ all over the floor’. What is the missing word?
22. British brothers Stewart and Louis Ahearne were jailed for three-and-a-half years after confessing to breaking into a museum in which European city and stealing 14th century Chinese Ming Dynasty antiques?
23. Former Liverpool footballer Jordan Henderson completed his move back into European football after his Saudi Arabia contract was terminated and he signed for which club?
24. The NHS in Scotland advised people to walk like what, to avoid falling in icy conditions?
25. Researchers at the University of Cambridge said that removing what from pub menus could have a positive effect on health?

Answers here