Here's your Christmas challenge - the newsquiz

Massacre at the Christmas market in Berlin (Questions 1-4)

Last week's newsquiz certainly proved to be a challenge. Quiz scores of more than 20 have regularly been submitted in recent weeks but last week's highest was Gavin Devine with 14, narrowly beating Mike Lowe on 13. Toby Brown scored 12.5 while usual high scorers Janet Boyle, Liz Gerard and Ian Watt mustered only 12 each. Damon Wake, who two weeks ago was running around the office doing a Shearer salute after scoring 21, scored 7.5. All credit to him for posting though. Lots of regular news-quizzers tend to 'disappear' when their scores are low. The Penman Partnership and the Batstone Collective - so often the top teams - both scored 11. I am not sure it is any easier this week. I was going to make it light and festive but the news, I'm afraid, has been as grim as ever. Anyway, here it is. As usual there are 25 questions about the week. Give it a go and let me know how you get on. And whether you are working or playing I hope you have a cracking, and safe, Christmas. 

Shooting in Turkey (Question 5)

1. What was the name of the Christmas market in Berlin where a terrorist truck killed 12 people?

2. What was the name of the Polish driver who was found dead in the cab of the truck?

3. After the attack at the Berlin market Dutch Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders tweeted a provocative photo of Angela Merkel with what?

4. Berlin terror suspect Anis Amri was shot dead in which city?

5. How old was Mevlut Mert Altıntas who shot dead the Russian ambassador in a Turkish art gallery?

6. A man who shot and wounded three people at an Islamic centre was later found dead in which city?

7. All flights in and out of which country were cancelled after a hijacked plane landed at its airport?

8. Andy Murray became the first person to win Sports Personality of the Year three times … but who came second and third in this year's awards? Half point for each name. 

9. The prosecutor’s office in the German City of Offenburg said 'an unknown person' had taken photographs and was offering them for 'high amounts of money’. What did the pictures show?

10. Matthew Gordon and Peter Wood were found guilty of manslaughter for causing the death of four people. How did the four die?
11. Why was property developer Peter Morgan in the headlines?

12. Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen will step down as patron of how many national organisations at the end of this year?

13. The Lord Chief Justice refused to grant bail to Alexander Blackman, who is serving life for the murder of an Afghan fighter, ahead of an appeal against his conviction. How was Blackman referred to in initial hearings?

14. Dick Van Dyke says he will appear in a sequel to a 1964 film in which he co-starred with Julie Andrews. What is the name of the sequel?

15. Who suffered knife wounds to her left hand after an intruder broke into her home?

16. The European Court of Justice ruled that  the ‘general and _________ retention' of emails and electronic communications by governments is illegal. What is the missing word?

17. Who said: 'This past election was challenging for me as a citizen to watch and experience. It was painful.’

18. At least 35 people were killed in an explosion that ripped through a large fireworks market in which country?

19. He had a slot on BBC Radio 4’s Thought for Today for nearly 30 years, was awarded the OBE for services to broadcasting and was described as 'God's best PR man in Britain’. Name him?

20. London mayor Sadiq Khan called on the Government to give him emergency control of what?

21. Why did Fifa fine all four home nation football teams? 

22. Where did Alana Spencer beat Courtney Wood?

23. Which union suspended planned strikes by British Airways cabin crew on Christmas Day and Boxing Day?

24. Zsa Zsa Gabor, who died this week, famously said: 'I don’t believe in living in sin, so I always got married’. How many weddings did she have?

25. The Met Office issued severe weather warnings as two storms threatened some parts of Britain over Christmas. What are the storms called? Half a point for each name.

Answers here