Time to tackle this week's newsquiz

Last week's newsquiz was a bit tougher with the scores coming in much lower that usual. Mike Lowe was again top with 16.5, ahead of Liz Gerard and Ted Ditchburn on 15 while the Penman Partnership scored 14. My mates in the Plough managed a not-so-impressive 12 on Friday night. Here's this week's quiz. As usual there are 25 questions about the week's events. Let me know how you get on.

Budget jokes: Questions 1-3

1. In the Budget, Chancellor Philip Hammond was accused of breaking a manifesto promise by increasing the main rate of Class 4 National Insurance contributions by one percent next year and another per cent in 2019. What is the current rate?

2. Bookmaker Paddy Power was so confident that a word would be used at least once during the Budget speech that it only offered odds of 1/100. The word was never mentioned. What is the word?

3. Philip Hammond pledged £270 million to disruptive technologies including ‘_____ _____ - a technology I believe the party opposite knows something about.’ What are the two missing words?

4. Peaches Golding became the first what? 

5. What was the name of the zoo which had its licence rejected after almost 500 animals died and a keeper was killed by a tiger?

6. What was the name of the rhinoceros which was shot three times by poachers who cut off its horn with a chainsaw at Thoiry Zoo near Paris?

7. Mary Berry caused a stir be saying her recipe for bolognese sauce was to 'make it even richer by adding _____ _____. It just enriches it.’ What are the missing two words?

8. What is the name of the French group, that owns Peugeot and Citroen, which confirmed a £1.9billion deal to buy Vauxhall?

9. Which 83-year-old was sacked from an unpaid job by a woman he claimed to have never met?

10. Which US state was the first to file a law suit against President Donald Trump's revised travel order?

11. Disruption on the East Coast Line, caused by fallen power cables, forced who to pull out of BBC's Question Time?

12. What is Durham police planning to offer free to criminals as part of an assisted treatment programme?

13. A rabbit hole in a field near Shifnal in Shropshire led to the discovery of a newtork of caves said to have been used by devotees of which religious order in the 17th Century? 

14. Seven people were injured in an axe attack at which city's railway station?

15. Why was Eleanor Calder in the headlines?

16. What was returned to Dover and officially given to St Mary's Church?

17. Briton Tristan Voorspuy was shot dead at his ranch in which country?

18. How many seats did Sinn Fein win in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections?

19. According to bank Credit Suisse, who poses the biggest threat to European stability?  

20. Who did Facebook report to the police for sending sexualised images of children?

21. In a high scoring week in the Champions League which fixture produced the most goals over two legs? 

22. A rock formation known as the Azure Window, which featured in Game of Thrones, collapsed into the sea in which country?

23. According to a coroner, whose death was confirmed as being due to 'dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and fatty liver'?
24. Which supermarket chain announced it is closing 34 of its stores leaving more than 800 workers without jobs?
25. Which rock group officially called it quits by posting an image on Facebook with the dates 1968-2017 and the hashtag #TheEnd?

Answers here