Take a Christmas break ... and do the newsquiz

The top scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Janet Boyle with an impressive 19, narrowly ahead of Elly Rewcastle on 18. Peter Solomons scored 17, one ahead of Dominic Hurst and Toby Brown. The top team was the Penman Partnership with 18.5 just one point ahead of Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe on 17.5. Here is this week’s newsquiz … as usual there are 25 questions about the week’s events. Let me know how you get on. I hope all you newsquizzers have a lovely Christmas break and the news stories over the festive period are all good ones. 

Damian Green's sacking dominates the front pages (Question 1)

1. Damian Green, sacked for 'inaccurate and misleading' statements, was Theresa May’s deputy but what was his actual Cabinet position?

2. Who chaired the Home Affairs Committee that questioned Facebook, Google and Twitter on hate speech?
3. Twitter's Sinead McSweeney told the Home Affairs Committee that what was 'broken’ and now suspended?

4. The Speaker, John Bercow, told Parliament: 'You as MPs are never ______, you are never ______, you are never malcontents, you are never enemies of the people.’ What are the two missing words? Half a point for each.

5. Who said he had been shouted and sworn at, pelted with eggs, had the bolts on his car wheel loosened, received numerous death threats and could not slip out for a pint at his local without security?
6. Cyril Ramaphosa was elected president of which political party?
7. A journalist and a TV producer died after a fire broke out at which hotel beside Loch Lomond?
8. Around 2,500 jobs were saved after which business put forward a company voluntary arrangement with the backing of the Pension Protection Fund?

9. A US passenger train that derailed, killing three people, in Washington State was travelling at what speed on a curve with a speed limit of 30mph, according to authorities?
10. What was Labour MP Mary Creagh referring to when she tweeted that no-one under 45 will have owned one and 'they're not worth £50 billion'? 

11. An alleged Islamist terror plot was foiled when three men were arrested in Sheffield and one in which other town?
12. Mo Farrah won Sports Personality of the Year but who picked up the lifetime achievement award?
13. A disabled refugee murdered by a vigilante was ‘failed' because of 'discriminatory behaviour and institutional racism' within which police force?
14. World champion sprinter Justin Gatlin said he was 'shocked and surprised at doping allegations that were made against his coach and an agent’ after an investigation by which newspaper?
15. Why was 22-year-old student Liam Allan in the headlines?

16. Sarah Mullally was appointed to which position?
17. Only nine countries, at the United Nations general assembly, voted to support Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Two were Israel and the US. Name any two of the other seven countries? Half a point for each.

18. Arthur Collins who threw acid in a London nightclub, injuring 22 people, was jailed for how many years?

19. Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow were the only two Englishmen to do what?

20. A 30-year-old woman died after being stabbed in which supermarket, in Skipton, North Yorkshire?

21. What, according to Rear Admiral Christopher Parry, 'is no big deal’?

22. Who did I’m a Celebrity winner Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo describe as a ‘sex god’?

23. Heather North, who died age 71, was most famous for being the voice of Daphne Blake for over 30 years in which TV programme and film franchise?

24. Residents in the Bristol neighbourhood of Clifton caused a stir by doing what to protect their expensive cars?

25. What did 55-year-old Patricia Aldridge, who won £1million on the lottery, say she would be doing on Christmas day?

Answers here