Time to tackle the newsquiz

There were some very high scores posted in last week’s newsquiz. The top solo scorer was Sylvia Warne with an impressive maximum of 25. Marion Fountayne scored 22, Janet Boyle, Toby Brown and Gavin Devine all scored 21, Robert Rea and Stuart Bagnall 19, Marguerite Turner and Tony Brannon 18 and Tom Scotson 17. The top team was Bruce and Sarah Hayward with 24, just ahead of Lou, Joe, Sam and Dan, Maura and Phil Parsons and Adam Batstone and Lucy Thorpe all on 23. Neil and Jo Benson and Andrew Everton and Matthew Jeffrey scored  21 and Our Peter, Sarah and Joe 19. Here is this week’s newsquiz on yet another busy news week. As usual there are 25 questions about the week. Give it a go and let me know your score.

Today's front pages

1. In her final statement as Prime Minister, Liz Truss ended by saying she knew that what kind of days lay ahead?

2. Rishi Sunak became the youngest UK Prime Minister since 1812. How old is he?

3. In his first speech as Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak paid tribute to his predecessor Liz Truss but added ' Some ___ were made. Not borne of ill will or bad intentions. Quite the opposite, in fact. But ___ nonetheless.’ What is the missing word?
4. New Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been an MP for which constituency since 2015?
5. In Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet which one of these was not appointed to a previously held position? a) Simon Hart (chief whip) b) Ben Wallace (defence) c) James Cleverly (foreign), d) Suella Braverman (home).
6. Who is the new Education Secretary?
7. The Government’s fiscal plan, due to be delivered next Monday, will now be a full autumn statement by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on what date?
8. At his first Prime Minister’s Questions Rishi Sunak confirmed to Green Party leader Caroline Lucas that he would honour a manifesto commitment by 'reversing the green light' that Liz Truss had given to what?
9. Whose Cabinet appointment was described by Labour leader Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions as 'a grubby deal’?
10. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly advised LGBT people attending what to show 'a little bit of flex and compromise’ and 'respect the culture’ of the country?
11. Russia delivered a letter to the United Nations claiming that Ukraine was preparing to detonate what kind of bomb?
12. Around 15,000 protesters marched from Park Lane to Parliament Square in London on Saturday to demand what?
13. Who posted a video of himself carrying a sink and later tweeted ’the bird is freed’?

14. Two Just Stop Oil protesters smeared cake on what, saying: 'The demand is simple, just stop new oil and gas, it's a piece of cake’?
15. The Home Affairs Committee was told that around 10,000 men from which country had arrived in the UK on small boats this year?

16. Pope Francis warned against the dangers of what, saying it was a vice among some priests and nuns?
17. Which car, that has been in production for 46 years - including 12 as the best seller - will no longer be made from June next year?
18. Which company, known for its fashionable homeware, announced it was no longer taking orders from customers after an attempt to secure an 11th-hour rescue collapsed?
19. Where was a 'Jenga tower' replaced by a more 'solid and stable' if slightly smaller model?
20. Who was reported to be in danger of losing his billionaire status after being dropped by Adidas over an anti-Semitic rant?
21. Arsenal defender Pablo Marí was taken to hospital after being stabbed with five other people in a supermarket in which city?

22. The first coins featuring King Charles III, which will be in circulation from December, will be of what value?
23. Publisher Penguin Random House announced that the Duke of Sussex's memoir, which will be published on January 10, will be called what?

24. King Charles appeared in a one-off episode of which TV programme this week? 
25. The full line-up of ITV's I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here was announced with who, at 61, being the oldest contestant?

Answers here

Another busy newsweek - so try the newsquiz

The top solo scorer in last week's newsquiz was Stuart Bagnall with 22, just ahead of Robert Rea on 21. Gavin Devine and Marguerite Turner both scored 19 and Marion Fountayne and Jayme Bryla 18. The top team was Neil and Jo Benson with 22, ahead of Lou, Joe and Dan on 20. The Spain Golfers (Adam Batstone, David Kohn and Julian Diamond), Bruce and Sarah Hayward and Maura and Phil Parsons all scored 19. This week has been another busy one in the newsroom. Here is this week's quiz. As usual there are 25 questions about the week's events. Give it a go and let me know your score.

A selection of today's front pages

1. Announcing her resignation as Prime Minister outside 10 Downing Street, Liz Truss said: 'I recognise, though, given the situation I cannot deliver the ___ on which I was elected by the Conservative Party.’ What is the missing word?

2. Liz Truss will be the shortest serving Prime Minister in UK history after resigning how many days after winning the Tory leadership election?

3. Chairman of the 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady said that the new Prime Minister would be announced by what date at the latest?

4. What celebrated Liz Truss’s departure as Prime Minister in a blonde wig, wearing googly-eye stickers, with disco lights, a Greggs snack with an audience of more than 20,000 people on livestream?

5. Which potential Tory leader candidate ruled himself out of the contest by tweeting this morning (Friday): 'As the Party starts the process of looking for a new leader, I would like to put on the record that I will not be letting my name go forward as a candidate'?

6. Before the Prime Minister’s resignation, the Leader of the house Penny Mordaunt said, in a response to a question from Labour MP Stella Creasy, that Liz Truss was not where?

7. Which one of these measures in the mini-budget did new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt not reverse? a) 1p cut in income tax b) VAT-free shopping for international tourists c) scrapping of the National Insurance rise d) cuts to dividend tax rate.

8. Which broadcaster was taken off-air for a week after he was overheard calling Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker a c**t following an interview?

9. Before her resignation as Home Secretary, Suella Braverman defended the Government's controversial Public Order Bill and blamed the 'Guardian-reading wokerati’ who eat what for disruption on Britain’s roads?

10. Who replaced Suella Braverman as Home Secretary?

11. Who used the f-word about Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on Radio 4’s Today programme and was told: 'Oh, no, no, no, you mustn’t say that. No, you can’t say that! We’ll have to have you out of the studio now’?

12. Actor Robbie Coltrane, who died aged 72, played a character called Fitz in which television series?

13. Civil engineer Morgan Trowland, 39, and musician Marcus Decker, 33, appeared at Southend magistrates court charged with committing a public nuisance by doing what? 

14. What led to Charlotte Charles saying: 'I think that's the overwhelming feeling… just sheer relief that we could look up and say Harry, we've done it mate. We've done what we promised’?

15. King Charles was reported to be planning to sell 12 what, that belonged to the Queen, to 'scale back royal tradition’?

16. Which rugby team made 167 players and staff redundant after becoming the Premiership's second club to go into administration in 21 days?
17. A pro-democracy protester claimed to have been beaten up by men from which country’s consulate in Manchester?

18. Who was released on bail following a private hearing at Manchester Crown Court after having been remanded in custody by magistrates on Monday on charges including attempted rape?

19. Talk show host Graham Norton deleted his Twitter account after facing a backlash for saying that what phrase should be changed to ‘accountability’?

20. Who did the manager of New York restaurant Balthazar briefly ban for abusive behaviour describing him as a 'hugely gifted comedian' but a 'tiny cretin of a man’?

21. Aston Villa parted ways with manager Steven Gerrard after losing 3-0 to which team on Thursday?

22. What did Dame Judi Dench say blurred 'the lines between historical accuracy and crude sensationalism’?
23. North Macedonia, Montenegro and which other country said they would not take part in next year's Eurovision Song Contest because of the increased entry fee?

24. David Thorp, 42, was revealed as what and said he was ‘not spoiling anyone's enjoyment' but 'providing a service’?

25. Who won the Mercury Prize, for the best British or Irish album of the last 12 months?

Answers here

Recruitment and retention in the newsroom

Recruitment is one of the most important things we do. Like a football coach, you are only as good as the people around you. Here is my take on recruitment and retention in the post-pandemic newsroom in InPublishing magazine. 

It's time for the newsquiz

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Tony Smith on 21, ahead of Stuart Bagnall and Marion Fountayne on 20, George Mann and Toby Brown on 19, Marguerite Turner and Damon Wake on 18, Gavin Devine on 17 and Robert Rea on 16. The top team was Adam Batstone, Lucy Thorpe, Phil and Maura Parsons, David Kohn, Steve, Sue and Dawn, who scored 23. Jo, Lou, Sam and Dan and Bruce and Sarah Hayward both scored 22, ahead of Neil and Jo Benson on 21 and Peter and Stacey on 19. Here is this week’s quiz. 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. Who was appointed as the new Chancellor of the Exchequer after Kwasi Kwarteng was sacked today?

2. Kwasi Kwarteng became the second shortest serving UK Chancellor of all time. How many days did he serve?
3. Prime Minister Liz Truss finished her PMQs this week by saying: 'Mr Speaker, I think the last thing we need is a ___ ___.’ What are the two missing words?
4. Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg criticised which organisation, suggesting the Government will ignore its forecasts of low growth and rising debt for the UK?
5. Who greeted Liz Truss with the words: 'So you’ve come back again? Dear, oh dear’?
6. The Office for National Statistics said the UK unemployment rate fell to what per cent in the three months to August - its lowest for nearly 50 years?
7. What is the name of the trade minister who was sacked from the Government after a complaint of serious misconduct?
8. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was accused of using 'dangerous language’ after she told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: 'I ___ the Tories and everything they stand for.’ What is the missing word?
9. The bridge from Russia to Crimea that was partially destroyed by an explosion takes its name from what strait that it crosses? 
10. What is the name of the County Donegal village where ten people were killed by a huge explosion at a petrol station?
11. Detectives investigating the disappearance of 19-year-old Leah Croucher launched a murder investigation after finding human remains in which city?
12. Nurse Lucy Letby, 34, appeared at Manchester Crown Court and denied murdering how many premature babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital?
13. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was ordered to pay $965million (£869million) in damages after falsely claiming that what was a hoax?
14. Just Stop Oil activists threw tomato soup over which masterpiece at the National Gallery in London?
15. Which retailer said it was speeding up a shake-up of its stores with 67 of its bigger shops to shut within five years?
16. Actress Angela Lansbury, who died aged 96, played which character in the TV series Murder She Wrote from 1984 to 1996?
17. Which service announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs, including 6,000 redundancies, by next August?
18. The Metropolitan Police said it believed that Stefan Sylvestre, who was serving a life sentence for attacking which celebrity, has fled the country while on licence from jail?
19. Research commissioned by Ofcom found that a third of children using social media do what?
20. Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III's coronation will be held at Westminster Abbey on what date next year?
21. Which singer accused comedian Leigh Francis (aka Keith Lemon) of normalising bullying by making it comedy?
22. Who did BBC presenter Pria Rai introduce as 'two very special Newsbeat reporters’ in a programme to mark World Mental Health Day on Monday?
23. In the National Television Awards who won the award for TV Expert
24. Glasgow Rangers suffered their biggest ever home defeat when they were beaten 7-1 by which team?
25. Former England rugby player, and member of the Royal Family, Mike Tindall has reportedly signed up to appear in what?

Answers here

Time to tackle the newsquiz

The top solo scorer in last week’s newsquiz was Janet Boyle with 21.5, ahead of Stuart Bagnall on 19, Marion Fountayne on 18.5, George Mann on 18, Will Holmes on 17.5, Damon Wake and Robert Rea on 17 and Jayme Bryla and Toby Brown on 16. The top team was Neil and Jo Benson with 23, ahead of Maura and Phil Parsons on 21, Bruce and Sarah Hayward on 19, Three Legs drinkers Peter and Stacey on 18 and Lou and Joe Hart with Dan on 17. 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. 

Some of today's front pages

1. On Monday Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng tweeted that he was 'not proceeding' with the abolition of the higher tax rate of how much?
2. In her speech at the Conservative Party conference Prime Minister Liz Truss said: 'I have three priorities for our economy' and then repeated which word three times?
3. The founder of the pop group M People, Michael Pickering, said he was ‘very angry’ when Prime Minister Liz Truss walked on stage at the Tory conference to which song?
4. Liz Truss’s conference speech was disrupted by Greenpeace activists who held up a yellow banner with what question written on it?
5. Liz Truss told the Conservative Party conference: 'I stand here today as the first prime minister of our country to have gone to …' Where?
6. Daniel Grainger, a young Conservative chairman, apologised for referring to Birmingham as what on the eve of the party's conference in the city?
7. Prime Minister Liz Truss met leaders from the EU, Turkey, Norway and the Balkans at the first European Political Community which was held in which city?
8. Buckingham Palace said King Charles, following advice given to him by Prime Minister Liz Truss, would not attend which event next month?
9. Which newspaper apologised after it mistakenly used a picture of an American banker but saying it was Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng on its website?
10. American President Joe Biden responded to Russia’s threat to use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine by saying: 'I don’t think there’s any such thing as the ability to easily (use) a tactical nuclear weapon and not end up with ___.’ What is the missing word?
11. Panya Khamrab, 34, who killed 37 people, most of them children, in a gun and knife attack at a nursery school in Thailand, had been sacked from his job as what last year?
12. Why was Thomas Cashman, 34, in the headlines?
13. At least 125 people died in a crush at a football match on which island?
14. King Charles conferred city status on which former town saying it would 'gladden my dear mother’s heart’?
15. How was 65-year-old Ann Dunn from Liverpool killed?
16. A Delaware judge gave billionaire Elon Musk until 5pm on October 28 to do what?
17. American President Joe Biden announced he was to pardon thousands of Americans convicted of what?
18. Country singer Loretta Lynn, who died aged 90, had a hit record with the same name as her autobiography and an Oscar-nominated film about her life? What were all three called?
19. An inscribed copy of which Jane Austen novel became the most expensive of the author’s works ever sold after being bought for £375,000?
20. Who was ordered by West Oxfordshire district council to shut down his restaurant and cafe as they were 'visually intrusive and harmful’ to the area?
21. Author JK Rowling tweeted a picture of herself in a T-shirt that named who as a 'destroyer of women's rights’?
22. Yalemzerf Yehualaw, 23, became the youngest woman to do what?
23. Who became the first footballer to score three successive Premier League home hat-tricks?
24. Sara Arfaoui, an Italian model, was told to 'get out more' after claiming food in which English city was ‘horrible' and 'all frozen’?
25. University student Tom Stevenson, 21, recorded the highest ever score of 154 points on which programme?

Answers here