Wilko wins the US newsquiz

The usual UK newsquiz is here

Trainees Jensen Bird, Eliot Force, newsquiz winner Wilko Martinez-cachero with 

the champagne, Anna Wright and Jack Toledo

I said farewell to the five Daily Mail trainees in New York yesterday. They had a good final week with sessions by US editor Katie Davies, executive editor Mike Brear, consumer editor Daniel Jones and head of audience Rory Benson. In-house counsel Beth Lobel went through the legal pitfalls and video editor Kate Gill gave the trainees detailed feedback on their pitches. Mail journalist Meike Leonard, visting from London, popped in to say hello. The trainees also covered a live breaking story, prepared newslists for their return to the newsroom, submitted edited obits to the database and went through a final checklist. They added five stories to the three already published. Wilko Martinez-cachero wrote a story for Femail about how people who fell in love with an AI chatbot were left heartbroken when its personality changed overnight. Read it here.

Jensen Bird wrote a story about a New Yorker who explores some of the world’s most exotic places in just 24 hours. Read it here.

Anna Wright also wrote for Femail on the outlandish outfits she saw at the Stockholm fashion festival in the summer. Read it here.    

Anna also spoke to specialists about the worrying rise in babies dying from syphillis. Her report is here. 

Eliot Force also wrote a story for health on the surprising news that red wine and dark chocolate can help you live longer. Read it here.

The trainees have written more stories, many scheduled to be published at the weekend. On Thursday evening they had drinks with some of the senior staff at Phebe’s Tavern. We finished, as always with, the newsquiz ... 25 questions about the week. Wilko was the top scorer this week with a score of 17 and won the champagne for having the top score over the three weeks. Here is this week’s newsquiz (thanks again to Hugh Dougherty for contributing some of the questions). Why not give it a go and see if you can beat Wilko’s score. 

Farewell drinks at Phebe's

1. At the meeting in the White House, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky handed President Donald Trump a letter from who which he asked to be delivered to whom? Half a point for each.

2. Following the meeting in the White House, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he had spoken to Vladimir Putin for how many minutes to arrange talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky?
3. Which of these were not at the White House this week a) UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer b) French President Emmanuel Macron c) Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk d) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
4. Speaking at the White House, President Donald Trump said: 'I've ended six wars … all of these deals I made without even the mention of the word __.’ What is the missing word?
5. Which former Trump adviser had his Maryland home raided by FBI agents as part of a national security investigation?
6. Elon Musk backtracked on plans to launch what? 
7. President Donald Trump said on his social media platform that he would lead a ‘movement' to get rid of what, claiming they led to voter fraud?
8. The State Department said it had revoked more than how many international student visas because of violations of US law and overstays?
9. What did President Trump order to happen to the US-Mexico border wall?
10. Phil Murphy, the governor of which state, declared a State of Emergency as Storm Erin approached, warning people to prepare for 'life-threatening rip currents... at all ocean beaches’?
11. How many seats are Republicans expected to gain in the House of Representatives due to the Texas’ redistricting?
12. What disturbed influencers Nina Unrated and Patrick Blackwood while they were recording their meal at a restaurant in Houston?
13. Who is suing political commentator Candace Owens, branding her a liar who 'knew very well that she was spreading false information’?
14. Brian Cornell, the CEO of which retailer, announced he was stepping down after 11 years as the company faces slumping sales and a backlash to its retreat on DEI?
15. Social media star Frank Caprio, who died aged 88, was known as the ‘nicest __ in the world’. What is the missing word?
16. The union representing flight attendants from which airline said it would defy a back-to-work order despite a legal ruling that its strike is 'unlawful’?
17. Which nationwide chain sparked outrage with a new logo?
18. An aide to New York mayor Eric Adams used cash in a what to allegedly attempt to bribe a reporter?
19. Which retired athlete announced she was using GLP-1s for weight loss?
20. What is the full new name for MSNBC?
21. In America, taking part in what activity fell by 40 per cent between 2003 and 2023?
22. Which artist declined to submit his album for a Grammy award?
23. Singer Joe Jonas boasted of joining the mile-high club, saying that he did what immediately afterwards?  
24. Where would you now find skibidi, tradwife and a mouse-jiggler?
25. Which 21-year-old actress announced on Instagram that: 'This summer, we welcomed our sweet baby girl through adoption’?

Answers here