This week's news quiz - 25 points up for grabs

Here's this week's news quiz. As usual there are 20 questions with five bonuses ... so a possible 25 points up for grabs. Let me know how you get on. I reckon that this week 18 is an impressive score.

The poppies at the Tower made an impressive wrap in The Times (Q1)

1. The poppies around the Tower of London represented every British and colonial death in the Great War. How many were there?
Bonus: The name of the poppy installation was taken from the first line of a poem by an unknown soldier? What is it?
Bonus: The BBC came under fire for not including the British Legion poppy appeal song No Man’s Land in its Radio 1 or 2 playlists. Who sings it?
2. Under a new law, likely to be passed next month, what will you not be allowed to do in your car from next October?
3. David Moyes has been appointed manager of which European football team?
4. Which BBC programme was screened on Wednesday after a last-minute legal challenge prevented it from being shown on Monday?
5. Who used the code names ’the A-team’, the '3 Musketeers' and ‘1 team, 1 dream’?
6. Why was Rebekah Gibbs in the headlines?
7. Who will present Wayne Rooney with his golden cap at Wembley tomorrow (Saturday), to mark his 100th England appearance?
Bonus: Who will England be playing?
8. Singer Dolores O’Riordan was arrested for allegedly assaulting an air hostess and headbutting a police officer at Shannon airport. Which rock band did she front?
9. The Foreign Secretary visited Sierra Leone as part of an Ebola assessment tour. Who is the Foreign Secretary?
10. The Rosetta space probe reached the comet 67P. In which year did it leave earth?

Bonus: Name the robotic Lander that settled on the comet.
11. Two window cleaners were rescued from a collapsed cradle at the World Trade Center. How many storeys up were they?
12. Who insisted she does not hold a grudge against her ex-husband by saying: “To hold any kind of resentment is like taking rat poison and waiting for the rat to die”?
13. It has been reported that the White Widow has been killed by a sniper in Ukraine. What is her real name?

Bonus: David Cameron gave a speech outlining plans to restrict the movement of British Jihadists. In which city was the speech delivered?

14. Where are Varyag, Shaposhnikov, Fotiy Krylov and Boris Butoma believed to be heading?
15. Tracey Emin has designed a neon-style sign that reads 'Faith love trust you me and the world’. Where will it appear?
16. What do athlete Jessica Ennis-Hill, sixties rocker Dave Berry and TV sports presenter Charlie Webster have in common?
17. Andy Murray was knocked out of the World Tour Finals in two sets by Roger Federer. How many games did Murray win in the match?
18. Why was Michael J. Garcia in the headlines?
19. More than 22,000 patients are to be recalled for tests after it was revealed dentist Desmond D’Mello broke hygiene procedures. In which city? 

20. Who is the oldest celebrity to be taking part in the next I’m a Celebrity Get me Out of Here?

Answers here

The news quiz is back: Ollie's 15.5 to beat

I spent this week at PA's Howden headquarters with 13 Mail trainees. It was the first week of their training scheme that will ultimately see them working for MailOnline and MailPlus. As always, we finished with a news quiz to make sure they are reading the papers and monitoring the websites. Well done to Ollie Gillman who won the scratch card with 15.5 out of 24, just pipping Chris Waugh who scored 15. I expect higher scores in the coming weeks.
See if you can do better. There are 20 questions, with four bonuses, making a possible total of 24.

Shirley Temple: Q1

1 Shirley Temple died this week. How old was she? 

2 Why did Nguyen Ha Dong cause a flap?
3 How old is Winter Olympics bronze medal winner Jenny Jones, and which city does she come from? (Half point for each answer)
Bonus - What nationality do you have to be to get a free beer from vending machines at Sochi
4 At which zoo was a healthy giraffe put to sleep to avoid in-breeding?
Bonus - what was the name of the giraffe?
5 Chief executive Antony Jenkins announced plans for 12,000 redundancies, 7,000 of them in the UK. Name the company.
6 Thorfinn Stout filmed himself drinking a pint for his NekNominate challenge ... but where was he at the time?
7 Torville and Dean returned to Sarajevo to recreate their Olympic winning Bolero routine. Who wrote the Bolero that they perform to?
8 Suspect packages were sent to seven Army Careers offices and other military centres this week. Name three of the towns or cities where they were sent.
9 Davina McCall took part in a 500-mile challenge for Sports Relief. Which lake did she swim as part of the challenge?
10 Dave Lee Travis was found not guilty of 12 charges of indecent assault ... at which crown court
11 Which two rivers are Somerset farmers demanding be dredged?
First bonus - which engineer designed the railway line at Dawlish, recently destroyed by waves?
Second bonus - which motorway was closed due to a 15ft deep hole?
12 The immigration minister has resigned for employing an illegal immigrant as a cleaner. Name him.

13 Which European nation has voted to impose curbs on immigrants from the European Union?
14 The newspaper and magazine industry is establishing a new Press regulator to replace the PCC. What is it called?
15 Scotland's deputy first minister has accused the main UK parties of bullying tactics over independence. Who is Scotland's deputy first minister?
16 Which two teams are top of the Six Nations rugby table? (Half point for each answer)
17 In which city is David Beckham setting up a soccer team?

18 Why was Beth Whaanga in the headlines?
19 How did widow Violet Baker upset her family?
20 According to research in the British Medical Journal fewer than 20 per cent of English adults are now what?

Answers here.

Final newsquiz: Mehreen gets top prize

Farewell to the trainees: From left, Tony Johnston (head of PA Training), Oliver Duggan, Camilla Turner, Laurence Dodds, Mehreen Khan, Raz Akkoc, Greg Walton, Mike Watson (trainer) and me

The Telegraph trainees finished the first stage of their training yesterday (see previous post). We finished as always with the news quiz. Congratulations to Mehreen Khan who scored 16 out of 24. It was a remarkable performance giving her 102 points over the seven weeks, an average of 14.5 a week. She finished 17 points ahead of second placed Raz Akkoc who pipped Oliver Duggan by half a point. Mehreen was presented with a book on the history of The Telegraph. That's it with the newsquiz till February ... but no excuse for you not to read the papers. If you beat Mehreen's 16, well done. She has set a high bar. 

1. A blonde girl called Maria was discovered living with a Roma family in which Greek city?
2. According to Tesco, 68 per cent of what type of food never makes it to the plate?
3. Education minister Elizabeth Truss was under fire for misspelling a word in a tweet on literacy and numeracy. What word did she misspell? 
4. Which university's union has banned fitness classes which offered pole dancing because  they 'contribute to an atmosphere where women are viewed as sexual objects'?
5. A comedian whose characters included Sebastien the gay Yardie gangster and Aubrey Duboisson, a posh bloke from the Cotswolds, died at the weekend. Who was he?
6. A new nuclear power plant is to be built at Hinkley Point. In which county is Hinkley Point?
7. As hundreds of bush fires broke out in Australia,  a state of emergency was called in which state?
8. Rihanna was asked to leave a Grand Mosque for posing for inappropriate photographs? In which city?
9. Sally Bercow paid out £15,000 as her libel settlement over her Lord McAlpine tweet. To which charity was the money donated?
10. Which country has rejected a seat on the UN Security Council in protest over America's policy in Syria?
11. In his autobiography Alex Ferguson said of his former captain Roy Keane: 'He believed he was ______ ________.  Nobody is.' Which fictional character was he comparing Keane to?
Bonus, which journalist ghost wrote Sr Alex's book?
12. Britain's biggest petrochemical refinery in Grangemouth is under threat of closure. Which company owns the plant? 
13. Apple's chief executive unveiled the new iPad Air and the iPad mini. Who is Apple's CEO?
14. Which quiz show is being dropped by ITV after 15 years?
15. A woman died after falling 80ft in a Primark store in which city?
16. What forced the Dean Academy in the Forest of Dean to close on Wednesday?
17. The Great British Bake Off was won by 31-year-old Frances Quinn. Which is the higher number - a) the collective age of the three finalists or b) the age of judge Mary Berry? 
Bonus, next year's GBBO will be moving. To where?
18. How many Godparents did Prince George have in total?
Bonus, Prince George was dressed in a replica of the gown worn by the eldest daughter of which monarch?
19. The chief medical officer for England has advised all children should be given free vitamin C because of the fear of a return of which bone disease?
Bonus, who is the chief medical officer for England?
20. Arsenal lost to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday on the birthday of their manager Arsene Wenger. Which birthday was he 'celebrating'?

Answers here.

This week's news quiz. Mehreen's 16 to beat

Eyes down for the quiz ... the Telegraph trainees in Liverpool today

The Daily Telegraph trainees have had a particularly busy week. Apart from a couple of days with me in Howden they have had sessions with Paul Francis on Freedom of Information and Martin Stephens on visual journalism. They took a law exam yesterday and today they visited the offices of the Liverpool Post and Echo with Tony Johnston, head of PA Training. As always we finished the week with the news quiz, just to ensure that they continue to forensically read the papers. This week's winner is Mehreen Khan with 16 out of 24. This means, over the six weeks of the course, Mehreen is 12 points ahead of second placed Raz Akkoc. It's the final quiz next week so Mehreen is clear favourite to pick up the end of course prize. See if you can do better than 16. There are 20 questions, with four bonus points, so a possible 24. 
   

China George (Q5) Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

1. The Scotland Yard inquiry into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann is called Operation ___________. What is the missing word? 

2. Prime Minister David Cameron suggested customers should switch suppliers after British Gas announced it was putting up prices. The company is putting its gas up by 8.4 pc on November 23 and raising its electricity rates by what percentage? 

Bonus, the Energy Sectetary said there were a range of suppliers offering better deals than British Gas. Who is the Energy Secretary? 

3. 1970s' characters the Clangers, created by Oliver Postgate, are to return to television screens in a new series. What colour planet do the Clangers live on?

4. What was Plymouth lollipopman Bob Slade doing with children that led to him quitting his job.

5. In his trade visit to Beijing Chancellor George Osborne claimed, wrongly, that 160 million Chinese people are regularly watching what?

6. Roy Hodgson steered England to the World Cup finals in Brazil and then found himself in a row over a joke about a monkey … and a what? 

Bonus, England's qualification means that four former World Cup winning countries from Europe have booked a place in Brazil. Who are the only former World Champions from Europe that are not yet there? 

7. A street stall in New York was offering spray art for sale at $60 a piece. The pictures were actually by steet artist Banksy and were worth thousands. How many paying customers did the stall have?

8. Why was Angela Ahrendts in the headlines?

9. Eleanor Catton became the youngest winner of the Man Booker prize with her novel The Luminaries. How old is she?

Bonus, prior to Catton's success who was the youngest Booker prizewinner?

10. Pensioners with more than how much money in savings should be regarded as 'quite wealthy' according to care minister Norman Lamb?

11. Sir Anthony Hopkins described whose performances as 'the best acting I have seen - ever'?

12. British newspapers are not the only ones having a tough time from their Government. President Cristina Kirchner has been accused by editors of introducing a draconian law to control the media. In which country?

Bonus, The International Herald Tribune changed its name this week. To what?

13. In a her memoirs, graphic artist Chrisann Brennan says her former lover believed he was a Second World War fighter pilot in a previous life. Who was she writing about?

14. The Independent Police Complaints Commission accused which police force of a cover-up in the so-called Plebgate dispute involving former chief whip Andrew Mitchell? 

15. Nice has told doctors not to always blame patients if they are obese. What is the full name of Nice.

16. Why was Wimbledon champion Andy Murray almost late to Buckingham Place to receive his OBE?

17. Oxford scientist Professor Brian Sykes claims to have uncovered evidence that what exists?

18. An inquest into the deaths of six British soldiers, killed by a roadside bomb in Afhanistan, is being held at the Coroner's Court in which city?

19. Labour's new shadow women's minister has found herself irritated by a story about a topless photo shoot she did when she was a teenager. Who is she?

20. The sales of what have doubled in the last 12 months to 550,000?

Answers here.

Final newsquiz: Ben wins the Champagne

Me (left) and colleagues Tony Johnston and Mike Watson (far right) with Telegraph trainees Rhiannon Williams, Ben Riley-Smith (with his Champagne), Olivia Goldhill, Theo Merz, Radhika Sanghani and Dan Johnson.

I said goodbye to the Telegraph trainees this week. Their final task, at the end of a seven-week training programme at PA in Howden, was to put together a project on how the Telegraph might cover the 2015 election. They created a new print supplement, a radically new online approach and put together an interactive working app. Yesterday they presented it all to Telegraph executives in Victoria. It was all very impressive. They now head off on secondment to regional newspapers or to the Press Association. They are a bright bunch and good characters. I wish them well. We finished, as ever, with the newsquiz followed by farewell drinks in the Brass Monkey. Ben Riley-Smith and Dan Johnson were joint winners, both scoring a less than average 10.5. They were steeped in their project this week, so didn't really get the chance to study the papers. Understandable but, as they know, not really an excuse. Ben collected the Champagne for being top over the seven weeks - 8.5 points ahead of second placed Dan. Anyway, there are 22 questions. Three have a bonus so there are 25 points up for grabs. See how you do. As the diploma season is over, this is the last of the weekly quizzes. Hope you enjoyed them.

1. The Culture Secretary wrote to the chairman of the BBC Trust to say the Jimmy Savile affair had raised 'very real concerns' about public confidence in the BBC. Who is the Culture Secretary and who is the chairman of the BBC Trust? One point for each.

2. Exactly how much did comedian Frankie Boyle win in libel damages against The Mirror?

3. How long was soccer thug Aaron Cawley jailed for? For a bonus, which two teams were playing in the game when he assaulted goalkeeper Chris Kirkland?

4. In the latest Superman comic, Clark Kent quits his job as a reporter on the Daily Planet after a showdown with its publisher. Who is the publisher of the Daily Planet?

5. Who is the MP for North West Hampshire?

6. According to the Environment Secretary, bad weather and the Olympics are to blame for what?

7. Which store has defended its policy on restricting staff from displaying tattoos and piercings?

8. Trinity Mirror has merged its regional and daily titles. Who is the chief executive of Trinity Mirror?

9. Who visited Julian Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy wearing a t-shirt that said 'I am Julian Assange'?

10. Barack Obama told supporters at a Florida rally that America had a choice between "reckless and wrong or ...... and ....... ". Fill in the two missing words. A half point for each.

11. Chief Constable Sir Norman Bettison resigned from which police force?

12. Why was Pauline Bailey in the headlines?

13. Ford is closing its factory in Southampton and moving the manufacture of all Transit vans to which country?

14. Former policeman Michael Upson contravened a 1981 Act. What did he do?

15. Pippa Middleton's book was published this week. What is it called?

16. Who rode Frankel in his final race?

17. What, in a Tweet, did David Cameron say 'was healing'?

18. The FSA has said what is a ticking time bomb?

19. Who had their Olympic medals stolen after attending an event at Buckingham Palace. One point each.

20. Name the Category 2 hurricane which is sweeping through the Caribbean?

21. Nike has sold a sports clothing brand which provided the shirts for England's 1966 World Cup win. What is the brand called?

22. Ceefax signed off this week. Which year did it start broadcasting?

Answers here

Mail's final newsquiz: Helen wins Champagne

Mail trainees (left to right) Colette Sexton, Josephine Forster, Ellie Buchdahl, Helen Lawson with the Champagne,  Olivia Williams, Lauren York, Andrew Magee and Lauren Davis.

Today is the last day at the Manor, PA Training's Howden HQ, for the Daily Mail trainee sub-editors. We had a week of more intensive subbing and layout and each of them created a live Mail page when the Gary McKinnon story broke on Tuesday. They were also visited by senior sub Jenny Ryan who opened their eyes to the reality of working in the Mail newsroom. After today they go off on placements to regional newspapers (the Hull Daily Mail, the Western Morning News and the Manchester Evening News) or to the Mail or Standard. Good luck to them all. I am sure they will be a big success.
Meanwhile the Telegraph trainees, in their penultimate week, had a packed schedule with FoI specialist Paul Francis, digital trainer Andy Drinkwater and Telegraph lawyer Adam Cannon. Today they are visiting the Liverpool Post and Echo.
Yesterday we held the newsquiz. There was high tension within the Mail ranks as, with Champagne at stake, only a half point separated Lauren Davis and Helen Lawson as the final questions loomed. In the end Helen pipped it by one point. Well done to her. The winner of the week though was the Telegraph's Radhika Sanghani with an impressive 21.
It's a bit of a bumper one this week - 22 questions with a possible five bonuses - so 27 points up for grabs and Radhika's 21 to beat. See how you get on.

1. Who wrote the Black Spider memos?

2. Why was Candy Crowley in the spolight?

3. Downton Abbey beat the X Factor in the ratings war on Sunday night after Lady Sybil died from eclampsia. Who played the part of Lady Sybil? And, for a bonus, there was also a death on the live showing of Emmerdale. Name the character who died.

4. Heather Watson became the first British woman tennis player to win a WTA tour title since 1988. Which country's Open did she win? For a bonus, where was Watson born and raised?

5. An Austrian stuntman fell to earth from the edge of space. Can you spell his surname? For a bonus in which US state did he land?

6. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has suggested that MPs might receive a 40 per cent pay rise on their current salary. To a margin of error of £1,000, what is an MP's current basic salary.

7. MP Stuart Bell died at the weekend. Where was his constituency?

8. Malala Yousafzal was flown from Islamabad for treatment at which UK hospital?

9. The Director of Public Prosecutions will decide whether Gary McKinnon will be charged with computer hacking in the UK. Who is the Director of Public Prosecutions?

10. Hilary Mantel became the fist woman to win the Booker Prize twice. What was the name of her winning novel and, for a bonus, name her book that won the prize in 2009?

11. Jon Benjamin has been threatened with violence after he made a Twitter joke about Argentina's football team. Benjamin is British ambassador to which country?

12. Comedian Frankie Boyle is suing which newspaper for libel after it called him a racist?

13. Who slipped while laying a wreath at Gandhi's grave

14. John Whaite won the Great British Bake Off. How old is he?

15. According to a new study, what offers no meaningful protection against cystitis?

16. There was an apparent catfight in Downing Street this week. Name the Chancellor's cat and the PM's cat. (Half a point for each).

17. The Employment Minister said Britain had the highest number of people in work since records began. Which year did he say that was? And, for a bonus, who is the Employment Minister?

18. Seven paintings, including works by Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Henri Matisse, Paul Gauguin and Lucian Freud were stolen from which museum?

19. Outside which American building did a Bangladeshi man attempt to plant a 1,000lb bomb

20. Specialist digging equipment is being used to search for missing Ben Needham on which island?

21. Why have Rosie & Ruby Formosa been in the headlines?

22. In a BBC survey of 166 British football clubs Arsenal is the most expensive club (charging £126 for the top adult match-day ticket). Which club is the cheapest?

Answers here

This week's newsquiz. Can you beat Ben's 15?

The Daily Mail trainee reporters all went off to their placements this week. I spent my time at the Press Association's Training's Manor in Howden with the trainee subs. We had an intensive week dealing with the nitty gritty of subbing, lots of pronouns, style points and writing publishable headlines - so we all needed a couple of drinks in the Wellington along the way. The Daily Telegraph trainees, also in the Manor, were with Paul Jones, David Banks, Tony Johnston and the paper's assistant editor Richard Preston. Yesterday both groups got together for the usual end of week quiz ... and the competition between the papers was certainly healthy. The Telegraph's Ben Riley-Smith won it with 15 points, closely followed by the Mail's Lauren York on 14.5 and Rhiannon Williams with 14. The quiz got a nice mention by Roy Greenslade in his Guardian blog last week. It's worth looking at, not least for the comments. Apparently the quiz is to blame for the country's economy being on the rocks. Wow ... I never knew it was so influential. Anyway, Roy managed a decent score of 13. The Mail newsdesk also had a crack and the top score was 14. So, well done trainees Lauren Davis (16) and Francesca Infante (15) who both did better. This week there are three bonuses, so a possible 23 points. I thought it was much easier than usual ... but not everyone agreed. See how you get on.

Dodgy dress? Question 9. Picture by PA

1. At which school did Jeremy Forrest teach maths to Megan Stammers?
2. According to Policy Exchange, how much does it cost each day to tag an offender?
3. According to a survey of 3,000 British consumers, Apple is now the coolest brand in the UK. Which brand did it knock off the top spot?
4. Which British actor won the 'best actor' at the Emmys?
5. The Queen has bought a set of prints of herself by which artist?
6. According to the census, which British seaside resort has the most people over the age of 100 per head of population? 
7. David Cameron was asked, on Letterman, who composed Rule Brittania and answered Elgar. What is the correct answer?
8. Who is the MP for Sutton Coldfield?
9. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a dress she thought had been made on the island where she was attending a function. It had, in fact, been made on another island. Name both islands.
10. Which British newspaper is known as the Thunderer and runs a column of that name?
11. Justin Lee Collins is facing charges of harassment at which court?
12. The makers of the popular game Angry Birds have launched a new game. What is it called?
13. Who asked the question 'why don't aeroplane windows open?'
14. Which racing team will Lewis Hamilton be driving for next season?
15. LIBOR was in the news again. What does it stand for?
16. Whose press conference was cancelled when only one journalist turned up?
17. Name the Chicago golf course where the Ryder Cup is being played.
18. What's the name of J.K. Rowling's first adult novel? For a bonus point, name the publisher.
19. York was badly hit by the floods. Which river runs through the middle of the city?
20. Abu Hamza lost his appeal against extradition in the European Court of Human Rights. In which city is the court based? For a bonus, which BBC reporter inadvertently revealed the Queen's concerns about Abu Hamza?

Answers here

The newsquiz: Lauren's impressive 16 to beat

Olivia Williams celebrates with her Champagne

The Daily Mail reporting and subbing trainees got together at Northcliffe House in Kensington this week for a flavour of what it is like to work in the newsroom. The reporters now go off to spend time on regional newspapers, the Standard and the Mail's Scottish office. Meanwhile the subs are heading to PA's Howden base in East Yorkshire where they will have four weeks intensive subbing training and assessment. They will meet up with the Daily Telegraph trainees who have just completed their second week.
As usual we all finished the week with the newsquiz ... the best way to ensure everyone gets into the habit of reading the papers in detail every day. This week's highest scorer was Mail sub-editor Lauren Davis with an impressive 16. Second was Mail reporter Francesca Infante with 15. Olivia Williams scored the highest running score by a Mail reporter over the three-weeks and was presented with a bottle of Champagne by media consultant Sue Ryan. Top Telegraph trainee this week was Ben Riley-Smith with 13.5. Have a crack at the questions below. If you beat Lauren's 16, I will be very impressed.

Shakira is expecting ... but who's the father? PA

1. Name the two women police officers killed in Manchester (half point for each name).

2. What was the name of the estate in Tameside, Manchester, that the two officers were called to?

3. Before this week's incident, the last police woman to be shot dead on duty in the UK was Sharon Beshenivsky in 2005. In which city?

4. Why was Mike O'Kane suspended from his job this week?

5. According to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, in a secretly taped conversation, what percentage of Americans are freeloaders relying on government handouts?

6. Colombian singer Shakira is expecting her first child. Who is the father?

7. According to a hard-hitting advert by St John Ambulance, broadcast during the commercial break in Downton Abbey, how many people might survive in the UK each year if everyone was trained in First Aid?

8. Which news reader confessed to dyeing her grey hair because age is an issue for women on TV?

9. Executive Anthony Sturman accidently sent indecent images to his office printer. Who were his employers?

10. Who is the editor of the Evening Standard?

11. Which quango paid out £9.4 million in redundancy payments to 223 employees but took on 598 new staff during the same period?

12. Policeman Simon Harwood was sacked for gross misconduct this week following the death of a newspaper seller during the G20 protests in London. What was the name of the man who died?

13. 26 people were killed in a gas plant fire in which country?

14. Six-year-old Will Smith accidently ran up a £2,000 bill on his grandfather's iPad playing which game?

15. Following the discovery of an ancient papyrus, a Harvard professor has claimed Jesus was married ... to whom?

16. Which comedian has been shortlisted in the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2012 for his novel Gangsta Granny?

17. Nick Clegg has apologised for not keeping his word on tuition fees. What is Clegg's constituency?

18. A specialist team of doctors from which hospital has flown out to Camp Bastion following the unexpected birth of a baby boy?

19. What is the name of the Italian magazine that ran 20 pages of pictures, including some topless, of the Duchess of Cambridge?

And for a bonus point the magazine's editor, Alfonso Signorini, tweeted that “not even a direct call from ....... " would stop him publishing the photographs. Fill in the gap.

20. What is the name of Robbie Williams' baby daughter, born earlier this week?

Answers here

Final newsquiz - Lottie's amazing 18.5 to beat

The Mail and Telegraph trainees left Howden this week and now embark on their regional placements. Good luck to them all. They are among the liveliest bunch of young journalists you are likely to meet. Congratulations to the Mail's Lottie Young and the Telegraph's Jess Winch who won the overall newsquiz for each paper. Jess won this week's Telegraph quiz with 12 points out of 22 to finish with 80.5 points over seven weeks, 7.5 ahead of second place Tom Rowley. Lottie scored an astonishing 18.5 out of 22 to win the Mail quiz and finish with 72.5 points over five weeks, 12 ahead of second place Kirsty McEwen. The top averages were Lottie with 14.5, Kirsty with 12.1, Jess with 11.5 and Raj Rai with 11.2.

Quiz queens: Jess and Lottie with their prizes

Jess and Lottie collected a scratchcard and a bottle of toffee vodka for their efforts. That's it for the newsquiz for another year (although I might drop in the occasional one just to keep you on your toes). Try your hand at this week's. You have Lottie's amazing 18.5 to beat.

1. Who was under fire for detaining five children a day?

2. Why was Alan Billis in the headlines?

3. Who is wrestler Stacy Keibler's lover?

4. The Hillsborough disaster has been back in the news. It was a tragedy for Liverpool and Sheffield but what was the third city involved?

5. Round the world sailor Stefan Ramin was allegedly eaten by a cannibal on which remote Pacific island?

6. Dan Wheldon died during which motor race? Full name please, four words.

7. Which children's YouTube channel was hit by hackers?

8. What position does Justine Greening hold in the Cabinet?

9. What will Blackberry users get as compensation for the loss of service last week?

10. Which letter went 'missing' during the World Scrabble Championship?

11. Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was released after being held for five years by Hamas. What was his rank?

12. Former Commons researcher Katia Zatuliveter is facing deportation after being accused of spying. She was an aide for which Liberal Democrat MP? 

13. Wootton Bassett has been given the Royal prefix. How many servicemen/women has the town paid its respects to in the last four years?

14. Betty Driver passed away last weekend. She was well known for her part as Betty Williams (Turpin) in Coronation Street but which character did she originally audition for?

15. Fauja Singh started running marathons 11 years ago, at what age?

16. The Governor of the Bank of England said this week that time is running out to solve the world economy crisis. Who is the Governor of the Bank of England?

17. Who left Brown for Oxford?

18. Who received an apology from the BBC for "being written out of history"?

19. Robbie Savage and Orla Jordan performed the tango at half-time during which football match?

20. Which author won the 2011 Booker Prize this week? And, for a bonus point, name the book.

21.  The Daily Mail this week had to pay out undisclosed libel damages to which Lady?

How did you do? The answers are here.

Telegraph trainees Jess Winch, Jenny O'Mahony, Ben Bryant,
Lucy Kindle, Tom Rowley, Thomas Pascoe and Alice Philipson

Mail trainee subs Lyle Brennan, Libby Galvin, PA Finance Director Steven Brown,

Alys Denby, Tom Clarke, Raj Rai, Talal Musa, Kirsty McEwen,

my refined pate, trainer Mike Watson and Lottie Young

The newsquiz - it's a toughie. 13.5 to beat.

The penultimate week for the Mail and Telegraph trainees this week, so the penultimate newsquiz.  It was clearly a bit harder as last week's high scores of around 16-17 slipped back to around 12-13. This week's scratchcards went to the Mail's Lottie Young with 13.5, narrowly beating Kirsty McEwen with 12.5, and the Telegraph's Ben Bryant with 12. Next week, the overall winners will be presented with something more interesting than a scratchcard. At the moment Jess Winch leads the Telegraph pack, 2.5 points ahead of Tom Rowley. The Mail's Lottie will take some catching, 5.5 points ahead of second place Kirsty.

See how you do. There are a possible 22 points as there is a bonus on question 21. 

Summing it up: Shevell and Fox (Q1). Pictures by the Press Association. 

1. Nancy Shevell and Liam Fox were the headline grabbers this week. What is their combined age?
2. Where did Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell get married?
3. One of the bridesmaids was McCartney's daughter from his marriage with Heather Mills, what is her name?
4. An investigation is taking place at a school after teachers allegedly had Facebook  conversation in which they described their pupils as 'inbred' and 'thick'. Name the school and the city (half point for each).
5. Grandmother Sally Hodkin was stabbed to death in a busy high street in which London district?
6. Whitehall's chief mandarin, the Cabinet Secretary, announced he is to retire at the end of the year. What is his name?
7. Where did Vincent Tabak go shopping after he allegedly murdered Jo Yeates?
8. The former Prime Minister of which country was jailed for seven years after being found guilty of exceeding her authority?
9. According to Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli, contestant Nancy Dell'Olio looked as though she had inhaled what? I am looking for the exact five-word answer for 1pt - if you get three words correct you get a half a point.
10. The European Championship qualifiers were completed this week with two teams going through with a 100% record. Name the two teams (half point for each).
11. Blackberry has suffered major network problems this week.  Blackberry is owned by RIM, what do the initials stand for?
12. Sir Bruce Forsyth collected his knighthood from the Queen. How old is he?
13. Downing Street breaks with tradition this weekend by doing what?
14. According to all the bookmakers who is the favourite act to be eliminated from the X-Factor this coming weekend?
15. Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre and columnist Kelvin Mackenzie both appeared at a seminar  arranged by which judge?
16. Geoffrey Boycott is involved in a legal wrangle over a property in which millionaires' resort?
17. BP and its partners have been given permission for a £4.5 billion oil project to the west of which islands?
18. Who, in the headlines this week, shared the same surname as her partner, even though they weren't married.
19. The Telford Junior Football League announced it was going to record all wins in its league by which score?
20. Another of Rupert Murdoch's papers is in the headlines ... this time for apparently buying thousands of its own copies, misleading readers and advertisers about the title's circulation. Name the paper.
21. Liam Fox's friends described Adam Werritty as being similar to a fictional character. Name the character - and, for a bonus point, the writer who created him.
The answers are here 

Have a crack at the newsquiz - 17.5 to beat

In Howden again this week and, apart from doing headlines, layout and design with the Telegraph trainees, I found myself refereeing a game of football in the park and in the dark. It was a competitive match with tackles flying in. The Daily Mail, with two sports trainees, were determined not to lose to the 'broadsheet lot'. And so it proved ... the Mail (plus international guest) beat the Telegraph (plus international guests) 5-3. Despite some robust challenges there were no major injuries, just a ball in the face for one of the girls and lots of aches and bruises the next day. As the Telegraph trainees are off to the law courts in Newcastle tomorrow, we had to do the quiz earlier this week. It was the highest scoring week so far with the Telegraph's Jess Winch edging it with 17.5 and three others (Jenny O'Mahony from the Telegraph and Lottie Young and Tom Clarke from the Mail) all on 17. Is it easier this week or is it, as I prefer to believe, that everyone is paying closer attention to the detail in the news stories?  
There are a possible 21 points. See how you get on:

1. Who said: "You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new."?

2 Why was Maya in the news?

3.  Which country has introduced a 'fat tax'?

4. Jessie J won four categories at the MOBO awards. What does MOBO stand for?

5.  How much is a dog licence?

6. The London based Irish Post will be back on the streets after being bought by Elgin Loane. Loane owns which other publication - which he bought from the Daily Mail and General Trust last year?

7. Soham killer Ian Huntley was attacked in prison. Give the name of the prison and the city in which it is based (half a point for each).

8. Portsmouth Pub landlady Karen Murphy won a European Court of Justice ruling that allows her to air Premier League football without subscribing to Sky. What is the name of her pub?

9. Amanda Knox is now back at home in which American city?

10. The Daily Mail and Sun online were among those who wrongly published that Knox had been found guilty of murder. The confusion apparently arose as Knox was found guilty of another charge. What was that charge?

11. Charlie Gilmour says he didn't realise he was swinging from what?

12. Which singer has been forced to cancel a US tour due to illness

13. Why was Jessica Palmer in the headlines?

14. The Defence Secretary has been accused of putting national security as risk by allowing a former flatmate access to the MoD. Who is the Defence Secretary?

15. The Great British Bake Off - the TV series which has become a big hit for BBC 2 - caused a stir by showing an explicit picture of what?

16. If England beat France in Saturday's Rugby World Cup quarter final they will meet the winners of Quarter Final One in the next round. Name the two teams (that they might meet in the semi-final). Half a point for each team.

17. Who, according to the Palestinian leadership, has 'become of no use at all'?

18. What do Israeli Professor Daniel Shechtman, Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer and US physicist Saul Perlmutter have in common?

19. Michael Le Vell has been arrested on suspicion of a sexual offence involving a young girl. What is the name of the character he plays in Coronation Street?

20. Boris Johnson impressed many journalists with his performance at the Conservative Party conference and on Newsnight this week. Johnson is, of course, a journalist himself but which magazine did he edit from 1999-2005?

And for a bonus point, which magazine does his younger sister, Rachel Johnson, edit?
Answers are here.

Tom wins this week's newsquiz - 15 to beat

Another good week for the Mail and Telegraph trainee journalists in Howden. Trainers this week included Mike Brough, Brian Page, Andrew Glover, Chris Gregory and Lindsay Hodgkinson from the Mail legal department. As usual we finished with the newsquiz. Congratulations to Telegraph trainee Tom Rowley who is this week's winner with a very impressive 16 points out of 21. Question 21 was a local one that only the trainees would know, so I have only included 20 here. If you get 15, it would be impressive. 

Ed Balls and Andy Burnham line up a free kick against the lobby journalists - but what was the final score (Q4). Pic from TheFA.com

1. Which city hosted the last bullfight in the Catalan area of Spain?

2. Yvette Cooper's conference speech impressed many (including the Daily Mail's Quentin Letts).  What is her position in the Shadow Cabinet?

3. Yvette Cooper's husband Ed Balls led his Labour Party team at the annual Labour Conference game versus the lobby journalists at Liverpool Soccer Centre. What was the score?

4. It's the turn of the Conservatives to hold their party conference next week. In which city?

5. What is the name of Michael Jackson' personal physician who is on trial accused of killing the star with an overdose?

6. England and Manchester United footballer Rio Ferdinand lost his High Court privacy action against which newspaper?

7. The Communities Secretary has announced a £250m fund to ensure local councils restore weekly bin collections. Who is the Communities Secretary?

8.  A miner died at Kellingley colliery near which North Yorkshire village?

9. Who did Alan Graham tell to cover-up?

10. Which Premiership footballer has been suspended by his club while allegations of sexual assault and drugs possession are investigated?

11.Which TV programme is celebrating its 50th birthday?

12. The Government is proposing to to increase the speed limit from 70mph to 80mph. When did it increase from 60 to 70mph (1pt if you get it spot on and half a point if you are one year out)

13. An inquest was told that 17-year-old schoolgirl Grace Ford fell to her death from a window after trying to climb into a hotel room in which resort?

14. Which country was denounced by the UN Security Council for "the continued grave and systematic human rights violations" by its authorities?

15. Why was Michael Cohen in the headlines?

16. Who is the outgoing chair of the Press Complaints Commission?

17. Mark Bradford allegedly throttled a 13-year-old boy after being beaten by him in an online PlayStation game. What was the game?

18. Christine Hemming, on trial for burglary, claimed in court this week that her MP husband had been unfaithful at least how many times?  

19. The creator of the television comedy Dad's Army died this week. What was his name?

20. According to researchers from the University of California, doing what means you are trustworthy?

How did you do? Check the answers here.

This week's news quiz - let's hear it for the girls

Howden has been buzzing this week with three separate courses running at the Manor. Press Association Training is entertaining a group of international journalists for the next 13 weeks. At the same time the Daily Mail subbing diploma began, with eight wannabe sub-editors spending five weeks learning how to sub, write headlines and draw pages to national newspaper standards. The Daily Telegraph also has seven trainees on a seven-week course. It means that there are 27 students in the Manor as well as a steady stream of trainers and speakers, including Linda Christmas, David Banks, Paul Jones, Mike Watson, Tony Johnston and the Telegraph's Richard Preston. Over the next few weeks there will be sessions my many other big-hitters including guest speakers from the Mail and Telegraph.
As usual we finished with the newsquiz to ensure all are reading the papers properly. This week's joint winners are the Mail's Lottie Young and the Telegraph's Jennifer O'Mahony with 11.5pts out of 21. They narrowly beat the Mail's Kirsty McEwen and the Telegraph's Jess Winch who both got 11. No men in the top four! See how you do - although I will be astonished if you can answer question 20. 

1. Why is it the end of the world as they know it for Michael Stipe and Pete Buck?

2. The Liberal Democrat party conference was held in Birmingham this week. Next week it's the turn of the Labour Party - but in which city will its conference be held?

3. Nick Clegg sported a sombre grey suit for his speech but his wife wore a bright yellow Topshop dress. What is his wife's full name? (three names needed for 1pt, 2 names gain half a point)

4. Why were Lesley Norris and Bruce Scott in the headlines?

5. Kate Winslett gave a gushing speech at the Emmys after she won the leading actress award. But who won best supporting actress?

6. Where was a cage fight between two boys held? For a bonus point, the Culture Secretary described it as very barbaric. Who is the Culture Secretary? (1pt for each answer)

7.  Troy Davies was executed in which US state?

8.  Why was Vincent Cooke in the headlines?

9. Former newspaper tycoon Eddy Shah was arrested over under-age sex allegations.  Which national newspaper did he launch?

10.  Johnny Vegas has recreated a famous Demi Moore pose - in which magazine did the original photograph appear?

11.  Which football club closed its doors to men and had women and children only in attendance?

12.  Geri Helliwell graced the pages wearing what looked like a wedding dress. She was attending a gala event for which charitable foundation?

13. Conjoined twins Rital and Ritag Gaboura were successfully separated by surgeons at which hospital?

14. The unfinished portrait, called Portrait of the Hound 2011, is to go on public display next spring? Who is the artist?

15. The FTSE 100 plunged by 4.7pc on Thursday, the biggest drop in 30 months. What does FTSE stand for?

16. Diplomats walked out of the UN General Assembly during a speech by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He is president of which country?

17. Which newspaper carries the slogan The World's Greatest Newspaper on its front page?

18. Simon Day died of a heroin overdose an inquest heard. Who was his grandfather?

19. The mayor of which city has rejected an electric car in favour of a Jaguar?

20. What is the name of the hairdresser's salon on the corner in Howden, the last shop before the entrance to the Manor?

How did you do? Check the answers here.