Quiz Diary - 2006-07

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31

• Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz says Israel cannot agree to an immediate ceasefire
• First results returned in recent Democratic Republic of Congo election
• John Howard says he will go for a 5th term as Australian PM
• Supporters of defeated Presidential candidate Andres Obrador stage protests in Mexico City
• UN Security Council passes a resolution giving Iran 1 month to suspend uranium enrichment or face sanctions
• HSBC unveils greater then expected profits (pre-tax profits of $12.5bn)
• Rooney and Ronaldo train together for the first time since the World Cup
• Gunmen in Iraqi police uniforms kidnap 26 people in Baghdad
• Former Vice-President George Saitoti will not be charged over the Goldenberg scandal
• United Airlines makes its first quarterly profit in 6 years
• Latest figures show spending by World Cup football fans lifted German retail sales during June
• Iranian student leader dies in jail in Tehran while on a hunger strike
• Met Office figures reveal July to have been the hottest month in the UK since records began
• Andrew Lloyd Webber expresses fears for the commercial future of London's West End
• England pick Chris Read as wicket-keeper for 3rd Test against Pakistan instead of Geraint Jones
• UEFA to review whether Liverpool are to travel to Israel for their Champions League match
• Mahela Jayawardene calls Muttiah Muralitharan the greatest spinner in history
• Corey Pavin claims 1st PGA Tour win in 10 years with a 2-shot victory in US Bank Championship

31 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Who did Ruud van Nistelrooy say was the only reason that he wanted to leave Manchester United?
• Sir Alex Ferguson
• 2. Which star of the Da Vinci Code has married for the third time in France?
• Jean Reno
• 3. What figures did Man-of-the-match Steve Harmison return for the first test against Pakistan, the first time that he had ever taken 10 wickets?
• 11-76
• 4. Brad Gilbert has said that he will arrange practice sessions for Andy Murray with which tennis legend?
• Andre Agassi
• 5. “The List:” Name the last 3 different people to win the F1 World title?
• Alonso, Schumacher, and Hakkinen

Topic of the Day: Rugby World Cup

• 6. What is the name of the trophy awarded to the winning team?
• William Webb Ellis Trophy
• 7. What was the score in the 2003 final won by England?
• 20-17
• 8. Who are the only team to be World Champions twice?
• Australia
• 9. Who presented Francois Pienaar with the trophy in 1995?
• Nelson Mandela
• 10. In the 5 Rugby Union World Cups to-date which is the only country to be in the top four every time?
• New Zealand

On this Day:

• 11. Which Dutch banker and 1st president of the European Central Bank died a year ago today (31st July 2005)?
• Wim Duisberg
• 12. Which actor was born today (31st July 1962) and is best known for the Blade trilogy of films and also appearing in a Michael Jackson video “Bad”?
• Wesley Snipes
• 13. The Third Battle of Ypres started today (31st July 1917), how is it also known?
• Passchendaele
• 14. Which treaty ended the Second Anglo-Dutch War on 31st July 1667?
• Breda
• 15. The 17th President of the USA died today (31st July 1875) who was he?
• Andrew Johnson

30

• Kate Bush's birthday
• England win the World Cup in 1966 - 40 years of hurt
• Netherlands beat Germany 2-1 to win the men's Champions Trophy
• Michael Schumacher closes Alonso’s lead to 11 points after German GP
• Last ever Top of the Pops
• Mel Gibson apologises for drink-driving
• Pamela Anderson marries Kid Rock in St Tropez
• UK Charts:
  • Singles:
    • 1. Shakira Ft Wyclef Jean - Hips Don't Lie
    • 2. Christina Aguilera - Ain't No Other Man
    • 3. Rihanna - Unfaithful
    • 4. Lily Allen - Smile
    • 5. James Morrison - You Give Me Something
  • Albums:
    • 1. Razorlight - Razorlight
    • 2. Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
    • 3. Lily Allen - Alright Still
    • 4. Kooks - Inside In/ Inside Out
    • 5. Paolo Nutini - These Streets
• James Bond stage at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire wrecked by blaze
• Tony Blair calls for Middle East ceasefire
• Democratic Republic of Congo finish voting in the first multi-party national poll for 40 years
• Robert Karlsson wins the European Players' Championship by 4 shots
• Loren Roberts beats Eduardo Romero in play-off to win Senior British Open

30 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Who is the Japanese finance minister that has announced his candidacy to succeed Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi?
• Sadakazu Tanigaki
• 2. What according to scientists was the reason that prehistoric flying reptiles grew crests on their heads?
• As a means of attracting a mate
• 3. Which international side have pulled out of two planned matches with England, planned for next month?
• Argentina
• 4. Pat McQuaid says he will launch a "crusade against doping" following the latest revelations to hit the sport. Of which organisation is he the president?
• International Cycling Union
• 5. “The List:” Name the last three winners of the Nobel Peace Prize?
• Mohamed ElBaradei (and IAEA), Wangari Maathai and Shirin Ebadi

Topic of the Day: Catherine “Kate” Bush (as it’s her birthday and she’s my favourite solo female singer)

• 6. How old is Kate today?
• 48
• 7. What was the name of her 1993 Album?
• The Red Shoes
• 8. What is her only number one hit in the UK charts?
• Wuthering Heights
• 9. In which year did she do her only serious live tour (excepting very very occasional one-off gigs)?
• 1979
• 10. What is the subtitle to the song “Running Up That Hill” from Hounds of Love?
• A Deal With God

29

• GB swimming chief Bill Sweetenham predicts a tough time ahead at the European Championships
• Phil Taylor beats James Wade 18-11 to win World Matchplay title
• Kieren Fallon’s High Court bid to get his UK riding ban lifted fails
• Hurricane Run wins the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot
• New Zealand beat Australia 13-9 in Tri-Nations match
• Scottish Premier League season kicks off
• Loren Roberts holds 4-shot advantage going into the final round of Senior British Open at Turnberry
• Kimi Raikkonen takes pole position for the German Grand Prix
• England beat Paksitan in the 1st test

29 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. The government is publishing guidelines to help schools, parents and pupils tackle which aspect of bullying?
• Cyber-bullying
• 2. Who has agreed to coach Andy Roddick?
• Jimmy Connors
• 3. Which opera singer says he will return to the stage in 2007 despite recent surgery for pancreatic cancer?
• Luciano Pavarotti
• 4. Who is the current Lebanese PM?
• Fouad Siniora
• 5. “The List:” After the recent match-fixing penalties in Italian football, which are Italy's four representatives in the Champions League for 2006/07?
• Inter Milan, Roma, Chievo and AC Milan

Topic of the Day: Showboat

• 6. “Fish got to swim, birds got to fly” is the start of which song?
• Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
• 7. Who wrote the music for the musical Showboat?
• Jerome Kern
• 8. What is the name of the riverboat gambler central to the plot of Showboat?
• Gaylord Ravenal
• 9. Showboat is often said to to be the first racially integrated musical in that both black and white performers appeared on-stage together. In which year was it first performed?
• 1927
• 10. What is the flowery name of the daughter of Cap'n Andy?
• Magnolia

28

• 2 firearms officers involved in the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes resume their duties
• Ex-Worldcom boss Bernard Ebbers loses his appeal against his conviction
• Alan Garcia sworn in as president of Peru
• Big Brother contestants Spiral and Michael Cheshire are evicted
• Jamaica's Asafa Powell runs 9.91 seconds in the 100m at the London Grand Prix.
• Real Madrid complete the signing of Ruud van Nistelrooy from Manchester United.
• Science-fiction novelist David Gemmell dies
• Farmers warn the current extreme hot weather could threaten supplies of fresh vegetables
• 1st guitar played by Sir Paul McCartney is sold for £330,000 at auction in Abbey Road Studios
• Argentina pull out of their two matches against England's hockey team next month
• Kepler Wessells leaves as coach of Northamptonshire

28 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Who are the owners of British Gas that plan to raise gas bills by 12.4% for its 10.7 million customers?
• Centrica
• 2. Where is the current Darts World Matchplay taking place?
• Blackpool
• 3. Jimmy White's North American 8-Ball Pool Open campaign was ended by a first-round loss to which former snooker player?
• Quinten Hann
• 4. Which boxer pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving after an accident in his home town of Bolton?
• Amir Khan
• 5. “The List:” As we approach the release of the new Bond film, name the last four films all starring Pierce Brosnan.
• Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day

Topic of the Day: Poetry

• 6. Du Fu was a major Chinese poet of which dynasty?
• Tang
• 7. What name was given to a member of a group of poets associated with the courts of Scandinavia?
• Skald
• 8. What was the name of the Guild of Poets that emerged in pre-Revolutionary Russia, in the early 20th century?
• Acmeism (or Acmeists)
• 9. Which French poet sounds as if he should be played on film by Sylvester Stallone, but instead was portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio?
• Rimbaud
• 10. In the 13th century who compiled the Prose Edda?
• Snorri Sturluson

27

• Israel is calling up more reservists to boost its military campaign
• British Gas owner Centrica has said it plans to raise gas bills by 12.4%
• Tour de France winner Floyd Landis has given a positive drugs test
• In Scotland 2 year old girl dies from E.Coli
• The trial of Saddam Hussein has been adjourned until 16 October
• Met Office predicts hot weather will continue
• 19 ministers and deputy ministers in Somalia's transitional government resign
• File-sharing site Kazaa will become a legal music download service
• 2nd Test – Day 1 – Old Trafford - Pakistan 119; England 167-2
• Real Madrid say they have agreed to sign Ruud van Nistelrooy
• George Michael plans legal action against a man who claimed he had a gay encounter with him
• Malawi's former President Bakili Muluzi is released on bail
• File sharing site Kazaa agrees to pay $100m in damages to the record industry.
• Tour de France winner Floyd Landis denies cheating

27 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. New Zealand recently beat South Africa 35-17, how many straight wins was this for the All black?
• 20
• 2. In which country is this year’s election to be re-run?
• Thailand
• 3. Who did Carlos Manuel Baldomir stop in the ninth round to retain his WBC welterweight title?
• Arturo Gatti
• 4. Who is Andy Murray’s new tennis coach?
• Brad Gilbert
• 5. “The List:” Name the last three winners of the Palme D’Or.
• The Wind That Shakes The Barley, L’Enfant and Fahrenheit 9/11

Topic of the Day: French Poets

• 6. "One evening, I sat Beauty in my lap. - And I found her bitter. - And I cursed her” is part of a poem by which French poet?
• Rimbaud
• 7. Jean Rimbaud was the lover of which other French poet 10 years his senior?
• Paul Verlaine
• 8. Which French symbolist poet accompanied Rimbaud to London in 1874?
• Germain Nouveau
• 9. Which poem did Rimbaud send to Verlaine before joining him in Paris in 1871?
• Le Bateau ivre
• 10. “Bad Blood” and “Night of Hell” are parts of which longer work?
• Une Saison en Enfer (A Season in Hell)

26

• Saddam Hussein back in court after being taken from hospital
• Stephen Lawrence’s family welcome the prospect of a new enquiry into his death
• Ariel Sharon taken in to the emergency room in Sheba hospital
• Jamie Manderson from Swindon jailed for driving while banned for the 48th time
• Thailand records 15th bird flu death
• Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez defends his Russian arms deals
• GlaxoSmithKline says it has developed a vaccine for the H5N1 deadly strain of bird flu
• The final Top of the Pops is filmed at BBC Television Centre in London
• Brussels-based EURid freeze 74,000 domain names
• Michael Neville makes £64m bid to buy Aston Villa
• New James Bond film chosen for Royla Film Performance
• International Cycling Union confirms a rider in this year's Tour failed a dope test
• Manchester United beat Celtic 0-3
• Indonesia says the 3 men convicted over 2002 Bali bombings will be executed next month

26 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Which of Ant and Dec married recently in Buckinghamshire?
• Ant
• 2. Which Japanese rider secured a win double in round nine of the British Superbikes Championship to move to the top of the 2006 standings?
• Ryuichi Kiyonari
• 3. What did MSP Tommy Sheridan tel the court were his only two weaknesses?
• Scrabble and sunbeds
• 4. Which jump jockey is being investigated after TV coverage showed him apparently headbutting his mount before a race at Stratford?
• Paul O'Neill
• 5. “The List:” Which 5 countries attended the recent trade meeting in Mercosur as full members?
• Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela

Topic of the Day: Anthropology

• 6. Which French anthropologist lived in Brazil during the 1930’s where he studied the Bororo of the Mato Grosso?
• Claude Levi-Strauss
• 7. Which branch of Anthropology studies plant remains from archaeological sites?
• Archaebotany or Paleoethnobotany
• 8. Which archaeologist was known the leader of the "New Archaeology" movement of the 1950’s?
• Lewis Binford
• 9. Which anthropologist, who looked nothing like Sigourney Weaver, was born in 1932 and killed by poachers in 1985?
• Dian Fossey
• 10. What was originally given the scientific name Pithecanthropus erectus by its discoverer?
• Java Man

25

• Israel says it will keep control over an area in southern Lebanon making it fire-free until an international force can be deployed
• Mark Oaten is to stand down at the next general election
• 3 men acquitted of attempting to buy red mercury to make a “dirty bomb”
• Maria Wallis, chief constable of Devon and Cornwall asked to step down
• Condoleezza Rice meets Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
• UN launches Lebanese aid appeal
• Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is visiting Russia on an arms buying trip
• King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia pledges $500m for Lebanese reconstruction
• BP chief executive Lord Browne says he will stand down in 2008
• Opera singer Luciano Pavarotti says he will return to the stage in 2007
• Niall Quinn has been appointed the new manager of Sunderland
• 4 UN peacekeepers killed in an Israeli air strike
• Creditors vote to bankrupt Yukos
• The ashes of James Doohan, Star Trek's Scotty, will now be blasted into space in October
• Birmingham agree to sell Jermaine Pennant to Liverpool for £6.2m

25 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Jack Straw says MPs will get a vote on replacing what?
• Trident nuclear weapons
• 2. How many games has retired footballer international Zinedine Zidane been banned for?
• 3
• 3. ...and how much was Zinedine Zidane fined for head-butting Italy's Marco Materazzi during the World Cup final?
• £3,260
• 4. Which Champion jockey is to miss the King George meeting at Ascot as well as Glorious Goodwood after receiving a 16-day ban?
• Jamie Spencer
• 5. “The List:” At the start of the conflict in Lebanon which 3 countries had the most registered nationals in the country (excluding Lebanon)?
• Sri Lanka: 80,000, Canada: 40,000 and Philippines: 30,000

Topic of the Day: Greek Islands

• 6. Hydra, Aegina and Poros are members of which Greek island group
• Saronic Islands
• 7. Which Greek island is called Midilli In Turkish?
• Lesbos
• 8. Kerkyra is the principal town of which Greek island?
• Corfu
• 9. What is the capital of the Greek island of Siros and the Cyclades?
• Hermoupolis or Ermoupoli
• 10. After Rhodes what is the largest of the Dodecanese islands?
• Karpathos

24

• US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meets with the Lebanon PM in Beirut
• The Child Support Agency (CSA) is to be scrapped
• Healthcare Commission finds that Stoke Mandeville Hospital failed in their dealings with Clostridium difficile outbreaks
• Gina Satvir Singh wins £35,000 in damages from her "bullying" mother-in-law
• Tony Blair says that a plan for a Middle-East ceasefire is being drawn up
• Philippine President Gloria Arroyo makes annual speech to the nation
• Conservative leader David Cameron arrives in Afghanistan
• The latest Pirates of the Caribbean film reaches $300m at the US box office
• Jeremy Bates resigns as Great Britain's Davis Cup captain
• MySpace shut down by US heatwave
• Laws banning the flying of national flags in the UK to be scrapped
• Somali people call for the Ethiopians to leave their country
• Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji turns down an invitation to the White House

24 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Who is the Police Ombudsman concerned about the transfer to MI5 of responsibility for intelligence gathering on national security matters?
• Nuala O'Loan
• 2. Joe Calzaghe has been offered £1.5m to take on which World champion?
• Clinton Woods
• 3. Which country confirmed its 42nd human bird flu death, bringing it level with Vietnam?
• Indonesia
• 4. Which company is to buy back $20bn worth of shares despite reporting a fall in fourth quarter profits?
• Microsoft
• 5. “The List:” Name the three stars of the new BBC2 celebrity programme “Excuse My French”?
• Ron Atkinson, Marcus Brigstock, and Esther Rantzen

Topic of the Day: Pirates of the Caribbean 2

• 6. what is the subtitle of the second Pirates of the Caribbean film?
• Dead Man’s Chest
• 7. Pirates of the Caribbean 2 was the fastest film to pass which box office landmark?
• Fastest to $300m
• 8. Which character is played by Keira Knightly?
• Elizabeth Swan
• 9. What is the name of Captain Jack Sparrow’s ship?
• The Black Pearl
• 10. Who directed the Pirates of the Caribbean films?
• Gore Verbinski

23

• Saddam Hussein taken to hospital as a result of his ongoing hunger strike
• Thieves steal Wayne Rooney’s England caps and BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Trophy
• 2 women are killed when a huge, inflatable sculpture drifts free from its moorings in Durham
• UK Charts:
  • Singles:
    • 1. McFly - Don't Stop Me Now/please Please
    • 2. Rihanna – Unfaithful
    • 3. Shakira Ft Wyclef Jean - Hips Don't Lie
    • 4. Lily Allen - Smile
    • 5. James Morrison - You Give Me Something
  • Albums:
    • 1. Razorlight - Razorlight
    • 2. Lily Allen - Alright Still
    • 3. Paolo Nutini - These Streets
    • 4. Kooks - Inside In/ Inside Out
    • 5. Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
• Floyd Landis wins the Tour de France
• Ariel Sharon’s medical condition has worsened
• Tiger Woods wins the 2006 Open

23 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Which British squash number one has announced he will retire from the sport later this year?
• Peter Nicol
• 2. Frank Schleck won stage 15 of the tour de France, what nationality is he?
• Luxembourgish
• 3. Which country is refusing to allow 51 African migrants aboard a Spanish trawler to dock?
• Malta
• 4. Which West Ham fooballer was suspended after testing positive for cocaine?
• Shaun Newton
• 5. “The List:” After the 3rd day of the Open Tiger Woods had a one shot lead from which 3 golfers?
• Chris DiMarco, Sergio Garcia and Ernie Els

Topic of the Day: Those wacky Hezbollah

• 6. In which year was Hezbollah formed?
• 1982
• 7. Who was the Hamas spiritual leader assassinated by Israel in March 2004?
• Sheikh Ahmed Yassin,
• 8. What does Hezbollah translate as?
• Party of God
• 9. What is the name of the operation that has seen two Israeli soldiers captured and used in an attempted “hostage exchange” ?
• Operation Truthful Promise
• 10. Who is the current Secretary General of Hezbollah?
• Hassan Nasrallah

22

• Open - Day 3 - Woods leads by one shot from Chris DiMarco, Sergio Garcia and Ernie Els
• First anniversary of the death of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes
• Fighting continues in Lebanon
• Actor, Jack Warden dies aged 85
• Conservation group warns Only 56 butterfly species remain in Britain
• Microsoft confirms it is developing a portable music device which will challenge iPod
• Israel take a 2-1 lead over Britain in Davis Cup
• Floyd Landis reclaims the yellow jersey in Tour de France
• Royal coroner Michael Burgess quits Diana inquest
• Fighting continues between Ethiopia and Somalia
• Asier Del Horno leaves Chelsea for Valencia
• Tri-Nations: New Zealand 35-17 South Africa

22 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Who is the current Great Britain Rugby League captain?
• Paul Sculthorpe
• 2. In which newspaper does the Pendennis column appear?
• Observer
• 3. Irrepressible.info is a campaign by which group of people?
• Amnesty International
• 4. Which country plans to spend $175bn over the next five years on protecting its environment?
• China
• 5. “The List:” In a recent study to determine the origin of child abuse porn on the internet, the US came top with a staggering 51.1%, which three countries were next in line with 14.9%, 11.7%, and 8.8% (over 85% between the 4 countries)?
• Russia, Japan and Spain

Topic of the Day: Superman Again

• 6. Which newspaper does he work for in Metropolis?
• Daily Planet
• 7. Who were his real parents?
• Lara and Jor-El
• 8. Where did Superman grow up?
• Smallville
• 9. What type of Kryptonite takes away Superman’s powers temporarily?
• Green
• 10. What is the name of his flying super dog?
• Krypto

21

• Open - Day 2 - Woods leads by 2 from Els, Montgomerie just 12 shots back
• Israel calls up army reservists
• Matteo Tosatto wins stage 18 of the Tour de France
• US court rules that NatWest Three cannot return to UK
• First arrests are made in connection with the Mumbai bombings
• Muslim cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed is turned back from the boats leaving the Lebanon
• Khmer Rouge leader Ta Mok dies aged 80
• Fidel Castro arrives in Argentina for a meeting of the regional trade pact, Mercosur
• Even before the release of Casino Royale Daniel Craig signs for a 2nd Bond film
• Andrew Flintoff has another ankle injury and may miss 2nd Pakistan test
• Commons standards committee says John Prescott broke rules for ministers in not immediately declaring his stay at a US tycoon's ranch
• Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni writes to Kizza Besigye asking for meeting
• Liberian ex-President Charles Taylor objects to his prison conditions in the Hague
• In Thailand this years election will be re-run in October
• Big Brother 7 contestant Jayne Kitt is evicted

21 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Who has been confirmed as the new coach of Andy Murray?
• Brad Gilbert
• 2. David Hare is currently directing which Brecht play?
• The Life of Galileo
• 3. China international Dong Fangzhou scores for Manchester United in a 1-0 win over which South African team?
• Kazer Chiefs
• 4. Who is the current Scottish First Minister?
• Jack McConnell
• 5. “The List:” Name the last five winners of the Eurovision song contest (country will do)
• Finland, Greece, Ukraine, Turkey and Latvia

Topic of the Day: The Open

• 6. What was the original trophy in 1860 for winning the Open?
• A belt
• 7. Who won the first open at Prestwick in 1860?
• Willie Park Snr.
• 8. In 1872 what became the second course to host the Open?
• St Andrews
• 9. Who with 6 victories has won the most times?
• Harry Vardon
• 10. Excluding Nick Faldo who was the last English player to win the Open?
• Tony Jacklin (in 1969)

20

• The Open - Day 1 - (Graeme McDowell leads)
• Israeli ground troops are fighting Hezbollah inside the Lebanese border
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged $287m to fight HIV/AIDS
• British evacuation of Lebanon stepped up
• Micrsoft issues warning about PoerPoint security loophole
• Ethiopian trucks cross into Somalia
• Report says that over half the images of child abuse on the web can be traced back to the US
• Kofi Annan calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah
• 6 people to hospital after accident on a ride at Alton Towers
• Clashes between UN troops and gunmen in Haiti
• Floyd Landis wins stage 17 of the Tour de France
• Indonesia confirms 42nd human bird flu death
• Microsoft to buy back $20bn worth of shares
• Zinedine Zidane is banned for 3 games
• Japan's PM says again that he will continue visiting a Tokyo war shrine
• Jack Straw says MPs will get a vote on replacing Trident nuclear weapons
• Dangerous criminals will lose automatic right to be considered for parole halfway through life sentences

20 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Abdullahi Yusuf is the interim president of which African country?
• Somalia
• 2. Who said that Syria should press the Lebanese militants to "stop doing this shit"?
• George W Bush (more articulate than usual)
• 3. A tsunami struck which Indonesian island killing around 100 people?
• Java
• 4. Serena Williams returned to tennis after six months away, who did she play in the first round in Cincinnati?
• Anastasia Myskina
• 5. “The List:” Name the last three winners of the Turner Prize?
• Simon Starling, Jerry Deller and Grayson Perry

Topic of the Day: Gordon Brown

• 6. What is Gordon Brown’s constituency?
• Kirkaldy and Cowdenbeath
• 7. What is his real first name?
• James
• 8. Who did he succeed as Chancellor of the Exchequer?
• Kenneth Clarke
• 9. Who did he marry in 2000?
• Sarah Macaulay
• 10. In what subject does he have a first class degree from Edinburgh University?
• History

19

• Hottest July day ever in England - 97.7F degrees (old money)
• Lebanese evacuations continue
• Home Secretary John Reid reveals a shake up of Home Office personnel
• Heatwave continues with hottest July ever expected
• Rail signaller’s strike called off
• Javan tsunami death toll passes 500
• Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira resigns
• Landis loses yellow jerey and slips to 11th in Tour
• India has sent 4 warships to help evacuate the Lebanon
• Man Utd turn down Real Madrid's offer for Ruud van Nistelrooy
• Sir Jimmy Savile is to co-host the last ever edition of Top Of The Pops on 30th July
• British squash number one Peter Nicol will retire from the sport later this year
• China is proposing to spend $175bn over the next five years on improving its environment
• West Ham fooballer Shaun Newton suspended after testing positive for cocaine
• Long jumper Jade Johnson has a minor operation after a kidney problem
• India's bloggers complain over plans to block web logs
• Aston Villa and David O'Leary part company (at last!)

19 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Hassan Nasrallah has promised, "open war" against Israel, of which group is he the leader?
• Hezbollah
• 2. Which MP has become a father for third time?
• Gordon Brown
• 3. Which city has Health Protection Scotland named as the dirtiest place in Scotland?
• Glasgow
• 4. The European Union has been presented with a plan to capture which former Bosnian Serb military leader?
• Ratko Mladic
• 5. “The List:” As he Mercury Music nominations are announced, name the last three winners.
• Antony and the Johnsons, Franz Ferdinand and Dizzee Rascal

General – Level 1 – What some people would call the “coffee time” set

• 6. Which group had a 1964 Top Ten hit with ‘Tobacco Road’?
• Nashville Teens
• 7. In which city are the Tivoli Gardens?
• Copenhagen
• 8. Who wrote the poem ‘Ode to a Nightingale’?
• Keats
• 9. Who invented the slide rule?
• William Oughtred
• 10. Who wrote the book ‘The Color Purple’, which was also made into a film by Steven Spielberg?
• Alice Walker

General – Level 2 – The all-new “Galliano time” quiz

• 11. Who directed the 1941 film “Tobacco Road” based on the Erskine Caldwell novel?
• John Ford
• 12. Which three characters inhabit the play Copenhagen by Michael Frayne?
• Werner Heisenberg, Niels Bohr and Margrethe Bohr
• 13. Formerly thought to be part of the Thrush family which genus contains the Nightingale?
• Luscinia
• 14. Which “everyday” mathematical symbol is credited to William Oughtred?
• “x” for multiply by
• 15. Although renowned for The Color Purple which other book did she write that also contains a colour in the title?
• Finding the Green Stone (I’ll accept “In Love & Trouble: Stories of Black Women”)

18

• Labour Party accounts show £27m deficit after 2005 election (Tories £18m)
• Scientists say that rubbing sunscreen in to the body reduces its effectiveness
• Australian Prime Minister John Howard visits East Timor
• Indian President leads two-minute silence to the victims of the Mumbai train bombings
• Near Pontypridd a light aircraft makes an emergency landing
• Mercury Music Shortlist
  • Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
  • Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Ballad Of The Broken Seas
  • Editors - The Back Room
  • Guillemots - Through The Windowpane
  • Richard Hawley - Coles Corner
  • Hot Chip - The Warning
  • Muse - Black Holes And Revelations
  • Zoe Rahman - Melting Pot
  • Lou Rhodes - Beloved One
  • Scritti Politti - White Bread, Black Beer
  • Sway - This Is My Demo
  • Thom Yorke - The Eraser
• Evacuation continues in Lebanon, with the UN warning of a humanitarian disaster
• Java tsunami death toll now put at nearly 400
• BSkyB joins 'free broadband' war
• Sachin Tendulkar is passed fit for India's forthcoming tour to Sri Lanka.
• Argentina remembers 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre that killed 85
• Manchester United reject bid for Ruud van Nistelrooy from Real Madrid.

18 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Which BBC1 show recorded its lowest ever audience, averaging just 3.9 million viewers?
• EastEnders
• 2. Foreign Office has warned against travel to which middle-east country?
• Lebanon
• 3. The highest new entry in the singles chart was X-Factor winner Shayne Ward's second release, at number 14. What is it called?
• Stand By Me
• 4. Which Chinese firm are to invest £10m into Longbridge?
• Nanjing Automotive
• 5. “The List:” Which four football teams are in the semi-finals of the Women’s Under-19 World Championship in Switzerland?
• Germany, Russia, France and Denmark

Topic of the Day: John Le Carre

• 6. What is author John Le Carre’s real name?
• David Cornwell
• 7. Who was the spycatcher in the novel “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”?
• George Smiley
• 8. Who was Alec Leamas is Le Carre’s novel?
• The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
• 9. Which of his novels was made in to a film in 2001 with Geoffrey Rush and Pierce Brosnan?
• The Tailor of Panama
• 10. In the novel “A Small Town in Germany”, what is the small town?
• Bonn

17

• Kofi Annan calls for International force to be sent to Lebanon
• CPS says police officers will not be prosecuted over shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes
• Heatwave set to hit England
• Space shuttle arrives back in Florida
• Chinese firm Nanjing Automotive to put £10m into Longbridge
• Gordon Brown becomes a father for third time
• Evacuations of British citizens from Lebanon have begun
• 1st Test – Lord’s – Day 5: England 528-9d & 296-8 dec v Pakistan 445 & 57-2 (target 380)
• Death toll rises from Chinese tropical storm Bilis
• Health Protection Scotland names Glasgow as dirtiest place in Scotland
• BT tops 'broadband speed tests'
• Tsunami hits Java with 100 people feared dead
• Serbian PM Vojislav Kostunica to present EU with plan for capturing Ratko Mladic
• Pakistan earn draw in first test at Lords
• Guardian names BBC director general Mark Thompson the most powerful person in UK media

17 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Which Dutch striker has asked to leave Manchester United?
• Ruud van Nistelrooy
• 2. What is the title of the new album from the Kooks?
• Inside In, Inside Out
• 3. Which newspaper is offering a “Holidays from £9.50” promotion?
• The Sun
• 4. Which model was evicted from Big Brother last week?
• Nikki Grahame
• 5. “The List:” Which four teams competed in the semi-finals of the Fed Cup this weekend?
• Italy, Spain, USA, and Belgium

Topic of the Day: Rembrandt

• 6. If he were alive today, how old would he be?
• 400 (and 2 days)
• 7. In which Dutch city was he born?
• Leiden
• 8. How is the Night Watch or Patrouille de Nuit more correctly known?
• The Militia Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq
• 9. Which name goes between Rembrandt and van Rijn to complete his name?
• Harmenszoon
• 10. In the famous painting who is giving an anatomy lesson?
• Dr. Nicolaes Tulp

16

• Israeli air raids kill at least 23 in response to Hezbollah rocket killing 8 in Haifa
• British soldier killed near Basra
• Foreign Office says the evacuation of 10,000 Britons in Lebanon may be only days away
• Typhoon Bilis kills over 100 in China
• Johan Edfors wins the Scottish Open with a last round 63
• Large crowds hold rally in Mexico City to demand a recount in the recent Presidential election
• UK Charts:
  • Singles:
    • 1. Lily Allen - Smile
    • 2. Shakira Ft Wyclef Jean - Hips Don't Lie
    • 3. Rogue Traders - Voodoo Child
    • 4. Nelly Furtado - Maneater
    • 5. Sandi Thom - I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker
  • Albums:
    • 1. Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
    • 2. Kooks - Inside In/ Inside Out
    • 3. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
    • 4. Zutons - Tired Of Hanging Around
    • 5. Rihanna - A Girl Like Me
• Tony Blair says no-one in the Labour party has sold honours in return for loans
• North Korea denounces the UN resolution condemning its missile tests
• Michael Schumacher wins French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours
• Mark Philippoussis wins the Newport Hall of Fame Championship
• Valentino Rossi wins German MotoGP
• Fed Cup: Italy & Belgium will meet in the final
• Richard Gasquet wins the Swiss Open title in Gstaad
• Pierrick Fedrigo wins 14th stage of the Tour de France
• Kieren Fallon rides Alexandrova to win the Irish Oaks

16 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. The West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace has played down Sir Alex Ferguson's claim that which player is close to joining Man Utd?
• Tomasz Kuszczak
• 2. Which Asian country has announced an initiative to track down some 500,000 illegal immigrants and deport them from the country?
• Malaysia
• 3. In which African country are gunmen being given bicycles in exchange for their weapons?
• DR Congo
• 4. Somebody’s Watching Me was covered recently by Beatfreakz, but who had the original hit in 1984?
• Rockwell
• 5. “The List:” Which three Italian teams have been demoted to Italy's second division for their involvement in the country's match-fixing scandal?

Topic of the Day: Deliverance

• 6. Who directed this 1972 classic?
• John Boorman
• 7. The film is based on a 1970 novel by which author?
• James Dickey
• 8. Which instrument do characters Lonny and Drew play in the film?
• Banjos
• 9. The 4 characters decide to row down the (fictional) Cahulawassee River, in which state is the action set?
• Georgia
• 10. Who plays Bobby Trippe, forever famous for the “squeal like a pig” scene?
• Nedd Beatty

15

• Israel steps up its bombardment of Lebanon
• HMS Illustrious and HMS Bulwark to sail to Lebanon
• Space Shuttle leaves the ISS
• US court awards ex-associate of Michael Jackson $900,000
• Gunmen in Iraq have kidnapped the country's Olympic committee chief, Ahmed al-Hadjiya
• Peugeot salesrooms hit by protesters who want to stop job losses at Coventry plant
• First Test, Lord's, day three (close): England 528-9 dec v Pakistan 409-7
• 423,000 people take part in the Sport Relief Mile
• Ferrari get 1-2 start for the French Grand Prix tomorrow
• Former Khmer Rouge leader Ta Mok in a coma
• Chilean president appoints three new ministers
• Kilmore Orange Hall outside Lurgan burned down
• Jens Voigt wins 13th stage of the Tour de France
• UN Security Council votes to impose sanctions on North Korea following recent missile tests

15 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Which left-wing backbencher is expected to challenge Gordon Brown for the Labour leadership when Prime Minister Tony Blair steps down?
• John McDonnell
• 2. A three-year-old girl and four adults were injured as two cable cars collided on which mountain range?
• Ben Nevis
• 3. Troops have taken which Taleban stronghold in the Helmand Province?
• Sangin
• 4. What is the name of the English drug counsellor trapped in Lebanon by Israeli air strikes?
• Clair Vainola
• 5. “The List:” Which two Royal Navy ships ha the Defence Secretary, Des Browne given orders to "make ready" for operations off Lebanon?
• HMS Illustrious and HMS Bulwark

Topic of the Day: Red Buttons

• 6. Red Buttons has died, what was the name of the film for which he won an Oscar?
• Sayanora
• 7. What was Red Buttons name at birth?
• Aaron Chwatt
• 8. Red was nominated for a third and final time a best supporting actor for which 1970 film?
• They Shoot Horses Don’t They
• 9. In which long running medical drama did he play the occasional character Jules 'Ruby' Rubadoux?
• ER
• 10. In which 1972 disaster film, recently remade , did he play James Martin?
• The Poseidon Adventure

14

• Italian magazine Chi publishes piictures of Lady Diana a she was dying
• Marco Materazzi gives evidence to FIFA's disciplinary committee today
• Arsenal has secured a £260m loan against future revenues
• Recent amnesty recovered over 100,000 knives
• Oil price moves above $78 per barrel
• East Timor's new Cabinet sworn in
• Japanese interest rates increase by 0.25%
• "Superman Returns" opens nationwide after last night's premiere
• Model Nikki Grahame is evicted from Big Brother house
• EastEnders records lowest ever audience, averaging just 3.9 million viewers.
• Foreign Office warns against travel to Lebanon
• Juventus, Lazio and Fiorentina demoted to Italy's Serie B
• Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promises "war on every level" against Israel
• 2 men are given life sentences for murdering a family member in an “honour killing”
• DR Congo gunmen are offered bicycles in exchange for their weapons
• Kits that transmit the MP3 output to FM radios may become legal

14 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Whose latest album is called “I’m Not Dead”?
• Pink
• 2. Which car company make the Modus?
• Renault
• 3. Which Oscar winning actor and comedian, born Aaron Chwatt, has died aged 87?
• Red Buttons
• 4. Which company has bought US insurer Amerus for £1.6bn?
• Aviva
• 5. “The List:” Three South Africans have won the Barclays Scottish Open since 2000, name them.
• Ernie Els (twice), Retief Goosen, and Tim Clark

Topic of the Day: Scotland

• 6. What is the administrative HQ of Argyll and Bute?
• Lochgilphead
• 7. In which Scottish town were inventor John Logie Baird and actress Deborah Kerr both born?
• Helensburgh
• 8. What is the name of the bay near Glasgow that is home to Britain’s Trident Nuclear submarines?
• Faslane
• 9. What is the main town on the island of Bute?
• Rothesay
• 10. Since 1876 the same person has held the Dukedomes of Richmond, Lennox and which other?
• Gordon

13

• Danny Williams made mandatory challenger for British heavyweight title
• Aviva buys US insurer Amerus for £1.6bn
• Israel blockades Lebanese waters
• 'NatWest Three' on flight to USA
• US President George W Bush has arrived in Germany for a two-day visit
• Debbie Rowe takes legal action against Michael Jackson for non-payment of monies
• 3-in-1 HIV pill is licensed in US by FDA
• Comedian and actor Red Buttons dies aged 87
• Barclays Scottish Open - round 1 - David Drysdale and Johan Edfors lead
• A rare complete copy of 1st Folio of William Shakespeare's plays sells for £2.8m at Sotheby's
• Kieron Fallon's ban appeal fails
• Couple convicted over killing of Rajiv Gandhi admitted to hospital, as hunger strike continues
• Yahoo and Microsoft instant messaging networks made compatible
• Arsenal secures £260m loan, using future revenues as guarantee
• UK premiere of Superman Returns
• Former CIA officer whose identity was leaked sues US Vice-President Dick Cheney.
• John McDonnell says he will challenge Gordon Brown to be party leader
• Tour de France: Day 13: Stage 11 - Winner: Denis Menchov

13 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. At which number Albert Square does Pauline Fowler live?
• 45 (if you got this right well done but do get out more)
• 2. Which fundraiser was arrested and bailed by police probing "cash-for-honours"?
• Lord Levy
• 3. Who has pulled out of the Belgian team due to face the USA in the Fed Cup semi-final?
• Justine Henin-Hardenne
• 4. Which player have Manchester United said is not up for sale?
• Cristiano Ronaldo
• 5. “The List:” How many of the “Natwest Three” due to be extradited to the US to face fraud charges arising from the collapse of the energy giant Enron, can you name?
• Giles Darby, David Bermingham and Gary Mulgrew

Topic of the Day: Pink Floyd

• 6. What was the name of their first album?
• Piper At the Gates of Dawn
• 7. Which member of the band released the solo album “Amused to Death” in 1992?
• Roger Waters
• 8. Which album has a giant inflatable pig floating by Battersea Power Station?
• Animals
• 9. Which member of the band had the real first name Roger?
• Syd Barrett (Roger Waters is George)
• 10. What is the name of their latest 2-disc album currently on release?
• Pulse

12

• Kieren Fallon's appeal against his suspension is heard
• Indian PM Manmohan Singh says India will not be swayed by the terrorist bombers
• Space shuttle Astronauts complete their third and final spacewalk
• Man Utd say that Cristiano Ronaldo is not for sale
• Authors Baigent and Leigh set to appeal their loss in the Da Vinci Code court case
• David Davies will not compete at the European Championships in Budapest
• Marcello Lippi resigns as Italy’s manager
• Fifa lifts its ban on Greece and its clubs from playing in International competition
• Zinedine Zidane apologises for headbutting Marco Materazzi
• Microsoft is fined 280m euros by the European Commission for failing to comply with an anti-competition ruling.

12 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Which Canadian singer provides the voice of Heather in the film “Over the Hedge”?
• Avril Lavigne
• 2. Who was sworn in as the US treasury secretary?
• Henry Paulson
• 3. Which of the original cast of Eastenders is to leave the show?
• Wendy Richard
• 4. Which tennis player was involved in a car crash in Spain?
• Rafael Nadal
• 5. “The List:” What are the 5 proposed new levels for the online warning system to alert the public to the threat of terror attacks?
• Low, Moderate, Substantial, Severe and Critical

Topic of the Day: Martina Navratilova

• 6. In which city was she born in 1956?
• Prague (accept Řevnice)
• 7. Who was her partner when she won her last ever women's doubles title, the US Open in 1990?
• Gigi Fernandez
• 8. What was Martina’s surname at birth?
• Šubertová
• 9. How many times did she beat Chris Evert (or Evert-Lloyd) in a Wimbledon singles final?
• 5
• 10. Who was her partner when she won the Wimbledon women’s doubles in 1979?
• Billie Jean King

11

• Hundreds killed as 7 bombs devastate the train network in Mumbai
• 11th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre
• Paula Radcliffe has announced she is pregnant
• Syd Barrett, the bassist with Pink Floyd dies aged 60
• FIFA is to investigate the Zidane red card with the help of lip-readers
• From today Microsoft will no longer help users over the phone with any problems they have with Windows 98
• Snooker legend John Spencer dies at the age of 70 after a long battle against stomach cancer.
• China's Liu Xiang breaks the world record in the men's 110m hurdles with 12.88 secs in Lausanne.
• The fourth official who told the referee to send off Zinedine Zidane denies using video evidence
• Milan B Williams, the keyboard player with The Commodores, has died aged 58
• The judge in the trial of Saddam Hussein adjourns the trial amidst a lawyers’ boycott
• New coalition is formed in Ukraine

11 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Which budget airline has increased its profit expectations by 50% in the light of better sales figures?
• Easyjet
• 2. Which millionaire businessman confirmed that he was asked to keep a £250,000 loan to the Labour Party a secret?
• Gulam Noon
• 3. Freelance journalist Anvar Khan claimed in court she had an eight-year affair with which former socialist leader?
• Tommy Sheridan
• 4. The Government has announced deployment of more than 900 extra troops to which country?
• Afghanistan
• 5. “The List:” Name the three children of Pauline Fowler in the series Eastenders.
• Mark Fowler, Michelle Fowler, Martin Fowler

Topic of the Day: New York

• 6. Which of the 5 Boroughs of New York is named after a Dutch-Swedish sea captain?
• Bronx
• 7. Also called the Staten Island Sound what name is given to the tidal strait separating Staten Island from mainland New Jersey?
• The Arthur Kill
• 8. Which 2 Boroughs are connected by the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge?
• Staten Island and Brooklyn
• 9. Queens is named after which Queen consort of Great Britain?
• Catherine of Braganza
• 10. Which New York Island is the most populous in any US state of territory?
• Long Island

10

• A new online warning system is to alert the public to the threat of terror attacks
• UN Security Council vote on sanctions over North Korea's missile tests is postponed
• Fresh fighting breaks out in Mogadishu
• Space shuttle astronauts conduct a 2nd spacewalk of the mission.
• Henry Paulson sworn in as the US treasury secretary.
• Launch of India's heaviest communication satellite fails
• Martina Navratilova wants tennis authorities to introduce a ban on players grunting
• Kieren Fallon to appeal against his suspension from riding
• Shares of Standard Life due to start trading on London's Stock Exchange
• Government expected to announce deployment of more British soldiers to Afghanistan
• Defeated Mexican presidential candidate Andres Obrador files legal challenge to the result
• Space shuttle cleared for return to Earth next week
• Chechen warlord, Shamil Basayev, has been killed
• David "man of the people" Cameron makes a speech saying people should "hug a hoodie"
• Zinedine Zidane's agent say that he was provoked in to headbutting during yesterday's game
• Over 20 million people watched last night's Italy v France game

10 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. How long did it take Federer to win the first set of the Wimbledon final?
• 24 minutes
• 2. Where did an S7 airbus crash yesterday in Russia?
• Irkutsk
• 3. Where did over 100,000 gather yesterday to support demands for a recount of the recent presidential election?
• Mexico City
• 4. Downing Street dismissed newspaper reports that who was set to replace John Prescott as deputy PM?
• Environment Secretary, David Miliband
• 5. “The List:” Name the 3 previous deputy Prime Ministers?
• Michael Heseltine, Geoffrey Howe, and Willie Whitelaw

Topic of the Day: Marc Antony

• 6. With whom did Marc Antony form the second triumvirate?
• Ocatavian and Lepidus
• 7. Who was Marc Antony’s wife with whom he committed suicide in 30 BC?
• Cleopatra VII
• 8. Who did he marry in a "secret wedding" June 2005?
• Jennifer Lopez
• 9. At which battle was Marc Antony defeated in 31 BC?
• Actium
• 10. Which victim of the purges of the second triumvirate had, according to tradition, his tongue pierced by Antony’s wife’s golden hairpins?
• Cicero

09

• Sylvain Calzati wins stage 8 of the Tour de France
• 4 members of the same family are killed in Newcastle
• More than 100,000 people gather in Mexico City to support demands for a recount of the recent presidential election
• Lib Dems leader Sir Menzies Campbell supports plans to send more UK troops to Afghanistan
• 4 US soldiers charged with rape and murder over an attack on an Iraqi woman
• Gunmen kill at least 40 people at a fake checkpoint in Baghdad
• UK Charts:
  • Singles
    • 1. Lily Allen - Smile
    • 2. Shakira - Hips Don't Lie
    • 3. Razorlight - In The Morning
    • 4. Nelly Furtado - Maneater
    • 5. Paolo Nutini - Last Request
  • Album
    • 1. Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
    • 2. Kooks – Inside In/ Inside Out
    • 3. Zutons - Tired Of Hanging Around
    • 4. Keane - Under The Iron Sea
    • 5. Lostprophets - Liberation Transmission
• Wimbledon: Final Day - Men's singles: Federer beats Nadal 6-0, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3
• World Cup: Final Italy beat France 5-3 on penalties, 1-1 AET
• S7 Airlines Airbus flying from Moscow crashes on landing at Irkutsk
• 14 affected by outbreak of E.coli in Leeds
• Downing Street dismisses newspaper reports that Environment Secretary David Miliband is set to replace John Prescott as deputy PM
• John Francome says he believes about six horse races a year could be fixed

09 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. In the field of house purchases what is MEW?
• Mortgage equity withdrawal
• 2. Which film sequel took £2.3m on opening day in the UK?
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
• 3. Which two players will be contesting the men’s singles title today?
• Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
• 4. Which footballing great is playing his last ever international match tonight and winning (if nothing else) his 108th cap?
• Zinedine Zidane
• 5. “The List:” Gay rights group Outrage! resumed their campaign against which three allegedly homophobic reggae stars?
• Buju Banton, Beenie Man and Bounty Killer

Topic of the Day: Pirates of the Caribbean

• 6. Who directs the series of films?
• Gore Verbinski
• 7.What is the name of the character played by Johnny Depp?
• Captain Jack Sparrow
• 8. What was the subtitle of the original film?
• The Curse of the Black Pearl
• 9. Who makes an appearance in the latest film as Davy Jones?
• Bill Nighy
• 10. What was the inspiration for the original film?
• A ride at Disneyland

08

• New Zealand beat Australia 32-12 in 1st Tri-Nations match
• Cristiano Ronaldo says he intends to leave Old Trafford - pity
• Israel rejects Palestinian PM Ismail Haniya's call for a ceasefire
• Arsenal have announced that defender Sol Campbell is to leave the club
• Amir Khan knocks out Colin Bain in 2nd round of lightweight fight in Cardiff
• Thabo Mbeki says the 2010 World Cup will be the most successful in the tournament's history
• Wimbledon
  • Ladies singles: Mauresmo beats Henin-Hardenne 2-6 6-3 6-4
  • Mixed Doubles: Andy Ram and Vera Zvonareva beat Bob Bryan and Venus Williams 6-3, 6-2
  • Men's Doubles: Bob and Mike Bryan beat Santoro and Zimonjic 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
• World Cup - 3rd place play-off: Germany 3 -1 Portugal (2 goals by Schweinstieger)
• Matt Skelton beats Danny Williams to relieve him of his Commonwealth heavyweight title
• Attorney General rejects calls for 3 British bankers related to Enron collapse to be tried in UK
• Piers Sellers and Mike Fossum space-walk
• 33,000 Nigerian civil service jobs are to be lost according to a government spokesman
• T in The Park Music Festival at Balado, near Kinross
• Pirates of the Caribbean sequel took £2.3m on opening day in the UK yesterday

08 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. House prices fell unexpectedly by how much in June, according to Halifax, the UK's biggest mortgage lender?
• 1.2%
• 2. Whose England career did, chairman of selectors David Graveney insist, was not over?
• Michael Vaughan
• 3. Nadal and Federer have played 7 times before the 2006 Wimbledon final, what is the score?
• 6-1…to Nadal
• 4. Who won his third stage of the Tour de France yesterday?
• Robbie McEwan
• 5. “The List:” Jockey Richard Quinn has announced his retirement. Name his three classic winner.
• Snurge (1990 St Leger), Love Divine (2000 Oaks), and Millenary (2001 St Leger)

Topic of the Day: General

• 6. Which European country is home to 1274 breweries?
• Germany
• 7. In which comic did Superman first appear?
• Action Comics
• 8. What was the language of the Incas?
• Quechua
• 9. Who wrote about the Unseen University?
• Terry Pratchet
• 10. Which German polymath was 10 years the chief minister of Weimar?
• Goethe

07

• Anniversary of the London bombings - Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair says the threat of further terrorist attacks in the UK had "palpably increased"
• Scolari defends Cristiano Ronaldo over his involvement in Wayne Rooney's sending-off
• Britain's biggest insurer Aviva says it is in talks to buy US rival AmerUs
• Cadbury is stepping up salmonella testing
• Robbie McEwan wins stage 6 of Tour de France
• Wimbledon - men's semi-finals:
  • Federer beats Bjorkman 6-2, 6-0, 6-2
  • Nadal beats Baghdatis 6-1, 7-5, 6-3
• US authorities say they have disrupted the early stages of a plot to blow up road tunnels around New York city
• Luciano Pavarotti has had surgery for pancreatic cancer in New York
• South Korea is to suspend food aid to the North because of its controversial missile tests
• Spain records first case of bird flu
• Scolari defends Cristiano Ronaldo over his involvement in Wayne Rooney's sending-off
• David Mills, husband of Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell ordered by Italian judge to stand trial for fraud

07 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Which security firm has said that threats to PCs with Microsoft Windows have increased so much that computer users should consider using a Mac?
• Sophos security
• 2. Which British jazz trombonist has, best known for leading the Ted Heath Jazz Band, died at the age of 82?
• Don Lusher
• 3. Billie Piper is currently filming a BBC adaptation of which Philip Pullman Victorian thriller?
• The Ruby in the Smoke
• 4. Who provides the voice for RJ the racoon in “Over the Hedge”
• Bruce Willis
• 5. “The List:” Name the last four remaining in the men's singles competition at Wimbledon.
• Nadal, Baghdatis, Federer and Bjorkman

Topic of the Day: Superman

• 6. Who directes the new film “Superman Returns”?
• Bryan Singer
• 7. Which two men created the character of Superman?
• Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel
• 8. What was Superman’s real name at birth on Krypton?
• Kal-El
• 9. What is the name of superman’s secret hideaway in the Arctic?
• The Fortress of Solitude
• 10. What was the surname of Jonathon and Martha, his adoptive parents?
• Kent

06

• George W Bush's 60th birthday – so many countries so little time
• UK interest rates are kept at 4.5% for the 11th consecutive month
• At least 8 people die in a blast on a minibus in Trans-Dniester region
• Home Secretary John Reid agrees to extradite hacker Gary McKinnon to the US
• Oscar Freire wins sprint finish to claim stage 5 of the Tour de France from Beauvais to Caen
• Referee Horacio Elizondo will officiate in the World Cup final between Italy and France
• Wimbledon:
  • Nadal beats Niemenen for the last semi-final place
  • Heni-Hardenne beats Klijsters to make the women's final
  • Muresmo beats Sharapova in 3 sets to make women's final
• Space-shuttle docks at International Space Station
• John Prescott says he will not resign
• A video of 7/7 bomber Shehzad Tanweer is aired on al-Jazeera television
• Comedian Jim Davidson is declared bankrupt
• Halifax says house prices fell unexpectedly by 1.2% in June
• Birmingham agree to sell former England striker Emile Heskey to Wigan's for £5.5m

06 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. What did a new study says that is associated with a lower risk of developing diabetes?
• Drinking decaffeinated coffee
• 2. Which water company escaped a fine from Ofwat for failing to reduce leaks enough, but must invest an extra £150m?
• Thames Water
• 3. Which dance group apologised to fans after illness forced them to pull out of Denmark's Roskilde festival?
• Goldfrapp
• 4. Which politician is involved in a row of “Super casinos”?
• John Prescott
• 5. “The List:” Which players made the last 4 of the women’s singles at Wimbledon?
• Amelie Mauresmo, Maria Sharapova, Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters

Topic of the Day: Political Houses

• 6. Which late 18th-century mansion plays home to Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain while he is in the province and is where Margaret Thatcher and Garret FitzGerald signed the Anglo-Irish Agreement?
• Hillsborough Castle
• 7. Although the official residence of the first lord of the Treasury (and PM) is 10 Downing Street, who currently lives there?
• Gordon Brown
• 8. Built by John Nash and briefly home to the exiled Louis Napoleon (later Napoleon III of France), which “grace and favour” residence is a traditional residence of the foreign secretary?
• One Carlton Gardens
• 9. Which Buckinghamshire estate was given to the National Trust by industrialist Lord Courtauld-Thomson in 1947 as a country home for a senior member of the government?
• Dorneywood
• 10. Which building was left to the nation in 1967 by the seventh Earl of Stanhope on condition that it was used by the prime minister, a Cabinet minister or a descendant of King George VI?
• Chevening

05

• World Cup: Portugal 0 - 1 France (unfortunately Portugal go out to a Zidane penalty)
• African theologians launch a book that seeks to make the Bible more relevant to Africans
• 2 people killed after gunmen in Somalia open fire in cinema showing banned World Cup game
• £10,000 reward offered by Rizla Suzuki British Superbike Championship after 2 bikes are stolen
• Wimbledon:
  • Federer blows away Ancic with unbelievable tennis 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
  • Hewitt struggles against Baghdatis, Baghdatis wins in 4
  • Bjorkman beats Stepanek in 5
  • Niemenen and Nadal play tomorrow
• Enron ex-chief Kenneth Lay dies
• West Ham sign striker Carlton Cole from Chelsea
• Sophos advises that computer users should think about using Macs to avoid malicious threats
• US secretary of state says 6-party talks should resolve the crisis over North Korea's missiles
• Tour de France - stage 4 won by Robbie McEwan

05 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of which former Mexican President?
• Luis Echeverria
• 2. Which car partnership has said it is open to expanding its alliance to include other firms?
• Renault-Nissan
• 3. To the nearest million how many UK homes watched England's World Cup defeat to Portugal?
• 19 million
• 4. Anglican bishops in which country rejected a compromise over homosexuality, saying the US church is a cancer that should be excised?
• Nigeria
• 5. “The List:” 2006 is only the fourth World Cup in which all four semi-finalists are European teams. Name the three previous years.
• 1934, 1966 and 1982

Topic of the Day: Minerals

• 6. Which fibrous mineral takes its name from the Greek for “not extinguishable”?
• Asbestos
• 7. Which mineral is a gemstone and number 8 on the Moh scale?
• Topaz
• 8. Which American mineralogist wrote “System of Mineralogy” in 837?
• James Dana
• 9. Which abundant mineral derives its name from its shining property and means “to shine” in Latin?
• Mica
• 10. Which carbonate rock has a name that is derived from that of a French mineralogist an in turn to a mountain range?
• Dolomite(s)

04

• World Cup: Germany v Italy (a classic encounter sees Italy win 2-0 in extra time)
• Indonesian bird-flu toll continues to rise
• Anglican bishops in Nigeria reject a compromise over homosexuality
• Leeds sign Hull forward Jamie Thackray for the start of next season
• Cadbury’s method of testing for salmonella criticised by government advisers
• Wimbledon: Day 8 - no Americans or British left in the singles
  • Women's semi finals
    • Mauresmo v Sharapova
    • Henin-Hardenne v Klijsters
• David Walliams completes Channel swim
• Space shuttle takes off
• North Korea test fires missile
• Prescott faces questions over visit to the man who wants to open UK's first super-casino
• Thames Water escapes Ofwat fine but must invest extra £150m
• FA to write to FIFA about the Wayne Rooney red card
• Tony Blair says there are limits to what governments can do and urges Muslims to root out extremism

04 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Where was a 3,000 year-old garland of flowers found recently?
• Valley of the Kings Burial Chamber
• 2. The Vatican is to open the archives of which 20th century Pope?
• Pope Pius XI
• 3. Which Television host was admitted to hospital after suffering chest pains?
• Paul O'Grady
• 4. Where did Labour come in the In Bromley and Chislehurst by-election?
• Fourth (behind UKIP!)
• 5. “The List:” Wayne Rooney became the third English player to be sent off during a World Cup match. Who were the other two?
• Ray Wilkins (1986) and David Beckham (1998)

Topic of the Day: The Poseidon Adventure

• 6. Who wrote the novel on which the original film was based?
• Paul Gallico
• 7. Who directed the original 1972 film?
• Ronald Neame
• 8. Who played Det. Lt. Mike Rogo in the original?
• Ernest Borgnine
• 9. What was the name of Shelley Winters unfortunate character?
• Belle Rosen
• 10. In the end titles of the film, which song is officially called "The Song From 'The Poseidon Adventure'", not what would be its otherwise best known title and that which won the Oscar for best song?
• The Morning After

03

• World Cup: Rest Day
• Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo says there is no ill-feeling between him and Wayne Rooney
• Launch preparations for the shuttle Discovery move forward
• Parents to be given safety advice to protect children when they operate on-line
• European premiere of the Pirates of the Caribbean sequel in London
• Israel rejects deadline to begin freeing Palestinian prisoners
• FIFA has suspended Greece and its member clubs from international competition
• Wimbledon - Second Week
  • Perry, last American goes out to Dementieva
  • Sharapova struggles against Pennetta but wins in 3
  • Murray loses tamely to Baghdatis on Centre Court
• Train crash kills 30 in Valencia
• Crack found in foam insulation lining of Space Shuttle
• Former champion jockey Kieren Fallon has been charged with conspiracy to defraud
• Report says that al-Qaeda sympathisers have been trying to infiltrate MI5
• BBC Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq’s show is axed
• Nepal's PM Girija Prasad Koirala is taken to hospital after complaining of chest pains.
• At least 35 people are killed and almost 50 injured in an underground train crash in Valencia
• John Part beats Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 to win Las Vegas Desert Classic

03 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. What did Serb PM Vojislav Kostunica say will always be part of Serbia?
• Kosovo (no not Montenegro)
• 2. It has been a bad year for the US at Wimbledon, name the only man or woman that made it through to the second week.
• Shenay Perry
• 3. Which presenter hit back after criticism of his conduct during a recent interview with Conservative party leader David Cameron?
• Jonathan Ross
• 4. In which country does the Roskilde Music Festival take place?
• Denmark
• 5. “The List:” Which 5 riders for Astana-Wurth were implicated in drugs charges?
• Joseba Beloki, Alberto Contador, Isidro Nozal, Allan Davis and Sergio Paulinho

Topic of the Day: Top of the Pops

• 6. In which year was the first episode shown?
• 1964
• 7. Which city was it originally filmed in?
• Manchester
• 8. Who as the very first presenter of TOTP?
• Jimmy Saville
• 9. Which were the first group to appear on the programme?
• Rolling Stones (I Wanna Be Your Man)
• 10. Who were the first dancing troupe to appear on the programme?
• Go-Jo’s

02

• World Cup - Rest Day
• Beckham quits as England captain
• German police have arrested 120 England football fans in Gelsenkirchen
• Israel has attacked the Palestinian prime minister's Gaza City office with two missiles
• Shrewsbury town centre sealed off by police after what they describe as a "serious incident"
• New study says decaffeinated coffee is associated with lower risk of developing diabetes
• Manny Pacquiao beats Oscar Larios to retain WBC international super featherweight belt
• Mexicans vote in presidential election
• Bolivians vote President Evo Morales’s rewriting of the constitution.
• Andy Murray enters 2nd week at Wimbledon where he will face Marcos Baghdatis
• Chris Langham wins best comedy actor at Monte Carlo TV Awards
• Independent valuation says BAE's stake in Airbus is worth just half what it had hoped
• Indianapolis Grand Prix won by M Schumacher (Alonso 5th)
• Digital camera containing pictures of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Africa is seized by US police
• People evacuated from main stand at Uttoxeter race course as mobile betting shop catches fire

02 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Who is currently starring in “Jeffrey Barnard Is Unwell” on the London stage?
• Tom Conti
• 2. Which contemporary novel by Douglas Coupland concerns a group of computer programmers living in Vancouver?
• JPod
• 3. How many games did Henman take off Federer?
• 6
• 4. Which boxer has been arrested and charged with dangerous driving?
• Amir Khan
• 5. “The List:” Which three Russian women have made it through to the second week at Wimbledon (in the singles)?
• Sharapova, Myskina and Dementieva

Topic of the Day: Desert Island Discs

• 6. What is the name of the programme's theme music by Eric Coates?
• By the Sleepy Lagoon
• 7. Who was the very first “Castaway”?
• Vic Oliver
• 8. How many pieces of music are the guests allowed?
• 8
• 9. Which PM appeared as a guest whilst in office, choosing Lord's Cricket Ground as his luxury?
• John Major
• 10. In which year was the programme first aired?
• 1942

01

• Food safety experts warn that more Cadbury's brands may have been affected by salmonella
• William Funnell rides Cortaflex Mondriaan to victory jump-off at Hickstead's British Jumping Derby
• Space shuttle launch called off because of bad weather
• Protesters march though Hong Kong on the 9th anniversary of the return to Chinese rule
• One-day international, Headingley: Sri Lanka 324-2 beat England 321-7 by eight wickets
• Sixty people were arrested following an Orange parade in Glasgow
• Huge explosion in Baghdad kills over 60 with 100 more injured
• Osama Bin Laden issues a warning against foreign intervention in Somalia.
• Asteroid 2004 XP14 set for a close encounter with the Earth
• World Cup:
  • England 0 -0 Portugal - nightmare loss on penalties 1 - 3
  • France 1 - 0 Brazil
• Murray beats Roddick to progress to second week of Wimbledon
• Paul O'Grady recovering in a hospital in Ashford, Kent after a heart attack
• Cricket great, Fred Trueman dies
• Michael Schumacher takes pole position for the US Grand Prix in Indianapolis
• Prince of Wales leads commemorations in France to mark 90th anniversary of Somme
• Swimmer, Chris Cook hopes to compete at European championship after recovering from injury
• Former England and Yorkshire fast bowler Fred Trueman dies aged 75 after a battle with lung cancer.

01 Quiz

In the News:

• 1. Which author has said that two characters will die in the seventh and final book of her current series?
• JK Rowling
• 2. Police in the Bangalore have arrested an employee in connection with a financial scam operating from a call centre of which bank?
• HSBC
• 3. Lord Falconer of Thoroton is the current Lord Chancellor, which new role will replace this?
• House of Lords speaker
• 4. What is the name of the Taiwanese President who survived a parliamentary attempt to oust him from office over financial scandals?
• Chen Shui-bian
• 5. “The List:” Kirsty Young is to be the new presenter of Desert Island Discs, name the previous 3 presenters.
• Roy Plumley, Michael Parkinson, Sue Lawley

Topic of the Day: World Cup - General

• 6. Which was the only tournament that Wales have played in?
• 1958
• 7. How many times have Scotland progressed past the group stages?
• None (Never)
• 8. Which winning captain held aloft the World Cup at the end of the 2002 final?
• Cafu
• 9. Who is the current coach of Germany?
• Jurgen Klinsman
• 10. In which city was the 2002 final played?
• Yokohama

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