Quiz of The Week: 2 - 8 September

The UK’s prison system is in the spotlight this week after a terror suspect managed a “jaw-dropping” escape from Wandsworth prison in south London.

Daniel Abed Khalife, a 21-year-old former soldier, was believed to have been preparing breakfast for inmates before he made a break for it by clinging to the underside of a delivery truck as it drove out of the prison grounds.

Experts have questioned why someone facing terrorism charges was awaiting trial at a category B rather than a category A jail. Some blamed the rising prison population, staff shortages and the backlog in the criminal justice system.

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Meanwhile, the RAAC expired-concrete crisis in schools continues to snowball, with fears that hospitals, theatres and even homes could all be affected. The closure of the worst-affected schools threatens to exacerbate a persistent problem of attendance, with more than one in five children frequently absent from school.

Even England’s rugby union team appears to be in disarray, kicking off their men’s World Cup tournament this weekend after an embarrassing home defeat by Fiji.

Despite all the negative headlines, some British public services are actually working comparatively well. But none of that helps Rishi Sunak. The prime minister’s ratings among grassroots Conservative Party members appear to have plummeted.

To find out how closely you’ve been paying attention to the latest developments in the news and other global events, put your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week.

1. What quintessential British vehicle is being used in Ukraine’s war effort?

• Land Rover Defenders
• Black cabs
• Bendy buses
• Brompton bikes

2. Which French stadium will host the final of the men’s Rugby World Cup?

• Stade de Marseille, Marseille
• Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
• Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille
• Stade de France, Saint-Denis

3. The latest data shows that abortion rates in Scotland increased by how much between 2021 and 2022?

• A tenth
• A fifth
• A quarter
• A third

4. A new black comedy by controversial 90-year-old director Roman Polanski that premiered at the Venice Film Festival is called what?

• “The Palace”
• “The Cathedral”
• “The Castle”
• “The Mansion”

5. India’s invitations for the G20 summit this weekend sparked rumours that the country might be preparing to change its name to what?

• Hindūstān
• Aryāvarta
• Tenjiku
• Bharat

6. The UK’s bees are in danger from which invasive species, according to a new report?

• Texas fire ants
• Asian hornets
• Indian ringneck parakeets
• Japanese knotweed

7. Ukraine’s battlefield forces are communicating via Elon Musk’s Starlink network, which has how many satellites in orbit?

• 800
• 1,200
• 3,200
• 4,500

8. Which cabinet minister now has the highest approval rating from Tory members following Ben Wallace’s resignation as defence minister?

• Suella Braverman
• Kemi Badenoch
• James Cleverly
• Penny Mordaunt

9. Scientists believe they have found the answer to high levels of radioactivity in which wild European animal?

• Wolves
• Bears
• Boars
• Wildcats

10. According to latest Halifax data, UK house prices fell by how much year-on-year in August?

• 0.4%
• 1.46%
• 4.6%
• 14.6%

1. Bendy buses

Three UK bendy buses have arrived in Ukraine to function as “rest areas for beleaguered troops”, according to The Telegraph. The purple buses, still bearing their Luton Airport logos, will also transport supplies and soldiers. For more unexpected stories, sign up to our Tall Tales newsletter.

2. Stade de France, Saint-Denis

The tournament opens today when hosts France play three-times winners New Zealand at Stade de France on the outskirts of Paris, which will also host the final on 28 October. For predictions and odds, read our in-depth guide to this year’s tournament.

3. A fifth

The number of women aged 16 to 19 accessing abortions in Scotland in 2021-22 rose to its highest level since data was first published in 2013. Experts have said that social media misinformation and the cost-of-living crisis contributed to the record-high figures.

4. “The Palace”

Roman Polanski’s “name as a filmmaker is in the toilet”, said the Evening Standard, after “The Palace” was widely lambasted. Its inclusion at the Venice Film Festival had already sparked a backlash, as Polanski is still a fugitive from US justice after raping a 13-year-old girl in 1977. Find out more in The Week Unwrapped podcast.

5. Bharat

G20 hosts India have reportedly invited world leaders to join the “President of Bharat” for dinner at the summit in Delhi this weekend, sparking rumours that Narendra Modi’s nationalist government could be preparing to change the country’s name in a bid to break with the colonial past.

6. Asian hornets

Asian hornets are “wreaking havoc” in mainland Europe, according to a new report by leading scientists. There has been a sharp spike in sightings, with nests found in Sussex, Kent, Devon and Dorset, said the BBC, raising fears of “catastrophic consequences” for the UK’s bee populations.

7. 4,500

Pentagon officials have voiced unease over their reliance on Musk and his companies after the US Department of Defense signed a contract for SpaceX to provide Starlink satellite services for Ukraine. Starlink’s network now accounts for more than half of all active satellites.

8. Kemi Badenoch

The business secretary now tops the ConservativeHome rankings, with a “net satisfaction” rating of +59, replacing Wallace, who had “farewell total of 76 points”. Penny Mordaunt is in second place on +47.5, ahead of James Cleverly on +43.9, with Rishi Sunak down in 25th place, with -3.8 points.

9. Boars

Persistently high levels of radioactivity in Central Europe’s wild boars have long baffled scientists, as they have declined in other animals since the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. But a new study published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal appears to have solved the “wild boar paradox”.

10. 4.6%

The drop is the biggest year-on-year decrease since 2009. Rival lender Nationwide last week put the drop at 5.3%, as homeowners and potential buyers face persistently high interest rates.