Quiz of The Week: 13 - 19 April

Would-be leaders on both sides of the Atlantic have been treading delicate paths this week in bids to appeal to voters from across the political spectrums. 

Keir Starmer is reportedly feeling out a "twin-track strategy" designed to bring Britain into closer alignment with the EU without alienating Brexit-backing voters by crossing the "red lines" of rejoining the single market or customs union or adopting free movement. 

And Donald Trump has also been trying to have his cake and eat it, over the thorny subject of abortion access. The former, and potentially future, US president is resisting pressure to support a nationwide ban on the procedure and is instead endorsing the rights of individual state legislatures to decide on abortion policy.

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In other global news, this week saw the ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame at the site of the ancient Games in Olympia, Greece. The torch is now being carried in a relay featuring more than 10,000 torchbearers that will cover 65 territories before reaching the Olympic cauldron in Paris on 26 July.

A ray of light may be welcome in the capital, where residents remain stubbornly underwhelmed by the prospect of hosting the Games this summer. Enthusiasm has been dampened by a stream of high-profile gaffes and setbacks, from racist backlash over pop star Aya Nakamura's rumoured participation in the opening ceremony to a strike by the national mint employees tasked with creating the Olympic medals.

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. A scathing review by The Spectator of Liz Truss's newly published memoir compared the short-lived PM to which comedy character?

• Alan Partridge
• Basil Fawlty
• Mr Bean
• David Brent

2. Which US college basketball player was the top pick in Monday's WNBA Draft?

• Cameron Brink 
• Kamilla Cardoso 
• Caitlin Clark
• Alissa Pili

3. The Post Office software system that predated Horizon and is now also under scrutiny is called what?

• Control
• Conquer
• Capture
• Collar

4. Which US university faced criticism for cancelling a pro-Palestinian valedictorian's speech? 

• Stanford University
• University of California, Los Angeles
• Arizona State University 
• University of Southern California 

5. New safety measures at Saturday's Grand National included reducing the permitted number of runners from 40 to how many?

• 38
• 36
• 34
• 30

6. An Oklahoma family who bought a pet without realising it was pregnant are now the owners of 51 what?

• Tarantulas
• Octopuses
• Mice
• Turtles

7. What industry that was once "the glue holding middle-class families together" is on the brink of collapse, according to The Sunday Times?

• Hummus
• Au pair
• Skiing
• Farmer's markets

8. Which weather event triggered flight cancellations and school closures in Dubai this week?

• Extreme heat 
• Heavy rain 
• Snow 
• Tornadoes 

9. The market for the milk of which mammal has climbed to $7.5 billion a year, according to latest data? 

• Yak
• Donkey
• Buffalo 
• Camel

10. US Republican House speaker Mike Johnson risked his job this week by advocating for what?

• Ukraine aid
• Gun control measures
• Climate change action 
• Healthcare reform 

1. Alan Partridge
Liz Truss is reportedly hoping her memoir-cum-manifesto, "Ten Years to Save the West", will kickstart her attempt at a political comeback. But reviewers have been unimpressed by her book, which is "as readable as a crisp packet", said The Times' senior political correspondent Patrick Maguire.

2. Caitlin Clark
The University of Iowa basketball superstar and NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer was picked first in this week's WNBA draft, by the Indiana Fever. The Los Angeles Sparks chose Stanford's Cameron Brink second, and South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso was the No. 3 pick, for the Chicago Sky. 

3. Capture
An independent IT expert will investigate claims that Capture contained similar glitches to Horizon that may also have led to the wrongful convictions of former sub-masters for financial misconduct. Dozens of former sub-postmasters claim they suffered unexplained shortfalls while using Capture, a predecessor to Horizon that was rolled out in 1992.

4. University of Southern California
The university announced on Monday that valedictorian Asna Tabassum's planned graduation speech had been cancelled, owing to "substantial risks relating to security and disruption". Tabassum, who is Muslim, said USC had "caved into a campaign of hatred" by critics who complained about her pro-Palestinian social media posts.

5. 34
The permitted number of runners was reduced as part of a raft of new safety measures, but in the event, only 32 horses ran, following last-minute withdrawals. Other precautions introduced at the 2024 Grand National to reduce the risk of horse fatalities include a standing start and a shorter distance to the first fence.

6. Octopuses 
The family thought the pregnant mollusc was a male when they bought it as a ninth birthday gift for their octopus-obsessed son. For more stories from the stranger side of life, sign up to The Week's Tall Tales newsletter.

7. Au pair
The British Au Pair Agencies Association has shut its doors, citing the lack of clear legal routes for UK families to employ au pairs following Brexit. And the government's announcement earlier this month that live-in workers are now entitled to earn at least the minimum wage could be the death knell of the tradition of exchanging bed and board for childcare.

8.  Heavy rain
Dubai was hit with a year-and-a-half’s worth of rain in a single day, resulting in widespread flooding. Much of the UAE was brought to a standstill by the record-breaking rainfall.

9. Camel
The alternative to cow, sheep and goat milk has long been popular across the Middle East and Africa, and demand is now growing in the West too among consumers drawn by its nutritional profile and allergy-friendliness. Academics are predicting that the global camel dairy industry could be worth $13 billion by the end of the decade.

10. Ukraine aid
Despite the objections of Republican hardliners, Johnson has decided to advocate for Ukraine aid and scheduled a vote on Saturday.