Quiz of The Week: 17 – 23 August

This week Chicago hosted the Democratic National Convention, where appearances by the Obamas, Oprah and – not on anyone's bingo card – Atlanta rap legend Lil Jon threatened to overshadow Kamala Harris as she formally accepted the party's nomination for president.

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And now, find out how closely you’ve been paying attention to the latest news and other global events by putting your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week.

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1. Whom did the US government dispatch to the Middle East to try and secure a last-ditch Gaza ceasefire deal?

• Mitt Romney
• Antony Blinken
• Lloyd Austin
• Merrick Garland

2. A Confederate monument in Decatur, Georgia, was replaced with a statue of which civil rights leader?

• Martin Luther King Jr.
• Fannie Lou Hamer
• Bayard Rustin
• John Lewis

3. Which country has retained the dubious title of having the highest number of drug deaths in Europe?

• Estonia
• Sweden
• Scotland
• Romania

4. The deadlier Clade 1b variant of mpox has reached Asia, after a case was confirmed in which country?

• Thailand
• China
• South Korea
• Malaysia

5. Which A-list couple has filed for divorce on the anniversary of their wedding celebration?

• Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds
• Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez
• Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
• Emily Blunt and John Krasinski

6. Brian Niccol was the CEO and chair of which fast-food chain before becoming the new CEO of Starbucks?

• Five Guys
• Chipotle
• Burger King
• Subway

7. Which publishing giant has signed a deal with OpenAI to share content from its magazines with the AI platform?

• Hearst
• Bauer
• Condé Nast
• Dotdash Meredith

8. After giving an emotional speech at the Democratic National Convention, Joe Biden left for a family vacation in which state?

• Florida
• Hawaii
• California
• Colorado

9. Which British private school has come under fire for plans to open a new franchise in China?

• Eton
• Winchester
• Dulwich
• Harrow

10. The second-largest diamond ever unearthed has been found in which African country?

• South Africa
• Ghana
• Botswana
• The Democratic Republic of Congo

1. Antony Blinken

It was the Secretary of State's ninth visit to the Middle East since the conflict began, with this round of talks focussing on a "bridging agreement" which would secure a ceasefire and allow for the release of Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity.

2. John Lewis

Workers installed a 12ft bronze statue of John Lewis in front of the DeKalb County Courthouse, formerly the site of a 30ft obelisk erected in memory of the Confederate cause in 1908. The statue of the civil rights hero will be officially unveiled on 24 August.

3. Scotland

Figures published by the National Records of Scotland showed that there were 1,172 drug misuse deaths in 2023, an increase on the year before. Of those, 80% involved opiates or opioids such as heroin, morphine and methadone.

4. Thailand

Thai authorities said the patient was a 66-year-old European man who had recently been in an African country experiencing an mpox outbreak before arriving in Bangkok on 14 August. He is being treated in hospital after exhibiting symptoms of the virus.

5. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez

It has been a bumpy road to say the least for the couple, who first dated in 2003 before separating, marrying other people, divorcing them, and then finally reuniting in 2021 in what was termed "Bennifer 2.0". However, after two years of marriage, the pair are once again calling it quits.

6. Chipotle

Brian Niccol will replace Laxman Narasimhan, who has served as Starbucks' CEO starting in 2023. Niccol has been the CEO and chair of Mexican fast-food chain Chipotle since 2018.

7. Condé Nast

Under the terms of the deal, OpenAI will be licensed to use content from the publisher's brands, which include Vogue, GQ and The New Yorker. Condé Nast is the latest in a series of firms to sign deals with AI platforms in an attempt to secure attribution and revenue sharing, and protect against unauthorised use by rival AI companies.

8. California

Biden left the convention for a family vacation in California, and after he "lays low for the rest of the month, the president and his senior advisers have fixated on the finishing touches of his career", Politico said.

9. Harrow 

Harrow's new campus in Guangzhou will be its ninth Chinese outpost, but the first since President Xi's education reforms emphasising a "patriotic" curriculum – prompting accusations in the British media that public schools are selling out.

10. Botswana

The 2,492-carat gem was found in the Canadian-owned Karowe mine. The diamond trade is key to Botswana's economy, accounting for roughly 25% of the country's GDP.