Quiz of The Week: 31 August – 6 September

This week Emmanuel Macron aimed to bring France's political deadlock to an end by naming Michel Barnier as the new prime minister. The choice of Barnier – a centre-right veteran comfortably enmeshed in the political establishment – is sure to prove unpalatable both to the far-right National Rally and the left-wing coalition which dominates the new parliament. But at this point, a candidate that everyone dislikes might be the best Macron can hope for.

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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. Which British cyclist won their 19th Paralympic gold medal in Paris?

• Jody Cundy
• Jaco van Gass
• Sarah Storey
• Kadeena Cox

2. A former aide to the governor of New York has been charged with being an unregistered agent of which country?

• China
• Russia
• North Korea
• Iran

3. Which US car manufacturer announced plans to scale back its diversity schemes?

• Chrysler
• Ford
• Chevrolet
• Tesla

4. Two Russian missiles struck a military academy and hospital in which Ukrainian city?

• Kyiv
• Sumy
• Poltava
• Kharkiv

5. Pedro Almodóvar’s "The Room Next Door" received the longest standing ovation so far at this year's Venice Film Festival. How long did it last?

• 13 minutes
• 17 minutes
• 23 minutes
• 31 minutes

6. The US seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's jet after it landed in Florida from which other country?

• Colombia
• Venezuela
• Mexico
• Dominican Republic

7. Who became the first candidate eliminated from the race to succeed Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party?

• Priti Patel
• Robert Jenrick
• Tom Tugendhat
• Mel Stride

8. Pope Francis and Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar signed a joint declaration urging action on climate change and religious intolerance at which landmark?

• Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque
• The Dome of the Rock
• The Al-Azhar Mosque
• The Blue Mosque

9. Acclaimed Australian sitcom "Colin from Accounts" returned to screens for a second season – but what is the titular Colin?

• A cat
• A dog
• A parrot
• A pig

10. Thai officials revealed that 1.3 million kilos of what invasive fish have been eradicated from the country's waterways since February?

• Catfish
• Tilapia
• Carp 
• Lionfish

1. Sarah Storey

Storey's dominance of the cycling events is all the more impressive given that she began her sporting career as a swimmer, winning five of her Paralympic golds in the pool before switching to cycling for the 2008 Games.

2. China

Linda Sun and her husband, Christopher Hu, were both arrested and charged on Tuesday with money laundering, bank fraud and other crimes. Sun is accused of using her roles within New York's government, including as an aide to Governor Kathy Hochul, to "further the interests of the Chinese government".

3. Ford

The carmaker's CEO, Jim Farley, told staff in an email that the company was scaling back several DEI schemes, but insisted it would remain an "inclusive workspace". Several US-based companies have made similar moves in response to pressure from conservative activists as well as an increase in legal challenges to "affirmative action" policies.

4. Poltava

The morning strike on Poltava claimed 51 lives and injured over 270, making it the deadliest single attack in Ukraine this year. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pleaded on social media for international aid to provide air defence systems and missiles as Ukraine continues to face Russian bombardment.

5. 17 minutes

The mammoth applause session following the screening of the Spanish director's latest film has sparked conversation around whether the standing ovation has lost its punch. Prolonged clapping has become a feature of film festivals, to the point where an ovation that lasts for "only" a few minutes is widely seen as a sign of a flop.

6. Dominican Republic

The U.S. Justice Department revealed that Nicolás Maduro's Dassault Falcon 900EX was bought by a shell company in violation of U.S. sanctions and smuggled out of the States. It is one of many jets seized from Venezuelan leaders for alleged drug trafficking or corruption.

7. Priti Patel

Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, topped the first round of voting, pushing bookies' favourite Kemi Badenoch into second place. A second round next week will eliminate another contender, with MPs then choosing two final candidates to go head to head for the votes of the party membership.

8. Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque

Pope Francis met religious leaders at Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque, urging action against climate change and religious intolerance. He will leave Indonesia on Friday for Papua New Guinea, continuing his 12-day journey through Southeast Asia and Oceania.

9. A dog

A border terrier, to be precise, who brought together friends-to-lovers couple Ash and Gordon in season one of the critical hit. Reviews of season two have been just as glowing, praising the show's combination of comedy and realism.

10. Tilapia

Fast-breeding blackchin tilapia have flooded Thailand's waterways, wreaking havoc on the country's fish and shrimp farming sector. Plans to eliminate the invasive species include paying bounties to encourage fishing and developing a sterile tilapia.