Quiz of The Week: 7-13 October

The Israel-Hamas war cast a shadow over the Labour Party's annual conference as delegates gathered in Liverpool this week.

Keir Starmer won a standing ovation for his keynote speech, in which the Labour leader condemned the “senseless” violence unleashed in Israel by Hamas “terrorists”. “This action by Hamas does nothing for Palestinians and Israel must always have the right to defend her people,” he said.

Starmer’s address had been interrupted minutes earlier by an electoral reform activist who stormed onto the stage shouting that "true democracy is citizen-led". The protester yelled that “politics needs an update” and “we are in crisis” as he was wrestled to the ground and removed by security.  

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As conference season continues, the SNP are kicking off their annual conference in Aberdeen this weekend as the party reels from Lisa Cameron's defection to the Conservatives – the first SNP MP ever to quit the independence party to join a unionist party. 

In US politics, deep divisions emerged in the Republican Party after congressman Steve Scalise dropped out of the race to become the speaker of the US House of Representatives, just a day after the GOP nominated him. The 58-year-old withdrew after failing to secure enough votes to win a majority – leaving his party with no clear alternative candidate to lead the lower chamber of Congress.  

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

1. An activist poured what over Keir Starmer during his Labour Party Conference speech? 

• Paint
• Water
• Glitter
• Slime

2. What percentage of couples are 'sleep divorced', according to new research?

• 10%
• 15%
• 45%
• 50%

3. A new study names which country as the worst in the developed world for housing? 

• England
• US
• Spain
• Portugal

4. A Rightmove analysis suggests having the "unlucky" number 13 on the front door knocks how much off a property's value?

• £2,000
• £5,000
• £10,000
• £25,000

5.  Kenyan runner Kelvin Kiptum set a new men's world record by completing which race in two hours and 35 seconds? 

• Boston Marathon
• New York City Marathon
• Tokyo Marathon
• Chicago Marathon

6. Scientists have discovered that the females of which species fake their own deaths to avoid unwanted male advances? 

• Praying mantis
• Scorpion
• Frogs
• Spiders

7. Which scandal-plagued US politician was hit with 10 new criminal charges this week including wire fraud and identity theft?

• Bob Menendez
• Donald Trump
• George Santos
• Malcolm Smith

8. Taylor Swift welcomed which special guest and "guiding light" to the premiere of her "The Eras Tour" concert film? 

• Katy Perry
• Miley Cyrus
• Rhianna
• Beyoncé 

9. A sample from the surface of near-Earth asteroid Bennu has been found to contain an abundance of what? 

• Water and carbon
• Water and nickel
• Water and magnesium
• Water and cobalt

10. What is the name of the BBC's controversial new drama about Jimmy Savile? 

• "The Revulsion"
• "The Reckoning"
• "The Real Savile"
• "The Retribution"

1.  Glitter
Yaz Ashmawi, an activist linked to a group called People Demand Democracy, has since apologised for grabbing Starmer after storming on stage as the Labour leader addressed delegates in Liverpool on Tuesday. Police said a 28-year-old from Surrey had been arrested on suspicion of assault, breach of the peace and causing public nuisance, and subsequently bailed.

2.  15%
A poll of 2,000 adults in a relationship found that half have slept in a different room, with one in six have permanent "sleep divorce" arrangements. According to the research, commissioned by Samsung, the main reason cited by couples for sleeping separately was snoring (71%), followed by fidgeting (35%) and constant waking during the night (30%). 

3. England
Research by the Home Builders Federation found that England has the lowest percentage of homes available per capita of all OECD member countries, and that existing homes are less affordable and in worse conditions than those in most other European countries. Learn more with The Week Unwrapped podcast.   

4. £5,000
Analysis of data from valuations of more than 10 million UK properties found that while the average price was £360,126, "unlucky" properties were worth £354,793. By contrast, homes with the lucky number seven typically had an above-average estimate of £365,590. 

5. Chicago Marathon
The 23-year-old athlete shattered fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge's record of 2:01:09, set in Berlin in September 2022. Kiptum raced to victory on Sunday wearing a pair of "super-shoes" developed by Nike.

6. Frogs
German scientists reported that in tests, about a third of female frogs “clasped by a male” showed signs of “tonic immobility” – stiffening with arms and legs outstretched as if playing dead. For more stories from the stranger side of life, sign up to our Tall Tales newsletter. 

7. George Santos
The New York congressman pleaded not guilty in May to 13 criminal counts for various alleged campaign violations, including theft of public funds, money laundering, and lying on federal disclosure forms. Federal prosecutors this week hit the Republican with additional charges relating to allegedly stealing donors' identities and charging thousands of dollars to their credit cards.

8. Beyoncé
Swift paid tribute to the fellow pop superstar after they were snapped together at the premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. "I'm so glad I'll never know what my life would've been like without @beyonce's influence," Swift wrote on Instagram, adding that the "Halo" singer has "been a guiding light throughout my career".

9. Water and carbon 
The initial findings on the 4.5 billion-year-old asteroid sample, which was parachuted into the Utah desert in a cannister last month, reinforce the theory that life on Earth was seeded from outer space. Offering a first look at the ancient black dust and chunks, Nasa administrator Bill Nelson told media at the Johnson Space Center in Houston that "this is the biggest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever returned to Earth”. 

10. "The Reckoning"
The four-part drama stars Steve Coogan as the serial sex predator and examines how Savile got away with his crimes. Coogan is being praised for his performance, but some critics have questioned the purpose of the dramatisation, which premiered on BBC One and iPlayer on Monday.