Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?
Extreme heat is a hot topic in countries worldwide as regions across Europe, Asia and the Americas continue to endure sweltering temperatures.
Despite cooler weather in the UK, climate issues have been dominating headlines too, after Rishi Sunak gave the green light for more oil and gas drilling in the North sea. The prime minister insisted that further fossil fuel extraction was “entirely consistent” with the UK’s net zero agenda, but critics said the decision was “utterly reckless”.
Sunak has also ordered a review of the rollout of low-traffic neighbourhoods in England, a move widely viewed as an attempt to bolster support among traditional Tory voters ahead of the next general election.
Battles to win over voters are also raging in the US, as would-be presidential candidates struggle to prevent a Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump rerun in 2024.
The indictment of Trump in a 2020 election interference probe has further muddied the waters, with analysts divided over whether the felony charges might actually boost his chances of a return to the White House.
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. How many alleged gang members have been jailed in El Salvador since a major crackdown on crime began in March last year?
- 700
- 7,000
- 70,000
- 700,000
2. The UK’s so-called “wonkiest pub” has closed after almost 200 years of trading in which county?
- Staffordshire
- Sussex
- Berkshire
- Suffolk
3. Which country is set to become the 29th African nation to abolish the death penalty?
- Nigeria
- Ghana
- Zimbabwe
- Uganda
4. Disney this week stopped selling what in Australia?
- Disney Princess costumes
- Magazines and comics
- Non-recyclable plastic merchandise
- DVDs and Blu-ray discs
5. The public have regained the right to “wild camp” in which English national park?
- Dartmoor
- Lake District
- New Forest
- Yorkshire Dales
6. Which England football player scored twice in Tuesday’s 6-1 win against China at the Women’s World Cup?
- Rachel Daily
- Lauren Hemp
- Lauren James
- Alessia Russo
7. Scientists have revived what animal that was frozen 46,000 years ago?
- Mosquito
- Jellyfish
- Cockroach
- Worm
8. Recent shows in Seattle by which music star generated seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake?
- Taylor Swift
- Beyoncé
- Pink
- Drake
9. Birch trees are being blamed for a doubling of what in England over the past 20 years?
- Tree mite populations
- Hospital admissions for life-threatening allergic reactions
- Subsidence beside river banks
- Loss of natural vegetation and cropland
10. Which world leader announced this week that he and his wife of 18 years were splitting up?
- Emmanuel Macron
- Justin Trudeau
- Anthony Albanese
- Olaf Scholz
1. 70,000
President Nayib Bukele’s government has locked up a total of almost 2% of the country's adult population and has built a 40,000-capacity mega prison to accommodate suspected gang members.
2. Staffordshire
The historic Crooked House, in the village of Himley, has called time following 192 years of trading, after being sold to a private buyer “for alternative use”.
3. Ghana
The West African country’s parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty, offering an expected reprieve for 176 condemned prisoners. If President Nana Akufo-Addo assents to the new law, Ghana will become the 124th nation in the world to outlaw the penalty.
4. DVDs and Blu-ray discs
Disney has ceased releasing its films or TV shows on physical media formats in Australia, following a steep decline in sales of DVDs, Blu-rays and the like as streaming services become increasingly popular.
5. Dartmoor
The National Park Authority this week won an appeal against a High Court ruling in January that visitors did not have the right to camp on Dartmoor without the landowners’ permission. The national park in Devon is the only place in England and Wales where wild camping is legal, under a decades-old local law.
6. Lauren James
The Lionesses secured a place in the last 16 of the tournament, taking place in Australia and New Zealand, with goals by Chelsea forward James, Alessia Russo, Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Rachel Daly.
7. Worm
The microscopic roundworm, or nematode, had lain dormant in Siberian permafrost since the last Ice Age. It was unearthed from a fossilised squirrel burrow extracted from the northeastern Arctic in 2002.
8. Taylor Swift
The seismic activity data was recorded at the singer’s sell-out Eras tour performances at Lumen Field on 22 and 23 July, and was probably caused by Swift’s cheering fans and the sound system, according to experts. For more odd and unexpected news, sign up to the Tall Tales newsletter.
9. Hospital admissions for life-threatening allergic reactions
According to experts, an increase in the number of birch trees being planted, plus the wider availability of foods from around the world, has fuelled hospital admissions for allergies and anaphylaxis, which have increased from 12,361 in 2002-03 to 25,721 in the past year. Find out more with The Week Unwrapped podcast.
10. Justin Trudeau
In an announcement on Instagram, the Canadian prime minister and his wife, former TV presenter Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, said they had decided to separate following “many meaningful and difficult conversations”. They were married in Montreal in 2005 and have three children together.
