Thursday news quiz: Election news, puppy views, and a very chaotic goose

1. 

   Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (pictured) staged a dramatic election fightback against the far-right Flávio Bolsonaro to claim …

   1. a historic third term as Brazil's president

   2. a historic fouth term as Brazil's president

   3. a historic fifth term as Brazil's president

   4. a historic sixth term as Brazil's president

2. 

   Where (not pictured, that is a demonstration in the US) did the hereditary monarchy intervene to strike down proposed legislation improving access to abortion?

   1. Cambodia

   2. Monaco

   3. Tonga

   4. Liechtenstein

3. 

   Whose authoritarian rule came to an end after 12 years when the Student List (not pictured) won elections in Serbia at the weekend?

   1. Bálint Pásztor

   2. Rasim Ljajić

   3. Aleksandar Vučić

   4. Igor Stassanov

4. 

   An Australian court (possibly even the one pictured) has ruled that banning what in prison is not against human rights?

   1. Tim Tams

   2. Vegemite

   3. Akubra hats

   4. Thongs

5. 

   Neighbours. Everybody needs good neighbours. The soap opera that launched Kylie Minogue (pictured) is being recut with the aid of AI into a mini 'vertical drama' featuring the storyline of which specific actor?

   1. Margot Robbie, who played Donna Freedman

   2. Holly Valance, who played Felicity Scully

   3. Mischa Barton, who played Reece Sinclair

   4. Bouncer the dog, who played Bouncer the dog

6. 

   This week's guest canine is Bruno, who the Thursday quiz met at Ye Olde Rose and Crown in Walthamstow. Pentulive is a puppycam that has gone viral, but Bruno can't remember where the dog and her six newborn puppies that feature on it live. Remind Bruno …

   1. Poland

   2. Finland

   3. Estonia

   4. Syldavia

7. 

   This week's second guest canine is eight-and-a-half-year-old guide dog Dotty, who is close to retirement and seen here with Keith, whom she helps look after. Dotty wants to know which show Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has agreed to co-host …

   1. Junior MasterChef Australia

   2. The Scripps National Spelling Bee

   3. The Great Canadian Baking Show

   4. Repair Shop New Zealand

8. 

   Who won this year's Mercury prize?

   1. Kojey Radical with Don't Look Down

   2. Olivia Dean with The Art of Loving

   3. Raye with This Music May Contain Hope

   4. Gary Barlow's Massive Son with What Is The Weather Like Up There?

9. 

   It is Winona Ryder's birthday today. Happy birthday Winona! True or false – Ryder was nominated for a Grammy during the 90s?

   1. True

   2. False

10. 

    England captain and former Leyton Orient player Harry Kane (pictured) won the men's Ballon d'Or this week. Who won the Ballon d'Or Féminin?

    1. Ella Toone

    2. Alexia Putellas

    3. Khadija Shaw

    4. Aitana Bonmatí

11. 

    According to social media, youths in China are taking up what bizarre hobby, which apparently provides 'zero-energy companionship'?

    1. Having staring competitions with elevators

    2. Adopting and naming puddles

    3. Stealing pigeons

    4. Raising pet bricks

12. 

    We lost Walter Koenig (seen here with the iconic George Takei) who played Chekov in the second and third seasons of the original Star Trek series and beyond. What was the character's first name?

    1. Pavel

    2. Vassily

    3. Anton

    4. Deckon

13. 

    Optical boffins (the correct technical term) rediscovered how to make ancient Roman colour-changing glass, as exemplified in which 1,600-year-old item (pictured)?

    1. The Seleucus Cup

    2. The Lycurgus Cup

    3. The Cypselus Cup

    4. The Cup of Derek

14. 

    Neil Young (not pictured) is suing Donald Trump (not pictured) over the latter's insistence on playing which of Young's songs at rallies?

    1. Heart of Gold

    2. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

    3. Southern Man

    4. Rockin' in the Free World

15. 

    Just as Christmas starts earlier every year, so it seems dictionaries start releasing their 'word of the year' earlier every year. Dictionary.com have gone first - what did they pick?

    1. Unc

    2. Finagle

    3. Datacenter

    4. Maxxing

16. 

    BONUS GOOSE QUESTION: What is the title of the video game with the strapline 'It's a lovely morning in the village, and you are a horrible goose'?

    1. The Incredible Honk

    2. Goosey Goes A Gander

    3. Have I Got Goose For You?

    4. Five Nights at Goosey's

    5. Untitled Goose Game

    6. Goose Simulator

    7. Proper Gander

    8. Murder Most Fowl

    9. Horace Goes Skiing

Solutions

1:B - It is the fourth time that Lula has triumphed, 2:D - Campaigners described it as a blow to Liechtenstein’s identity as a monarchy underpinned by democratic principles, with one saying 'It’s surreal what’s happening right now in 2026 in a state in the middle of Europe', 3:C - Vučić had repeatedly sought to undermine the students by accusing them of being stooges of foreign powers, 4:B - It wasn't a … wait for it … kangaroo court, was it? *ba-dum-tish*, 5:A - The rest of the cast are said to be less than impressed, 6:B - Fans say the puppies offer a relaxing break from work and comfort from stress, loneliness and illness, and possibly from dealing with your own very naughty miniature dachshund, 7:A - The Duchess of Sussex’s lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan, ran for two seasons on Netflix, and now she will host Junior MasterChef Australia with current MasterChef Australia judge Poh Ling Yeow, 8:C - It has been a Top 10 hit in 16 countries, 9:A - It is true. She didn't win, but in 1996 her reading of Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl was nominated for the Grammy award for best spoken word album for children, 10:B - It was the third time she has won it. Al fondo de las mallas!, 11:D - Apparently you can spray them with water and moss grows with zero effort and kids are idiots, 12:A - Koenig had been born to Russian parents who had fled the Soviet Union for the US, 13:B - Apparently all you had to do was heat the glass really, really hot and then put in microscopic particles of gold or something. The Thursday quiz is confused why it is was so mysterious, 14:D - Young is not best pleased about it, although given the second verse is about a homeless, drug-addicted mother, it is possible Trump hasn't listened to the lyrics that closely anyway, 15:D - Keep on quizmaxxing, quizzers!, 16:E - Of course it is. Honk!

Scores

1. 0 and above.

   We hope you had fun! Honk!