
Racing cheeses, spicy birthdays and a fun celebrity gatecrash – take the Thursday quiz
The Thursday quiz has always been interested in fjords, not least since it was revealed in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy that they were the design work of Slartibartfast. However, it is difficult to ask questions about them. What is the longest fjord? Well, where are you measuring from and how are you accounting for curves? How many fjords are there in Norway? Nobody has ever really added them all up, have they? And anyway, how big does an inlet have to be before it can be considered a fjord? So, no fjord questions this week. Instead, we have the usual: 15 questions on topical news, general knowledge and popular culture. There are no prizes, but let us know how you got on in the comments …
The Thursday quiz, No 212
If you really do think there has been an egregious error in one of the questions or answers – and can show your working and are absolutely 100% positive you aren't attempting to factcheck a joke – you can complain about it in the comments below. Why not watch Three by Hello Mary instead?
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BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Isle of Man TT: Norwegian fans charter ship to visit races
Two motorcycle fans from Norway, who hatched a "crazy idea after a couple of beers", have charted a ship for 145 fans to visit the Isle of Man MS Nordstjernen arrived in Manx waters on Monday after setting off from Bergen on Friday with enthusiasts from across the country Skaar, from the Bergen Motorcycle Club, said: "Every motorcyclist has heard about the TT, you just have to do it."His friend Erling Thomas Pettersen said every morning at breakfast he had been surrounded by his fellow enthusiasts "sitting there smiling" because they were at the "Mecca of racing". Tens of thousands of visitors travel to the island for the two-week event, which sees riders compete on 37.7-miles (61km) of closed public two friends, who decided they were keen to visit the 2025 event, had the idea to find a boat to hire "after a couple of beers", Mr Skaar led to them organising to charter the vessel, which was built in 1956 and usually visits ports around the north of Europe, three days later. Mr Petterson said he found it was "no problem" to encourage fans sign up for the trip, and ended up with a waiting list of enthusiasts who wanted to join members of the Bergen Motorcycle Club club were given "first right to join" before other fans from across the country were recruited to take the trip, he saidDespite some rough seas on the journey to the island, he said those on the trip were "so happy" because "everyone on Isle of Man is so friendly and helpful".Mr Petterson said the duo were already planning to organise the charter again for the 2026 festival and into the future, with about half of those onboard interested in returning."The TT is fantastic, we think we can do it for longer than the Vikings were standing here," he said."You have to do it at least once in your life." Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.


The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Greenpeace condemns Equinor-funded computer game aimed at UK schoolchildren
Greenpeace has condemned an Equinor-funded computer game for school children that tells young players renewable energy is 'less reliable'. EnergyTown, aimed at children aged nine to 14, encourages players to build a city that will survive until 2050 by balancing energy, economy, environment and population wellbeing demands. The game shows fossil fuels as part of a clean future energy mix, while players who start the game with a heavy reliance on renewable energy often fail to reach the mid-century milestone. It comes as part of a school education programme launched in October 2023 by Equinor called Wonderverse, with the firm saying it has reached more than 81,400 UK pupils by the following July. The deadline for schools to enter the 2025 nationwide EnergyTown competition is on Friday. The Norwegian oil major, which is seeking to develop the controversial Rosebank oil field in the UK North Sea, has previously denied that the game is part of a lobbying campaign but rather the firm's ambitions to make young people curious about science and technology. Greenpeace has fiercely criticised the game, claiming the fossil fuel company's support for the project is a 'cynical PR ploy'. The PA News Agency has contacted Equinor for comment. Mel Evans, head of Greenpeace UK's climate team, said: 'We know many young children know a lot about the climate crisis and what's driving it. 'If Equinor wants to win young hearts and minds, it should get serious about ditching fossil fuels and shifting to clean energy.' Greenpeace highlighted a Wonderverse webpage that tells players how to improve their scores if their city fails before the mid-century mark. While it says that players should think about phasing out non-renewable energy resources as the game progresses to improve its green score, they are also advised to invest in 'more reliable' fossil fuels, nuclear and hydrogen to power their cities. It notes: 'If you're relying on electricity from renewable energy resources like wind and solar power, you may have less electricity due to these energy resources being less reliable. 'Therefore, your other facilities (such as the businesses and recreational tiles) may struggle to run.' The page later adds: 'You should invest in a more reliable way to generate electricity, such as nuclear, oil, natural gas or hydrogen. 'It is important to consider that this may negatively impact your green score,' it adds. 'You should think about how you can phase out non-renewable energy resources as you progress later in the game.' Last July, the nationwide EnergyTown competition saw 160 children take part and an 11-year-old boy in Walmley Junior School, Birmingham, win the primary school level contest. In a statement at the time, Sue Falch-Lovesey, Equinor's UK Head of Social Value, said the competition 'showed a good level of understanding of the variety of energy sources our cities of the future will need'. Greenpeace highlighted how Birmingham was hit by flash floods a week after the energy firm published the press release on its website. Ms Evans said: 'Thanks to companies like Equinor, these children are living in homes with higher energy bills; living through summers of wildfires and droughts, and winters of increasingly worse flooding. 'The UK government should stop Rosebank, and should instead invest in the wind industry in the regions where workers and communities need to transition.' After the regulator granted approval for Equinor to develop Rosebank in 2023, the Scottish Court of Session ruled the decision as unlawful in January this year. Equinor is expected to reapply for its consent to drill at Rosebank once the Government's revised guidance on emissions produced by burning oil and gas is released. EnergyTown was developed for the Equinor programme by the marketing agency We Are Futures, which has worked for other high-emitting firms like BP.


The Guardian
10 hours ago
- The Guardian
Glitching maps, missing bees and antique cheese – take the Thursday quiz
One of these days, like an exciting curveball, the Thursday quiz is going to end up appearing on a Wednesday or a Friday, just to keep everybody on their toes. But not this week. It is definitely Thursday, and this is definitely an increasingly weirdly niche quiz about topical news, general knowledge, and pop culture, which is excited today to lean into genuine newsy questions about Sparks and Doctor Who. There are no prizes, sadly, as the Thursday quiz operates on the most shoestring of budgets, but we hope you have fun and will let us know how you get on in the comments. The Thursday quiz, No 213 If you really do think there has been an egregious error in one of the questions or answers – and can show your working and are absolutely 100% positive you aren't attempting to factcheck a joke – you can complain about it in the comments below. Why not watch Return The Day (Colours) by Dog Race instead?