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With a UK general election campaign in full swing, and with Emmanuel Macron calling a snap vote in France, you will be pleased to know that this week’s election question features Belgium. Your challenge overall is to answer 15 questions on topical news and general knowledge, with a smattering of in-jokes included. There are no prizes, but let us know how you get on in the comments, where you can earn bonus points by being funny or spotting tenuous links to children’s teatime favourite Doctor Who. Enjoy!

The Thursday quiz, No 164

  1. 1.The Belgium prime minister was one of a slew of politicians stepping down from their roles after poor performances for their parties in the European elections. Who was the prime minister of Belgium who resigned on Monday?

  2. 2.That new deeply weird and deeply red portrait of King Charles III had something stuck over it in a protest by animal rights activists. What?

    King Charles and his big painting

  3. 3.The Thursday quiz loves an academic legal ding-dong. Which university is facing legal challenges after changing its name to the University of Greater Manchester?

    Graduation day

  4. 4.Under Paris, the Netflix blockbuster about a shark, is apparently in the ‘so bad it is actually amazing’ category. What is its original name in French?

    Shark fin

  5. 5.North Korea and South Korea have been rattling their sabres by sending balloons (not pictured) across the border. North Korea’s have apparently contained poo. What has South Korea been sending back in revenge?

    Balloons

  6. 6.Whose statue was beheaded and covered in red paint in the latest attack on colonial monuments in Melbourne, Australia?

    Australian aboriginal flag

  7. 7.The HTTP status codes you are most likely to see as a user when things go wrong on the world wide web include 404 not found, 500 internal server error and 503 service unavailable. But what is the HTTP response code for successful HTTP requests, which means OK?

    A woman working on her laptop

  8. 8.You’ve always wanted to pass GCSE statistics, right? Try this one. If you asked 120 pupils who their favourite recording artist was, and 45% of them said Taylor Swift, how many pupils said that?

    Statistics

  9. 9.Over the last 24 weeks we went through questions on all 24 teams playing at the Euros this summer. So now here’s a new series of questions about countries who are NOT playing at the Euros. Algeria’s flag has a white half, and a red star and crescent on it. But which colour is the other half of the flag?

    Confused shrug

  10. 10.Which of these is the name of the first episode of hilariously childish animation South Park?

    Television

  11. 11.To whom did Marjorie Taylor Greene (not pictured) compare Donald Trump this weekend?

    The Honey Monster

  12. 12.Nottingham Forest (very much not pictured) made a right hoo-ha last season about VAR, at one point posting to social media accusing an official of making decisions against them because they supported Luton. How did they vote in the Premier League rules-making meeting?

    Notts County's stadium

  13. 13.It is time for jazz club. Nice. What is Keith Jarrett best known for playing?

    Jazz club

  14. 14.It is the anniversary – give or take a few calendar changes over the centuries – of the Edict of Milan in AD313, which in theory ended the persecution of Christians within the Roman empire (pictured). Which of these emperors issued it?

    Rome

  15. 15.This is Willow, the official dog of the Guardian Thursday quiz. She knows that a bull escaped a rodeo in Oregon this week. What was its name?

    Willow the official dog of the Guardian Thursday quiz

If you really do think there has been an egregious error in one of the questions or answers – and can show your working – feel free to email [email protected], but remember the quiz master’s word is final and you would have more fun watching the new Desperate Journalist video instead.


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