Aotearoa Weekly Quiz 31

New Zealand has an MMP voting system. What does MMP stand for?

• Mixed-member proportional

• Multi-member parliament

• Maximum membership parliament

Answer explanation

Mixed-member proportional - Under MMP, 120 MPs are elected to Parliament. Voters have two votes - one for their local electorate and one for a political party.  The 72 electorates are made up from 65 general and seven Māori electorates. The total number of party votes for each party largely determines the total number of seats each political party is entitled to in Parliament.  A political party needs to win at least one electorate seat, or five percent of the party vote to get a share of the seats in Parliament.

A major conflict erupted in the Middle East when Israel was attacked by fighters from which Palestinian territory?

• The West Bank

• Golan Heights

• The Gaza Strip

Answer explanation

The Gaza Strip - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Israel that it is “at war” with Hamas militants that rule the Gaza Strip. Hamas carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel firing thousands of rockets and dozens of fighters infiltrated the border in several locations by air, land and sea, and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday. Thousands of Palestinians have fled to southern Gaza as Israel has sent in its first ground troops.

An Ethiopian runner smashed the women's marathon world record recently in Berlin. How long did it take her to run the distance of 42.19km?

• Just over one hour

• Just over two hours

• Just over three hours

Answer explanation

Just over two hours - Tigst Assefa crossed the line in a time of two hours, 11 minutes and 53 seconds. The 26-year-old took more than two minutes off the previous record of 2:14.04 - set in 2019.

What is the last name of this man?

Answer explanation

Luxon - Chris Luxon is the Prime Minister-in-waiting following the election night results. His National Party and the ACT Party seem to have a majority and can form a government. However, they may yet need the support of Winston Peter's and the New Zealand First Party. Around 500,000 special votes are still to be counted and the results will not be finalised until November 3rd.

With which other Commonwealth country is India having a major diplomatic argument?

• Canada

• Scotland

• Australia

Answer explanation

Canada - India has stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens amid an escalating row over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil. Tensions flared between the two countries after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said India may have been behind the 18 June killing.

What was the score in the Rugby World Cup quarter final match between the All Blacks and Ireland?

• 12-18 All Black loss

• 28-18 All Black win

• 28-24 All Black win

Answer explanation

28-24 All Black win - The All Blacks will play Argentina in the semi-finals after beating the current world number one rugby team.

What did the Philippines remove from the South China Sea in a tense stand off with China?

• The Chinese Ambassador

• A Chinese aircraft carrier

• A floating barrier

Answer explanation

A floating barrier - The Philippines says it has removed a floating barrier installed by China to block Philippine fishing boats entering a contested area in the South China Sea. China claims more than 90% of the South China Sea.

What is shown in this stunning image from the United States last week?

• A total lunar eclipse

• An annular solar eclipse

• A black hole

Answer explanation

An annular solar eclipse - Stargazers and astronomers were treated to the spectacular celestial event at the weekend. This cosmic phenomenon was visible in parts of the US, Mexico, and in South and Central America. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking out most but not quite all of the Sun's light.

True or false, the Writer's Union in Hollywood have said they will extend the strike on writing new shows and films for another 12 months?

• True

• False

Answer explanation

False - Screenwriters in the US say they have reached a deal with studio bosses that could see them end a strike that has lasted nearly five months. Hollywood writers have been striking in a row over pay and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the industry.

A New Zealand man has claimed to have set a new world record for the most bungy jumps in 24 hours. How many jumps did he make?

• 376

• 941

• 1,500

Answer explanation

941 - Mike Heard held the world record in 2017, and this was the latest of several attempts to get it back. The record of 765 bungy jumps was set last year by Frenchman Francois-Marie Dibon.