Easy like Sunday morning

The Hindu Sunday quiz on ‘Wacky news of 2023’ by Berty Ashley

1. In December, Kyrgyzstan’s parliament passed a bill that makes a change in the design of the national flag. This was after politicians complained about the symbol in the centre, which is a yellow circle depicting the sun and a traditional Kyrgyz tent. They said this symbol also looks like a certain flower, used to refer to a fickle person who switches allegiance for personal benefit. What flower is this, that gets this reputation due to its ability to follow the the sun?

2. In September, referees Darren England, Dan Cook and Simon Hooper were given a special disciplinary presentation about the need for clarity and accuracy in communication after chaotic miscommunication by the referees led to a goal being disallowed at a Liverpool-Tottenham game. Two British Airways pilots were specially brought in for the presentation. What infamous rule in football was at the centre of this debacle?

3. ArteyPerros is an art exhibition that opened in Mexico in October to celebrate a special bond that humans have shared with a certain loyal companion for thousands of years. It has pieces that both visitors and their loyal companions can enjoy, for which Museo Tamayo relaxed a certain rule. Who or what could you take to ArteyPerros?

4. Emergency physicians in Melbourne decided to do an experiment after meeting a lot of anxious parents who would rush to the hospital after their child had ingested a particular object. They realized there was no scientific paper to refer to when reassuring the parents that this object will be pooped out the next day. So six of them swallowed a piece each, conducted the study, and eventually published the results. What did they swallow, that is found in many homes?

5. This year saw five record breaking performances by contestants in an annual competition held in Montenegro. In the end, two 23-year-olds were declared winners after a record 50 days, sharing the €1000 prize between them. Known as the ‘Laziest Citizen’ event, what did the winners do for 50 days?

6. A Canadian farmer got into trouble this year when he was ordered to pay $62,000 because of a reply he sent which, according to the court, constituted a valid contract signature. The farmer argued that he had sent the reply to acknowledge receipt, but the judge decided that his reply was ‘used to express assent, approval’. What did the farmer reply with?

7. The local currency of this country, the ‘Peso’, depreciated by 60% this year due to record high inflation rates. Some artists started expressing their anger by painting artistic scenes on ARS$50 and ARS$100 bills. This increased the value of these worthless bills, which fetched almost $300 abroad. Which country’s currency is this, usually depicted by the symbol ARS?