Innholdsfortegnelse for No. 113 i The Week Junior

In late January, some of the world’s richest and most powerful people attended the Davos conference at a snow-covered resort in Switzerland. For four days, they discussed how to make the world a better place. Speakers included Donald Trump, the US president, and the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May. What is Davos? Davos is a town in the Swiss Alps. In 1971, a German university professor called Klaus Schwab decided to hold a meeting of some of the world’s top business people. He called this meeting the European Management Forum and it took place in Davos. After a couple of years, the business leaders also started to discuss world issues and in 1974, they began to invite politicians and world leaders to join them. In 1987, Schwab changed the name…

THE WORLD’S OLDEST TAPIR Kingut is thought to be the world’s oldest tapir and on 27 January he celebrated his 40th birthday. Keepers at Port Lympne Reserve in Kent marked the day by giving Kingut a cake made from apples, bananas, carrots and raisins. MINNIE MOUSE Minnie Mouse has been given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – 40 years after Mickey Mouse. The moment was celebrated with the help of Katy Perry, who dressed in a Minnie Mouse costume. Minnie’s star will appear alongside those of other characters on the famous stretch, including Donald Duck and Tinkerbell. A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE Every day, Joan Hart tries to catch a glimpse of the horses and their riders from the Defence Animal Training Regiment in Leicestershire. So, for her 100th…

What you need to know ● A referendum is when a country or area is asked to vote on a particular question. It allows people to tell the Government how they feel about an important issue. ● In 2016, a referendum was held to decide whether or not the UK should remain part of the European Union (EU) – a group of European countries – or leave. The result was close, but overall more people voted to leave the EU – a process known as Brexit. ● Some people, including politicians on both sides of the debate, think that the UK should hold a second referendum, to decide whether Brexit should go ahead. The European Union (EU) is a group currently made up of 28 countries. The organisation was founded…

BrimstoneThe male Brimstone’s veined, lemon-yellow wings closely resemble leaves, which is ideal camouflage during hibernation (a deep sleep during winter). PeacockOne of the most familiar butterflies, this purple-splashed species can makee a hissing noise, which is thought to scare off predators. Comma The wings of the comma butterfly have ragged edges that look like adeadd leaf to help it stay hidden. Oncee rare, the breed has made a fantastic comeback since the 1960s. Holly Blue This species is easily distinguished from other blue butterflies because it is the only one with silvery underwings speckled with black dots.…

Meet Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua – they’re the world’s first cloned macaque monkeys. Cloning is the process of making an identical copy of a living thing. Clones have exactly the same genetic information as their parent. Genetic information comes from your mother and father, but clones are created using information from just one parent – making them an exact copy of that parent. The birth of the cloned macaque monkeys was announced on 24 January by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Neuroscience in Shanghai, China. They are the first primates – the group of mammals that includes apes, humans and monkeys – to be cloned by a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer. Researchers say that these monkeys will be used to help study genetic…

Hydrophones are microphones that are used for listening to and recording underwater sounds – and now they’re being used as an early-warning system for tsunamis. Tsunamis are giant, powerful and destructive waves caused by undersea earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Using hydrophones, scientists can monitor what is happening underwater and listen out for noises that suggest a tsunami is on the way. Before this, tsunamis could only be detected by buoys floating on the water that record changes in sea levels. The problem with that method is that it doesn’t give much warning. Hydrophones can send alerts much earlier, giving people more time to evacuate the area.…

by Katie Thistleton (Hachette Children’s Group) Growing up, TV and radio presenter atie Thistleton loved reading agony aunt pages (where people wrote to magazines and newspapers with personal problems that a therapist or doctor would help to solve). Now she’s turned agony aunt herself: she invited 10 to 16-year-olds to write to her anonymously with their real-life problems and concerns. This book brings together some of their letters, along with Katie’s responses. Covering all sorts of things, including family troubles, school and exam stress, falling out with friends and worries about mental health, Dear Katie includes guidance and ideas from medical doctor Radha Modgil, psychotherapist Sally Angel and Katie herself. You’ll also find space to make your own notes, and there are useful links to find further information. Full of…

The Adventures of Puss in Boots: Season 6 Available now on Netflix The greatest swashbuckling feline fighter on the planet is back for more daring adventures. See Puss in Boots continue to protect the mythical land of San Lorenzo, which is invisible to the outside world. Six Nations 1.45pm on 3 February, BBC One The biggest rugby event of the year, the Six Nations Championship, starts with Wales versus Scotland (kick-off 2.15pm). Ireland take on France in Paris later on in the afternoon (kick-off 4.45pm) and England play Italy in Rome the day after (kick-off 3pm). Back in Time for Tea 8pm on 6 February, BBC Two The Ellis family have chosen to travel back in time to spend a summer discovering how people would have lived 100 years ago.…

“I go to Fins Mermaid School at Pontins in Prestatyn, Wales, and I love it! We do routines like synchronised swimming, and I recently had an underwater photo shoot. My tail is a monofin with a coloured skin (scales) that goes over the top. It’s fun learning how to swim like a fish – you can’t use your legs or arms as you normally would, so you move your body in a wave-like motion. It’s good for your core and I’m now getting a six-pack!”…

The results of last week’s Big debate poll reveal that just over half of the readers who voted prefer YouTube to traditional TV. Meanwhile, a study released this week suggests that more children than ever are turning to YouTube when they are online and some people are worried that the videos they watch could be encouraging bad behaviour. Childwise, the research company behind the study, says that many of the most popular YouTubers are the ones who “do the worst possible things they can get away with”. The company is also concerned that voice-activated technology, like Alexa and Google Home, could lead to a decline in good manners, because people get used to barking orders instead of asking nicely. What do you think? Could technology make people ruder? Are some…

For the eighth year running, BBC Radio 2 has opened its 500 Words competition, inviting all five to 13-year-olds across the UK to submit their very own original story. Entrants can write about any theme or subject of their choice – the only rules are that it must be 500 words or fewer in length and your own work. As well as receiving a pile of books, the six winners will enjoy a ride in a real-life Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car and sip tea on board the Queen’s Rowbarge, Gloriana. There are lots of helpful tips and ideas on the website to help get your creative cogs turning. Visit tinyurl.com/TWJ-500words2018to find out how to submit your amazing story before the 22 February deadline.…

For the last 22 years, artist Marcio Matolias has lived in his very own sandcastle. Affectionately called King Marcio by his friends, he built his unusual home from scratch. King Marcio’s castle can be found in a posh part of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. Matolias earns his living from donations from visitors, who take pictures of his sand palace, and from his book-exchange stand. Even though his house may not last for ever, he simply says, “If the castle collapses, I’ll build another one.” SKY HIGH SANDCASTLE The world’s tallest sandcastle was built in Duisburg, Germany, on 1 September 2017. It was 16.68 metres high.…

One cheeky little penguin recently made a big impression on a team of Australian researchers after propelling itself out of the water and onto their boat in Antarctica. To the team’s surprise, the inquisitive Adélie penguin blasted out of the water to see what the expedition was all about. After quickly inspecting the equipment, the flightless bird leapt back into the icy waters, disappearing from sight. Have a look at the penguin’s flying visit at tinyurl.com/TWJ-penguinpassenger…

1 Which cartoon character was recently given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the US? a) Minnie Mouse b) Donald Duck c) Mickey Mouse 2 True or false? Tallulah the tortoise was found just 322 metres from her home after going missing for six months. 3 Which animal have people in the Japanese city of Tokyo been advised to walk like in order to avoid slipping in the snow? 4 A referendum is the name for: a) A public vote on a major decision b) A special type of national holiday c) A decision made by the government 5 True or false? The founder of Ikea once owned a business selling toothpicks to his neighbours. 6 How many years does it take for plastic to break down?…

Six of the highest paid BBC male presenters have agreed to have their pay reduced, in an attempt to make pay more equal between men and women. The news comes after it was revealed in July last year that some of the BBC’s male presenters earn more than its female presenters. What is the gender pay gap? The gender pay gap is the difference between how much men and women are paid for doing the same job. BBC Scotland health correspondent Eleanor Bradford left the BBC in 2016 after she found out she was paid £10,000 less than her male colleagues who were doing exactly the same job. She was often called a “model correspondent” but she didn’t receive equal pay. Areport published in October 2017 found that men’s wages…

How much time do you spend online every day? According to Ofcom – an organisation that oversees communication services in the UK – young people aged five to 15 spend around 15 hours each week online. As children spend more and more time online, the importance of doing so safely is a subject that worries lots of people. One campaign that takes online safely very seriously is Safer Internet Day, which will be celebrated this year on 6 February. Hundreds of organisations around the world get involved in Safer Internet Day by helping promote the safe and positive use of digital technology among children and young people. The theme of the day is “Create, Connect and Share Respect: A better internet starts with you”. The internet is a great way…

Terry Deary didn’t just want to make history, he wanted to make it horrible. He created the first Horrible Histories book 25 years ago and the series is still going strong. Although he hasn’t lived through the age of the Romans or Egyptians, he lived through something he considered just as horrible: school. He once said, “They should close all schools and sack all teachers.” The Horrible Histories series is beloved by curious young readers who appreciate his rather twisted take on the past. Deary wasn’t part of traditional publishing or education; he was an outsider. Deary told The Week Junior, “In the past, publishers had always given experts the job. ‘Write a book for children about the Norman invasion,’ they’d say. And because they were teachers or textbook writers,…

The high brown fritillary is the rarest butterfly in the UK. Since the 1950s, the insect’s population has declined dramatically due to habitat loss and the planet’s changing climate. Even though the number of high brown fritillaries has increased over the past few years, there is still a lot of work to be done to save these endangered creatures. That’s why the National Trust, the conservation organisation, is planning a sanctuary to help the winged insect flourish once more. The high brown fritillary is a large butterfly with distinctive orange wings. It can be seen in woodland clearings, or flying above low vegetation and bracken (the UK’s most common type of fern). It relies on warm temperatures and bracken-covered slopes to develop and survive. However, experts believe that the butterflies…

Vicky Fyson, bird keeper at ZSL London Zoo “Birds have a special tendon in their feet that locks them into a grip position when they come into contact with a branch or perch. Although this would be very difficult for a human, this is the relaxed position for a bird and you can often see their toes curling around branches.” Do you love animals? ZSL London Zoo’s Junior Zoo Academy is a great way to learn about creatures from all over the world. Find out more at zsl.org/experiences…

Roger Federer He won the Australian Open men’s tennis title for the sixth time. Federer is the first man to win 20 Grand Slam championships. John & Katie Archibald The Scottish athletes, who are brother and sister, won four golds between them at the National Track Cycling Championships in Manchester. Newport County The League Two football club drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur, from the Premier League, in the FA Cup fourth round. The game will be replayed at Wembley Stadium on 7 February. England netball team England beat South Africa 52-47 in Johannesburg to finish as runners-up in the 2018 Quad Series tournament.…

What have you learned from writing Dear Katie? The sort of things people wrote to me about were the same things I worried about or went through when I was younger, and some of it even now. I also received many letters from people with the same problem as others, but everyone always thought they were the only one. What one piece of advice do you have for young people? Four words: you are good enough. I think a lot of our problems stem from us not thinking we’re good-looking enough, cool enough, smart enough, talented enough or popular enough. If we all ealised that we’re one of a kind, we’d put a lot less pressure on ourselves. What’s the best advice you’ve been given? My dad taught me a…

Card Journal iOS (Free) If you’ve ever thought about keeping a diary but wish it could include photos taken on your smartphone, this app is just for you. Card Journal is a mixture of those two ideas – it’s a diary app that lets you create a single card for every day of the year. Each card could include a written account of something that’s happened to you, an interesting thought or idea that has struck you, or a photo of something that you’d like to remember. It’s easy to get started. Each card has a picture, a title and some text that you tap in. And if you’re worried you’ll forget to update it, you can set up a daily notification for Card Journal to remind you. This app…

Could I be a mermaid? Sure, as long as you can confidently swim and are comfortable underwater. It’s for boys as well as girls – mermaids and mermen. Where can I try it? There are mermaid academies all over the country offering courses and experiences, and new ones are opening all the time. Never try mermaid swimming without having proper lessons first because can be dangerous. What does it involve? You’ll learn how to put on a tail, enter and exit the water and swim like a mermaid. You might practise a routine or have some underwater fun, like diving for treasure.…

Scottish Mountain Rescue More than 800 volunteers make up 23 mountain rescue teams placed around Scotland, which provide a civilian mountain search-and-rescue service to anyone in need or distress. The volunteers give up their free time to be sent out at the request of the police to a variety of incidents, quite often in extremely bad weather. The teams are available to help out 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To find out about the work they do, go to scottishmountainrescue.org…

Teacher: Mrs Venables School: Westbury Park Primary School, Bristol “Mrs Venables is a kind and caring teacher to all. When you find something tricky, she helps you understand. She is very funny. When you are naughty, she tells you to stop in a calm voice so you don’t get upset.” Tilly, Year 4 If we pick your teacher as Teacher of the Week, we’ll send your school three free issues of The Week Junior. Send your nominations, along with a picture of your teacher and your school’s full name and address, to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk…

Paris, France River Seine bursts its banks On 29 January, the River Seine rose almost four metres above its usual level following weeks of heavy, continuous rain. As water levels began to rise, around 1,500 people were made to leave their homes and many residents had no electricity. Schools and roads closed, and hospitals were evacuated. At this time of year the Seine usually rises by one or two metres, although in 2016, it rose by six metres. New York, US Trump offered a golden toilet Last September, the White House asked a New York museum, the Guggenheim, if it could borrow a painting by Vincent van Gogh on behalf of the US president, Donald Trump. This wasn’t possible but he was offered another piece of art: a solid-gold toilet.…

A pair of swans Two swans, which have been together for 19 years, have been reunited after one of them went missing for six weeks on its 2,500-mile journey from Russia for the winter. Experts had begun to worry when one had arrived in Gloucestershire without his partner. The Amazon rainforest Peru’s government is to allow roads to be built through the Amazon rainforest, describing it as a “priority and national interest”. This could put the people and animals who live in the forest at risk of losing their homes because roads make it easier for illegal mining and tree felling to take place.…

For women in the UK today, the right to vote might seem completely normal. However, it took a lot of campaigning by women (and men) over many years before it became a reality. A hundred years ago this week, some women in the UK were given the right to vote for the first time. It was a momentous occasion, but people campaigning for gender equality today say there is still much work to do. How did it all begin? For a long time, women had fewer rights than men. They couldn’t own property or vote for their local Member of Parliament (MP), so didn’t have any say over their lives. From the mid-19th century, women began to say this wasn’t fair. In 1897, Millicent Fawcett decided something must be done.…

Hair-raising Two horses watch the eruption of Mount Mayon in the Philippines. More than 70,000 people have been moved to safety. Masked dancers Dancers known as kukeri perform in Bulgaria’s annual International Festival of Masquerade Games. Pole position A fisherman in China uses a complicated system of poles to secure his nets. Festive fun Dancers perform at the 50th Dinagyang Festival, a religious and cultural celebration in the Philippines. Star over Russia A drone captures the magnificent view of Moscow at night. Highland fling A volunteer shows the proper way to hurl a haggis as part of Burns Night celebrations in Scotland. Sealin’ good A playful seal gets up close off the coast of Devon.…

A Storm of Strawberries by Jo Cotterill (Templar Publishing) Twelve-year-old Darby has Down’s syndrome. She can’t wait to enjoy summer on her family’s strawberry farm, but when her sister Kaydee brings a friend home for the weekend, things take a difficult turn. Then disaster strikes: their farm is hit by a fierce tornado. With problems mounting on all sides, how will Darby cope? Thunderstruck by Ali Sparkes (Oxford University Press) When Alisha and Theo are struck by lightning while hiding under a tree, their lives suddenly get interesting: they can now see Doug and Lizzie, two teenagers who were struck by lightning under the same tree in 1975 and who’ve remained there ever since. But not all ghosts are as friendly as Doug and Lizzie... The Dark Is Rising by…

In 1974, a workman called Yang Zhifa set out to build a well in Shaanxi province in China. Little did he know that he was about to make one of the most important archaeological discoveries in history. When Zhifa uncovered a piece of terracotta, his first thought was that he had perhaps discovered an old kiln (an oven used to bake clay objects). He continued his search with great care, “so that we’d be able to dig out any old jars and take them home for our own use,” he later remembered. However, Zhifa had uncovered one of thousands of terracotta soldiers, life-size statues made to escort one of China’s great emperors into the afterlife. Emperor Qin Shi Huang ruled China more than 2,000 years ago. His brutality was legendary,…

The Black Cauldron (1985) DVD, DisneyLife, Amazon, iTunes Walt Disney was a very different company in the mid-1980s, and nowhere is that more evident than The Black Cauldron. A notoriously tricky production, it’s a scary film for a Disney animation and lost lots of money; you won’t see a Black Cauldron ride at one of the studio’s theme parks. It’s a fascinating piece of Disney history, and its failure forced the company to make big changes to its production methods. Those changes, just four years later, would see The Little Mermaid splash onto the screen. CHOPPING ANDCHANGING Week After a private preview screening, angry Disney bosses delayed the release of the film by seven months. Twelve minutes of film was removed.…

Hero Academy 2 Android / iOS (Free) Would you have been a good leader of an army in medieval times? Hero Academy 2 gives you the chancee too find out – by playing a mobile game rather than facing real swords and arrows. You can create your own army by collecting characters, spells and equipment as cards, which you then use for the board-game-like battles. As you collect more cards, you can then decide how you want to fight: using wizards and powerful spells or brawny warriors built for hand-to-hand combat. The game can be played against other people online or on your own against the computer, which will help you practise your skills.…

Mermaids used to be mythical creatures you’d only hear about in fairy tales or films. But lately, mermaids and mermen have been appearing at swimming pools and beaches up and down the country. That’s because “mermaid academies” have started opening up everywhere, giving people of all ages the chance to experience being one of these exotic creatures, making dreams come true. If you’re curious, just look online to find the nearest place to you that offers mermaid lessons – it might be your local leisure centre or swimming pool. You can try a one-off experience or sign up to a course. To get started, you’ll need a tail – a monofin (flipper) that both your feet go into, with a coloured skin that you pull over the top and up…

Cook vegetable fried rice What you need ● Olive oil ● 2 beaten eggs ● 2 handfuls of frozen peas ● 3 thinly sliced spring onions ● 2 handfuls sweetcorn ● 300g cooked rice ● Sesame oil ● Soy sauce ● A frying pan or wok ● A spatula Instructions Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan or wok and pour in the beaten eggs. Twirl them round in the pan so they cover the whole base, like a pancake. When they’ve set, flip them over and cook the other side, then put them on a plate and leave them to one side. Next, put the peas, spring onions and sweetcorn in the pan with another splash of oil and cook for two minutes, stirring often. Roll…

“ At almost midnight on 6 January 2018, a group of 15 and 16-year-olds went into Rota Express – a convenience store on Mill Hill Broadway, in London. They tried to bully shopkeeper Vijay Patel into giving them goods not suitable for under-16s, but he rightly refused. The teens didn’t agree and badly hurt the shopkeeper. He sadly later died in hospital. I was upset when I heard about the attack. However, the whole community has come together to raise money for his family. Local schools have also been collecting money, too. Two girls in Year 3, Amber and Abigail, organised a toy sale at Goodwyn School, raising £920.66 for the Patel family. This story has also been published in the national press. Over £30,000 has been raised so far…

Follow The Week Junior on Popjam @TheWeekJunior You can download the free Popjam app from the App Store or GooglePlay. The film crew for recent BBC documentary Big Cats captured footage of the smallest cat in the world. You said... “Aw! Rusty-spotted cats are so cute!” @IIamacorn4ever “I wish I had one as a pet” @erieberry1 “I watched that. I really like the Pallas’s cat kittens. They were so small and fluffy!” @Artistic_Owl From the beginning of March, selling energy drinks to children under the age of 16 will be banned in some supermarkets. You said... “Good. We don’t need them anyway!” @CrispyMoustache “That makes sense. Kids shouldn’t be drinking energy drinks.” @dreamerthewolfie “I agree because fizzy drinks are very unhealthy for you. They contain lots of sugar.” @orangeambercupcake Tell…

On 20 January, something icy fell from the sky with an almighty thud, leading residents in the village of Fazilpur Badli in northern India to believe it was a meteorite. Experts however are almost certain that the 10–12 kilogram block of ice is actually passengers’ poo that accidentally leaked from a plane in the sky and froze before hitting Earth. Usually, human waste is stored in special tanks on planes and disposed of properly once the craft has landed.…