Innholdsfortegnelse for No. 152 i The Week Junior

On 27 October, there was an attack on people in a synagogue (a place of worship and a communal centre for Jewish people) in Pittsburgh, US. Police confirmed 11 people died and six people were injured, including four police officers who arrived to help. The man who carried out the attack was arrested at the scene. What happened? The Tree of Life synagogue was having its Saturday morning service when a man walked in and opened fire on those present. The rabbi (the person who leads Jewish ceremonies), Jeffrey Myers, was conducting the service when the attack happened. He was one of the first people to call the police and was able to help move others from the building to safety as the attack unfolded. The motivation for the attack…

The wildlife charity WWF has published its latest Living Planet Report, which comes out every two years. The reports looks at the state of the Earth and its biggest threats. This year it revealed that global populations of amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles fell by 60% between 1970 and 2014. Earth has been in existence for around 4.5 billion years, and humans have lived on it for roughly 200,000 of them. The growing human population and its increasing demand for resources, such as food and water, has taken a massive toll on other species in less than 50 years. According to the report, humans are now using up the planet’s resources faster than nature can renew them. In the report, WWF warned that current conservation efforts aren’t enough to…

A group of dog walkers in Cardiff have protested against the council’s plans to ban their pets from sports pitches in the city. The council wants to prevent owners from leaving dog poo in areas where it affects other members of the public. A Cardiff Council spokesperson said that they get a “significant” number of complaints each year about dog poo and out-of-control dogs, and said the new rules would help make sure the parks could “be enjoyed safely by everyone”. However, the protesters say only a few irresponsible dog walkers don’t pick up their pets’ mess so the new rules aren’t needed. Similar attempts in other parts of the UK to ban dogs from sports pitches have been unsuccessful. So, should dogs be banned from pitches? Yes – it’s…

A species of deep-sea cucumber, known as a headless chicken monster, has been recorded for the first time off east Antarctica in the Southern Ocean. This unusual creature, which is called the Enypniastes eximia, has only been filmed once before, in 2017, in the Gulf of Mexico. The recent recording is the first time it has been seen in the Southern Ocean. The Australian Antarctic Division developed special camera equipment for the tricky task. The equipment had to be “thrown from the side of a boat and continue operating reliably under extreme pressure in the pitch black for long periods of time,” explained programme leader Dr Dirk Welsford. Sea cucumbers are squishy invertebrates (an animal that has no backbone), which are distantly related to starfish and urchins. Unlike their relatives,…

On 22 October, the Government announced plans to ban plastic straws, cotton buds and drinks stirrers, which can end up littering the country’s environment. It’s estimated that people in England use 4.7 billion plastic straws, 1.8 billion plastic-stemmed cotton buds and 316 million plastic drinks stirrers every year. Despite non-plastic alternatives being available, many people still choose single-use plastic items that will be used just once – usually for a few minutes – before being thrown away, yet they take hundreds of years to break down. That is why the Government is planning on banning the production and sale of these three single-use products between October 2019 and October 2020. Environment Secretary Michael Gove said, “Today we step up our efforts to turn the tide on plastic pollution and ensure…

On 30 October, Rahul Madal was revealed as the winner of this year’s Great British Bake Off. After being awarded the coveted title he said, “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I just feel I need to talk with my mum.” Twelve bakers entered the famous tent in Welford Park, Berkshire, ready to whisk, beat and ice their way to the top. During this year’s final, judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith set the finalists a challenge that had to be baked outside. It was the first time in the show’s eight-year history that the contestants had to complete a task that wasn’t in the tent. “I don’t think he realises still how good he actually is and I think that’s what’s magic about Rahul,” explained Hollywood. BAKE…

“My sister, best friend and I had a fun day of sloth-related activities to celebrate International Sloth Day on 20 October. We also made these yummy sloth cupcakes.” Millie, Khloe and Gracie, Secondary 1 “I took this photo while we and our neighbours were making massive bubbles. I can’t believe it came out so well!” Hannah, Year 7 “Here I am reading The Week Junior with my dog Kaspar.” Noah, Year 6…

Hundreds of archaeologists (people who study evidence of past human activity, usually found underground) have begun the UK’s biggest dig in the hope of finding items that will give us an insight into our past. The project is part of HS2 – a high-speed railway network that will link London, the West Midlands, Leeds and Manchester, which is due to be finished and ready to use in 2026. However, before any building can begin, experts must carry out a thorough archaeological survey of the route. This has provided historians with a fantastic opportunity. Helen Wass, the project’s lead archaeologist, told The Guardian newspaper, “Certainly there has been nothing in Britain on this scale. We are really going to be able to tell the story of a nation.” For the next…

Har Prakash Rishi, from India, has broken more than 20 world records and has several entries listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. He is so dedicated to breaking records that he is known as Guinness Rishi. Among his records are the longest hand-delivered pizza – for which he travelled from New Delhi, India, to San Francisco, US, via London, in 27 hours – and has the record for most flags tattooed on his body (499). Rishi even removed all of his teeth to break the record for highest number of straws stuck in his mouth (496, in case you’re wondering). The 76-year-old recently told the TV station Al Jazeera that even in his old age he wanted to “defend (his) records as long as possible”.…

A red jellyfish that is rarely seen thanks to its amazing camouflage abilities has been spotted off the coast of southern California, in the US. The Poralia rufescens was filmed by scientists using a remotely controlled vehicle from Exploration Vessel Nautilus. It has around 30 tentacles and is about nine centimetres in diameter. When the jellyfish doesn’t have lights shining on it, its colouring helps it disappear because red is difficult to see in the deep ocean’s low light.…

It is 350 years since the birth of Thomas Coram, the man who started one of the first charities to look after homeless children in England. Coram was not a wealthy man. He had his own shipbuilding business but spent much of his life campaigning for social equality. His greatest achievement was setting up the Foundling Hospital in London. Thomas Coram Thomas Coram was an adventurer, campaigner and philanthropist (someone who helps people). He was born in 1668 in Dorset, and at the age of 11 was sent to sea by his father. At 16 he began to learn about shipbuilding. He moved to Boston in the US in 1694, and set up a shipyard. When Coram returned to England 10 years later, he was shocked to see so many…

Last month, The Week Junior reported that NASA’s space telescope, Hubble, had put itself to sleep because of a problem with one of its gyroscopes. A gyroscope is a bit like a steering system, helping the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to steer itself and keep locked on to its targets. Before the failure, the HST had three working gyroscopes, but there was a problem on 5 October that left the telescope with only two that worked. The space telescope needs three gyroscopes to be able to carry out its scientific observations properly. When the gyroscope failed, NASA turned on a back-up, but that one wasn’t working either. To fix the problem, the NASA team turned the back-up gyroscope off for one second, then restarted it. They then ordered the spacecraft…

On 28 October, Britain’s Lewis Hamilton was crowned the Formula One (F1) world champion for the fifth time. The 33-year-old Mercedes driver finished fourth at the Mexico grand prix, winning 12 points and putting him on 358 points in total for the season. With only two races left, the second-placed Ferrari driver, Sebastian Vettel, can’t catch Hamilton at the top of the drivers’ championship. Hamilton has enjoyed motor racing ever since he was a young boy. When he was 10 he became the youngest winner of the British Cadet Kart championship. Aged 13 he joined the McLaren F1 team’s young driver programme and raced in his first grand prix in 2007. He won his first world championship in 2008 with McLaren and after joining the Mercedes team in 2013, he…

On 7 November, the sixth annual Into Film Festival will launch in the UK. For two and a half weeks, five to 19-year-olds across the country will have the opportunity to get their hands on tickets to almost 3,000 free film screenings and special events held in 550 different venues across the UK. The Into Film Festival began in 2013, and last year 487,000 young people took part. It was created by a charity called Into Film, and is funded by the British Film Institute (which works to promote and preserve UK films and TV shows) and Cinema First (an organisation that helps the film industry). Into Film is also responsible for helping schools set up film clubs or put on film screenings. Festival-goers can enjoy films and documentaries and…

When getting out of a car, it is important to check all around you – and especially behind you. This is to make sure there aren’t any cyclists approaching who could get injured if you open the door suddenly and unexpectedly. To do this safely, you need to reach for the door handle using the hand furthest away from the door. For example, if you are getting out of the left side of the car and the traffic is coming from behind you, use your right hand to reach for the handle. If you are getting out of the right side, use your left hand. By reaching across your chest to open the door, your body naturally turns and allows you to look behind for oncoming traffic, such as cyclists.…

Name: Ruth “On 2 July, I along with three other students from Colyton Grammar School, travelled to London to attend my second Shine Media Awards ceremony. Last year our school magazine, Seven Stripes, was fortunate enough to win Best Magazine. This year we were honoured to be awarded first prize for Best Overall Content, which is how I found myself spending my Monday exploring the offices and meeting the team behind The Week Junior. It was fun to see what goes on behind the scenes of this popular magazine. Although this has been my first time getting to see a professional magazine in action, hopefully it will not be my last! Find out more about the Shine School Awards at shine-schoolawards.org ” What’s going on at your school? Have you taken…

Five people, including the 61-year-old owner of Leicester City football club, have died in a helicopter crash. The aircraft spiralled out of control soon after leaving the club’s stadium on 27 October. Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who bought Leicester City in 2010, was on board the helicopter with two of his staff members, the pilot, and the pilot’s partner. At the time The Week Junior went to press, investigators were still unsure of the cause. Srivaddhanaprabha, who was from Thailand, was popular with Leicester fans for overseeing the club’s promotion to the Premier League in 2014. Despite having been given just a 0.02% chance of winning the league, the team did just that in 2015/16. It was one of the most surprising sporting victories in history. Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel said the…

On 29 October, Chancellor Philip Hammond, who controls what the UK Government spends and how it raises money, revealed his budget for the year ahead. The budget is announced every year and sets out what people and businesses will need to pay the Government, and how this money will be spent. Hammond repeatedly said “the era of austerity” was coming to an end as he shared his spending plans. Austerity is a term used to describe the spending of as little money as possible to help a country get through economic challenges. The UK has had austerity measures in place since 2010. One of Hammond’s decisions was to give English schools a one-off payment of £400 million to “buy the little extras they need”. Many teachers and parents were angered…

New York, US Computer painting sells for £330,000 A portrait painted by a computer has sold for more than £330,000 at an auction in New York, US. The picture, called Portrait of Edmond Belamy, sold for far more than the original asking price of around £5,000. It was made using a program that let the computer compare its painting with 15,000 portraits painted between the 14th and 20th centuries. The computer knew the painting was finished when it compared it to the real paintings and couldn’t tell them apart. East Island, Hawaii Island vanishes beneath the sea East Island, in the US state of Hawaii, has disappeared after a hurricane hit the region. The gravel and sand island, which was around 800 metres long, was one of many islands in…

Reports released by the Imperial War Museum have revealed details about the incredible story of Douglas Bader, an RAF fighter pilot who helped defend the country during the Battle of Britain in 1940. What makes Bader’s story remarkable was that he was a double amputee, having lost both of his legs in a crash almost a decade before the battle. After the accident, Bader was told he couldn’t fly planes any more but he convinced RAF officials that his prosthetic legs would not get in the way of his pilot duties. Bader is described in the newly revealed reports as having excellent judgment and lots of enthusiasm; an RAF squadron leader said it was “quite impossible to imagine” that Bader had artificial limbs.…

Strangford Lough, in Northern Ireland’s County Down, is the largest sea lough found in the British Isles. A sea lough is a narrow bay or arm of the sea. It stretches from the mouth of the Irish Sea to the sand-flats 20 miles away. Strangford Lough is one of just three designated Marine Nature Reserves within the UK. Each year, thousands of Brent geese arrive from breeding grounds in east Canada, stopping at Strangford Lough to feed on the eelgrass (an underwater plant). Find out more at nationaltrust.org.uk/strangford-lough…

In October, the living room of Norwich resident Stephen Leake was swamped with keen birdwatchers who had flocked to see a rose-coloured starling that unexpectedly arrived in his garden. Each year, only about 50 sightings of this species are recorded in the UK. ● LIFESPAN IN THE WILD: Unknown. ● HABITAT: Both wooded areas and grassland plains in far eastern Europe and central and southern Asia. ● DIET: During the breeding season, it feasts on insects such as grasshoppers and locusts. At other times of the year, it also eats fruit, seeds and nectar. ● FUN FACT: Rose-coloured starlings lay pale blue eggs. SWEET SONG Male rose-coloured starlings create their song using whistling, warbling, bubbling and grating sounds.…

Breathtaking new images have been released showing Britain’s first expedition to Mount Everest in 1921. The photographs, taken by members of the expedition, were recorded on delicate negatives, which are easily damaged. The images have been painstakingly digitised by a studio in Belgium, which then produced these stunning new prints. At 8,850 metres above sea level, Everest is the world’s tallest mountain, and its deadly slopes have claimed hundreds of lives. The 1921 mission had just one aim: to find a path to the top of the world. It was one of the first expeditions to document Everest. Eleven people were given the job of mapping the mountain and finding a route to the summit. They were ill-equipped, with no oxygen tanks, and they weren’t nearly fit enough; in fact,…

Scientists at the University of Sydney in Australia are using Rice Krispies to explain why ice shelves and rockfill dams (a type of dam made with rocks and earth) collapse. The bottom of ice shelves and rockfill dams are made up of porous materials, which means they allow liquid or air inside them. When liquid is soaked up into this material (rather like a sponge) it becomes less stable and can crumple. It is tricky to predict when these collapses might happen, so scientists Itai Einav and François Guillard set up an experiment using Rice Krispies. Puffed rice is very porous and makes an excellent substitute for the real material. Einav and Guillard filled a cylinder with the cereal and applied constant pressure to the top. Milk was slowly injected…

Cannes Film Festival Officially known as the Festival de Cannes, this is the most famous film festival in the world. For more than 70 years, it has been held in a series of venues in Cannes Bay, in France. The first festival in Cannes took place in 1946. Sundance The Sundance Film Festival is held every winter in the US state of Utah – it is one of the biggest film festivals in the country. Since 1985, Sundance has celebrated the latest features, short films and series, helping launch the careers of new storytellers. Berlinale The Berlin International Festival attracts more than half a million people to the German capital every year, which makes it the world’s largest festival. The event shows about 400 films and runs workshops that young…

Road Safety Week On 19–25 November, Road Safety Week will take place across the UK. Organised by Brake, a charity that works to prevent injury to people on the roads, Road Safety Week is a chance for you to think about staying out of danger. This year’s theme is dedicated to being bike smart. Register to receive an action pack at tinyurl.com/TWJ-roadsafety and find ideas for raising awareness about the importance of road safety, as well as activities such as road-safety puzzles and colouring-in sheets.…