Innholdsfortegnelse for 162 i The Week Junior

The UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, has lost a crucial Brexit vote in the House of Commons. A majority of Members of Parliament (MPs) voted against her plan for the UK’s future relationship with the European Union (EU), after days of debate. It was the biggest government defeat in almost 100 years. What is Brexit? Brexit is the term for the UK’s departure from the EU – an organisation of 28 countries that work together on issues such as trade. A UK-wide vote (known as a referendum) was held in June 2016 to decide whether the UK should remain in the EU, and 52% of voters voted to leave. On 30 March 2017, May announced that she would begin the process of leaving the EU, setting 29 March 2019 as…

18 January 1671 Sir Henry Morgan defeats Spanish force On 18 January 1671, Sir Henry Morgan carried out a daring attack on the Spanish as he tried to capture Panama City, the capital of Panama, in Central America. Morgan and his private army of criminals and pirates were outnumbered by the Spanish, who controlled Panama at the time, but still managed to defeat them. The attack confirmed the Welshman’s reputation as one of the most notorious buccaneers (a term used to describe 17th century sea adventurers who attacked and robbed ships).…

● Manufacturers may soon be required to make sure goods such as light bulbs, televisions and phones last longer and are easier to repair. ● European politicians are concerned that companies are making products that are only designed to last for a few years, and are not easy to fix, which means people have to buy new ones. This is good for the company because it makes more money, but it is bad for the environment. ● As a result, these politicians have come up with a series of rules that would force companies to make some items last longer and be easier to mend. At least 18 US states are considering similar laws.…

Although they are called fatbergs, the main ingredient of these blockages is wet wipes. The little cloths actually account for 93% of the material blocking sewers in the UK. Fatbergs are extremely heavy – a massive one found in London in 2017 weighed almost as much as a blue whale. They’re becoming more and more common, too – water companies say this is because people are flushing more items down their toilets. Sewers eventually get blocked up and waste can, in some cases, get pushed back up to where it came from.…

It’s that time of the year again. Technology companies from around the world flocked to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the US, which runs 8–11 January, to dazzle people with their incredible gadgets. There were writing robots and walking cars on display, but were they any good? Have a read and decide for yourself which ones make the grade, and which are just a waste of space. Simply tick the box next to the gadget. A car that walks Imagine a car that can not only drive along roads, but can also walk up hills. Car company Hyundai revealed the world’s first walking car at CES. When faced with rough terrain, the car activates robotic legs that trundle across the ground at around 3mph. Named Hyundai Elevate, the walking…

Poppy is spending the summer with her grandma in the sleepy town of Suds, but from the moment she arrives, peculiar things start to happen. What with a mysterious notebook that hides a strange rhyme, bizarre traditions about sugar cubes, and local children turning grey and disappearing without a trace, it’s obvious there’s something very odd going on. Teaming up with new friend Erasmus, Poppy realises the answers may lie in the dark and twisting woods outside town. Will the two of them be brave enough to creep inside Riddling Woods and solve this very peculiar mystery? Prepare for a quirky read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.…

Sky Cinema Spider-Man 9–17 January, Sky Cinema Greats (renamed Sky Cinema Spider-Man) Get ready for nine days of web-slinging. This temporary channel will broadcast the trilogy directed by Sam Raimi; The Amazing Spider-Man (and its sequel); and the new Marvel Cinematic Universe entry, Spider-Man: Homecoming. Ski Sunday 6.15pm on 20 January, BBC Two The fastest skiers in the world will compete in Switzerland on what is the longest downhill course in the World Cup circuit. Excitement continues elsewhere in Switzerland at the Laax Open snowboarding event. The National Television Awards 7.30pm on 22 January, ITV Join Dermot O’Leary as stars compete for the top prizes in British TV. For the past 17 years, Ant and Dec have been named best presenters, but this year they face tough competition from Holly…

Are screens bad for you? Not necessarily. Some websites and TV programmes can be great for learning, and apps can help to build friendships. Endless scrolling through social media, however, is linked to feeling anxious or sad. Use your screen time for things that are useful or make you happy. So why go screen-free? Avoiding screens – even for just a week – means you’re more likely to get outdoors and be active, imaginative and sociable during that time. What could I do instead? Do fun things with friends or family, like sports or games, read a book or try a new hobby. Check this page every week for inspiration. Learn more… ● Watch: are Rory and Lily addicted to their phones? tinyurl.com/TWJ-screentime…

Follow The Week Junior on Popjam@TheWeekJunior. You can download the free Popjam app from the App Store or Google Play. In 2010, a sailor abandoned her boat after being caught in a storm. Nine years later her yacht has been found. You said... “That is amazing” “Wow, that doesn’t even look like a yacht” “I’m surprised it wasn’t completely destroyed!” Victoria Maclean wants to break the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of Harry Potter memorabilia. You said... “That’s soo me” “My friend has probably already beaten it” “I wish I could see how much she’s collected” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

At the time The Week Junior went to press on 16 January, there were four main options: a new deal, a no-deal Brexit, a general election or a second referendum. After the defeat, May said she wanted to find a new deal, working with MPs from different parties to come up with ideas that she could discuss with EU leaders. No deal means that the UK would leave the EU without an agreement, which could disrupt trade. An election would allow UK citizens to vote for new MPs, and possibly a new government. A second referendum might ask voters to decide if Brexit should happen at all.…

THIS INSTAGRAM POST A picture of an egg has become the most liked photo on Instagram. The image was posted by @world_record_egg on 4 January. According to the most recent figures, it has received almost 40 million likes, beating the previous record of 18 million. A BIRTHDAY WISH The daughter of a Second World War veteran in California, in the US, was shocked when more than 50,000 people sent birthday cards to her father after seeing a request she posted on Facebook. Sue Morse has been reading them to Duane Sherman, who is blind. They also received a special visit from US Navy officers. A BABY PANDA A giant panda has celebrated her first birthday with a special cake. The young resident of Malaysia’s National Zoo is the daughter of…

Presenter Michaela Strachan has been talking about wildlife on TV since 1989. When she speaks to The Week Junior about the new series of BBC hit Winterwatch, it’s clear she’s just as passionate as she’ss ever been. This time, Strachan and the team are based in the Cairngorm mountains in Scotland. She explains, “Being somewhere like that gives you the best chance of getting really stonking good wildlife.” Strachan’s interest comes from the stories of animals – tales of life, death, struggle and success against the odds. One of her favourite stories from a previous series is about a little owl family sharing a barn with a blackbird family. She says, “The owl was being bothered by the blackbird parents, but when the blackbird chicks were big enough, the owls…

A massive block made of fat, oil and wet wipes has been found beneath a Devon seaside town. The so-called fatberg is 64 metres long – which is 12 metres more than Nelson’s Column is tall. It was discovered lurking in a sewer beneath the esplanade (sea-front walkway) in Sidmouth during a routine check of the drains. It will take workers around two months to break it down and take itt away. South West Water’s director of wastewater, Andrew Roantree, said it was the biggest berg they had ever found. He added, “Thankfully, it has been identified in good time, with no risk to bathing waters. If you keep just one new year’s resolution this year, let it be to not pour fats, oil or grease down the drain, or…

Luke Harvey Deputy head of predators, ZSL London Zoo Otters usually sleep in an underground den known as a holt or couch. Holts are built under rocks or tree roots, and are lined with moss and grass for comfort and warmth. They are never far from the water. Sea otters actually sleep in the water. Otter families float on their backs, holding hands to stop themselves drifting apart. 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…

The secrets of a 200-million-year-old skull belonging to an ancient marine reptile have finally been revealed, 60 years after it was found in a farmer’s field in Warwickshire. Using medical technology known as computerised tomography (CT) scanning, scientists from the University of Manchester and University College London (UCL) got a peek into the past. CT scans use X-rays and a computer to create a very sharp image – usually of the human body. The marine monster’s skull bones were so perfectly preserved that scientists could see incredible detail. “CT scanning allows us to look inside fossils – in this case, we could see long canals within the skull bones that originally contained blood vessels and nerves,” said Dr Laura Porro from UCL. Porro and her colleagues, Nigel Larkin and Dean…

England netball team They beat New Zealand 54-41 in their first match of the Quad Series championship in Liverpool. Glen Durrant & Mikuru Suzuki They won the men’s and women’s BDO World Championship darts finals in Surrey. Lionel Messi The legendary Argentinian footballer scored his 400th league goal for Spanish club Barcelona in a 3-0 win over Eibar. Elise Christie The British speed skater picked up a silver and bronze medal at the European Short Track Championship in the Netherlands.…

Where did you grow up and what was it like? I grew up in a creaking old farmhouse in Tasmania, Australia, which used to be part of an apple cider factory. There was an abundance of spiders on the windowsills. Do you know anyone like Poppy and Erasmus? On the London Underground I once saw a boy who looked like Erasmus. Then one day when I was crossing the street I saw a girl with hair the colour of rust and bricks and I knew it must be Poppy. I’ve never met them in real life, but in my mind I know them enormously well. Where did you get the idea for this book? From the wonderfully strange fairytales I grew up reading. I still read them in fact. Perhaps…

Block My World iOS (Free) You can’t bring Minecraft into the real world just yet – a good thing because you don’t want your house to be destroyed by a passing Creeper! But Block My World might be the closest thing to it: the app uses augmented-reality (AR) technology to put your on-screen block-building skills to work around you. You start by pointing your phone’s camera at your surroundings to find flat surfaces suitable to build on. Then you tap on the screen to add blocks with different shapes, colours and textures. The rest is up to your creativity: you can construct animals, vehicles, buildings or even a football pitch (helpfully, there are spheres as well as cubes). Everything you create can be saved to come back to later, and…

Some dogs get nervous when left alone in the house, but a company called Petcube has come up with a pair of gadgets that might calm them down by letting their owners video-call them. Unveiled by Petcube at the Consumer Electronics Show, the new Bites and Play devices have built-in cameras. When a pet wanders in front of the monitor, their owner gets a notification on their smartphone – and can then start a video call with their catt orr dog. The Bites version has an extra feature: it can shoot out small treats – pet biscuits, for example – up to two metres across the room for the animal to collect (or, if they’re agile, catch). Actor Emma Watson is already a big fan of Petcube’s devices, saying in…

Some weeks are harder than others to predict what’s going to happen in the news; this week was definitely one of them. The Week Junior team wasn’t sure what to think when tennis star Andy Murray first announced his retirement from the sport, then later hinted that he might undergo hip surgery and continue to play. Read about his dramatic week on page 4. Whatever he decides to do next, he’s a fantastic sportsperson and role model. Let’s hope a new generation of budding tennis fans follow in his footsteps and pick up a racket. Meanwhile, a crucial Brexit vote was scheduled for 7pm last Tuesday evening – the evening before the magazine goes to press. We were fairly sure Theresa May’s Brexit plan would be…

Do you and your schoolmates love dancing? Strictly Come Dancing judge Dame Darcey Bussell has created a schools dance fitness competition with local councils in Aberdeen, Aylesbury, Cardiff, Liverpool, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Salisbury. If that’s you and you think you could get 24–30 pupils in your school to join in, ask a teacher to register before 29 January. You’ll receive some routines and you’ll have to film and submit a video of your team performing them. Find out more at schoolsgetdancing.co.uk…

1When is the UK due to leave the EU? 2True or false? A town in Scotland is waiting to hear if it has won the record for world’s steepest street. 3What have become stranded in a Canadian town? a) Elephants b) Seals c) Ocelots 4What is still shining in California, US, 117 years after it was installed? 5True or false? Barbara Peters passed the Grade 8 Royal Academy of Dance ballet exam at the age of 81. 6How many zookeepers work at London Zoo? 7What does CIA stand for? a) Central Intelligence Agency b) Conspicuous Intellect Authority c) Citizen Interception Administration 8True or false? A smart plank of wood was showcased at CES. 9Which country hosts the Haeundae Polar Bear Swim Festival? 10What is the main activity in cross country?…

A town in Wales is trying to take the record for steepest street in the world from the current New Zealand holder. Residents of Harlech, in north-west Wales, are hoping that Ffordd Pen Llech can knock Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand, off the top spot. Measurements have been taken to be submitted to the Guinness World Records and it is hoped a decision will be made soon.…

Socorro doves Socorro dove chicks hatched at Chester Zoo on 7 November. The birds have been extinct in the wild for almost 50 years. Named after the island off the coast of Mexico where they once lived, they are one of the world’s rarest birds. There are only 200 left today. George, the tree snail On 1 January, George, the last Hawaiian tree snail died, aged 14. Tree snails were once plentiful on the Hawaiian islands but numbers have fallen over the last decades. Scientists have preserved George’s body; they hope to clone it and bring back the species.…

People of Peace by Sandrine Mirza. Illustrated by Le Duo (Wide Eyed Editions) There are 40 incredible activists in this illustrated book. Telling the stories of campaigners, dreamers and leaders such as Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and more, this is a fascinating introduction to some of the people who have worked to make our world a more peaceful place. The People Awards by Lily Murray. Illustrated by Ana Albero (Frances Lincoln) Celebrating the amazing achievements of people from all around the world, this book awards prizes to lots of well-known historical figures. Turn the pages to discover who will win the honours, whether it’s the prize for Most Magical Muggle or the award for Shaking Up Art. Young Heroes by Lula Bridgeport (Little Tiger Press) This book proves…

The Mask (1994) DVD, Blu-ray, iTunes, Prime Video One of the most successful comic-book films of the 1990s is The Mask, a film that helped turn actor Jim Carrey into a proper star. His physical comedy skills led to the film saving money on its special-effects budget – it turned out that Carrey was able to do certain things better than the computer visuals! The filmmakers got another bargain, too: their leads, Carrey and Cameron Diaz, were pretty much unknowns when they were cast, so they weren’t paid as much money as more famous actors would have been. However, when The Mask became a hit, the pair became major stars. NO THANKS Carrey didn’t want to do a sequel so a follow-up – Son of the Mask…

Battle Princess Madelyn Switch / PS4 / Xbox One Heroes rescuing princesses has been a common theme in the history of gaming. Not here, though: the hero of Battle Princess Madelyn is Madelyn herself, who starts the game as a knight-in-training. Oh, and she also has a pet dog called Fritzy, who happens to be a ghost. The game sees Madelyn and Fritzy battling their way through platform levels and ghoulish enemies of all kinds. New weapons and armour found along the way will help you survive. You can race through the levels uncovering the story, or take your time to find hidden sections and secrets. It’s a royal treat!…

Shakespeare Schools Foundation (SSF) works with thousands of pupils in the UK each year to produce performance evenings in theatres. It also creates programmes, workshops and resources to help teachers encourage teamwork in class. The SSF works with minority ethnic groups, as well as children with special educational needs. Its main goal is to promote social inclusion and increase confidence and self-esteem. To learn more, visit shakespeareschools.org…

Sponsored by Teacher’s name: Mr Howard School: St Teath Community Primary School, Cornwall “Mr Howard is awesome! He is the best teacher EVER! He gives me the confidence to try new things and his teaching is so much fun that it really makes me want to learn more. Mr Howard rocks!” Léa If we pick your teacher as Teacher of the Week, we’ll send your school three free issues of The Week Junior and your teacher will receive a STABILO Marking Pack of seven pens worth £17. Send your nominations, along with a picture of your teacher and your school’s full name and address, to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk…