Innholdsfortegnelse for 179 i The Week Junior

On 23 May, the UK will take part in the European elections to decide who represents the country in the European parliament. The parliament is part of the European Union (EU) – an organisation of 28 countries that trade together and follow the same rules. It is predicted that the UK’s biggest parties – Conservative and Labour – will not do as well as usual at the elections because of their failure to deal with the issue of Brexit. Brexit is the term given to the UK leaving the EU. What are the European elections? Between 23 May and 26 May, millions of people across the EU will vote to elect Members of the European parliament (MEPs). MEPs are responsible for approving laws and representing members of the public. The…

Anew law that will give better protection to pets has been passed in Parliament. Lucy’s Law makes several changes to current rules, all aimed at improving the welfare (health and happiness) of young animals. The law is named after Lucy, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, who was badly treated in a puppy farm – somewhere dogs are bred and often kept in bad conditions. The farms supply many pet shops and websites with puppies that have been separated from their mothers soon after their birth. It is hoped Lucy’s Law will result in puppy farms being shut down, creating safer and happier environments for the animals. From April 2020, kittens and puppies in England must be bought directly from breeders and they must have been raised in a safe environment…

“You’re never too young or too old to start a business,” 10-year-old Omari McQueen tells The Week Junior. McQueen is founder and head of his own food company, Dipalicious. He turned his passion for vegan food (which means it contains no animal products such as meat, milk or eggs) into a business for the world to enjoy. “I made my own vegan meals and I asked my mum if I could sell food around the whole world,” he says. “She said yes, so I started my business.” On 24 May, McQueen is launching two new dips – called Love & Jerk and Sour Breeze – and seven new seasonings, including barbecue, curry and mixed herbs. “Follow your dreams and always try to never give up,” he says.…

Sitting less than a mile away from the rugged coast of Pembrokeshire, Skomer Island is a haven for wildlife. Its most famous residents are colourful puffins, but there are plenty of other sea birds too. Fulmars, gannets, Manx shearwaters and razorbills can also be seen, and grey seals relax by the shore. The island is the only place in the world where Skomer voles can be found. Up to 250 visitors are allowed to travel to the island each day. Find out more at tinyurl.com/TWJ-skomer…

A wood duck chick in Florida, US, is being raised by an unexpected parent – an eastern screech owl. Although quite rare, it is not unheard of for the ducks to be raised in this way, because their mothers will sometimes lay eggs in other birds’ nests. ● LIFESPAN IN THE WILD: Three to five years. ● HABITAT: Shallow and slow-moving water near woodlands in North America. ● DIET: Berries, seeds, water plants, and small insects and invertebrates (such as clams and snails). ● FUN FACT: Wood ducks sleep in holes in tree trunks because they can’t make their own nests. FOREST FLIERS Short, wide wings and boardd tails enable wood ducks to change direction sharply, allowing them to weave among trees at 30mph.…

The toy company Lego has created Braille bricks specifically for blind and partially sighted or visually impaired young people. Braille is a code whereby the letters of the alphabet are represented by patterns of raised dots that can be felt by the fingertips. It is named after Louis Braille, the French man who invented it. Learning Braille is a crucial skill for blind people because it allows them to learn to read and write. Usually, young people learn Braille on machines that look like old typewriters, and it can be hard to correct mistakes. The new Braille Bricks make it easy to fix errors and are a more fun way to learn. The bricks look like regular Lego bricks, except that they are all the same size, and instead of…

The largest exhibition of manga works outside of Japan is coming to the British Museum in London from 23 May. Manga translates as “pictures run riot”, and is one of Japan’s most popular forms of entertainment. The museum describes manga as “Japanese comic books or graphic novels with a twist, serialised in newspapers and magazines”. The stories use expressive pictures but not many words. Manga is now famous throughout the world, and although it can look very modern, its roots go back to 1200. The exhibition will follow the story from how manga started, right through to examples from the present day. A white rabbit character, called Mimi-chan, drawn by the famous manga artist Kono Fumiyo, will guide visitors through the artwork and help them understand the world of manga.…

Anew app made by Google is aiming to help people who are deaf or have other hearing difficulties to enjoy voice and video calls with their friends. The Live Relay app can recognise the speech of one person in a call, and convert it into text for the other to read. They can then reply by typing. Its creator, a Google software engineer called Sapir Caduri, came up with the idea after reading a social media post from a young women in Israel who had seen her boyfriend – who was deaf – trying to get his internet connection fixed over a voice call. “This got me thinking: How can we help people make and receive phone calls without having to speak or hear?” says Caduri. She thinks that eventually…

What you need ● 300g wholemeal flour (or plain) ● 1tsp salt ● 1tsp bicarbonate of soda ● ½tsp fennel seeds (optional) ● ½tsp rosemary (optional) ● 250g plain yoghurt ● 20ml cold water ● 1 set of scales ● 1 large bowl ● 1 large spoon ● 1 baking sheet ● 1 knife Instructions Set the oven to 180° C. Measure out flour and place in the large bowl. Then add the salt, bicarbonate of soda, fennel seeds and rosemary (if using) and mix together. You can either use a large spoon or clean hands for this. Next, add the plain yoghurt and mix again until it forms a sticky ball. Add a little water to help the dough come together, if needed. Then shape into a ball and…

“Here we are reading The Week Junior on our holiday to Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef. We saw five reef sharks and three green turtles.” Eloïse and Sebastian “This is us near the start of our cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats. We’re doing it in stages and aim to finish within the next 10 years!” Matthew, Martha and Laura “On Friday, when I got back from school residential, I was very happy that my Week Junior had come!” Sophie…

A man travelling through an airport in Alaska, US, was caught carrying moose poo in his luggage. He told Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) agents that he collects the droppings to present to politicians with whom he does not agree. The TSA posted a picture of the bag on Instagram, saying that although it didn’t have any laws against travelling with a bag of poo, it’s best to check the rules of the airline you’re using before boarding.…

1True or false? Arsenal and Chelsea will play each other in this year’s Champions League final. 2Who is the UK’s new poet laureate? 3Why was a library in Australia evacuated this week? a) A skunk got into the air vents b) An emu kept attacking the librarian c) Stinky fruit was left in a bin 4True or false? The UK has introduced a ban on trophy hunting imports. 5How many years has it been since D-Day? 6What sort of bird are farmers in North Yorkshire being asked to help protect? a) French hens b) Turtle doves c) Partridges in pear trees 7True or false? Four acts won Eurovision in 1969. 8What’s the name of the code that blind people use to read and write? 9What sort of festival was held…

Nearly all of the world’s countries have signed up to a new deal making it more difficult to send hard-to-recycle plastics to poorer nations. The agreement was made by 187 countries in Geneva, Switzerland, during a meeting supported by the United Nations (UN) – an organisation of 193 of the world’s countries that works on human rights, peace and environmental issues. Under the new rules, countries who send any contaminated (soiled, stained or infected), mixed or unrecyclable plastic waste overseas will have to get permission from the government of the country receiving it. Previously, companies could send it to other countries without getting government approval. The new deal has been backed by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives – an organisation campaigning for an end to incinerating (burning) waste. It…

A burial site found near an Aldi supermarket in Essex has been described as the UK’s equivalent of Tutankhamun’s tomb. For 15 years, experts have studied the objects found in the grave and some of them are now on display at a nearby museum. What was found at the burial site? The grave was discovered near Southend-on-Sea in 2003. The only human remains left in the tomb were tooth fragments, which experts believe belonged to a prince from the 6th century. He was surrounded by 110 artefacts (historic objects) inside the remains of a four-metre-wide and 1.5-metre-deep wooden structure. Among the objects were a traditional harp (known as a lyre), gold coins, and a mug thought to have come from Syria, in the Middle East. Archaeologists (people who study evidence…

California, US Basking sharks spotted in California Populations of basking sharks appear to be increasing off the coast of California, US, biologists have announced. The giant fish were once common along the west coast of the US, where they grazed on krill and plankton (tiny life forms), but their numbers plummeted because of hunting in the 1950s and 1960s. This year, more have been spotted than in any other year for decades, and scientists hope this means their populations have recovered. Martinique Man crosses Atlantic in giant barrel A man has crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a giant orange barrel he built for himself. After 122 days at sea, 72-year-old French adventurer Jean-Jacques Savin arrived on the Caribbean island of Martinique. He started his 2,800-mile journey in December last year…

Anna Shechtman enjoys puzzles. In fact, she loves them so much that she has devoted her career to creating crosswords for magazines and newspapers in the US. As a cruciverbalist (someone who is good at crosswords), she had her first puzzle published at the age of 19, and nine years later has gained lots of fans who love her challenging-but-fun creations. Her approach to crosswords is simple: include clues based on things that young people care about, instead of focusing on older readers. She often bases her puzzles on pop singers, such as Cardi B, or internet trends. She says, “I want the grid to feel like a variety of different people can recognise themselves.”…

The Italian island of Capri has banned single-use plastics and warned tourists that they will be fined if they bring any with them. The plastics have also been banned from the island’s cafés, shops and bars. The list of forbidden items includes flip-flops, plastic bags and bottles, as well as plastic cups, plates and straws. The island, which is in the Mediterranean, introduced the ban to try and cut pollution. Plastics are said to be one of the main sources of marine pollution in the area and they can do a lot of harm to local sea life. Giovanni De Martino, the Mayor of Capri, told The Times newspaper, “It’s a big change, but if we are saving the environment I don’t think anyone will complain.” The law came into…

On 12 May, Manchester City won the Premier League football title after a dramatic final day of the season. City knew a win over Brighton would seal the trophy for the second year in a row. If they didn’t win, and Liverpool beat Wolves, then Liverpool would be the champions. In the end, City won 4-1 and Liverpool triumphed 2-0. It has been one of the closest Premier League battles since it began, in 1992. City finished just one point ahead of Liverpool on 98 points. In fact, Liverpool only lost one league game all season, but crucially that was to City. Liverpool, who are nicknamed the Reds, haven’t won England’s top division since 1990, but have now been runners-up five times since then. City have been crowned Premier League…

The beginnings Some people consider this artwork from 1200, called the Frolicking Animals, to be the first example of manga. It is not known who drew it but it is a series of funny scrolls showing frogs, monkeys and rabbits playing by a river. Shōjo manga At the start of the 20th century, comics aimed at teenage girls (shōjo is Japanese for young women) started to appear. From the 1970s, many of these stories were about groups of male friends. One of the most popular at that time was a vampire series, The Poe Clan. It later became a TV show. One Piece In the 1980s and 1990s, manga became even more popular. One of the most successful series is One Piece, which has been running since 1997. It is…

Rowing dates back to roughly 1400BC; records show that the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used it as a form of transport. Today it is a popular sport and has been for more than 300 years. Rowing is fun whether you do it on your own or as part of a team. Get in touch with your local club and ask about an introductory session. Some clubs offer free taster events. You won’t need special gear as the boat and equipment are provided. Just wear clothing that lets your arms and legs move freely and can survive getting wet. To begin with you might be in a boat that’s quite wide, which has more balance. More advanced rowing boats are narrower and faster. The seat will either be fixed…

Sometimes the world can be a scary place, and everyone feels a little stressed occasionally. This great new book from Usborne, The Unworry Book, is full of useful tips on how to look after your mental health. Follow these three simple steps to create your own worry box. 1. Grab a box There are lots of ways to make a worry box. It doesn’t have to be an actual box – an empty envelope, jar or tub will all work well. The opening will act as the mouth. 2. Get decorating Bring your box to life using pens, decorations and glue, and try to make it really fun and personal to you. You could even make it look like one of your favourite creatures. 3. Throw your worries away When…

A South African company is selling insect ice cream and claims it is better for the environment than the traditional treat. The makers use black soldier fly larvae and mix it with other ingredients such as honey or cocoa. This creates an “insect-milk”, which is then turned into ice cream. The creators say their ice cream still tastes delicious but uses less water and energy and produces less pollution than other forms of ice cream, because the insects are so much easier to farm than cows. So, does this bug you out or is it real?*…

For the first time ever, the finalists of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League will all come from the same country: England. Arsenal will play Chelsea in the Europa League final at the Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 29 May, and Liverpool will face Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League final at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain, on 1 June. Yet celebrations were cut short when fans realised how much they’d have to pay and how far they’d need to travel in order to see their teams. Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur supporters’ groups have issued a joint statement complaining that both clubs have been given only 16,000 tickets each for the game, despite it being played in a 68,000-seater stadium. They also criticised the price…

Yes – trophy hunting must be stopped Trophy hunting is cruel and unnecessary. It’s unfair on the animals and many suffer pain before they die. What’s more, the activity threatens to make some animal species endangered, and puts several at risk of extinction. According to the organisation Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, elephant populations have fallen from 1.3 million to just over 400,000 since the 1980s. Over the same period, hunters from around the world have taken home more than 100,000 African elephant trophies. Putting a ban on imports might mean that people stop hunting because the activity might lose its appeal if hunters can’t bring their trophies home with them. If the UK takes action, other countries might follow suit. In 2015, Cecil the lion was shot by a…

Two schoolgirls who run a hedgehog hospital in Stratford-upon-Avon have convinced a housebuilding company to make some changes to help hedgehogs. Cousins Kyra Barboutis and Sophie Smith were worried when they spotted netting tightly wrapped around hedges surrounding a plot of land where houses are being built. They knew it could trap hibernating hedgehogs inside, so the 13-year-olds posted a video on social media explaining the impact the netting would have on wildlife. In the clip Barboutis says, “Birds cannot nest here and ground-dwelling animals cannot pass through, such as hedgehogs.” The video was seen by Kate Rolfe, a local district and county councillor, who arranged a meeting with the company building the houses to allow the cousins to explain their concerns. After the meeting, the firm promised to build…

On 18 May, singers from across Europe and beyond will battle it out to be crowned this year’s winner of the Eurovision Song Contest. To mark the occasion, take a look at the glitzy and glamorous event that has celebrated music, friendship and diversity for decades. The history of Eurovision The idea for the contest came from Marcel Bezençon of the European Broadcast Union, a group of TV channels across the continent. The first contest was held in 1956. It was won by Lys Assia, from Switzerland. At first, all songs had be sung in the language of the entrant, so for a while songs had lots of lyrics like “la, la, la” to make them easy for everyone to understand. From 1997, viewers were able to vote from home…

Saracens seal Euro prize London-based rugby union team Saracens won the Champions Cup on 11 May. They beat Leinster, based in Dublin, Ireland, 20-10 in the final in Newcastle. The Champions Cup is the biggest club prize in European rugby union. Saracens have won it for the third time in the past four years, and are also the current champions of the Premiership – the top league in England. ● Saracens are the only English team to have won the Champions Cup three times. Wasps, Leicester, Northampton and Bath have also won it. ● The winners receive the Star Cup, which is 70 centimetres tall, weighs 13.5 kilograms, and has gold-plated handles. ● England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will compete in the rugby union World Cup, which starts in Japan…

Disney has announced it is making three new Star Wars films and eight more Marvel releases. The film studio didn’t give away any further information about the films, but said the first in the future Star Wars trilogyy would reach cinemas by 2022. The final instalment in the current saga is due to be released at the end of this year. It’s unclear whether or not the next trilogy will involve any of the characters from the current one. Disney also announced that the release of the long-awaited sequel to 2009’s Avatar has been delayed until 2021. Avatar is currently the highest grossing film of all time (which means it has made the most money from ticket sales) although Avengers: Endgame, may overtake it. Three more Avatar sequels will follow…

You may be used to games where, if your character dies, they simply come back to life again to carry on adventuring. There’s a twist to this idea in The Swords of Ditto: Mormo’s Curse, though – whenever you fall, you have to wait 100 years to try again. Don’t worry, the game fast-forwards through that time! You play a succession of heroes known as The Sword, because of the magical weapon that they wield to try to defeat a witch named Mormo. As you play, you’ll also get the chance to use bowling balls, golf clubs, and even clockwork mice. Every time your hero returns, they keep their sword and some of the power-ups you found last time round, so that over the centuries you’ll work your way towards…

Imagine jumping onto a vehicle to scoot through an African safari park, to see leopards, lions and other local creatures. A virtual-reality (VR) app called SafariLIVE Dawn till Dark is letting people do just that from their homes. The app shows you what it would be like to take a ride into the African bush, accompanied by a guide (one of National Geographic’s wildlife TV presenters) to tell you moree about the animals that you’re seeing. The app has also just won a prize in a competition designed to celebrate “VR for good”, with apps that could be used by people who are very ill to experience things that they’re no longer well enough to do in real life. “It’s so exciting that our film is truly making people’s lives…

A man in Taiwan who swallowed one of his Apple wireless earbuds by mistake found that it still worked when it was in his stomach. Ben Hsu fell asleep while listening to his headphones and awoke to find one of them missing. Using Apple’s tracking feature, which forces the loose device to make a sound when nearby, Hsu heard a beeping noise coming from inside him. He was later reunited with the earbud once he had pooed it out, and after a quick clean it was ready to be used again. Hsu described the experience as “magical”. WARNING! Do not try this at home – it’s very easy to choke on small parts.…