Innholdsfortegnelse for 181 i The Week Junior

Theresa May has announced that she will resign (step down) as Prime Minister. On 24 May, she made a statement in front of 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister’s official home, saying she would leave her job on 7 June. What did Theresa May say? May made her speech in front of television cameras and reporters. After nearly three years leading the country, she said it had been an honour to be Prime Minister and she was proud of her work as leader. May became tearful towards the end of the speech when she said she was grateful to have served her country. Why is May resigning? May was put under pressure to resign by members of her own Conservative party because of how she has dealt with Brexit. Brexit…

There are now 21,000 birds on Lundy, a small island off the north coast of Devon, which means their numbers have tripled in recent years. The success is down to a 2003 project that removed rats from the island, because they ate chicks and bird eggs. Manx shearwaters and puffins were at particular risk because they nest on the ground. In 2001, there were just 13 puffins, now there are 375. The number of Manx shearwaters has grown from 594 to more than 11,000.…

Between 24 and 26 May, thousands of fans gathered in London for the 2019 MCM London Comic Con. This event happens twice a year and celebrates everything in popular culture, with a specific focus on comic books, film and television. The weekend is inspired by the annual comics convention held in San Diego, California, which is famous for offering fans an opportunity to dress up as their favourite characters and meet the actors who play them. In previous years, London Comic Con has had more than 130,000 visitors, making it the largest event of its kind in Europe. This year visitors had the chance to get a sneak peek at new films, play upcoming video games, and buy brand-new comics, clothes and figurines. Celebrity guests over the weekend included Sebastian…

Human babies learn how to walk by crawling first. Now, new research suggests that some baby dinosaurs started their lives by crawling, too. Palaeontologists (scientists who study fossil animals) at Argentina’s La Plata Museum looked at three near-complete skeletons of Mussaurus patagonicus, a plant-eating dinosaur that roamed what is now Argentina some 200 million years ago. The fossils covered three different stages in the dinosaur’s life: a hatchling, a one-year-old and an adult. As a baby, Mussaurus was small enough to fit in a human hand, but as it munched on plants and ferns it grew to six metres long and weighed about a tonne. The researchers created a 3D model to see how this growth affected the dino’s movement. It showed that in early life, a heavy head and…

From 30 May to 14 July, the Cricket World Cup will be contested between 10 nations in cities and towns around England and Wales. The event is the biggest competition in One-Day International (ODI) cricket. ODI matches last for one day and are played between two teams. Each team bats for 50 overs. One over is six bowls in a row by the same bowler. ODI is quicker than Test cricket, where a match can last for as long as five days. The Cricket World Cup is held every four years. It began in 1975 and the West Indies were the first champions. Australia has had the most success after victories in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are the other World Cup winners. As…

When The Secret Life of Pets was released in 2016, nobody could have known that it would become the fifth biggest money-making film of all time based on an original story (which means not based on anything else, such as a book, video game or comic). Having proved themselves a successful bunch, the colourful and cute cast of characters are back again in this eagerly awaited sequel. Both films follow a group of pets living in a block of flats in the US city of New York, who embark on adventures while their owners are absent. This time there are three stories being told, all involving different pets. As Max and Duke get used to a new addition to the family, Snowball is on a mission to rescue an animal…

Team Adventure This is the main story mode of the game, which you can play through on your own. You start with just three characters to choose from, but unlock more as you go along. Time Trial There are also a selection of offline modes, including a Time Trial in which you can race on the game’s tracks trying to beat your best times. Online Races If you’ve beaten the game and want a real challenge, the online multiplayer mode will match you with players as good as you – or you can create a space for friends.…

Build a vinegar volcano What you need Alargeplate Modelling clay 1 plastic bottle A pouring funnel (or paper cone) 4 dessertspoons of baking soda A squirt of washing-up liquid 2 dessertspoons red food colouring A stick for stirring 100ml white vinegar Measuring jug Safety goggles Instructions Find a place for the volcano where it is safe for it to erupt and make a mess. On the plate, mould the modelling clay around the plastic bottle so it looks like a volcano. Put the funnel into the top of the bottle. Pour the baking soda into the funnel. Remove the funnel. Add a squirt of washing-up liquid and the food colouring into the bottle. Stir everything inside the bottle with a stick. Measure the vinegar into the jug. Put on…

Name: Nadeem “I am an Inclusion Ambassador with the charity Inclusive Minds, which works to ensure that children have access to books that reflect their lives. I do this because it’s important to celebrate diversity and encourage equality. Everyone should have the chance to be represented. I would encourage others to join the network as it works tirelessly to improve inclusion. I love reading because books can take you anywhere in the world and beyond. If you look under my bed it’s like my very own library there! I think books could be improved if they had a better representation of different backgrounds of people. I would love to see a Bangladeshi boy as the hero of a book for inspiration for me. ” What’s going on at your school?…

“We recently sailed to Tollesbury, Essex. While we were there, we bumped into Louis and Theo, friends we had met three years ago. We had a great time playing together and were pleased to see they enjoyed reading The Week Junior as much as we do!” Jack, Rosie, Louis and Theo “I enjoyed reading this week’s The Week Junior in the airport.” Vaishnavi “After football on a Saturday, I love coming home to The Week Junior.” Louis…

A football pitch in New Jersey, US, has been closed after a bird made her nest in the centre circle. The killdeer bird, which is protected under US law, laid two eggs on the pitch, forcing the authorities to close it. Local officials say that it may take a couple of months until they can remove the nest. Matches have been moved to another pitch for the time being. NOISY NEIGHBOURS The killdeer bird is known for the loud, shrill call it makes.…

School students around the world have walked out of their classrooms to demand that governments and businesses do more to tackle climate change. More than one million young people from more than 125 countries are thought to have taken part in the campaign on 24 May. Climate change is the term for long-term changes in weather patterns caused by harmful gases, many of them released by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. Pupils in around 125 towns and cities across the UK joined in, leaving their schools early on Friday to protest. Many said they wanted the Government and businesses to do more to support the environment and reduce the impact of climate change. The strike was inspired by 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, who launched the campaign in…

The Government has announced new rules in England to reduce single-use plastics. Single-use plastics are items that are usually used only once and then thrown away. From April next year, shops and supermarkets will not be allowed to sell plastic straws and cotton buds with a plastic stem. Plastic drink stirrers will be completely banned. People with disabilities will still be able to buy plastic straws from pharmacies and online because some people find it difficult to drink without them. Restaurants can stock plastic straws, and they will be given to people if they are asked for, but restaurants are not allowed to put straws on display. Cotton buds with plastic stems will only be allowed for medical use. The reason for banning these types of plastic is that lots…

A shield found near Leicester has been confirmed as a 2,300-year-old Iron Age relic. The Iron Age (from 800BC to AD43) was when people started using iron to make tools and weapons. This shield, though, was made of tree bark, and shows signs of damage from spear attacks. Wooden items usually rot away over time, but this shield was preserved by the waterlogged ground in which it was found. It could go on display at the British Museum in London next year.…

Venice, Italy Latest Banksy artwork is revealed Banksy, the mysterious artist who regularly surprises fans with new street art, has unveiled his latest work in Venice. He has created a collection of paintings that show the popular Italian city dominated by a huge cruise ship. Many local people are unhappy about cruise ships visiting the city because they bring vast numbers of tourists. Banksy posted a video of his work online, including shots of him being asked to pack it away by the police. Algeria Algeria is declared malaria-free Algeria, in northern Africa, has been declared malaria-free. Malaria is a disease passed to humans by a particular type of mosquito. It causes around 400,000 deaths a year, most of them in Africa. It was wiped out in Algeria by treating…

People inspired by David Attenborough’s nature documentaries are making England’s beaches cleaner, according to Keep Britain Tidy, a charity that gives awards for English beaches and aims to get rid of litter in Britain. The so-called Attenborough effect describes how people have become inspired by his recent programmes to take action to help support the environment. In a survey, 54% of people said they had picked up rubbish from beaches after watching one of Attenborough’s programmes. One documentary in particular – the BBC’s 2017 hit Blue Planet II – has had a big effect, according to Allison Ogden-Newton, Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive. Ogden-Newton told The Times newspaper that the response to the programmme has been huge. She said, “I cannot tell you how many times people have said to…

Scientists from Cambridge University have created a living thing whose DNA (the chemical instructions that tell something how to grow and develop) has been made in a lab rather than forming naturally. It’s a new artificial life form, which the team have named Syn61. To understand what they’ve achieved, we need to understand DNA. DNA is contained in almost every cell. It comes in units that are grouped together in sequences called genes. The genes tell the cell what to become, such as part of a lung, for example, or an eye or a fingernail, and how to operate. All these genes make up the genome – the entire set of instructions that make you you. The genome is made of long chains of DNA, with millions of separate units.…

HOW EASY IS IT TO TRICK YOUR BRAIN? For centuries, entertainers and illusionists have been perfecting their techniques to fool your brain and make you believe in the impossible. By studying magic tricks, scientists are getting surprising insights into how the brain works and the ways that it processes information. This month’s Science+Nature takes you on a journey behind the magical curtain to see how different tricks and illusions scramble your mind. VISIT sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk THE WEEK JUNIORSUBSCRIBERS GET AN EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT. CALL 0330 333 9494 TO CLAIM.…

Westminster Mile runners More than 9,000 people ran the Westminster Mile event on 26 May. They ran around St James’s Park in central London and finished in front of Buckingham Palace. Britain’s Olympic champion, Sir Mo Farah, jogged alongside some of the racers. Steph Twell and Joe Morwood completed the fastest mile ever by a couple holding hands, with a time of four minutes, 50 seconds. ● Welsh runner Melissa Courtney won the women’s race with a time of four minutes, 31 seconds. ● Chris O’Hare of Scotland won the men’s race in a time of four minutes. He also won the Westminster Mile race in 2018. ● The winners of the under-13s races were Will Steadman and Isabelle Martin. The under-15s winners were Lewis Sullivan and Olivia Martin –…

Jasmine the greyhound In 2003, Jasmine was rescued and moved to a wildlife sanctuary because her owners weren’t caring for her properly. In the years that followed, she cared for lots of other sick animals, including badgers, foxes, a goose and some rabbits. Pwditat the cat When he moved in with Terfel, a blind dog, Pwditat quickly realised he had to help his furry friend travel around the house. Pwditat, who had been a stray cat, learned to lead Terfel slowly around the house and prevent him from bumping into things. Digby the guide horse This special horse is still being trained before going to work with partially sighted Helena Hird, who lives in London. Hird wanted a miniature horse instead of a dog because of their long lives, and…

Minecraft has just celebrated its 10th birthday by announcing that it has now sold more than 176 million copies of the game since it was first released in May 2009. There’s also a brand new game on the way, called Minecraft Earth. It’s due to launch in a beta (test) version for smartphones this summer, and will use augmented-reality (AR) technology like that of popular mobile game Pokémon Go. The game will feature the familiar mobs (monsters) and blocks from Minecraft, but the twist is that players will be able to build and fight as if they were in the real world, through the use of their phone’s camera. “Minecraft pigs parading around your local park? That’s about to become your reality,” is how the game’s creators put it in…

A restaurant in central London is asking diners to bring their own tables. People can apply for tickets to eat at the temporary venue and they will be served a six-course meal for free if they agree to the request. The event takes place 12–15 June and chef Gennaro Contaldo said, “If carrying a table through central London doesn’t bring you closer with your friends, then my delicious cooking definitely will.” Those without their own tables are asked to make a donation to charity. Does this sound real, or are we feeding you a fib?*…

The US government has said that Julian Assange could face up to 175 years in prison for publishing secret information if he is put on trial there. Assange is the founder of WikiLeaks, an organisation that publishes secret documents belonging to governments and businesses without their permission. He is currently serving a 50-week prison sentence in the UK. When that is finished, he may be sent to either the US or Sweden to face trial. The WikiLeaks founder spent seven years living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London before he was arrested in April. (An embassy is an official government headquarters in a foreign country). He fled to the Ecuadorian embassy on 19 June 2012, to avoid being arrested and sent to Sweden, where he has been accused of other…

Meat can be tasty, it is often good for us and it has been part of our diet for hundreds of thousands of years. However, some charities and organisations, such as the Soil Association, say meat should not be eaten every day, especially in schools. This is because farming animals for meat can be bad for the environment and lead to climate change. The Soil Association wants schools to have more plant-based meal options that don’t contain meat and that do not cause as much environmental damage. The Government already recommends that schools have one meat-free day each week, but not all schools follow this advice. So what do you think? Should schools be made to have one completely meat-free day each week? Yes – it’s important to protect the…

Eden Project, Cornwall The Eden Project is an attraction not to be missed. A botanical garden like no other, it consists of two vast biomes (giant greenhouses) and extensive open gardens. The Rainforest Biome is the world’s biggest greenhouse, housing a small rainforest in its own tropical climate. The Mediterranean Biome has plants like fruit trees, grapevines and olive groves that grow in warm countries. It’s a great day out, and a fantastic way to explore other ecosystems. To find out more, visit edenproject.com…

Don’t look down Tourists cross a glass-floored bridge in China’s Zhejiang Province. Back from the dead A new robotic exhibition of lost species at Chester Zoo. Flying fish Fishermen pull in their net in Anhui Province, China. Hair we go An outdoor fashion display at the Chelsea Flower Show, in London. Flipping great Jack Field performs the highest ever motorcycle backflip in Melbourne, Australia. Night-time halo The moon rises behind the Statue of Liberty in New York, US.…

The 65-year-old football comic Roy of the Rovers will feature a female character in a lead role for the first time in its history. Rocky Race, the sister of title character Roy, will be the main focus of a new story published for the Women’s World Cup, which begins on 7 June and lasts until 7 July. Rocky will be joined by Roy and her coach Ffion in Rocky of the Rovers: France 2019, which follows the trio as they travel around France supporting the England team. The comic will be written and published as the World Cup unfolds, to make it up-to-date and relevant for readers. It will be available for free on the National Literacy Trust’s website, and three new chapters will be published each week. In addition…

Ever since he appeared in his first game in 1991 on the Sega Mega Drive console, Sonic the Hedgehog has been lightning-fast... on his feet. Now, this new game sees him trying a different kind of speed: driving in cars. Team Sonic Racing is a Mario Kart-style game, but this one is not restricted to Nintendo’s Switch – it is also available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The characters are all from past Sonic the Hedgehog games. Besides Sonic himself, there are his familiar sidekicks Tails and Knuckles, as well as some of his most famous foes. Like other kart-racing games, you drift round corners and use items to attack other racers. These can be friends in the room, other players online or console-controlled characters. What’s different is the…

Anew app called Rivet aims to help young people who are finding it difficult to learn to read. It has been created by a team working for Google. The free app has a collection of more than 2,000 digital books for different reading levels, sorted into topics such as adventure, history and science. Rivet can speak words aloud for those who are finding it difficult to read them, and it also includes translations for 25 languages, to help young people who are learning English as an extra language. The app will use the microphone of the device it’s being used on, getting people to read out pages. “At the end of the page, readers can see which words were read correctly, and try again on the words they missed,” said…

After 29 years of trying, a biscuit fan has finally completed his lifelong goal – removing the two pieces of biscuit from a Bourbon to leave just the filling intact. The unnamed man posted about his achievement online. Explaining his technique, he said he used “just bare hands, and very precise nibbles. It was mainly the hands, though.” One impressed biscuit fan called him a “wizard“.…