Innholdsfortegnelse for 281 i The Week Junior

Countries around the world are sending aid, such as medical equipment, to India to help tackle a huge rise in the number of Covid-19 infections. On 28 April, India reported 360,960 new Covid-19 infections and more than 2,000 deaths. At the time The Week Junior went to press, this was the highest number of new infections reported in 24 hours anywhere in the world since the coronavirus pandemic began. How is India coping? The sharp rise in Covid-19 infections has meant that hospitals can’t cope with the number of people who need treatment. Many hospitals do not have enough beds and are running out of equipment, including oxygen, a gas that help patients to breathe more easily. Laboratories are so busy that they can’t process test results quickly, which means…

From 3pm on 30 April to 11.59pm on 3 May, football clubs in England are due to stop using social-media platforms in protest at online abuse. Clubs from the Premier League, English Football League, Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship will not post anything on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The boycott (when people refuse to buy a product or take part in an activity as a form of protest) was scheduled to take place over a match-day weekend because this is when clubs and players are busy updating fans on fixtures, team news and scores. The Players Football Association has asked players to join the protest. Manchester City and England captain Steph Houghton said she would be taking part. “We want to make a change,” she told Sky Sports.…

• On 6 May, people aged 16 and 17 will be able to vote in the Senedd elections for the first time. The Senedd is the Welsh Parliament (you can read all about it on pages 12–13). • In 2015, a law was passed that gave 16-year-olds in Scotland the right to vote for the Scottish Parliament and in local elections. • The minimum voting age for all elections in England and Northern Ireland is 18. • In a general election, when UK Members of Parliament are voted into the House of Commons, the minimum voting age is 18 years old.…

From a young age, Nora Al Matrooshi, from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been fascinated by space. Now, the 27-year-old is a step closer to getting there after she was selected from 4,300 applicants to join the UAE Astronaut Programme. Al Matrooshi is the first Arab woman to train as an astronaut and will join US space agency NASA’s 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class. She has a university degree in mechanical engineering and competed for the UAE in the 2011 International Mathematical Olympiad. Her motto is, “Do what makes you happy”.…

On 8 May, thousands of people around the world will be taking part in Global Big Day, a huge birdwatching event set up to encourage people wherever they are in the world to report the birds they see around them. The event is organised by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, based in New York, US. You can contribute by spending as little as five to 10 minutes looking for birds on the day, or spend longer and submit observations throughout the day. Last year, more than 50,000 people from 175 countries sent in 120,000 individual sightings. Global Big Day is held on World Migratory Bird Day, which aims to raise awareness of the way birds fly between countries and continents as the seasons change. The protection of these birds is…

New tests that can quickly detect brain injuries could help to care for sportspeople during rugby and football matches. The kits pick up signs of concussion – a type of minor brain injury caused by a bump to the head – from a person’s spit. The new tests were developed by a team of researchers led by the University of Birmingham. They involve looking at samples of saliva for molecules (a tiny unit of a chemical) called microRNAs, which travel in body fluids including saliva and blood. Brain cells use these molecules to carry chemical signals that control how they work, renew and repair themselves. Brain cells that are injured quickly change the chemical structure of the microRNAs they produce, sending new signals that help the cells to repair themselves.…

An international team has found the world’s smallest known footprint from Stegosaurus – a large, plant-eating dinosaur with bony plates along its back, which lived in the late Jurassic period, 155–145 million years ago. The footprint, preserved in rock at Xinjiang in China, is just 5.7 centimetres long and was probably made by a baby dinosaur no larger than a cat. A study of its shape suggests that young stegosaurs might have walked differently to adults. Fully grown stegosaurs walked on all fours, with their heels on the ground. This footprint suggests that the baby was walking with its heel lifted off the ground, like a bird or a cat. Team member Anthony Romillo from the University of Queensland in Australia, says, “We’ve only previously seen shortened tracks like this…

Playing sport and staying active at school are important for many reasons. It helps keep your body strong and can improve mental health, which is how you think and feel. A group called ukactive Kids, along with sports company Nike, is running a campaign to reward primary school staff who work hard to organise these important activities. During the pandemic, and when restrictions are in place, sport often plays a vital role in young people’s happiness. The Active School Hero award is open to all primary schools in England. Any person who works at a school and does an important job in sport, such as setting up lunchtime sports clubs or games, can be put forward for the prize. Finalists will be selected from each region, and an overall Active…

Star Wars: Resistance In this show a pilot called Kazuda Xiono is sent on a mission to investigate the rising First Order. This series is set before the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which was released in 2015. Star Wars: The Clone Wars Taking place during the events of the Star Wars prequel trilogy (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith), this series follows the adventures of Jedi Knights during the Clone Wars. Star Wars: Rebels Set five years before the events of the original Star Wars film, A New Hope (released in 1977), Star Wars: Rebels shows the beginnings of the Rebel Alliance, and their struggle against the evil Galactic Empire.…

Worst. Holiday. Ever. by Charlie Higson (Puffin Books) Stan is facing his worst nightmare – going away on holiday with a load of strangers! Travelling to Italy with his (fifth) best friend Felix and his family, Stan will have to confront all of his fears – aeroplanes, mosquitoes, weird food and weird toilets. Luckily, Mum has prepared him an emergency list telling him how to cope with all kinds of dangers, such as being attacked by a shark, but Stan is pretty sure what he really needs is to know what to do if he accidentally calls Felix’s mum “Mum” in front of everybody, or if his trunks come off in the swimming pool. Full of brilliantly believable embarrassing moments, this book is certain to make you laugh out loud.…

Where can I go for advice? The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has important tips for swimming at the beach, which can also apply to other types of open water swimming. Go to rnli.org/youth-education and watch the water safety video. With the help of an adult, visit tinyurl.com/ TWJ-outdoorswim to find swimming coaches around the UK. What else should I know? Remember to take towels and pack extra warm, dry clothes to wear afterwards. British swimmer Mark Foster competed at the Olympics and won world titles. “I encourage you to get involved with open water swimming in the summer,” he told The Week Junior.…

CHARITY OF THE WEEK United World Schools United World Schools (UWS) has just launched a new campaign called Happily Ever Smarter to get thousands more children in the most remote parts of the world into school for the very first time. For every £1 the charity raises before 29 July, the UK Government will double your donation, helping children in Nepal receive a life-changing education. To get a fundraising kit and learn more, visit unitedworldschools.org Natural ways to relax Name: Ellen “I have been designing and making my own beauty brand, Nice and Natural, during lockdown. I first became interested in how to make beauty products when I was given some bath bombs for Christmas. I researched how to make them and then tried to use as many…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam@TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. Last week, we asked if the UK should ban short flights within the country… “Yes. It is a waste of energy. You can just take a train or ferry.” “They should ban them because there are other less polluting ways to travel.” “Yes. Airplanes produce shocking amounts of carbon dioxide!” “We have to reduce pollution. It is bad to fly a short journey when you can just drive or take the train there.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

“Since the pandemic started I have been worried about my grandparents in India. The situation in the UK is getting much better, just as the situation in India has suddenly taken a turn for the worse. Although I am able to meet up with people outdoors here, my thoughts turn to my family in India. Their lives have been turned upside-down by the current Covid-19 outbreak. All I can do is pray for my loved ones. It is a very stressful time for people with family in India. I hope the country gets through this wave without many more lives being lost.”…

A CLOSE ENCOUNTER On 18 April, a kayaker took close-up photos of a basking shark off the coast of Cornwall, England. Rupert Kirkwood filmed the shark’s approach and its open mouth underwater. Basking sharks swim with their mouths wide open to feed on tiny plants and sea animals. A PENCIL-SIZED DEER Bristol Zoo has released pictures of a tiny mouse deer born at the zoo during lockdown. The animal is known for being the smallest hoofed mammal in the world, measuring just 20 centimetres – about the same height as a pencil. Mouse deer eat fruit and vegetables. A LUCKY DETECTORIST A gold and crystal ring discovered by a detectorist (a person who looks for historic objects with a metal detector) on the Isle of Man could belong to a…

Now that you’ve read a bit more about it, tell us what you think by voting in our poll at theweekjunior.co.uk/polls. Vote YES if you think all 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote, or NO if you don’t. We’ll publish the results next week. The aim of the Big Debate page is to present two sides of an issue fairly and objectively, in order to stimulate discussion and allow our readers to make up their minds. The views on the page do not reflect those of The Week Junior, and the page is not funded by third parties. The page is created in association with the English-Speaking Union, an educational charity helping young people discover their voice and realise their full potential. For more information, please see esu.org…

On 6 May, voters in Wales will decide who they want to form their parliament, which is known as Senedd Cymru. More than 2.3 million people, aged 16 and over, are able to vote. Wales has been electing politicians to this parliament since 1999. A brief history lesson Wales started following England’s laws in the 16th century and later became a member of the United Kingdom. By the 1950s, Lady Megan Lloyd George (daughter of the first UK Prime Minister from Wales) started a campaign for devolution. Devolution is when some powers are transferred from central government (such as the Houses of Parliament in London) to regional government. Support for devolution increased in the 1980s and 1990s and in May 1997, the UK Labour Party promised to hold devolution referendums…

Since February 2020, footballers under the age of 12 have been banned from heading footballs during training in all parts of the UK other than Wales. Young players are still allowed to head the ball in an actual match, however. The rules were changed to keep children safe from the risk of concussions triggered by the impact of the ball. Research has also suggested there could be a link between heading the ball and developing dementia – a brain condition that affects people’s memory. The ban targets training because young players head the ball more in coaching sessions than in matches themselves.…

England women’s rugby union team A narrow 10-6 win over France secured England the Six Nations title for the third year in a row. Jessica Gadirova The 16-year-old from Buckinghamshire, England, won a gold medal with her floor routine at the European Gymnastics Championships in Switzerland. Manchester City The footballers won the Carabao Cup final after beating Tottenham 1-0. It is the sixth time they have won the competition in the past eight seasons. Simon Yates At the Tour of the Alps cycle race in Austria and Italy, the British rider had the quickest overall time after the five-stage event.…

Here are five ways you can add more humour to your day: • Choose photos or greeting cards that make you laugh. Hang these in your bedroom. • Make a list of funny films, books and online videos, so that you have these to hand when you next feel sad. • Get in touch with friends who make you laugh, telling them a funny story in return. • Set up an after-school comedy club to talk about funny films and to write comedy sketches. • Organise a comedy competition in person or online. For example, who can do the best impersonation of a famous person or create the funniest caption to describe a photograph?…

Tell us about the best holiday you have had. I’ve loved all of them. Going on holiday is FUN – but the first holiday I had without my parents was pretty cool. A friend and I backpacked around Italy and the Greek islands. The sense of freedom was great. What is a skill you would like to learn and why? I’ve always really REALLY wanted to be able to tap dance. It just looks such fun – and the noise you make is fantastic. I nearly took lessons once. I love to look at tap-dancing videos on YouTube (check out the Nicholas Brothers in action...) but I’m too old and stiff now. What was your favourite subject in school? Why? Art. I love anything creative. In my art lessons I…

This fish puppet has a smooth movement that allows you to make it look as if it’s really swimming. It can be decorated in any way you like – why not find a picture of an interesting fish and try to copy the colours, or make a whole shoal with different designs? Using materials that are quite easy to get, you can dive straightt in and give it a go. 1 Put down some newspaper or table covering. Paint one side of A4 card, right up to the edges. 2 Repeat with similar shades, then flick paint onto the card for a spotted effect. Leave to dry. 3 Fold the short edge of the card diagonally up to the long edge. Cut off and keep the excess card. 4 Open…

Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Please include your full name and address so that we can send you a Roving Reporter badge if your contribution makes it onto the page. We will only use the details you provide to arrange delivery of badges, and we will not share them with anyone else. By submitting your reports and pictures, you give consent to The Week Junior to print them in the magazine and digital editions. We reserve the right to edit contributions for length, accuracy and suitability. Ensure you have your parent/guardian’s permission before sending anything to us.…

On 23 April, 39 sub-postmasters who had been found guilty of committing crimes were declared innocent after winning a court case. The mistake is thought to be the worst failure of justice by UK courts in recent history. What are sub-postmasters? A sub-postmaster, or sub-postmistress, is a person who runs a post office on behalf of Post Office Ltd, a company that is owned by the Government. In 1999, a computer program called Horizon was introduced across the Post Office network. Sub-postmasters used the Horizon system in their day-to-day business, such as noting each sale and keeping track of their stock. What was the court case about? Between 2000 and 2014, the Post Office accused 736 sub-postmasters of stealing. They were taken to court, found guilty and listed as criminals.…

More than 50 years ago, in 1969, a law was passed in the UK that lowered the voting age from 21 years old to 18. In recent years, there have been growing calls to lower the voting age further. In 2013, the then leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband, said he would like to see the minimum voting age lowered to 16 years old. “The future of our society is going to affect young people the most,” he said. “I think (they) should be able to decide the country’s future.” Since then both Scotland and Wales have lowered the age for elections for their parliaments. However, some people say that 16-year-olds are not experienced or mature enough to make political decisions. What do you think? Should all 16-year-olds be…

Growing up in Scotland, Amy Corbett says that she and her brother would play with Lego bricks together, “creating whole worlds sprawling across the living room floor”. Now, she works for Lego as a senior designer and is one of the judges on Channel 4’s Lego Masters USA – a TV competition show for Lego builders. At university, Corbett studied product design engineering. “My favourite things to design always ended up being fun and playful,” she says. “So I thought to myself, ‘What better thing to do than design toys?’” However, you don’t need to come from a design background to work for Lego. “We also have textile designers, artists, architects and even teachers in our teams,” Corbett explains. “The most important thing is that you are playful.” During her…

European wildcats could be reintroduced to England more than 200 years after they became extinct in the country. The plan has been announced by UK wildlife charity Wildwood Trust. European wildcats are one of the UK’s rarest mammals. The only wild population, numbering fewer than 300 individuals, lives in the Scottish Highlands but they are on the verge of extinction, partly because they have bred with local feral cats (wild-living domestic cats). Supporters hope to save the species in the UK by reintroducing them to England and Wales, where they died out around 200 years ago because of hunting and loss of habitat. To bring back the species, Wildwood Trust is planning to build 10 new breeding facilities on two sites i in Kent and Devon. Kittens bred in captivity…

Rise and shine Morning at a cherry orchard at Alnwick Garden in England. Life of the party A Finnish photographer uses a light trick to “fill” empty venues. Splashing about A pony foal trotting in Swansea, Wales. Family ties A zebra foal cuddles its mum at a nature reserve in Kenya. Chasing bubbles A child plays as Muslims celebrate Ramadan in Indonesia. Fast asleep A praying mantis sleeping upside-down in Italy.…

Jessie Knight is a primary school teacher in Surrey, England, and a British hurdles champion. “There are unsung heroes in every school,” she tells The Week Junior. “When I was at school a teacher called Mr Bezodis really supported and helped me in my running career. I would like everyone to nominate an Active School Hero. It could be anyone at school who gets pupils active, such as skipping, playing games, organising and getting equipment out and having fun on the playground. ”…

For Star Wars fans, 4 May is a very special day: it’s Star Wars Day. The date was chosen because “May the fourth be with you” sounds a lot like the Star Wars catchphrase “May the Force be with you”. This year’s Star Wars Day will be particularly special because it marks the start of a new animated TV series on Disney+ called Star Wars: The Bad Batch. The series takes place after the events of The Clone Wars, another Star Wars animated TV programme that ran from 2008 until 2020. It tells the story of Clone Force 99, a task force of five genetically enhanced super soldiers. The Bad Batch is being overseen by Dave Filoni, who was the mastermind behind The Clone Wars and the live-action Star Wars…

Fantastically Great Women Scientists and Their Stories by Kate Pankhurst (Bloomsbury Children’s Books) Explore true stories of female scientists in this new book, which features comic strips, family trees, illustrations and maps. Among those included are Tu Youyou, who spent months on a remote island inventing a treatment for malaria. The Extraordinary Life of Alan Turing by Michael Lee Richardson. Illustrated by Freda Chiu (Puffin Books) Computer pioneer and Second World War codebreaker Alan Turing features on the Bank of England’s new £50 note. This biography follows him from his childhood as a quiet boy who loved maths to becoming one of the most important scientists in history. 100 Scientists Who Made History by Andrea Mills (Dorling Kindersley) Bringing together mini-biographies of 100 scientists and innovators, this book will give…

Swimming in a pool with your family is great fun. Open water swimming takes place in the sea, a river or a lake and can be just as enjoyable, but there is a lot more to think about and it’s vital to be safe in the water. Most swimming pools are heated to make sure that the water is comfortable enough to get into. In open water swimming, the temperature will often be much colder. Most beginners wear a wetsuit to help keep them warm. In the UK, the most popular time for open water swimming is between late April and September. If you decide to swim in a river or lake, contact a local open water swimming club or coach for advice. They can tell you the safest place…

Love and lava in Iceland On 19 March, Iceland’s Mount Fagradalsfjall erupted for the first time in 800 years, and one lucky couple managed to get married there. It was a “quiet” eruption; in other words, people could safely come and watch the lava flow. Sumarliði and Jón said they had to hike through a snowstorm for 90 minutes before reaching the spot where they got married. The couple described their volcano wedding as “weird, gorgeous and terrifying all at the same time”. Dummies take to the ski slopes A group of more than 20 dressed-up dummies have taken part in a ski race in Oregon in the US. Every year, the Mount Ashland Ski Resort holds its Dummy Downhill event. Members of the public are invited to dress up…

With its long thick coat, bushy tail, glinting eyes and impressive whiskers, the European wildcat could be mistaken for a larger-than-usual domestic tabby cat. They are found in small areas across Europe, but there are thought to be just 300 left in the Scottish Highlands. The feline disappeared from England and Wales a century ago, when the cats were considered pests. All that could be about to change. The wildlife charity Wildwood Trust is aiming to reintroduce the animal into England and Wales for the first time in more than a century, to save the species from extinction. In recent years, all sorts of animals have been reintroduced to the UK, among them beavers, the chequered skipper butterfly, pine martens and the world’s heaviest flying bird, the great bustard. Some…

How much of this week’s news can you remember? 1 Who won the Oscar for best actor? □ a) Sir Anthony Hopkins □ b) Chadwick Boseman □ c) Chloé Zhao 2 True or false? A blue lobster was caught off the coast of Cornwall, England. □ True □ False 3 What sort of animal recently followed climbers up a mountain in Switzerland? 4 What is the minimum age of someone allowed to vote in England? □ a) 16 □ b) 18 □ c) 21 5 True or false? A blacksmith is someone who makes objects by hand out of wood. □ True □ False 6 When are European wildcats most active? 7 What does Senedd Cymru mean? □ a) National Parliament □ b) Welsh Parliament □ c) People’s Parliament 8…