Innholdsfortegnelse for 351 i The Week Junior

On 30 August, Pakistan and the United Nations (an organisation of 193 countries that work together) launched an emergency appeal asking countries for £138 million to help people in Pakistan who have lost their homes in record-breaking floods. Why has an appeal been launched? More than 33 million people – one in seven of Pakistan’s population – have been affected by severe floods. Unusually heavy rain has washed away homes, crops, bridges and roads. Pakistan’s government says a third of the country is now underwater and millions of people have had to leave their homes. Many people are now living in emergency camps and others have had to find shelter on higher, drier ground. The UN’s chief, António Guterres, launched an appeal for emergency funding, saying that “Pakistan is awash…

PUMPKIN PADDLING Duane Hansen, from Nebraska, US, has set a new world record after paddling 38 miles in a giant hollowed-out pumpkin, which he named Berta. One of Hansen’s hobbies is growing large vegetables, such as pumpkins. The journey took him around 11 hours. PORPOISES IN THE THAMES The Zoological Society of London has revealed that harbour porpoises who recently started living in the River Thames, in south-east England, are thriving. The marine mammals lived in the Thames 200 years ago, before the water became polluted. They are now returning because the river is cleaner again. BEING NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR Sarina Wiegman, the manager of England’s Lionesses football team who won the Euro 2022 final, has been awarded the UEFA Coach of the Year award for 2021-22. Wiegman,…

A clean-up of Edinburgh has started after strikes by bin collectors that lasted from 18 to 30 August. The crews stopped work for 12 days because of a disagreement with the city’s council about how much they get paid. Rubbish piled up in the city for two weeks, and experts warned it could be dangerous to people’s health. Lorries have now collected the piles of bin bags and loose rubbish has been swept up. More strikes are expected from 6 September.…

Dr Alex was always a bit of a worrier. “I used to worry about everything,” he told The Week Junior. “It’s very daunting and it can be a very isolating feeling.” Last year, Dr Alex became the UK’s first Youth Mental Health Ambassador. Now he has written a new book looking back on his own life experiences. He describes A Better Day as a mental health toolkit to help young people understand and express their feelings. “I basically wrote this as the book I wish I had when I was 10 years old,” he says. Dr Alex shares his strategies on how to handle difficult situations, stresses and pressures that young people might face at home, in school and on social media. Dr Alex also told The Week Junior about…

Dogs are often thought of as loyal and loving creatures, but a recent study has revealed just how much dogs love their owners. Researchers from Azabu University and Jichi Medical University in Japan have discovered that dogs can cry tears of joy when they are reunited with their owners. In the experiment, the researchers first measured how many tears were produced by 18 dogs when they were just spending time at home with their owners. They did this by putting a strip of special paper in the dogs’ lower eyelids and then measuring how much moisture from tears soaked into the paper. The team then repeated the experiment, this time with dogs that were reunited with their owners after being apart for five or more hours. The results showed that…

British triathletes Holly Lawrence and Kat Matthews were in Team Europe at the Collins Cup. “It feels good, especially after I crashed last year,” said Lawrence. “It’s a totally different mentality when you are racing in the team.” Matthews added, “This event is the pinnacle (high point) of the year in terms of the atmosphere and the fun element of our sport.”…

Cineworld, a company that owns lots of cinemas in the US and the UK, has said that it may file for bankruptcy in the US. This happens if a person or company has too much debt (they owe too much money to banks or other companies). It involves a company selling things it owns to pay back the money, and it can mean it has to close completely. During the Covid-19 pandemic, cinemas were ordered to shut and when they opened again they had to obey social distancing rules, so they couldn’t sell as many tickets as usual. Cinemas are also having to compete with home-streaming services, like Netflix, which became more popular in the pandemic. Across the world cinema ticket sales are 32% lower than in 2019 this year.…

(Scholastic) Marisee and Robert live in a fantastical London lit up by elemental spirits: the fiery Dragons, airy Fumis, watery Chads and Magogs of the earth. Humans have been causing chaos and destroying the natural balance with their noise, mess and pollution, and now the mysterious Shepherdess is bringing a sleeping sickness upon the city and its people. Marisee and Robert must become elemental detectives, following clues across London and taking on the ghosts of Hyde Park, the monstrous snake of the Serpentine and many more fantastical beasts. Can they stop the Shepherdess from putting London into an eternal sleep? The first in a new series, this magical adventure is a clever blend of history and fantasy. Fans of Nevermoor or the Mortal Engines series will enjoy this. WIN! We’re…

Have you ever performed the cat, cobra, cow or crocodile? Then you might have tried yoga. Yoga is a form of exercise that involves stretching and holding poses. The poses are often named after animals, such as butterfly, downward dog and dragon. There’s also a tree pose – and even a “happy baby”. Yoga first developed in India around 5,000 years ago and is now popular all over the world. Millions of people of all ages and abilities do it every day to boost their health and wellbeing. The poses might look easy but it takes practice to do them properly. It’s a good idea to get expert advice too, to make sure you are doing them correctly. Practising yoga has many benefits. The stretches and poses work a range…

Name: Amber “Since I was seven I’ve swum regularly with a local club and at school. This summer I decided to set myself a challenge: to swim 50 lengths (1,000 metres) every day for 50 days. I wanted to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund because I think animal welfare and environmental conservation are really important and deserving causes. I made a poster and set up a JustGiving page to raise awareness about the WWF. I am due to finish my swimming challenge on 3 September. I’ve been very grateful for the sponsorship from friends and family and I hope I can raise a few more pounds in the final week of the challenge! You can find out more at justgiving.com/amber50450” What have you been up to lately? Which…

“I took some photos of the Bristol balloons when they flew past my house. They were a rainbow of colours and even though we had to get up at quarter to seven, it was definitely worth it.” Amelie “I receive a copy of the magazine every week and would love to share a picture I took on my recent holiday to Greece. It’s a grumpy looking dragonfly.” Noah “My favourite activity every Friday is to read The Week Junior. I particularly like to learn new facts and the Big Debate.” Kasper…

The US government’s space agency, NASA, stopped the launch of its Moon rocket, Artemis 1, just 40 minutes before it was due to take off on 29 August. The launch, at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, in the south-eastern US, was delayed because of a problem with one of the spacecraft’s engines. Around 250,000 people, including US Vice President Kamala Harris, went to Florida to watch the launch. Engineers are working on fixing the problem and NASA hopes to launch Artemis 1 on 3 September. When the spacecraft, which will have no humans on board, is launched it will take a six-week trip around the Moon. If the trip is a success, NASA will launch a mission to the Moon with a human crew in 2025. NASA hopes the…

On 26 August it was announced that the energy price cap will rise for millions of people in England, Scotland and Wales, from 1 October. What is the price cap? Energy bills for household gas and electricity are based on a price cap. This is the maximum amount of money energy supply companies are allowed to charge for the gas and electricity they sell to customers. From October, that limit will increase by 80%, which means an average UK household might have to pay around £3,500 per year for its power. However, this isn’t a fixed amount – it depends on how much energy people use. In England, Scotland and Wales the price cap is set by a regulator (an organisation that supervises a particular industry) called Ofgem. Northern Ireland…

Pombal, Portugal Huge dinosaur skeleton unearthed Scientists digging up a dinosaur skeleton in the city of Pombal think it could be the biggest one ever found in Europe. The remains of a plant-eating sauropod were discovered in 2017 in a back garden. Scientists recently unearthed more of the creature’s bones, revealing that it would have been 12 metres tall and 25 metres long. Glen Rose, Texas, US Drought reveals ancient footprints Hot and dry weather in the state of Texas has revealed large dinosaur footprints that are 113 million years old. Around 60 footprints are now visible on a river bed in Dinosaur Valley State Park. They were made by an Acrocanthosaurus, a three-toed dinosaur that would have been about 4.5 metres tall and weighed seven tonnes. Brasília, Brazil Independence…

The common bramble is a tough plant that is common across the UK. Its strong roots can take hold almost anywhere and its long stems, covered in sharp thorns, grow up to two metres high. Ancient Britons used brambles as a barrier, much like we use barbed wire. The plants grow in hedgerows or clumps and have dark green leaves, with three or five sections that have jagged edges. Clusters of white or pale pink flowers appear in late spring to early summer and bees love them. The bramble’s shiny fruit – a cluster of “druplets” – will have turned from green to red to black by now, and are ready to eat. Blackberry picking is fun, but wear old clothes (in case they get pulled by thorns) and take…

A thrilling new triathlon competition called the Collins Cup took place on 20–21 August in Slovakia. A triathlon involves swimming, cycling and running. These events come straight after each other, so athletes swim then change quickly to cycle before getting off their bikes for a final long-distance run. A triathlete needs incredible levels of fitness and skill to succeed at all three parts. The Collins Cup is a team triathlon competition between three regions: Europe, the US and the rest of the world (team International). Each team has six women and six men. There are 12 matches with one triathlete from each team in each race and there are separate men’s and women’s matches. It’s a tough event. Each match starts with a 1.2-mile swim, followed by a 50-mile cycle…

The start of a school year can be daunting but you don’t have to face it alone. With your own team of imaginary cheerleaders, you can feel confident and supported. What is an imaginary cheerleading team? Cheerleading teams are at sporting events and they are there to support, encourage and cheer on the athletes. An imaginary cheerleading team is a group of people you think about when you need to feel a boost. One of the advantages of an imaginary team is that you don’t have to wait until you can see them in person – you can think of them any time and anywhere. Your team is there to inspire, support and motivate you, to cheer you up and cheer you on. They’re not judgemental and they don’t criticise…

More than 200 old buildings, beautiful gardens and other special places in Wales are opening their doors to visitors free of charge this September. They are taking part in Open Doors, which is an event that inspires people to discover famous landmarks across Wales, as well as some less well known places – some of which are usually closed to the public. Open Doors is run by Cadw, an organisation from the Welsh Government that looks after places of historic or environmental importance. Cadw means “to protect” in Welsh. The festival is part of the European Heritage Days event, which takes place in 50 countries each year in September. As well as allowing people to enjoy free attractions, Open Doors is a way to learn more about history and culture,…

With a new term starting, this is the perfect moment to get technology to give you a helping hand. These websites, games and apps can boost your ability to learn, focus and (very importantly – at least until you settle in) keep track of your week. There are two brilliant websites that cover all the subjects that are studied at schools in the UK. BBC Bitesize (bbc.co.uk/bitesize) has guides, games, videos and advice to help you at every level from your primary school years to over 16. Oak National Academy (classroom. thenational.academy) is another hub where you can watch video lessons, do activities and check your understanding of topics. The website has a brain-melting number of lessons provided by around 550 teachers from across the UK. When you’ve got tests…

Why did you set the book in London? London is bursting with centuries of stories, myths and lore that are just ripe for an eager author to pick. Favourite mythical creature in the book? The tithe-master – he lurks in a tunnel, takes a tenth of what passes through (including memories) and wears a coat of live swans. How do you like to write? I switch between paper and laptop. I wrote my first books when I was working full-time, so I wrote in notepads on the bus to the office. I like orangeflavour Club biscuits and Ginger Nuts. I usually have the radio on in the background. Do you have any hobbies? I love live music gigs – be it classical, pop or indie.…

What do you need? Yoga doesn’t require a lot of kit or equipment. All you need is a quiet place with space around it so that you can stretch out, and a soft mat so you don’t slip. Wear stretchy clothes like leggings, pyjama bottoms or shorts and a T-shirt that allows you to move freely. Where can you learn? You can learn from a book or watch videos on sites such as Cosmic Kids (cosmickids.com) or the YouTube channel Yoga for Kids! However, it’s best to join a starters’ session with a proper yoga teacher to show you how to do the poses safely. Ask an adult to help you search online for a children’s group near you.…

A musician’s moving protest An Irish musician has built a cabin on top of a lorry trailer after battling for 15 years to build a house on his own land. Breanndán Ó Beaglaíoch, who lives in Kerry in Ireland, was fed up with his local council refusing him permission to build a new home on the land, so he built one he can drive around instead. Ó Beaglaíoch believes that the strict rules about building houses are forcing people to leave the Irish countryside and move into towns. He said he will help others who are facing the same problem. Town invaded by gentle giants Five magical tree giants are taking over the centre of Bracknell, in England, as part of a forest festival. All of them are linked to…

The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park, where Britain’s Second World War codebreakers were based, is holding a poetry competition in honour of the famous codebreaker Betty O’Connell. O’Connell was one of many people working to crack codes that the Germans used to communicate in the war. She kept her job secret from everyone, including her family. In 1944, she wrote a poem celebrating some of the other women she worked with. Now, young people aged from five to 18 are invited to write a poem on one of three themes: community spirit, individual achievement or unsung heroes. Enter at tinyurl.com/TWJ-poetryprize before 15 September. GET INVOLVED Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk…

Teacher’s name: Mrs Brewster School: St Mary’s Senior School, Cambridge “Mrs Brewster is such a kind and supportive teacher who always looks out for us and is there for us whenever we need someone to talk to. She has helped me with so many things and is so understanding. She is truly the best teacher! Mrs Brewster is a biology teacher, who makes every single lesson so fun and enjoyable. I didn’t use to like biology, but now I love it. Sadly, she is leaving and I will miss her a lot. She has definitely inspired me to become a teacher when I am older.” Emilia If we pick your teacher as Teacher of the Week, we’ll send your school three free issues of The Week Junior. Send your nominations,…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam @TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. In last week’s debate we asked if idleness is a good thing. You said… “Being idle is relaxing when you should be working, which is a bad thing.” “When I’m bored I’m more likely to be motivated to study because I have no distractions.” “Sometimes you need to have some down time.” “No, it’s just being lazy but with different words.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

1 Who is the youngest person to fly around the world solo? 2 True or false? An escaped kangaroo in Northern Ireland was found after three days on the run. □ True □ False 3 Benin’s football team in Africa has asked to change its nickname from the Squirrels to what other animal? 4 How many classes do schools in Finland have per day? □ a) One or two □ b) Three or four □ c) Five or six 5 What is Dr Alex George’s new book for young people called? 6 True or false? Manisha Kalyan was the first Indian footballer player to take part in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. □ True □ False 7 Which animals sometimes cry with joy when reunited with their owners? 8 True…

In 2021, a survey of teachers found that only 20% of them thought homework was essential for learning – and 70% said there was too much emphasis on homework and marking. However, an education expert called Katharine Birbalsingh wrote in The Sun newspaper, “Homework is essential for a child’s education because revisiting the day’s learning is what helps to make it stick.” Way back in 1998, the UK Government suggested that primary school children should do about half an hour’s homework a night and secondary school pupils should do about 90 minutes. Since 2012, it has been up to headteachers to decide whether pupils should get homework and how much. What do you think – does homework help you learn or should it be left at school? Yes – you…

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the world’s largest and most powerful space science telescope, has produced some brilliant views of Jupiter this July. Scientists have released two images that show parts of Jupiter more clearly than ever before. The JWST doesn’t just take pictures and send them back to Earth. Instead, it sends data about brightness picked up by its detectors. Scientists analyse this data and turn it into pictures. These new images were “taken” with the telescope’s Near Infrared Camera. Infrared light is invisible to the human eye, so the information had to be converted into colours that humans can see. This is why Jupiter doesn’t look as red as it does in most pictures. Each image shows clearly the planet’s glowing auroras at each of Jupiter’s magnetic…

Spain Under-20 footballers Spain won the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup by beating Japan 3-1 in the final. It’s the first time they have won the title. Liverpool FC and Celtic FC They both won league games 9-0. Liverpool beat Bournemouth in the Premier League and Celtic defeated Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership. Max Verstappen The Formula One world Champion finished first in the Belgian Grand Prix, even though he started the race in 14th position. St Helens In rugby league’s Super League, St Helens won the League Leaders’ Shield by finishing top of the table. They now hope to reach the Grand Final on 24 September.…

The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger by J.T. Williams (Farshore) In the 18th century, two brave young detectives – Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle – team up to solve a mystery at the Drury Lane theatre, a real-life theatre in London. The two have work fast, though, to prevent a murder. Get set for an exciting adventure. Resist by Tom Palmer. Illustrated by Tom Clohosy Cole (Barrington Stoke) As the Second World War stretches on, life for people in the Nazioccupied Netherlands is getting harder. After her brother is captured by the Germans, Edda wants to fight back – but can a teenage girl help the resistance? This inspiring story is based on the childhood of a famous actor, Audrey Hepburn. Journey Back to Freedom by Catherine Johnson. Illustrated…

Name: Jess Boy by Roald Dahl “Inspirational, thrilling, jawdropping. A fascinating biography about the author’s childhood. It contains the origins of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” YOUR TURN Email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If your review is printed in the magazine you’ll receive a Roving Reporter badge. Tell us what you liked about the book and why you’d recommend it to others, and don’t forget to include your name and address.* *If you are the competition winner, we will only use the details you provide to contact you and arrange delivery of your competition prize. Further details about how we manage the data you provide can be found at www.futureplc.com/privacy-policy…

Stepping out in a new pair of shoes at the start of the school year is a fantastic feeling but it doesn’t last for long. Running around the playground and playing in the park in the grass and mud can leave your school shoes looking scruffy. Learning how to polish your shoes is a handy skill that will keep them looking smart and make them last longer by keeping them waterproof. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find it doesn’t take much time at all. You might even offer to polish your family’s footwear too. Simply follow this step by-step tutorial and learn how to transform your shoes from scuffed to shiny. What you need • An old sheet or newspaper • A hard shoe brush • Two…

Choosing the cover each week takes time. Sometimes it is a close contest but this week we knew it had to be Mack Rutherford. We have been following his long journey around the world, and you can read about it on p3. To be the youngest person to fly solo around the world is an astonishing feat, and another brilliant success was achieved by the team behind the James Webb Space Telescope. On p14, we report on the pictures the space telescope has produced of Jupiter. Amazingly, it was “citizen scientists” who helped create those images. The telescope sends back information, not actual photos, which has to be interpreted and turned into colours that we can see. Some of the people who worked on the images are volunteers with a…