Innholdsfortegnelse for 494 i The Week Junior

Authorities in Spain are cracking down on the number of homes that can be rented out to tourists. Do you think that’s the best way to balance the needs of locals and visitors? Read our report on page 5. Scientists in the US have found focusing on moments of awe improves people’s mood and wellbeing. What do you see in your daily life that could spark feelings of wonder? Find out more about the study and what “awe” means on page 17. Researchers are tracking seal pups’ epic journeys to help protect them. Which animals do you think travel the furthest in their lives? Learn what to do if you see seals in the wild on page 12. The big debate Should SUV drivers pay more? Have your say on…

The UK Government has agreed to hand back the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, after 60 years of British rule. Mauritius is a nation that lies in the Indian Ocean, about 500 miles east of Madagascar. Where are the Chagos Islands? Made up of about 60 individual islands, the Chagos Islands are in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The islands lie roughly 1,250 miles north-east of Mauritius, and nearly 6,000 miles south-east of the UK. The islands were ruled by Mauritius until 1965, when the British bought them for £3 million and they became known as the British Indian Ocean Territory. In the 1960s, the UK asked the US to establish a military base on Diego Garcia – the largest island (see panel). As a result, the whole Chagossian population…

In 2003, Scotland adopted the “Right to Roam”. This allows people to freely explore most of the landscape in Scotland and to walk and camp in the countryside. Campers must follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, which has three principles: respect the interests of others, care for the environment, and take responsibility for your own actions. Campers are asked to cook on camping stoves, rather than make open fires, and leave no rubbish behind. In some areas, such as Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, camping is only allowed in a campsite or with a permit.…

From 2 to 8 June it is Volunteers’ Week, a campaign celebrated in the UK each year to recognise important work done by people who give up their time to help others. Darcie Farrell, who is in Year 5, volunteers in her primary school’s library each week. She works with the other library assistants on Tuesday lunchtimes to organise books and help others to read. Darcie told The Week Junior that libraries are very special because some children don’t have books at home. She said, “It helps them be themselves in the library.” Her favourite thing about being a library assistant is that she gets to help other children with their reading. Recently, Darcie won the School Library Association’s Pupil Library Assistants of the Year award for primary school children.…

Each year, the Cornish Seal Sanctuary helps more than 70 rescued grey seal pups get back to full health. In its seal hospital, staff can look after six poorly seal pups at a time. Recently, the sanctuary has been working with the University of Exeter on a project to track where seals go once they’re released back into the wild. The project is led by Dr Luis Huckstadt, who attached GPS trackers to 16 seal pups that were released from the sanctuary. GPS, which stands for global positioning system, is a navigation tool that tracks an object’s location. The data collected from the trackers will help researchers understand how seals adapt when they’re released back into the wild. One of the seal pups, Maggot, surprised researchers when she travelled 150…

One of England’s biggest nature reserves has been created in West Yorkshire. It is hoped that the Bradford Pennine Gateway will protect rare animals and habitats. The new National Nature Reserve (NNR) stretches across 13 square kilometres and includes the moors and hills that inspired the Brontë sisters to write famous books in the 19th century, such as Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. It links eight nature sites that are already protected for their importance to wildlife, and 40% of the reserve is newly protected land. NNRs are designed to protect some of the country’s most important wildlife habitats and geology (rocks, minerals and soil) and so far there are more than 300 in the UK. As well as giving people the chance to get closer to nature, NNRs can…

Dragon’s blood trees These mushroom-shaped trees with blood-red sap only grow on an island called Socotra in the Arabian Sea. However, their survival is at risk for several reasons, including cyclones (a type of tropical storm), free-roaming goats that eat young trees and a lack of conservation efforts caused by a ongoing war in Yemen, which owns the island. The trees are important because they capture rain, which runs down into the soil and feeds other plants.…

Incredible dinosaur discoveries at Pipestone Creek, Canada, will feature in the BBC television series Walking with Dinosaurs, which has returned to screens after 26 years. The show aims to bring six species of dinosaur to life through expert interviews, visual effects and exploring the science. Palaeontologists are scientists who study the history of life on Earth through fossils, which are imprints of ancient creatures preserved in stone. Every year, palaeontologists head to Pipestone Creek, known as the River of Death, to try and solve the mystery: why did thousands of dinosaurs die there in a single event 72 million years ago? Professor Emily Bamforth is leading the team this year as they dig out hundreds of prehistoric bones – from ribs to toes. She says there are up to 300…

Novak Djokovic Djokovic won his 100th ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) singles title at the Geneva Open in Switzerland. He defeated Hubert Hurkacz by two sets to one in the final. England women cricket team Playing against the West Indies, England won all three of their T20 matches. Bordeaux-Bègles The French rugby union club won the men’s Champions Cup final in Cardiff, Wales. They beat England’s Northampton Saints 28-20. Fenerbahce basketball team The team from Turkey won the EuroLeague title by beating Monaco 81-70. It is the biggest event in men’s European basketball.…

From 1 to 4 August, the Festival of Sport is back. The weekend gives children the chance to try out different sports while being coached by some of the very best in the business. Austin Healey, the former England rugby player who co-founded the festival, tells The Week Junior that it’s a relaxed weekend where fun comes first. “It really is just an opportunity for you to come as a family and experience great sports and be active and healthy,” he says. There will be plenty of sports and activities to take part in at the festival, including archery, athletics, climbing, gymnastics, hockey, judo, kayaking, netball and trampolining. Activities will be led by some star names in sport who will be passing on their top tips (see panel below). Healey…

Secrets of the Penguins Available now on Disney+ National Geographic Explorer Bertie Gregory spent two years observing the “secret traditions” and behaviours of penguins. This series shows just how intelligent these birds are and the important friendships they form with each other. Mr Bean: Animated Series Available now on ITVX Mr Bean is back with some more antics in a fourth animated series. Watch what happens when he goes bowling, builds an electric go-kart from scratch and gatecrashes the opening night of an art exhibition.…

What’s your earliest memory of your family? My parents used to own a pancake restaurant on Fort Lauderdale beach in Florida, US. Some of my earliest memories are of my dad frying eggs and my mum waiting tables – and all of the colourful characters who worked there. Besides being a writer, you’ve had many other jobs. Which has been your favourite? My current job working for an education charity. I get to read lots of research that’s coming out now, talk to young people about how they want the education system to change, and then I try to get the Government to listen. What did you learn while writing this book? It was pretty amazing to ask my dad and his friends about their families’ stories from India. My…

“If you should happen to get in any salve that gives people more freckles, then you can send me seven or eight jars.” Pippi Longstocking, by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren, was first published 80 years ago in 1945. The first in a hugely successful series, it tells the story of a nine-year-old girl who lives by herself and refuses to abide by the rules adults try to impose on her. It is based on stories the author used to tell her daughter, who made up the main character’s Swedish name – Pippi Långstrump.…

A handbag from dinosaur hide Traditional leather is made out of cow skin and used in belts, bags, wallets and shoes. Scientists are now experimenting with making “leather” from the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex, which last roamed Earth around 65 million years ago. They took collagen (a protein) from a T. rex fossil (an impression or trace of an ancient animal preserved in rock) that was discovered in 1988. Using this, they plan to create cells in a lab to make “dinosaur leather” and turn it into items such as handbags. Dinosaur experts have said the plans are just “fantasy”. Family life on a boat Sara Rice, her husband Lee and their two children have spent the past nine years sailing around the world. In 2014, the couple bought a boat,…

Enter Number Heroes To mark National Numeracy Day, which takes place in May every year, the charity National Numeracy has launched a new Number Heroes competition. To take part, draw a picture showing how you would use numbers in your dream job or hobby. Enter your creation and you could win prizes for your school or youth group and a gift token for yourself. Competition judge Bobby Seagull said, “I can’t wait to see all your Number Heroes pictures!” Discover how you can get involved before the 11 June deadline by asking an adult to head to tinyurl.com/TWJ-numbers WIN A BADGE! 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…

1 Who is Canada’s official head of state? ☐ a) King Charles III ☐ b) Mark Carney ☐ c) Donald Trump 2 True or false? Manchester City won the Women’s Champions League final. ☐ True ☐ False 3 In which country did more than two million children read the same book at the same time on 21 May? 4 In 2024, what proportion of new cars sold in the UK were SUVs (sports utility vehicles)? ☐ a) 13% ☐ b) 23% ☐ c) 33% 5 True or false? Julia Donaldson was the most borrowed author from UK libraries in 2024. ☐ True ☐ False 6 How many species of seal live around the UK? 7 How many times are Muslim adults expected to do Hajj in their lifetime? ☐ a)…

On 2 June it is the start of the Empathy Day Festival. Empathy is the ability to see a situation from someone else’s point of view. It isn’t always easy – and it takes practice. Author Hannah Gold explains on page 25 how empathy helps you understand others, and how that knowledge can spur you to action. Our Wellbeing feature (page 21) this week indirectly involves empathy too. It’s about being able to ask for help. Lots of people find it hard to ask for help. They think they should be able to cope on their own; that everyone is busy with their own lives; or that the problem is too silly to bother others with (by “people” I mean me, in case you hadn’t guessed). This is where imagination…

Diego Garcia is one of the most remote islands in the world, around 1,000 miles from the nearest big area of land. It is covered with coconut trees and bright white sand and contains a turquoise coral lagoon. Until the deal made by the UK Government to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius was agreed, Diego Garcia was run from the Foreign Office in London. It is home to a US-UK military base, whose activities include “rapid deployments to the Middle East, East Africa and South Asia”, as well as carrying out nuclear-powered submarine missions from its port.…

TWO LION CUBS Two lion cubs born as part of a litter at Whipsnade Zoo have been named. Oya was named after the African goddess of wind and lightning, while Bertie was named after Storm Bert. The names were picked by a prize-draw winner and a shortlist vote by school children in Bedfordshire, England. BREAKING A BIKE RECORD As a teenager, Sarah Ruggins from Gloucestershire, England, couldn’t walk because of an illness. Now aged 37, she has broken the world record for cycling from John O’Groats in Scotland to Land’s End in England – and back again. The 1,677-mile journey took her five days, 11 hours and 14 minutes. A TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHER At the World Food Photography Awards, Maja Kowalczyk’s photo of freshly picked carrots has won the Jamie Oliver…

A scheme called Join Us: Move Play (JU:MP) has helped to increase children’s physical activity in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The project got young people involved in designing outdoor play spaces on neglected areas of land. It also encouraged more activity during the school day and added exercises and sport to after-school classes. The organisation Sport England found that JU:MP increased physical activity by an average of more than 70 minutes a week.…

When Kanbar Hossein-Bor arrived in the UK from Iran as a child, he couldn’t speak English. Now he is the first refugee (someone who has to leave their country because of war or violence) to become a UK High Commissioner. This important job involves representing the UK in other countries – in this case, Fiji. Hossein-Bor was six when he left Iran, travelling across mountains and deserts to reach safety in the UK. He says that when he was growing up, “countless acts of individual kindness” from others gave him the confidence to be himself. He hopes his new role will inspire others to follow in his footsteps.…

This species of lizard was thought to be extinct until recently, when they were found on the same hillside where they were last seen in 1991. The lizard was rediscovered in South Africa by a group that specialises in looking for at-risk species. • LIFESPAN: Five to 10 years. • HABITAT: Steep, rocky hillsides in Blyde River Canyon, South Africa. • SIZE: Eight to nine centimetres long. • DIET: Mostly insects. • FUN FACT: The area where the gecko lives is so remote that the researchers who found it had to be lowered in by helicopter.…

Between 4 and 9 June this year, millions of Muslims from around the world will perform Hajj. This is a pilgrimage (religious journey) for those who follow the religion of Islam and it centres on the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Every Muslim adult is expected to do Hajj at least once if they can. Hajj begins on the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah, the last month in the Islamic calendar, and lasts five to six days. Why is Hajj performed? Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, which are the practices all Muslims are expected to do during their life. There is Shahada, the Muslim declaration of faith; Salah, which is prayer five times a day; and Zakat, or giving to charity. There’s also Sawm, or…

A design company called MakeGood Nola has created a Toddler Mobility Trainer (TMT) for toddlers with disabilities. It will be available for anyone with a 3D printer to make themselves. 3D printers use digital designs to create a physical object by printing it layer by layer. The TMT is a chair with wheels to help children with disabilities to move around. Once it’s been tested, the design will be available to download for free for anyone to 3D print. If any parts of the TMT break, they can simply be reprinted to replace them. Mobility equipment can be very expensive, so the design was created to help some families save money. Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junior Science+Nature magazine sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

It might seem strange but the best way to become independent is to learn how to ask for help. Practising the words you might use to ask for help can be a great way to build your skills, confidence and independence. When do I need help? Dr Rekha Vara is a psychologist at a school. “The first step is often to realise that you need help,” she says. “Sometimes when we can’t do something we avoid it, or we distract ourselves, because we find the task too hard or we are confused. For example, if you find yourself in class, not knowing how to tackle your work, notice yourself starting to fidget or chat. That is a sign that you need help with the task.” Be kind to yourself Other…

Among the famous faces who will be coaching at the Festival of Sport are netball player Tamsin Greenway and sprinter Derek Redmond. Greenway played for England between 2004 and 2015, winning two Netball World Cup bronze medals and another bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in that time. She also has seven Netball Super League titles, and is now an award-winning pundit (an expert who talks about a sport on television). Redmond won gold in the 4x400 metres relay race for Great Britain at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. He is also well known for what happened in the 400 metres semi-final at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. During the race, Redmond picked up an injury and found himself struggling to walk as the other athletes sprinted…

Epic Adventures: Explore the World in 12 Amazing Train Journeys by Sam Sedgman. Illustrated by Sam Brewster (Macmillan Children’s) This fascinating, fact-filled book charts the world’s most epic train journeys. Travel across six continents and 34 countries, along 12 of the world’s most incredible railways. Flight: From a Balloon to the Moon – and Beyond by David Long. Illustrated by Terri Po (Faber Children’s) If you’re fascinated by aeroplanes and helicopters, you’ll love this non-fiction book, which explores the story of flight – from hot air balloons to spacecraft. It includes plenty of technical information, as well as stories of the people who have shaped the history of aviation. Boats: Steamers, Icebreakers and Ghost Ships by Jan van der Veken (Prestel) This book covers all aspects of the maritime world.…

Name: Esther The Valley of Lost Secrets by Lesley Parr “Suspenseful, funny, phenomenal. This book is one of my favourites because it’s full of mystery and adventure; it keeps you turning pages while sometimes laughing.” YOUR TURN Please email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If it is printed in the magazine you will receive a Roving Reporter badge. Describe your chosen book in three words, tell us what you liked about it and why you would recommend it to others. Don’t forget to include your name and address.*…

Whether you have a garden of your own or just a desire to test out your gardening skills without getting things wrong in the real world, Adorable Garden may be just the game for you. It’s a mobile game for Android and Apple devices that is part of the “cosy” gaming genre – meaning that it has been designed to be fun and relaxing rather than too stressful. You start by creating two characters who move into a house that has no furniture. Your job is to help fill it up and make it a home – which is where the gardening comes in. You buy plants and grow them in your house, before selling them to make money which can then be spent on new items and plants, as…

Wordsearch Can you find all of the pets listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. BUDGIE CANARY CHINCHILLA COCKATIEL DEGU DOG FERRET GERBIL GOLDFISH GUINEA PIG HAMSTER KITTEN LIZARD MOUSE PARROT PONY RABBIT RAT SNAKE TORTOISE Split words Piece together the pairs or groups of letters to find four sweet foods. Number fit All of these numbers fit in the grid. Can you work out where they go? We’ve placed one to start you off. 3 numbers 261 587 645 704 771 4 numbers 7106 8467 9158 5 numbers 53074 75142 82644 6 numbers 446026 561031 622304 7 numbers 4344336 4575102 5763066 8 numbers 81672301 90473515 95412414 9 numbers 172171917 275347417 437765751 915677766 ANSWERS ARE ON PAGE 33 Sudoku Place the numbers…

“Getting ready for our annual crazy hair day to raise funds for my school in Twickenham. My hair gets crazier each year… I wonder what I’ll do next year!”Annie “My cat Banksy loves reading The Week Junior as much as I do. Whenever it opens to the photos he always runs to it.”Lucy “We made vegetable pasta following the recipe published in The Week Junior. It turned out delicious.”Sara and Ahaan “I made my own planter for nature to thrive in. The box is from my old wooden toys, I made it waterproof and decorated it with jewels. I planted it with some bee-friendly seeds to help attract wildlife.”Hettie We’re proud to be plastic-free The Week Junior is delivered without a wrapper. This decision was made in response to requests from our readers…

The Spanish government has told Airbnb (a website and app where people can rent holiday homes) to remove nearly 66,000 properties in Spain. The government says the properties break the rules. Spain is going through a housing crisis, which means homes are too expensive for many people to buy or rent. Lots of people blame this on the rising number of holiday homes that tourists can book for a short period. This means there are fewer properties available for people who actually live there all the time. Tens of thousands of people have protested in Spain in recent months about the housing crisis. The government says the properties on Airbnb that need removing are missing licence numbers, which show that the property owners are registered to rent out their homes.…

People are now legally allowed to camp in Dartmoor National Park, England, following a decision by the Supreme Court in London (the highest court in the UK). This settles a long-running case that sparked a national debate about the public’s freedom to roam the countryside. What is the background to the case? Dartmoor National Park covers 954 square kilometres of moorland in Devon, England. Nearly all of it (90%) is used by farmers and owned by lots of different people. It was the only place in England and Wales where people could pitch a tent without permission from a landowner. In January 2023, Dartmoor landowners Alexander and Diana Darwall won a court ruling that allowed them to ban camping on their land. They said this was to protect their cattle…

All vehicles add to congestion (heavy traffic) and cause wear and tear to roads. If a car runs on petrol or diesel it will also release carbon dioxide, a gas that contributes to climate change. However, some vehicles and drivers – depending on how often and far they drive – have more of an impact than others. To pay to look after the roads they use, most UK drivers pay road tax (a sum of money that goes to the Government). Recently this increased, and electric car users were charged for the first time. However, some say it’s unfair that SUVs pay the same as smaller cars. Campaigners say these bigger cars take up more space, cause more pollution and do more damage to roads because they are heavier. What…

This tall plant begins to flower in June and its dark red lollypop-like flowers cover damp grassland areas up to September. Great burnet is found across England and Wales but is most common in central and northern England. It thrives in floodplain meadows, which are grasslands in areas that tend to flood in winter and drain away in summer. This habitat is often found along rivers but in the last 100 years, 97% of these habitats have been lost in the UK. This is mainly because fields have been built on or used for farming. The presence of great burnet is seen as a sign of a healthy floodplain meadow. The plant can grow up to 1.2 metres tall, with its red oval flowers topping long, thin stalks. Great burnet’s…

Flamingos in Devon A flock of flamingos have been released back to their lagoon home after spending nearly three months indoors. The pink birds live at Paignton Zoo in Devon, England. They were being cared for in a specially built area because of worries about bird flu (an illness that spreads among birds). Now, all 61 flamingos are back in their watery home in time for breeding season. “Having them back at the entrance really brings the zoo to life again,” said birds team leader Lisa Ward.…

This year the Saudi Arabian government says that children can’t join their parents on Hajj. This is because it attracts huge crowds and the authorities are worried about people’s safety. There is a simpler pilgrimage that young Muslims can do, called Umrah. This also visits Mecca and has similar elements to Hajj. For example, it includes performing Tawaf. Umrah is much shorter than Hajj, and only takes between three and six hours. It can be performed at any time of year, except during Hajj, and it’s not compulsory for Muslims. The Week Junior spoke to Sukaynah Ali, aged 9, who did Umrah in 2023: “The most memorable part of Umrah was when I was walking around the Ka’aba because I had always learnt about it. I was surprised when I…

Have you ever wondered how ginger cats get their bright-coloured fur? Two teams of scientists in Japan and the US now think they have the answer – and it’s all to do with cats’ genes. Genes are sections of DNA (a chemical that carries all the information about a living thing and its characteristics). They give instructions to cells and determine things like eye and hair colour. The teams of scientists have now pinpointed the orange gene that makes ginger cats’ fur look so distinctive. The scientists compared the DNA of cats with ginger fur to those that were other colours. They discovered that ginger ones have a section of DNA missing from a gene called ARHGAP36. This change makes the gene more active and it instructs the cats’ cells…

Esme Morgan has set herself some challenging targets this year. She plays for Washington Spirit, in the top league of women’s football in the US, and for England. Success with club and country is what Morgan wants. “I am desperate to win a league title. I have come close before but winning would be special,” the 24-year-old told The Week Junior. “I am enjoying the season so far with the Spirit and it started well by winning the Challenge Cup against Orlando Pride. That showed we are here to win trophies.” Morgan plays as a defender and she hopes her good performances for Washington Spirit mean she will be part of the England squad at the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 tournament. England are the current champions and the competition is…

On 16 May, the pop star Rihanna released her first song in three years. The track, Friend of Mine, features in the new Smurfs film, which will be out in cinemas on 18 July. In a video for the song, Rihanna walks through a strange and colourful forest carrying a flower as an umbrella. In Smurfs she provides the voice of Smurfette, who has previously been played by pop stars Katy Perry and Demi Lovato. In the latest film, Smurfette must lead the Smurfs on an adventure to save Papa Smurf when he is captured by evil wizards. Rihanna’s last release, Lift Me Up, featured on the film soundtrack for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and was nominated for an Oscar.…

Empathy Day Festival starts on 2 June, with events all around the UK. Empathy means the ability to understand other people’s feelings and points of view, and the festival is designed to help young people do this. It’s run by the organisation Empathy Lab, and the programme includes several authors whose books inspire empathy. Hannah Gold, who wrote Finding Bear and Turtle Moon, is one of the featured authors. She spoke to The Week Junior about how to create stories that are full of “heart”. 1 Plan your story Create a structure by having roughly five different “touch points”, or things that happen in your story. These can be used as stepping stones to lead you from the beginning, through the middle and to the end. 2 Motivate your characters…

Doing the laundry – in other words, cleaning dirty clothes, sheets and towels – is a common chore that every adult has to do, unless they want smelly clothes. This would once have involved washing everything by hand, which took a long time and a lot of effort, lifting sopping wet clothes and wringing them out. Luckily, washing machines were invented and became popular in UK homes in the 1950s. Thanks to these machines, helping with the laundry is far quicker and easier today. Ariel, which makes detergent to wash clothes, did a survey in 2021 of 2,000 UK adults and their washing habits. It found that the average washing machine will go through four loads of laundry each week. If you’d like to help around the house more, why…

Teacher’s name: Mr Thackray School: Killinghall C.E. Primary School, Harrogate, England “Mr Thackray is a brilliant teacher who really understands me. He is really clever and kind and always very enthusiastic, especially about science. He puts a lot of time into coming up with experiments which have surprising outcomes and are great fun. He is amazing and I think he definitely deserves Teacher of the Week.” Charlie 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, along with a picture of your teacher and your school’s full name and address, to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk JOKE OF THE WEEK “How much does a dead battery cost? Nothing, it’s free of charge.”Florence…