OU DID YW KNOber o?f the UK
This week’s big news Giving it all up for love
m nd Each mentributes arou al o y public ctowards the ro £1.24 ily each year. fam
Edward VIII with Wallis Simpson.
The Queen with Meghan and Harry in 2018.
Edward VIII is the only British monarch to abdicate (give up the throne) through his own choice. He was King from 20 January until 10 December 1936, when he stepped down to marry Wallis Simpson, who was from the US. Edward VIII and Simpson fell in love, but his family and the Church of England did not approve of their marrying because Simpson had been married before. Edward VIII abdicated so they could marry and live together. Edward VIII’s brother became King George VI. He was the current Queen’s father.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are to step away from royal roles
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n 13 January, the Queen announced she would allow Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle (the Duke and Duchess of Sussex) to reduce their royal responsibilities. The couple had released a statement on 8 January saying they wanted to “step back as senior members of the royal family”. y
What do the Sussexes want?
Archie, “with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born” while also providing space to “focus on the next chapter”. They said that although they still want to perform some royal duties, they want to explore opportunities to earn money and support themselves. Senior members of the royal family are noot allowed to earn their own money.
Harry and Meghan aim to reduce thhe How do Harry and Meghan amount of work they do as senior make money at the moment? members of the royal family and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex focus on new projects, including are expected to undertake certain their own charity. The other royal duties, such as representing senior royals are the Queen and her the Queen at events she cannot husband Prince Philip, Prince Charles go to. In return they are paid a sum (Harry’s father) and his wife Camilla, of money from the Sovereign Grant. The Queen held and Prince William (Harry’s elder brother) This grant is money the Government a meeting. and his wife Kate. The Sussexes want to split pays to the royal family in return for the their time between the UK and North America. work they do. Last year, the total Sovereign Grant It is thought that they will move to Canada. was £82.2 million. However, most of Prince Harry’s money is given to him by his father, Prince Charles, Why do they want to do this? whose income comes from the Duchy of Cornwall – a In their official statement, Harry and Meghan said collection of farms, land and rental cottages in several the move would enable them to raise their son, places across the UK. The money made from this is
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used to support Prince Charles, his children, and his charity work. It is not clear whether Prince Charles will continue to give money to Harry and Meghan.
How did the Queen respond?
The Queen called a meeting between the senior royals on 13 January to work out what to do next. At the end of the meeting, the Queen said she supported “Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family” but would have preferred them to remain as full-time working members of the royal family. At the time The Week Junior went to press, details were still being worked out. In a statement, the Queen said she wanted this to happen quickly.
How have the public reacted?
Some people said that Prince Harry and Meghan are lucky to be in their position because they are wealthy and enjoy a comfortable life. These people said they should do the work expected of them as senior royals. Others said that Prince Harry did not choose to be a member of the royal family and so he and his family should have the right to choose how they live their lives and what work they do.
The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
This week’s big news
Ceremonies honour Iran plane-crash victims M
emorials have been held for the 176 people who died after a passenger plane crashed shortly after take-off from Tehran, Iran, on 8 January. At first, the Iranian government said that the disaster was caused by a technical fault on the plane. On 9 January, the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said there was evidence it had been hit by an Iranian missile. The Iranian government denied this, but on 11 January it confirmed it had accidentally shot down the plane. There were 57 Canadian citizens on board, as well as people from six other countries, including the UK. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani called it “an unforgivable mistake”. The country has opened an investigation into the incident and says that people have been arrested. The plane was hit shortly after Iran fired missiles at two military bases in Iraq used by US soldiers. This was in response to the US killing of an Iranian military general, Qasem Soleimani, in Iraq. Iran’s admission has sparked anti-government protests across the country. Rob Macaire, the UK’s ambassador (an official representative) to Iran, was arrested on 11 January after being accused of taking part in a protest. Macaire was soon released and has said that he was at a gathering to honour the victims.
ON THE COVER: GETTY IMAGES · REX SHUTTERSTOCK · ALAMY. ON THIS PAGE: GETTY IMAGES · REX SHUTTERSTOCK · SWNS.COM · REUTERS · IMAGE OF VENICE SUPPLIED BY THE FLORENCE, BIBLIOTECA NAZIONALE CENTRALE, II.IV.101, FOL. 1V. WITH PERMISSION OF THE MINISTERO PER I BENI E LE ATTIVITÀ CULTURALI E PER IL TURISMO/BIBLIOTECA NAZIONALE CENTRALE, FLORENCE
A ceremony in Toronto, Canada.
Hallstatt has beautiful views.
! to WOisW home
Hallstattd’s oldest salt l the worhich dates back mine, w000 years. 7,
“Frozen” village attracts too many tourists A pretty Austrian village, rumoured to have been problems for the village, which is recognised as a the inspiration for the town of Arendelle in the site of “outstanding universal value” by UNESCO (the Frozen films, is struggling to cope with a sudden United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural increase in tourism. Fewer than 800 people live in Organization). Scheutz said, “We want to reduce Hallstatt, but up to 10,000 visitors per day came in numbers by at least a third but we don’t actually have 2019, up from around 100 a day in 2009. any way of stopping them.” Local business owners The number of people travelling to agree, with manny saying that the numbers of Hallstatt has been increasing since visitors is damaging the local area and irritating 2006, when it featured in a South residents. Some complain that people only Korean TV programme. The beautiful take a couuple of photos and then leave, village, which overlooks a laake and which doeesn’t bring in much money. is surrounded by snow-cappped Hallstatt iss among a growing number mountains, attracted further of places that can’t keep up with the attention in 2011 when a replica demands of tourists. European cities of it was built in China. Hallsstatt including Am msterdam, Bruges and Venice has also been named as thee “most have revealed plans to reduce visitor Instagrammable town in thee world”. numbers. For example, Venice will charge Mayor Alexander Scheutz an enttrance fee for day-trip tourists, A rumoured link to Frozen has said that too much and Bruges is limiting the number has attracted tourists. tourism is causing major of cruuise ships that can dock nearby.
IT’S AN AMAZING WEEK FOR…
GETTING A NEW FLIPPER
A turtle that lost one of its flippers after becoming tangled in a fishing net in Thailand has been given a prosthetic (artificial) flipper. The endangered olive ridley sea turtle can’t be released back into the wild but is said to be “swimming much better”.
A YOUNG BIRDWATCHER
Mya-Rose Craig, 17, has become the youngest birdwatcher in the world to spot 5,000 species of bird. To mark her achievement, the teenager from Somerset will be given an honorary degree by Bristol University. She said her passion is not motivated by listing the animals; she loves observing and understanding each bird. Mya-Rose Craig
FINDING A 14TH CENTURY DRAWING
Goody the turtle.
18 January 2020 • The Week Junior
The oldest known drawing of Venice in Italy has been discovered by historian Sandra Toffolo, from the University of St Andrews, in Scotland. The picture dates back to the 14th century and shows buildings, canals and boats. It was drawn by Niccolò da Poggibonsi, a monk who liked to describe the places he visited.
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Home news Parliament Buildings at Stormont.
Northern Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Stormont
Irish and Ulster-Scots Although most people in Northern Ireland speak English, around 15% of the adult population knows some of the Irish language. Also known as Gaelic, this was the main language of Ireland until the 16th century. A similar number of people in Northern Ireland also know the Ulster-Scots language.
K L A W G LON ore than a
m g There isridors stretchin ’s cor mile of ugh Stormontgs. thro buildin t n e m a i parl
Northern Ireland Assembly returns to work O
n 10 January, Northern Ireland’s two biggest political parties agreed to form a government. Northern Ireland’s parliament had been suspended for almost three years because the main political parties disagreed on how they would work together.
The Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland’s parliament is officially called the Northern Ireland Assembly, but it is often referred to as Stormont. This is because the parliament buildings where the assembly meets are on the Stormont estate in Belfast. Voters elect Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to work at Stormont. The current Northern Ireland Assembly was set up in 1998 as part of the Good Friday Agreement. This agreement was aimed at bringing peace to Northern Ireland. The country had faced years of conflict between nationalists (who want Northern Ireland to
OF WORD THE WEEK
MEAT Many people are giving up meat this month, as part of a movement called Veganuary. For the Anglo-Saxons, the word meat meant all food, from animals and plants. Later, as the variety of foods available increased, new terms were needed. “Flesh-meat” was used for food from animals, “green-meat” meant vegetables, and “sweetmeat” described anything sweet.
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be part of the Republic of Ireland) and unionists (who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK).
What is a devolved parliament?
The Northern Ireland Assembly is a devolved parliament, meaning it has the power to make laws covering certain things, including health and education, in Northern Ireland. These are known as “devolved powers”. The UK Parliament has “reserved powers”, which means that it makes decisions on other things, including defence.
Why was the government suspended?
The Northern Ireland Assembly has to include both a pro-unionist and pro-nationalist party. If one of these quits, the government cannot function. In January 2017, the leader of the pro-nationalist Sinn Féin party resigned. He said he couldn’t work with the
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) any more because of how they had dealt with a scheme aimed at encouraging businesses to use more environmentally friendly sources of fuel. As a result, the DUP’s leader, Arlene Foster, had to resign as First Minister (the equivalent of the UK Prime Minister) and an election was called. The DUP and Sinn Féin were the two parties that got the most votes, but they couldn’t agree on how they would govern together.
What has happened now?
The DUP and Sinn Féin have made a deal. Foster returns as First Minister and Michelle O’Neill, one of Sinn Féin’s top politicians, is Deputy First Minister. Foster and O’Neill will share power equally. The parties agreed to accept some of each other’s views on topics they disagreed on, including officially recognising the use of the Irish and Ulster-Scots languages.
THE WEEK IN HISTORY 20 January 2009 Barack Obama becomes US president On 20 January 2009, Barack Obama became the US president. He was the country’s 44th president and the first African-American to hold the position. After serving his first term, he was elected to begin a second term in 2012. Obama grew up in the state of Hawaii and studied political science before attending Harvard Law School. In 2009, Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”.
Obama is sworn in as US president.
The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
Home news Attenborough opened the exhibition.
Money mystery solved
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ince 2014, at least 12 bundles of cash worth £2,000 each have been found on the streets of Blackhall Colliery, a village in County Durham. When the bundles weren’t claimed the police returned them to the people who had handed them in. Nobody knew who put them there – until now. Local police say that two people have admitted to being the source of the gifts. The pair, who asked for their identities to be kept secret, said they’d received a large amount of money and hoped that the cash would be picked up by people in need.
Sir David Attenborough opens new exhibition at artist’s home
S Birmingham considers car ban in city centre
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REX SHUTTERSTOCK · TATE · ALAMY · PA · MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL · GETTY IMAGES
ars could be banned from driving through the centre of Birmingham, according to plans published by the city council that aim to reduce air pollution. It would mean that local people could still drive to certain areas of the city, but cars would no longer be able to travel through the city centre and out the other side. These restrictions would not apply to public transport.
ir David Attenborough has opened an exhibition paintings. Many of his pictures capture the beauty of oil paintings by one of the UK’s greatest artists, of nature, such as sunrises, storms and rain. He was Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851). particularly fascinated with the sea. Visitors to the The exhibition is held in Turner’s former home in exhibition can see a telescope similar to the one Twickenham, in west London. The house, which is Turner used to look at the nearby river Thames. called Sandycombe Lodge, has been restored to the The restoration of Sandycombe Lodge took way it looked when Turner lived there. It is the first several years. Since Turner lived there the house had time since 1826 that any of his paintings have been on been extended, so the work included returning it to display at his former home. its original size. Ricky Pound, Attenborough, who the director of the Turner’s was born a few miles House charity, told The from Turner’s house and Guardian newspaper, “This still lives nearby, said the house was essentially falling artist was “one of the great down. It has been restored revolutionary painters of beautifully and now the his time”. icing on the cake is to have When Turner was 14 original Turner oil paintings years old, he became here”. Sandycombe Lodge a student at the Royal was designed by Turner Academy Schools in himself and built in 1813. d e i t London. He created more Attenborough described it e had a h d e m i a f l than 30,000 paintings and as “a little gem”. Turner clf to the mast ocould e s e drawings in his lifetime and Turner and the Thames: him m so h as like r o t s a n influenced generations of FFive Paintings is open until ship i nce what it w r. e e i artists after him. Turner is 29 March. You can find out more exper paint it bett d n a most famous for his landscape att turne t ershouse.org/visit-us h / i it
EYE OOFRM THE ST
Gritter Thunberg takes to the streets of Manchester
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new fleet of road gritters in Manchester have been given wacky names, thanks to local residents. The eight vehicles have each been given a title based on a famous person, character or expression, including Gritter Thunberg and Snowell Gallagher (inspired by the Mancunian singer Noel Gallagher). More than 2,000 name ideas were submitted in an online poll.
18 January 2020 • The Week Junior
THE WEEK’S SILLIEST HEADLINE “Slu traffi ffic lights”bbc.co.uk 5
Around the world Tourists explore the glacier.
Berlin, Germany Young artist makes money
Mikail Akar
A seven-year-old boy from Germany is selling paintings for thousands of pounds. Mikail Akar started painting when he was four years old after his father gave him a canvas for his birthday. “The first picture looked fantastic, and I thought that my wife had painted it,” said Kerem, Akar’s father. Akar’s latest exhibition in Berlin is with German footballer Manuel Neuer, who has a charity to help children from poor backgrounds.
Langjökull, Iceland Tourists rescued from glacier
Rescuers in Iceland battled through darkness, bad weather and fierce winds to save 39 tourists who had become stranded on Langjökull glacier. A glacier is a huge mass of ice that moves slowly over land. The group spent nine hours in the cold before the rescue team reached them. One of the stranded tourists, 14-year-old Antonio Galvani from Brazil, told the BBC that they were scared because they didn’t have food or water, but that everyone is all right now.
Lagos, Nigeria Young people clean up city beaches
Doyinsola Ogunye and around 20 children are volunteering to clean up beaches in the city of Lagos in Nigeria. Ogunye is a lawyer who has set up a charity to teach children about the environment. Each week, Ogunye and her team collect around 50 large bags of rubbish. Cleaning the beach is important, because the pollution can harm wildlife. “It’s basically a bath for the h g n e told the BBC.
Kenya Farmers fear for crops as locust swarm arrives
The Peruvian government has announced it will plant one million trees near Machu Picchu, one of its most famous historical sites. Machu Picchu is a 15th century city, most likely used as a royal palace for the ruler of the Incas (people who lived in the region at the time). President Martín Vizcarra said the trees would help to protect local wildlife.
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GETTY IMAGES · ALAMY · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA SAVANNAH RIVER ECOLOGY LABORATORY · REUTERS · REX SHUTTERSTOCK
Machu Picchu, Peru Government pledges to plant trees
A huge swarm of locusts has reached Kenya after destroying crops in the neighbouring east African countries of Ethiopia and Somalia. The insects, which are related to grasshoppers, can chew through lots of plants. The swarm was spotted in Kenya on 28 December and local farmers are worried that the millions of locusts will eat their crops. The swarm had covered an area of 3,000 square kilometres. In response, the Kenyan government has started to spray chemicals on the locusts in an effort to wipe them out.
The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
Around the world Thailand Thousands in protest run
A wild boar.
Thousands of people have joined running events across Thailand to protest against the government. The participants are critical of the prime minister, a former army general called Prayuth Chan-ocha. He led a coup (when a government is replaced by force) in 2014, and carried on as prime minister after elections last year. About 10,000 people registered for the biggest race, which was in the capital, Bangkok.
Fukushima, Japan Wildlife returns to disaster zone
Wildlife is flourishing around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, in Japan. An earthquake damaged the power station in March 2011, which leaked a poison called radiation across the surrounding area. No humans now live nearby, but researchers say wildlife – including wild boars, birds and Japanese hares – is thriving. Scientists from the University of Georgia used remote cameras to take thousands of photos of more than 20 species. Lightning strikes through volcanic ash.
Luzon, Philippines Thousands flee volcanic eruption
On 12 January, a huge cloud of ash exploded from the Taal volcano in the Philippines. The next day, schools and businesses closed and thousands of people fled their homes after a warning that the volcano could erupt again. Taal is a small volcano in a lake 60 miles south of the country’s capital, Manila. Around 450,000 people live within 10 miles of the volcano. Efforts are under way to take them to safety.
Oman Sultan’s family announce his successor
Tributes have been paid to Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, who has died aged 79. He was the longest-serving ruler in the Arab world (the name used for a group of countries that speak Arabic). Qaboos was also the country’s prime minister and head of the armed forces. He had no children, so his family held a three-day meeting to decide who should succeed him. They eventually opened a sealed envelope, which contained a written recommendation from Qaboos himself. His cousin Haitham bin Tariq has been announced as the new sultan.
18 January 2020 • The Week Junior
Many animals needed rescuing.
Australia Prime Minister regrets response to fires
Qaboos bin Said
Australia’s prime minister Scott Morrison has apologised for his response to the bushfires that devastated parts of the country. He said there were “things I could have handled on the ground much better”. Australia’s wildlife was affected by the fires, and people from around the world have been knitting and sewing special blankets and pouches for them.
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The big debate
Should teenagers work at the weekend? Fewer young people have Saturday jobs than they did 20 years ago.
OU DID YW KNOe ag?e for a
What you need to know
t rag The ave the UK to star n in person rst job has rise their fi 6 to 18 in the from 1 20 years. past
● A Saturday job is part-time work done by teenagers over the weekend. Examples include working in a shop or restaurant. ● Children in the UK can start part-time work from the age of 13 and full-time work once they reach the minimum school leaving age, which varies slightly across the UK. ● The number of 16 and 17-year-olds doing paid work has nearly halved in the past 20 years, from 48% in 1999 to 25.4% in 2019, according to a new study. ● Some businesses say that young people leaving school or university aren’t prepared for the working world.
Yes – it prepares you for life
Having a weekend job means that teenagers can start earning their own money. This will make them more independent and less reliant on their parents for funds. It will also benefit them later in life because weekend jobs give young people experience of the working world. Without it, they’ll be less prepared for starting their first full-time job. Last year, a study by the Confederation of British Industry (an organisation that represents businesses in the UK), found that 44% of employers thought young people leaving school or university weren’t “work-ready”. Weekend jobs also teach important life skills, such as timekeeping and teamwork. Teenagers who don’t have a weekend job are missing out on a valuable experience.
reasons why teenagers YES Three should work at the weekend
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Weekend jobs let teenagers earn money and become more independent from their parents.
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Weekend work can teach important life skills, such as teamwork, which help with your personal development.
Part-time jobs give younger people valuable experience of the working world and prepare them for later life.
Not having a weekend job means more time for teenagers to focus on school work and their hobbies. In any case, teenagers today don’t have to do the weekend jobs their parents did in order to make money and gain experience. Many are turning to the internet instead and setting up their own businesses. Research last year found that the number of teenagers in the UK with their own business has increased by 700% in the last 10 years. By 2018, 4,152 businesses were being run by people between the ages of 16 and 19. As life expectancy increases, young people today may end up working for longer than previous generations. There will be plenty of time for work once they’ve left school.
reasons why teenagers NO Three should not work at the weekend
1
Teenagers don’t need to do the same sorts of weekend jobs that their parents did in order to earn money.
2
Teenagers today may end up having longer working lives than previous generations. They should start work at a later age.
3
Not having a weekend job means more time to focus on school work and hobbies.
What do you think? 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 that teenagers should work at the weekends, or NO if you don’t. We’ll publish the results next week.
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No – there are other things to do
LAST WEEK’S POLL Last week, we asked if there should only be one winner at awards ceremonies. The vote was very close, but just over half of you 51% 49% YES NO think it would be ok to share a prize.
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
The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
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or many teenagers, the weekend is a time to relax and socialise, as well as getting their homework done. For others, it is time to go to work. Saturday jobs have been a way for young people to earn money and get some work experience for generations. In 1999, almost half of all 16 and 17-year-olds in the UK were doing some sort of paid work. By 2019, this number had almost halved, which has left some people wondering whether the Saturday job is dying out. Changes to the world of work and a bigger focus on education are two of the reasons given for why teens are working less. Some adults say that this means young people are missing out on valuable life skills and experiences. So what do you think? Should teenagers work at weekends?
People
Along for the ride Meet Najiah Knight, the teenager taking the cowboy world by storm.
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owboys are steeped in years of tradition, A successful ride lasts just eight seconds, and their rodeo competitions (involving after which the competitor can dismount (get different cowboy-inspired sports) in the US down) from the bull – but most rides come to have been dominated for years by men who a quicker, less successful end. want to feel like they are part of t e Knight told Vogue magazine that Wild West. However, a new young she got into the sport properly competitor has been changing four years ago, but explains, all that. “I started riding sheep Najiah Knight, when I was three and a 13-year-old Native moved up to bulls when American (someone I was nine. My dad is a whose ancestors lived in bull rider, and every time North America before I saw him ride I was like, people from Europe ‘Dad, just put me on one!’ moved there and took over), He was like, ‘You’re too little!’ has proved herself to be one of And I was like, ‘Well, just put Najiah Knight the biggest up-and-coming talents me on something!’ And so he put in bull riding. me on a sheep.” The event, which has been described as At the moment, Knight competes in the “the most dangerous eight seconds in Mini Bull Riders competition – a children’s sports”, involves riders attempting to stay on version of the bigger Professional Bull Riders top of a bull while holding on with just one (PBR) contest – but she hopes to become the hand. Bull riding is a central part of rodeos first ever female rider in the PBR. She says, “I across the US, although charities and believe I can do it, and I believe I am going to activists often raise concerns about the be the one who makes history. You just gotta treatment of the animals involved. keep pushing yourself knowing you can do it.”
! s WOidW es bull
Knight rh up to 450 ig that we s. She weighs kilogram1 kilograms. just 3
Recording the stories of THEY SAID IT! the Second World War O
Wolf Cukier
Out of this world
GETTY IMAGES · REX SHUTTERSTOCK · ABC NEWS
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teenager who was doing work experience at NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) in the US, discovered a new planet on his third day. Wolf Cukier, who is 17 years old, was studying solar system TOI 1338 when he noticed a planet blocking the light from two stars. “It was like, oh... there’s something here that was cool,” Cukier said. The planet has been named TOI 1338b and is 6.9 times the size of Earth. It is only the 13th planet of its type ever discovered. Cukier hopes his discovery could lead to a career at NASA.
18 January 2020 • The Week Junior
ne school night, Rishi Sharma was reading about Lieutenant Lyle Booth, a US soldier who fought during the Second World War (1939–1945). Sharma wanted to speak to Booth and so found his phone number that very night. This was the start of Sharma’s mission to speak to every surviving World War Two veteran and record their story. He used to skip school to do it but now, at 22 years old, he has made it his job. So far Sharma has spoken to more than 1,100 Second World War veterans. He films each interview and sends the subject a DVD of it afterwards. “I am just trying to meet and learn from my heroes and preserve their important experiences for future generations,” he says.
Rishi Sharma interviews war veterans.
“Christmas Day away from my girlfriend and family was hard too, as was my Spotify needing rebooting after 30 days, which obviously wasn’t possible.”
Mollie Hughes, from Edinburgh, talks about some of the challenges she faced during her journey to become the youngest woman to ski solo to the South Pole.
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Animals and the environment Big Garden Birdwatch From 25 to 27 January, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is holding its yearly bird count, and you can take part. All you have to do is choose an hour on one of those days and count all the birds you see in your garden or local park. Then submit your results online or by post. To find out more about how to sign up and to request a Big Garden Birdwatch 2020 pack, take a look at tinyurl.com/TWJ-birdwatch2020
S N W O L C E SEA colour s OF bTiH e g n a h ll c inter,
’s w A puffinhe year. In the spring it during t is grey and in ought k the bea orange. It is this to turns right colour the b act a mate. attr
Atlantic puffins.
Scientists spot puffins using twigs as tools T
wo Atlantic puffins have been filmed using a stick to scratch an itch, which is the first time wild sea birds have been seen using tools. Dr Annette Fayet from the University of Oxford, who led the research, says this suggests sea birds may be capable of more than experts once thought, because animals that use tools are often cleverer than those that don’t. The research took place over The puffins scratched several years and was published at the with sticks. end of last year.
The first time the behaviour was recorded was on Skomer Island off the coast of Wales in June 2014, when the researchers observed an adult puffin scratching a hard-to-reach itch with a twig. The second scratching puffin was spotted on Grimsey Island, near Iceland, in July 2018. The two birds were more than 1,000 miles apart and from separate colonies, which suggests
ECO TIP OF TRY EATING LESS MEAT THEWEEK
Try spotting with friends.
the behaviour is not limited to one group or place. The researchers think the puffins might have been using the twigs to remove ticks (tiny spider-like creatures) from their bodies, but they don’t know where the birds learned this trick. They could have been picked it up from other birds in the colonies, or perhaps the puffins worked it out for themselves. The only other animals in the wild known to use sticks to scratch themselves are primates (a group of mammals that includes apes and monkeys) and elephants. However, since sea birds spend a lot of their time out at sea or perched on cliffs, they are a lot harder to watch. This might be why scientists have missed these impressive abilities until now.
Go green in the kitchen.
Lots of people are cutting back on meat and dairy methane. These play a big role in climate change products, and choosing to eat more vegetables (the long-term changes in weather patterns instead. There are environmental benefits to eating largely caused by human activities). In comparison, less meat, because producing it has a producing 100 grams of peas creates just one big environmental impact. For or kilogram o of greenhouse gases. If you’d example, producing 100 gram ms like to give eating less meat a go, of beef releases up to 30 yyou need to make sure you still kilograms of greenhouse get all the right vitamins and est h g i h e s th s gases, including carbon minerals, so ask an adult for ndia ha of vegetarian I dioxide, nitrous oxide and advice before you start. ortion nd 38%
OU DID YW KNO ?
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prop orld – arou ’t in the w ople there don of pe any meat. eat
The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
Animals and the environment Animal Hooded seal of theweek Scientists want farmers to use less pesticide.
Insects pollinate flowers.
Insects need urgent action
A hooded seal, normally at home in the icy Arctic, was spotted on a beach in Cork, Ireland. Hooded seals get their name because the males have a black nasal cavity that looks like a hood on their heads.
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group of 70 scientists has set out a plan to protected areas where insects can thrive. stop insect populations from falling. The Insects are vital to all life on our planet. scientists say insect populations are declining They pollinate flowers and food crops, help drastically, and urgent action is needed. recycle waste and dead organisms, and they Some of the steps they recommend themselves provide food for other animals, include cutting back on pesticides such as birds. It is estimated that, since 1970, (chemicals used to kill half of all insects on Earth may animals and insects that hhave been wiped out by damage crops) used by pollution and the destruction n o farmers; and reducing of their habitats. The scientists human .4 y r e v e all kinds of pollution, say it is possible to reverse the For e are 1 r e h t , h t including light and faalling numbers but only if Ear sects. n i n o i l l i b noise. They also want action is taken quickly.
● LIFESPAN IN THE WILD: 25–30 years. ● HABITAT: The cold waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. ● DIET: Hooded seals eat fish such as cod, halibut and herring. They also enjoy squid.
OU DID YW KNO ?
ANNETTE L FAYET · ERPUR SNÆR HANSEN · DAVID MCHUGH · REX SHUTTERSTOCK · NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY · DORA BIRO PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
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Good week / Bad week
● FUN FACT: When male hooded seals try to attract females or want to intimidate rival males, they blow a big red nasal balloon from their hood out of their left nostril.
How do caterpillars build their cocoons?
Mark Tansley Senior keeper of invertebrates, ZSL London Zoo
Dolphins, seals and whales
Last year there was a big rise in the number of dolphins, seals and whales seen in British waters, according to a report by a group of UK wildlife organisations called the Wildlife Trusts. The figures look positive, but the Trusts say research is needed to find the reason behind the increase.
18 January 2020 • The Week Junior
Chinese paddlefish
One of the world’s largest types of fish, which existed for more than 200 million years, has been declared extinct. The Chinese paddlefish could grow to seven metres long and lived in China’s Yangtze River. Experts think that it died out between 2005 and 2010 because of overfishing.
A cocoon is a silky sack that caterpillars spin around themselves to make a case, inside which they can shed their skin to form a pupa, an important stage of the change into moths. The silk starts as a liquid near the caterpillar’s mouth. It hardens in the air into thin strands, which then get spun together, with leaves and twigs for extra defence. Enjoy unlimited visits to ZSL London and Whipsnade Zoos, plus a host of other benefits with ZSL Membership. Find out more at zsl.org/membership/zsl-membership
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All about the Brontë sisters
The UK’s most famous The Brontë sisters’ books are considered to be among the best ever published.
D
uring the first half of the 19th century there lived three of the UK’s most talented writers. They were all women, which was regarded as unusual for authors at the time, and what’s more, they were sisters. Writing under male names so that they could get published, the Brontë sisters, Anne, Charlotte and Emily, would be shocked to learn that their books are now considered among the best ever published. On 17 January 1820, 200 years ago, the youngest Brontë sister – Anne – was born.
Early life
Charlotte, Emily and Anne had two older sisters, who died during childhood, and a brother called Branwell. Their father, Patrick, worked as a clergyman (a church official). Their mother died shortly after Anne’s birth. The sisters went to several different schools, including the Clergy Daughters’ School in Cowan Bridge, Lancashire. The headmaster of this school would later inspire a character in Charlotte’s novel Jane Eyre. In their spare time, the Brontës loved to write stories and books. In fact, they wrote more during their childhood than they ever did as published authors. One of Charlotte’s earliest creations was more than 60,000 words long.
GARY MOYES/BBC FOR TO WALK INVISIBLE · GETTY IMAGES · ALAMY
Women’s work
After leaving school, the three sisters had to find work. They had very few options because, at that time, many businesses would only hire men. As a result, the Brontës mostly worked as teachers or governesses (someone who looks after another family’s child or children). Charlotte and Emily’s work took them to Brussels, in Belgium, where they hoped to improve their French. However, they had to return home when their aunt Elizabeth, who had helped to raise them, died. They did travel again, but by 1845 they had all returned to the family home in Haworth, West Yorkshire. Nevertheless, life was about to h ng h sis s
A plan to be published
To begin with, the sisters worked together on a collection of poetry. The idea came from Charlotte, who found a notebook of poems written by Emily and considered them to be good enough to be published. Emily was furious with Charlotte for reading her personal writing, but eventually she and Anne Charlotte agreed to publish a book Brontë of poetry in 1846.
,
.
The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
All about the Brontë sisters
writing family
Emily, Charlotte and Anne.
When did the Brontës become famous?
Although only two copies of the poetry book were sold, the experience inspired the sisters to write more. They would spend their evenings writing, often working late into the night. The plan was for each of them to write their own novel. These three stories were published in 1847. Emily wrote Wuthering Heights, which was published in the same book as Anne’s novel, Agnes Grey. Charlotte’s story, Jane Eyre, came out by itself. The sisters’ stories expressed modern opinions on social issues and relationships. All three stories were successful, but Jane Eyre was most read. Although the Brontë sisters’ names are now very famous, they initially decided to write under male pseudonyms (made-up names). Charlotte became Currer Bell, Emily became Ellis Bell, and Anne became Acton Bell. The Brontës revealed that they weren’t men when rumours emerged that the stories were written by one person.
A lasting legacy
Sadly the sisters didn’t enjoy fame for long. Emily caught a cold at Branwell’s funeral in 1848 and died a few months later, and Anne died the following year. Charlotte continued to write, although none of her other books were as successful as Jane Eyre. She died in 1855. Their relatively short lives makes their impact on literature even more impressive. They showed that women should have the same opportunities as men. Book critics and researchers believe the struggles in their own lives played a big part in helping the Brontë sisters create their stories. Their legacy lives on today; people still read their books and enjoy adaptations on stage and screen. In 2015, a BBC poll named Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights as among the top 10 greatest British novels of all time.
A BBC drama told the story of the sisters’ lives.
18 January 2020 • The Week Junior
The Brontës’ ork is still loved.
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Science and technology
Future tech on show T
he Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held in Las Vegas, in the US, is one of the most eager y awa te tec events. Eac year tec no ogy companies showcase their most amazing gizmos and gadgets. This year’s show included all sorts of incredible inventions, ranging from futuristic cars to a robot like a tennis ball.
The robotic all-rounder
A butler that bleeps.
The S-Pod Have you ever found yourself wondering whether you need a personal assistant? Ballie is a rolling robot that follows you around beeping. Designed by the tech company Samsung, the ball bot responds to requests, acts as a fitness coach and helps out with household chores. Ballie also has a built-in camera to cap p i l moments. One thing the robot roller might struggle with, though, is the stairs.
A sleek motor of the future
At this year’s CES, the car company MercedesBenz revealed its vision of the distant future – a concept car inspired by Avatar – a film that came out more than 10 years ago. The whizzy car, called Vision AVTR, is designed to look like a living creature. The back of the car is covered in scales and, by driving the front and rear axles (the parts that send power from the engine to the wheels) in opposite directions, the car crawls sideways, a bit like a crab. Vision AVTR is so advanced that a lot of the technology it uses hasn’t even been invented yet. For example, it doesn’t have a steering wheel; the driver connects to the car via a “multi-functional control element”. “We didn’t want to create a car, we wanted to create something like a living organism,” said chief design officer Gorden Wagener. It’s still just an idea, though; Vision AVTR won’t be rea y o r ve or a ong me. The Vision AVTR.
US company Segway has unveiled what looks like a chair on two wheels. With a top spee of almost 25mph, the personal transporter pod – or S-Pod – has a range of 43 miles. The chair uses Segway’s self-balancing technology to propel the user forward while they steer with a joystick. It must be harder than it looks – during a test a journalist crashed the electric contraption into a wall. No one was hurt, but demonstrations of the S-Pod were stopped.
A cure for stinky shoes?
Zap that stench.
If your trainers get a bit whiffy, this could be the gadget for you. A South Korean company has created a device called the ShoeBlast, which zaps the inside of shoes with ultraviolet light (invisible high-energy light). The makers say that the light kills the bacteria (tiny single-cell bugs) that cause pongs, keeping shoes smelling fresh.
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When things do ’t go to plan
We’ve all ad times when tec nology goes on str e and gad ets just don’t want to co-operate. It’s o differe t for the professionals, and at big sho s hitches are bound to happen. At CE 2018, the phone company LG couldn’ get its rob t assistant Cloi to work. LG’s marketin chief said Cloi “doesn’t like me” after it ignored his commands several times. In 2017, Boston Dynamics showed off its robot Atlas. After running through its routine successfully, Atlas tripped over a light projector and took a tumble off the stage. Last year, Elon Musk unveiled Tesla s new “indestructible” Cybertruck. To show off the truck’s bulletproof windows, Musk asked a helper to throw a metal ball at one. Instead of bouncing off, though, the ball shattered the window. Oops!
Elon Musk looked a bit silly.
The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
Science and techno
Scientists hunt antidote to deadly cobra bites A
n international team of scientists has read the entire DNA of the Indian cobra, one of the world’s most venomous snakes. DNA is a chemical that carries all the information about a living thing’s body, and how it grows and develops. This discovery could help to develop a cure for bites from this dangerous snake. The Indian cobra is one of what scientists call the “big four” – the venomous snakes that cause the most harm to humans. The other three are the common krait, Russell’s viper and the saw-scaled viper. Every year, around five million people are bitten by venomous snakes around the world and 100,000 die as a result. Almost three million of these bites and 50,000 of these deaths happen in India. Antivenom is currently made by injecting venom into animals such as horses and then extracting the antibodies (chemicals made by
Indian cobra.
the body that help fight harmful substances) they produce. The process takes a long time, and this has led to a shortage of antivenom. Scientists are now looking for a more effective way of producing the life-saving medicine. To help with this effort, Professor R. Manjunatha Kini from the National University of Singapore Department of Biological Sciences led a team of researchers to read the Indian cobra’s DNA. The scientists hope that this will help them understand better how this snake’s venom works and find ways to act against it. Kini hopes that on day scientists will be able to do the same with the other big four snakes and ultimately develop a “safe universal antivenom” for all snake bites.
An electric bike that can ride on water
GETTY IMAGES · PA · SAMSUNG · REX SHUTTERSTOCK · MANTA5 · ALAMY
An eagle-like Thunderbird.
Face-to-face with fantastic beasts A new exhibition will give visitors the chance to get close to some magical creatures from the Harry Potter films and learn how they’re inspired by real-world animals. Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature opens on 22 May at London’s Natural History Museum. Around 50 specimens from the museum’s collections will be displayed alongside props from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. Visitors can see how the creatures of the wizarding world were inspired by our own. For
18 January 2020 • The Week Junior
example, alongside the horn of an Erumpent (a rhino-like creature from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) a display compares the fictional creature’s mating dance with the behaviour of a real-life peacock spider. The exhibition will run for seven months before going on a world tour. For those who can’t see it in person, a BBC documentary hosted by Stephen Fry will explore the relationship between mythical and real-world creatures. Find out more by heading to tinyurl.com/twj-fanbeasts
M
eet the world’s first electric bike that can ride on water. The Hydrofoiler XE-1 is made by New Zealand-based company Manta5. As the rider pedals, an electric motor turns a propeller to move the bike forwards. At the
same time, hydrofoils (wing shapes that work in water) lift the bike up. The battery lasts for an hour and some riders have been able to reach speeds of 13mph. However, it is tricky and most new riders end up in the water.
Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s magazine sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk 15
Photos of the week
Seeing double
Two full rainbows in Devon, England.
Standing room only
Swimmers bathe in Loch Lubnaig in Stirlingshire, Scotland.
ALAMY · GETTY IMAGES · REX SHUTTERSTOCK
People take a risky ride home from a festival in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Floating with friends
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The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
Photos of the week Back of the net
A close-up look at an ice hockey match in Moscow, Russia.
Jurassic spark
A dinosaur at the Winter Lantern Festival, in New York, US.
Cygnet-ure move
A swan with its cygnets in Hebei, China.
18 January 2020 • The Week Junior
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Sport The Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics mascots.
Environmentally friendly facts…
● The gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2020 Olympics will be made from recycled electronic devices. More than 6.2 million used mobile phones were donated. ● Recycled household plastic waste will be used to make the podiums that athletes stand on to receive their awards after events.
TE A R E L C RECY olds recycle
eh es UK hous.8 million tonn g n 3 around board packagi of card paper a year. and
● The Olympic torch, which is a tall cone with a flame on top that’s taken around the world ahead of the Games, is this year made using recycled aluminium.
Environmentally friendly Olympics
THE WEEK’S WINNERS....
The Paralympic Games, which are for athletes with disabilities, begin on 25 August, and 8,000 cardboard beds will be used during the competition. All bed mattresses will be made from polyethylene materials that can be reused for other plastic products after the Olympics. The company that makes the cardboard beds says they can support up to 200 kilograms and will be 2.1 metres long. The heaviest athletes at the last Olympics in 2016 – which included Romanian judo competitor Daniel Natea – weighed 170 kilograms. The tallest was Muhao Li, a Chinese basketball player who is 2.18 metres tall.
The beds can be recycled.
Ad
P
The US tennis player won her firsst title in three years after beating Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-4 at the Auckland Classic in New Zealan .
The British swimmer was named the European Men’s Swimmer of the Year. In 2019 Peaty took three gold medals at the World Championships.
Sergio Aguero
Keane Barry
Serena Williams
When Manchester City beat Aston n Villa 6-1, Aguero scored his 12th hat-trick (three goals) to become e the Premier League’s highest non-English scorer, with 177 goals.
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The 17-year-old from Ireland was crowned the youth champion at the BDO World Darts Championship. He beat England’s Leighton Bennett.
The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
REUTERS · GETTY IMAGES · TOKYO 2020
T
he world’s top athletes may have restless nights thinking about the 2020 Olympic Games, but during the event they will sleep on very special beds. Around 18,000 athletes will be at the Olympics when they begin on 24 July in Tokyo, Japan, and will stay in the Olympic Village. On 9 January, the organisers said that competitors’ beds are going to be made from high-strength recycled cardboard. The 2020 Games will be the most environmentally friendly ever, and the organisers don’t want to use materials such as plastic or wood for the beds. After the Games the beds will be recycled into paper products.
Book club
5
new illustrated non-fiction books
Learn more about the world around you with some beautiful new releases. Mythologica by Dr Stephen Kershaw and Victoria Topping (Wide-Eyed Editions)
Delve into the pages of this gorgeous illustrated encyclopaedia of Greek mythology to learn about 50 powerful gods, monsters and heroes – from fearless Athena to bold Odysseus. As well as lots of information about these famous figures, there are pictures combining photography, painting and collage.
Anatomicum by Jennifer Z. Paxton and Katy Wiedemann (Big Picture Press)
The latest book in the Welcome to the Museum series is produced in association with the Wellcome Collection and takes readers on a fascinating tour of the human body. Turn the pages of this supersized book to investigate illustrations of everything from the muscles to the brain, in incredible detail.
Our Planet by Matt Whyman and Richard Jones (HarperCollins)
BOOK OF THE WEEK
The Girl Who Stole an Elepha by Nizrana Farook (Nosy Crow)
When Chaya steals the queen’s jewels, she soon finds herself on the run on the back of a stolen elephant. Fleeing from the palace guards and her village home, she leads her friends, Neel and Nour, deep into the jungle, where revolution is stirring and danger lies in wait. This thrilling and joyful story of friendship, adventure and peril will sweep you away to the wilds of the Sri Lankan jungle. You’ll be rooting for the outspoken and headstrong heroine, Chaya, who wants to do the right thing but whose good intentions have gone horribly wrong. It’s a fast-paced story full of atmosphere and excitement that will keep you turning the pages.
READERS RECOMMEND
Name: PopJam user
Published as a companion to David Attenborough’s Netflix series, Our Planet is a celebration of the wonder of the natural world. Intriguing facts and beautiful photographs and illustrations explain why it is so important to protect our planet.
(Puffin)
The Ladybird Big Book of Dead Things by Ned Hartley and Binny Talib
DAVID DEAN
(Ladybird)
This funny and unusual book of facts takes you on a visit to the Museum of Dead Things to learn about all kinds of things that are no more. You’ll find out about everything from dodos and dinosaurs to ancient Egyptian mummies and dead stars – and the things that eat dead things.
18 January 2020 • The Week Junior
For a chance to win a copy, just send your name and address to competitions@theweekjunior.co.uk and put ELEPHANT in the subject line. Closing date: midnight Friday 24 January. See theweekjunior.co.uk/terms for rules. rules
ASK THE AUTHOR
Nizrana Farook
The Girl Who Stole an Elephant writer on ideas, bravery and seeing wild animals.
On the Origin of Species by Sabina Radeva Explore the fascinating story of evolution with this book. Scientist and graphic designer Sabina Radeva has retold Charles Darwin’s famous On the Origin of Species for readers of all ages. Full of artwork bursting with bright colour, this is a book for anyone interested in science and nature.
IN!
We’re giving away five cop opie iess of ie The Gi Th Girll Wh Who SStole l an El Elephant h
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket “My fave book is A Series of Unfortunate Events because there are so many twists and when you think something good is going to happen, at the last minute it all goes wrong. It is also hilarious. My favourite character is Klaus because he is a good role model. He is smart, loves reading and never gives up.”
Where did you get the idea for this book? I started with a girl being confronted by a guard in a rich and beautiful setting. I then went from there, working in little details. I thought it would be exciting if she was a thief, in a royal palace, and then I thought about what she might have stolen. And by the end of the chapter I’d got this bold and brave hero who I thought I’d love to write more about. Do you prefer fruit or vegetables? g Fruit. And Chaya would feel the same. Jambu fruits especially.
*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.dennis.co.uk/privacy-policy
What do you love l mostt about Chaya? I love how brave and principled she is. She puts herself at so much risk for other people, and when she wants something she’ll see it through to the very end. Have you ever seen a real elephant in the wild? Yes. I grew up in Sri Lanka and there are areas where you can see elephants even by the roadside. One time on safari, though, one of a herd came close enough to the vehicle we were in, that we could touch him (not that we did!). We had to stay calm and sit quietly until he wandered off.
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! ly WOhW of a ful
t The tee .rex were as grown Ts bananas. big a
A feathered tyrannosaur at the Scottish Parliament.
Tyrannosaurs come to town Get close to the fearsome giants of the dinosaur world at a high-tech new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland.
T
yrannosaurs are one of the most feared and the dinosaur world, and a new cutting-edge famous of all the species of dinosaurs. The largest exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland charts and best known mem mber of this group is the how they transformeed from creatures little bigger Tyrannosaurus rex. Thhese huge animals than humans to become the top predators could grow to 14 metres long, were of theirr time. The exhibition looks at around 6.5 metres tall if they stood how neew discoveries are challenging upright, and weighedd up to seven what wee know about this group of tonnes (about the same as a large dinosaurs and the ways in which they lived. male African elephant). In the eexhibition, visitors can explore However, the the tyrannosaur family tree Discover how tyrannosaurs were noot and discover the many tyrannosaurs changed. always the kings andd queens of different shapes and sizes of
tyrannosaurs. There are incredible rare fossils and models, including tyrannosaurs with feathers, as well as life-sized cast skeletons. These include “Scotty”, one of the largest and most complete T.rex skeletons in the world. The museum also uses augmented reality (where digital images are placed onto the real world via a tablet or smartphone screen) and large projected images to allow visitors to interact with life-size dinosaurs inside the gallery. Tyrannosaurs is at the National Museum of Scotland, in Edinburgh, from 23 January to 4 May. To find our more, head to tinyurl.com/TWJ-nms
Three other places where you’ll find dinosaurs
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, Leicester
This museum in Leicester has a range of fossils and skeletons on display including the Rutland Dinosaur, which was found in 1968. This 15-metre skeleton is one of the most complete fossils ever found in the UK.
The Dinosaur Museum, Dorchester
Get transported back to the prehistoric world in Dorset. The museum has life-sized reconstructions of dinosaurs, including a stegosaurus and T.rex, plus interactive displays. You can even find out what the breath of a T.rex smelt like.
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Dinosaur Isle, Isle of Wight
Dinosaur Isle is a purpose-built dinosaur museum and visitor attraction in Sandown on the Isle of Wight. The museum has more than 1,000 fossils and life-sized recreations. It uses sounds, smells and technology to bring the subject to life.
The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
Entertainment
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
THIS WEEK’S WATCH LIST
O T D A O R DOM STAarRs ago, Celestuest
Celeste was born in the US.
j Three ye London with ess c to moved o try to find suc £100 t s a musician. a
The Masked Singer 7pm on 18 January, ITV
Possibly one of the strangest talent shows of all time, this competition pits disguised celebrities against each other in a singing showdown. Each week, one act gets eliminated and has to take off their mask, revealing who they really are. It’s fun to guess who each person is from the clues.
Celeste named Sound of 2020
J
azz and soul singer Celeste has been named the BBC’s Sound of 2020 – an annual prize given to the performer who is predicted to have the most successful year. The 25-year-old has been writing music and singing for many years, and was first spotted by a music manager when she uploaded a song onto YouTube at the age of 16. The BBC’s “Sound of” competition draws attention to stars of the future. Previous winners include Adele, Ellie Gouldingg and Sam Smith. The
FILM CLUB
award is judged by 170 people working in the music industry, including other musicians, festival organisers and journalists. Celeste, who was born in the US but grew up in Brighton, said she was delighted to win the award. She added, “When I write music I never think about whether anybody wants to listen to it. I just keep pushing myself in all these different ways where eventually, hopefully, I’ve made something distinct that can be enjoyed by other people.”
A exciting An liive-action aadventure in the jungle.
Crazy Delicious
8pm on 21 January, Channel 4 Contestants on this show have to turn everyday ingredients and dishes into masterpieces. In week one, they must wow the judges with their take on strawberries and hot dogs before the final two make a birthday feast.
ALAMY · GETTY IMAGES · JACK BARNES/CHANNEL4 · ITV/BANDICOOT TV
Dora andd the D h LLost City Ci off GGold
DVD, iTunes, Google Play, YouTube, Sky Store This live-action film, based on the cartoon character Dora the Explorer, got a bit lost in last year’s summer blockbuster season, but what a treat it turned out to be. Isabela Moner plays Dora, who has been raised in the jungle but is then sent to high school in the US. Dora and her friends soon find themselves back in the jungle on a quest to save her explorer parents from a gang of treasure-hunting villains. It’s a rare Hollywood film with a young girl as the action ction hero, and was one of the best of 2019. If you enjoyed Dora Jumanji: Welcome to the l a n i g i r The o started all Jungle, this should be cartoon ay back next on your list.
Y R O T S G LON
the w 00. in 20 18 January 2020 • The Week Junior
Star Trek: Picard
From 24 January, Amazon Prime Jean-Luc Picard, played by Sir Patrick Stewart, is one of the most recognisable characters in science fiction. Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation know him as the commanding officer of the starship Enterprise. This new series picks up his story years later with a new adventure.
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On screen Animal Crossing: New Horizons
This will be the first Animal Crossing game for Nintendo’s Switch, with players setting up home on a desert island while getting to know its friendly community of animal characters. Up to four people will be able to play at once, and there will be new crafting features to build your own furniture and tools.
Pokémon Sleep
This release for iPhone and Android smartphones uses your real-life sleeping patterns in the game itself. “What if you could continue training your Pokémon… even in your sleep?” explained its developers as they announced it. “Several Snorlax were consulted on this, in case you were wondering.”
Lego Starr Wars: The Skywalker Saga
This will be based on all nine of the Skywalker Sta ar Wars films (the main ones, rather m tthan spin-offs llike Rogue One or Solo). When it arrives for PC and consoles, expect hundreds of characters – and evven more bricks.
What to play in 202 A guide to some of the games worth looking forward to this year.
W
hether you play on a console, computer or mobile device (or all three), 2020 is set to be another brilliant year for gaming. Some familiar favourites are returning but there will also be some new gaming heroes to play with over the next 12 months. Here’s our guide to 10 of the most exciting upcoming games.
Minecraft Dungeons
First announced back in 2018, Minecraft Dungeons should finally come out in 2020. It’s a new game for PC and consoles, set in the Minecraft universe but focused entirely on underground adventures.
Two Point Hospital
Already available for PC, this game is coming to consoles in February, so more people can experience the job of building a hospital for treating some very strange illnesses. These include Boggled Mind, Turtle Head and Headcrabbedness (where
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someone’s head has been covered by a crab).
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance – Tactics
Kerbal Space Program 2
The original Kerbal Space Program was a game that challenged players to build a rocket and explore the stars with detailed physics and plenty of science included. Its sequel is coming out for PC and consoles this year, promising bigger spaceships, new technologies and even the chance to build colonies on far-flung planets – but still using real scientific concepts.
The Gelflings and Skeksis from 1980s film The Dark Crystal found a new The Dark Crystal’s audience in 2019, new game. thanks to a Netflix series. Now it’s getting its own game for PC and consoles. It will be a turn-based “tactics” game, like a digital board game, where you move your characters around maps to outwit enemies in Get on the water with Sail Forth. a series of battles.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2
A strange illness in Two Point Hospital.
An official release date hasn’t been announced, but the game may well come out by the end of 2020. Expect another sprawling adventure for Link packed with puzzles and monsters.
Sail Forth
Is a pirate’s life for you? The game isn’t just about hunting down other ships and battling them, though. It’s also about building a catalogue of animal and plant species as you encounter them on your waterborne travels.
Sports Story
Golf Story is still one of the most fun games on Nintendo’s Switch, mixing golf with adventure elements, but if golf isn’t your thing, the upcoming sequel might be. Sports Story will add tennis and fishing, as well as letting you explore dungeons and search for treasure.
The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
OUT NOW! Artwork om McLaughlin
From the hilari ous author of The Accidental Prime Minister!
Over to you Editor’s note
My visit to The Week Junior offices
We always enjoy welcoming visitors to The Week Junior office. When Adrien (see his report on the right) came in
Name: Adrien
before Christmas, he asked us lots of interesting questions and it was lovely to hear how much he likes the magazine. This week we have some more special guests in the office. Vicky and Paul came all the way from New York, in the US, to learn how we create The Week Junior every week. They were on a special fact-finding mission because – along with a fantastic editor called Andrea and her team – they are going to be launching a version of The Week Junior for American children. Vicky will be designing the magazine and Paul will be making sure that all the pages are perfect before they’re printed. The first issue will come out this spring and we’re all really excited about it. We’ll tell you more over the coming months, but for now I hope you’ll join the editorial team here in the UK as we wish our American colleagues the very best of luck! We love hearing from our readers, and you can always get in touch with us at hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Tell us what you think of this week’s issue!
Editor-in-chief
CHARITY OF THE WEEK
“
On 16 December, I was invited to visit The Week Junior’s offices in London. When I arrived, I waited for a few minutes whilst reading the latest copy of The Week. Suddenly, Anna (the editor-in-chief) walked in and introduced herself. Then we met the editorial team – from the writers and the managing editor (her job is to send all the pages to print) – to the editor and the sub-editor who were all very busy writing this week’s issue. I also met the editor for Science+Nature. Next, I attended the last editorial meeting of the year where they planned out that week’s issue by discussing the big news stories of the week. The meeting started off with Anna giving everyone a round-up of the year, then most of the staff left and only the writers and editors were still in the room. That was the time when they decided what went into the issue. Everyone had read the news that week and they just pitched their ideas. They decided what went into each section of the magazine.
Adrien with TWJ’s art director.
At the end of the meeting, we all left and I went to see Dave (the art director) who helped me make my own cover for the magazine! Amongst other things we discussed Christmas presents, Star Wars, 50p coins, school plays, Batman and tattoos. We made a front cover and it looked good. After that I ate one of Dave’s delicious cookies and left the offices having said goodbye to everyone. It was a fun and informative experience, giving me a glimpse into the world of journalism. So too everyone at The Week Junior, thank you so much.
What’s going on at your school? Have you taken part in a sporting event, put on a show or done something fun to raise money? Whatever you’re up to, we want to hear about it at hello@theweekjunior.co.uk
”
JOKE THE W OF EEK “Di th d you h
ea e afraid maths teachr about of neg er wh He’ll s ative numbo is to er to avo p at nothing s? id the Jamie m.”
GET INVOLVED
BBC Radio Breakfast Show’s 500 Words 2020 Born Free Foundation
Born Free focuses on the protection of wild animals around the world that are at risk of extinction, in captivity or living in the wild. The charity campaigns to end animal exploitation, rescue animals in danger and tackle poaching (the illegal hunting of animals). Born Free uses “compassionate conservation” to help species survive. To find out more about the foundation’s work, visit bornfree.org.uk
Junior
Roving Reporter
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The BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show’s 500 Words writing competition for five to 13-year-olds is open. This is your chance to have your work read by honorary judge the Duchess of Cornwall and award-winning authors including Malorie Blackman, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Charlie Higson and Francesca Simon, plus chair of the panel Chris Evans. Each entry is also read by volunteer teachers and librarians from around the UK, before being whittled down to the Top 50 finalists by The Reading Agency. Visit bbc.co.uk/500words for lots of tools to get you started and remember, your 500 words of fiction must be submitted by 27 February.
GETINVOLVED
The 500 Words writing competition is open for entries.
Email your news, viewsandpictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
Over to you YOUR UR P
love to see your snaps. Send them to us at hello@theweekjunior.co.uk TO OS We’d Don’t forget to tell us why you took them.
“I was lucky enough to be able to go into the new Star Wars land in Disney Orlando this Christmas to fly the Millennium Falcon, and while queuing I read the Star Wars section in issue 208. I loved it!” Pacey
“I love reading your magazine with my kitten Rocky.” Alice
Follow The Week Junior on PopJam @TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. Severe droughts have caused huge fires in Australia. You said...
“My mum, my sister and I made candy cane lollipop biscuits, but we used pink and blue food colouring for a tasty Christmas treat.” Oliver
Puzzles page answers
“This is so sad. I hope it will stop soon!” “Oh, this is heartbreaking!” On 7 January, the contest to replace Jeremy Corbyn as the leader of the Labour Party formally got under way. You said... “He would have made an ok prime minister, but I don’t want Brexit to happen.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.
OF THE WEEK Teacher’s name: Mr Vincent
School: Allendale Primary School, Northumberland
“Mr Vincent is the school’s PE teacher and the deputy head of the school. Once we did World War Two and he made an air-raid shelter. Mr Vincent is that type of teacher that plans fun lessons for his class. He sets fun science experiments, like when we made a solar system out of fruit and toilet paper. It was so fun and everyone had a laugh.”
Keyword: chicken Code riddles: anorak, trousers, cardigan
ALAMY · REX SHUTTERSTOCK
Evie, Leila, Scarlett and Isla 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
1 b) Frozen 2 False, he was a painter 3 One million 4 c) 13 5 True, the planet has been called TOI-1338b 6 Atlantic puffin 7 a) Branwell 8 False, it is a type of snake 9 Swan 10 b) Recycled cardboard 11 True 12 Celeste 13 b) Animal Crossing: New Horizons 14 False, it is a game similar to badminton and tennis. 15 150-year-old wee
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18 January 2020 • The Week Junior
Junior
SH W
If you’ve enjoyed this issue of The Week Junior, why not take a listen to our brand new podcast, The Week Junior Show. Each week, Bex from Fun Kids radio and members of The Week Junior team discuss stories from the magazine. Have a listen at tinyurl.com/ TWJshow, or wherever you get your podcasts from.
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Puzzles
Keyword crossword
Code riddles
Once you have completed the crossword, use the letters in the yellow boxes to spell out another word. Write the keyword in the boxes below the clues.
Read these instructions very carefully! Each ch letter of these items of clothing has been replaced by the letter before it in the alphabet, so A has become B, B becomes C and so on. Can you break the code?
Across 1 A fast vehicle that travels on water (9) 6 Make fun of (5) 7 Acquires through merit (5) 9 Hoofed animals of the horse family (7) 12 A building in which plays are performed (7) 16 Respond (5) 17 Tiny living thing that causes flu (55) 18 Device used to study stars (9) Down 2 A round Dutch cheese (4) 3 Anticipate with fear (5) 4 A large expanse of water (5) 5 Bird often eaten at Christmas (6) 6 A vehicle used on farms (7) 8 Female siblings (7) 10 Belonging to us (3) 11 Leave a place (6) 13 Complete; absolute (5) 14 Fairies (5) 15 Group of three (4) Keyword clue: A clucky egg layer
BOPSBL = USPVTFST = DBSEJHBO =
Sudoku
Place the numbers from 1 to 6 exactly once in each row, column and 2x3 bold-lined box, to complete the grid.
towe
ANSWER CAN BE S FOUND O PAGE 27N
Put a number in each e square to complete the tower. The correct value is the sum of o the numbers in the two squares directly below it.
REX SHUTTERSTOCK
Spot the difference
These two pictures from a science fair seem to be the same, but take a closer look. There are actually five differences. Can you use your powers of observation to spot them?
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The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
US ion The Nate Council in theever Sausag t you should n hot says tha tchup on your 8”. “use ke er the age of 1 dog aft
That’s unbelievable! Hot dog drivers wanted.
A presenter on TV’s Antiques Roadshow tasted 150-year-old wee, thinking it was wine. Andy McConnell was examining a bottle for a programme in 2016 when he decided to try the “very brown” liquid inside. Research from Loughborough University has now revealed that it was in fact urine mixed with a small amount of alcohol and one human hair. The mixture is thought to have been made to keep away evil spirits. McConnell said he drank some of the liquid because “I was always the naughty boy at school“.
Twelve hot dog drivers to go to sausage school
A US hot dog company is hiring 12 people to drive its special sausage-themed vehicle across the country. The Wienermobile – which looks like a wiener (hot dog sausage) on wheels – is more than 8.2 metres long. It is used to promote Oscar Mayer hot dogs at events all over the US. Successful applicants will be invited to a two-week training session in June at a school called Hot Dog High, where they will be taught sausage puns and given lessons in how to park the unusual vehicle. Last year, thousands of people applied for the position.
Real OR Rubbish?
Ice Crispies cause heated debate BBC · ASIAWIRE · REX SHUTTERSTOCK
The blue cat didn’t last long.
The presenter has a taste.
Plastic block cat is destroyed by cute kitten
A toy shop employee who spent more than a week building a blue cat character from 2,432 plastic blocks had all his work destroyed in just a few seconds. The culprit was his adorable kitten, which knocked it over. News of the incident emerged when the man from Thailand posted a photo on social media, revealing he had been paid to put it all together in time for New Year’s Day before disaster struck. Could you fall asleep in a shop?
Would ice be nice?
A new brand of cereal that contains ice cubes has divided opinion online. Ice Crispies, made up of normal cereal flakes and bitesized chunks of ice, have only just hit supermarket shelves. The cereal has to be stored in the freezer to stop the cubes from melting, and should still be served in a bowl with milk. Fans of the product say it helps to get the milk nice and cold, but critics say having ice in cereal is just too bizarre. Ice Crispies are currently only available in certain shops, but their launch has sparked lots of arguments on social media. So, do you think this story contains cold, hard facts, or is it simply un-bowl-ievable?*
18 January 2020 • The Week Junior
TV presenter discovers he drank very old wee
Dozy shopper naps in store
A woman who was trying to buy a mattress accidentally fell asleep and spent the whole night in the shop. She was found the next morning when one of the employees opened the shop in Missouri, US, and saw a customer lying on one of the beds. The employee called the police and when they arrived the woman said she was trying out the mattress. The police let the woman go without arresting her. It is not known if she bought the mattress in the end. *Rubbish! Ice Crispies are completely made up, but strangely, people have been debating whether or not ice cubes should be put in cereal. The topic came up when US musician Gene Simmons posted a photo online that revealed he enjoyed putting the frozen blocks in his morning cereal.
LE!and U R T C I STR al Hot Dog
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Quiz of the week
How much of this week’s news can you remember? 1 Which Disney film did Hallstatt in Austria help inspire?
1
2
8 True or false? The Indian cobra is a type of bird.
a) The Lion King b) Frozen
9 Which species of bird has chicks called cygnets?
c) Cinderella a
■ b■ c■
2 True or false? Joseph Mallord William Turner was a television presenter. 3 How many trees has the Peruvian government said it will plant at Machu Picchu?
5
ANSW CAN BERS FOUND E PAGE 2ON 7
10 What are the athletes' beds at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics made from? a) Concrete b) Recycled cardboard c) Leftover cotton wool a
■ b■ c■
11 True or false? Nizrana Farook, the author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant, grew up in Sri Lanka.
4 At what age can children in the UK start part-time work? a) 11 b) 12
12 Who has been named as the BBC Sound of 2020?
c) 13 a
■ b■ c■ 13 In which upcoming video game do you play as a character setting up home on a desert island?
5 True or false? A teenager doing work experience at NASA discovered a new planet on his third day.
a) Sail Forth 6 Which type of sea bird has been seen using tools for the first time?
b) Animal Crossing: New Horizons 7
14
7 Which of these was not a Brontë sister?
c) Minecraft Dungeons a
■ b■ c■
14 True or false? Pickleball is a game that involves people eating pickles as quickly as they can.
a) Branwell b) Charlotte
15 What did a presenter of Antiques Roadshow taste?
a
■ b■ c■
Acting production editor: Philip Clough Contributors: Steve Clarke, Susie Dent, Stuart Dredge, Francesca Fazey, Stephen Patience, Kevin Editor-in-chief: Anna Bassi Pettman, Colin Williams, Katherine Woodfine Editor: Felicity Capon The Week Junior editorial founders: Features editor: Ben Isaacs Avril Williams, Ed Needham Contributing editor: Dan Green Publisher and chief executive: Kerin O’Connor Staff writers: Michael Dalton, Stevie Derrick, Founder, The Week: Jolyon Connell Huw Poraj-Wilczynski, Ciaran Sneddon Editor-in-chief, The Week: Jeremy O’Grady Editorial assistant: Kaye O’Doherty Chief customer officer: Abi Spooner Art director: Dave Kelsall Direct marketing director: Luise Mulholland Designer: Elton Lam Group advertising director: Caroline Fenner Picture editor: Rachel Billings Senior marketing manager: Jemma Foster, Managing editor: Vanessa Harriss Anna Lavelle (maternity cover) Production editor: Hugh Porter Schools marketing manager: Ruth Leblique
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Copyright © Dennis Publishing Ltd 2020. All rights reserved. The Week and The Week Junior are registered trademarks. Neither the whole of this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publishers. Editorial: editorial@theweekjunior.co.uk Subscriptions: subscriptions@theweekjunior. co.uk Tel: 0330-333 9494. Annual subscription rate UK: £85; overseas: £95. School subscriptions: 40-week term-time subscription rate from £54.
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PRINT PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 2019
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2018
WINNER EDITORS’ EDITOR 2018 (ANNA BASSI)
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The Week Junior • 18 January 2020
REX SHUTTERSTOCK · ALAMY · GETTY IMAGES
c) Anne
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