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Millions of people living in the US have been affected by thick smoke, which has turned the sky orange. The extreme air pollution and unusual colours are caused by huge wildfires in Canada. What happened? On 7 June, areas across the US were blanketed in smoke that had blown south from Canada. Affected cities included the capital, Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York, where a thick orange haze settled across the city. The smoke polluted the air so badly that it was dangerous to breathe. Weather forecasters said that the air quality was the worst it has been for around 40 years. The sky wasn’t clear enough for planes to fly safely, so hundreds of flights had to be delayed. In New York, four zoos were closed so that the…

We turn on the tap and hot water comes out. It seems so straightforward that we forget that it has taken thousands of years to achieve this feat of plumbing. One of the earliest known baths dates back to the Indus Valley civilisation that existed in modern-day Pakistan around 2500–1700BC. Showers were invented a lot later. Today, many people have both a bath and a shower in their homes, so are lucky enough to be able to choose how to wash. Some people swear by showers to wake them up in the morning, whereas others say a bath at night helps them to unwind and sleep soundly. A shower is quick and rinses away soap efficiently but a good soak in a bath is a special occasion. What do you…

Ecologists (experts in the relationship between animals, plants and the environment) have introduced hundreds of new residents into Purbeck Heaths Nature Reserve in Dorset, England. They are there to restore the landscape and boost biodiversity (the variety of plant and animal life in a place). Red Devon cattle, wild Exmoor ponies and curly-haired Mangalitsa pigs will help to recreate a savannah – a grassy plain with few trees. The animals’ grazing habits encourage other wildlife, including rare species like heath bee-flies. The animals will take on the role of other creatures that could have roamed ancient Purbeck. The cows replace aurochs, a huge extinct species that is related to modern cattle; the ponies stand in for extinct wild horses called tarpans; and the pigs will do the same job as…

On 22 June, the UK will mark 75 years since the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush, a ship that brought 800 passengers from the Caribbean to the UK. They were the first of the “Windrush generation” – people who migrated from Caribbean countries to the UK between 1948 and 1971. Migration is when people leave their country to find work, education or to improve their lives somewhere else. The UK Government continued to invite people from the Caribbean to work in Britain until the end of 1972. Who was on the boat? HMT Empire Windrush brought 800 men, women and children from Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago and other Caribbean islands. Among them were carpenters, mechanics, musicians and tailors. They arrived in the UK at Tilbury, a port in Essex, England, after…

REFOCUS AWARDS COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST…

A diary is for keeping note of your day-to-day activities; a journal is where you can explore your thoughts. What is journalling? Journalling is writing down whatever you’re thinking and feeling. It can include your dreams, fears, hopes, ideas and worries. You can use any notebook, it doesn’t have to be a special one. Your journal is a place where you can write down what you find difficult to say out loud. You can use prompts or questions to guide your writing, such as, “What am I proud of?” or, “How can I be kind today?” (see panel for more suggestions), or you can write whatever comes into your mind. You don’t have to keep what you’ve written. You can tear up the piece of paper afterwards if you like.…

(Puffin Books) In 19th century India, Chompa has grown up surrounded by magic. There is the slow, calm “writing-magic” her mother favours, or the more exciting “finger-magic”, which is immediate, powerful and dangerous. Growing up in an isolated country village, Chompa has never understood why her mother won’t let her use her finger-magic, and insists on boring writing-magic instead. When Chompa defies the rules to cast a spells her own way, there are terrible consequences – their home is destroyed and her mother is kidnapped by pale strangers. Now, Chompa must set out on an epic journey across the ocean to Victorian London, in the hope of rescuing her mother from the sinister Company – discovering more about her powers along the way. This glittering, magical adventure is beautifully written…

It’s an exciting time for bug lovers as 19–25 June is annual Insect Week. It’s a celebration of all things six-legged, organised by the insect experts at the UK’s Royal Entomological Society, which was created in 1833 to study these animals. To join in, the society’s Insect Week website is a great place to start. You can find events all over the country, such as a “Six-Legged Superheroes” exhibition in Torquay, England, and a “Sweetbriar Safari” in Norwich, also in England. There are several online events too. There is also a collection of brilliant bug photos; animated videos teaching you about insects and the people who study them; and information on how you can help to record them. One of the main reasons behind setting up Insect Week was to…

People walking along Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong might spot an unusual sight over the next two weeks: two 18-metre tall rubber ducks. They were installed by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, who said they are about friendship and connection. He said, “Double Ducks is not about looking into the past but enjoying the moment together!” This isn’t the first time giant rubber ducks have appeared on the waters of Hong Kong. In 2013, Hofman put a single, slightly smaller duck in the harbour. It made headlines when all the air drained out of it one night.…

Spot a stag beetle The People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), a wildlife charity, is asking for volunteers around Britain to record any stag beetles that they spot as part of their annual survey, the Great Stag Hunt. Stag beetle populations have been declining in recent years across Europe, and they are even extinct in some areas of Britain. The survey will help PTES to identify where stag beetles are living and in which areas they need help and protection. To find out more about stag beetles and how to take part, visit stagbeetles.ptes.org GET INVOLVED Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Please include your full name and address so that we can send you a Roving Reporter badge if your contribution makes it onto the page. We…

A LONELY EAGLE A white-tailed eagle in Ireland, whose partner died four years ago, has found love again – and his partner has just had chicks. Eamonn Meskell, who is part of a project that monitors the eagles in County Clare, said he was delighted to see the new eagle family. THE BEE LADY BUZZ STOP A special bee bus stop has been installed in Hull, England, in memory of Jean Bishop, who collected more than £125,000 for the charity Age UK dressed in a bee costume. The shelter has plants and flowers on its roof to attract the busy insects and is one of 19 decorated bus stops that have appeared around Hull. A DEDICATED CRICKET UMPIRE Keith Dibb has been umpiring (refereeing) cricket matches for 72 seasons and…

She might be better known for her fantastic musical career but Leona Lewis is also a huge animal fan. In 2006, she won The X Factor (a TV talent show) and became a global pop star. She is also passionate about an animal refuge she supports, Hopefield Animal Sanctuary, in Essex, England, which looks after sick and neglected animals. To mark World Environment Day on 5 June, Lewis held a day of events at the sanctuary, which included a screening for children of It’s Up to Us, a short film she has narrated that features King Charles. Lewis hopes the film will encourage people to think about “the little changes we can make in our day-to-day lives”. Lewis grew up in London but says that despite being a “city kid”…

Moths may be just as important as bees when it comes to pollinating plants, a new study has found. The research from the University of Sheffield showed that moths carry more pollen and visit more types of plants than experts had thought. Plants with flowers use pollination to reproduce. This involves taking pollen from the male part of a flower (the stamen) and carrying it to the female part (the stigma). Some flowers have both a stigma and stamen, so they can self-pollinate, but others need help from pollinators, which are often insects. Pollinators eat pollen and nectar – a sweet substance that many plants produce. When the creatures land on a flower, the pollen brushes onto them; when they fly off to another plant, the pollen brushes off onto…

In the 2030s, NASA, the US space agency, aims to land humans on Mars. The journey could take around nine months. That’s not such a long time, but what if the astronauts didn’t have to spend those nine months awake and waiting? Instead, could they go into a hibernation-like state for the journey and wake up once they get there? A group of scientists have been testing to see if it might work. As a first step, they have been investigating something called torpor. This is when an animal stops moving and its body temperature and heart rate drops. This reduces the energy it needs to survive. Some animals, such as mice, naturally enter torpor if the weather is cold or food is short. Torpor is similar to hibernation (when…

On 10 June, Manchester City won the men’s Champions League. They beat Italian team Inter Milan 1-0, with Rodri scoring City’s goal. The Champions League is the biggest competition between European football clubs and it is the first time City have won it. Their memorable victory at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, means City have now won three trophies this season. They already had the Premier League and the FA Cup, and lifting the Champions League means they have completed what is known as the treble. In English football, only City’s rivals, Manchester United, had managed to win all three trophies in the same season. That was in 1999. City are one of the richest men’s football clubs in the world, with talented players like Erling Haaland and…

In the Indian and Pakistani languages of Hindi and Urdu the word “mela” describes people gathering at a fair or festival. Melas have now spread around the world and are a great opportunity for everyone to get together and enjoy delicious food, listen to music and learn more about South Asian cultures. Glasgow Mela in Scotland is a free daytime festival that features music, dance, art and food from lots of different countries. It is described as one of the biggest melas in the UK and last year it attracted around 25,000 people. British Punjabi music star Jaz Dhami performed, and there was traditional and Bollywood dancing. There’s a children’s funfair and a lively marketplace featuring Indian and Pakistani clothes and accessories and stalls selling tasty food. Glasgow Mela is…

Malory Towers, Series 4 Available now on BBC iPlayer After returning for a fourth year at Malory Towers, Darrell Rivers is excited about becoming Head of Lower School. However, when her sister Felicity is involved in adventures, Darrell realises her new role could be harder than she thought. Our Planet II Available now on Netflix This new series explores how and why animals embark on their extraordinary journeys across land, skies and the sea. The incredible stories of their dramatic travels are narrated by Sir David Attenborough.…

What inspired this book? When my son was born in 2013, I was reading a children’s book and he was lying on my lap, and I looked down at him and realised there were no stories out there about his heritage as a British-Indian-Bangladeshi child. So I started writing one for him. Have you ever been to India? Yes – many times! My husband’s family is from Mumbai in India and my family are from Bangladesh, so we visit both regularly. I’ve also travelled to Mumbai to do research for the book. We were in Mumbai for Christmas and it’s a really festive place to be. India, Bangladesh and Pakistan were all part of the same country in the period I am writing about. Tell us one thing you learnt…

What you need • 600ml double cream• 200g golden caster sugar• Three lemons (zest and 75ml of the juice) This zesty pudding is quick and easy to make but it’s a treat to eat. Posset is a traditional style of dessert that’s been around for hundreds of years – it’s even mentioned in some Shakespeare plays. The recipe has changed over time, though. Originally it was more like a drink, made from curdled milk with sugar and ale or wine. It was often used for medicinal purposes, to cure colds or fevers. Lemon posset is refreshing and the perfect pudding to have after a barbecue or a picnic on a hot summer’s day. This recipe makes enough for six people. Instructions 1 Zest all three lemons. This means scraping off and…

There are bugs galore in this week’s issue. For Insect Week (19–25 June) our On Screen feature (page 24) has lots of websites and apps to find out more about “six-legged superheroes” and why they are so important to our ecosystem. You can take part in a Bugs Matter survey by counting how many bugs have been splatted on a car’s numberplate after a journey. It sounds gruesome but the results will help scientists measure how insects are faring in the UK. Our report on page 10 highlights the role moths play as pollinators – helping flowers and plants spread and grow. I was curious to find out the answer to the question “How are ants are so strong?” (page 11). There’s something fascinating and amazing about such tiny creatures…

On 6 June, a dam (a man-made barrier that holds water behind it) in southern Ukraine collapsed. Villages and towns were flooded and hundreds of thousands of people were left without drinking water. The incident happened at the Nova Kakhovka dam, which was 30 metres high and nearly three miles long before it burst. Thousands of people have been moved from their homes and animals’ habitats have been destroyed. People are worried that huge areas of farmland could be ruined. Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for destroying the dam, which was captured by Russian forces shortly after Russia invaded the country in February 2022. Ukraine says Russia destroyed the dam to make a Ukrainian counter-offensive (military attack) more difficult. However, Russia says the dam was destroyed by Ukraine…

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned as a Member of Parliament (MP) on 9 June after he read a report by a group of MPs. They were looking at evidence he gave to Parliament about parties that broke Covid lockdown rules. What happened? Johnson announced he would no longer be an MP for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency (an area represented by an MP) near London. He was sent an early version of a report from Parliament’s Committee of Privileges, which is made up of MPs from different political parties. The committee was looking into whether Johnson gave accurate information to Parliament about parties at 10 Downing Street while he was Prime Minister. 10 Downing Street is the Prime Minister’s official home and place of work. It is thought…

Police arrested Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s former First Minister, on 11 June. Sturgeon and other members of the Scottish National Party (SNP) are being investigated about claims they used £600,000 given to the party by voters in ways they shouldn’t have. Sturgeon, who says she is innocent, was released without being charged with any crimes. The police are still looking into what happened. Sturgeon stepped down as leader of the SNP in February.…

Paris, France Unseen artwork is shown Drawings and paintings by Tove Jansson, the creator of the Moomins, are to be shared in public for the first time at a new exhibition in Paris. Jansson is best known for her illustrated stories about troll-like creatures called Moomins, but she created lots of different art throughout her lifetime. The exhibition will also showcase work by artists who inspired Jansson. Djenné, Mali Thousands help protect mosque Thousands of people gathered to repair the walls of the Great Mosque in Djenné. The work happens every year to protect the Muslim place of worship, which is the world’s largest mud-brick building. It is done before the rainy season, when part of the walls can be washed away. Children joined in to re-plaster the walls with…

A female engineer is hoping to change attitudes in an industry that employs a lot more men than women. In fact, in 2022, just 16.5% of UK engineers were women. Engineers use science and maths to design and build everything from buildings to aeroplanes. Hooi Lee works for the Canal and River Trust charity. To mark International Women in Engineering Day on 23 June, the charity is showing the work done by some of its staff. Lee uses the latest technology such as drones (small, remote-controlled flying machines) to do jobs that would be tricky and expensive for a person, such as inspecting bridges.…

This beautiful, shiny green and red beetle is common in the UK, especially in the south. Rose chafers are around 20 millimetres long and have a V-shape on their backs where the cases of their wings meet. They are active from May to October and you can see them crawl on flowers in woodland and grassland. Female rose chafers lay eggs underground and, after hatching, the larvae (young insects) continue to live in the soil for many months while eating rotting plant remains. The larvae are yellow-white and are curved. Adult rose chafers eat flowers and nectar (a sugary liquid produced by plants). The insects particularly like to feed on dog roses, which have pink or white flowers.…

Ants are strong because of the shape of their bodies, which are perfectly adapted to carrying things larger than them. They might have small bodies but they have strong jaws for gripping objects and sticky feet that stop them from overbalancing. This allows them to carry things that are up to 100 times their body weight. 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…

Faith Kipyegon The Kenyan athlete broke the 5,000 metres race world record. She ran it in 14 minutes 5.20 seconds at the Diamond League event in Paris, France. Loughborough Lightning In the Netball Super League Grand Final, Loughborough Lightning beat London Pulse by 57 points to 48. Southern Vipers The Southern Vipers cricket team won the Charlotte Edwards Cup, beating The Blaze by seven wickets. Iga Swiatek and Novak Djokovic Swiatek won the women’s French Open and Djokovic took the men’s title. The French Open is one of the four big competitions in tennis.…

People Power by Rebecca June. Illustrated by Ximo Abadia (Prestel) Find out about peaceful protests with this colourful illustrated book. From the “Mud March” of 1907 right up until the Black Lives Matter movement of today, it pays tribute to courageous people who have come together to stand up for what they believe in. Protest! by Emily and Alice Haworth-Booth (Pavilion Children’s Books) This fascinating history of peaceful protest from around the world shows how it has made a difference, going back to ancient Egypt. Full of lovely illustrations, it covers events including the Stonewall riots and the Arab Spring and explores creative and unexpected protests, like singing, sitting in trees and planting flowers in unloved public spaces. Lightning Strike by Tanya Landman (OUP Children’s) Inspired by the real-life matchgirls’…

How can you while away a car journey, a long walk or the time between going to bed and falling asleep? An audiobook is the answer. The eight titles shown on this page have been shortlisted for the Audiobooks category of The Week Junior Book Awards because each one will immerse you in another world as you listen. The books include fantastic fiction by some of the most famous children’s authors, Malorie Blackman, Michelle Paver and David Walliams. For those who prefer fact to fiction, Natural Wonders of the World is all about how we can help look after the world. There’s humour in Real Pigeons and The Book that No One Wanted to Read, in which comedian Richard Ayoade asks, “Have you ever thought about how it feels to…

Word fill inAll these words fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes to complete it? 4 Letters Ball Lego Snap 5 Letters Robot Troll 6 Letters Hornby Slinky Switch 7 Letters Bicycle Playdoh Scooter Whistle 8 Letters Nintendo Skittles 10 Letters Marionette Plasticine Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. BALL BATTER CATCH CREASE FOUR GLOVES GOOGLY HELMET HOOK INNINGS NETS OVERARM PADS PAVILION PITCH SIX SPIN THROW UNDERARM WICKET Number tower Place a number in every circle to complete the tower. The value in each circle is the sum of the numbers in the two circles directly beneath it. ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 29 Spot the…

Name: Isobel “This is me and my sister, Ellie. I wanted to tell her that I am so grateful that she is my sister. I don’t know what I would do without her. She has shown me everything even though it’s hard sometimes because of my autism. She doesn’t stop helping, she makes everything possible for me and understands very much of it. Even though we fight, I’m never mad at her and through all of the hard times she is always there for me. She is a role model and I can’t wait for us to grow older together. I wanted to write this about you to show how much I care about you. Something to keep forever and I thought it was perfect for you because you love…

Teacher’s name: Miss Kounnou School: Ridgefield Primary School, Cambridge “Miss Kounnou is absolutely brilliant. We’ve had her for three of our seven years at school and she’s made every year fun, packed with exciting trips and full of adventure. She is kind, lively and makes everything interesting. We will miss her so much next year when we’re in secondary school!”Isaac, Luca and Noah 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…

We love hearing from you! It’s easy – just write a comment when you vote in our online Big Debate poll, or even record a voice note for The Week Junior Show. Last week we asked you if it’s ok to use abbreviations… “I think it is ok because it helps us write things quicker.” “Abbreviations are confusing. I take ages trying to find out what they say so they don’t actually save time.” “If languages are evolving we have to keep up!” “If they’re widely known yes but otherwise they’re annoying.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here. THE WEEK Junior SHOW If you’ve enjoyed this issue, why not listen to our podcast, The Week Junior Show? Go…

1 In which country were four children found safe in the jungle after being lost for 40 days? a) Colombia b) Brazil c) Argentina 2 True or false? Thomas Cromwell was King Edward V’s adviser. True False 3 The volcano Mount Mayon has been erupting in which country? 4 The Indus Valley civilisation was in which modern-day country? a) India b) Pakistan c) Bangladesh 5 True or false? Greta Thunberg has stopped doing her school strikes. True False 6 Which university has found out that moths pollinate more than bees? 7 Which UK Prime Minister apologised for the Windrush scandal in 2018? a) Theresa May b) Boris Johnson c) Rishi Sunak 8 True or false? NASA plans to land humans on Mars in the 2030s. True False 9 Who won…