Table of contents for 415 in The Week Junior

Javier Milei won Argentina’s general election to become president on 19 November. Fourteen million Argentinians voted for him, which is 56% of those who voted. About 44% voted for his rival Sergio Massa. Milei was not expected to win by so much. Who is Javier Milei? Javier Milei is a politician who works in Argentina’s congress (parliament). He is an economist (someone who studies different ways that countries can organise their money, jobs and resources) who is famous for his television appearances. He used to be a football goalkeeper and a rock musician. Milei is known for his unusual ideas and being very outspoken. While he was campaigning to be president he often carried a chainsaw (a power tool used to cut trees). He said it symbolised the cuts that…

A PAINTING SAVED FROM THE BIN A painting found in a French woman’s kitchen in 2019 will be displayed at the Louvre art museum in Paris, France. Painted around 750 years ago by the artist Cimabue, it shows Jesus on a gold leaf background. The art was nearly thrown away but sold for £21 million. A NEW CHILDREN IN NEED PRESENTER On 17 November, charity fundraising TV show Children in Need had its first child presenter. Lenny Rush is a 14-year-old award-winning actor who stars in children’s TV Show The Dumping Ground. Lenny said he was excited to help “a great cause”. Children In Need raised more than £33 million for children’s charities. A CAT MAKING MUSIC A cat known for visiting Stevenage railway station, England, has recorded a song.…

When wheelchair basketball player Charlie Adams first saw the email telling him he’d got into Great Britain’s under 22s team, he didn’t know what to say. “I was absolutely speechless,” he tells The Week Junior. “The words didn’t process in my mind.” Adams is only 19 and, given his age, he felt very surprised about his success. It took him a couple of days to get used to the idea before he even told his family and friends. Adams was born with scoliosis, which causes his spine to be curved, and arthrogryposis, which means he cannot rotate his ankles and only has a small amount of rotation in his wrists. He began playing wheelchair basketball more than 10 years ago, taking after his older brother and sister, Jonathan and Leanna.…

Imagination is a wonderful thing. Humans use it to come up with everything from clever inventions to entertaining stories. A group of scientists have been looking into whether animals can harness the power of imagination too. The team concluded that rats can and they use it to navigate around spaces. “Human imagination is being able to think about something without doing that action,” said Chongxi Lai, one of the lead scientists on the project. The team set up a study to see if rats have this ability as well, focusing on an area of their brains called the hippocampus. In humans, this is where our memories are kept, including the memories we store about how to get from one place to another. The scientists put the rats into treadmill balls…

Fifty years ago, the late Queen Elizabeth II opened the Sydney Opera House. The huge white building is one of Australia’s most famous landmarks and is home to a spectacular fireworks display every New Year’s Eve, which is watched around the world. However, building the Sydney Opera House was not an easy task, and when it was finally finished, not everyone liked it. How did it come about? In 1947, the conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, an Englishman called Eugene Goossens, said Australia needed a building for music and performing arts (dance and drama). The government of New South Wales (the state where Sydney is) ran a competition for architects to submit designs. They received designs from 30 countries, and in 1957 announced Jørn Utzon from Denmark as the…

On 26 November, millions of people will be settling down to watch the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023. Acts from 16 European countries will each sing a song and compete to win the votes of the public and an expert panel of judges. It is being held in the French city of Nice because France’s entry, a 13-year-old singer called Lissandro, won the competition in 2022. Although the competitors are younger – aged between nine and 14 – the event follows a similar format to the main Eurovision Song Contest, which is held earlier in the year. One difference is that in Junior Eurovision viewers are allowed to vote for the performance from their own country. The UK’s act for Junior Eurovision 2023 is a group called STAND UNIQU3. Twelve-year-old…

Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play This classic film from 1971 is based on Roald Dahl’s best-selling book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. When Willy Wonka, the world’s finest chocolate maker, gives out just five special golden tickets inside his chocolate bars, Charlie Bucket is lucky enough to get hold of one. The five winners receive a tour of Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory and discover the secrets of how he makes his sweets – however, not everything at the factory is quite as it seems. The film includes a famous song, performed by Willy Wonka, called Pure Imagination. Now is the perfect time to watch this film, before Wonka, a new story about Willy Wonka, comes to cinemas on 8 December.…

On 30 November it’s St Andrew’s Day, a time to celebrate all things Scottish – and highland cows are a popular symbol of Scotland. These shaggy-haired cattle have big horns but they are known for being friendly and gentle. Traditionally, St Andrew’s Day is a religious festival celebrating the patron saint of Scotland, but these days it’s also a national day of festivities. Get involved by crafting a highland cow wall decoration. You can use the cow’s long horns to hang jewellery or keys. What you need ● A4 card ● A pencil ● Scissors ● Corrugated card ● Paints ● Brushes ● Felt or coloured card ● Glue ● String ● Sticky tape ● Pieces of wool (each about 20cm long) 1 Make a template as a guide by…

I enjoy planting flowers and vegetables, and watching them grow – even though I probably water them too much. I had no idea that late November is a good time to plant trees. I learned that from our story on page 5 about National Tree Week and the annual campaign that gathers tree-lovers and volunteers to plant and grow trees. It’s taking place all over the country so, with an adult, you can go online and find out how to get your hands and knees grubby at a tree-planting event near you. Trees are great for the planet and provide homes and shelter to wildlife, and connecting with nature has lots of health benefits for humans too. Also on page 5 is a report on how cow poo is being…

The Children’s Parliament works to bring children together to talk about important issues. On 29 November, it will host the World Children’s Parliament event for people aged seven to 11. The online event will see 300 young people from all over the world take part in a discussion about protecting the planet. It will also feature a live conversation with people taking part in the Darwin200 project. Darwin200 is the voyage of a tall ship that is sailing around the world for two years researching the health of our planet. To register to take part, ask an adult to go to childrensparliament.uk 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…

1 Who is the former Brazilian president? 🞎 a) Donald Trump 🞎 b) Javier Milei 🞎 c) Jair Bolsonaro 2 True or false? There are 18 letters in the Gaelic alphabet. 🞎 True 🞎 False 3 Which Caribbean island has an underwater exhibition? 4 Why do scientists believe sitting by a log fire can be good for our health? 🞎 a) It warms you up 🞎 b) It brings people together 🞎 c) It can lower your blood pressure 5 True or false? Charlie Adams has been selected to play wheelchair basketball for Great Britain twice. 🞎 True 🞎 False 6 What is the name used for a group of rats? 7 Which country did the original architect for Sydney Opera House come from? 🞎 a) England 🞎 b) Australia…

The Australian government has added 20 species to its list of threatened species, including the kowari. Kowaris belong to a group of animals called marsupials, which carry their babies in pouches and include kangaroos. Kowari numbers are down because of farm animals destroying their habitats, and predators such as cats and foxes, which are not native to Australia. • LIFESPAN: Up to two years. • DIET: Small mammals, including rodents, as well as reptiles and birds’ eggs. • SIZE: Up to 34 centimetres long (but its tail takes up almost half its length). • HABITAT: Deserts and dry areas in Australia. • FUN FACT: Kowaris do not drink any water because they get all the water they need from their food.…

Backf lips on the building Australian parkour star Dominic Di Tommaso became the first person to freerun around the Sydney Opera House in 2022. Parkour, or freerunning, involves scaling buildings and leaping over obstacles without any equipment. The opening ceremony On 20 October 1973, a million people gathered to see Queen Elizabeth II open the Opera House. Thousands of balloons flew into the sky, along with a helicopter flypast and fireworks. An Aboriginal actor welcomed people to the site. Aboriginal people lived in Australia for thousands of years before British people arrived and settled there. Nelson Mandela’s speech In 1990, Nelson Mandela gave a speech about forgiveness on the steps of the building. Mandela, who went on to become the first black president of South Africa, fought for the equal…

On 19 November, Australia enjoyed a surprise victory over India to win the men’s Cricket World Cup final. Before the match, India, the host country of the tournament, had won all 10 of their games. Supported by a crowd of more than 90,000 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in the city of Ahmedabad, India were expected to claim the trophy, but Australia played brilliantly and easily won the match with seven overs to spare. The men’s Cricket World Cup started on 5 October. Ten countries took part and each team played each other in the group stage. The top four teams in the group stage – India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand – reached the semi-finals, with Australia overcoming India in the final. In a match, the batting team…

Dashing Through the Snow Available now on Disney+, PG Eddie doesn’t believe in the wonder of Christmas. When he and his daughter meet a mysterious man in a red suit named Nick, they are taken on a magical adventure that might restore his faith in the festive season. Wish At cinemas nationwide, U In the magical kingdom of Rosas, a young girl called Asha makes a wish that is so powerful, a ball of energy known as Star comes to answer it. In this exciting musical comedy, Asha and the cheeky star must confront the evil King Magnifico to save her community. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai Available now on BBC iPlayer Set in 1920s Shanghai, China, this cute animated series follows the adventures of a 10-year-old boy, Sam, and…

Number fit All of these numbers fit in the grid. Can you work out where they go? We’ve placed one to start you off. 3 numbers 250 312 434 911 4 numbers 2130 3363 3773 8845 5 numbers 11350 25036 67610 6 numbers 151444 672471 924301 7 numbers 1001101 1436125 3240234 5713071 8 numbers 15256301 52006211 61673424 9 numbers 296401030 455278533 683657506 Sudoku Place the numbers from 1 to 6 exactly once in each row, column and 2x3 bold-lined box, to complete the grid. Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. Airship Barge Bicycle Bobsleigh Car Coach Ferry Glider Helicopter Lorry Minibus Moped Rickshaw Rocket Train Tram Truck Tug Van Wagon Spot the difference…

For more than 180 years, the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) has been protecting animals from cats and dogs to smaller pets like rabbits and reptiles. Based in Scotland, they rescue, care for and re-home animals, making sure they receive respect and kindness, and provide people of all ages with advice so that they can look after the animals in their lives. To find animal welfare advice and resources for young people, head to tinyurl.com/TWJ-SPCA…

Teacher’s name: Mr Fair School: Mordiford Primary School, Herefordshire “Mr Fair has a passion for sports and shares it with us; especially when we play Quidditch. He makes sure everyone is having fun and understands the rules. He joins in hyping us up and cheering when we score. He makes lessons relate to things we are interested in. At the end of the year we have ‘water dispensary play’ (a water fight) where we get to soak him with buckets of water. Thanks Mr Fair – you are awesome!” Florence 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…

On a cold winter’s evening, when it’s dark and chilly outside, there’s nothing more enticing than sitting by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate and wearing fluffy socks. The smoky scent, the warm glow in the room and the sound of the burning wood all combine to make a cosy atmosphere. However, environmental campaigners say that there should be stricter rules when it comes to log fires. Although the dancing flames look nice, burning wood causes air pollution and produces harmful gases. This means fires are bad for the environment and they can be harmful for people’s health. However, proper wood burners cause less pollution than an open fire and it can be cheaper than turning on the heating. What do you think? Should people use log fires?…

In November, the UK’s duck population increases as many migrate (move) from places with colder winters. The widgeon comes from countries including Iceland, Russia and Sweden. They can grow to 48 centimetres long and have a round head and short bill (beak). Male widgeons are grey with a pinkish breast, a red-brown head, yellow forehead and white patches on their wings. Females have rusty brown feathers. Widgeons gather in large groups on wet or flooded grasslands and lakes with sloped banks so they can get out easily. They have a high-pitched whistle and fly in close formations (shapes). Widgeons are dabbling ducks, meaning they feed on things close to the surface of shallow water, like plants and seeds.…

Artificial intelligence (AI) could be used to predict the weather more quickly and accurately than traditional methods, scientists have said. AI involves a computer being able to learn from experience and perform tasks that usually require human intelligence. The traditional way to forecast the weather is using numerical weather prediction (NWP). This uses measurements – sometimes hundreds of millions in a day – of what is happening in the Earth’s atmosphere. The measurements come from places including weather satellites (objects sent into space to observe weather on Earth), special weather balloons and sensors on aeroplanes. Supercomputers use the data to do complex calculations, but this uses lots of power and can take many hours to produce results. Supercomputers are very powerful computers. Several companies have developed AI models that can…

Bristol Bears On the opening day of the Premiership Women’s Rugby, Bristol Bears beat Sale Sharks 48–5 to top the league. Amy Yang The South Korean golfer won the LPGA’s Tour Championship, finishing three shots ahead of the US’s Alison Lee and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka. Lauren James James scored a hat-trick (three goals) as Chelsea beat Liverpool 5–1 in the Women’s Super League (WSL) football competition. Chelsea now lead the WSL table. Novak Djokovic At the ATP Finals, in Turin, Italy, the tennis player from Serbia defeated Italy’s Jannik Sinner to win the title for a record seventh time.…

Could you lead an army of monsters to conquer the world? Hopefully you won’t ever need to answer this question in real life, but Warcraft Rumble is a way to do it on your phone. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it’s a new game set in the same universe as World of Warcraft, which was one of the most popular multiplayer online games until Fortnite and Roblox came along. Warcraft Rumble takes characters from that world and puts them into a brand-new game made for mobile gamers. It’s a free download for Android and Apple phones, with optional purchases. The game involves collecting “Minis” for your army. Some are fearsome characters: gargoyles, ogre mages and trolls. Some are creepy: ghouls, skeletons and spiders. And some are just funny:…

An expensive scent for babies Fashion company Dior has created a perfume for babies that costs £230 a bottle. The Bonne Étoile “scented water” apparently contains whiffs of pear and wild rose. Francis Kurkdjian, the creative director for perfumes at Dior, said he wanted to create a product “for little ones that is as simple as they are”. The finished scent is more expensive than some of the company’s best-selling perfumes for adults and can be personalised with a coloured ribbon. Dior recommends spraying it on a baby’s neck or in their room. A sealy good excuse for being late Traffic, train delays, oversleeping and illness are some common reasons for being late to work or school. However, on 14 November, Amber Harris had to convince her bosses that she…

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 species should be named after people. You said… “If someone has discovered a species they should get the credit for discovering it so it should be named after them.” “It will be really confusing because there will be a lot of animals named after them.” “Nature deserves its own name.” “Yes – it’s the perfect way to honour them.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here. If you’ve enjoyed this issue, why not listen to our podcast, The Week Junior Show?…