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Police in Germany have removed hundreds of people who have been protesting against plans to expand a coal mine in the village of Lützerath. Where is Lützerath? The small village sits in the west of Germany, on the edge of a large opencast coal mine called Garzweiler. An opencast mine is where the coal lies near the surface. It can be dug out from a quarry (huge open hole in the ground) rather than a tunnel deep down. Garzweiler covers a large area – 49 square kilometres – and power stations use its coal to make electricity. Why are people protesting? The energy company RWE, which owns the mine, plans to demolish Lützerath so it can expand the mine and dig out more coal. People have been protesting in the…

A KEEN MODEL MAKER A Lego model of the Lake District has gone on display in Derbyshire, England. Jon Tordoff began building the 10-square-metre model during lockdown. He thinks the model uses 200,000 Lego pieces and he plans to continue working on it to include more scenery. WESTERN CHIMPANZEES A western chimpanzee, described by scientists as the rarest in the world, has been born at Chester Zoo in England. The world has lost about 80% of its western chimp population in the last 25 years. The birth is an important step towards ensuring the species’ survival. The newborn male has not yet been named. MAKING A DISCOVERY ON A BEACH While visiting the beach on Christmas Day, Molly (aged nine) and her family discovered an ancient shark tooth. The tooth,…

In his first speech of the year on 4 January, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to make all pupils in England study maths in some form up to the age of 18. Statistics and data are playing a bigger part in everyday life and more jobs need workers to have a good understanding of maths. Sunak believes that giving young people better numeracy skills will give them “greater self-confidence to navigate a changing world”. However, some people have said they are concerned about the effect this could have on people who do not like maths. Besides, it is not clear whether there are enough maths teachers to cope with the huge rise in 16 to 18-year-olds studying the subject? What do you think? Should everyone study maths until they…

Anole lizards from three cities in Puerto Rico have separately evolved to have features that anole lizards living outside cities don’t have. Scientists found they have longer legs for crossing open spaces and stickier toes for climbing smooth materials like glass and metal. ● LIFESPAN: Two to seven years.● HABITAT: North and Central America.●SIZE: Up to 51 centimetres long.●DIET: Berries and insects.●FUN FACT: There are just under 400 species of anole lizard and most can change colour between brown and green. Males also have a large throat fan (or “dewlap”), which is usually brightly coloured to attract females.…

St Petersburg This beautiful subway in Russia had to be deep beneath the ground because St Petersburg was built on boggy marshland. The deepest station, Admiralteyskaya, is 86 metres underground. Tokyo The underground system in Japan is super speedy and almost always on time. The trains are so reliable that passengers often set alarms and go to sleep because they know exactly when the train will arrive. Stockholm The metro system in the Swedish capital is nicknamed “the world’s longest art gallery” because of the paintings in its stations. Solna Centrum station is painted green and red to represent the forest and the sunset.…

Elsevier, a company that supplies information and technology to people working in healthcare, has added new human models to its teaching platform. These models show a wider variety of real people. The platform, called Complete Anatomy, is a kind of computer program aimed at students who are training to work in healthcare. It features a selection of 3D models of the human body. The latest update means the models now have the widest variety of skin tones and facial features ever available in health education. The aim of this is to train future healthcare workers, such as doctors and nurses, to be able to spot and treat illnesses in every patient they work with. In 2018, a study found that fewer than 5% of pictures in general medical books or…

CLOSE-UP PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR…

Have you ever found yourself pining for a juicy red apple? Do you feel refreshed when you walk through a green forest in spring? Or perhaps you’ve taken a photo of a beautiful sunset while on holiday? We are surrounded by different colours and often take them for granted – but they are linked to experiences, feelings and memories. Finding the shades that make you happy and bringing these into your life can boost your wellbeing, especially during the dark winter months. The benefits of colour “Colour is a way to express yourself,” says colour expert Karen Haller. Whether it’s your clothes, hair, nails, toys or wallpaper, colour is a tool to show your personality. “We all have colours that make us feel happy,” explains Haller, who believes you should…

Spare, a book about Prince Harry’s life written by him, broke records after it was published on 10 January, becoming the fastest-selling nonfiction book in history. Harry wrote Spare to tell the story of his life from his viewpoint. He and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down from royal duties in 2020. Since then, they have spoken about what led to that decision, including the negative way that some British newspapers wrote about them. In Spare, Harry talks about growing up as a royal, the death of his mother, Princess Diana, and his family relationships. The book has led to lots of debate. Some people think it reveals too much about the royal family’s private life. However, more than 1.4 million copies of the book were sold in one day.…

International Lego Day is an annual celebration of the popular toy that takes place on 28 January. To get you in the mood, we’ve picked the best in bricks with some of our favourite Lego games, sites and apps for you to check out on your consoles and phones. To start off, two puzzle games: Lego Bricktales puts you in charge of an amusement park where the rides are made from Lego bricks. It’s a puzzle game with a story mode where you also make your own Minifigure, and there’s a “sandbox” mode where you can create incredible new rides from bricks. Lego Builder’s Journey, for consoles and Apple devices, is another puzzle game. Each level gives you a building challenge and a pile of bricks to twist and fit…

What is your Chinese Zodiac animal sign? It is the rabbit, which I’ve always loved. Growing up, I had all sorts of rabbit figurines and even a gold rabbit pendant from my grandmother. Favourite thing to do during Lunar New Year? Eating with family. I LOVE all of the Lunar New Year food – especially the sweet treats. Are you a morning person or night owl? I’m definitely a night owl, although my favourite time to write is first thing in the morning. Sweet or savoury? A tough question! I would have to say I like savoury more than sweet. One of my favourite all time dishes is turnip cake (Lo Bak Go) which is said to bring good fortune. Favourite place to spend Lunar New Year? With family, especially…

Where can I curl? With the help of an adult, check out your closest ice rink online or search at trycurling.com. You can also search for one of the pop-up curling venues in cities around the country. You don’t need to bring or wear ice skates. Clubs can loan you shoes that have a special sole for walking on the ice. What is floor curling? Floor curling is another way to try curling. Instead of being played on ice, slippery mats are used to create a rink so that small, lightweight stones can be slid down. It’s simple to set up and fun to play, just like the full-size activity at an ice rink.…

Ollie Skinner-Foster, eight, likes to enjoy a bag of crisps when he gets home from school. However, Ollie was amazed when he found a giant Frazzle measuring a whopping 10 centimetres long at the bottom of his crisp packet. He’s so pleased with it that he refuses to eat it – and has even put the super-sized snack on display in his bedroom. Meanwhile, his parents are checking to see whether Ollie is the owner of the world’s biggest-ever Frazzle.…

We are delighted to be featuring our young cover star, Ravi Adelekan, and telling his story (page 9). In 2021, he had a brain tumour that had to be taken out by doctors. Even though this was a worrying time for him and his family, Ravi’s reaction was to think of others. He is raising funds for the Brain Tumour Charity and Brainstrust, and encouraging people to follow their dreams and help others to reach their goals. His is such an uplifting story. Thinking of mood boosters, I love the Wellbeing feature on page 19 about the joy of colour and how it can make you feel good. It inspired me: this morning I put on an orange jumper – and yes, it is making me feel very cheerful! We’ve…

“We are all big fans of the magazine. Even Parsley the cat likes to have a good read. Here is a photo of him enjoying the Around the World feature, which is his favourite bit.”Leo, Ida and Kitty “I made the hot chocolate from last week’s issue. I used cocoa powder, milk chocolate and decorated it with whipped cream and marshmallows. It was so yummy.”Haroon “My mum and I made this Christmas bauble decoration. My mum first created one of these when she was my age.”Samuel…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam @TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. Last week we asked you if the cinema is better than home… “Cinema – you get comfy chairs, a big screen, popcorn and no distractions.” “Home, because it costs less and you can curl up with cushions and teddies.” “Save money and make your house look like a cinema. Make it dark and loud.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

The word “queen” was chosen as the children’s word of the year for 2022. Researchers from Oxford University Press, a publisher, asked nearly 4,000 young people aged six to 14 which words had been important to them in 2022. “Queen” came top, with 46% voting for it, followed by “happy” and “chaos”. Many said that “queen” evoked feelings of sadness and loss, as well as pride. Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, having reigned for 70 years.…

Seven-year-old Ravi Adelekan has a big dream: that one day, every child with a brain tumour (a growth of cells that can make someone unwell) gets the care and support they need. In 2021, Ravi found out that he had a tumour in his brain. It was benign, which means it wasn’t cancer (a type of disease when cells multiply too fast) and it hadn’t spread to other parts of his body. Doctors couldn’t remove the whole tumour and he is living with its effects, but Ravi has turned the experience into a way to help others. Ravi’s Dream is the result, which Ravi launched with a song and video of A Million Dreams, featuring friends and celebrities singing the tune from The Greatest Showman. He also aims to raise…

A stream in Cumbria, England, has been “rewiggled” in order to make it a nicer place for wildlife to live. Howgill Beck runs through the North Pennines in England, which is listed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). This means that it is protected from certain types of development and is carefully looked after to preserve its beauty and the wildlife that lives there. The beck (another word for a stream) is a naturally wiggly waterway but it was straightened out by people in the 18th century, making it look more like a canal. The recent rewiggling involved cutting new channels into the ground to create a braided river – a type of river with lots of little channels and tiny islands. This means that water flows more…

Scientists have discovered that male and female lar gibbons sing duets (songs for two) together. A recent study found that gibbon pairs make their sounds at the same time and make noises at regular intervals. This suggests that, unlike most other animals, they have rhythm, which is the basis for most music. Lar gibbons live in the tropical forests of Asia. They sing to make friends and to make sure other gibbons know they are in their territory (home area). For the study the team recorded 215 songs from 12 gibbons – eight living free in the wild in Thailand and four living in a sanctuary in Italy. The scientists measured how regularly each note was repeated and how often male and female notes were sung together. They found that…

“Put simply, snakes are so flexible because they have so many bones. Their backbones have anywhere from 100 to 600 individual bones, whereas humans have just 33. These bones, and the many small, flexible scales that cover snakes’ bodies, mean they are able to bend and turn in all sorts of ways. Some especially long and thin species, like the blunt-headed vine snake, really take this to the extreme.” 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…

A scientist has started collecting a bank of human poo, in the hope that it could give information that could one day help cure illnesses. Adrian Egli from the University of Zurich, in Switzerland, collects poo because it contains microbes (tiny living organisms, too small to be seen by the naked eye, including bacteria). Every human has microbes inside them, and all together these are called our microbiome. The gut (digestive system) contains microbes called bacteria and they are also found in our poo. Some bacteria can make humans sick but others help to keep us healthy. Egli is collecting poo from around the world so that he has as many types of gut bacteria as possible. Over the last 50 years, the variety of gut bacteria has reduced in…

The Dakar Rally is one of the toughest motorsport events in the world. In the famous competition drivers race more than 3,000 miles across 15 stages, across challenging terrain such as sand dunes, bumpy tracks and rocky outcrops. The high-speed spectacle took place from 31 December to 15 January in Saudi Arabia. The country has staged the race every year since 2020. At this year’s event, 355 off-road vehicles were involved. There are four official categories for drivers to choose: car, motorbike, quad (four-wheeled motorbike) or truck. There were also groups for special lightweight machines, as well as a category for older vehicles to race, which was called the Dakar Classic. After each day’s racing, times were recorded and the drivers who made the quickest overall time after all of…

On 25 January, people across Scotland, and Scottish people around the world, will celebrate Burns Night. The event is a celebration of the life and works of the poet Robert Burns, and takes place on his birthday. These days, it has also become a celebration of Scottish culture. Robert Burns lived from 1759 to 1796 and is considered by many to be Scotland’s greatest poet. He wrote most of his poems in Scots – a language still spoken in Scotland – to reflect real life. He wrote about life, love, work and friendship. Burns Night was first celebrated in 1801, by his friends, who wanted to remember him. Burns Night traditionally begins with a speech by the host of the gathering. Then, everyone stands up as bagpipes are played and…

Spirited Away Netflix, DVD Chihiro and her family are driving to their new home in the Japanese countryside when a wrong turn takes them to an eerie abandoned theme park. When they find a restaurant with piles of delicious-smelling food but no staff, her parents tuck in. Chihiro continues exploring and meets a boy called Haku, who tells her that her family are in danger and must leave before sunset. She runs back to find her parents have turned into pigs. The park is a town of demons and spirits, ruled by an evil witch called Yubaba. Haku smuggles Chihiro into the bathhouse, where spirits go to relax. He tells her she must find work, or Yubaba will turn her into an animal too. In this strange world, Chihiro must…

The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton (Piccadilly Press) Eleven-year-old Ella sets out to the Arcanum Training Institute – a magical school in the clouds. Here, marvellers from around the world practise their arts, from brewing Indian spice elixirs to bartering with Irish pixies. Ella, with her group of friends, is swept up in a thrilling adventure. The Night Animals by Sarah Ann Juckes. Illustrated by Sharon King-Chai (Simon & Schuster Children’s) Nora is going through a difficult time at home – but then rainbow shimmering ghost animals begin to appear. Along with a new friend, Kwame, Nora follows a glittering ghostly fox, hare, raven and otter into an adventure. Can they help her find the strength she needs to help her family? Bertie and the Alien Chicken by Jenny Pearson. Illustrated…

Name: Maya Anne of Green Gables By L.M. Montgomery “Humorous, sorrowful, unputdownable. The classic tale of a red-haired orphan getting passed from family to family, until she finally finds her home.” YOUR TURN Email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If your review is printed in the magazine you’ll receive a Roving Reporter badge. Tell us what you liked about the book and why you’d recommend it to others, and don’t forget to include your name and address.* *If you are the competition winner, we will only use the details you provide to contact you and arrange delivery of your competition prize. Further details about how we manage the data you provide can be found at www.futureplc.com/privacy-policy…

On 22 January it’s the start of the Chinese New Year, and for 2023 it marks the start of the Year of the Rabbit. There are 12 animal signs in the Chinese zodiac, each one with its own characteristics. People born in the Year of The Rabbit are believed to be clever, have lots of ideas and are vigilant (watching out for danger). Traditional New Year decorations are often red because in Chinese culture red is associated with good luck, good fortune and happiness. Decorations often feature the animal of the year or other Chinese symbols of good luck, such as gold coins and lanterns. Join in with the celebrations by turning a room into a “hoppy” place with these fun baubles. What you need ● Red card● White card●…

1 In which country is a village about to be demolished to make way for a coal mine? □ a) Australia □ b) Jordan □ c) Germany 2 True or false? The skeleton sculpture coming to the Eden Project in Cornwall is made out of an elm tree. □ True □ False 3 In which country were the All-Africa Music Awards held? 4 Up to what age is studying maths currently compulsory in the UK? □ a) 16 □ b) 18 □ c) 19 5 True or false? Karen Kavett completed a jigsaw with her nose. □ True □False 6 Which is the UK’s longest river? 7 In which year did the London Underground’s famous round sign first appear? □ a) 1863 □ b) 1908 □ c) 1920 8 True…

Jordan’s King Abdullah has announced plans for a £80 million “interfaith” (for people of different religions) centre to be built beside the River Jordan. It will be in the place that Jesus is said to have been baptised (a ceremony to welcome a person into a religion) about 2,000 years ago. The King hopes that the site will welcome more than a million visitors a year by 2030. The spot, called Bethany Beyond the Jordan, is already a UNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO is an organisation that uses education, culture and science to promote peace. Every year, around 200,000 Christian pilgrims (religious visitors) are baptised in the River Jordan. The new project, including a village in the style of biblical times and an interfaith centre, will be carefully built around…

On 14 January, the Government announced that it plans to ban single-use cutlery (forks, knives and spoons), plates and trays in England later this year. Why is the ban happening? Disposable plastic packaging, food containers and cutlery are made to be used once before they’re thrown away. Most types of plastic don’t break down for hundreds of years, so they remain in landfill sites (where rubbish is buried in the ground) for a long time. Plastic can be dangerous for wildlife. If it breaks up into microplastics (tiny bits of plastic less than five millimetres across), it can end up being eaten by animals. Every year, England uses 1.1 billion single-use plates and 4.25 billion pieces of plastic cutlery. Only about 10% of these items are recycled after use. Who…

Madrid, Spain Protests for public healthcare Around 30,000 healthcare workers have protested in Madrid against cutting money for health services. The protesters criticised the political party that rules Madrid for taking money away from public healthcare, such as hospitals and doctors’ surgeries, and supporting private healthcare centres that people have to pay to use. Boston, US Arguments about new statue A statue honouring the civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr has caused arguments. The £8 million sculpture, called The Embrace, is based on a photo of King and his wife hugging each other. Critics say it should show the full hug and is a waste of money. Boston’s mayor, Michelle Wu, called it “a powerful call to embrace each other more”. Dakar, Senegal Awards celebrate music stars Famous musicians…

At this time of year most trees have bare branches but the yew keeps its green needles. Yews grow very slowly and can live for up to 5,000 years. They grow all over the UK, especially in hedgerows and in churchyards. Mature trees can grow 20 metres high. Their peeling bark is reddish-brown and the leaves are straight needles with a pointed tip, which grow either side of each twig. All parts of the tree are very poisonous. However, the yew is harvested to create medicine that treats cancer. Yews’ dense foliage protects birds and its leaves are food for the satin beauty moth caterpillar. Yews have been sacred (holy) to humans for thousands of years. To ancient Celtic people they were a symbol of life and death.…

Iberian lynxes Between 40 and 60 lynxes are killed by cars each year in Spain and Portugal but Spain’s government is hoping to stop that with new tracking collars. When a lynx fitted with a collar approaches a road, the system will activate a roadside sign warning drivers that a lynx is nearby. Utah’s Great Salt Lake Scientists think Utah’s Great Salt Lake could disappear within just five years. The lake has been drying up because people use too much water. It has now lost 73% of its water. Scientists worry that the lake drying up will release chemicals into the air that will damage the local environment.…

When the idea of an underground railway in Britain’s capital city was suggested in the 1840s, Londoners simply laughed. “People will never go underground,” said Sir Joseph Paxton, a famous architect (person who designs buildings). One popular magazine jokingly called the idea the “Sewer Railway”. Yet, this January, the London Underground celebrates its 160th year. How did we get from the “Sewer Railway” to the London Underground that we know today? The underground system The London Underground is a network of rail lines that run under the city. Despite its name, only half of the system is underground. The first line to open was the Metropolitan Line in 1863, using trains powered by steam. It was not a smooth ride. Passengers would often get injured as the trains jolted about…

Wee can be analysed to see how healthy someone is. Usually this means having to wee into a tiny pot but a company called Withings has created a new gadget that fits in a toilet. U-Scan detects if any wee has touched it and uses a pump to draw it inside a machine that examines it. It can even tell which person’s wee it is by how they go to the loo. The results are sent to Withings via Wi-Fi and shared with the person on an app. It can tell if they need to drink more water or add more vitamin C to their diet. Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junior Science+Nature magazine sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

Jake Dennis The British driver won the opening round of the 2023 Formula E season. Formula E is a fast racing series using electric-powered cars. England netball team On 15 January, England beat Jamaica 63-59. England (nicknamed the Roses) won the series of three games 2-1. Judd Trump In the final of the Masters snooker tournament, Trump beat Mark Williams by 10 frames to eight to win the trophy for the second time. Manchester United Women They beat Liverpool 6-0 in the Women’s Super League. Manchester United are second in the table, three points behind Chelsea.…

Lockwood & Co. Netflix, 27 January Based on the book series by Jonathan Stroud, this new series follows three teenagers who work together as supernatural investigators in an alternative London. The three must work without adult supervision to solve a wicked mystery in a world filled with ghosts. Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight Season 2 on Netflix now Po, the legendary warrior panda, teams up with the Dragon Knights to find the powerful Tianshang weapons. To do so, they must journey across the world, but they might not find what they need if evil gets there first. Lagging Series 2 CBBC, 6pm, 23 January This series follows Sol, Mo, Ray, Cedric and Leah, a group of gamers. They’re best friends online and in real life, and must work together…

by Kevin Tsang. Illustrated by Linh Nguyen (Scholastic) Lunar New Year is celebrated all around the world each year, and this beautifully illustrated activity book is the perfect guide to help you join in. Discover how the festival is celebrated in different parts of the world, and learn about the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac – including why 2023 is the year of the rabbit and what it means. The book is bursting with crafting ideas, delicious recipes, activities, facts and stories. There are easy-to-follow instructions for making Lunar New Year decorations, including magical lanterns, paper firecrackers and masks. You’ll also find recipes for cooking up tasty treats from all over Asia, such as dumplings, Chinese walnut cookies, and Korean rice cake soup. More than a billion people celebrate…

Sliding stones along an ice rink may sound like a strange activity but curling is a fun sport that requires skill, teamwork and tactics. Curling comes from Scotland, which has a proud history of the sport dating back to the 16th century. Scotland’s Eve Muirhead is Great Britain’s most famous curling player. She has won many titles, including a gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics, and has inspired a new generation of fans and players. So, how to play? A curling match is played between two teams of four, and a team’s captain is called the skip. Each player has two stones (these are sometimes called rocks) which weigh around 19 kilograms. Teams take it in turns to gently push and release their stones along the ice. The aim…

Word fill in All these words fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes to complete it? 4 letters DALI GOYA LEON 5 letters BEACH CADIZ LORCA SPAIN 6 letters ARMADA ESPANA MURCIA 8 letters ALICANTE BENIDORM VALENCIA 9 letters BARCELONA CATALONIA LANZAROTE Word jumble Rearrange the scrambled letters to form four words connected with flavours of ice cream. Spot the difference These two pictures appear to be the same, but take a closer look. There are actually five differences. Can you spot them? Wordsearch Can you find all of the green things listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. AVOCADO BROCCOLI CABBAGE COS EMERALD FENNEL FERN FROG GRASS HEDGE LEAF LEEK LETTUCE LIZARD MALACHITE MARROW PARSLEY PEAS…

We remember and celebrate the life of our dear friend and colleague, Hugh Porter. Hugh was our associate editor in charge of UK news and the animals and science pages. He had worked at lots of famous newspapers and magazines, including Time magazine, where he was chief reporter, and we couldn’t believe our luck when he agreed to join the Week Junior team back in 2016. Hugh was cheerful, fun and kind, training the young writers with all the skills he had learned over the years. He was brilliant at making sure that every part of every article in The Week Junior was accurate. He also loved current affairs, cycling, football, Scotland and tea. He recently combined two of those by cycling around all London’s football grounds, raising more than…

Teacher’s name: Monsieur Baude School: Maltman’s Green School, Buckinghamshire, England “Mr Baude makes French so much fun to learn, with songs and dramatic movements and actions. Every lesson is full of excitement. He teaches us rhymes which helps us remember tricky French words. We love his French accent too! Thank you Monsieur B for making learning French so very interesting.”Avni and Kiana 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…