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At least 288 people have died and more than 1,000 people were hurt after a train crash in India on 2 June. The accident involved three trains in the state of Odisha, in the north-eastern part of the country. It is thought to be the worst train crash in India for more than 20 years. What happened? A train called the Coromandel Express, travelling at 80 miles per hour, moved off a main track and onto a side track that is used to park trains. It hit a goods train that was not moving. The crash threw carriages from the Coromandel Express off the tracks, which hit another train that was travelling at around 80 miles per hour in the opposite direction. Many of the passengers were on their way…

A GREEN CYCLE CHALLENGE On 5 June, record-breaking cyclist Kate Strong set out on a 3,000-mile cycle around England, Scotland and Wales on a bike partly made from sustainable bamboo (a type of wood). Strong’s mission is to raise awareness of the climate crisis and to inspire others to get closer to nature. During her ride she will visit climate projects such as beach cleans. A BABY DONKEY On 31 May, a three-month-old donkey named Moon was returned home to her mother after being stolen from a farm in Hampshire, England. With help from the police, Moon was found in Buckinghamshire. The mother and baby are now back together and their owner says she is “beyond thrilled”. SCOTTISH PICKLEBALL FANS The first Scottish national pickleball championship took place in Glasgow…

TV presenter James Stewart is on a mission to offer hope to young people in the fight to protect planet Earth. Stewart is known for his work on the BBC, CBBC and CBeebies. Stewart told The Week Junior that lots of the media coverage of climate change (changing weather patterns that can cause problems such as droughts and floods) is too negative. “There is still time, there are still chances to make changes,” he said. For example, people could keep games consoles or mobile phones for longer before buying new ones. That’s because the energy used to make them is often created by burning fossil fuels. This releases greenhouse gases, which trap the Sun’s heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and make temperatures rise. Another part of Stewart’s work is the…

Have you ever had your lunch stolen by a cheeky seagull at the beach? Whether it’s fish and chips, an ice cream or a sandwich, seagulls seem to love swooping and snatching humans’ food. However, a study shows that it is not a myth: seagulls really are more likely to steal food if they see humans eating it first. Scientists from the University of Sussex carried out their research at Brighton beach, on the south coast of England. They found a clear patch of beach and taped two different crisp packets to flat tiles placed a few metres from some herring gulls. The team used a green bag of crisps (salt and vinegar), and a blue bag of crisps (cheese and onion). The scientists then moved five metres away and…

A beluga whale spotted off the coast of Sweden has been accused of being a Russian spy. Hvaldimir was first seen in 2019 near Norway, wearing a harness with a clip that could hold a camera. Officials thought he’d been trained by the Russian navy, and he has now reappeared. ● LIFESPAN: 30–50 years. ● HABITAT: Mainly coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean. ● SIZE: Between four and six metres. ● DIET: Clams, crabs, fish, octopus, shrimp and snails. ● FUN FACT: Beluga whales have a bulbous forehead, which is called a “melon”. They use it to direct or receive sound, which helps them to find things around them, a process called “echolocation”.…

Hip-hop isn’t just a style of music, it’s a youth culture movement that was born in 1973 in New York City. It started when Jamaican-born DJ Kool Herc introduced a new way of playing music at a back-to-school party. Hip-hop took off in poor, mostly African-American areas of New York and gave young people the chance to express themselves through art, dance, music and words. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, discover the history of hip-hop and its four pillars, or main elements. Turntabling Turntabling is a particular way to play music. It is done on a turntable (a record player). The turntable needle rests on the spinning record and turns the vibrations into music. DJs (disc jockeys, who play records) remix this music by touching the records on the turntable…

Does your heart feel lighter when you cuddle a pet or do you get a happy tingle when your favourite song is played? Joy is a feeling that comes from inside and lifts your mood – even when things aren’t going your way. What is joy? Joy is a kind of happiness that doesn’t depend on what’s going on around you. It means looking forward to a picnic even though it’s raining, or feeling excited about watching your favourite football team when you know they probably won’t win. Joy means something different to everyone. You could find joy by diving into a swimming pool or watching seeds grow. The Week Junior reader Rose, aged nine, says, “Joy makes me laugh and be happy, like when I’m trampolining with my cousin.”…

(Puffin Books) You’ve probably heard of “the British Empire” but what exactly does that mean? What is an empire – and why don’t we learn more about this important part of Britain’s history at school? Bestselling author Sathnam Sanghera sets out the story of the British Empire, a group of countries and territories around the world that Britain once controlled. You’ll learn about how the British Empire influences Britain today, from language to food to sport. Stolen History shows what empire means for museums; the way it has shaped towns and the countryside; and its key role in making Britain multicultural. You’ll also find positive, practical ways you can help address some of the injustices of the past. Easy-to-read and packed with information, this brilliant, important book will give you…

Great stories carry readers out of the real world and introduce them to new people, places, experiences and ideas. The books on this shortlist include fantasies, adventures and mysteries, as well as stories inspired by history. Their characters include real and mythical animals, activists, magicians, gangsters, grandparents and scientists. Their settings range from remote islands to magic schools and cities that need saving. Friendships are forged, fights are fought, courage is found and secrets are revealed – and every story has a plot that will keep you turning the pages. All of them will whisk you away from everyday life and into their authors’ imaginations. You can see what the shortlisting committee had to say about each book below their covers, and find out more about all the shortlisted books…

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 106 633 647 907 4 numbers 4750 6037 6530 6631 9163 5 numbers 12076 13680 54238 96857 6 numbers 405622 419407 810643 7 numbers 1278473 2403032 6806283 8 numbers 25500647 32006620 74117151 9 numbers 136046279 431370807 663206675 Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CONE CORNISH FLAKE FROZEN FUDGE MELT SAUCE SOFT SPRINKLE SUNDAE SYRUP TOFFEE TOPPING TREAT TUB VANILLA WAFER WAFFLE Sudoku Place the numbers from 1 to 6 exactly once in each row, column and 2x3 bold-lined box, to complete the grid. Spot the…

NSPCC The NSPCC is the UK’s leading children’s charity and its mission is to keep children safe from abuse and neglect. The charity also runs Childline, a counselling service that supports children with all sorts of issues, including bullying and exam stress. On 9 June, the charity celebrated its annual fundraising day, Childhood Day, in which thousands of people did a mile in a bid to raise money to help protect children. To find out more, visit nspcc.org.uk…

1 True or false? Apple’s original logo was a banana. □ True □ False 2 In which year was the Declaration of Arbroath written? □ a) 1200 □ b) 1320 □ c) 2023 3 How many items of second-hand clothing does Kantamanto market in Ghana receive each week? _________________________________ 4 The Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, recently turned which colour? □ a) Yellow □ b) Green □ c) Black 5 True or false? A hedgehog’s spines are actually special hairs. □ True □ False 6 How long does it take a baby elephant to learn how to walk after being born? _________________________________ 7 Who invented the “needle scratch” in hip-hop music? □ a) DJ Kool Herc □ b) The Sugarhill Gang □ c) Grand Wizard Theodore 8 True or false?…

Pine martens The number of pine martens in Northern Ireland has nearly doubled since 2017. Researchers counted the animals using cameras put beside feeders in 218 woodlands. Pine martens eat grey squirrels, which compete with red squirrels for food – so it’s good news for reds as well. Cheetahs in India Three cheetahs, which were part of a scheme to reintroduce them to India, have died. Cheetahs went extinct in India in 1952. Recently, 20 were flown in from Africa and released in Kuno National Park. Experts think the park is too small, so the team might need to move some of the cats.…

DJ Kool Herc’s party On 11 August 1973, DJ Kool Herc played the music for a back-to-school party thrown by his sister, Cindy, in New York City. With his turntables and new technique of playing music, DJ Kool Herc inspired the birth of hip-hop, as it has become known. The needle scratch When he was 12 years old, Grand Wizard Theodore noticed an unusual sound when he tried to stop a vinyl record from playing on his turntable. Two years later, in 1977, he played what became known as the “record scratch” for the first time in public during a performance. Hip-hop goes global In 1979, a song called Rapper’s Delight by the Sugarhill Gang was released. It was the first rap song to become a big hit and it…

Can you imagine waking up at 4.50 in the morning? That’s what 14-year-old Amelie Blocksidge does twice a week so she can swim before going to school. “I just love being in the water,” she says with a smile. Blocksidge has had a passion for the pool since she was little and started swimming lessons at four. She also did gymnastics, dance, football, horse riding and running before focusing on swimming. “You have to be determined and train hard, but I really enjoy it too,” she tells The Week Junior. “You can’t get good at swimming overnight, so you have to trust the process and not give up.” Her biggest success came at the British Championships this year. On her 14th birthday, Blocksidge, from Manchester in England, won gold in…

Have you ever wondered what historical figures such as King Henry VIII or William the Conqueror were really like? History fans can find out about their stories – and lots more – in a stage show touring the UK this year, Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain. The show explores extraordinary things in British history, including one of the only female leaders of the Saxons; a young boy who sneaked into Buckingham Palace to steal Queen Victoria’s underwear; and the last person to be put on trial as a witch in 1944. The Horrible Histories live shows, inspired by author Terry Deary’s popular book series, have been on stage since 2005. The newest Barmy Britain script was written and directed by Neal Foster, who has been a part of the shows since…

A Kind of Spark Available now on BBC iPlayer Autism is a condition that affects how people interact. Autistic teenager Addie tries to learn more about witch trials (when people were accused of being witches) in her home town hundreds of years ago and two sisters who lived in the 16th century. Lego Ninjago: Dragons Rising Available now on Netflix This new Ninjago series follows two teenagers from different worlds. They must use their new powers to defend the Elemental Dragons before evil forces destroy the world.…

What were your favourite subjects at school? Maths at primary school, English at secondary school. If you had a time machine, which period of history would you visit? London in the early 17th century, when Shakespeare was at his peak. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you pick? Kashmir. It’s a part of Asia that is very difficult to visit because of a conflict but it is meant to be very beautiful. One interesting fact you learnt while writing this book? That the “HP” in “HP Sauce” actually stands for “Houses of Parliament”. Favourite animal? Cats.…

There are lots of different car-themed Lego kits in shops but they’re never as much fun as taking a big jumble of mixed bricks and creating your own weird and wonderful vehicles. Lego 2K Drive is a new racing game that lets you do that on your console. It is set in a world called Bricklandia, which you drive around and explore, finding people to race you. The races are similar to the popular Mario Kart games, except with bricky Lego vehicles of all kinds, such as sports cars, quad bikes and boats. You switch between them during races, depending whether you’re racing on a proper track, going “off-road” or splashing through a river. The story mode has you working your way up the game’s levels to take on a…

A mouthwatering work of art Using ingredients found in her kitchen, artist Kim Bainbridge has created a Dutch landscape made entirely from food. Also known as a “foodscape”, her creation used broccoli, berries, coffee, pasta and rosemary leaves. It took her 50 hours to make and was part of her final project for her art studies. Bainbridge hates to waste food, so she made sure to eat the ingredients at the end of her delicious project. Adventurous panda takes a stroll A curious red panda took the chance to enjoy a spot of sightseeing in the town of Newquay, England, after she escaped from the local zoo. The animal, named Sundara, was seen by staff working at a greengrocer’s (fruit and veg) shop about half a mile from Newquay Zoo.…

Name: Ezer “A few weeks ago I celebrated my Barmitzvah. This is when a Jewish boy turns 13 and becomes an adult. As well as having a party, I go to classes where I learn to put on Tefillin (phylacteries) and to learn about my place in the world and how best to contribute to society. I decided to fundraise for TheRockinR charity and raised £386. On my Hebrew birthday I sang a portion of the Torah (Jewish Bible) in the Synagogue. I’ve sent you some photos. One of the photos shows me reading from the Torah. I am wearing a prayer shawl called a Tallit and use a special pointer to follow the words. Another photo shows me tying my Tefillin. One ties round my hand and arm, and…

Teacher’s name: Mrs Lipkin School: Menorah Primary School, London “Mrs Lipkin is the most amazing teacher. Our class has very diverse abilities and Mrs Lipkin is a kind, caring and fair teacher. The most amazing thing about Mrs Lipkin is her creativity: during the World Cup in Qatar, she taught us some Arabic phrases, and when we studied Frida Kahlo, she came to school dressed up as her.” Yedidya and Year 6B 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 encounter abbreviations every day in all kinds of places. When people talk about medical services in the UK – or United Kingdom – they’re likely to mention the “NHS”, rather than the National Health Service. The SATs (or Standard Assessment Tests) are referred to as “exams” – short for examinations. Some abbreviations are so common that we say them without thinking but others are less well known or only used by certain groups of people. Last year was Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th year on the throne and during the Platinum Jubilee “platty joobs” was a top phrase on Twitter. Some people say abbreviations make reading and writing easier but others think that shortened words or phrases can be confusing. What do you think, is it ok to use abbreviations?…

Scientists are making peas that don’t taste like peas. Researchers are trying to find an alternative for soya beans, which are used in lots of foods. In the UK, they are mostly used to feed farm animals but they also go into plant-based alternatives to meat. Demand for soya is growing fast across the world. The pea project is part of the UK Government’s plan to find ways to make more food without releasing more carbon dioxide (CO2), a gas that causes global warming (rising temperatures across the world that are causing climate change). The UK buys most of its soya from other countries, some of which are chopping down forests to make way for the valuable crop. Scientists say peas could be an environmentally friendly alternative to soya beans…

Manchester City & Celtic Football club Manchester City won the FA Cup, beating Manchester United 2-1. In the Scottish FA Cup final, Celtic defeated Inverness CT 3-1. Barcelona Femenino Barcelona beat VfL Wolfsburg Ladies 3-2 to win the Champions League for the second time. Barcelona trailed 2-0 at half time. Castleford Tigers The Tigers ended a six-game losing run by beating Leeds Rhinos 26-24 in a very close match in rugby league’s Super League. Faith Kipyegon The athlete from Kenya won the 1,500 metres at the Diamond League event in Florence, Italy, in a world record time of 3 minutes 49.11 seconds.…

An incredible journey The audience at Candide is asked to strap in for a mind-boggling journey to castles in the Alps mountain range, skyscrapers in Montevideo (the capital of Uruguay) and earthquakes in Portugal’s capital, Lisbon. This operetta (a less formal type of opera) is heading to the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff from 22 to 24 June. Suitable for older readers. Dancers recreate classic tale The ballet version of the classic fairy tale Cinderella will be performed at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The production will feature more than 90 dancers and a live orchestra. It’s on from 15 to 25 June. Enjoy something wild When We Were Wild is a play about growing up and remembering how exciting it is to be young. The show features live music and…

Birdsong by Katya Balen. Illustrated by Richard Johnson (Barrington Stoke) After a devastating car crash, Annie is unable to play her flute and retreats from the music she loves. Then she meets Noah and he shows her the blackbirds’ nest near their flats. The birds’ beautiful song helps Annie to rediscover her lost passion for music. Clutch by M.G. Leonard (Walker Books) In the third instalment of the Twitchers series, our young birdwatching detectives are on the trail of a thief who’s stealing wild birds’ eggs in the woods. The detectives secretly watch for the criminal but things go badly wrong. Soon they have to prove their innocence and catch the real thief – before any more birds get hurt. Flight by Mya-Rose Craig. Illustrated by Lynn Scurfield (Puffin Books)…

Name: Eleanor Dork Diaries No.1 Rachel Renée Russell “Fun, silly and very ‘adorkable’. Engaging and funny – just like her crush!” 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…

Every month we print a selection of your photographs in our Photos of the Week feature. We’ve had loads of amazing pictures sent in already, ranging from portraits of your pets to local landscapes and fascinating close-ups. Taking a great photo can be tricky and there are lots of things to consider, including composition. This is how you choose to arrange your subjects or the different elements that you capture within your photo. Composing a fantastic photo involves thinking about angles, colour, light, focus and more. Here are some tips about composition from the art, design and photography experts who help put together The Week Junior. Have a go and send your favourite photos to us at hello@theweekjunior.co.uk 1 Find a focus When taking a picture, ask yourself, “What is…

Do you like our hip-hop cover? The most inspiring part of the street culture (apart from the brilliant dance and the bright graffiti) is that it comes from nothing. As you can see on page 12, hip-hop started in a poor area. People reused things to express their creativity. DJs messed around with old records and invented new sounds; blank walls became spaces for art; breakdancers would lay an old mat on the pavement to practise their moves. It’s a good thing to remember: if you have to invent something from not much, you get creative. Try it for yourself. Choose three objects – say a stick, a ball and some chalk – and invent a game. It’s hard at first but when you concentrate, you might come up with…

The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is open for entries from 11 to 17-year-olds. Poems can be on any theme, as long or short as you like and also in any poetry style. Entries will be judged by poets Jonathan Edwards and Jane Yeh, and the winners will receive fantastic, even life-changing prizes, including mentoring and development opportunities from The Poetry Society. Previous winners of the prize have gone on to become some of the most successful poets today. Find out how you can get involved before the 31 July deadline at foyleyoungpoets.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 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. We asked if you thought SATs should be scrapped… “No, they are good preparation for GCSEs and other important exams.” “I tried my best and I found SATs very hard this year, and my fellow Year 6s found it hard as well.” “SATs should not be scrapped because if we don’t have SATs, the teachers won’t know our level of work.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments. If you’ve enjoyed this issue, why not listen to our podcast, The Week Junior Show? Go to tinyurl.com/TWJ-show or scan…