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Special coins are being released by The Royal Mint to mark some of the big anniversaries of 2026. Who or what do you think should go on a new coin? See two of the new designs on page 5. A study suggests that humans learned how to make fire much earlier than researchers had thought. What’s the best invention of all time? Read about how the scientists pieced together the clues on page 16. A film about Cinderella’s sisters is coming out in 2026. Which fairy-tale character would you invent a story about? Find out more about the animated movie, called Steps, on page 23. The big debate Is it ok to sell fossils at auction? Page 10.…

On 3 January, US military forces captured the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela is a country in South America, where Maduro has been president since 2013. What happened? The US launched air attacks against targets in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, on 3 January. The targets included military bases, and the action was ordered by US President Donald Trump. After the attacks, US armed forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and flew them out of Venezuela. They were taken to a US ship and then transported to New York in the US. Maduro and Flores were both formally accused by the US government of being involved in illegally trading drugs and weapons, as well as ordering kidnappings and other crimes. On 5 January, they were taken to…

Anyone can be put forward to receive an honour using a form on the Government’s website. A committee considers each nomination and decides who should receive an honour, and which honour should be awarded. The decisions are checked by the Prime Minister and the King before being announced. Last year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he wanted the honours system to represent people across the country better. His comments followed a BBC News investigation, which found that just 6% of higher awards went to people in the north of England.…

This September, comic artist and author Mollie Ray became the UK’s first Young Comics Laureate. This means their role is to champion young comic creators. Ray, 28, says they want “to reach young people who wouldn’t necessarily have access to the arts and give them a voice through comics”. They plan to do this by holding “lots of workshops and talks and interviews”.Ray describes comics as “a beautiful art form”. They love the way comics capture movement and allow the reader to keep dipping back in and noticing things. Ray thinks comics can encourage people to read for pleasure. “They deserve to be taken seriously as a creative expression for young people,” they tell The Week Junior. Ray has already worked to create art with lots of young people, as…

Scientists think that polar bears in southern Greenland are evolving to cope with higher temperatures and less sea ice. Evolution is the way living things change over time in order to fit into their surroundings and improve their chances of survival.Climate change is threatening polar bears. They live and hunt on sea ice in the Arctic, including Greenland, but rising global temperatures are making the sea ice melt. A team of researchers compared two groups of polar bears – one in the north of Greenland and one in the south. They were once part of the same population but some bears moved further south about 200 years ago. It is warmer in the south and there is less sea ice. Polar bears usually have a high-fat diet, eating animals like…

From 15 September to 15 October, a global police operation involving 134 countries confiscated record numbers of illegally traded plants, animals and wood. Operation Thunder was led by the international police organisation Interpol and the World Customs Organisation. Customs are the authorities that control goods and people as they travel in and out of countries.Operation Thunder aimed to tackle wildlife trafficking, which is the illegal taking and transporting of protected animals, as well as the illegal cutting down of trees to be sold as timber (wood for building). Reports say that 15% to 30% of all timber traded is thought to have been cut down illegally. Interpol said authorities had rescued 73% more illegally traded animals around the world, compared with 2023. During Operation Thunder, 1,100 people were identified as…

On 15 January, Wikipedia will celebrate 25 years. This online encyclopedia is free to use and is written by a global network of volunteers. Anyone can contribute to Wikipedia and it covers a huge range of topics, from Australia to Zootopia (the film). Since it launched in the US in 2001 it has become one of the top 10 most visited websites in the world, with information provided in 342 languages. How was Wikipedia started? Wikipedia began as a side project. In March 2000, Jimmy Wales was working on a free online encyclopedia called Nupedia with Larry Sanger in the US. This was created in the traditional way, so each entry had to be reviewed by experts to make sure it was correct. This slow process meant Wales only got…

• Here are four things that fire allowed early humans to do: • Cooking Heating food can make it easier to chew and digest. Varied and nutritious food helped brains develop. • Toolmaking When flint was heated, it could be more easily shaped into tools. • Safety Fires protected early humans from dangerous wild animals. • Light Humans had light to help them see at night-time. This meant they could stay safe and socialise with other humans.…

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR…

Taking part in a “citizen science” project can help you feel part of a caring community – as well as doing your bit to help protect the planet. What is citizen science? These are projects led by scientists and supported by the public, and can involve anything from stargazing to whale watching. You don’t need to be an expert to join in – anyone can be a citizen scientist. By counting, measuring, watching and listening, citizen scientists gather information that helps professional scientists and researchers to understand the world better. This important information can also show communities, businesses and governments how they can do more to protect the planet. How is helping good for you? A citizen scientist works as part of a team to solve problems and make new…

The story of Cinderella is a very well-known tale. A new animated film coming to Netflix, called Steps, is going to put a twist on the story – by showing Cinderella’s stepsisters in a new light. In the new film, one of the stepsisters, Lilith, is blamed for hijacking the royal ball with a stolen magic wand. After she turns her sister Margot into a frog by mistake, the kingdom falls into the hands of a mean girl. Lilith (voiced by actor Ali Wong) must work with Cinderella to save the kingdom and prove that so-called villains deserve happy endings as well. Co-director Alyce Tzue said she wanted to “create a film for everyone who has ever felt like they didn’t belong – and show how a single act of…

A Whale of a Time: A Funny Poem for Every Day of the Year Selected by Lou Peacock. Illustrated by Matt Hunt (Nosy Crow) Brighten up even the gloomiest day with this collection of funny poems by writers such as Maya Angelou, Wendy Cope, Roald Dahl and Spike Milligan. The poems are a treat to share with friends and family every day. An Animal a Day by Miranda Smith. Illustrated by Kaja Kajfez, Santiago Calle, Mateo Markov and Max Rambaldi (Farshore) Look into this book every day to encounter a variety of creatures including penguins, giant squids, lions and polar bears. You’ll learn about conservation, how to help endangered species and how to protect their habitats. A Word a Day: 365 Words for Curious Minds Illustrated by Julia Murray (Collins)…

Please email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If it is printed in the magazine you will receive a Roving Reporter badge. Describe your chosen book in three words, tell us what you liked about it and why you would recommend it to others. 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…

At the start of each year, lots of people do the Veganuary challenge. Veganuary is a charity that encourages people to try being vegan for the month of January, and beyond if they wish to. Vegans don’t eat animal products – so no meat, fish or foods that come from animals, such as eggs, milk or cheese. The NHS points out that children following a purely vegan diet will need help from an adult to make sure they are eating the right foods to give them the energy and vitamins they need to grow. However, even if you don’t want to be vegan all the time you can eat plant-based meals as part of your diet. This recipe is a delicious vegan take on a classic Italian sauce – pesto.…

Poem by Aidan Alien playdate “I wanted to fly but not on a hot air balloon, instead I built a rocket that zoomed to the Moon. When I landed, aliens said hello. They greeted me and we had some jello. I woke up and it was just a dream. If I hadn’t woken up, this would be what it seemed: With the aliens, I played ping-pong. I would go to China-alien Town and ring the gong. I would listen to an A-pop song I would trick or treat and press the bells ding dong. When it was time to go back to Earth, I would not use my rocket. I would surf and surf down to land on my hedge and snuggle in to sleep on my bed.”…

“I made a winter lantern from issue 422. I had a fun time cutting the pieces out. My Daddy loves it!”Saffron “Me and my family decided to make Scottish tablet from issue 520. It was a big hit in my house – everyone loved it!”Beth “I was unwell and couldn’t get to sleep so I made a pyramid out of little pompom balls. The longest row at the bottom has 12 pompoms. There are 364 pompoms in the pyramid, which is the same as the total number of items in The Twelve Days of Christmas song!” Louis “I love reading The Week Junior and I’ve kept every magazine since receiving my first one last September.”Eddie…

Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s interim (temporary) president, was named vice-president in 2018. She is also the minister for finance (money) and oil. Rodríguez is a loyal supporter of Maduro and she started her political career in 2003. Several countries have placed sanctions against Rodríguez and other Venezuelan politicians. Sanctions are when a country punishes someone for breaking a law, by limiting where they can travel to or where they can do business. The sanctions are against government officials who are thought to have been involved in wrongdoing in the 2024 election.…

PLAYFUL OTTERS Rescued baby otters at the UK Wild Otter Trust in Devon, England, are enjoying playing with old Christmas trees. The donated trees make great playgrounds for the cubs, who can explore their branches as well as learn skills for when they are back in the wild. COIN COLLECTORS The Royal Mint has unveiled five special coins. One design marks 100 years since Queen Elizabeth II’s birth. Others honour the 200th birthdays of the Zoological Society of London and HMS Beagle, a ship that helped scientist Charles Darwin explore the world. CAT LOVERS A cat called Maximus Textoris Pulcher has become a social media star. The cute grey rescue cat belongs to the Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever. Maximus has earned 172,000 followers on Instagram thanks to his…

On 5 January, a law banning adverts for junk food appearing online and at certain times on TV came into force. This is to help tackle childhood obesity. Obesity is when a body has more weight than is healthy for its height, which can cause problems. The ban means food and drinks that are high in fat, salt and sugar can’t be advertised on TV before 9pm and online at any time. The Government says the ban could prevent 20,000 cases of childhood obesity.…

Naval nurse Abigail Wright was recently named Woman of the Year at the Women in Defence Awards. Wright is a mental health nurse who works with members of the Submarine Service, part of the Royal Navy. Submarines sail underwater, often for weeks at a time. This can be tough for the sailors on board because there is no daylight and they can’t go outside. Wright helps people to adjust to working in these conditions. Wright also works to improve the experience of women in the Submarine Service. She told BBC News she was “on cloud nine” after finding out about the award.…

Polar bears might look white, but they have blue tongues and black skin. Their fur is actually colourless – it only looks white because it reflects light. They have two layers of fur to keep them warm, and a layer of fat that can be up to 11.4 centimetres thick. As they are at the top of the Arctic food chain, polar bears rely on a healthy ecosystem (lots of other creatures) to survive. They burn off all the food they eat by being constantly on the move, and can travel more than 1,800 miles in a month. Their paws are covered in soft bumps to help them grip the ice – a bit like slipper socks.…

Eurasian elk The Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Wildlife Trusts received £15,000 from a charity called Rewilding Britain to investigate the idea of returning elk to the wild. The species went extinct in Britain between 3,000 and 2,000 years ago. They live in the same sort of habitat as beavers. • LIFESPAN: Up to 25 years. • HABITAT: Wetlands in northern Europe, Asia and North America. • SIZE: Around three metres long. • DIET: Trees, shrubs, plants and herbs. • FUN FACT: They are very good at swimming and can hold their breath underwater for up to a minute.…

Some entries are DAFT Wikipedia keeps a list of DAFT, meaning “deleted articles with freaky titles”. These are entries too silly to stay on the website. They include “Diarrhoea of a genius”, “Guide to: blowing your nose and getting dressed” and “Notable people who have been stung by jellyfish”. Poodles led the way One of the first articles written for Wikipedia was about the standard poodle, a breed of dog with curly fur. It simply said, “A dog by which all others are measured.” The page is now much longer and covers the different colours and varieties of poodle, and the breed’s history. There is a top Wikipedian Steven Pruitt, known on the site as “Ser Amantio di Nicolao” from the US, is its top editor. The 41-year-old US man has made more…

China has reported that panels have been installed on the outside of Tiangong, China’s space station, to protect it from space junk. Space junk refers to things humans have left in space. Some are big, like human-made satellites that don’t work any more, but others are much smaller, such as bits that have fallen off rockets or spacecraft – even flakes of paint. Most space junk moves fast: some pieces reach 18,000 miles per hour. This poses a danger to spacecraft. There are about 34,000 pieces of space junk bigger than 10 centimetres orbiting Earth, and millions of smaller pieces. The Tiangong space station is a spacecraft that permanently orbits (travels round) Earth. Astronauts live there for a few months at a time to carry out science experiments. Authorities decided…

Held every four years, the Winter Olympics is one of the biggest competitions for athletes competing in winter sports. When it begins in Italy next month, Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin has high hopes of winning a medal in the halfpipe freestyle skiing competition.“I am super excited to head to Italy. It’s such an honour to be with Team GB,” she told The Week Junior. “At my first Olympics in 2022, I was only 19 and now, heading into my second Olympics, I’m feeling a lot more confident and established in my sport.” Atkin finished in ninth place in the 2022 Winter Olympics. In halfpipe freestyle skiing, athletes ski down a wide slope with steep curved walls on both sides. They perform tricks, flips and spins by skiing up the walls…

Young Voices is an organisation that aims to inspire a love of music among children by organising the world’s largest school choir concerts. This year, Young Voices will celebrate 30 years of “empowering children through music”.One of its upcoming events is a Wicked Worldwide Singalong. The event will be hosted live from the O2 arena in London, but children from all over the world can take part online. There will be a choir of 8,000 young people at The O2, and more than 500,000 children worldwide are expected to take part. Singers at The O2 will be joined by theatre actor Emma Kingston, who is playing Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked in London. Having first seen Wicked on stage in 2006, Kingston describes herself as “such a…

Sister Act Disney+ When singer Doloris (played by Whoopi Goldberg) needs to hide from dangerous criminals, she goes to the one place no one will look for her – a convent (a community of nuns living together). Here she struggles to keep her secret identity under wraps as she pretends to be a nun. Luckily, Doloris’s love for music helps her find her place when she transforms the convent’s terrible choir into a singing sensation – and makes some friends along the way. The film was so popular there was a sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, and the original film was even turned into a theatre musical, which is still performed today. Goldberg has revealed that people are working on a possible third film in the series.…

by Emma Green (Usborne Publishing) Alpacas are often confused with their relatives, llamas, but alpacas are smaller and have a softer coat. When both species get angry, they are known to kick, screech and even spit. In this new story, it’s an angry alpaca that starts a whole lot of trouble for Hedley. Ever since a car crash turned his world upside down, he’s tried to play it safe. When his support worker arranges for him and his friend Aiden to help out at a local petting farm, they end up on the run after an alpaca robbery. As their road trip spirals out of control, it becomes clear that Hedley is not only running from the police, he’s also running from the truth. Will he keep playing it safe…

According to Iqbal Hussain, writing a book that includes your own experiences is more difficult than it looks. “Sometimes your own life is interesting to you but it might not be interesting to anybody else reading about it, so you have to really decide which bits you want to write about,” he tells The Week Junior. In the end, he says, it becomes a “strange mixture” of fact and fiction.His first children’s book, The Night I Borrowed Time, is about a young boy called Zubair, who inherits the ability to time travel. He uses this skill to try to fix his parents’ marriage but discovers that changing the past to fix the present is far from easy. Like Zubair, Hussain grew up in Blackburn, England, and is part of a…

A wheely enthusiastic artist A cyclist who collects hub-caps (covers on car wheels) has turned his collection into art. Barnaby Wickham, from Baltimore, US, finds the hub-caps beside the road while out on bike rides and recycles them to create sculptures such as Christmas decorations, fish and a giant head of the cartoon character Snoopy. Wickham said he loves “the excitement of the hunt” to find the hub-caps and has more than 700 in his collection. He even picked one up when he was visiting Rome, Italy. To carry them home, he attaches them to his backpack. A bus that’s designed for dogs In Ilkley, England, a dog owner has started the UK’s first bus service for dogs. Laura Mohan had the idea as a way to look after people’s…

Teacher’s name: Miss Blythe School: St John’s CE Primary School, Reading, England “Miss Blythe is an amazing teacher. She made a video for world peace and all of us worked together to make it. Pupils shared the message about “peace” in their own languages and it felt really special. She leads our Arts Council and always makes everything fun. She also organises international evenings where we celebrate different countries together. She brings people together with kindness. I’m really thankful for her.” Nayanika 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 JOKE OF THE WEEK “What did the hawk say…

Happy New Year to our regular readers and a big welcome to our new subscribers! At The Week Junior we like to highlight positive, creative and kind things that people do every day, all over the world. This week’s cover story gives us the perfect opportunity. The King’s New Year Honours recognise the efforts of people making positive changes in society. Some of them are very famous, some work quietly in their own communities, but they all use their skills and their voice to make life better for others. You’ll find our report on page 6. Gosh, it was chilly over Christmas and New Year! You can read all about the snow and ice on page 7. Many readers have been enjoying the crisp wintry weather. Thank you to everyone…

A wave of protests that started on 28 December have continued across Iran. People have been taking to the streets in 26 of the country’s 31 provinces, and at least 36 protesters have died in the violence that broke out. The protests started over the high cost of living (the prices of everyday items) and a fall in the value of the country’s currency, the rial. Demonstrators have chanted slogans against the regime (ruling organisation) that has run the country since 1979. When a currency loses its value, it means people need more money than they used to in order to buy everyday items. This is happening in Iran for a number of reasons. One reason is that many countries, including the UK and US, say Iran is trying to…

On 29 December, the King’s New Year Honours list recognised 1,157 people, including actors, sports stars and members of the public, for outstanding work in their communities or professions. What is the Honours list? The Honours list is announced twice a year, at the New Year and in June. Most of the people who receive an honour (see panel) are chosen based on recommendations by senior members of the UK Government. Before someone receives an honour, they are sent a letter asking if they will accept it. Recipients can choose to receive the honour at Buckingham Palace in London, Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England, or the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. The honours are usually given out by the King or another member of the royal family. Who has been…

What you need to know • A 68-million-year-old fossil of a skeleton recently sold for £3.47 million at auction (where items are sold to the person offering the most money). Scientists think the dinosaur, known as Spike, could be a newly discovered species. • Fossils are impressions of ancient plants or animals that have been preserved in rock or turned to stone. • Most dinosaur fossils used to be sold to museums. However, in the 1990s, fossil collectors began to sell their finds to private buyers at auction. This interest in dinosaur remains was partly driven by the 1993 film Jurassic Park. Dinosaur fossils are valuable in many different ways. They can sell for huge sums of money at auction but they are also important to science, because they help…

At this time of year, most trees have lost their leaves and are looking bare but you might notice some nest-like bundles in the branches. They might be what are called witches’ brooms. These strange twiggy bundles are actually abnormal growths that result in lots of stem, leaf or root material growing from one point on a tree. The clusters vary in size and a tree can have one or many. Witches’ brooms are caused by different things, but it’s usually something that interferes with the tree’s normal growth. This could be a micro-organism, such as a fungus (an organism that gets its food from decaying material or other living things), or in some cases they can be caused by insect activity. Witches’ brooms don’t usually harm the long-term health…

Glaciers A recent study found that thousands of glaciers could disappear every year over the next few decades. Glaciers are bodies of ice and snow that slowly move over land. They are important because they store fresh water in the freezing winter months then release it slowly by melting in the summer. Their white surfaces also help to keep the Earth cool by reflecting the Sun’s rays. The study revealed that glaciers are at risk of disappearing unless more is done to prevent climate change.…

Ancient humans were making fire in England 400,000 years ago, according to new research. Before this discovery, the oldest evidence of fires lit by humans was from a cave in France, which was dated to around 50,000 years ago. The discovery was made near the village of Barnham in Suffolk, England, at a site that used to be a clay pit, where people dug out clay to make pottery or bricks. Researchers have been carefully digging there for more than 10 years and have found bison and deer bones and human tools, among other things. Scientists have now found evidence of fire at the site. They discovered tools that had been heated and a piece of ground where fire once burned. Tests showed that a patch of reddish clay had…

Amanda Serrano Serrano defeated Reina Tellez to keep her World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organisation featherweight titles. Wolverhampton Wanderers They beat West Ham United 3-0 for their first win of the season in the Premier League. Jhon Arias, Hwang Hee-chan and Mateus Mané scored the goals. Luke Littler The 18-year-old won the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Championship for the second year in a row. He beat Gian van Veen in the final. Indra Brown At the FIS Freeski World Cup in Calgary, Canada, the 15-year-old skier from Australia won the women’s freeski halfpipe event.…

Ruti Ruti won the popular TV show The Voice UK in 2018. Before that, in 2007, they sang with their school choir at a Young Voices show at The O2. Since becoming a professional singer, they have returned to the Young Voices stage as a guest star in 2020 and 2023. Harriet Rose Singer and songwriter Harriet Rose’s musical career began with a Young Voices performance as a child. She remembers watching the special guest perform, which inspired her to be a performer one day herself. Alex Spencer When he was in Year 4, Alex Spencer took part in Young Voices. It got him into singing at an early age and gave him the experience of performing with others. In February, he will start his second UK headline tour. He…

NBA Available now on Prime UK fans of American basketball are in for a treat as 86 of the regular season NBA games will be available to watch on Prime. Viewers can also catch the NBA Finals in June for the first time on the channel in the UK. WondLa Available on Apple TV In season three of this animated sci-fi series, war breaks out between humans and aliens. Eva must find the stolen Heart of the Forest, try to unite the two sides and save the world – but can she do it in time? The third season, which is expected to be the final one, has six episodes. Wild London Available on BBC iPlayer Join broadcaster David Attenborough as he explores the wildlife that lives in his home…

What three things would you take on a road trip? I would bring my two daughters because they’re good fun; and Marmite. Describe Hedley and Aiden in three words each. Hedley is anxious, brave and invisible. Aiden is scared, loud and loyal. Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? My biggest resolution is to read more books. I made a stupid rule that I wouldn’t read any books while I was writing stories. Now I’ve hardly read anything for a long time and I miss it! Tell us about your alpacas. They are gorgeous. We have three boys from a rescue shelter and they are all much older than we thought. They love eating sheep mix and it takes them ages to chew it because they don’t have any bottom…

This year looks set to be another busy one for new games. Here are some highlights of the video games that have already been announced. In February, Mario is getting his racket out for Mario Tennis Fever (Switch). Nintendo’s latest tennis game will have 38 playable characters from the Marioverse, with some supercharged special shots and game modes. Two new Pokémon games are coming in 2026 too. Pokémon Champions (Switch and mobile) focuses purely on battles, getting you to build your team and take on rivals in big battle arenas. Pokémon Pokopia (Switch) is a different kind of game. You play as a Ditto, building a village for your fellow creatures to live in, while foraging and crafting. It looks like Animal Crossing for Pokémon fans. A “cleaning simulator” may…

Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. AWAKE BED BLANKET COSY DREAM DUVET FORTY WINKS KIP LIE IN MATTRESS NAP NIGHT PILLOW PYJAMAS SLEEP SNORE STORY TEDDY BEAR TIRED TOP BUNK Split words Piece together the pairs or groups of letters to find four green things. Word fill in All these words fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes to complete it? 3 letters SAY YAP 4 letters HUSH LOUD TALK 5 letters LAUGH QUIET SHOUT SPEAK 7 letters DISCUSS WHISPER 8 letters CHATTING GRAVELLY 10 letters ARTICULATE FUNNY VOICE Number tower Place a number in every circle to complete the tower. The value in each circle is the sum…

Kindness Awards The School of Kindness, part of the charity 52 Lives, is once again organising its national Kindness Awards, celebrating the incredible kindness happening in primary schools across the UK. Do you know another pupil who always goes the extra mile to help? Perhaps a whole class has started an inspiring project to support someone, or maybe your school has been working hard to build a warm, caring community. If so, you can nominate them for a Kindness Award before 27 April. Everyone nominated will receive a certificate, and runners-up and winners will be presented with special trophies and prizes. To find out more, ask an adult to help you visit schoolofkindness.org/kindnessawards Junior Roving Reporter WIN A BADGE! Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Please include your full name…