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This was the year that world leaders made firm promises to help protect the planet at COP28. In our news round-up (pages 4–19), we report on the conference and the many other positive things that happened this year. In January, the city of Leeds started its time as the UK’s City of Culture. In May, there were celebrations for the coronation of King Charles and in December, Manchester was named the most generous city in the UK. You can hear the team’s own picks of the year on The Week Junior Show podcast at tinyurl.com/twj-show We salute some of 2023’s most inspirational people on page 22 and remember our favourite animal stories on page 24. On page 30, you’ll find some of the most intriguing scientific advances, including why a poo collection…

On 4 April, Finland became the 31st country to join NATO, a partnership of nations including the UK that agree to protect each other’s land and people. Finland shares a border with Russia and asked to join shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine a year earlier. US president Joe Biden arrived for a three-day trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland on 11 April. The visit was to mark 25 years since politicians signed the Good Friday Agreement, which aimed to bring peace to Northern Ireland after 30 years of conflict. The government of Andalusia, a region in Spain, passed a law to protect flamenco. This is an art form that involves dancing, music, poetry and singing, and the law will make sure it is recognised as part of the region’s culture.…

The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (known as Lula), shared his plans to stop illegal deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest by 2030. Deforestation is when trees are cut down for wood or to clear land for farming. Lula had previously described his decision as “climate security for the world”, because trees can help fight global warming. They absorb carbon dioxide, a gas that causes climate change.…

Harry Acheampong Children’s Prime Minister steps down. Since March, Harry Acheampong has led the Children’s Parliament as the Interim (temporary) Prime Minister. This is a project that brings together young people aged seven to 11 to discuss important issues with adults in the Government. Harry is the first Prime Minister of the Children’s Parliament. As part of his work at the Children’s Parliament, Harry has questioned the bosses of water companies about what they’re doing to protect the UK’s rivers, lakes and seas. Harry was also the youngest person to speak at London Tech Week, a festival of technology, innovations and stars of the future. Harry stepped down in the autumn because he started at secondary school but he is hoping for a career in the adult parliament when he…

“I’ve always been quite unapologetically myself.” The captain of the Lionesses and Arsenal player Leah Williamson led the national team to glory in the Euros final against Germany in 2022. This year, she missed out on playing in the World Cup because of an injury but she has been busy off the field. She visited a refugee camp in Jordan with her Arsenal teammates, received an award from Prince William and published a book called You Have the Power. Williamson, who started playing football when she was six years old, wants the book to inspire and motivate young people, whether or not they are interested in the sport. Williamson is trying to give readers “a sense of how amazing it feels to look at yourself and be proud,” she told…

This July, Dutch researchers published a study about birds in cities stealing the metal spikes that humans put on buildings to keep them away, and using them to protect their nests. In Antwerp, Belgium, a researcher called Auke-Florian Hiemstra found a huge magpie nest made from 1,500 metal spikes, pointing outwards to ward off predators. Researchers then found that 50 metres of anti-bird spikes had been ripped off a nearby hospital’s roof. Other studies have shown how corvids (a bird family including crows and magpies) use human-made materials to shield their nests. Telephone wires, knitting needles and clothes hangers have all been used before. However, this was the first time birds were seen using anti-bird devices. Hiemstra called it a “beautiful revenge”.…

A poo bank to help humanity Adrian Egli, a scientist from the University of Zurich in Switzerland, is collecting samples of human poo from around the world. He hopes his poo bank will hold information that could one day help to cure illnesses. That’s because all poo contains microbes – tiny living things – that live in our digestive system. These microbes have a big influence on our health and wellbeing. Bacteria are a type of microbe. Some make you sick, others keep you healthy. However, in many people the range of healthy bacteria is dropping. That’s because people are eating less varied diets and more highly processed foods (foods that have been heavily changed while being prepared). People also use antibiotics – medicines that fight bad bacteria but can…

The World Cup heroes: the Lionesses In August, England’s footballers reached the women’s World Cup final for the first time. With stars such as captain Millie Bright, striker Alessia Russo and goalkeeper Mary Earps in fine form, the Lionesses defeated Haiti, Denmark, China, Nigeria, Colombia and the hosts, Australia, to make it to the final. Spain beat England 1–0 at the Olympic Stadium in the final but the Lionesses were still proud after last year’s victory in Euro 2022. In April, England also celebrated beating Brazil to claim the first ever Women’s Finalissima, when the champions of Europe and South America play each other. In December, Mary Earps won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. The swimmer: Amelie Blocksidge At the British Swimming Championships in April, Amelie Blocksidge…

This year, film fans could choose from all kinds of exciting films in cinemas. Lots of them are now available to stream, so the holidays could be a chance to catch up on them. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Miles Morales has had mysterious powers ever since he was bitten by a spider. He can climb walls, sling webs and turn invisible. However, it turns out he’s not the only Spider-Man. Across the multiverse there are lots of Spider-People trying to save their own universes. In the second film of the Spider-Verse series, released in June, Miles and his friend Gwen face a powerful villain. Miles must decide between protecting the universe or the people he cares about. Marcel the Shell With Shoes On The star of this lovely film, which…

Word fill in All these river names fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes to complete it? 3 Letters Dee Usk 4 Letters Adur Arno Avon Neva 5 Letters Congo Loire Tiber 6 Letters Hudson Severn 7 Letters Orinoco Rhondda Shannon 8 Letters Colorado Dordogne 9 Letters Euphrates Irrawaddy Code crossword Each number stands for a letter of the alphabet. Can you fill in the grid? Word jumble Rearrange the scrambled letters to form four festive words or phrases ST CH LMS MAS FI RI TA US SA CLA N ER NDE REI OL RUD PH Word fill in Code crossword Word jumble: CHRISTMAS FILMS, SANTA CLAUS, REINDEER, RUDOLPH…

KIND “Kind” has many meanings and all of them refer in some way to relationships. In Old English, “cynde” referred to a person’s natural character from birth. In the Middle Ages, the word “kinde” was used to describe someone born into a noble family where good manners were expected, so “kind” came to mean generous and considerate.…

Japan launched the world’s biggest nuclear fusion reactor – called JT-60SA –on 1 December. Nuclear fusion is the process that produces energy inside stars, including our own Sun. Some scientists think nuclear fusion is the answer to humanity’s energy needs. The process itself requires a lot of energy, and the aim of the new six-storey high reactor is to find a way to generate more energy than is put into it.…

“There is always someone to share your problems with. Talk to someone.” When Will Poulter first heard about the Diana Award’s anti-bullying work, he thought getting involved was a “no-brainer”. Poulter is a British actor who has starred in films including The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The Diana Award was set up in memory of Princess Diana, who died in 1997. She was the mother of Prince William and Prince Harry. The Diana Award aims to change the attitudes and culture that allow bullying to happen. Poulter told The Week Junior that the key to tackling bullying is giving young people opportunities to talk about their experience. It’s really important to build an environment where there are plenty…

“You can do incredible things.” In 2021, Ravi Adelekan, who is now eight years old, was diagnosed with a brain tumour. This is when your cells (the building blocks of your body) grow in an unusual way, making you sick. He had 10 hours of surgery to remove the tumour. Although he is much better now, he still has health challenges including trouble with his sight and hearing. However, he has turned the experience into a way to help others. The fundraising campaign Ravi’s Dream is the result. It aims to raise £250,000 for two charities – The Brain Tumour Charity and Brainstrust. To reach this goal, so far he has recorded a version of the song A Million Dreams with some famous faces, hosted a celebrity football match and…

Croatia started the new year with a new currency (the type of money used by a country). It swapped the kuna for the euro, which is used by 20 countries in the European Union (EU) – a group of countries that trade together. Croatia joined the EU in 2013. On 7 January, the city of Leeds, England, kicked off its Year of Culture with a “collision” of comedy, dance, music, performance and poetry. It was all about music in Dakar, Senegal, too, on 15 January, when stars gathered for the annual All Africa Music Awards. Scientists reported on 9 January that the Earth’s ozone layer was healing. Ozone is a type of gas in the atmosphere that protects the planet from the Sun’s harmful rays. In 1987, 197 countries signed…

After 27 years, the making of Caerphilly cheese returned to its home town, thanks to Cwmni Caws Caerffili (Caerphilly Cheese Company). The crumbly treat is the only cheese to originate in Wales and was made in the area from 1830 until 1995. It was a favourite with miners because it was thought it would help replace the salt they lost in sweat while digging out coal.…

On 7 June, at a special ceremony, the world’s largest sand island was given back its original name. K’gari (pronounced “gurri”), on Australia’s east coast, was called Fraser Island for nearly 200 years. Two days later in Colombia, rescuers found four children who had been lost in the Amazon rainforest for 40 days. Three sisters, aged 13, nine and one, and their five-year-old brother, were in a plane crash in the jungle. The siblings hid in tree trunks to avoid wild animals and ate berries and seeds. The Dutch government announced that the public would be able to get free sun cream to protect their skin during the summer. It’s hoped the giveaway will help combat an increase in skin cancer, a disease that can be caused by too much…

Europe’s oldest synchronised swimmer, 79-year-old Jeanne Ansley, won a gold medal at the Swim England Artistic Swimming National Masters Championships on 8 July. Synchronised swimmers perform routines to music. Ansley, who is from Yorkshire in England, swims for two hours every day. She said, “I just feel at home in the water.” The judges were so impressed they gave her a standing ovation (stood up to applaud her).…

On 21 September, Brazil’s top court decided that indigenous people can reclaim land taken from them by farmers and businesses. Indigenous people are the descendants of those who lived in a particular place before another group arrived and took over. Previously, the “time frame” rule meant they could only reclaim their land if they were living on it in 1988. The court ordered that rule should be ignored.…

Nala the cat, who is famous for visiting Stevenage railway station in England and cheering up passengers, had her first music single released on 15 November. The four-year-old cat’s owner, Natasha Ambler, was hoping that the song, called Meow, could be a Christmas No.1 single. A music video of Nala filmed at the train station was also released. Both projects raised money for the RSPCA animal charity and Feed Up Warm Up – a charity offering food, friendship and support to homeless people.…

Across 1 Llama-like animals (7) 5 Relating to mountains, especially the Alps (6) 10 Swiss-style fried potato cake (5) 11 Popular egg dishes (9) 12 Decorative covering for a duvet (9) 13 Icy rain (4) 15 Defrosted (6) 17 Blaze around which Scouts gather (8) 20 Outlet selling battered fish meals (4,4) 21 Difficult experience (6) 22 Part of a tree (4) 24 Key maker (9) 28 National park in Tanzania (9) 29 House built of ice (5) 30 Boil slowly (6) 31 Illuminated (7) Down 1 Circus tumbling (10) 2 Sat for a photo (5) 3 Fresh invigorating quality, of weather (9) 4 Fumes from a chimney (5) 6 Parasite once used in medicine (5) 7 Able to be understood via feelings, not facts (9) 8 Frozen princess (4)…

Among the 12 composers chosen by King Charles to write the music for his coronation in May this year was Shirley J. Thompson, who has loved music since she was three years old. When she was growing up in east London, she used to sneak into her neighbour’s house to use the piano in the attic. “I would bang away and the sounds were just magical,” she told the BBC. Thompson says she faced racism (treating others unfairly because of their skin colour, religion or nationality) at school and she didn’t get the same opportunities as her classmates. However, her mother fought for her to have a place at a good school and she went on to study music and history at university. For her piece of music for the…

Spoiling dogs could be good Do you get told off for feeding scraps to your dog under the table? A study published in February found that by doing so, you might actually be helping to keep your pet healthy. Scientists from the University of Helsinki in Finland discovered that the food a young dog might come across at home – like berries, eggs, fish, meat and vegetables – may be better for its digestive system (gut) than dog food. Having different foods leads to more variety in the microbes (tiny organisms) that live in the gut, which is good for general health. The study looked at 8,500 dogs, aged from two months to a year and a half. Dogs that had eaten a mix of foods were far less likely…

Your favourite school subjects We gave you a list of school subjects to select from and your choices suggest you’re a sporty lot. PE was the most popular, followed by art, English, drama and maths. Science, history and computing also ranked highly. RE and PSHE have the fewest fans: just eight readers each claimed them as their favourites. Super readers It’s no surprise to learn that many of you have bulging bookshelves. More than half of the readers who responded to our survey told us they own more than a whopping 100 books. Your heroes Over a quarter of you named a member of your family as the person you look up to the most. And of those family members it was your mums that got the most votes of…

A leisure centre in Devon, England, has started using the heat given off by computers in a data centre to warm up its swimming pool. Data centres are places that store large amounts of digital information (data). Information such as emails and website content is often kept on a central computer system somewhere, which is connected to people’s personal computers using the internet. Data centres create lots of heat because they handle a lot of information and are never switched off. A data centre the size of a washing machine was installed at Exmouth Leisure Centre in March. It is surrounded by a special oil that absorbs the heat from the computers. The heated oil then goes through a device where it warms the swimming pool water to 30° C.…

It’s been a year of brilliant books. The first Week Junior Book Awards launched and the winners were honoured at a ceremony on 2 October. Poet and author Michael Rosen enthralled audiences at our Book Festival in the October half-term, and other fantastic writers, including J.T. Williams and Jenny Pearson, led reader workshops. Thousands of you joined in our annual Summer of Reading campaign and sent in pictures of your bookshelves to feature on our new Book Club page. We interviewed authors, illustrators and translators this year, and have more fantastic features planned for 2024. For now, curl up and lose yourself in these prize-winning reads. THE WEEK JUNIOR BOOK AWARDS WINNERS Tyger by SF Said. Illustrated by Dave McKean (David Fickling Books) In a different version of London, with…

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom This eagerly anticipated game on the Nintendo Switch was the latest instalment in the series about a travelling adventurer named Link. The newest game, which came out in May, follows Link’s quest to save Princess Zelda after an event sends the kingdom of Hyrule into turmoil. Link has new powers to play with, and they allow him to fuse together objects to create unique inventions, pass through objects above him and even make objects move backwards in time. The map has also got bigger from previous games, taking Link beyond the surface of the magical kingdom of Hyrule to the serene sky islands or down to its gloomy depths. Venba Among this year’s full-on action and adventure, this is a more relaxing…

This easy-to-make game has an almost endless choice of possible right answers, and it’s suitable for all ages. Simply pick up a quiz card, spin the wheel and then name whatever the card is telling you to name – but your word or phrase must start with the letter the arrow is pointing at. For example, your quiz card might say, “a country”, “a bird”, “a film” or “something in this room”. You can make your game about general knowledge or tailor it to your family’s interests – it’s up to you. Whatever quiz cards you decide on, playing this game is lots of fun – perhaps it will become a new festive family tradition. What you need ● An empty cereal box or shoebox lid ● Thick white card…

Daredevil duo don’t look down Rafael Bridi and Erika Sedlacek certainly have a head for heights. The daring duo teetered along a 2.5-centimetre-wide, 510-metre-long tightrope that was strung 114 metres above the city streets of São Paulo in Brazil. The pair performed the stunt to mark the city’s 469th anniversary in January. Bridi had already claimed the Guinness World Record for the longest slackline walk over an active volcano – Mount Yasur in Vanuatu. Hungry student eats an artwork A student visiting an art museum in South Korea in April suddenly had a snack attack but he spotted a solution: a banana taped to the wall. He grabbed it, ate it and returned the skin. Unfortunately the banana was an artwork by an artist called Maurizio Cattelan and it was…

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