Table of contents for 445 in The Week Junior

Millions of people in Sudan, Africa, are suffering extreme hunger, and experts warn that the country could soon experience a famine (an extreme and widespread shortage of food). Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US’s representative at the United Nations (UN), said the world needs to “wake up to the catastrophe” taking place in Sudan. The UN is an organisation made up of most of the world’s countries that works to tackle the problems facing humanity. What is happening in Sudan? A civil war (a war between groups within the same country) is taking place. Since war broke out in April 2023, more than 15,000 people have died and around nine million have had to leave their homes. Two million of these have left Sudan and many of them have fled to neighbouring…

HELPING WILD BIRDS Locals, community groups and politicians in Lancaster, England, have signed a document promising to help swifts. The UK population fell by 60% between 1995 and 2020, but the aim is to add nesting sites and plant wildflowers to attract the insects they eat. SCOTTISH SEED GATHERERS Volunteers in Scotland have collected 2.2 million rare tree seeds – far over their target. They are working for the Tree Seed Collection Project, which aims to restore Scotland’s ancient woodlands and rainforest. The seeds will be grown into young trees and planted across Scotland, helping to support wildlife. DANCING SWIFTIES The dancing of 73,000 Taylor Swift fans in Edinburgh was so energetic it was picked up by earthquake monitors. Swift started her UK Eras tour at Murrayfield Stadium on 7…

Alastair Campbell spent a long time working for Tony Blair, the former Labour Party leader who was UK Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007. Campbell was the Prime Minister’s spokesman and strategist. That means he spoke to the media (newspapers, TV and radio) and made sure that everything the Government did fitted with the overall plans for the Labour Party. Campbell tells The Week Junior that, at times, he saw himself as a “combination between a football coach and an air traffic controller (the people who direct planes safely through the skies)”. He says that another of his roles – and one of the most important – was far more simple: to be there for the Prime Minister as a friend. The two are still in touch with each other…

Seven Przewalski’s horses, the last truly wild species of horse, have been released in Kazakhstan. The horses went extinct in the country around 200 years ago, and the newly released horses were bred in European zoos. ● LIFESPAN: 20 to 25 years.● HABITAT: Steppe (dry, grassy landscapes) in East Asia.● SIZE: Up to 2.6 metres long and 360 kilograms.● DIET: Buds, fruits, grass, plants, tree bark and lots of water. Their grazing helps to spread plant seeds.● FUN FACT: During storms, Przewalski’s horses turn their back to the wind to protect their sensitive eyes and nostrils. They also cover their bottom with their tail.…

Even before the Olympic Games begin next month in Paris, France, Emily Campbell can be very proud of her record-breaking weightlifting career. At the last Olympics in Japan in 2021, she won silver to become the first British woman to secure an Olympic weightlifting medal. Campbell was recently chosen as Great Britain’s only weightlifter to compete in Paris. “I’m beyond excited that I’ve been selected for my second Olympic Games,” says Campbell, who is from Nottingham, England. “I cannot wait to get out there and put on a show.” In weightlifting, athletes raise heavy weights on a bar above their head. There are two techniques: “snatch” and “clean and jerk”. In snatch, the bar is lifted from the floor to above the head in one movement. In clean and jerk,…

A new exhibition called Wild has opened at Manchester Museum, England, exploring humans’ relationship with the natural world and how “rewilding” can create a positive future. Rewilding is when land is restored to its natural state before it was used for farming, for example. The show offers a real message of hope for our planet. It encourages people to see that even small actions can help nature. Visitors learn about five places around the world that have been changed by the actions of humans. Wild explains the conservation work that is being done to repair and rebuild these environments. Among the places are Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran, Scotland, where an area of the sea has been given special protection, and Yellowstone National Park in the US, where…

Murder mysteries have been popular since the Victorian era, when authors like Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Allan Poe wrote stories of clever detectives solving baffling crimes. In her books, Sharna Jackson brings the murder mystery bang up to date by making her detectives a sharp-eyed gang of kids. Here, Wesley and his friends Josephine and Margot help to throw a surprise birthday party for their neighbour Rachel – but the next day, Wesley finds Rachel dead. Now, Rachel’s friends are holding a traditional Caribbean nine night celebration to help guide her soul into the next world. The young sleuths are determined to find out what happened to Rachel – beginning with unravelling all the secrets she was hiding. This is a lively and gripping modern-day mystery. WIN! We have…

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 100 111 252 328 441 4 numbers 2559 2582 6645 5 numbers 10700 54042 55143 56587 96714 6 numbers 127511 244548 962775 7 numbers 5455854 9615797 8 numbers 54394584 65885648 97103521 9 numbers 116555609 538135440 986847085 Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. BLANKET BREAD BUBBLEGUM CARPET DOUGHNUT FEATHER FUDGE JELLY KITTEN MARSHMALLOW MOSS MOUSSE PANCAKE PILLOW PLASTICINE RABBIT SLIPPERS SNOW SPONGE TOWEL 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 difference…

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 will only use the details you provide to arrange delivery of badges, and we will not share them with anyone else. By submitting your reports and pictures, you give consent to The Week Junior to print them in magazine and digital editions, and mention on our podcast. We reserve the right to edit contributions for length, accuracy and suitability. Ensure you have your parent/guardian’s permission before sending anything to us.…

What did you like most about politics? Being part of a really good team. What did you dislike the most? The fact that I could never really have a day off. Can you tell us something interesting that people might not know about 10 Downing Street (the Prime Minister’s home)? People talk about Prime Ministers “getting the keys to Number 10”. There are no keys. It is manned 24 hours a day and the PM is let in. Can you remember any embarrassing or silly moments from your time in politics? Tony Blair, who was the UK Prime Minister, was at a big event in the Netherlands. He asked a woman what her name was, and she said, ‘My name is Beatrix. I’m the Queen.’ What do you miss the…

June is a great month to hear the nightjar bird’s curious mechanical-sounding song, known as churring. The trill comes from males after sunset and can last for minutes, going higher and lower in pitch. Nightjars arrive from Africa in April and stay in England, Wales and southern Scotland until August. They live in heathland, moorland and woods and their grey-brown blotched plumage makes them look like tree bark. Nightjars can be up to 28 centimetres long, with a pointed tail, large eyes and a short, wide bill (beak). They fly silently and have a mysterious reputation. The bird’s Latin name means “goatsucker”. Some people used to believe that the birds, which were often seen near goats, stole their milk.…

On 4 July, adults across the UK will vote in the general election. Voters will choose a Member of Parliament (MP) to represent their constituency (local area) and sit in the House of Commons, the elected part of the UK Parliament. There are 650 MPs in the House of Commons and most are members of a political party. The party with the most MPs forms the Government and its leader becomes Prime Minister. For the last 14 years the Conservative Party has been in charge. The main parties have each released a manifesto – a document of the things they would like to do if they win the election. Read on to learn more about three of the promises made by the main parties. Conservative Party ● LEADER: Rishi Sunak●…

The general election is just a couple of weeks away, so this is your chance to tell us what you think about politics, who you’d vote for if you could, and what you’d like to put at the top of the Prime Minister’s to-do list. Why are we asking you? Although our readers are not old enough to vote in this election, we know you have strong views about many issues. We want to find out more about the things that matter most to you – and whether you think politicians take them seriously. What qualities do you think are important for a Prime Minister? Which problems do you think the new Government should tackle first? Are politicians interested in the problems young people like you face? Knowing what you…

Amy Taylor In the Italian Open golf tournament, England’s Taylor won her first Ladies European Tour title. Lamine Yamal Yamal set a record as the youngest player at the Euro 2024 football tournament. The 16-year-old set up one of Spain’s goals as they beat Croatia 3-0. Jack Draper Great Britain’s Draper defeated Italy’s Matteo Berrettini to win the Stuttgart Open tennis title. The victory is Draper’s first ATP tour title. Adam Yates The British cyclist, who rides for the UAE team, won the eight-stage Tour de Suisse event. Yates’s teammate, João Almeida, came second.…

Describe Wesley, Josephine and Margot in one word each. Wesley – testy. Josie – considerate. Margot – eccentric. What is the best birthday you have had? The best birthdays are the ones where I don’t have parties! Last year, I made a delicious recipe I wanted to try (vegan tagine with chickpeas) and watched Strictly Come Dancing. Without spoilers, what scene in the book did you enjoy writing the most? The opening scene. I love being in Wesley’s mind and looking through his eyes. Is it true you live on a boat? How is it? Yes it’s true. It’s boiling in the summer and absolutely freezing in the winter. It’s basically like living in a big, floating tin can. Who would you recommend this book to? Anyone who likes a slightly…

On 23 June, it is International Women in Engineering Day. This is an annual celebration of the work that women do in engineering (jobs that involve building things and solving problems using science and maths). Another aim of the celebration (called INWED for short) is to encourage girls who might want to do these jobs in the future. Jobs in engineering have traditionally been more popular with boys than girls, and International Women in Engineering Day is helping to change that by showing some of the inspirational work that women are doing. The INWED website explains more about the history of the day and the reasons it was started. Engineering is the “E” in STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and maths. You’ll find lots more about engineering on…

A couple were amazed to find a huge crab washed up on a beach in North Wales. Amy Carter and her partner Scott Southey found the large creature while out walking at Tal-y-bont. “With his little hairdo of mussels that was stuck to him, it was very, very fascinating,” said Carter. Frankie Hobro, from the nearby Anglesey Sea Zoo, identified the creature as a spiny spider crab, a species that is quite common around the UK’s coast. Spiny spider crabs can grow to 50 centimetres across. Hobro explained that crab shells can make good “anchor points” for mussels and other sea creatures to cling to against the waves.…

Name: Theo and Edie On 12 May, we took part in the Banham Marsden March, to raise money for the Royal Marsden Hospital and in memory of our wonderful Nana. We walked for 15 miles from Chelsea to Sutton in London, which was over 40,000 steps and took us 6.5 hours. Plus, it was 25 degrees too, so very hot. It was an incredible experience and we were lucky to walk with our friend Libby, so we played games and chatted with her along the way. We can’t wait to do it all again next year. What have you been up to lately? Which books have you enjoyed reading? What have you made? Have you written a poem or drawn a picture that you’d like to see published on this…

“I really enjoyed making this bird and tree, because birds are such beautiful animals that can see the world from another perspective.”Tara “Using cutouts from The Week Junior, I made a collage of all the books I love. I will frame it and put it on my wall.”Emma “This is me enjoying The Week Junior at our local campsite in Cupar in Fife, Scotland.”Zephyr…

We love hearing from you! It’s easy – just write a comment when you vote in our online Big Debate poll, or even record a voice note for The Week Junior Show. Last week we asked you if children should be told what to read… “Children should have a free will on what book they want to read.” “There are plenty of amazing books that kids will not pick up because they don’t look appealing, but they turn out to be amazing.” “No, it feels like homework when grown-ups tell us what to read.” “Yes, as children might not read books for their age.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

In the UK, laws prevent advertisements from “placing unfair pressure” on children to buy things – but what if packaging was doing this? The campaign group Bite Back asked experts to analyse a selection of sweet foods sold in the UK with wrappers likely to appeal to children. The results, which were checked by food scientists, found that 78% of the products studied contained too much fat or sugar. 80% of them used bright colours and fun lettering. Bite Back wants the Government to ensure that snack producers are not tempting children with bright packaging. Food companies say they follow lots of rules already and their products are sold as a treat to be eaten occasionally. Do you think bright wrappers on treats should be banned? Yes – it would…

A new study has shed light on how sharks became important predators of the ocean – and it looks like global warming played a big part. Today, we know sharks as some of the biggest, fastest and deadliest carnivores we could meet in the sea. However, ancient sharks were smaller and lived in the depths of the ocean. In fact, most members of the shark family still live around the seabed. At some stage though, some of these bottom-dwellers developed into the predators we know so well today, such as the great white shark. Researchers recorded body and fin measurements from more than 500 shark species, both living and fossilised (fossils are preserved traces of ancient animals). This allowed them to see how sharks evolved (changed slowly over time). The…

A new study has suggested that women are better than men at coping with the challenges that space travel puts on the body. The work was led by Christopher Mason, a US professor. With a team of researchers, he studied data gathered from the four members of the public who took part in the Inspiration4 mission in 2021. The two men and two women travelled into space and spent three days orbiting (circling) the Earth. Researchers looked at how the Inspiration4 crew coped with space and compared the findings with 64 trained astronauts. These astronauts had spent at least six months on the International Space Station, which has been orbiting the Earth for more than 20 years. In particular, the researchers studied how space flight affected the astronauts’ immune systems…

YOUR PHOTOS Email photos you have taken to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If your photo is printed in the magazine you’ll receive a Roving Reporter badge. Photos could be of buildings, pets, nature or anything you find interesting.…

Have you noticed how some stories and characters in the books you read can help you see things differently? This is the magical power of words. They can lead you to new ways of experiencing the world around you. How does writing help? Learning to talk about your thoughts and feelings is a big part of life. From writing messages to your friends to making plans, to answering questions at school or talking with your family, words are amazing tools for communicating all sorts of things. Writing isn’t just an activity you do at school; it’s something you can do by yourself for your own benefit. Keeping a diary is a great way to get creative and talk to yourself in the private pages of your journal. It’s a place…

What is Politics? Why Should We Care? And Other Big Questions by Michael Rosen and Annemarie Young (Hachette Children’s) What is politics? What does it mean to be political? What kinds of political action are there – and what difference do they make? This informative book will empower you to make up your own mind about political ideas and decide how you would like to take part in politics yourself. Vote for Effie by Laura Wood (Scholastic) Join Effie as she campaigns to become student council president at her new school. With help from her friends, Effie plans to win the election and make her school more inclusive – but can she beat her opponent, cake-stealing Aaron? This joyful story will inspire you to stand up for what you believe…

Create a colourful decoration to brighten up a window. The light will shine through the colours and make even a cloudy day seem cheerful. A mandala is a geometric design, which means it is made up of repeating shapes and patterns. The word “mandala” means “circle” in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language, and designs are often based on circles or squares. In some religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, the mandala is a spiritual symbol. Designs are created in cloth, paintings, pottery and even coloured sand. Mandalas are often used to help people meditate (a practice of focusing the mind). Make a mandala and invite some colourful calm into your home. What you need ● A4 coloured card● Scissors● A pencil● A ruler● A glue stick● Coloured tissue paper● Sticky…

A man who has the world’s largest coprolite (fossilised poo) collection has opened up a poo museum to show off his impressive hoard. George Frandsen said he decided to set up his own exhibit because there were hardly any collections of fossilised poo in other museums. The “Poozeum” in Arizona, US, is home to Frandsen’s collection of more than 8,000 pieces of fossilised poo – including coprolites from dinosaurs. Mr Frandsen saw his first coprolite as a teenager and said he found it “hilarious and fascinating”. He describes coprolites as “prehistoric time capsules” that give clues about what ancient animals ate. His biggest coprolite, called Barnum, is 67.5 centimetres long. It is around 70 million years old and may have come from a Tyrannosaurus rex.…

With the election campaign getting very busy, we explain what each party has been saying. It was a big job reading all the manifestos but you can see our report on page 12. Now that we’ve heard what the politicians think, we decided we want to hear from our readers. We want to know what you think of the parties, the promises and who would make a good Prime Minister. You might not be able to vote on 4 July but you will in the future and your views are extremely important. Do you think politicians agree? Do they put the issues that matter to young people at the top of their to-do list? Please let us know what you think in our survey – you can find out more…

The charity PANS PANDAS UK raises awareness of PANS and PANDAS, medical conditions that affect the brain, and provides support to families of children with PANS and PANDAS. The charity’s art competition is open to four to 16-year-olds, and the theme is “challenge”. You can use any art materials and create a visualisation showing anything that represents “challenge” to you, from a sporting attempt to a personal triumph or emotional moment. Prizes include a hamper of luxury art materials, and it’s free to enter digitally. The deadline is 21 July 2024. Find out more at tinyurl.com/TWJ-pans…

Teacher’s name: Miss Barlow School: Dhoon Primary School, Maughold, Isle of Man “I think that Miss Barlow should get Teacher of the Week EVERY week! She’s very kind and funny, she lets us be creative and we do lots of activities together. She listens to all our suggestions and supports us all the time, especially in hard situations. She always encourages us and gives out awards; it’s about time she received one too. Miss Barlow is a shooting star in our class.” Soheyla 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…