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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has accused Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, of war crimes and says he should be arrested. What is the ICC? The ICC is a court that can accuse people anywhere in the world of the most serious crimes, including war crimes (rules that are broken during war) and genocide (when many people from a particular group are killed on purpose). The ICC only steps in when a country’s own courts can’t, or won’t, accuse someone of a crime. The ICC was established in 2002 in The Hague, a city in the Netherlands, and works with 123 countries including France, Japan and the UK. The US, as well as China and Russia are not part of the ICC. What has Putin been accused of? The ICC’s top…

On 17 March, the shortlists for the British Book Awards 2023 were revealed. These awards are a celebration of the best books from the last year. They’re nicknamed the “Nibbies”, inspired by the tip of a pen, known as a nib. This year there are 12 award categories, including Children’s Fiction Book of the Year and Children’s Non-Fiction Book of the Year, both of which are supported by The Week Junior. The fiction shortlist includes Tyger by S.F. Said, the story of two children who find a mythical creature, and Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tolá Okogwu, about a British-Nigerian girl whose hair has magical powers. The shortlist also features two diary-style books with doodles: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Diper Överlöde by Jeff Kinney, and Loki:…

On 26 March, all the clocks in the country go forward by one hour. At Blenheim Palace, a huge country house in Oxfordshire, England, more than 30 time-telling treasures will need changing. The man for the job is Julian Newman, who is in charge of all the clocks in the palace’s collection. “The most modern one we have”, Newman tells The Week Junior, “is from 1873.” The oldest clock is more than 300 years old – even older than the palace itself. It sits on the mantelpiece in the Green Writing Room, where thousands of visitors read the time by its accurate clock hands every day. All the clocks are traditional models that work by using very precise cogs, springs and wheels. Some require winding up each week, while others…

When it comes to making friends, humans often seek people with similar interests and personalities. According to a recent study, so do flamingos. The long-legged birds can form friendships that last for years, and they depend on their pals for support when they fall out with rivals. Scientist Dr Paul Rose had already spotted that flamingos seemed to form cliques (close-knit groups). He teamed up with Fionnuala McCully, a scientist in animal behaviour, to find out why they befriend some flamingos but not others. They studied both Chilean and Caribbean flamingos living in a nature reserve in Gloucestershire, England. Each bird wore a ring around one leg with a unique code to tell them apart. McCully spent months studying their behaviour and built a personality profile for each flamingo. She…

The world’s largest seed bank, at the Wakehurst wild botanic garden in West Sussex, England, has announced that it now holds more than 40,000 wild plant species. The Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) was created by researchers from London’s Kew Gardens more than 20 years ago, to preserve rare, threatened and important wild plants. Nicknamed “the Noah’s Ark for plants”, around 2.4 billion individual seeds from 190 countries are stored in its underground vaults. Any seeds that arrive at MSB are dried, cleaned, X-rayed for signs of pests and then stored at -20°C. They can survive for hundreds of years like this but scientists remove the seeds every 10 years to see if they can still grow into plants, and to develop new ways of helping wild plants survive. The bank…

Pigs At San Francisco International Airport in the US, Lilou the pig has been trained to help people relax if they’re nervous about flying. She wears a pilot hat and a badge that says “Pet Me”. By spending some time with her, people start to feel more at ease about travelling on a plane. Miniature horses Digby the miniature horse helps a partially sighted woman to travel on trains. During training, Digby learnt routes that his owner would regularly take, as well as how to find postboxes and how to use disabled exit and entry buttons for doors. He is the UK’s first guide horse. Alpacas UK-based organisations sometimes bring alpacas in to visit people in care homes. Residents can walk, feed, stroke and talk to their woolly visitors. The…

After months of winter, it lifts your spirits to see the natural world wake up in spring. You can enjoy spring the most by spending lots of time outside. Look all around you In springtime you can spot buds growing on trees and hedges, and flowers like daffodils, tulips and crocuses are blooming. Looking around your local area you might notice bees, butterflies, baby birds in a nest (never disturb a bird’s nest), ducklings on a pond or river, or perhaps lambs in a field. Even in a city you can hear birdsong, find spider webs and see plants growing in pavement cracks. There are signs of spring all around if you look out for them. Look up and enjoy nature’s pleasures When you’re walking to school or a friend’s…

Were you close with your grandparents? I was very close to my grandma. She told me lots of bedtime stories and we had a very close relationship – a bit like Xanthe and her Nani. She inspired my first novel, Asha & the Spirit Bird, and she always told me to follow my dreams. Why did you dedicate your book to a school? The book is dedicated to my old primary school, Mellers in Nottingham, where I am the Patron of Reading. I visit them a lot and they help me when I get stuck with ideas. Are you similar to any of your characters? Like Xanthe’s Nani, I also love digging into the past. When I was a young girl, I loved the magic of history and finding stories…

What about a theme? Try making a scarecrow that looks like your favourite character from a book or film. You could dress it in the colours of your favourite football team and add a scarf or hat. If it’s standing outside, the clothes will get wet and dirty, so always ask for permission before you use things to dress it. A holiday project What about a bunny scarecrow for Easter? Make the rabbit’s body nice and round and add two old socks for bunny ears. It could be fun for the holidays, so ask an adult to help and start gathering bits in advance, then send us photos of your work to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk…

When volunteers from Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue were called out to a house in Lincolnshire, England, they thought that they were on their way to save a trapped bird. Someone had reported that they could hear sounds coming from inside the wall. However, they later realised that the sounds were in fact coming from a stuffed toy. It was Hedwig, Harry Potter’s owl, who had fallen under the sofa and was making chirping noises. The volunteers laughed about it and said, “Well, at least it wasn’t a real bird.”…

Residents at two care homes in Bristol, England, have been asked to star in remakes of classic films. The films include James Bond, The Sound of Music and Bohemian Rhapsody. The director in charge of the project wanted to explore how these world-famous films would work with actors who do not look like the usual Hollywood stars. Jean Down, who is 92, will play Fräulein Maria in The Sound of Music, and Roger Hynam, aged 76, won the part of the dashing James Bond. Is this story real? Or is it a case of Live and Let Lie?* *Rubbish! Residents didn’t remake the actual films, but they did dress up to reimagine the posters of the films as part of a creative project.…

Be a change-maker with the SuperKind platform SuperKind is a new website for young people who want to make a difference in the world. The site is full of photos and videos by young change-makers, plus lots of facts, tips and quizzes about important subjects like climate change and gender equality. You can also find stories about more than 50 young people – like Tony Hudgell, who has raised £1.8 million for The Evelina London Children’s Hospital. These stories could inspire you to take action and earn SuperKind badges. You can take part at school, in your community, or anywhere you are in the world. With an adult, visit superkind.org to start your change-making adventure.…

1 From which country does the Vjosa River flow into the sea? □ a) Albania □ b) Germany □ c) Poland 2 True or false? The British Book Awards are known as “the Nibbies”. □ True □ False 3 In which country are some pupils now starting school at 5.30am? __________________________ 4 Which animal inspired the animated movements of Toothless in the film series How to Train Your Dragon? □ a) Dog □ b) Snake □ c) Cat 5 True or false? There are more than 30 clocks at Blenheim Palace. □ True □ False 6 A “flamboyance” is a large group of which animal? __________________ 7 Roughly how many years ago did the special bond between humans and dogs begin? □ a) 2,000 □ b) 10,000 □ c) 30,000…

On March 20, China’s president Xi Jinping visited Russia for three days of talks. He is the first foreign leader to visit Russia since Putin was accused of war crimes by the International Criminal Court. China came up with a 12-point peace proposal to end the war, which the two leaders discussed during the visit. Xi also invited president Putin to visit China. China and Russia are neighbours – they share a border that is 2,600 miles long and the two countries have a close relationship. The UK and Ukraine urged China to use the visit to end the war.…

A TERRIFIC PERFORMANCE On 19 March, 150 people with Down’s syndrome, a condition that causes learning disability and health problems, took part in a flash mob dance in Stratford, London. Mia, 12, said, “I was scared and nervous at first but then I had fun dancing with my friends.” A SPRING SURPRISE Lambing season got off to a good start in Meirionnydd, Wales, where a sheep gave birth to six lambs. Farmer Erin Fflur McNaught described the arrivals as a “total surprise” because she was only expecting three. Her grandfather said that in 70 years of farming, he had never seen so many lambs born from the same ewe. RAISING MONEY This year’s Comic Relief fundraiser raised a whopping £34 million. On 17 March, performances, challenges and sales of the…

The winning teams of the CyberFirst Girls Competition 2023 were announced at a ceremony in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The competition saw 589 teams from the UK tackle cyber security challenges. Cyber security is protecting computer systems from attacks. Wymondham High Academy in Norfolk, England, won £15,000 to spend on equipment for their school. Kay Southgate, a teacher at the school said, “It was great to see [the girls’] confidence grow.”…

Alaska, US Sled dog race winner The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska, US, has been won by the grandson of the man who founded it. The race is 1,000 miles long and travels over mountains, a frozen river and sea ice. Ryan Redington and his six dogs won on his 16th attempt at the race, taking just under nine days. He said it had been his goal since he was a child. Argentina Rising costs cause money problems Argentina’s annual inflation rate has reached 102.5%, its highest in 30 years. Inflation is when prices go up and the value of money (how much you can buy with it) goes down. Many people are struggling to afford basic items, such as food and fuel. Experts say inflation is partly…

Asiatic lion There are only around 500 Asiatic lions left in the world – all in the Indian state of Gujarat. Efforts to save the species have been so successful that experts say there is now overcrowding, so a new sanctuary is opening. • LIFESPAN: 16 to 18 years. • HABITAT: Tropical dry forests, grasslands and deserts. Asiatic lions once lived across Asia and the Middle East. • SIZE: 110-190 kilograms. Up to 2.9 metres long. DIET: Animals, from small rodents to deer and wild boar. • FUN FACT: Asiatic lions have shaggier coats than African lions and a fold of skin along their bellies.…

Exmouth Leisure Centre in Devon, England, has a clever new method for heating up its swimming pool – it is using the heat given off by hard-working computers in a data centre. Data centres are used for storing large amounts of digital information, or “data”. When you send an email, search for something on the internet or add an image to social media, this counts as “data”. It’s often described as being stored in “the cloud”. What this actually means is it is stored on a computer somewhere, connected to your computer through the internet, so that it can be accessed at any time. Data centres contain lots of these computers, and they create a lot of heat because they are always switched on. At Exmouth Leisure Centre, a small…

“I love it here and I really feel connected to the community.” That’s what Scotland international Claire Emslie says about playing for Angel City FC, a new football club based in Los Angeles, on the west coast of the US. Set up in 2020, unlike many football clubs Angel City FC is mostly owned and run by women. One of its main aims is to support the local area and to encourage all sorts of people to watch and take an interest in the team. “That means a lot and it’s one of the best things about Angel City FC and why I wanted to play here,” she tells The Week Junior. “That makes me want to do better, because I know how much it helps the community and its…

The Scottish Wildlife Trust suggests making a nature table. Collect sticks, feathers, fallen petals, leaves (nothing living) and whatever else you find interesting. Display them on a piece of paper on a table, shelf or windowsill. Write on the paper to identify or explain your finds. Take photos or show friends and family your nature display, noticing how the items change over time. When you’re finished, try to return the items to where you found them.…

Max Your Money by Laurence Hayes and Rachel Provest Illustrated by Chris Madden (Welbeck Kids) This book teaches you how to manage money. Divided into three sections (“Earn It”, “Grow It” and “Use it”), it has lots of illustrations to help you understand difficult ideas. You’ll learn useful skills, think about what money means, and how to use it responsibly. Cash by Rashmi Sirdeshpande. Illustrated by Adam Hayes (Wren & Rook) This is a brilliant and accessible guide to money and why it matters. Whether you’re interested in starting your own business, saving your pennies, or using your money as a force for good, it is a fantastically useful and practical read. Lift-the-flap Questions and Answers about Money by Lara Bryan Illustrated by Marie-Eve Tremblay (Usborne) Where does money come…

Name: Augustine The Good Turn By Sharna Jackson “Intriguing, adventurous, mysterious. A brilliant book that shows that life is not always fair and the world is not always as it seems.” 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…

Are you ready for April Fools’ Day? It’s a day traditionally associated with tricking people to make them feel a bit silly. We’ve got a guide to playing a deliciously dishonest practical joke, which is inspired by the CBBC comedy show Danny & Mick, about Danny and his (very big) little brother Mick, who work at Webbthorpe Leisure Centre. In the latest series you can see them explode a sauna, cut a caravan in half – and ruin an illusion cake competition. An illusion cake is a real cake that looks like something you can’t eat (a handbag, in the show). Here we’ve turned the idea round and made something you can’t eat look mouthwateringly like real cake. It’s a sponge cake made from a sponge. However, before you play…

It’s such a lovely moment when it feels like winter is coming to an end and spring is arriving. The days feel longer, there’s blossom on trees and bright flowers are beginning to bloom. Our Wellbeing page (p19) has some top tips on using your senses to tune into the delights of nature in spring. Taking the time to enjoy small pleasures can brighten your mood and help you to worry less. On 26 March, the clocks go forward by one hour and that means lighter evenings and being able to spend more time outdoors. The People page (p9) has an interview with Julian Newman, who’s job it is to adjust 30 very old clocks when the time changes in spring and autumn. He does this by tinkering with the…

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 the magazine and digital editions. 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.…

Teacher’s name: Mrs Betts School: Prettygate School, Colchester, Essex “Mrs Betts is a lovely teacher. At Chinese New Year we learnt about the animals of the Chinese zodiac and also had a chance to try out some Tai Chi. Mrs Betts’ lessons are always fun (especially science) and she makes learning really enjoyable!”Florence 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…

Fresh protests have erupted in France after the French government narrowly survived two no-confidence votes. A no-confidence vote is when members of parliament decide whether or not they want the government to continue. The votes were held in response to an unpopular new law that has been passed by president Emmanuel Macron. The law will raise the age at which people can retire (stop working). It is currently set at 62 years old but will now rise to 64 years old. Raising the retirement age will mean there is more money to pay for people’s pensions, which is money that people are given by the government once they stop working. One poll has found that two thirds of people are against the idea. Since January, at least one million people…

On 15 March, the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, set out the Government’s plans for the UK’s economy in what is known as the Spring Budget. The Chancellor is the minister in charge of spending and borrowing money, who announces a new Budget at least once a year. The economy is the way a country organises its money and resources. What was in the Spring Budget? The Budget focused on helping people with the rising prices of goods, as well as trying to get more people into jobs. Hunt extended the energy price cap scheme for another three months. This scheme, which puts a limit on the price of gas and electricity that households use, was introduced last year after a sharp rise in energy prices. It will be extended until July,…

Over the years, animated films have proven to be one of the most popular types of children’s films. Whether it’s Frozen, Puss in Boots, or Toy Story, there’s something for everyone. The unique animation styles used in these classic films helped to build a magical world and create a unique experience for the audience. However, recently it’s become popular to remake animated films, such as The Lion King, into live action films. How to Train Your Dragon is the latest animated film to get a live-action remake, which will be in cinemas in 2025. Some people who love the series are excited to see it brought to life again but others think the animated films were so good that there’s no need to remake them. What do you think? Should…

Exciting baking news! Alison Hammond is joining The Great British Bake Off as co-presenter alongside Noel Fielding. She will replace Matt Lucas, who left the Channel 4 show last year. Hammond, who presents ITV’s This Morning, revealed the news by posting a video on social media showing a cake designed in the shape of the Bake Off tent. It was topped with models of her and Fielding alongside the judges, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith – all made out of icing. Alongside the post she wrote “It’s official!! It’s happening. The Great British Bake Off! Let’s have it – the cake that is. So excited.” THEY SAID IT! “It doesn’t matter if you have Down’s syndrome, as long as you’re doing what you do.”James Martin is the first person with…

Is it a bee, a fly, or a tiny unicorn? The dark-edged bee fly is actually a fly, but designed to look like a fuzzy bumblebee. They have orange-brown body hair, long and spindly legs and dark markings along the edge of their wings. The bee fly also has a long proboscis, which is the tongue-like tube it uses to drink nectar from flowers. From early spring, they can be seen across the UK buzzing around sunny flower patches. They like to sunbathe on the ground and have to shelter under leaves if it rains because getting wet can kill them. Bee flies are parasites (living things that live in or on other living things). The female bee-fly flicks her eggs close to ground-nesting and solitary bee nests. If her…

Dogs are known for their intelligence, loyalty and loveability, which makes them great companions – and helpers. In fact, dogs are used in all sorts of assistant roles, helping people with disabilities and medical conditions, or those who are feeling anxious or unhappy. In Ukraine, therapy dogs have been comforting children who have been affected by the fighting since the Russian invasion. A long relationship The bond between dogs and humans began around 30,000 years ago. Wolves followed human tribes to eat leftovers from hunting trips. The friendlier ones got more food from the humans, and over many years the wolves evolved into the pet dogs we know. The animals’ intelligence, loyalty and good sense of smell and hearing made them perfect companions, herders, guards and hunting partners. The story…

Ireland rugby union team They won the men’s Six Nations competition after a 29-16 win against England. The women’s Six Nations starts on 25 March. Evan Ferguson The 18-year-old footballer scored two goals for Brighton & Hove Albion as they beat Grimsby 5-0 to reach the men’s FA Cup semi-finals. Elena Rybakina and Carlos Alcaraz Rybakina won the women’s title and Alcaraz was the men’s winner at the Indian Wells tennis event in the US. An Se Young and Li Shi Feng South Korea’s An Se Young won the women’s title at the All England Badminton Championships. China’s Li Shi Feng won the men’s title.…

Lose yourself in our planet’s natural wonders at BBC Earth Experience, a new attraction that will open in London on 30 March. The experience takes visitors on a spectacular trail through the nature and wildlife of Earth’s seven continents, using huge screens to show footage from the BBC nature documentary Seven Worlds, One Planet. The footage includes fireflies lighting up North America, hungry hamsters battling to keep their food and huge elephant seals fighting each other. In the Micro Life room, visitors can immerse themselves in nature that’s too small to be seen by the human eye, as well as some creepy crawlies. The Vista Stage gives a bird’s eye view of wildlife and nature through drone (aerial camera) footage, and the Water Life room allows you to interact with…

by Jasbinder Bilan (Chicken House) Xanthe loves visiting her grandmother, who lives on the top floor of a tall tower block, with access to an amazing rooftop garden. Lately, though, the flat is untidy, the roof garden is overgrown, and Nani has started becoming forgetful and mixed-up. Xanthe is worried and wishes she knew what to do to help. When a mysterious cat starts appearing, it leads Xanthe to some clues from Nani’s childhood in Uganda. In the basement of the tower block, she is soon excavating long-lost treasures and artefacts, just like a real archaeologist. But as Xanthe pieces together these stories from the past, she uncovers long-buried memories and family secrets. Can she use her discoveries to help Nani? Author Jasbinder Bilan explores ideas of history, memory, family…

Farmers have been using scarecrows for hundreds of years. They are made to look like people and are placed in fields to frighten birds away from eating crops and seeds. The name says it all – their purpose is to scare crows and other birds that might peck at plants. Scarecrows are not just for farmers, though. You don’t need to live in the countryside or even have a large garden to have one on display. Scarecrow festivals and trails, where lots of them are made and placed around a local area for people to find, are also popular throughout the country. Making a scarecrow is lots of fun and you can use old materials and objects, such as clothing, potato sacks, tights and hats. You will need a grown-up…

Word fill in All these words, connected to insects, fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes? 3 Letters Ant Bug Fly Nit 6 Letters Hornet Larvae Thrips 7 Letters Cricket Firefly 8 Letters Antennae Cranefly 9 Letters Anopheles Whirligig 11 Letters Grasshopper Greenbottle Number tower Place a number in every circle to complete the tower. The value in each circle is the sum of the numbers in the two circles directly beneath it. Word jumble Rearrange the scrambled letters to form four words connected with shopping. Puzzles page and quiz answers Word jumble: Till, trolley, basket, receipt…

After eight months of knitting, Margaret Seaman has completed a giant woolly replica of Buckingham Palace. The model, which went on display at the Norfolk Makers Festival in Norwich, England, includes tiny knitted guards wearing official uniforms, and tourists admiring the palace. Seaman, who has been called the “Queen of Knitting”, started making models 10 years ago, after she joined a knitting club. She said, “It still amazes me that people are so interested in my knitting. I just love a big challenge and I like to keep myself busy.”…

“Here is a selfie of a tree frog, with me photobombing in the background! We found him at night in the Costa Rican rainforest. The other photo is of me taking time out in a hammock to read my copy of The Week Junior.”Alfie “I love reading the picture captions to my little brother.”Imogen and Atticus “I made drinks called “Worldie”. My friends and I came up with the idea to design our own bottles and create different flavours. Mine is the Vimto slush fruit mix.”George…

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 clean air should be a human right… “Yes, because I think that everybody deserves to live in an area that has clean air which it is safe to breathe in.” “No, because encouraging clean air is better than forcing it.” “Yes, because people with asthma suffer.” “Clean air helps to improve the environment.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…