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World leaders have called on Israel to do more to protect civilians (people who are not in the armed forces) in Gaza, a strip of land that borders Israel and is home to many Palestinian people. On 12 February, Israel’s military carried out air attacks on Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, and rescued two men who had been held as hostages (prisoners) in Rafah by Hamas. Hamas is a political and military organisation based in Gaza and is classed as a terrorist organisation by several countries, including the UK and the US. Israel says that around 100 more hostages are still being held by Hamas. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is also planning to send in soldiers to invade the city to destroy Hamas. Why is Israel…

Annie, or Anne, Nightingale was not only the first female DJ on BBC Radio 1, she was also the longest-serving DJ on the station. She was known as the Queen of Breaks, because she loved breakbeat, a drum pattern used in hip hop and dance music. However, she never got stuck in a particular musical style. Instead, Nightingale told a magazine, “I listen to what 13-year-olds listen to because that’s the future.” Nightingale became the first female DJ on BBC Radio 1 in 1970, three years after it launched in the UK. The station was set up for housewives to listen to at home and the first presenters were all men because BBC bosses thought women would like listening to men when their husbands were out at work. Nightingale said,…

Coral, because most people mistake them for rocks or plants. They are actually collections of tiny organisms called polyps, most closely related to jellyfish. Corals secrete a rocky chalk-like (calcium carbonate) exoskeleton around themselves for protection. They build underwater cities that house all sorts of marine life and they’ve even worked out how to be solar powered! Enjoy unlimited visits to ZSL London and Whipsnade Zoos, plus a host of other benefits with ZSL Membership. Find out more at zsl.org/membership/zsl-membership…

Researchers believe they have found evidence for a hidden ocean on Mimas, one of Saturn’s major moons. This makes Mimas a target for learning more about the origins of life in our solar system. Saturn has 146 moons orbiting it. The biggest is larger than the planet Mercury; the smallest is roughly the size of a sports arena on Earth. Mimas, which was first discovered in 1789, is one of the major moons and is about 250 miles wide. Experts used to think Mimas was mostly made out of solid ice and rock. In 2014, astronomers noticed its orbit around Saturn was wobbling. A wobbly orbit can be caused either by a core shaped like a rugby ball or a huge liquid ocean beneath the surface. At first, lots of…

On 11 February, the Ivory Coast men’s football team, officially known as Côte d’Ivoire, celebrated success in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon). Nicknamed the Elephants, they defeated Nigeria 2–1 in the final to win the trophy for the third time. The game was played in front of Ivory Coast’s passionate fans in Abidjan, the largest city in the west African country. Afcon is the biggest international football tournament in Africa. It’s contested by 24 countries and is usually held every two years. The tournament started on 13 January and the Ivory Coast and Nigeria both battled through six games to reach the final. The two teams played each other in the group stage, with Nigeria winning that game 1–0, but Ivory Coast had their revenge in a dramatic final.…

Are you in the mood for a giggle? There is a very funny show called Peter Pan Goes Wrong touring the UK. It tells the story of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, a made-up group of actors trying to put on a play – their own version of Peter Pan. There’s a lot that doesn’t go to plan but the cast must soldier on through the mistakes and disasters. Jamie Birkett, one of the stars, tells The Week Junior about some of the chaos that unfolds. The drama society, she says, has to cope with an actor who can’t remember his lines, not to mention some wobbly sets and lighting problems. Birkett is very proud to be starring in the show. The first time she saw it she was actually…

Megamind Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play Gru from Despicable Me isn’t the only criminal mastermind who has a change of heart about his villainous deeds. In this action-comedy film, released in 2010, Megamind is the most brilliant supervillain the world has ever seen. After years of trying to defeat the hero known as Metro Man, he finally succeeds. However, he soon discovers that in a world without his superhero enemy, he has nothing to do. To tackle his boredom, Megamind creates a new superhero called Titan. Things don’t quite go to plan, though, when Titan decides it’s more fun to be a villain and sets about using his powers to destroy the world. In a strange turn of events, Megamind must find a way to save the day for…

by Laila Rifaat (Chicken House) Aliya receives a mysterious jewel as a gift, which leads to an incredible discovery: she is descended from a long line of time-travellers. She must now go to the magical Infinite City to study and learn to understand her powers. There, she will also encounter the sinister Dorian Dark – a master of time with terrible plans to twist history. This story is set in a parallel version of Egypt, one of the world’s most ancient civilisations, where people have lived since 6000BC. It mixes in a lot of ideas drawn from traditional tales and legends, such as the flying carpet that transports Aliya to the Infinite City, and the sphinxes (fantastical creatures that are half-human, half-lion) who she meets there. This lively adventure story…

Mario and Donkey Kong have been starring in games together for 43 years now, having first met in the 1981 game Donkey Kong. They show no signs of stopping, either: their latest game has just come out for Nintendo’s Switch console. It’s called Mario vs. Donkey Kong, and it’s an all-new version of a game that was originally released in 2004 for one of the Switch’s ancestors: the Game Boy Advance. The graphics have been improved a lot for Nintendo’s latest device. There are also new levels, a two-player “co-op” (play together) mode and a “casual style” mode that makes the game easier and more relaxing. Like many of Mario and Donkey Kong’s famous games, this is all about platforms: running along them, jumping on and off them and using…

Suspected snooper flies free A pigeon accused of spying for China has been cleared of wrongdoing and released after eight months. When the unlucky bird was captured in India in May last year, it had rings on its legs that appeared to feature a message in a Chinese language. Detectives decided it was best to keep the animal under lock and key but further investigations eventually revealed that the bird was really an escaped racing pigeon from Taiwan. With the authorities satisfied it wasn’t up to any sinister activities, the pigeon was granted its freedom. City plunged into darkness by raccoon Thanks to a mischievous raccoon in Toronto, Canada, a power cut affected 7,000 people. The raccoon touched the electrical equipment at a power station, sending parts of the city…

On 12 February, a court in the Netherlands ordered the country’s government to stop parts for F-35 fighter planes being sent to Israel. The court said there is a “clear risk” that the parts are being used by Israel to break international law during its attacks on Gaza. Israel has denied accusations that its actions are breaking international law. The Dutch government said it will appeal the court’s ruling and that Israel needs the F-35 parts to defend itself from the threats it faces in the Middle East region.…

FINDING A NEW HOME Grey seals have found a new home – Orford Ness in Suffolk, England. The seals had been visiting the area for three years but experts who manage it kept it a secret until they were sure the seals were settled. A record 130 seal pups were recently born at Orford Ness. HELPING A CHARITY With his mum, older brother and sister, 10-year-old Caedan recently completed a five-day trek in the Arctic. Caedan has cerebral palsy, a condition that affects movement and balance, but he walked for around eight hours a day. The family aims to raise £10,000 for a charity that helped Caedan’s dad, who died from an illness. TRAVELLING AMPHIBIANS On 12 February, a stretch of road near Bath, England, was closed for up to…

Four historic gas lamps in Covent Garden, London, are now protected by law. “Listing” a building or monument is a way of recognising its importance and giving it special legal status. The four street lamps were installed in 1910 to mark the beginning of King George V’s reign. They have now been given Grade 2 listed status. Tim Bryars, of the campaign group London Gasketeers, told the BBC that the type of light the lamps give out cannot be recreated with modern technology.…

Last year, a music school in the UK reported that there had been an 80% decline in young people playing the recorder. However, many pupils do play a musical instrument as part of their lessons or as an after-school activity. Learning to play an instrument is hard work but it can be rewarding and fun. Research shows that actively creating music by playing an instrument is like a workout for the mind, which can increase activity in some parts of the brain – especially in young people. For this reason, and many others, some people think that every child should play a musical instrument. Other people say that’s silly because not everyone wants to take up playing or has any talent for it. So what do you think, should all…

A new study shows that sea otters are having a positive impact on salt marshes (wetlands located near the sea) in California, US. This is because the otters eat shore crabs, stopping them from damaging the habitat. The study was published in January and is based on decades worth of data collected around Elkhorn Slough, a salt marsh in California that is home to the state’s largest sea otter population. Salt marshes are very important. They support a lot of wildlife; they soak up carbon dioxide (a gas that causes climate change); and they stop pollution washing out to sea. Salt marshes are a very threatened habitat, partly because of rising sea levels causing erosion (wearing away). However, erosion at Elkhorn Slough had begun to slow and the scientists suspected…

Scientists have found that pink fairy armadillos have an unusual double skin. They have a pink leathery layer on top of another layer covered in silky white hairs. It’s thought they developed this to adapt to digging through dry sand and soil. • LIFESPAN: Five to 10 years. • HABITAT: Desert and shrubland in central Argentina. • SIZE: Up to 11.5 centimetres long. • DIET: Ants and other insects. • FUN FACT: Pink fairy armadillos are incredibly rare and hard to spot because they live underground. One researcher once spent 13 years working in their habitat without ever spotting one.…

Going shopping with your parents for an outfit or a new football kit can be great fun. However, in the UK we buy more clothes per person than any other country in Europe. What people might not realise is that the fashion industry, and particularly “fast fashion”, is harmful for the planet. What is “fast fashion”? Fast fashion refers to cheap clothing items that are quickly produced by large companies to follow the latest trends. Styles and trends change all the time and lots of people like to buy clothes that are in fashion right now. It could be something they’ve seen on a celebrity or even a friend – like a cool new style of jumper or tracksuit. The aim of fast fashion is to get these new styles…

Scientists have created a prosthetic hand that can detect different temperatures. Prosthetic limbs are artificial (made by humans) body parts that replace missing arms, feet, hands or legs. The MiniTouch aims to give people who have lost limbs the sensations they have been missing. The technology detects temperatures and feeds this back to the person wearing the prosthetic limb. It can sense both hot and cold temperatures, and people wearing it are even able to feel the warmth of another person’s hand. Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junior Science+Nature magazine sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

Australia Under-19 cricket team In the Men’s Under-19 World Cup final, Australia beat India to win the trophy for the fourth time. Kansas City Chiefs In the US, the Kansas City Chiefs scored a touchdown in overtime to beat the San Francisco 49ers and win their third Super Bowl in the last five years. Jemma Reekie The British athlete won the 800 metres race at the World Athletics Indoor Tour event in Lieven, France. Manchester City Women They beat Arsenal 1–0 to reach the women’s FA Cup quarter-finals. Leicester, Tottenham, Brighton, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton also won.…

The tale of Peter Pan, which begins with a group of children who fly to Neverland with Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, was originally a play. However, since it was first performed in 1904, there have been lots of film and TV adaptations. Among them is a 1953 Disney animated film, which is available to watch on Disney+. Another popular adaptation is a 1991 film called Hook, which features an adult Peter Pan who has to return to Neverland to face the villainous Captain Hook. It is available to watch on Amazon Prime.…

Teen Titans Go! Doom Patrol Available now on Cartoon Network A superhero group known as the Doom Patrol are going on some new adventures. Robotman makes a new friend, The Chief shows off his beard at a camping trip and Elasti-Girl gets pushed to her limit. How to Train Your Dragon 2 Available now on Netflix In this DreamWorks animated movie, Hiccup the Viking and his dragon, Toothless, discover a secret ice cave filled with hundreds of wild dragons. They have to join forces with a mysterious dragon rider to protect Berk, Hiccup’s village, from a power-hungry warrior with his own army of dragons. Operation Ouch! Available now on BBC iPlayer In the newest series, doctors Chris, Xand and Ronx are discovering even more amazing facts about the human body.…

Describe this book in three words… Adventure, time travel, friendship. Favourite Egyptian myth? I’m fascinated by the Siren of the Nile, the Naddaha. She lives in the River Nile and calls out to people (especially men) after nightfall. Drawn by her irresistible voice, the unlucky fellows end up in her clutches. Where would you visit if you could time travel? I would love to uncover the mystery of how the pyramids were built. What sort of mythical creature would you most like as a pet? A sphinx might be a bit frustrating if it kept asking you riddles, but a hieracosphinx, with a falcon head and a lion body, might be cool since it can fly. As long as it didn’t snap my legs off. Just imagine swooping off to…

Beachcombing involves searching the seashore for interesting objects, both natural and made by humans. Late winter is a great time to try this fun activity because strong winds and big waves churn up the sea and fling things ashore. After a storm is one of the best times to go beachcombing. You could discover pretty shells, lots of different seaweeds or the remains of sea creatures. Common finds include the leathery egg cases of sharks and rays, known as mermaid’s purses; the chalky ovals of cuttlefish bones; or the remains of sea urchins – round shells called tests, which are covered in raised dots instead of the spines that they shed when they die. You could also see sun-bleached driftwood or sea glass – fragments of glass worn smooth and…

After Pia and Lucy’s takeover last week, I’m back! As you can see from this page we have been enjoying your photos of Lunar New Year celebrations. It’s lovely to see the splashes of red and gold when everything in parks and gardens is brown and grey. Almost everything, I should say. I have been watching the crocuses and snowdrops blooming on my way to work – and now there are even some daffodils coming out, which is all great news for early pollinators. You can help pollinators too, in the form of bumblebees (page 5). By using the information people send in about how bumbles behave, gardening experts can advise people on the best things to plant. Our cover story this week is all about getting close to nature…

BBC begins search for young reporter Now open for entries is the BBC Young Reporter Competition 2024. Young people aged between 11 and 18 are invited to submit original story ideas on the theme of “me and my world”. Report ideas can be a personal story or about an issue that is important to you and your friends. You don’t need to send a finished report to get involved, just an original idea. Winners will get to report on their stories on the BBC. The deadline is 24 March 2024, and you can find more details online. Just search for “BBC young reporter competition”. GET INVOLVED Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Please include your full name and address so that we can send you a Roving Reporter…

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 our readers whether it is ok to keep an exotic pet… “No, some exotic animals could be dangerous if they escaped.” “Yes, only if you know how to keep them healthy and happy.” “No, the environment in our homes might hurt exotic pets.” “Yes, it keeps them safe from predators.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

1 Medals for the 2024 Olympics will include pieces of which French landmark? □ a) The Arc de Triomphe □ b) The Eiffel Tower □ c) Notre-Dame Cathedral 2 True or false? The Scottish city of Inverness has just introduced a ban on pavement parking. □ True □ False 3 In which year is the song, As Slow As Possible, expected to end? □ a) 2034 □ b) 2100 □ c) 2640 4 What are climbers on Mount Everest now required to take down with them in a special bag? 5 True or false? King Charles is in the Magic Circle. □ True □ False 6 Which pets are people banned from owning on the island of Svalbard? 7 How many tonnes of clothes does the UK send to landfill…

Nick Lee, also known as Magic Nick, tries to bring joy to seriously ill children and their families during a child’s time in hospital. Lee works with the charity Spread A Smile, which sends lots of artists, including magicians, into hospitals where young people are being treated for life-threatening illnesses. The aim is to create memories for families at the toughest of times. Before he worked with the charity, two of Lee’s family had been in Great Ormond Street Hospital and had been visited there by Spread A Smile magicians. He says seeing his nephew’s eyes light up at the magicians was his “all-time favourite thing”. Often people who become magicians grow up in families that do magic, but in Lee’s family he is “the first of the magicians.” He…

Stinking hellebore grows wild in woods across the southern half of England and Wales. It gets its name because its leaves have a strong “meaty” smell when crushed – some people say they smell like roast beef, although others describe it as being like wet dog or coffee. Don’t touch any part of the plant to check – all of it is poisonous. Stinking hellebore’s dark green leaves are long and thin like a palm but with ragged edges. It blooms from February to April and its bell-shaped flowers are on a paler green stalk. They droop over, a bit like snowdrops, and are a lime colour with purple lines rimming the edges. The flowers are popular with early-emerging queen bees looking for food, and they give off heat to…

Giant anteaters For the first time in more than 100 years, a giant anteater has been spotted in southern Brazil. It was seen in video footage wandering through an area with low trees and bushes. Experts think it came from Argentina, where the species was introduced to a national park in 2007. Red handfish Experts are worried about the impact of marine heatwaves on red handfish, which live off the island of Tasmania, Australia. Their fins look like hands, which they use to walk along the seabed. There are only 100 left in the wild but 25 have been taken into captivity to protect the species.…

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 the mornings and evenings are slowly getting lighter? Being hopeful that spring is around the corner and warmer, brighter days are ahead is a powerful feeling. This is because hope gives us the strength to be positive, even when things don’t go our way. What is hope? Hope is a positive feeling that things will get better. It’s more than just wishful thinking; hope means taking action and believing you have the power to achieve your goals. “When I’m hopeful it makes me see the brightness in myself,” says The Week Junior reader Jonah, aged eight, “It’s good to be hopeful because it gives you a chance to be happy about things.” Charles Snyder, a psychologist (an expert in how we think) studied hopeful thinking and said…

Cross My Heart and Never Lie by Nora Dasnes (Farshore) It’s the start of a new school year and for 12-year-old Tuva everything is changing. Her best friends have split into two groups and Tuva is expected to choose a side. Then Mariam turns up and things begin to make more sense. This graphic novel is a tale of friendship and growing up. Stitch Head: The Graphic Novel by Guy Bass and Pete Williamson (Little Tiger Press) Stitch Head is a strange little creature who lives in the depths of Castle Grotteskew. A travelling circus ringmaster knocks at the castle door and promises to make him a star. Could this be Stitch Head’s big chance – or is he making a terrible mistake? A new picture-driven edition of a popular…

Travel sickness meant that Siobhan McDermott could never read in cars or on buses as a child. On her way to school, she entertained herself by coming up with her own stories, inspired by the Chinese legends and Irish folklore she heard through her Irish father’s and Chinese mother’s families. McDermott grew up on Lantau Island in Hong Kong. She often travelled by ferry to visit her grandparents and the boat trip inspired her first book, Paper Dragons: The Fight for the Hidden Realm. It’s about 12-year-old Zhi Ging, who embarks on an adventure to an underwater world where she has the chance to train with the immortals – and eventually become one. She starts at the school of Hok Woh, where she studies with strange tutors and faces thrilling…

Crossword Read the clues carefully and write the answers into the grid. Across 1 Chest bones (4) 3 Desert plant (6) 8 Order, instruct (7) 9 Teacher’s title (3) 10 ___ wiper, car’s anti-rain device (10) 13 Tall modern building (5,5) 17 Almond or cashew, eg (3) 18 Padded cloth to keep the pot hot (3,4) 19 Band of colour (6) 20 Joint in the leg (4) Down 1 Boulder (4) 2 Disney deer (5) 4 Find the sum of two numbers (3) 5 Sense in the mouth (5) 6 Cord to tie up a parcel (6) 7 Set of steps (6) 11 Dog’s neckwear item (6) 12 Pebbles (6) 14 Melted ice (5) 15 Funny circus performer (5) 16 Bicycle-wheel covering (4) 18 Knock lightly (3) Number tower Place…

Alexandra Rose Charity This charity believes everyone should have access to healthy food – but it can be expensive. In 2014, the charity developed the Rose Vouchers for Fruit & Veg Project. This gives vouchers to families who can’t afford healthy food, which they can use to buy fresh fruit and vegetables from local markets. Since the project launched it has supported 19,500 children. It has recently developed Fruit & Veg on Prescription to give vouchers to people who have long-term health problems.…

Teacher’s name: Mrs Stobie School: Southdale Primary School, Armadale, West Lothian “Mrs Stobie is such a great teacher, our whole class love her. She is great at teaching me maths and spelling in fun ways. She loves riddles, gaming and is a really fun person.”Daniel 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…