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On 13 April, Iran launched an attack on Israel. Israel’s military said more than 300 missiles and drones (small flying machines) were launched at the country, but that almost all of them were shot down before they could do any damage. What happened? The attack began at around 8pm and lasted around five hours. The US and the UK, which are allies (countries that support each other) of Israel, helped to shoot down some drones and missiles. Jordan shot down others that were travelling over the country towards Israel, and it was helped by France. Israel’s missile defence systems shot down others. US officials told CBS News that only five missiles hit Israel. Four hit the Nevatim air force base in the country’s south. Why did Iran attack Israel? Iran…

Your parents and grandparents probably played on their street. Nowadays, most children are not allowed outside alone, partly because of speedy vehicles. In some roads, play is forbidden, with signs saying “no ball games”, so that cars and property don’t get damaged. One in eight UK homes do not have a garden and not everyone has a park nearby. This means that young people are playing outside less, which can have a negative effect on their mental and physical health. Playing Out encourages residents to apply for their street (if it is not a main road or bus route) to be closed to traffic for up to three hours per week, so that children can play. But this means traffic has to be diverted onto other streets. What do you…

Bath amphibians Newts, frogs and toads have been given a helping hand to cross a road in Bath, England. A half-mile stretch of road was closed for six weeks while 52 volunteers patrolled with torches and buckets. They carried 3,177 amphibians towards a lake, which is where they breed. UK crops Farmers say there has been a big drop in the amount of food being grown in the UK because of record-breaking levels of rain. Lots of fields were flooded after a very wet winter and this could affect the harvest of crops like barley and wheat, which go into bread.…

Passover is a very important festival in the Jewish calendar. It’s marked by Jews all over the world and begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nisan, which is usually in March or April. This year, Passover starts on 22 April and lasts for eight days. The story of Passover According to the Jewish Bible (the Torah), around 3,300 years ago a group of Jewish people called the Israelites were enslaved (forced to work) in Egypt for over 200 years. A man called Moses asked the pharaoh (king) many times to free them but he refused, so God sent 10 disasters, called plagues. These included fierce hailstorms, lice and covering the land in frogs. The last plague was the death of every first-born son. Moses told the…

Researchers at Yonsei University, South Korea, have created a portable water purifier powered by walking. Instead of the water-purification system being powered by a battery, it has a device that picks up static electricity from the holder’s hand. Static is a type of electricity generated by movement. It’s the same electricity that makes hair crackle when it’s brushed. The purifier can charge in 10 minutes and kills harmful bacteria and viruses. It could be used to help people living without access to clean water and power supplies, or in places regularly hit by natural disasters. Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junior Science+Nature magazine sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

Mykolas Alekna The athlete from Lithuania set a world record in the men’s discus with a throw of 74.35 metres in Oklahoma, US. Scottie Scheffler On 14 April, American golfer Scheffler won the Masters event for the second time. It’s one of the four biggest men’s golf tournaments each year. Great Britain Billie Jean King Cup team Great Britain won 3-1 against France to reach the finals of the Billie Jean King Cup tennis tournament. Manchester United Women and Tottenham Hotspur Women Manchester United beat Chelsea and Tottenham defeated Leicester to reach the Women’s FA Cup final.…

The Perth Museum in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, has recently opened a big exhibition, Unicorn, exploring the importance of the magical creature and what it has stood for at different moments in history. JP Reid, who works at the museum, points out that the unicorn has been popular for more than 2,000 years. “From medieval tapestries and oil paintings, to toys, video games and movies.” Over the centuries its image has changed – in the past the unicorn was considered fierce and wild; nowadays it is often shown as a cute, fun and friendly creature. The Week Junior spoke to the museum’s Niamh Finlay, who says the show might not be quite what you expect. “It’s not all glitter and rainbows,” she says. “It’s got interesting history and incredible art”.…

Nathanael Lessore’s latest book, King of Nothing, is about growing up. The story is based on his life as a working-class person from Peckham, London, born to French and Madagascan parents. To Lessore, Peckham is a warm and friendly place where most of his family live, but it hasn’t always had this reputation. In 2001, says Lessore, due to crime in the area involving young people, there was a “push to get kids off the street” and into community centres. Similarly, in King of Nothing, the main character Anton keeps getting in trouble and his mum makes him join an activity club called the Happy Campers. At first Anton hates it but then he makes an unlikely friend and starts to see the power of a community working together. Lessore…

Quilling is a technique for making designs that involves coiling and folding paper strips to make 3D shapes. The technique is hundreds of years old and some believe it can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians. It was also a popular hobby for wealthy women in the 18th and 19th centuries. Here, we’re going to show you how to use quilling to create a swirly turtle to celebrate Earth Day (22 April). This year it’s all about raising awareness of plastic pollution, which affects all marine life. If you enjoy quilling, try making more paper sea creatures to create an underwater scene. What you need • Thin coloured paper or magazines• A ruler• A pencil• Scissors• Glue• Card for a background• A thin wooden skewer 1 Cut A4 coloured…

This week’s cover has been several (secret) weeks in the making, and we were thrilled when it was finally confirmed. On 3 April, reader Josie and writer Eve went to interview Anthony Joshua – and you can read about what happened on page 9. I cannot imagine being able to eat that much for breakfast! Did you take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch this year? We reveal the results on page 5. If you enjoyed lending your observation skills to help protect animals, on page 11 you can find out about helping the People’s Trust for Endangered Species in their hunt for water voles, which are very cute and have become worryingly rare in recent times. By finding where they live, the charity can work to support them. We…

Create a picture of your dream job or hobby showing how it uses numbers, and you could win an amazing prize pack worth £1,000 for your school or youth group, and a £50 gift token for yourself. The charity National Numeracy is inviting young people aged from three to 13 and those who get SEN support or have an EHCP plan to enter this year’s Number Heroes competition. Head judge Bobby Seagull said, “Numbers are everywhere, and they’re something all of us use every day without even thinking about it.” It’s all part of National Numeracy Day on Wednesday 22 May. For full competition details go to tinyurl.com/TWJ-numeracy…

Teacher’s name: Miss Hopkin School: Christ College Brecon, Wales “I want to nominate Miss Hopkin, our Welsh teacher, because she is so helpful, caring and friendly all the time. Especially when we are struggling with our grammar and pronunciation, she is always happy to help. She is leaving at the end of this year, so we would love to thank her for all she does, and say goodbye to her and her three adorable dogs.” Anna 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…

• Population: 87.6 million.• Area: 1.6 million square kilometres.• Capital city: Tehran.• Currency: The rial.• Official language: Persian.• Religion: Mainly Islam but the ancient religion Zoroastrianism has its roots in Iran.• Government: The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, confirms the election of the president and leaders for law courts, the military and media.• Geography: Mainly mountains and desert. Its northern coastline borders the Caspian Sea.…

A COMMUNITY PROJECT A three-year moth project organised by the Butterfly Conservation charity has been hailed a huge success. Around 26,000 people took part in 345 events across Kent, England. Activities included growing moth-friendly plants and decorating moth-shaped biscuits. KEEPING DORMICE SAFE In the Forest of Dean, England, the charity Forestry England has built two rope bridges for hazel dormice. The bridges are designed to help the dormice travel safely above the forest floor, away from predators. They were built because there are gaps in the animals’ habitats after diseased ash trees had to be cut down. ECO-FRIENDLY MUSIC FANS On 8 April, the pop star Billie Eilish announced that all physical copies of her new album will be made using environmentally friendly materials. Available on vinyl, CD and cassette…

• Only one in four children play regularly on their street. Many parents think it is too dangerous, mainly because of cars.• In some parts of the UK there are not enough parks or outdoor spaces for children, according to research in 2022.• IMany studies show that playing in the open air is vital to young people’s mental and physical wellbeing.• IPlaying Out is a national organisation that campaigns for residential roads to be closed to traffic sometimes. Since 2022, it has led to over 1,500 UK streets being regularly closed to traffic so children can play outside their homes. Scan the QR code to vote in the debate…

Who’s your biggest hero? My dad. If you weren’t a sports person what job would you have liked? A bricklayer or an accountant. What’s your favourite film? Rocky. It’s a really good story about a guy who becomes a famous boxer. What’s your biggest fear? I don’t have a biggest fear, because I have a very positive mind and everything’s fun. Every day is a blessing, so I have no fear. What do you have for breakfast? Breakfast includes potatoes, yams, chicken, spinach, eggs, nuts, mangos, avocado and a cup of ginger tea.…

The St Mark’s fly is so-called because it usually emerges around St Mark’s Day on 25 April. Found all over the UK, this black and shiny fly is 1.2 to 1.4 centimetres long. Males have large eyes, clear wings and long, dangling black legs. Females are slightly bigger, with smaller heads, eyes and legs and brown wings. The male’s googly eyes are divided by a groove. The upper and lower parts have separate connections to the brain, so they can use the upper eye to look out for females and the lower eye to watch where they are going. Between April and June they buzz around woodland edges, hedgerows, fields and wetlands, often in large swarms. St Mark’s flies feed on nectar and pollinate spring flowers.…

Sadie, 11 “Every year, me and my family come together for the Seder. Because I’m the youngest of all my cousins, I get to sing the Ma Nishtana (the Four Questions) which asks, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” Natan, 11 “I enjoy making my own Haggadah at school and hearing the story of the Exodus on Seder night. I love having time with my family and the traditional foods. I also tell Passover jokes: What did the lion say after tasting the bitter herbs? Ma-Roar!” Ariella, 11 “I love Seder night when we tell the story of Jews being led out of Egypt. There are some odd traditions like eating eggs in saltwater to represent the salty tears of the slaves, but it actually tastes quite…

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2024…

Your mind is incredible. It lets you calculate, dream, imagine, plan and remember – but sometimes it might feel like it’s monkeying around, leaping from thought to thought. It’s normal to feel restless or confused when this happens. Thankfully, there are ways to settle it back down. What is your monkey mind? The term “monkey mind” is used in Buddhism (a faith from South Asia) for how distracted the mind can get. It’s like an animal or toddler that plays up because it has lots of energy and wants some attention. The best response is to make friends with your monkey mind. “It’s common to feel annoyed with yourself for having so many thoughts,” says Michelle Nicholls, a counsellor and psychotherapist (an expert in thoughts and feelings). “But what if…

Which three things could you not live without? Books. The writing shed at the bottom of my garden. Earl Grey tea. Who would enjoy this book? Anyone who likes books packed with mystery, adventure and a spooky, Gothic atmosphere. When and why did you start writing? I was working as a teacher and I wanted to write books that would really appeal to the students I was teaching: stories that had a “classic” feel to them but that were gripping and engaging for today’s readers. Do you believe in magic? I believe in the sort of magic that stories can conjure, the magic that connects us all together and the ancient magic of nature. What inspired The Island at the Edge of Night? My stories often begin with a dramatic…

“Nothing stands still, except in our memory.” Staying at his aunt and uncle’s home, Tom faces a mystery: why does his uncle’s clock strike 13 times? As he investigates, he discovers a stunning, sunlit garden that only appears after midnight. There, it seems he is a ghost: he cannot touch anything around him, and it seems like people cannot see or hear him. That is, until he meets Hatty. Published in 1958, Tom’s Midnight Garden, by Philippa Pearce, is a beautiful tale of time travel and friendship, and a favourite with many generations of young readers.…

Book Aid International Book Aid International shares the power of books and helps create a more equal world. Every year the charity provides more than one million brand-new, carefully chosen books to thousands of communities around the world where people have little or no chance to read. It also works with its many partners to create and support libraries and reading spaces. The charity aims to ensure that books get to even the most remote places, whether that’s by bicycle, lorry, motorbike, or even by camel. To find out how you could help young readers too, ask an adult to visit bookaid.org…

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.…

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 snakes should be bred for meat… “No, snakes shouldn’t be bred for meat because it’s cruel.” “If the venom is taken out and they’re not alive then we could have a try.” “No, I love snakes and I will never, ever, ever eat one.” “Yes – if other animals are bred for meat, then why can’t snakes be? Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

1 What has been built for dormice in the Forest of Dean? □ a) Boxes □ b) Bridges □ c) Boats 2 True or false? Toy company Mattel has released a new version of the board game Monopoly. □ True □ False 3 What is the most popular way for people to travel around Paris, France? ___________________ 4 In which country is the world’s shortest street? □ a) Scotland □ b) Australia □ c) India 5 True or false? Anthony Joshua would have liked to have been a bricklayer or an accountant. □ True □ False 6 What does PTES stand for? ___________________ 7 Jewish people eat matzah during Passover – what is it? □ a) A potato dish □ b) A thin and crispy bread □ c) A hard-boiled…

Now that you’ve read a bit more about it, tell us what you think by voting in our poll at theweekjunior.co.uk/polls. Vote YES if you think roads should be closed for play, or NO if you don’t. We’ll publish the results next week. The aim of the Big debate page is to present two sides of an issue fairly and objectively, in order to stimulate discussion and allow our readers to make up their minds. The views on the page do not reflect those of The Week Junior, and the page is not funded by third parties.…

On 22 April, people across the planet will mark Earth Day. This is a yearly event that celebrates the achievements of environmental campaigners and highlights the need to protect the environment for future generations. There are lots of different ways to take part, and there are events taking place all across the UK. Earth Day began in 1970 in the US but since then it has grown enormously. Although it is officially only one day, many events or campaigns take place across the course of a week or even a month. The Earth Day movement also encourages people to do things all year that will help the planet. The theme of this year’s Earth Day is Planet vs. Plastics, and the aim is to highlight the harm that plastics, which…

Yes, but instead of getting hay fever-type sniffles like we do, animals often get itchy skin, feet or ears. Some of our animals get treatments for allergies, just like humans. At London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo animals with allergies include a Diana monkey who gets skin allergies from tree pollen and a greater one-horned rhino with asthma. We think the rhino’s allergy is due to hay dust. 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 working in the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy, have found two frescoes (a type of wall painting) in a large dining hall. The art has laid undisturbed beneath ash and pumice (a kind of rock that comes from volcanoes) for nearly 2,000 years. Pompeii was a thriving Roman city in ancient Italy, until an eruption by Mount Vesuvius (a nearby volcano) in AD79 buried it. The thick layer of ash and rock protected many of Pompeii’s treasures from damage and thieves. Teams of archaeologists (experts who study ancient objects to help us understand history) are gradually uncovering its mysteries. The team injected a special kind of glue into the back of the frescoes to keep them from falling off the wall. Temporary roofing is being put up over the…

On 10 April, London Lions celebrated becoming the first British basketball team to win a European title. They defeated Besiktas, a team from Turkey, in the final of the EuroCup Women competition. The final was played over two games. London Lions lost the first game in Turkey by 68 points to 75. That meant they needed to win the second, at the Copper Box Arena in London, by eight points for overall victory. In an exciting match, Holly Winterburn and Megan Gustafson scored points late on as London Lions won 81–70. That gave them a total of 149 points, beating Besiktas’s total of 145. “We’ve deserved this. We’ve practised hard every single day,” said Winterburn. London Lions won all six of their EuroCup Women games to reach the knockout stages.…

Future Hopes edited by Lauren James (Walker Books) In these short stories, nine writers including M.G. Leonard, Tolá Okogwu and Louie Stowell offer hopeful possibilities for the future in the face of climate change. You’ll find imaginative tales about everything from guerrilla gardening to skyscraper farms – and you’ll be left feeling inspired and empowered to help our planet. The Last Wild by Piers Torday (Hachette Children’s) When a flock of excited pigeons appears in his bedroom, Kester discovers he has the amazing ability to communicate with animal pests. Soon, he realises that these creatures need his help. The first in a trilogy (three-part series), this award-winning environmental adventure is a classic. Outside In: Nature Poems by Daniel Thompson. Illustrated by Julia Murray (Collins Kids) This illustrated poetry book from…

Please email your book review to us at hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If it is printed in the magazine you will receive a Roving Reporter badge. Please describe the book in three words, what you liked about it and why you’d recommend it to others. Don’t forget to include your name and address.* *If you are the competition winner, we will only use the details you provide to contact you and arrange delivery of your competition prize. Further details about how we manage the data you provide can be found at futureplc.com/privacy-policy…

A great board or card game can really bring a family or group of friends together, even if it means the odd disagreement about whose rules to play by. One way to settle that is to put your games console or smartphone in charge – lots of the most popular board and card games can now be played on a screen too. Property-buying game Monopoly has several different versions, including Monopoly Plus on PlayStation and Xbox consoles; regular Monopoly on Nintendo’s Switch; and Monopoly Go for smartphones. In all cases, you can play with friends or on your own. Hugely popular card game, Uno, has also been turned into different games, with Uno Ultimate Edition on PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and the normal Uno for Switch and smartphones. One of…

Two Irish basketball teams were recently ordered by league officials to replay just 0.3 seconds of a match. On 23 March, Portlaoise Panthers lost to Limerick Sport Eagles after the referee gave Limerick two free throws (each worth a point) right at the very end of the match. Limerick scored them, which won them the match, but Portlaoise argued the game had already ended when the throws were awarded. Several days later, after official discussions, the teams were ordered to replay a tiny fraction of the match. Portlaoise wanted the whole game replayed, and they refused to play the extra 0.3 seconds. Unfortunately, their refusal handed their opponents, Limerick, the victory.…

“This is an amazing daisy I found at the play park outside my house in Devizes.”Cressie “We were visiting a stable when we came across a peculiar horse who kept sticking his tongue out at us. It was really funny, so we asked him to say ‘cheese!’”Leo and Irina “When The Week Junior finally arrives (and you are desperate to read it), but it is also your turn to cook.”Christina…