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Sheikh Hasina Wazed was elected prime minister of Bangladesh for the fourth time in a row on 8 January. The 76-year-old has been in power since 2009, and was also prime minister from 1996 to 2001. She is the world’s longest-serving female leader but her opponents say her victory was not fair. What happened? People voted on 7 January but the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), did not take part in the election because they did not think it was fair. In the weeks beforehand there was rioting and violence around the country. Officials say 40% of people who were allowed to vote did so, but other estimates claim it was as low as 28%. Hasina’s party, the Awami League, won 223 out of 300 places in…

COMPOSTING IN FRANCE New rules came into force in France on 1 January, saying that organic waste must be recycled. This includes leftover food and garden waste like grass cuttings. The waste will be turned into biogas (a non-polluting fuel) or compost to help plants grow. A YOUNG DARTS PLAYER On 3 January, 16-year-old Luke Littler became the youngest player to compete in the final of the World Darts Championship. More than 4.8 million people tuned in to watch the final on TV. Littler eventually lost to Luke Humphries, but making it to the final has earned him a place in more top darts tournaments. HUNGRY DONKEYS People from Co. Down, Northern Ireland, have been donating their old Christmas trees to Kinedale Donkeys. The farm receives around 200 trees a…

Red kites get sociable in January, when they can often be seen swooping together. These birds of prey almost died out in the UK but, thanks to a breeding programme in the 1980s, they’re now common in parts of England, Wales and Scotland. Red kites’ bodies and upper wings are reddish brown with dark streaks. Under their wings and tails are white feathers. They have a pale grey head and a yellow beak with a dark hook. Their wings span up to 1.8 metres and help them glide, searching for food over fields and woods. Red kites are scavengers, eating dead animals but if they have to they eat birds and small mammals. They like colourful things – people have found crisp packets in red kite nests.…

A new type of antibiotic has been discovered that can kill one of the three types of bacteria (tiny living things) that doctors say are the greatest threat to human health because they cause serious diseases. Antibiotics are medicines that fight illnesses caused by bacteria. The new one, called Zosurabalpin, has been shown to work against bacteria called Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB for short). According to the World Health Organization, CRAB is a “priority one” (most dangerous) bacteria because it can cause serious illness – but most antibiotics can’t kill it. CRAB bacteria have an outer shell that acts like armour. This allows the bugs to live in harsh conditions and survive attacks from medicines or human immune systems (the body’s way of protecting itself against infection). A recent study…

Coco Gauff The 19-year-old US tennis player won the Auckland Classic in New Zealand for the second year in a row. Zoe Backstedt The British cyclist won her cyclo-cross race in Gullegem, Belgium. Cyclo-cross involves cycling through mud, over obstacles and at times carrying or running with your bike. German tennis team Germany beat Poland to win the United Cup tennis event. The United Cup is a mixed gender competition held in Australia. Maidstone United In the FA Cup, Maidstone beat Stevenage 1-0. They are three leagues below Stevenage and the lowest-ranked team in the competition.…

“Well-behaved women rarely make history,” says one of the characters in the musical called Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World, which is appearing in theatres across the UK. The world we live in has been shaped by some incredible, and not always well-behaved women, whether artists, campaigners, nurses, scientists or writers. Some of the women are very famous but others’ stories have been almost forgotten. The musical brings these women to life, reminding the audience of their brilliant achievements in a musical filled with pop songs. Jade, the main character, visits a museum with her class and discovers the Gallery of Greatness. In this magical place she meets inspiring women from history, including scientist Marie Curie and pilot Amelia Earhart. The 18th century British writer, Jane Austen (see box),…

Hilda and the Mountain King Netflix The third and final series of Hilda was released on Netflix in December 2023. Based on a graphic novel series by Luke Pearson, the animated show is about a fearless girl who leaves her enchanted forest home to explore the city and meet new friends and magical creatures. Hilda and the Mountain King is a feature-length adventure, set between the second and third series, where Hilda wakes up in the body of a troll. She embarks on an adventure to turn herself into a human again, while her mother tries to search for her in the mountains. Hilda must use her wits and courage to save the city of Trolberg from an invasion of trolls, before it’s too late.…

by Benjamin Dean (Simon & Schuster Children’s) In this otherworldly science-fiction story, Zed is fascinated by the Demons who fall from the sky through the mysterious tears that have been created by escaped shooting stars. His dad works as a Hunter whose job is to help eliminate the Demons – and Zed hopes to follow in his footsteps one day. The official assessment to test his skills doesn’t go as he hoped, so Zed makes up his mind to track down a Demon himself, proving he has what it takes to be a hero. Zed discovers a young Demon called Spark and soon realises that this breed isn’t what he thought. This Demon is nothing like the stories he’s heard – instead, he’s just a frightened boy who wants to…

On 15 August 2021, a military and political group with extreme views called the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Since the takeover, the rules governing women and girls have got far stricter. They are forbidden from going out of their home and into the street without a male relative. Women cannot go to gyms or parks, nor be involved in politics. After the Taliban took control, a group of women writers living around Afghanistan started sharing their experiences with each other using a messaging app. Their messages became a diary, which has now been published as a book for children called Rising After the Fall. “In the beginning, we wanted to write our memories,” one of the writers, Batool Haidari, told The Week Junior. The women used the messages to…

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 372 574 656 712 4 numbers 5755 6166 6670 7781 8317 5 numbers 16462 20668 81245 6 numbers 264430 481667 852271 7 numbers 4133641 4570185 4764073 8 numbers 11363310 50743189 56478410 61225113 9 numbers 304363753 574465222 981020106 Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. BULL CALF CHICKEN COCKEREL COLLIE COW DONKEY DUCK FOAL GOAT GOOSE HEIFER HEN HORSE LAMB MARE PIG PONY ROOSTER SHEEP 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…

St Mungo’s Last year, thousands of people had no home or had to sleep out on the streets. St Mungo’s works every day to find people who are sleeping rough and try to end homelessness. The charity runs hostels and emergency accommodation to give people the time and space to recover and help them to learn new skills, get jobs and find a home. In 2023, St Mungo’s ran more than 1,000 projects supporting more than 28,000 people. Each night, its work means that almost 2,700 people have a bed and somewhere safe to stay. Find out more about St Mungo’s at mungos.org…

1 Which kingdom did Alexander the Great and his father rule? □ a) Greece □ b) Macedonia □ c) The Roman Empire 2 True or false? Winnie the Pooh was inspired by a bear that lived at London Zoo, called Winnie. □ True □ False 3 The film Star Wars: A New Hope is going to be translated into which language? 4 In which year was the first powered plane flown by two brothers? □ a) 1891 □ b) 1903 □ c) 1932 5 True or false? Jamie Smart’s turkey is called Francis. □ True □ False 6 Scientists recently described 619 new species of which insect? 7 What was Minecraft originally called by its creator? □ a) Sandbox □ b) Cave Game □ c) Townscaper 8 True or false?…

Last year, world leaders travelled from lots of countries to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to talk about climate change at COP28. To get there from the UK, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary David Cameron and King Charles III all travelled in separate private jets. Many people criticised this and said they were setting a bad example. According to research by The Guardian newspaper, since the start of 2022 the private jets of just 200 celebrities produced as much carbon dioxide as 40,000 average British people would in the same time period. However, some people argue that it’s the most practical and safe way for important world leaders to get to their destinations. What do you think? Should private jets be allowed? Yes – they are practical for…

Minecraft has now sold more than 300 million copies, making it one of the world’s most popular video games. Find out the story behind Minecraft and why young people still love to explore, build and battle there. What is Minecraft? Minecraft is what’s known as a sandbox game. This is a type of immersive video game (when a game features a 3D image that appears to surround the player’s character) where gamers can explore and play in a virtual environment. When Minecraft players open the game they’re dropped into a large open world with mountains, forests, caves and oceans to investigate. The game has no set goal and players can do whatever they like. They could use blocks to build things, venture out to battle or even build a portal…

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a fibre inspired by the incredible heat-retaining properties of polar bear fur. It’s made from aerogel, a material created from a gel that has all the liquid removed. Scientists say thematerial is very good at holding in heat and doesn’t need to be as thick as other materials to keep people warm. It’s also very long-lasting. The scientists stretched it to twice its normal size 10,000 times, yet it still kept its original shape. Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junior Science+Nature magazine sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

Feeling joy is good for you and not just because you feel happy in the moment. You can save it up and use it again. Why is joy important? When you feel joyful you’re in a positive mood, which helps you to deal with challenges and solve problems. Chartered psychologist (expert in thoughts and feelings) Suzy Reading says experiencing joy is good for your health. “It boosts your immune system, protecting you from illness, and it reduces pain, worry and stress, helping you sleep.” The joy you feel doesn’t only benefit you, the people around you gain from it too because joy is contagious (easily spread). Scientists have found that your joy can rub off on your family and friends – and even the people they spend time with. What…

Jane Austen Author Jane Austen was born in 1775. She published four novels in her lifetime – her most famous was Pride and Prejudice. Austen was brilliant at creating very realistic characters that still make readers laugh today. Frida Kahlo Frida Kahlo was born in Mexico in 1907. Kahlo was a painter known for her self-portraits. She learned to paint after a serious bus accident. While recovering she painted herself from her reflection in a mirror above her bed. Rosa Parks Parks lived in the US, where the law said black people did not have the same rights as white people. In 1955, Parks refused to give up her bus seat for a white man. Parks’ brave act started major protests that led to equal rights for black people.…

The Brilliant World of Tom Gates, Series 3 Available now on NOW TV and Sky Kids Based on the bestselling books, this show is all about Tom Gates, a boy who loves doodling. His latest adventures include making friends with a pigeon, meeting a bug expert and starting a secret club. Each episode has creative ideas to do at home, like making a paper plate guitar. Style It Out Available now on BBC iPlayer Nine young fashion fans compete to show their designs at London Fashion Week. All their creations will be made from pre-loved, second-hand or vintage materials and clothes. Their unique designs could be for anyone, including their teacher, their nan or a celebrity. Sonic Prime, Series 3 Available now on Netflix After accidentally destroying Green Hill Zone,…

Benjamin Dean The author tells The Week Junior why his favourite day is Sunday. What would your superpower be? I would love to be able to teleport. It would save getting on the Tube every day. What will readers learn from this book? That there is nothing to fear in difference and you should always lead with kindness and empathy. Which of your characters are you most like? All of my characters are made up of different parts of me but I am definitely most similar to Zed. Sweet or savoury foods? I do love savoury but you just can’t beat a good sweet treat – a good dessert makes me VERY happy. Favourite day of the week and why? I used to really hate Sundays but now I love…

Last year was jam-packed with new games for consoles, computers, devices and mobile phones. 2024 seems likely to be just as busy, and some exciting new games have already been announced for the year ahead. Mario vs Donkey Kong, which comes out in February, is actually the latest old Nintendo game to be remade for the Switch console. It’s a platform game that you can play with a friend, as Mario takes on a familiar foe: gorilla villain Donkey Kong, who has stolen mini-Mario toys. Princess Peach: Showtime! is a brand-new Switch game where Mario’s royal friend Peach is the star. Out in March, it’s an action-adventure game where its hero transforms into different roles, including a swordfighter, a kung-fu master and… a pastry chef! Little Kitty, Big City puts…

Laughing around the world In English-speaking countries people might write “haha” and “LOL” – laughing out loud – to express their amusement. But what would you think someone meant by “askfhsjd”? In Turkey, people use this mix of letters to signify that they’re laughing so hard they can’t type properly. An online blog called Rest of World has collected some of the best ways people express laughter in other countries. In France they write “mdr”, short for “mort de rire”, which means dead with laughter. Likewise in Jamaican creole, people write “dwl”, meaning “dead wid laugh”. Careful not to laugh your heads off! Clock collection needs new carer Would you like to take on the world’s largest collection of cuckoo clocks? The set of 750 clocks, each of which makes…

Teacher’s name: Mrs Wisniewski School: Hazelwood School, Limpsfield, Surrey “Mrs Wisniewski (we call her Mrs Wizz) is kind to everyone. She looks after the library, sorting every book into the correct place, and she makes reading fun by helping us choose books that we would like to read. Mrs Wizz is our favourite teacher ever!” Charlotte and Edward 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…

Muyiwa Oki is not only the first black person to be president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), he’s also the youngest. RIBA was set up 190 years ago. It supports architects (building designers) as well as trying to improve the “built environment” (constructions made by humans, such as towns and schools). At the age of 11, Oki moved to London from Lagos, Nigeria. From a young age he was curious and he loved drawing and coming up with new ideas. Oki says he wanted to become an architect because it is “creative and mentally challenging”. As president of RIBA, Oki hopes to reduce the carbon emissions (gases that cause climate change) produced by construction. Oki says he also wants to show how important good design is for…

Have you ever wondered what an animal is feeling? According to a new study, it might not be as difficult to understand as you think. Scientists say humans can tell if chickens are happy or annoyed by listening to their calls. To test how well humans understand hens, researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia played 16 recordings of chicken noises to 194 volunteers. The recordings were made by training a group of chickens to recognise different situations. In one of the situations, there was a bowl behind a door containing tasty treats, such as mealworms or seeds. In the other, there was only a disappointingly empty bowl. When the chickens knew there was a treat behind the door, they would produce fast or high-pitched clucks, known as “food…

Researchers have spotted a rare green honeycreeper bird. Male green honeycreepers usually have blue feathers and females are green. However, this bird’s body is half-green and half-blue, and scientists think it may have both male and female body parts too. • LIFESPAN: Around 10 years. • HABITAT: Tropical rainforests in Central and South America. • SIZE: Around 14 centimetres long. • DIET: Fruit, insects and nectar. • FUN FACT: Green honeycreepers form flocks (large groups) with other bird species, like tanagers and warblers, and they all search for food together.…

A new study has revealed that A almost half of teenagers across the UK feel addicted to using social media. The research was done by a team at the University of Cambridge, England. They used data from the Millennium Cohort Study, also known as “Child of the New Century”. This is a project that is tracking the lives of around 19,000 young people born between 2000 and 2002 in the UK. The study aims to learn about people’s lifestyles over a long time. When the young people in the study were between the ages of 16 and 18, they were asked about social media for the first time. A group of 7,022 were asked if they agreed or disagreed with the statement, “I think I am addicted to social media”.…

As a talented sprinter, Montell Douglas first raced in international competitions aged 16 and took part in the 2008 summer Olympic Games. In 2016, she switched to the fast and icy sport of bobsleigh, becoming the first British woman to feature at both a summer and winter Games when she competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Now, Douglas is about to star in the fun new television show, Gladiators. “I like to challenge myself,” she tells The Week Junior with a smile. “Being a Gladiator really suits me because of my sporting background from athletics and bobsleigh. I always give my all and it’s difficult to beat me.” Gladiators is an entertainment show where every week “Contenders” tackle exciting physical tests and games as an audience of thousands of people…

The Big Book of Festivals by Joan-Maree Hargreaves and Marita Bullock. Illustrated by Liz Rowland (Faber Children’s) This colourful book explores festivals around the world. You’ll learn about Diwali, the Indian festival of light; La Tomatina, a Spanish tomato-throwing festival; the Belgian Festival of Giants and many more celebrations. The Wheel of the Year by Fiona Cook. Illustrated by Jessica Roux (Andrews McMeel Publishing) This is a guide to ancient holidays and customs all based on the natural world. You’ll find lots of ideas to celebrate each season. Try out themed meditations, crafts, rituals, games and recipes; learn about different traditions and bring some art, poetry, myth and magic into your life – all year round. Celebrate! by Laura Mucha. Illustrated by Hannah Tolson (Nosy Crow) Produced with the British…

Name: Jonathan Wundersmith: The calling of Morrigan Crow By Jessica Townsend. “Magical, amazing, wunderful. I liked its well-defined fantasy world and the amazing humour. All three books are full to the brim with magic!” YOUR TURN Email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If it’s printed in the magazine you’ll receive a Roving Reporter badge. 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…

What you need • Scissors • Tracing paper • A transparent container with a lid • Chalks or pastels • White paper • A pencil • A glue stick • Sticky tape • LED tea light candles If you’re lucky this winter, you may see the northern lights, or aurora borealis in northern parts of the UK. This light display is caused by storms on the Sun, and it is usually seen nearer the North Pole. Clouds of charged particles (tiny bits of atoms, which are the building blocks of the universe) are created and get pulled towards Earth’s magnetic North Pole, releasing light when they hit our atmosphere. The northern lights can be hard to spot, so if you want to be sure of enjoying some magical waving colours, create…

This week’s issue is packed with animals. On page 5, we report on London Zoo’s annual animal count, when the keepers do their official survey of the creatures in their care. On page 11 you can read about another organisation doing its annual round-up; this time it’s the Natural History Museum’s scientists revealing all the creatures they have studied, described and named. I love the story about humans understanding animals (or some of them, anyway) on page 10, and the news that a super-cute snail is recovering its numbers. It’s also true that we can learn from animals. As the weather has turned chillier, I’ve been looking at page 15 and the fibre inspired by polar bear fur. After all, if anything understands how to keep warm it’s a polar…

Global Canvas 2024 Each year, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation organises the Global Canvas competition. This is an art contest for young people aged 16 and under that focuses on nature. This year’s theme is “the barometer of life”. A barometer is used to measure environmental changes, and the barometer of life (also called the “Red List”) checks on the world’s most threatened species. To show your passion for protecting the incredible wildlife that exists around the world, you can create a piece of art made either on your own or as part of a group. You can enter it before the 13 February deadline at tinyurl.com/TWJ-GlobalCanvas2024 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…

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 there should be more national parks… “No, because they attract too many tourists who cause issues like littering and pollution.” “Yes, national parks help people learn about nature and help reduce climate change.” “No, just protect current national parks and other natural areas.” “Yes, national parks are good for the environment.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…