The Current Issue
Issue 48 - June/July 2009
Publication date: 16 June 2009
On the cover of this issue we look at the trend for growing fruit and vegetables in school and at home.
Contents
Here is a list of some of the articles included in this issue.
To read the complete articles you will need to subscribe to The Newspaper
Home News
On top of the world
Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham- Fiennes, often referred to as the ‘world’s greatest living explorer’, is now the oldest person to have climbed Mount Everest.
School News
On page two we have a number of articles about schools. These include a school in South London where 40 languages are spoken by their pupils. They now have a language of the month and all learn some useful phrases in the chosen language.
Another school has invited parents in to learn the things that they missed out on when they were at school. Many schools are now using clip on ties.
This section always seems to get our readers talking and we receive a lot of letters about the topics covered.
Unisex toilets opened
A school in the north west of England is trying a new way to tackle bullying. It has recently opened unisex toilets. We wonder what our readers think of the idea.
Hermit moves into museum
Just why is artist Ansuman Biswas planning to spend 40 days and 40 nights at Manchester Musem?
New £5 coin to celebrate Henry's reign
We look at the new £5 coin to celebrate Henry VIII coming to the throne in 1509.
150 years old and still ringing the hours
The world’s most famous clock is celebrating its 150th birthday.
Children measured to see how body sizes have changed
We look at a project to take the measurements of 6,000 children so that clothes can be made to fit better.
World News
Cadbury to give Ghanaian growers a fair trade
Cadbury’s top-selling Dairy Milk is going to be Fairtrade. What does this mean and will it make a difference to our readers?
Veterans back on the beach
It was the 65th anniversary of D-Day on 6th June this year. We look at the history and how the anniversary was commemorated.
Mickey loses his voice after thirty two years
Wayne Allwine was the voice of Mickey Mouse for 32 years.
Children forced to pick cotton
What can be done to change the way that cotton is produced in Uzbekistan?
Revolutionary writer is more famous abroad
It is 200 years since Thomas Paine died but there probably won’t be any big celebrations here in the UK. We wonder why?
Just how long is the great wall of china?
New research suggests that the famous wall is even longer than we thought.
Eco News
250 years at Kew
This year Kew Gardens in southwest London is celebrating its 250th anniversary.
New boost for wind power
We take a look at a new, record breaking wind farm in Scotland.
How to turn banana skins into useful fuel
How a UK student has found a novel way of providing fuel in Rwanda.
UK comes last
The UK is the worst country in Europe for recycling electrical equipment.
New meters to help us all be smarter
The government has announced plans to install smart electricity and gas meters in every house in Britain. What difference will they make?
Science News
Tim gets chosen for space
A British Army pilot has just been chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) to train as an astronaut.
Drilling ship helps in the study of earthquakes
A very unusual ship is at work in the sea to the south of Japan.
More room in extended space station
It's getting more crowded on the International Space Station (ISS). Up until now there have only been three astronauts living on the space station at any time. That number has now gone up to six.
Moon landing
It was forty years ago on 21st July 1969 that Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon.
These robots are rubbish collectors
Scientists in Italy are working on an unusual way of keeping the streets free of rubbish.
Health News
Should children without the MMR jabs be at school?
As the number of cases of measles rises in the UK should the MMR vaccine be made compulsory?
How clean is your mobile phone?
Is your mobile phone spreading germs?
Sweet tooth?
Last year nearly 30,000 UK children required dental treatment in hospital.
Campers warned about tick bites
The Tick Alert campaign group are warning people who are holidaying under canvas to watch out for tick bites.
Food News
Greenpeace calls on all companies to stop buying Amazon beef
The world's largest exporter of beef is cutting down Amazon rainforest so they can graze more cattle.
Best seller recipe stays a secret
Only two people in the world know the recipe for Scotland’s most popular fizzy drink, Irn Bru, and they never travel on the same plane.
From seeds to saucepan
One afternoon a week pupils at Whitley School, a small primary school of only 76 pupils in Cheshire, work with parents, teachers, and members of the local Women's Institute.
'Vampire' is selling by the bucketful in N'Djamena
The people in Chad, in central Africa, are making a traditional blood sausage, which is jokingly referred to as ‘vampire’.
Charity News
All aboard the RoRoCat
The Spirit of Scott Bader is a cruising catamaran that makes it possible for anyone to experience sailing.
Children kiss food aid goodbye
Emma Pomfret from Christian Aid takes a look at the plight of children in Zimbabwe.
Animal News
Birds sing higher and louder in the city
Birds that live in cities have learnt to sing higher-pitched songs than birds in the countryside. This is so that they can be heard above city noises such as traffic and machinery.
Mockingbirds are perceptive
A study at a university campus in Florida in the USA has found that mockingbirds can easily recognise people who have threatened them in the past, and may even attack them.
Tool making rooks
Scientists in the UK have made a surprising discovery whilst studying rooks kept in captivity.
Snowball dances his way to fame
Snowball is a sulphur-crested cockatoo who loves dancing.
Beavers are back in the Scottish countryside
For the first time in over 400 years beavers are again roaming wild in the British Isles.
Bumblebees returned to Britain to help reverse drastic decline
A type of bumblebee that was last seen in the UK in 1988 is being reintroduced later this year.
Dormice get back habitats
Dormice used to live all over the UK but sadly no longer. The People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) say there is reason to be optimistic though as efforts to try and stop the decline are starting to have an effect.
Tarantula silk baffles boffins
Spider silk is stronger than steel, it is lightweight and very stretchy and scientists know that it could have many important uses.
TimeOut
Profile
In this issue we profile Dani Harmer, best known for her role as Tracey Beaker, as she makes the transition from screen star to pop star.
Hard act to follow!
The final of Britain’s Got Talent saw our favourite acts battle it out for the public vote, performing acts from singing to dancing and playing the saxophone.
Bear joins scouts
Famous for his dare-devil survival series where he is often seen jumping out of planes into unknown territories, famous adventurer Bear Gryls has been declared the new Chief Scout of the UK Scout Association!
Simpsons stamp of approval
The Simpsons is the first ever television series currently on air to be featured on a real American postage stamp! The decision marks the lovable cartoon’s 20th series on air.
First Couple's expensive date
The American president Barack Obama recently took time out of his busy schedule to take his wife out on a date, but it wasn’t any old date.
There's life Jim, but not as we know it!
Before it gets too hot to stay cooped up indoors, the latest Star Trek film is a ‘must-see’ for those aged twelve and over.
Sport News
United Glory!
As Manchester United win another Premier League title we take an overview of last season's football.
Heading for Wimbledon
We take a look at Andy Murray's warm up for this summer's Wimbledon Championships.
A testing summer
England hope to win back the Ashes from the Australians in this summer's test series
Heroic end to marathon
It was an incredible display of strength and courage. Major Phil Packer completed the London marathon in 13 days, despite being told by doctors he would never walk again after being injured by a bomb in Basra, Iraq.
Button leads title race as he heads for Silverstone
After winning six of the opening seven races in the Formula One Championship this year, Jenson Button will lead the title race going into the British Grand Prix on June 21.
Athletes head for Berlin
Heptathlon star Jessica Ennis is at the forefront of British medal hopes at the 2009 World Championships, which will be held in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin from August 15-23.
Philippine knockout
Ricky Hatton knew he was in for a tough fight against Manny Pacquiao, but surely he did not know just how tough.
Boxers go for a checkmate or a knockout in new sport
Boxers fight with their fists, chess players battle with their brains, but someone has come up with the idea of combining the two.
Dan sets new world record for keepy-up
Most of us have played keepyup in the garden and are quite pleased when we manage it 10 times. But can you imagine keeping a football in the air on your own for 24 hours?
100th birthday for oldest gold medal winner
Britain's oldest Olympian has just celebrated his 100th birthday.