Latest Stories
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The 16-year-old who politicians queue to meet
Will they listen? Sixteen-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg visited the UK this week. She gave a powerful speech in Parliament, saying that children wanted to “wake the adults up”.
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Emojis have a history going back 5,000 years
Will we all write in emojis soon? A new British Library exhibition looks at the history of writing, starting with hieroglyphs and ending with emojis. They have more in common than you might...
- Technology
- Culture
- Reading Band 8
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Hope rises from the ashes of Notre Dame
Can France recover? For 855 years, Notre Dame Cathedral has watched over the city of Paris. The worst fire in its history has triggered an outpouring of shock and grief.
- Culture
- Reading Band 14+
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Hundreds arrested in climate protests
Did the protesters go too far? This week, the Extinction Rebellion climate action group brought the city of London to a standstill. They wanted to get as many people arrested as possible.
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America to put first woman on the moon
Would you go to the Moon? The US has announced that the first woman and the next man on the Moon will be American, launching a new space race against China, Russia and India.
- Science
- Reading Band 14+
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Mosque attack prompts clampdown on extremism
Who is to blame for the terror attack which took place in New Zealand last week? The world is still mourning the deaths of 50 Muslims who were killed during Friday Prayer.
- Conflict
- Reading Band 14+
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Happy birthday! World Wide Web turns 30
Should we celebrate? In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee handed in his proposal for a World Wide Web. Thirty years later, his invention has transformed the world, but is it better or worse?
- Technology
- Reading Band 14+
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The week that could change Britain forever
Should the UK leave the European Union? It is set to do so on March 29. This week, politicians will vote on how exactly it should happen — potentially shaping Britain’s future for good.
- Politics
- Reading Band 14+
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World celebrates the power of women and girls
Is it harder to be a girl than a boy? Today is International Women’s Day. It is a time to celebrate the achievements of amazing women, while campaigning for more gender equality.
- Society
- Reading Band 11
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More people are in slavery than ever before
Can modern slavery be stopped? More than 40 million people around the world are living in some form of modern slavery, according to the latest figures. Around a quarter of these are children.
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ISIS bride: people should have sympathy for me
Should Shamima Begum be allowed back to Britain? The teenager was 15 when she left London to join the terrorist group ISIS in Syria. Now, the government says that she cannot return home.
- Conflict
- Reading Band 14+
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Schoolchildren go on strike for climate change
Is it wrong to skip school? Around 15,000 children went “on strike” last Friday in order to protest against climate change. Some teachers supported them, but others said it was wrong.
- Climate
- Reading Band 11
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Protesters broke the law to fight for justice
Are the “Stansted 15” heroes or criminals? Two years ago, they lay down on a runway to stop a plane taking migrants back to their home countries. This week they narrowly avoided jail time.
- Conflict
- Reading Band 14+
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The young people marching to save the planet
Would you go to a climate change protest? Last week, thousands of young people across Europe marched through the streets, demanding urgent action to protect the environment.
- Climate
- Reading Band 11
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One of these women could be next US president
Will the next American president be a woman? Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand and Tulsi Gabbard will stand for America’s highest office. And there may be more…
- Politics
- Reading Band 5