The Destruction of Pompeii

WHO Says One Billion People Disabled

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) says the proportion of disabled people in the world is rising. It estimates around 15 per cent of the global population has some form of disability – that’s one billion people. This figure has increased from 10 per cent in the 1970s. The World Report on Disability says about one in five of the 15 per cent, nearly 200 million, suffer from a severe disability. WHO director-general Dr Margaret Chan warned: "In the years ahead, disability will be an even greater concern…due to ageing populations and the higher risk of disability in older people as well as the global increase in chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and mental health disorders."
One of the most worrying conclusions of the report is that the disabled are more likely to face discrimination in the future. The WHO says the disabled will have greater problems finding work and accessing healthcare. The report authors say disabled people are three times more likely to be denied healthcare than other people in developed countries. The WHO’s Tom Shakespeare said: "The clear message from the report is that there is no country that has got it right.” Dr Chan said: “Almost every one of us will be permanently or temporarily disabled at some point in life. We must do more to break the barriers which segregate people with disabilities, in many cases forcing them to the margins of society." (Breaking News English)

More schools need sun safety plans, say experts

There's nothing better than messing about in the sunshine at break time. But some experts are worried that schools aren't doing enough to keep pupils safe from the sun's rays.
A recent survey has found that almost half of all school children had suffered sunburn when they were in the playground.
A skin care charity is asking the government to help them put rules in place to make all schools follow a 'sun safety' guide in the summer.

The charity, Skin Cancer UK is also asking for special sun safety lessons to be taught in the classroom to try to make sure that more kids can avoid getting caught out by the sun.

Some schools have been refusing to make sure that pupils have enough sun cream on before they go out at break as they think that it isn't their responsibility.

However parents are worried that if they put sun cream on their children before they go to school, it might wear off before the end of the day.

Sun experts reckon that it's best to reapply sun cream every two hours when out in the sun. (CBBC Newsround)

Scientists discover the secret to how penguins leap

We all know that penguins have happy feet - but scientists now reckon they've discovered the secret behind how penguins can fly into the air. The animals can't use their wings to flap into flight like other birds, but that doesn't stop them from being able to leap in the air to escape from danger.
Experts have found out that they're able to wrap their bodies in a cloak of air bubbles which help them to fly fast out of the water.
Penguin feathers collect tiny bubbles when they're swimming, creating a layer of air around the animal which meams that they can swim fast enough to fly out of the sea and into the air!

Scientists use the same technique when designing torpedoes and boats but didn't realise that penguins were using the same idea!

Smaller penguins like the Adelie can leap up to a huge 2-3 metres, but larger species like the Emperor can only propel themselves up to 45cm.

Scientists think that without the bubbles, the animals would have big problems getting out of the water because of their little bodies and big wings.

Experts reckon that the creatures' special talent is crucial in keeping them safe from predators. (CBBC Newsround)

The bubbles help the birds leap out of the water

Nationalities and Countries

Las Islas Cíes, Galicia, Spain

Mention Spanish beaches and most people instinctively think of the Mediterranean. Yet the wilder, stunning Atlantic coastline of Galicia, just north of Portugal, has far more dramatic praias – with far fewer people on them. One of the jewels of this coast is on Las Islas Cíes, a 40-minute boat trip from the pretty town of Baiona. Once a pirates' haunt, Cíes is now an uninhabited and pristine national park, open to the public only in summer. Galegos come here to spend long, lazy summer days on the Praia das Rodas, a perfect crescent of soft, pale sand backed by small dunes sheltering a calm lagoon of crystal-clear sea.
Locals call this their "Caribbean beach", and the water is turquoise enough, the sand white enough to believe the comparison … until you dip your toe in the water. Then it feels more like kegness.  
You can sleep in an idyllic campsite, shaded by tall pine trees, with a view over the ocean. And,      this being Spain, there's even a proper restaurant serving great seafood.
Where to stay: Camping Islas Cíes is open Easter week and June-September. (guardian.co.uk)

Giving Directions

South Korea to Swap Textbooks for Tablets

South Korea’s government has announced ambitious plans to revolutionize school classrooms and provide the world’s first “smart education” system. It intends to digitize all textbooks in all schools by 2015. This means bulky, paper-based books are out and handheld tablets and e-readers are in. First in line to go digital are elementary schools, which will switch to online devices by 2014. South Korea’s Ministry of Education says it will invest $2.4 billion to create and deliver the e-learning and mobile-learning materials. Education Minister Lee Ju Ho explained the need to ensure teachers are sufficiently trained in using the new tech in class. "It's very important to make sure that the two can work together,” he said.
The Ministry has not yet made a decision on which make of products it will bring into the classroom. Many industry experts predict it will opt for Korean-made devices such as Samsung’s Galaxy Tab rather than gadgets from international rivals Apple or Sony. In addition to digital content in the classroom, the Ministry is also hoping to make online classes available for students who miss lessons. South Korea is well known for its embrace of technology and high-speed Internet. A Ministry official stated: “Korean students have ranked first in terms of digital literacy among developed nations…That’s why Korean students, who are already fully prepared for digital society, need a [major] shift in education.” (Breaking News English)

Telling the Time

Joe Jonas has said that the Jonas Brothers are NOT splitting up

Joe's just released his first ever solo single called See No More and rumours started spreading that it meant the group had decided to call it a day.
But Joe said: "We're definitely still a band and we'll be a band for as long as we can. We'll make music when the time's right. We're not splitting up."

He described his solo album as a dream come true, and said his brothers are really supportive.

"My brothers' support is the biggest thing for me. I text them quite a bit. They're happy for me to do other stuff." (CBBC Newsround)

Two-headed snake living in Stuttgart, Germany

Ever imagined you'd see a two-headed snake in your life time, outside the cinema at least?
No, nor did we, but here is reptile and amphibian shop owner Stefan Broghammer holding a Royal python which was born with two heads.

The snake was born a year ago, and has two spinal cords and two heads - and they're both active.

The reptile has no physical problems or defects says Broghammer, and even manages to eat and digest food easily. (CBBC Newsround)

10 million starving in Horn of Africa

A humanitarian crisis is developing in the Horn of Africa and the world seems to be just watching. Up to 10 million people in Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia are starving because of a severe drought. A lack of rain means they have no food. At the Dadaab refugee camp in east Kenya, 1,000 people arrive each day. Some are close to death when they arrive. They receive some food and very basic medical care. The camp director predicts as many as half a million refugees will come. He asked the world to help before a bigger disaster happens.
One aid worker believes the world doesn’t care, telling the BBC: “We were supposed to have an early warning system but what is the point of warning the rest of world when it doesn't listen?” Another aid worker has to try and stop mothers letting their younger children die to give food to the older ones. "Some families had already prepared children for death and we had to…tell them: ‘No, this is not possible, this child is still alive and he can make it…It's hard but sometimes we win,” he said. (News English Lessons)

Edward Hopper

The emotionally charged work of Edward Hopper, American Realist and the swinging music of Benny Goodman. With some quotes and a poem thrown in for good measure!

Easy Snack Recipes For Kids

J.K. Rowling Announces Pottermore

J.K. Rowling Announces Harry Potter Site

 

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has unveiled the latest addition to her hugely successful fictional phenomenon - a website called Pottermore.com. The new site will be officially online from October 2011, but people who sign up for it now have the chance of a sneak preview before then. The official online announcement reads: “Pottermore is a free website that builds an exciting online experience around the reading of the Harry Potter books.” The site will include a considerable amount of unpublished material about Harry Potter, that Ms Rowling had to leave out of her books to keep the word count down. The author says there will be a lot of new info on the characters’ backgrounds and on wizardly locations.
J.K. Rowling says she is starting Pottermore to thank her fans. "I wanted to give something back to the fans that have followed Harry so devotedly over the years, and to bring the stories to a new digital generation,” she said. There is currently no official Harry Potter website, although there are hugely popular sites run by fans, such as mugglenet.com and the-leaky-cauldron.org, as well as the Warner Brothers movie site. Pottermore will allow fans to interact with Rowling and create new content together. She said: "I hope fans and those new to Harry will have as much fun helping to shape Pottermore as I have." She added that fans, “will be able to enjoy a safe, unique online reading experience built around the books”. (Breaking News English)

World’s Longest Bridges Open in China

China opened four of the world’s six longest bridges on July the 1st. They are part of the country’s high-speed rail network between Shanghai and Beijing. Two of the bridges are the longest ever built. The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is now the world's longest over-water bridge at 42.5 kilometres. The local Communist party secretary Li Qun said at the opening ceremony: “It is a magnificent and very advanced bridge. It is another stepping stone in the city's smooth and rapid development.”
The cost of the bridge is somewhere between $1.5 and $2.3 billion, although some estimates put the figure at nearly $9 billion. The engineers who built it say it is earthquake-proof and typhoon-proof. It is also strong enough to be hit by a 300,000-ton ship. As well as the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway, the bridge will carry around 30,000 cars a day. The new bridges are an important part of China’s efforts to reduce its traffic problems. Eleven of the world's 15 longest bridges are now located in China. (Breaking News English)