In-car toilets and banning sun loungers

The team share their favourite sports day activities as listeners answer last week's question about music that helps them relax. Plus: Young climate leaders gathered at Tate Modern for the London Climate Action Week Summit, including 11-year-old campaigner Anishwa Kunchala. Plus, over 1,500 children took part in a challenge to turn broken toys into something new. A "grumpy" Pallas's cat named Duchess arrives at Edinburgh Zoo to join Akiko as part of a breeding programme. Real or Rubbish: Have a family of beavers really fixed flooding at an Ealing Underground station?  The Big Debate: Should schools have sports days?  Plus the team's heroes and favourite facts of the week, including Harry Kane's World Cup goal record and the surprising name for the person at the end of a tug-of-war team. Get involved: Send a voice note at funkidslive.com/theweekjunior or email [email protected] to share your favourite sports day activity — you could win a Roving Reporter badge!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he would step down as Prime Minister and Labour Party leader. Eve, Joe and Bex digest the latest – plus there’s an interview in this week’s magazine with a music therapist, which made us wonder: what music helps you relax?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eve explains new government plans to set a minimum age of 16 for social media platforms as Joe shares the story of Parkrun, which recently hit its millionth ever event since starting in 2004.  Plus, has a lost gold bar ($17,000!) sparked a real treasure hunt at a Finnish ski resort, or is it all made up? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe explains the results of Armenia’s recent election, what it means for their relationship with Russia and the EU, and why the country’s foreign policy is in the headlines as Eve shares the incredible story of the couple who visited every RNLI lifeboat station in the UK, raising thousands of pounds for charity – and why lifeboat heroes matter. Plus, could an art gallery really be displaying paintings by a group of rats? And should there be more public toilets? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode, Bex is joined by Week Junior writers Eve and Joe to explore the biggest stories from the latest issue, including: The Week Junior Book Awards 2026: Find out which books made the shortlist, how judging works, and how YOU can vote for your favourite book cover and Children's Choice Award! Get all the voting details and your chance to win a big bundle of books. A Teeny Octopus Discovery: Hear about the newly discovered, golf-ball-sized octopus off the Galápagos Islands, including its remarkable colour and name. Big Debate: Is it okay to miss school for sport? With huge sporting events coming up, including the World Cup, the team tackles whether skipping class for sports is a good idea, and your opinions are wanted! Get involved: Send your voice notes, share your opinions on the big debate, and tell us what you’ve been doing with The Week Junior! Visit funkidslive.com/theweekjunior or email [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week the team will be talking about a spring heat wave, a rubbish collecting scheme in Germany and whether university education should be free. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Bex, Eve, and Joe as they discuss some of the most curious, creative, and controversial news stories for 8–14-year-olds.  Hear them talk about the Chelsea Flower Show, a brand new road called "Pork Pie Way", an inventive but unusual in-car toilet and debate whether beaches should ban sun loungers, and how the rules might affect people, businesses, and the environmentSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bex, Eve, Joe and Kaye are uncovering newly released top secret UFO (or UAP) files from the US government, meeting an unexpected stadium mascot (is a real goose cheering on a baseball team?), and debating whether campfires should be banned after record wildfires.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amsterdam bans outdoor advertising for meat and fossil fuel products; meet the UK’s first 'gull ranger'; and the team discusses David Attenborough – the legendary broadcaster’s incredible century and the parties readers held to mark it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week the team will be talking about the government’s new rules around smoking and vaping, a GIANT tiramisu and an amazing axolotl rescue. We’ll also be having a big debate about whether helium balloons should be banned.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.