Articles by Joe
From: Barnes

Prime Minister – Breaking Brexit

By - 28/06/19 - UK, World
Since 2016, two Prime Ministers have resigned due to pressure from Brexit. Both Theresa May and David Cameron, after three years of debates and votes, stepped down from this role. Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt are currently in the race to become the next Prime Minister. The United Kingdom is scheduled to leave the European Union on the 31st of October (Halloween). Until then, there will most likely be many votes in Parliament over issues such as the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and international trade agreements. In one month, we will find out who will win the race to become the next Prime Minister and who will lead the United Kingdom through Brexit - if they have not resigned by then?! Who do you think the next Prime Minister will be: Johnson or Hunt?
From: Barnes

Millions Join Brexit Protest

By - 07/06/19 - UK
On the 23rd of March 2019, an estimated one million people went on a march from Park Lane to Parliament Square. The march was in protest against Brexit and many were calling for a second referendum.  Many people, whether they voted leave or remain, were disappointed with Theresa May's deal and are seeking an alternative. People were chanting: "What do we want?  People's vote"!  "When do we want it?  Now"!  There were many signs and slogans expressing people's views. People were standing on lampposts with massive posters. There was music and even a marching band playing a range of songs including Dancing Queen by Abba. The march lasted over six hours and some people had to wait four hours just to start moving.  Meanwhile, a record breaking online petition on Parliament's website called for article 50 to be revoked with 5.7 million signatures. Many people hope that the march  and petition will help persuade the government to hold a second referendum.
From: Barnes

Some Voices at Clapham Grand

By - 17/05/19 - Culture
On the twenty fourth of April, Some Voices performed at the Clapham Grand. Some Voices were called 'London's coolest choir' when they performed BBC Radio Two's Friday Night is Music Night. The theme of the concert was Hollywood classics so they sung songs from numerous films including The Greatest Showman and Trainspotting. There are over 400 singers, amateur and professional, in the group.  They have sung loads of songs from Queen to Tina Turner and have always had brilliant costumes to match. Oh and my dad is one of the singers!
From: Barnes

Grand Tour is back

By - 22/03/19 - Culture
Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond are back with the third series of The Grand Tour. In this series there'll be more supercars, explosions and races than ever!  The Grand Tour is an Amazon car show rated 12.  A new episode will come out every Friday for the next few months. So far the trio have photographed wild animals, raced muscle cars and supercars, blown up a helicopter and told the story of a developing country using pickup trucks.  This series will have thirteen episodes - 2 more than in the last!  Also, there will be more track and road tests test than in any previous season.  What more is to come in the next few episodes?
From: Barnes

Largest CircusWorks festival ever!

By - 19/10/18 - Culture, UK
This year it was the largest ever CircusWorks children's festival. There were six days of circus performances, workshops and masterclasses. There were 15 circus's attending for six days of non-stop circus. It took place in Newcastle-under-Lyme, the birthplace of Philip Ashley, inventor of circus in Britain.  There were three big tops in 'the circus village', and four shows took place including: The youth show, The gala performance, Lexicon and the fire show. There were children from eight to 18 all learning and performing in the same tents. Also, the circus olympics took place in the circus village with many very silly, random and skillful games.  There was: Hula hoop gladiators, diablo throwing, sock, shirt and five pence juggling.  On the final day there was a parade through the town on stilts and using handheld equipment.
From: Barnes

Seal spotted in Thames

By - 04/05/18 - Local News
A seal has been spotted living in the river Thames.  It is living in the area of river around Barnes Bridge in Richmond. Other residents have also seen it in the water in the area of Richmond upon Thames. In 1950 the Thames was considered biologically dead because of pollution but that has been reversed in recent years due to the improvement of the river's water quality. There have been seals in the Thames Estuary since 2010 but none have ventured much further up the river. The seal found in the river was a grey seal.
From: Barnes

My nuclear button is bigger than yours!

By - 02/03/18 - World
Donald trump, President of the USA, and Kim Jong Un, dictator of North Korea, have been having a war of words. Kim Jong Un sent a tweet to Donald Trump saying, "I have a nuclear button that is on my desk at all times" and Donald Trump responded, "I too have a nuclear button on my desk as well but my one is bigger and actually works." Many people think that this is childish behavior from these two powerful leaders and that they should not be in charge any more.  Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un have been threatening each other for as long as Trump has been president (about one year).  Jong Un has been firing test nuclear missiles into the Pacific Ocean - some over Japan. As well as this being a war of words this is also an arms race. As soon as one country has a larger and more powerful nuclear missile the other country feels threatened so they make one even bigger and better.
From: Barnes

Supersonic car breaks land speed record

By - 25/01/18 - Science and Nature, World
The Bloodhound SSC becomes the world's fastest car. Imagine sitting in a car going faster than a commercial plane.  The Bloodhound goes at 1,000 mph, goes from 0-600 mph in less than 16 seconds and is 13.4 metres long. That’s longer than a bus! It will use jet engines and a rocket booster to make it go at its top speed. It needs 400 litres of fuel.  The car is made of titanium, aluminium and carbon fibre, which are all strong materials that are very light compaired to their size. The Bloodhound SSC is extremely streamline and has a very sharp point.
From: Barnes

Giant dinosaur found in museum

By - 10/11/17 - Culture, World
The largest Ichthyosaur ever seen has been found. In a museum! This aquatic reptile has been named the largest ever found.  It has been hiding in plain sight in a German museum.  It is a whopping 3.3 metres long. The reason it is so unbelievable is that they are usually 2m long. Ichthyosaurs died out 89 million years ago so no-one has ever seen a live one. It was found in the Lower Saxony State Museum, Hannover.  It was identified by Professor Sven Sachs.
Featured
From: Barnes

Coronavirus declared global health emergency

By - 14/02/20 - World
The new coronavirus has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization, as the outbreak continues to spread outside China. Hundreds of people in China have died from the virus, mostly in Hubei, with many thousands of cases nationally. This outbreak needs to be neutralized. China has said it will send charter plans to bring back Hubei province residents who are overseas "as soon as possible". A foreign ministry spokesman said this was because of the "practical difficulties" Chinese citizens have faced abroad. Hubei is where the virus emerged in a fish market in the city of  Wuhan. The WHO said there had been dozens of cases in 18 other countries, but only a small number of deaths. Most international cases are in people who had been to Wuhan in Hubei. However in a few cases - in the UK, Germany, Japan, Vietnam and the United States - patients were infected by people who had traveled to China. This is the main reason China has shut its borders down.
UK
From: St Osmunds

Hedgehogs Are Becoming Extinct

By - 03/03/20 - Science and Nature, UK
When have you last seen a hedgehog? According to the People's Trust for Endangered Species and the British Trust for Ornithology, hedgehog numbers have dropped. It's thought that the number of hedgehogs decreases by five percent each year. In another recent survey (December 2019), The UK hedgehog population, which stood at an estimated 30 million in the 1950s, is now down to about 1 million, with much of the decline in the past two decades, according to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS). WHY ? An increase in badgers; they are the only animals that can unroll, kill and eat hedgehogs. Their numbers have extended by more than 85% since around 1985. An increase in roads and traffic; collision with vehicles is one of the most common forms of mortality in hedgehog population.   HOW CAN I HELP ? Make a hole in your fence (it doesn't have to be big) so any local hedgehog can get through. Leave food and water so it can eat and drink. Don't cut any hedgerows and let your garden grow wild. Other animals in our British countryside that are endangered are The Scottish wildcat The skylark The small blue butterfly The red squirrel. We hope the government will ensure they get extra attention - and all of us - will make sure they continue to survive and thrive.   By Milena                                                                                                                                                              
From: St Osmunds

Billie Ellish Wins BRIT 2020 Award

By - 03/03/20 - Culture, People, UK
Californian singer Billie Eilish just won the 2020 International Female Solo Artist Award at just 18. She is the youngest ever author-songwriter to create a song for the James Bond theme song. The theme tune is called ' No Time to Die ' and has become a great hit. In a carpool karaoke, Billie told TV host James Corden that since the age of 13, she and her brother (Finneas) created their songs in his tiny bedroom. She still lives there with her parents and has a pet tarantula. The BRITS awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally called ' Britannia', but it was shortened to 'BRITS'. It subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trusts Show.  The rap artist Stormzy also won (Best Male artist) and performed with 200 artists and dancers. Mabel, daughter of renowned singer Neneh Cherry, was the only UK female musician nominated in the gender neutral categories, and won Best Female Solo Artist, while losing Best New Artist to Lewis Capaldi. Foals won best group. -by Lara
From: St Osmunds

Deadly Virus Outbreak goes Global

By - 29/01/20 - Science and Nature, UK, World
Breaking News : British Airways has just suspended all its flights to and from mainland China today as a new deadly virus from China goes global. Coronavirus has so far caused more than 130 deaths, spreading fast across China and to at least 16 other countries.  Although there are no confirmed cases in England yet, 4 cases have been confirmed in Germany, making it the second European country to report cases, after France. Authorities in China have confirmed that the deadly virus has already infected over 6000 people and killed 132 as of Wednesday 29th January, with cases being reported in Japan, Thailand, the USA, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Nepal, Singapore and South Korea so far. Any people leaving China will be screened for the symptoms of the virus (a cough or a fever). The Chinese government have instructed no one to leave Wuhan, the city where the virus started.  And no one is allowed to enter. This is called a quarantine. Eleven million people live in Wuhan.  The UK government is arranging to evacuate Britons from Wuhan and the surrounding Hubei province, with up to 300 British people thought to be in the area.   Severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), which is caused by a type of coronavirus, killed 774 of the 8,098 people infected in an outbreak that started in China in 2002. Only 2.2 percent of confirmed cases have seen deaths at the moment, but this could be changing rapidly if the disease spreads and mutates. So far, there have been methods of treatment but no cure.  By - Charlie (Photo Credit : ACHMAD IBRAHIM – ASSOCIATED PRESS)