FOUR-DAY SCHOOL WEEK
Queensland schools could be in for a big shake up, with a proposal for shorter working hours and a 4 day school week! While we don't know many of the nitty gritty details, the Queensland government has proposed flexible class schedules for 2024. It could give public schools the option to change or shorten school times and even apply to move to a 4 day school week. The government says the shake up would reduce stress on teachers and give them more time to prepare lessons. But it would help students too. Studies have shown that 4 day weeks can actually increase student productivity and even lead to better test scores. The day off would likely be a Wednesday, but it's up to each school if they want to trial it, and they'll still have to provide supervision for students who can't stay home.
MEG LANNING
Australian cricket great Meg Lanning has announced her retirement from international cricket. She's been playing for Australia 13 years with 241 matches under her belt. She also captained Australia in a record 182 matches, more than any other women's player, and led the team to Five World Cup Titles.
NT POOLS
Well, the weather is starting to heat up around Australia, and that normally means heading to your local beach or swimming pool. But for kids in some Northern Territory communities, pools have been closed for almost a year! Slip and slides and water balloon fights are highlights of summer. But these activities have also been the only ways for these kids to keep cool. For almost a year now, the pools around the remote community of Ngukurr have been closed along with a whole lot of others across the state because of a lack of lifeguards. A river that's home to large crocs and isn't safe to swim in! But now with some help from the YMCA and some volunteer lifeguards two pools in the area are re-opening! As well as helping them beat the heat, swimming in chlorinated water pool water like this also has some big heath benefits because it clears up some dangerous skin, ear and eye infections that are increasing in remote communties. It also means these kids can learn to swim in a safe environment.
LAB MEAT PET FOOD
This is the very first time a company has gotten EU approval to use lab-grown meat in their pet food. The company, based in the Czech Republic, say the next stage is to see how animals like the taste, and they're hoping to ramp up production to several tonnes of food per day by next year. That's a lot of dog food.
PANDAS FLY OUT
Now to a special delivery in the US bound for China. After more than 20 years living abroad Tian Tian and Mei Xiang are on a one-way flight to their homeland along with their 3 year old kid Xiao Qi Ji. You see, China owns almost all the pandas in the world, it just loans them out to countries. And as part of the deal, any pandas born overseas must also be returned to China. But this agreement has been put on ice for now.
HUNGRY BEAR
And finally to the moment a home food delivery went not according to plan. When a black bear decided it was also feeling rather peckish. Moments later, the family came out a little shocked and probably a little hungry.
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For the past 55 years, Behind the News has been helping to break down current issues and events for young people all around the world. The program is a high-energy, fun way for people to learn about the stories we see in the news while providing background information that isn’t usually given by other news bulletins.
