What happened in our world? October 24th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. It's low-calorie, high-fibre, high-interest, and nothing at all to do Donald Trump even though he was in the news a little bit. In this week's puzzle… Wonder Woman? What? Taliban members went from Qatar to Pakistan to chat about peace in Afghanistan. And finally some children were allowed to leave The Jungle in Calais to be reunited with their families in Britain. Mumbai police promised to protect the movie theatres. Nestlé suggested the price of Kit Kats in the UK may have to increase. And bull fighting in Spain was in the news again. These are simple crosswords aiming to encourage our students to ask about what's happening in their world - Why did it happen and where? Why did a landing craft explode on Mars? Why did Canada's trade minister walk out of a very important negotiation meeting? Why did Thailand's football season end early? As a bonus, there are two more crosswords asking students about the world around them. Where is Tirana? What are the residents of Italy's capital called. Where is Dubrovnik? And Brasilia? And Fort William. If there's an avalanche on Mt Erebus, how many people would run for their lives? Use the crosswords in your home-room class, in subject lessons, in substitution lessons, in lunchtime or after school clubs, in the time-out room, or even in the staffroom (during a staff meeting if you dare).

What happened in our world? November 7th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. Use the crosswords in your home-room class, in subject lessons, in substitution lessons, in lunchtime or after school clubs, or even in the staffroom (during a staff meeting). See which department's teachers are the smartest. In this week's puzzle… The Peruvians released baby turtles into the Amazon region and two Australians stood on a turtle and posted their selfie on the internet. Elsewhere in Australia a Danish tourist slipped, few, and landed on the back of a crocodile. And it bit him. Vladimir Putin unveiled a statue of... St Vladimir. The government closed schools in Delhi because of air pollution, cigarettes were declared the number one cause of non-contagious disease deaths and drug-resistant tuberculosis is far more widespread in Nigeria than previously thought. Egypt floated its currency and increased the price of energy. Canada's spy agency kept data on non-threatening citizens, their military investigated a mysterious pinging sound in the Arctic, and a diver found an old bomb. See, there was more in the news than Donald You-Know-Who. This is a simple crossword aiming to encourage students to ask about what's happening in their world. How did tuberculosis become drug-resistant? Why aren't cigarettes illegal if they're so bad? Why did Britain's pound lose value and then regain it at the end of the week? As a bonus, there are TWO more crosswords. One asks students to identify the country of origin of some unique things - such as the rouble, the Urdu language, the RCMP, and kangaroos. The other puzzle is for the Economics teacher (or for when you have to supervise an Economics class).

This resource contains three crosswords... 1. World Economics News A crossword based on Economics events in the news over the last 2-3 weeks. Egypt floated its currency in preparation for an IMF loan. The UK Pound fell, but then rose again. Venezuela's economic chaos is causing a mini-boom for Brazil's border towns. Economists have warned of stagflation for Britain. Google made a huge profit in Ireland but didn't pay much tax. Vietnam's government is aiming to stimulate consumer spending... and more. This crossword is not intended to be difficult. It will hopefully stimulate discussion about the Economics that's happening in the world right now. 2. Supply, demand, equilibrium, and elasticities Just as it says on the label... a crossword to reinforce the students' learning of supply, demand, equilibrium, and elasticities. Suitable for GCSE, A Level, IB Diploma, and AP Economics. 3. What happened in the world last week? November 7th, 2016 This puzzle is published every week and is pasted into this resource as a "freebie" sample. A simple crossword based last week's news... politics, elections, sports, business, weather, geography... it's all in there and it's all good discussion material. Excellent for when you have to substitute for an absent colleague. Yes, all the answers are included.

The World News Crossword is a simple PDF that can be downloaded and printed in just a few minutes. It's a simple activity suitable for PSHE, English, Geography, Economics... Crosswords are good for supporting language learning, for research skills, for handwriting, for logic and thinking, for collaboration and team work... And students will learn about what happened around the world last week... Somalia requested an arms embargo be lifted but at the same time about 6 million Somalian people are facing food and water shortages because of a drought. The US is close to finalising a $US100 million arms deal with Saudi Arabia. Rory McIlroy signed a $US100 million equipment deal and Sergio Garcia hit a hole in one in the same tournament that another golfer hit three tee shots into the water for a sextuple-bogey. The DRC announced an Ebola outbreak and Brazil announced the end of its Zika virus crisis. There was a worldwide cyber-attack on hospitals. The Russian Foreign Minister visited the White House and the president sacked the FBI’s director. Russian police arrested 11 people for reading the Russian constitution aloud in Red Square. They also arrested a man for filming himself playing Pokemon Go inside a church. Germany’s economy grew significantly in the last quarter. China announced a $US100 billion infrastructure plan to boost economic growth in Asia. Solar power is at a record low price in India and Dutch officials opened a new wind farm in the North Sea. The US will definitely lose all of its glaciers in the next few decades (not counting Alaska’s glaciers of course). The US secretary of state signed a commitment to protect the Arctic and to support scientific research into climate change. Paris’ Gare du Nord was evacuated and small bomb exploded in Rome. Emmanuel Macron won France’s presidential election. A mathematician and a bullfighter are candidates for his party’s general election. The US Air Force secret unmanned space plane landed after more than 700 days in space. (Shhh, don’t tell anyone because it’s a secret.) Of course, this activity is less about what happened and more about why... Why is China aiming to boost the region's economies? Why did Emmanuel Macron win with such a large majority? Why will the US' glaciers all be gone soon? Let the students chat about the puzzle's clues and see where the discussion goes. As always there are some bonus puzzles for the students who finish early, for students in a lesson that you have to substitute for, or just for fun during a rainy lunchtime... This week the bonus puzzles are about the Pacific countries, Europe, and well-known world landmarks.

Where on Earth? Crosswords #2 is a simple resource for use with students - from young to old. Crosswords are a simple task that help to promote neat handwriting, thinking skills, and in the case of these puzzles, world geographical knowledge. There’s something about crosswords thought that makes students need to finish them. What's the capital of Canada? And South Africa? South Korea? Australia? IN which country is New Orleans? Dubrovnik? Sofia? Cairo? Tunis? Did you say Dubrovnik? That's where Game of Thrones and Robin Hood were filmed. It's beautiful there and just a short drive south is Montenegro (change your clock when you cross the border) with a beautiful little sea town called Kotor. Then it's Albania and then it's Greece and a short boat trip from there is Istanbul. Wow!! These puzzles are handy to have pre-printed in the bag ready for an unexpected substitution lesson. Put the kids into groups because people are all a little tribal, and have them compete. ‘Which team will win?’ is all you have to say. They’ll work furiously, with or without their smartphones, to compete and win - and in the process they’ll learn more about the world around them.

This is a one-hour self-contained, informative, and very interesting lesson for students from about 10 years old to way older. It's even good fun to do during staff meetings. Get your department to compete the Maths department. (They're think they're so clever.) It's a pdf, so save it to a flash drive on your keyring and have a brilliant lesson in your pocket to use when a colleague is away sick. What happened in the world last week? A forest fire in Portugal and an apartment building fire in London both killed more than 60 people. Britain's government seemed to be in chaos while the newly-formed party of France's newly-elected president won a landslide in France's parliamentary election. Theresa must feel so jealous. Greece received a bailout payment from the EU and then vetoed an EU statement condemning China's human rights record at the UN. (Seems a little ungrateful.) Mind you, the US president seemed to support the blockade of Qatar but then the US sold billions of dollars worth of fighter jets to Qatar. Climate change affected scientists in Canada's Hudson Bay and seemed to have allowed some new plant life and insect pests to flourish in the Antarctic. And while we're down there, historians discovered a 118-year-old painting of a dead bird. They were excited - historians!! Why were these last week's news stories? What was their wider story? There are THREE bonus crosswords attached to this week's puzzle. I almost forgot - there's fear in France that a severe butter shortage will cause either a shortage of croissants, or a significant price increase. Sacred blue!

The World News Crossword (June 25th, 2017) is a simple crossword based on last week's news events. This week there are THREE BONUS puzzles that can be saved to a USB drive and stuffed into your pocket ready to be used at a moment's notice. Perfect for emergencies. The World News Crossword prompts students to discuss news events around the world. Brexit. Qatar. The White House. Climate change. The Middle East. The Great Barrier Reef. And maybe they'll ask where Sichuan is. Or where exactly is North Korea. Or perhaps they'll ask why - why is it a big deal that a small rural New Zealand newspaper publish the names of drunk drivers? Or that French bus drivers who aren't allowed to wear shorts chose to wear skirts? And then a group of UK school kids did the same - and how did these stories relate to climate change? The News puzzle can be used with young or old students, individually or in small groups, in class or for homework. The three bonus puzzles can be used when substituting for absent colleagues or during rainy lunch times.

This eleven-page packet of crosswords begins with a crossword dedicated to last week's world news and the events behind the news. There are several other crosswords that can be used at any time to support lessons or to use in emergencies, or as homework language activities (or in staff meetings). I've found crosswords work well as small group activities, especially the world news crossword, because it generates positive discussions about the world events. Now here's the thing... I know they're good because my students INSIST on getting all the answers and they chatter for the rest of the day about the news events. India's complicated tax system is being replaced by a goods and services tax. That's boring, but the world shortage of a special antibiotic isn't boring. It's potentially very serious. And so is drug-resistance. New Zealand's customs impounded. shipment of Weetabix, possibly because the British Lions beat the All Blacks. But Emirates Team New Zealand won the America's Cup. An Australian boy was flown almost 1000 km because of an accident with fireworks and an eye injury - not the best way fro him to celebrate Northern Territory Day. 60% of British people want to retain EU citizenship and 75% of the world don't have confidence in the US president's leadership skills (and yes, I know, that means 25% do). A study has found that a commercially produced pesticide has a significant harmful effect on bees. The chemical company thinks more research is needed. A study found that immigrant parakeets are liked by the UK public but that they are causing harm. (Guess what? The study's lead researcher was Mr Parrot. Really!!) And yes, the answers are included. There are some crosswords about landmarks or special places in the world... Uluru, The Eiffel Tower, Stonehenge, The Grand Canyon, Banff National Park, The Victoria Falls... and maybe these puzzles will get the students using their smartphones with an atlas or map rather than WhatsApp or FB. There are some Maps crosswords taken from a KS3 Geography booklet that's also available on TES, and a crossword about Climate Change - what causes it, what are the effects, and what can we do about it? So... a crossword all about last week's news and a few other very handy resources to have in your pocket (it's all PDF so you can download it to a USB drive)...

The World News Crossword (August 13th, 2017) is a simple crossword made up of news events from the last week. New volcanoes discovered in the Antarctic. Less migrants from Libya to Italy in July. A camp built for migrants walking from the US to Canada. Twelve HUGE pipes washed ashore in Norfolk. A Canadian policeman paid for the shirt and tie that a young shoplifter tried to steal for a job interview. The egg scandal spread to 15 EU countries, Switzerland and Hong Kong. Tainted papayas make 100 or so people in the US sick while millions of Yemeni children are suffering from cholera. Train wreck in Egypt. The US president threaten d military intervention in Venezuela. And a Canadian diplomat suffers hearing loss in Cuba because of a sonic weapon. A Danish submarine captain was charged with manslaughter after a Swedish journalist died when the submarine sank. Of course the answers are included. It's an excellent resource for PSHE, Geography, Economics, Social Studies, GATE... There are 3 additional BONUS crossword puzzles - Afghanistan, Albania, and Japan.

The World News Crossword (August 6th, 2017) is a simple crossword based on last week’s news events. There are three BONUS crosswords included - all with the answers of course. The resource is a pdf document so it's quick and easy to download and store on a flash drive. What happened in our world last week? The Philippines president called the North Korean leader a ‘chubby fool’ for firing rockets. China and India are involved in a border dispute. An Indian boxer beat a Chinese boxer but offered to give the title back to the Chinese boxer as a peace gesture. GM recalled almost a million trucks. Pearson, the educational publisher announced it would cut 10% of of its jobs. Ethnic violence in the DRC resulted in more than 250 people killed. Australia’s greenhouse emissions rose to their highest level ever. Dutch police arrested criminals who stole iPhones from a moving truck. A heatwave spread across Europe and monsoon flooding killed hundreds of people in India. Police in Sierra Leone banned groups of joggers. It’s not so much what happened but why, and hopefully this is what the students will be talking about as they complete the crossword and go to their next lesson. Why did only two cities apply to host the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympics? Why is the Polish government still allowing logging in its ancient forest? Why are George and Amal Clooney helping 3000 Syrian children attend school in Lebanon? And why was Martin Shkreli the most hated man?

The World News Crossword (May 21st 2017) is a simple crossword based on last week's news events. This week there are THREE BONUS puzzles (The Mighty Mississippi, USA's states, and a puzzle all about Climate Change). These puzzles are engaging and interesting learning activities. The World News Crossword enthuses students to discuss news events around the world. The US president met Turkey's president and it didn't go so well. The US president then flew to Saudi Arabia where he'll attend a meeting also attended by a leader wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. Why did North Korea's leader fire another missile? The leader in the Philippines banned cigarette smoking in public. France inaugurated its president and he flew first to meet Germany's chancellor and then to meet French troops in Africa. And Ukraine's president banned the country's two most popular social media sites. The News puzzle can be used with young or old students, individually or in small groups, in class or for homework. The three bonus puzzles can be used when substituting for absent colleagues or during rainy lunch times.

The World News Crossword (June 11th 2017) is a simple crossword based on last week's news events. This week there are TWO BONUS puzzles (Canada and Brazil). These puzzles are engaging and interesting learning activities. The World News Crossword sparks students to discuss news events around the world. The UK election. The Qatar embargo. A Facebook post in Thailand and a documentary in Cambodia with similar consequences. China's One China Policy and now a One-Dog policy. Solar panels on the Mexico-US wall? Crowdfunding's a good idea - to start up a chocolate factory in New Zealand. Homo sapiens are at least 300,000 years old now, not the 200,000 previously thought, which is nowhere as old as the 115 million year old fossilised mushroom found in Brazil. The News puzzle can be used with young or old students, individually or in small groups, in class or for homework. The three bonus puzzles can be used when substituting for absent colleagues or during rainy lunch times.

The World News Crossword (August 20th, 2017) is a simple resource made up of a crossword (with answers) based on last week's news events - and THREE bonus crosswords. This week's bonus puzzles focus on Argentina, China, and New Zealand. The World News Crossword is reasonably simple to complete because its purpose is to engage students with their world and some of the many events that affect them. A two-week-old wildfire in Greenland. A terror attack in Barcelona. A baby dolphin killed because of tourists' curiosity. Venezuela went from bad to worse. 3000 Syrians returned home from Lebanon. Saudi Arabia negotiated to rebuild Iraq's cities. The US president used Twitter, again. Floods affected millions of people in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. A tortoise escaped in Japan. But it's less about what happened last week than why and hopefully, if students work in groups to solve these puzzles, they'll chat among themselves about the stories in the puzzle. Why did Rwandans vote their president back for a third term? Why should Zimbabwe's Grace Mugabe escape prosecution for assaulting a model in a hotel in South Africa? Why is the US investigating China's intellectual property policies? And what's so wrong with an Australian politician holding dual-citizenship?

The World News Crossword (August 27th, 2017) is a simple resource made up of one crossword based on last week's news events and three more crosswords each focussing on a country. This week its Algeria, Azerbaijan, and Japan. And there might even be another crossword for special teachers and their students. The resource is a pdf document so it's quick to download, store on a USB/flash drive, ready to print at a moment's nice. It's ideal then for substitute lessons, PSHE lessons, English, Geography, Economics, Business... Let's be clear, it's a great resource for any subject at almost any level. Students will learn about the world (their world) and some of the events that shaped last week. Why did Brazil open up national reserves to mining companies? Why would a teenager try to smuggle a Bengal tiger cub from Mexico to USA? Will the EU allow Bayer to take over Monsanto? Did the UN really send a warning to the US about racial discrimination? Why were there big storms in Macau and the US? (Oh and it rained in Ireland, but that's not normally news, is it? So why was it news?) The New Zealand men's rugby team beat long-time rivals Australia on the same day that the New Zealand women's rugby team won the World Cup. The ex-governor of the Norfolk Islands recommended Norfolk Island become part of New Zealand and not Australia. Qatar's government passed a law limiting the working hours for domestic staff and India passed a law banning instant divorces. An Australian politician proposed a national day for indigenous Australians - to be on Queen's Birthday. Really?

The World News Crossword (September 3rd, 2017) is a interesting and very engaging resource for students from age 10 or so upwards (all the way up to teachers in staff meetings). It's a crossword based on the events in last week's news. There are three more crosswords in the resource based on countries - Bhutan, Belgium, and Bangladesh. The resource is ideal for PSHE, SEN, Geography, Economics, English... and for when you're substituting a class that doesn't have enough work. The World News Crossword works very well as small group activities because it's not really about solving the puzzle - it's really bout the discussion that occurs about the news. Why is North Korea firing missiles and making threats to the US and Japan? Why recall half a million pacemakers for weak cybersecurity (who would attack a pacemaker)? Why would Croatia's capital remove the name of Josip Tito from it's central plaza? And what's so important about the Taj Mahal? It's a pdf document so it's quick to download and print. Store it on a USB drive and you have several excellent lessons and homework in your pocket. Brilliant! Over 1200 people died in flooding across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. About 50 people were killed in flooding in Texas. (Trump continues to deny climate change.) Mo Farah won his last 5000 metre race in Zurich. Spain beat Italy and Wales beat Austria in their World Cup footy qualifiers. New Zealand beat England in the Women's World Cup Final. Serena Williams had a baby girl. Fabio Fognini was kicked out of the US Open for abusing the umpire. Germany opened a facility that houses the world's most powerful x-ray laser in an underground bunker near Hamburg and Kim Jong-un announced he has a nuclear bomb that can be attached to an ICBM. And almost half a million pacemakers were recalled in the US because of weak cybersecurity. Government archaeologists told a court in India that the Taj Mahal is a Muslim mausoleum not a Hindu Temple. Kenya's Supreme Court ruled the recent presidential elections invalid. A malaria parasite crossed from howler monkeys to humans in Brazil. Turley's president accused Myanmar of genocide against the Rohingya people.

The World News Crossword is reviews last week’s news events. It’s simple to complete and can be an individual or a small group activity. It will prompt discussion about the world. This week there were corrupt government officials and NGO workers. There was a deadly typhoon in Vietnam. A new ape discovered in Sumatra and some presidents did some strange things - all of which will stimulate discussions, probably beginning with ‘Why...’ And perhaps students will learn that their smartphones can be used to read the news or research places, people, and events. Last week’s news went from a Yemeni rocket to a German zucchini. Saudi Arabia intercepted a rocket fired from Yemen. They also intercepted some corrupt princes and politicians. Catalonia’s president was sacked, Lebanon’s PM quit, and Iceland’s president asked the Left-Green Movement to form a government. Zimbabwe’s president said he favoured the death penalty and Aung Sun Suu Kyi finally visited the area in her country where genocide has been carried out by her country’s army. The US president’s twitter account was shut down and Michelle Obama advised all children not to tweet everything they think because most of it’s rubbish that no one wants to know about. (I wonder which child she had in mind?) Cockatoos attacked Australia’s already slow broadband, a new species of ape was discovered and immediately declared endangered, and scientists said they now know why 90% of mammoth fossils are from males. Ferrari announced it would report a billion Euro profit, a Hong Kong businessman sold his skyscraper for $US 5 billion, and the Red Cross announced that over $US 2 million was stolen by its staff in Sierra Leone during the Ebola crisis. In France the language authority said no to gender-neutral language, in Switzerland a 7 year old ran away from her parents, took a train to Geneva airport, and snuck onto a plane, and in Germany a man found a bomb in his garden, but it turned out to be a sinister-looking zucchini.

What happened in our world? August 29th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. It's a low-calorie, high-fibre, high-interest, and Donald Trump-free learning resource. Three crosswords in one easy to download and print pdf document. a. What happened in the world? b. Name the countries. c. The Olympics. In this week's news crossword puzzle… a Czech lost in the New Zealand wilderness for a month, the earthquake in Italy, Stephen Harper announced his retirement from politics, A Japanese airline grounded its Dreamliner fleet, the All Blacks beat the Wallabies and many more... These are simple crosswords aiming to encourage our students to ask about what's happening in their world - Why did it happen and where? And most importantly, who are the people affected? There are TWO bonus crosswords. One asks students to identify the countries in which cities, mountains or other features are located. (Do you think they know where Mauritius is? Perhaps they'll ask to see it on a map. Perhaps they'll ask to go there in the next holiday.) And another crosswords on The Olympics. Who won the men's 1500m bronze medal (and how old was he)? What is the motto for the Olympics? Use the crosswords in your home-room class, in subject lessons, in substitution lessons, in lunchtime or after school clubs, in the time-out room, or even in the staffroom (during a staff meeting if you dare). And don't forget to come back next Sunday evening for more crosswords.

What happened in our world? July 10th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. (Please note... when the resource is uploaded on Sunday it's priced at £2:00, but from Monday, it's priced at £1:50. This is because of the site's minimum price and sale/discount feature. So wait until Monday morning before buying it.) It's a pdf document. It's quick to download and quick to print. These puzzles work best for me when I print enough for students to work in groups of three. In this week's puzzle… President Obama had to leave from the back of Air Force One when he arrived in China for the G20 Summit (awkward). China and the US ratified the French Climate deal (very good). John McEnroe gave Nick Kyrgios some good advice (sage and timely). More clowns were seen in South Carolina (creepy). Scotland welcomed its 1000th Syrian refugee (very good). The world's longest glass bridge closed for maintenance (window cleaning?). Anti-bacterial soap was banned in the US (why?). Samsung recalled the Galaxy 7 Note (curious). An Austrian politician said that multi-nationals pay less tax than sausage stands (what's a sausage stand?). A 7.1 earthquake shook New Zealand's North Cape (crikey). This crossword is fairly simple because it's not about solving the puzzle - it's about getting students to think about and discuss the news events and the people affected by these events. Students could use their smartphones to look at the news and so they'll learn that iPhones are more than just social media gadgets. They'll hopefully ask about the news too, like why would so many people want to go from Syria to Scotland and what's the France deal that China and US signed? And what's so wrong or right about a burkini? This week there are TWO bonus puzzles. The first is about natural hazards such as earthquakes and avalanches and pandemics. Geography and Social Studies teachers will love this puzzle, as will other teachers who have to supervise a Geography or Social Studies teacher for a sick colleague. The second bonus puzzle asks students to name countries and the clues are capital cities, or mountain, or rivers and it's tricky, so it'll keep even the gifted and talented students gainfully and positively busy. The puzzles can be used with a wide range of students, from middle to secondary school, and in a wide range of subjects. They're good for PSHE and homeroom situations, for Social Studies or English classes, for students with ADHD or handwriting issues, for students in a time out situation, for homework... and for use with classes that substitute / supply teachers are supervising.

What happened in our world? September 25th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events (and there are THREE MORE very useful puzzles attached). The answers are included. This resource is a pdf document so it's quick to download and quick to print. In this week's puzzle… A minivan fell from a mountain road in Pakistan and an oil tanker caught fire in the Gulf of Mexico. Ban Ki-Moon warned of the threat of microbial resistance. Sri Lanka court ruled that schools cannot impose a dress code on parents. A French hitch hiker threw a tantrum because he didn't get a ride. Someone counted North Korea's websites - there are just 28 of them. The world's oldest library reopened in Fez. This crossword is fairly simple because it's not about solving the puzzle - it's about getting students to think about and discuss the news events and the people affected by these events. Students could use their smartphones to look at the news and so they'll learn that phones are more than just social media gadgets. They'll hopefully ask about the news too like why is there a war in Syria and why has the United Nations not stopped it? Why are refugees trying to get into Europe? And why was the world's oldest library reopened? Or maybe they'll ask why it was closed. This week there are THREE bonus puzzles about countries, cities, and famous people. All of these puzzles can be used with a wide range of students, from middle to secondary school, and in a wide range of subjects. They're good for PSHE and homeroom situations, for Social Studies or English classes, for students with ADHD or handwriting issues, for students in a time-out situation, for homework... and for use with classes that substitute / supply teachers are supervising. Print them and have them ready for the emergency situations. (Note... when the resource is uploaded on Sunday it's priced at £2:00, but from Monday, it's discounted to £1:50. This is because of the site's minimum price and sale/discount feature. So wait until Monday morning before buying it.)

This is a simple crossword aiming to encourage students to ask about what's happening in their world. Download and then print this simple and easy to use PDF and save time preparing for the next Economics, Geography, Business, or PSHE lesson. The puzzles are excellent for a lively and informative home room period or even a substitution lesson when the ascent colleague hasn't left enough work. You save your precious time and the students get to learn about last week's news events. The puzzles seem to work best when students work in pairs or groups of three, so they discuss the clues and therefore the events of their world. They work even better if the teacher does the puzzle with the students. In this week's puzzle… Have you heard that if a butterfly flaps its wings in the South American rainforest....? Well, the number of monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico is 27% less than last year, Peru’s ex-president, Alejandro Toledo, was charged with bribery, and London’s mayor said that London’s air is so polluted that owners of diesel-powered cars should be aid not to drive them and there are no leaks from a nuclear power plant in France but lots of air pollution in UK. A French farmer and a Swedish reporter were both found guilty and given suspended sentences for helping refugees into their countries. Renewable energy made up 90% of all new electricity in the EU but there’s still too much coal being used. Extreme temperatures in the past weeks have resulted in many forest fires in New South Wales, about 400 pilot whales beached themselves in New Zealand, England beat Wales in the Six Nations rugby and 17 people died at a football match in Angola. Cannabis may be decriminalised in Ireland and some forms of domestic violence in Russia may also be decriminalised and a Russian millionaire negotiated to lease three uninhabited Kiribati islands to establish an alternative Russia. The Handmaid’s Tale rose on the bestseller lists because, the author Margaret Atwood says, of worries about women’s issues after the US election, the US commander in Afghanistan asked for 2000 more troops, North Korea launched a missile, and a Chinese man was reunited with his family after being stuck in India for 50 years. Whew!