Starting 5 January 2026

Farooq and Jouri from Mango News Kids

Welcome to this week's news, all summarised with amazing AI. Join us as we explore exciting places, meet historical figures, discover amazing animals, and learn about cool science. Each article is packed with fun facts that will expand your knowledge and spark your curiosity.

🌍 Politics

Iran in 'big trouble', Trump says as protests spread and Khamenei sounds defiant toneThe National · 10.01.26Iran in 'big trouble', Trump says as protests spread and Khamenei sounds defiant toneProsecutor threatens protesters with death sentence as Tehran blames foreign-backed agitators.
  • 🌍 Many people in Iran are upset because life has become very hard. Things cost more money, jobs are difficult to find, and families are struggling, so people went outside to protest and ask for change.
  • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The leader of Iran said he will not change his mind and blamed other countries for causing trouble. The government warned protesters that they could be punished very badly.
  • 🇺🇸 The President of the United States said he is watching closely and wants protesters to stay safe. He warned Iran not to hurt people who are protesting.
  • 📱 The internet was slowed or stopped in many places. This made it hard for people to talk to each other or share news.
  • ✈️ Because of the unrest, some flights were canceled, and many countries asked Iran to stop the violence and protect its people.
Exclusive: Trump administration mulls payments to sway Greenlanders to join USReuters · 09.01.26Exclusive: Trump administration mulls payments to sway Greenlanders to join USGreenland and Denmark say they're not for sale; European leaders stand behind Copenhagen and Nuuk.
  • 🌍 Some leaders in the United States talked about giving money to people in Greenland to try to convince them to join the United States. The money talked about could be a lot for each person.
  • 💰 Greenland is a cold island near the North Pole and it belongs to Denmark. Leaders in Greenland and Denmark said clearly that Greenland is not for sale.
  • 🤝 Many countries in Europe said that only Greenland and Denmark can decide what happens to Greenland. They did not like the idea of another country choosing for them.
  • 🛡️ The United States says Greenland is important because it is in a special place and has valuable resources that help with safety and technology.
  • 🗳️ Many people in Greenland want to be independent one day, but most do not want to become part of the United States.
How to turn the youth voice into policyLSE · 07.01.26How to turn the youth voice into policyLowering the voting age to 16 in the UK is a welcome policy intervention to the declining participation of young people in elections. But that alone isn't enough.
  • 🌟 Grown ups want kids and teens to help make rules because young people have smart ideas about schools, homes, safety and the planet.
  • 🗳️ Letting teens vote at 16 is good, but leaders must also listen to young people every day, not only on election days.
  • 💬 Many kids care about big problems like climate, fairness and mental health, but boring politics makes them feel ignored.
  • 🤝 When adults and kids talk together, kids learn confidence and adults make better choices that help families and communities.
  • 🏙️ Cities like London show that when young people help plan rules, everyone wins and democracy becomes fairer and stronger.
One year on: the impact of Donald Trump on British politics and policyInstitute for Government · 05.01.26One year on: the impact of Donald Trump on British politics and policyUK politicians are constantly reacting to, or taking their lead from, the US president.
  • 🌍 Donald Trump is the leader of America, and many British leaders watch what he does, because America and Britain work together on big decisions.
  • 💬 Trump talks loudly online and in the news, so people notice him a lot, while Britain's leaders sometimes struggle to explain their plans clearly.
  • 💰 Trump wants countries to spend money on soldiers and safety, so Britain now spends more on defense and less on helping poorer countries.
  • 🛒 Trump likes putting taxes on goods from other countries, which makes Britain rush to make trade deals to protect its shops and hospitals.
  • 🌱 Trump does not care much about climate change, which makes it harder for Britain and Europe to agree on protecting the Earth together.

🗳️ Fun Fact!

Many countries have Youth Parliaments where kids and teenagers can debate real issues and suggest new laws. Some of their ideas have actually become real laws that everyone has to follow!

🤖 Technology & AI

LEGO's SMART Brick could be the biggest shake-up in brick-building in decadesShortlist · 06.01.26LEGO's SMART Brick could be the biggest shake-up in brick-building in decadesA screen-free revolution in brick-building.
  • 🧱 LEGO made a new SMART Brick that makes LEGO toys feel alive. It can hear sounds, see light, and feel movement, all without using screens, phones, or tablets, so kids can keep playing with their hands.
  • 🎶 When kids play, the LEGO builds can make sounds like engines, music, and cool effects. The bricks react to what kids do, making playtime more exciting and surprising.
  • 🤖 The SMART Brick is very tiny but very clever. It hides inside LEGO sets and works with special smart figures and tags to tell fun stories.
  • 🚀 LEGO SMART Play works with normal LEGO bricks, so old and new pieces fit together easily and feel familiar.
  • ⭐ LEGO is starting with Star Wars sets where ships fly, battles boom, and characters come to life as kids play their own adventures.
Four Futures for Jobs in the New Economy: AI and Talent in 2030World Economic Forum · 07.01.26Four Futures for Jobs in the New Economy: AI and Talent in 2030Exploring how AI advancement and talent trends could transform the future of jobs and the global economy.
  • 🤖 AI is like a super smart helper that is changing how people work and how businesses do things all around the world. It can help people work faster and think in new ways.
  • 👩‍💻 Some grown ups think AI will take away some jobs, while others think it will make new jobs. This makes many people feel unsure about the future.
  • 🏫 Learning new skills is very important. People who learn how to work with AI will have more chances to do well and feel confident.
  • 🔮 Experts imagine four possible futures. In some, AI helps people a lot. In others, people struggle if they are not ready to learn.
  • 🌍 The big lesson is that people and machines should work together. When humans learn, share, and help each other, the future can be brighter and fairer.

🧱 Fun Fact!

The tallest LEGO tower ever built was 35.5 meters (116 feet) tall, that's as tall as a 10-story building! It was built in Milan, Italy and used over 550,000 LEGO bricks!

🔭 Space

World's largest digital camera spots massive asteroidPopular Science · 08.01.26World's largest digital camera spots massive asteroid2025 MN45 is larger than eight football fields.
  • 🪐 Scientists found a giant space rock called asteroid 2025 MN45 using the biggest digital camera ever. It is as long as eight football fields and lives in space.
  • 📸 The discovery was made with a new observatory in Chile that takes pictures of the sky every 40 seconds to find new space objects.
  • 🌪️ This asteroid spins super fast. It can spin all the way around in less than two minutes, which is very unusual for something so big.
  • 🪨 Because it spins so quickly and stays together, scientists think it is made of very strong rock instead of loose pieces.
  • 🚀 Finding fast spinning asteroids helps scientists learn how the solar system was made and what space rocks are made of long ago.
NASA to roll out rocket for Artemis 2 moon mission on Jan. 17Space · 10.01.26NASA to roll out rocket for Artemis 2 moon mission on Jan. 17Launch could come as soon as Feb. 6.
  • 🚀 NASA is getting a huge rocket ready for a moon trip. On January 17 the rocket will slowly move to the launch pad in Florida to be checked.
  • 🌕 This mission is called Artemis 2. It will send four astronauts on a ten day journey around the moon and then safely back to Earth.
  • 👩‍🚀 The astronauts will not land on the moon, but they will fly very close. This has not happened since astronauts went long ago.
  • 🔧 Before flying, NASA will do practice tests. They will fill the rocket with fuel and pretend it is launch day to make sure everything works.
  • 📅 If all tests go well and the weather is good, the rocket could launch as early as February 6. Everyone hopes for a safe and exciting mission.

👣 Fun Fact!

Because the Moon has no wind or rain, the footprints left by astronauts over 50 years ago are still there today and will stay for millions of years! They're like permanent time capsules in the moon dust.

🔬 Science

This simple math trick could transform earthquake scienceScienceDaily · 06.01.26This simple math trick could transform earthquake scienceA new approach speeds up complex seismic simulations by a factor of about 1,000, making risk assessments far more practical.
  • 🌍 Earthquakes happen a lot around the world, and they can shake the ground very hard, hurting people, homes, and roads. Scientists want to help keep everyone safer.
  • 🧠 Scientists cannot tell exactly when an earthquake will happen, but they can learn about what is under the ground, like rocks, sand, or clay, which changes how shaking feels.
  • 🧮 A new math trick helps computers work much faster, about one thousand times faster, to study earthquakes and the ground below us.
  • 💻 With this fast method, scientists can make pictures of the hidden layers under cities and towns to see how strong shaking might be there.
  • 🏙️ This helps cities prepare better for earthquakes and even tsunamis, so people can be safer in the future.

🐘 Fun Fact!

Some animals can sense earthquakes before they happen! Dogs, cats, elephants, and even birds have been observed acting strangely minutes or hours before an earthquake strikes.

👗 Fashion

Saks Global seeks to file for bankruptcy as soon as Sunday, Bloomberg News reportsFashionNetwork · 09.01.26Saks Global seeks to file for bankruptcy as soon as Sunday, Bloomberg News reportsLuxury retailer Saks Global is planning to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as soon as Sunday, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.
  • 🛍️ Saks Global is a big fancy store company that sells clothes and shoes. News says it may ask a court for help very soon.
  • 🏛️ Asking the court for help is called bankruptcy. It does not mean closing forever. It means fixing money problems while staying open.
  • 🏙️ The famous New York store on Fifth Avenue is very old and important. The company wants to make a new money plan soon.
  • 💰 Saks is talking with helpers called creditors to borrow about 1.25 billion dollars. This money helps pay bills and workers.
  • 🚪 During this time people can still shop there. The company hopes the plan will help it feel better and keep stores running.

🏛️ Fun Fact!

The first shopping mall in the world opened in ancient Rome over 2,000 years ago! It was called Trajan's Market and had over 150 shops selling everything from food to jewelry.

⚽ Sports

Afcon 2025: Cameroon 0-2 Morocco, Host nation through to semi-finalsBBC Sport · 09.01.26Afcon 2025: Cameroon 0-2 Morocco, Host nation through to semi-finalsGoals from Brahim Diaz and Ismael Saibari help Afcon 2025 hosts Morocco to a 2-0 win over Cameroon and a place in the semi-finals.
  • ⚽ Morocco played a great football match at home and beat Cameroon to reach the semi finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. The stadium was full of loud happy fans cheering for their team.
  • 🌟 Brahim Diaz scored the first goal before halftime by gently pushing the ball into the net after a corner kick. It was his fifth goal in the tournament.
  • 🎯 Ismael Saibari scored the second goal later in the game from a free kick moment, which made Morocco's win safe and exciting.
  • 🦁 Morocco stayed calm and strong all game while Cameroon found it very hard to attack or score any goals.
  • 🎉 This win means Morocco is only two games away from winning the African trophy at home for the first time in many years.
FA Cup: Wrexham's story 'written in the stars, literally'BBC Sport · 10.01.26FA Cup: Wrexham's story 'written in the stars, literally'Wrexham's remarkable rise continues as they knock Premier League side Nottingham Forest out of the FA Cup in dramatic fashion.
  • 🌟 Wrexham played an exciting football game and beat a very big team called Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, which made fans feel like something magical was happening.
  • ⚽ They scored lots of goals and worked very hard even when they were tired, then won the game with penalty kicks, which are special shots to decide a winner.
  • 🎬 Their famous owner Ryan Reynolds watched happily with his family, and many people felt proud because Wrexham made football history again.
  • 🧤 Players like the goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo and others were heroes by scoring goals, saving shots and coming back strong after injuries.
  • 🚀 Wrexham are doing really well this season and fans believe the team might keep winning and reach the top leagues very soon.

🏟️ Fun Fact!

When thousands of fans jump and cheer at the same time in a football stadium, seismographs (earthquake detectors) nearby can actually measure the vibrations! Fan celebrations have registered on earthquake monitors!

Amazing Fun Facts You Won't Believe!

Here are some incredible facts about the topics we covered that will blow your mind!

📵 Internet Shutdown

When governments shut down the internet during protests, it can cost a country millions of dollars per day because businesses can't work, people can't shop online, and banks can't process payments!

🧊 Arctic Temperatures

Greenland has some of the coldest temperatures ever recorded on Earth! The coldest was -66.1°C. That's so cold that if you threw boiling water in the air, it would freeze before hitting the ground!

🗳️ Youth Parliaments

Many countries have Youth Parliaments where kids and teenagers can debate real issues and suggest new laws. Some of their ideas have actually become real laws that everyone has to follow!

📱 Presidential Tweets

During his first term, Donald Trump sent over 25,000 tweets! That's an average of about 17 tweets per day. Social media has changed how world leaders communicate with people.

🧱 LEGO Records

The tallest LEGO tower ever built was 35.5 meters tall, that's as tall as a 10-story building! It was built in Milan, Italy and used over 550,000 LEGO bricks!

🧠 AI Learning Speed

Some AI systems can read and understand thousands of books in just hours, something that would take a human many years! But AI still can't understand emotions and feelings the way humans do.

🪐 Asteroid Families

There are over 1 million known asteroids in our solar system! Scientists name some after famous people, places, or even fictional characters. There's an asteroid named after Mr. Spock from Star Trek!

👣 Moon Footprints

Because the Moon has no wind or rain, the footprints left by astronauts over 50 years ago are still there today and will stay for millions of years!

🐘 Earthquake Animals

Some animals can sense earthquakes before they happen! Dogs, cats, elephants, and even birds have been observed acting strangely minutes or hours before an earthquake strikes.

🏛️ Fashion History

The first shopping mall in the world opened in ancient Rome over 2,000 years ago! It was called Trajan's Market and had over 150 shops selling everything from food to jewelry.

📝 Quiz Time! Test Your Knowledge

Let's see how much you remember from this week's news! Pick the correct answer for each question.

Question 1 / 10

🌍 Why are people protesting in Iran?

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Thank You for Reading!

🧠 Stay Curious!

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Check back next week for more exciting news stories from around the world!