Kid News This Month: US-Israel-Iran war explained, social media app gets a slap, China’s flying windmill, Spain’s therian meet-up that wasn’t, Japan’s mystery pipe
In world news this month, we decode the who, what, when, where and – most importantly – why there’s another major war – this one between the US, Israel and Iran. Plus, social media giant, Meta, formally known as Facebook, is told to pay $375million dollars for misleading users over child safety. Speaking of social media, a viral “therian” craze in Spain turns out to be… fake. No idea what therians are – well, you’ll know once you hear the story. And, ever heard of flying windmills? Yep, it’s a thing. Find out WHAT they are and why ELEVEN of them are flying above China... Finally, stay tuned for Japan’s curious incident of the mystery pipe that popped up in the middle of the night.
EPISODE-205
LEELA: This episode… the Iran war explained, Meta fined in the US, China’s windmill airship, Spain’s therians and Japan’s popping pipe mystery
OPENING STING – LEELA: “Hey, hey, hey. Listen up. New, new, newsy – Newsy Pooloozi!”
THEME MUSIC
LEELA: Hello and welcome to Newsy Pooloozi – the news pool for curious kids and adults!
I’m your host Leela Sivasankar Prickitt and…
MAMA: I’m her producer and mother, Lyndee Prickitt. And this is your one-stop-shop for the most interesting and important news happening around the world.
LEELA: This month – whoa, so much has happened!
First we decode the who, what, when, where and – most importantly – why there’s another major war – this one between the US, Israel and Iran.
Plus social media giant, Meta, formally known as Facebook, is told to pay millions for misleading users over child safety.
Speaking of social media, a viral “therian” craze in Spain turns out to be… fake. No idea what therians are – well, you’ll know once you hear the story.
And, ever heard of flying windmills? Yep, it’s a thing. Find out WHAT they are and why ELEVEN of them are flying above China...
Finally, stay tuned for Japan’s curious incident of the mystery pipe that popped up in the middle of the night.
OK then, let’s dive on in. First up, it’s the…
BIG NEWS STORY STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “The Big news story of the week!”
MAMA: You know we like to keep it positive here at Newsy Pooloozi.
LEELA: We do indeed.
MAMA: But we are a news podcast and sometimes, there’s no way around bad news.
LEELA: Like how there’s yet another war going on right now.
MAMA: Correct. Most of our listeners might have noticed the big W word –
LEELA: War!
MAMA: Yes, that word has been used a lot in the last few years – Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Gaza… And this time it’s a war that the US is right in the middle of.
LEELA: And it’s affecting LOADS of other countries.
MAMA: Exactly. It’s a bit scary and very messy.
LEELA: Why? I mean, how did it all start anyway?
MAMA: So, at the end of last month, in February, the U.S. and Israel surprised the world by launching attacks on the Middle Eastern Muslim country of Iran.
LEELA: Surprise. Which, for those who don’t know, is one of the places where a LOT of oil is produced.
SFX OF TRAFFIC, HONKING, AND A SHIP HORN
MAMA: And oil is super important because we turn it into fuel to run our cars, airplanes, ships and more.
LEELA: But WHY did Israel and the US attack Iran?
MAMA: Well, if you remember, this isn’t the first time. Last year Israel and the U.S. bombed Iran because they were trying to knock out Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
LEELA: Oh, yeah. They wanted to stop Iran from being able to create some of the most powerful weapons on earth – as in… duh-duh-duh… nuclear weapons!
MAMA: Correct. And they did... Or, well, they kind of did. You see, no one really knows just how advanced Iran’s nuclear weapon knowledge is.
LEELA: Right. So, then how do they know if they hit the target and knocked it out?
MAMA: They don’t – and that’s part of the problem. So… they decided knocking out their Supreme Leader, as he’s called in Iran, was the next best thing.
LEELA: Wait, isn’t that an assassination!
MAMA: Well, the official line is that he was “killed in strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.”
LEELA: Wouldn’t a lot of Iranians were happy about that? I mean, didn’t we report in our last episode about ongoing protests
SFX OF IRANIAN PROTEST (GET OFF YOUTUBE IF POSS) – UNDER NEXT FIVE LINES
LEELA: Iran from people not happy about their lack of freedoms and low employment?
MAMA: Oh, you were listening! Ha – I’m just kidding. But, yes, that’s right. There’ve been protests for months. Which is pretty gusty of the Iranians, because they live under a very strict, authoritarian government.
LEELA: Oh, I bet Israel and the US were hoping those protesters would, you know, take to the streets and kick out the strict government.
MAMA: That’s right. But it’s not so easy when those in charge have thousands of soldiers, never mind secret police, working for them.
LEELA: Oh, meaning it’s super risky especially since you don’t know who to trust... So, what happened after the attacks?
SFX OF IRAN LAUNCHING DRONES (GET OFF YOUTUBE)
MAMA: Well, Iran launched missiles and drones of their own at Israeli and U.S. military bases in the region, in neighboring countries. Like Dubai and Quatar. And that’s made flights all around there come to a halt, which of course, has a rippling effect on travel all over the world.
LEELA: So, with all that fighting, no oil is being made in Iran?
MAMA: Pretty much. Also, some of those missiles lobbied in Iran landed on their oil fields. Both of which are affecting the price of oil, which means the cost of travel and the price of gas is getting higher…
[SOURCE: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/20/iran-war-what-is-happening-on-day-21-of-us-israel-attacks
MAMA: But speaking of Dubai – imagine living in a place long seen as a model of stability and prosperity, now feeling the ripple effects of tensions in the region, as Iran retaliates and targets US bases nearby. Well, we have a special on-the-ground report from a teenager in Dubai who wishes to remain anonymous, as media and public commentary there is pretty tightly controlled.
DUBAI REPORT: Living so close to the conflict, here in Dubai, is a little surreal, I have to say.
You know when you hear about a storm that’s far away? That’s what it’s like. You just have to wait and see if it hits.
The funniest thing is it has actually been storming here - which is really unusual for us, I mean, this is a desert!
So sometimes you hear a loud boomand you just think: is that thunder? Or something else?
It can feel a bit scary, especially since Iran isn’t far away and none of us have been in this situation before.
Some families are leaving, just to be safe, while others are still going out for brunch, sitting in cafés like it’s any other weekend.
Life hasn’t really paused.
Roads are busy, shops and cafés are open, and people are meeting friends.
But at the same time, I’ve noticed more conversations about the news and politics (especially people my age), and more people checking news sites on their phone than ever before.
School is all online right now and that makes it feel more real, like this situation is starting to affect everyday life.
But still, we’re carrying on.
We don’t know what the future holds, because conflicts like these can change fast.
For now, though, we’re safe and hoping for peace soon.
LEELA: Is anyone trying to stop the fighting?
MAMA: Many countries and organizations want the conflict to end and they’re calling for peace. But right now… it’s still ongoing. World leaders are making big decisions about what to do next.
LEELA: So, wait and watch. Uuuuughhh!
MAMA: Now…
TECH STING – LEELA/MAMA: “It’s time for.... Technology News, technology news, tech news!”
MAMA: Big news for social media users!
LEELA: Oooh, it sounds serious already. What’s going on?
MAMA: One of the biggest tech companies in the world – Meta, which runs apps like Instagram and Facebook – has been told to pay a HUGE fine.
LEELA: How huge are we talking?
MAMA: 375 million dollars.
LEELA: Woah! That’s a LOT of money. What did they do?
MAMA: The court said Meta misled people about how safe its platforms were for children.
LEELA: Misled… meaning they didn’t tell the full truth?
MAMA: Exactly. They made it seem like their apps were safer for kids than they actually were.
LEELA: Uh oh… so what was the problem?
MAMA: The court heard that young users could still be contacted by strangers, see harmful or inappropriate content, and even be targeted by people trying to trick or exploit them.
LEELA: Yikes. That’s really not good.
MAMA: No, it’s not. And this matters to all you are listening – even if you don’t use those apps…
LEELA: A Lot of kids do!
MAMA: Right. And decisions like this can push companies to make their apps safer for everyone.
LEELA: So other apps kids do use might have to step up too?
MAMA: Exactly. Other tech companies will be watching closely.
LEELA: Like, “Right… better fix things before we get in trouble!”
MAMA: Haha, exactly. And the court said Meta didn’t do enough to fix the problems, even after being warned.
LEELA: So, they got into trouble for not protecting kids properly?
MAMA: That’s right. And that’s why they now have to pay that massive fine.
LEELA: I guess it shows that just because something is online…
MAMA: Doesn’t mean it’s always safe.
LEELA: And that companies need to take extra care when kids might be using their apps.
MAMA: That is exactly right.
[SOURCE: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/jury-orders-meta-pay-375-mln-new-mexico-lawsuit-over-child-sexual-exploitation-2026-03-24/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/24/meta-new-mexico-jury
MAMA: Staying with tech, a little story about something flying in the skies above the Sichuan Province in the southwest China.
LEELA: Oooooh. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a…
MAMA: A flying windmill?
LEELA: A what? Excuse me?
MAMA: A flying windmill!
LEELA: Well, I didn’t see that coming… A windmill – like that thing we always see in playschool farms or in pictures of Holland.
MAMA: Oh, right. Yes.
LEELA: Well, I don’t even know how that’s physically possible.
MAMA: Yeah, well, perhaps not a windmill as you are imagining it. It’s more of a windmill balloon....
LEELA: Ok, now I’m intrigued...
MAMA: So, this company from Beijing has created a “floating wind power generator.” It has 12 wind turbines, like fans basically, connected together in a circle. Like a clock.
LEELA: OK… Go on.
MAMA: That clock of turbines is wrapped up in an inflatable, helium filled aerostat.
LEELA: Which is???
MAMA: Just a fancy name for “helium filled” aircraft.
LEELA: Ok, so the turbines are connected to this inflatable... aircraft. Then what happens?
MAMA: It’s inflated with helium and it floats up to the sky. Like 2,000 meters up, where the wind is nice and, well, windy!
LEELA: Ok... so I guess, then, that strong wind turns the turbine fans?
MAMA: Yes! Exactly! Which is how typical windmills work, right? But wayyyy up in the sky, where the wind is stronger, those fans really start turning, and a lot of energy can be produced.
LEELA: But how do they get that energy back down to earth?
MAMA: Great question. The floating windmill never like just floats away on its own. It’s tethered to the earth with a realllly long cable.
LEELA; I get it. So, the energy that the wind turbines make travels back down to earth through that cable. And then what?
MAMA: Well, it’s connected to the grid, where it’s distributed to people’s homes and businesses.
LEELA: Gotta say, that’s a pretty cool invention. I wonder what’s next to flying solarpanels?
MAMA: Well… funny you should say that! They’re already working on that! A company in Austria is testing drones fitted with solar panels.
LEELA: You know, I gotta say, despite all the nastiness going on the world, sometimes the future does look bright!
MAMA: You said it, girl!
[SOURCE: https://interestingengineering.com/energy/worlds-first-megawatt-airship-rises-6560-ft]
NATURE STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “The call of nature. Get on your safari suite. Or squeeze into your scuba gear. And get ready to hop into a jeep. Or submarine. Submarine. Because Mother Nature is calling! Nature.”
MAMA: It may not be quite accurate to use Nature sting for this story.
LEELA: And why is that?
MAMA: Well, this is a story about nature… kind of… but it’s also a story about the power of the internet to spread fake news.
LEELA: Oooh, I’m so intrigued.
MAMA: So, over the past few weeks in Spain, people have been talking about therians.
LEELA: Errr, thespians… like actors on the stage?
MAMA: No, therians are people who feels spiritually connected to an animal, like a fox or, in your case, a cat. Well, kinda.
LEELA: Oh, like furries?
MAMA: Ah… no. Furries are fans of anthropomorphic animals.
LEELA: That’s a big word, Mama. You know this is a podcast for KIDS!
MAMA: Who want to learn big words! Yes, well, anthropomorphic means giving human characteristics to nonhuman things, like… animals taking on human traits.
LEELA: Like very large walking talking bug’s Bunny.
MAMA: Right. But therians are human who identify deeply as animals.
LEELA: Right…
MAMA: They don’t believe they’re actually the animal physically - it's more how they feel inside.
LEELA: OK… and they like to dress up or act like the animal they identify with?
MAMA: Yep, and that means wearing an animal mask or walking around on all fours.
LEELA: As a form of self-expression.
MAMA: Precisely. And a few weeks ago, there were lots of people talking about therian meet-ups in various cities across Spain.
LEELA: Oh, oh.
MAMA: In fact, let’s head over to Barcelona to our newest correspondent Ecko Metcalfe for more on this.
ECKO: Thanks guys.
As you mentioned, a few weeks ago people were talking about these therian meet-ups that were supposed to happen.
Videos and posts on apps like TikTok and Instagram made it seem like huge groups of therians were going to gather in city squares.
The idea of the meetings made many residents curious, while others worried about the “moral decay” of today’s youth. Negative stereotypes and rumors about therians started to spread.
On the day of the supposed meetups, large crowds of onlookers, media, influencers and people who wanted to make fun of the therians filled the squares across Madrid and Barcelona.
But oddly, there really weren’t any therians.
For the few who did show up, the situation sometimes turned negative.
They were mocked, filmed without permission, and even harassed.
One therian said she thought the event would be a chance to meet others like her, but she felt extremely uncomfortable.
As night fell in Barcelona the crowds grew rowdier and there were even some arrests.
What started as a small and harmless meeting became a big story because social media spreads unusual ideas very fast.
In the end, the “therian trend” in Spain wasn't as big as it seemed online.
More than anything, it’s a cautionary tale to think carefully about what we see on the internet, and to treat others with kindness, even if they are different.
After all, everyone has their own way of expressing themselves.
In Barcelona this is Ecko Metcalfe for Newsy Pooloozi!
LEELA: Intriguing story, Ecko. Thanks!
MAMA: Yeah, thank you! And welcome into the Newsy Pooloozi, Ecko!
[SOURCE: https://english.elpais.com/society/2026-02-24/therians-the-baseless-viral-phenomenon-used-by-extremists-to-fuel-their-anti-woke-rhetoric.html]
LEELA: And now – as if that story wasn’t weird enough… Let’s see what the lucky dip machine has for us this week.
ODDBALL STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “Step right up, step right up… Have a go at the lucky dip machine… What’s it gonna be today, eh? An oddball, no doubt!”
LEELA: This oddball is so odd, it’s actually kinda hard to explain.
MAMA: Oh, go on. Give it your best shot.
LEELA: Ok, so this is one of the “curious incidents in the middle of the night” kind of story.
MAMA: OK. Should I cue some dog barking sound effects?
LEELA: Nah, just some music, please.
MUSIC
LEELA: Ok, so, a few weeks ago, in the middle of the night, a massive steel pipe shot up through the ground in Osaka, Japan.
MAMA: Well, that is rather odd. Or totally random. So, just how massive are we talking here?
LEELA: Well, the width, or I should say, diameter is over 11 feet or three-and-a-half meters!
MAMA: Woah, that’s the width or circumference, I should say, of a back-yard trampoline. That’s a big pipe, actually. And wait, it just burst through the ground?
LEELA: In the middle of the night AND shot straight up 13 meters. AND no one saw it happen. It just, like... appeared!
MAMA: Well, I know who can fill us in on this mystery. Our very own Japan correspondent.
LEELA: Yep, that would be Shima Ito. Take it away!
SHIMA: Thanks, Leela.
And you’re right about this being a really odd story!
So, here’s what happened: there was a big 3-and-a-half meters-in-diameter pipe was installed vertically underground for a new sewage system.
The pipe was partially filled with water and was also surrounded by liquid.
Well, apparently, some of the water was let out of that big pipe and it became buoyant.
That means it wanted to float!
It makes sense when you think about it.
Imagine a plastic bottle that’s filled with water, that’s been submerged in a bowl of water.
If you were to empty the water out of the bottom of the bottle, well the bottle would shoot up to the surface and float.
That's what authorities say probably happened with the pipe.
Luckily, no one was hurt.
Eventually authorities filled it back up with water, which helped send it back down.
Now the only problem is the traffic caused from the mess.
A full investigation is underway to try and make sure this doesn’t happen again.
I’m Shima Ita, reporting for Newsy Pooloozi!
LEELA: Thanks, Shima. Wow! When you see the video, which you can check out in our transcript –
MAMA: in the links supplied at the bottom of the story…
LEELA: Yep. Well, when you see the video, it seems just nuts that this could have happened!
MAMA: I know right? And to think no one witnessed it. And there were no CCTV cameras or stoplight cameras or random person with a cell phone who would have caught it?
LEELA; Yeah, in this day and age, when cameras are everywhere! that’s the mostmysterious thing about this story, I’d say!
MAMA: Yes, talk about the curious incident of a moving pipe in the middle of the night…
[SOURCE: https://apnews.com/article/japan-osaka-pipe-underground-pipe-rise-474d725b9a714ac556a8379c1e470fd8]
FAB FACTS STING – LEELA: “And it’s time to wrap up the podcast with the top five fab facts heard today. Here goes…”
MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 1 – The three-week-old war in Iran is making oil prices higher around the world. Why is oil so important?
It fuels transport like cars, planes and ships
LEELA: FAB FACT NUMBER 2 – A flying windmill airship in China is actually a helium-filled aerostat floating high in the sky. What’s an aerostat?
A helium-filled aircraft
MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 3 – That same flying windmill is tethered to the ground with a very long cable so it doesn’t float away. What does “tethered” mean?
Tied or anchored in place
LEELA: FAB FACT NUMBER 4 – In Spain, people were talking about meet-ups for people who feel a deep connection to animals and may dress or act like them as a form of self-expression. What are those people called?
Therians
MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 5 – In Japan, a giant pipe shot up from the ground after becoming buoyant – like a bottle rising in water. What does “buoyant” mean?
Able to float
And don’t forget, if you want to test yourself later on, then go to the Lucky Dip page of our website, newsypooloozi.com, that’s pool-o-o-z-i, and take this quiz online in your own time!
LEELA: And that almost brings us to the end of this episode of Newsy Pooloozi! But first…
MAMA: We would like to thank the lovely Jyoti Chauhan for her production help
LEELA: And Julie Noce for helping write this episode! And, and, and…
MAMA: Welcome, Ria Srivastava – who’s also helped edit this episode!
THEME MUSIC
LEELA: If you enjoyed this dip in the coolest pool of news and information then HIT that subscribe button on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Alexa or wherever you get your podcasts.
MAMA: While you’re at it… Give us a good rating. Or better still, leave us a review!
LEELA: AND why don’t you tell a friend about this podcast too!
Alrighty then, see you next week in the happy, splashy giant Newsy Pooloozi!
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