Kid News This Week: A Mardi Gras lowdown, Trump and diplomacy, innovative squid-sponge combats microplastics, lost creepy deep-sea creatures
In wacky world news this episode… The biggest street parades and parties are underway – we’ll tell you where and why in our Mardi Gras explainer. We’ll also give you the low-down on diplomacy – what it means and why it matters – AND what it’s got to do (or not) with Donald Trump and the new world order. Big environment news with an innovative sponge that might help solve the world’s microplastic pollution problem. And, lost at sea… a couple deep sea creatures are showing up on the surface – you gotta listen to the end to find out which ones and where!
EPISODE – 195
LEELA: This episode… a Mardi Gras lowdown, Trump and diplomacy, the innovative squid-sponge and lost deep-sea creatures.
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, as ever, I’m joined by the big story explainer and sound effects finder – otherwise known as my… mama!
MAMA: Hello, hello! I’m also known as Lyndee Prickitt. And this is your one-stop shop for the most interesting and important news happening around the world.
LEELA: This week…
The biggest street parades and parties are underway – we’ll tell you where and why in our Mardi Gras explainer.
We’ll also give you the low-down on diplomacy what it means and why it matters and what it’s got to do (or not) with Donald Trump and the new world order.
Big environment news with an innovative sponge that might help solve the world’s microplastic pollution problem.
And, lost at sea… a couple of deep-sea creatures are showing up on the surface – you gotta listen to the end to find out which ones and where.
Okay, let's dive on in and hopefully not run into the scary sea monsters.
First up, it's the…
BIG NEWS STORY STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “The Big news story of the week!”
MAMA: Tis the season for holiday themed Newsy Pooloozis…
LEELA: Excuse me?
MAMA: Well, our big story in our last episode was all about India’s Kumbh Mela, and this episode big story is about another religious holiday and festival.
LEELA: Oh, you must be talking about Ramadan? When roughly a quarter of the world’s population marks the Islamic holy month of fasting.
MAMA: Actually, no. We’ll come back to Ramadan in a month when Muslims celebrate Eid – which marks the end of their month-long dawn-to-dusk fasting.
LEELA: As in they abstain from eating or drinking anything all day from sunrise to sunset.
MAMA: That is correct. But fasting sure is a thing for the religious because Christians and particularly Catholics are also about to enter their fasting traditional period.
LEELA: Ah, right, that’s Lent, right?
MAMA: Bingo.
LEELA: Which we covered extensively in 2023, right?
MAMA: Yep, that would be Episode 139, which is still worth a listen. But as an overview… Lent is the 40-day period before Easter, which alwaysstarts on a Wednesday.
LEELA: known as Ash Wednesday.
MAMA: Suffice to say, this period is meant to honor the time that Jesus is said to have spent 40 days and 40 nights praying in the desert.
LEELA: Right. So, some Christians will give up something during Lent too, right?
MAMA: Yeah, that's right, something important to them. Or some will just try not to over-indulge in things they might normally take for granted. It's meant to be a pious or spiritually serious period for reflecting on what it means to believe in Jesus.
LEELA: Ok, I’m with you so far.
MAMA: But this Big news story is actually about the celebration that happens before the start of that pious, hunkering down period.
LEELA: Ah yes! The binge before 40 days of good behavior… otherwise known as Mardi Gras!
MAMA: Well, yes, I guess that’s one way of putting it!
LEELA: Or we could just say the weeks of parades and street parties before lent.
MAMA: Yes, that too. And, if you remember, we now have a new recruit to the Newy Pooloozi team, Frankie Qalbani, who is from none other than New Orleans home to one of the biggest Mardi Gras celebrations in the world.
LEELA: Oh, yeah. Well, then Frankie, take it away!
FRANKIE: Thanks a lot, y’all!
Like you said, the Lenten period before Easter has been a serious time for many Catholics in New Orleans for hundreds of years.
During the 40 days of Lent, Catholics stop themselves from having treats and maybe go easy on the fun.
So, what do they do right before that?
Paaaaarrrrteeee!
Yup, they party. And not just Catholics, everyone joins in the fun!
The party starts on January 6th, a Christian holiday known as All King’s Day or the Epiphany and lasts until Ash Wednesday the first day of Lent.
Over the years, different groups of people formed clubs and have created their own big and small parades led by incredible marching bands.
SOUNDS OF MARCHING BAND FROM MARDI GRAS
Some are walking parades, some have huge, motorized floats but all have “throws” - things the Krewes throw or pass out to the partiers. Throws can be beads, plastic cups, or my personal favorite, stuffed animals!
The parades last for weeks and weeks until you get to the biggest party day of all: Mardi Gras day!
And, by the way, did you know “mardi” in French, is the French word for Tuesday and “gras” means fat.
So, Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday.”
And the closer you get to Fat Tuesday, the bigger and louder the parades and parties get.
And when I say loud…
SOUNDS OF MARDI GRAS
I mean LOUD!
I’m Frankie Qalbani, reporting for Newsy Pooloozi!
LEELA: Thanks a lot, Frankie! That sure does sound colorful! But don’t go away we hear your favorite part of Mardi Gras is something about cake…
FRANKIE: Yup, that’s right, my personalfavorite part of Mardi Gras is King Cake.
A special cake we can only eat during Mardi Gras time. And the most unique thing about it? There’s a tiny toy baby hidden in every cake!
No, not a real baby. It's a small plastic baby. But if you get the slice with the baby,
you have to buy the next cake.
LEELA: Wow, there sure are a lot of traditions with this festival.
MAMA: Infact, The biggest Mardi Gras, in fact, happens in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro.
LEELA: Oh, Brazil! One day I’ll get to see you…
MAMA: Well, Rio has many, many parades! And, wow, those outfits! I mean they wear massive plumes of feathers, and sparkles and sometimes not much else!
LEELA: And how long do they parade and party for?
MAMA: Well, In Rio there are about nine days of celebrations for the Carnival as they call it. But the last day of the party, the Tuesday before the start of Ash Wednesday, is usually the biggest day just like in New Orleans.
LEELA: Man, Mardi Gras sure is a long party.
MAMA: Sure is. We humans love festivals! But isn’t it interesting how different it is from the Kumb Mela and Ramadan.
LEELA: Well, yes, but as we know on Newsy Pooloozi we humans are more alike than different. As far as I can tell, most festivals are all about food and family!
MAMA: Actually, that’s so true. With a few feathers here and there.
[SOURCE: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ash-Wednesday-Christian-holy-day
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mardi-gras]
MAMA: Seemingly a world away from the parties of Mardi Gras and Carnival, last week there was a lot of talk of diplomacy and, well, the lack of…
LEELA: Hmmmm, I have a feeling this has to do with something that happened at the White House the other day, between the president of the US and the president of Ukraine.
MAMA: You got it.
LEELA: Ok, first things first. What is diplomacy anyway?
MAMA: So the official dictionary definition of diplomacy is that it is the art or practice.
LEELA: Wait, it’s art?
MAMA: Yeah, funny to think of it as an art.
LEELA: Not like painting or sculptures, though.
MAMA: No, it’s an art form. As in something that has to be practiced and practiced and done with care. So anyway, diplomacy is the practice or art of conducting negotiations and managing relations between nations, typically through professional diplomats, which comes from the word diplomacy, obviously, to achieve foreign policy goals and maintain peaceful international relations.
LEELA: So, making sure you get want you want for you country.
MAMA: Yeah, more or less. But also, it's especially important because people speak different languages. They practice different religions and have different customs. So, people dealing with other nations have to be super careful with their language and their actions. So, they aren't misunderstood.
LEELA: So what and how you say things matter. So, you’re not supposed to just blurt out whatever’s on your mind.
MAMA: That’s right. You have to be restrained and exceedingly polite.
LEELA: But Trump is known for speaking his mind and often being deliberately well, shall we say sassy or provocative.
MAMA: Right. But doing it in the Oval Office with an ally who's in the middle of war with a hostile aggressor is…
LEELA: Unexpected maybe? But surely this always happens, but behind closed doors?
MAMA: Well, maybe not always, but yes, I'm sure behind closed doors, people have a quote unquote full and frank discussion, which is diplomatic talk for, they were maybe a shouting match.
But this was a discussion that was on live TV.
LEELA: Which is why people are talking about it so much.
MAMA: Yep, for two leaders – the US President and his Vice President yelling at a foreign ally. In the White House. On live TV. That was a very, very out of the ordinary.
LEELA: I honestly felt like I was watching somebody get into trouble at school. Remind me again when they were arguing about
MAMA: the Ukrainian president, Zelensky, was there to negotiate a deal to end the war with Russia.
LEELA: So, what happened?
MAMA: Well, Zelenskyy didn’t quite like the plan that Trump was offering him, and he wanted an assurance that the U.S. would protect Ukraine from further Russian invasions.
LEELA: And Trump and the U.S. don’t want to do that? I mean, haven’t they been doing that so far?
MAMA: Yes! The U.S. has been supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia, by giving it loads of weapons, since the beginning in 2022, when Joe Biden was president.
LEELA: But since Trump got back into office, things have changed.
MAMA: Yes, they have. And now, it’s not clear if the U.S. is on the side of Ukraine still or not.
LEELA: Hmmmm. That’s kind of scary. I mean if they aren’t… What then?
MAMA: Yep, that is a question. And now you know why everyone is talking about this story.
LEELA: I’ve heard some commentators say it was just because Zelensky wasn’t being nice enough to Trump, you know, flattering him and being grateful for all America has done.
MAMA: Well, that's certainly a point the vice president seemed to be making. But who knows, not only was, quote unquote, diplomacy or protocol broken down, but just what it implies is what everybody wants to know.
LEELA: Watch this space, guys.
[SOURCE: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/28/europe/analysis-trump-zelensky-split-intl-latam/index.html
https://www.reuters.com/world/world-reacts-zelenskiy-trump-oval-office-clash-2025-02-28/]
WORLD WRAP STING – LEELA: “What’s that? I’ll tell you what. That’s the halftime bell! Which means… it’s time to hear what’s making news around the rest of the world. Hold on tight, it’s around the world in 80 seconds.”
MAMA: The leader of the Catholic Church is recovering after respiratory failure. The 88-year-old pontiff has been in hospital since mid-February, undergoing treatment for pneumonia. The Vatican says he’s resting well, but his health battles continue.
At the bottom of the world, Earth’s largest and oldest iceberg, called A23a if you please! is no longer floating, hitting ground near the sub-Antarctic Island of South Georgia. Officials say they don’t expect the wildlife on the island to be affected if the iceberg stays put.
In Egypt, after discovering onelost tomb of the pharaoh Thutmose toot-moh-sis II, a group of British archeologists uncover clues leading to asecond tomb! They think this new tomb might just hold the pharaoh’s remains!
And the winner issssss... Flow! The movie from Latvian filmmaker Gints hard G, like hints Zibalodis zee bah low dis is named best animated film at this year’s Academy Awards show. Flow is the first film from the Eastern European nation of Latvia to receive an Oscar.
[SOURCE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope.html
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/27/travel/ramadan-start-crescent-moon-sighting/index.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20d1xp6046o
https://apnews.com/article/best-animated-film-2025-oscars-4cecd54011d182ec006390b67cbee8e4]
LEELA: Well, thank you so much for that – wait for it… that whippity-whappity-zippity-zappity wrap of what’s making headlines elsewhere in the world, Mama.
MAMA: Anytime, Leela. And now let's slip into the green zone...
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: We're back with another story about the infamous, as in famous for all the wrong reasons,
micro-plastics.
LEELA: As in the teeny tiny, almost invisible, pieces and particles of plastic that get into our water and wildlife and so also into our food supplies!
MAMA: Yes, it's a real problem... But this time, we have a happy twist to the story! Well, a possible solution or should I say a superhero!
LEELA: More like a super-sucker. Or to be precise... a sponge that could may be help clean up the ocean.
MAMA: So amazing. I mean, how could a sponge do that, right? Well, get ready to dive into some squid-tacular science!
LEELA: Yep, and here to tell us more is our environment correspondent, Amvi Tripathi. Take it away, Amvi Tripathi.
AMVI: Thanks, Leela!
It’s great to be here in the… “sea of news”!
So, as you mentioned, microplastics are tiny plastic particles – less than 5 millimetres in size – which means most are so small you can’t see it with the human eye.
As you probably know, it comes from larger plastic items, yes, all those plastic bottles, straws and bags, plus all those plastic dolls and toys, and even sequins and polyester clothing.
When those things are thrown away, they don’t really disintegrate all the way, leaving tiny microplastics in the ground.
Then rain comes and the microplastics get washed into our fields, rivers, lakes and oceans… where animals and fish unknowingly eat them and, well, in effect, so do we…!
As you can guess, this has a serious impact on the environment and our health!
Enter…. sponges to the rescue!
Yep, scientists in China have designed a brand-new sponge that’s made from – get this – particles of squid and cotton that can actually suck up microplastics – right out of the water!
So, how does this cotton-squid sponge work?
Well, this special strong material has tiny holes, just like a sponge you might use to clean your dishes.
These holes are perfect for snagging up the microplastics – with a 99.9 percent soak up rate.
How cool is that?!
And even better if loads of this new sponge is produced, that will bring the costs down, meaning it should be cheap to make as well.
And did I mention this filtration sponge can even be used over and over again?!
Scientists are hoping this squishy innovation can help clean up our rivers, lakes and oceans, which are seriously polluted with all our plastic.
That’s a win-win-win – great for the environment, for marine life, and for us humans.
Of course, if we stopped using so much plastic in the first place, we’d “soak up” all the wins.
Get it? Soak up… like a sponge?!
This is Amvi Tripathi, reporting for Newsy Pooloozi.
LEELA: Oh, we got that. Well done, Amvi. Like a sponge you’re making a bubbly addition to our “news pool” for kids!
MAMA: Oh, you girls really know how to keep the listeners absorbed in your puns…
[SOURCE: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/17/science/microplastics-sponge-wuhan-china-scn-intl-hnk/index.html
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/10/microplastics-pollution-sponge-cotton-squid-bone]
LEELA: OK, OK, 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: So, I think our dear old Lucky Dip machine has become a little inspired by the squid-tacular sponge story…
MAMA: Oh….?
LEELA: Yes, well, it seems we’re staying in the sea and, well, it’s a bit eerie down there at times, no…?
MAMA: Got it. Cuing mystery sound-effects.
LEELA: So, while most of us love to swim in the ocean… what would you think if you saw this through your goggles?
MAMA: Eewww! But, uh, you know people can’t see that right?
LEELA: I do, yes, but wow. This is no ordinary fish swimming in the blue calm waters off the Canary Islands of Spain.
MAMA: And angler fish, if you maybe remember from the movie, Finding Nemo, is quite a scary-looking black fish with a gigantic mouth stuffed full of big sharp teeth.
LEELA: And as if that massive toothy jaw weren’t enough – it’s got what looks like a golf club or fishing rod sticking out of its head.
MAMA: Weird, I know. In fact, it’s nicknamed the “fishing rod” though it’s actually a modified dosal fin spine with a bioluminescent bulb, called an esca, dangling from the top.
LEELA: Very impressive fat factor. But seriously, it's one scary and ugly monster. And thankfully, it's usually deep below the surface rarely to be seen. But…
MAMA: But…
LEELA: Well, it’s been spotted close to the surface way out of its depth?
MAMA: Why?
LEELA: Well, it’s an oddball mystery our favorite Spanish correspondents, Nina and Marcky Granena, will shed some… well, bioluminescent light on? Take it away you guys!
MYSTERIOUS MUSIC
MARCKY: Thanks, Leela. Yes, the video says it all. A group of shark researchers saw the anglerfish near the surface a few weeks ago.
NINA: Officially, it’s a black seadevil anglerfish. They can be found in tropical waters including the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.
MARCKY: But usually, they live 3,000 meters below the surface. Where it’s nice and dark.
And their super black colour is a good camouflage for unsuspecting Nemos!
NINA: Crustaceans, actually. Think shrimp. Not 100 positive they actually eatclownfish….?
MARCKY: But this sea devil was up near the surface! Where everyone could see it! Totally exposed by the sunlight! Probably blinded! Just kind of floating there. Until it died.
NINA: Well, it wouldn’t be swimming. I mean, anglerfish aren’t strong swimmers. Most of the time they just hangout waiting for prey to come to them. So yeah, not really mobile.
MARCKY: But why, Nina? Why? Why was it so far from home? Was it sick? Was it lost? Was it trying to get one last glimpse of the sun before succumbing to its ultimate death?
NINA: Yeeeeeeah. Actually, even scientists are stumped on this one.
MARCKY: Perhaps we should learn something from this creature of the deep. Perhaps it’s journey should teach us to be kinder to each other. Perhaps it means even the most scary and ugly amongst us are to be valued.
NINA: Perhaps it means the story’s over.
From Barcelona this is Nina and Marcky Granena for Newsy Pooloozi!
LEELA: Thanks, you guys.
MAMA: Yeah, thanks a lot. Man, you know, that's not the only deep-sea animal that recently appeared at the surface.There was another spotting off the coast of Mexico.
LEELA: Another anglerfish?
MAMA: Oh no, it was a rare or fish. Not nearly as scary, but still pretty creepy in my humble opinion. It looks like a long pink snake, but with orange fins. The orange fins are kind of cool, but seriously, I wouldn't want it to be swimming next to me. And yes, we have links to pictures of both of these creepy creatures in our transcripts.
LEELA: Hmmmm. Wait, actually, I think I've seen that on the internet. Isn't that nickname the Doomsday Fish or something?
MAMA: Oh yeah, you are so right, it sure is.
LEELA: And do we know why this orfish was at the surface when it normally belongs down deep?
MAMA: We do not, but it's happened often enough throughout history, but in Japanese mythology, finding an orfish means an earthquake is eminent or about to happen.
Leela: But science has obviously debunked that myth.
MAMA: Oh yeah, obviously.
[SOURCE: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/science/black-seadevil-anglerfish.html
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2025/02/10/humpback-anglerfish-video/78384388007/
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/24/oarfish-mexico-baja-california-sur]
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 massive street parade and party, Mardi Gras, is underway in several cities, notably New Orleans in the US and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. What is the name of the religious period that happens right after the festival?
Lent
LEELA: FAB FACT NUMBER 2 – And for how many days does that post-party and pre-Easter period where some Christians fast or give up something they love – last for?
40 days
MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 3 – And what is the direct translation of Mardi Gras?
Fat Tuesday
LEELA: FAB FACT NUMBER 4 – Chinese innovators have created a sponge made from squid and cotton that they hope will help soak up microplastic pollution. How small is microplastic in size?
Less than 5 millimeters
MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 5 – A rare deep-sea angler fish is spotted off the coast of Spain. What is the name of the dangling bioluminescent bulb off the head of these fish called?
Esca
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 and the lovely Julie Noce for helping write 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. Why don't you tell a friend about us? And you know, you can give us a good rating too.
LEELA: Or better still leave us a review. Go on, we'll read it out loud if you do. All right, then see you next week in the happy, splashy giant Newsy Pooloozi!
-ends-