Kid News This Week: We go down-under for a beachy Christmas, Germany's real life advent calendar, India’s new young chess champ and fishy fashion for killer whales
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… But just what that might look like in the southern half of the world might surprise you? Never fear, we have special reports from our teams of Australian and New Zealand correspondents on how they spend December 25. Hint: there are no roasting chestnuts! It’s cold and cozy up in Germany though – where they take their advent calendars to new heights – like human-sized heights, in fact. The world has a new chess champ, and India is over the moon… why? He’s Indian, of course. And the youngest to boot! We’ll go to his hometown of Chennai for that one. And finally, well, there’s a new fashion for… killer whales. Salmon, anyone? Confused? Well, listen to the end to hear this fishy tale!
EPISODE- 190
LEELA: This week…Christmas down-under, Germany's real life advent calendar, India’s new young chess champ, and there’s a new fashion for killer whales. Salmon, anyone?
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 my sidekick and… mama.
MAMA: Hello, hello. I’m Lyndee Prickitt.
LEELA: And this week… It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… But just what that might look like in the southern half of the world might surprise you… Never fear, we have special reports from our teams of Australian and New Zealand correspondents on how they spend December 25. Hint: there are no roasting chestnuts!
It’s cold and cozy up in Germany though – where they take their advent calendars to new heights… like human-sized heights, in fact.
The world has a new chess champ, and India is over the moon… why? He’s Indian, of course. And the youngest to boot! We’ll go to his hometown of Chennai for that one.
And finally, well, there’s a new fashion for… killer whales. Think I’m joking. Huh-uh. Salmon, anyone? Confused – well, listen to the end to hear all.
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: (sings) Have yourself a very beachy Christmas. Let the waves be high. From now on the bar-b-q will be alight…
LEELA: Wheew… nice singing, there, Mama. Yes, folks, it’s summer down in the southern hemisphere and that means a bathing suit, barbecue, beachy Xmas. Wild, or what?
MAMA: Honestly, I think I went my whole adult life NOT knowing that… but, I mean, duh. It’s like basic science, that I’m sure I was taught at some point… when we – in the northern or top half of Earth have winter, they have summer.
LEELA: And when we’re all sweating it out in summer, they’re going skiing. Well, the kiwis in New Zealand are…
MAMA: So, imagine spending Christmas at the beach and eating barbecue food… Although, I have it on good authority, since most antipodeans –
LEELA: Hold on. Can we have some definition there, please…
MAMA: Oh, sorry, antipodeans is how the English refer to people from Australia or New Zealand. As in the geographic terms, that means a location on the opposite side of the planet. And that comes from the Ancient Greek word antipous, which means having opposite feet.
LEELA: Why, thank you. I can now carry on with our big story.
MAMA: Why, thank YOU. So… We thought it was high time we heard from our Aussie and Kiwi correspondents to hear how they celebrate Christmas.
LEELA: That would be Saffron Barns and Caitline Brooks from Australia.
MAMA: And from New Zealand James and Louise. Turns out despite the sun, sand and sweat – there are many similarities in the festivities but with a summer twist…
LEELA: Take it away Team Oz and Team Kiwi!
MONTAGE OF AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND KID CORRESPONDENTS (not transcribed)
[SOURCE: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antipode ]
LEELA: Why thank you very much everyone – that was insightful and cheery!
MAMA: If not a little different to the colder kind of quaint Christmas we cherish up in the USA or Europe…
LEELA: Where there are lots of traditions that center more around not just colder climates but the actual story of Christmas, as in the birth of Christ.
MAMA: And from that many things we think of as secular – meaning:
LEELA: Something (like an attitude, belief or position) that is not specifically religious in nature.
MAMA: Thank you! So many things we think are secular actually have roots in religion.
LEELA: Like the advent calendar – one of my personal favorite CHRISTmas time traditions.. You know, the calendar with all the days from December first to December 24th that help you count down to Christmas.
MAMA: Yes, the calendars usually have paper windows that you pop open behind which is an image of some sort or…
LEELA: A treat! Like a piece of chocolate, oh, ya!
MAMA: But it actually stems from Germany and Austria. With advent meaning the arrival or “advent” of Jesus Christ on his official birthday of 25th December. It was actually quite a serious tradition of fasting – or giving up something – until the big day arrived.
LEELA: Gotta say, I quite like this more, ummm, indulgent tradition of fun treats to eat or peek at in the run up to Christmas.
MAMA: I hear ya. Well, in Germany one town takes this tradition to super high heights…
LEELA: What – an advent calendar on the top of a building?
MAMA: Something like that! But, well, not quiet. Actually, something even more impressive.
LEELA: I think we need to cut across to our correspondent in Germany, then, Nandini Parikh to tell us more!
MAMA: OK – over to you, Nandini.
NANDINI: Thanks, Lyndee and Leela.
Yes, I’m also a fan of Advent calendars.
In fact, I personally have three Advent calendars in my house right now!
Each window of my advent calendar contains tasty chocolate.
However, people in the German town of Gegenbach aren’t satisfied with just chocolates.
Oh, no.
Nor are they satisfied with something small enough to fit on a bedside table or above a fireplace.
They wanted something bigger – more grand and more artistic, actually.
And so they’ve have turned a whole building their townhall – into a larger-than-life Advent calendar.
Yep, thousands of people gather each evening to watch one window open and display a work of art.
And some 200-thousand people come to see it every year too.
I personally think they should have chocolate behind every window, but hey!
So, a very “Frohe Adventszeit” to you – that means Happy Advent time.
While “Frohe Weihnachten” is a greeting to be used beginning from the 24th of December for the next 12 days of Christmas.
In Germany, this is Nandini Parikh, reporting for Newsy Pooloozi!
LEELA: Thanks, Nandini. So, so cool.
MAMA: Seriously, thanks Nandini!
LEELA: You know what I’m about to ask, don’t you….
MAMA: Yes. And no. We are not going to Germany this Christmas.
SPORTS STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “It’s time to play ball… Score… Sports News!”
MAMA: OK, so when we say sport… we do mean games…
LEELA: Board games!
MAMA: Oh, yeah. But not any board game, oh, no.
LEELA: We’re talking… chess!
MAMA: Monumental chess, in fact. Just a few days ago history was made.
LEELA: A massive achievement for India and a young player whose childhood wish became reality.
MAMA: Wonder what we’re talking about? Well, let’s pass the baton –
LEELA: - or should we say, the bishop, to our Chennai correspondent Sahasra Sridhar. Take it away, Sahasra!
Sahasra Sridhar: Thanks, you guys!
Yes, we're talking chess - one of the oldest board games in the world which many believe - though it's debatable - that it originated in India in the 6th century thanks to the Gupta dynasty.
Well, then it's no surprise that India’s produced many chess champs and… it’s done it again!
Not just that, but we're talking about the youngest chess champion in the world to boot!
India’s prided prodigy - Gukesh Dommaraju.
But let's rewind.
SFX OF REWINDING
It all started back when Gukesh was seven, watching the 2013 chess world championship right here in his hometown of Chennai, Gukesh said, "I wanted to bring the world championship back to India, and I wanted to be that one."
Hardwork, practice and destiny intertwined to make his dreams come true.
After becoming an International Master in 2017, Gukesh became the second youngest chess grandmaster in history, at the age of 12.
But that simply wasn’t enough.
Fast forward to this month and the world chess championship in Singapore, where he was up against the Chinese chess grandmaster and former World Champion Ding Liren.
It was 14 days and 14 games of constant suspense and tension.
You could say it was a real ding-dong, as the Chinese champ won two games and Gukesh won two, with the rest being a draw.
So it all came down to the 14th, final game.
Initially, people thought that too would result in a draw.
But as Ding blundered his rook on the 55th move, Gukesh took excellent advantage of the fumble and charged to victory, as Ding resigned the game.
Emotions were high everywhere.
Here in Chennai, we were so proud to see one of our own becoming the biggest name in the Chess world.
Congratulations poured in from around the world - from politicians to recreational chess players.
With that, I’ll be signing off. Or should I say, playing my closing move?
Thanks for listening, mates.
In Chennai, India, this is Sahasra Sridhar, reporting for Newsy Pooloozi!
LEELA: Thans, Sahasra! I heard what you did there… Big “chuk de,” as the Punjabis would say for congrats.
MAMA: Yeah! But, uhhh, don't you mean, “check" de?!
LEELA: And finally, 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: And now – ever wondered what it’s fashion for killer whales?
MAMA: Uhhhh….
LEELA: Of course you don’t! I mean, really. Fish – or, excuse me, I mean mammals,which is what whales are, of course – don’t wear clothes.Not even in Disney.
MAMA: Exactly. So…?
LEELA: Well, I’m just read’n what the Lucky Dip Machine Spit out!
MAMA: Really? Maybe it’s shut down early for the holidays…?
LEELA: Well, I think we need to hand this one over to our favorite killer whale correspondents –
MAMA: We have killer whale correspondents
LEELA: Sure, we do. Nina and Marky Grenena from Spain – we’ve had about 3 or 4 stories from them on killer whales, so they must know what this crazy oddball story is.
MAMA: Alright then – over to you two!
NINA: Thanks guys. So, not that we’re young marine biologists or anything...
MARCKY: I will be going into law, if my grandfather gets his way.
NINA: But, yeah, we have done a few stories on orcas.
MARCKY: Aka, killer whales.
NINA: Today’s story is about orcas off the coast of Washington.
MARCKY: Washington State, on the west coast of the United States.
NINA: So earlier this fall, two different people saw killer whales carrying a dead salmon on their heads.
MARCKY: Bruhhhhhhhh.
NINA: I know, right? What in the world are killer whales doing with dead salmon on their heads?
MARCKY: Well, drawing from my vast killer whale repertoire, I can tell you, orcas in that region eat a steady diet of salmon. Perhaps they were simply saving a snack for later?
NINA: Perhaps. Researchers say there is an abundance...
MARCKY: That means A LOT
NINA: A lot of salmon this year, so maybe, they’re just kind of bored and goofing around?
MARCKY: Ah! That’s what scientists say a group of orcas were doing off the coast of Spain when they kept ramming people’s boats.
NINA: Exactly. So, they’re either saving food, or playing with it.
MARCKY: Makes me want to grow a mustache. Seems like it could serve both purposes.
NINA: Anywayyyyy... I think we can agree killer whales are smart, funny, mysterious creatures!
MARCKY: Agreed!
BOTH In Barcelona this is Nina Granena and Marcky Granena for Newsy Pooooolooozi!
LEELA: Well, I never…
MAMA: Seriously, that story was a lot of BLUBBER. Har, har…
LEELA: Well, they sure did have a whale of a time doing it, didn’t they
[SOURCE: ] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/orcas-puget-sound-salmon-hats-killer-whales
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/orcas-boats-sinking-spain-play
https://archive.iwc.int/pages/download.php?direct=1&noattach=true&ref=22172&ext=pdf&k=
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 – It’s almost Christmas – we’ve hear how those in the southern hemisphere spend it. What season is it in December for them?
Summer
LEELA: FAB FACT NUMBER 2 – The English refer to people from Australia or New Zealand as antipodeans, which is the geographic term that means a location on the opposite side of the planet, which stems from the Greek word antipous, which means what?
Opposite feet
MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 3 – Many Christmas traditions are based around the birth of Christ, even those that seem secular in nature, like advent calendars. What is secular?
Something not specifically religious in nature
LEELA: FAB FACT NUMBER 4 – Chennai welcomes home chess prodigy Gukesh Dommarajuafter he wins the world championship. Which 6th century dynasty do people think chess originated from?
Gupta Dynasty
MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 5 – killer whales make a fishy fashion statement with salmon. But killer whales aren’t actually fish. What are they?
Mammals
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 and the start of our Xmas break!
MAMA: Yes, folks, we’ll be taking the next THREE weeks off to travel across the world, see family and recharge our winter batteries.
LEELA: So, see you in mid-Jan. But before we go…
MAMA: Here’s a belated shout-out to “Peace, Love and B3OS” for your five stars and succinct – as in brief and to the point – review on iTunes.
LEELA: Writing, simply, “I LOVE IT SO MUCH.” Well, that is about nails it.
THEME MUSIC
MAMA: And we’d also like to say thank you to…
LEELA: The lovely Jyoti Chuahan for her production help and the lovely Julie Noce for helping write this episode!
MAMA: 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.
LEELA: While you’re at it… Give us a good rating. Or better still, leave us a review! Go on – we’ll read it out loud if you do… Alright then, see you next week in the happy, splashy giant Newsy Pooloozi!
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