These cute baby kangaroos have unfortunately lost their mothers to traffic accidents, a sadly common occurrence in Australia. But luckily, volunteers like Sam and Owen are on hand to look after them.

“She came with me to the university. Just about everyone in my class has had cuddles with her. Especially during exam time, she’s a bit of a stress-relief. Just hand her around and she has cuddles!”

Their work doesn’t just involve looking after the orphans. It has a wider significance.

“We go to schools and we go to markets and fairs and have all the animals there, so people who may generally not come in contact with these animals – we give them that opportunity to and that way, they can see, they can touch and they can get up and close with these animals and they built their connection with the animals, with the environment and they’re able to see the significance of their actions.”

Difficult words: occurrence (incident), volunteer (a person who does something for free because he wants to do it), on hand (available), to have cuddles with somebody (to be close to somebody and touch or hug him), orphan (a child/ animal whose parents are dead), significance (importance), up-close (very close to).

How’s this for a winter wonderland? With temperatures reaching as low as -12°C, part of the Hukou Waterfall on China’s Yellow River has frozen over, with spectacular results.The deep freeze has seen nature transform the landmark into something you’d more likely see at an ice palace, with tourists flocking from across the country to catch a glimpse.“Ice is everywhere. Icicles on the waterfall, everywhere! I did not know the Yellow River could be frozen, so it’s surprising. I came here specifically for the stunning view of the Yellow River.”But it could become yet colder. Two years ago, the mercury in the far west of China dropped to a record -40°C. A repeat could mean that the whole of the waterfall will freeze over by the time spring arrives. Plenty of opportunity still then to see a real natural wonder!

Difficult words: winter wonderland (a beautiful place covered with ice and snow), deep freeze (when cold weather happens very quickly and strongly), landmark (a place which a lot of people know), flock (to come in large numbers), catch a glimpse (to have a look), icicle (a hanging piece of ice), stunning (extremely beautiful), mercury (a heavy liquid metal that sits in a thermometer).

Tensions between the USA and North Korea are rising following the cyber-attack on the film company Sony Pictures, and the subsequent decision by Sony to cancel all screenings of its movie 'The Interview'. The cancelled film is a political action comedy about two US journalists who arrange an interview with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with the intention of assassinating him. A group calling itself The Guardians of Peace has claimed responsibility for the attack. It warned that it would attack 9/11 style any cinema that showed the movie. It also threatened Sony that it would put online more confidential data that could damage the company if it did not pull the movie.

Sony canceled the release of its movie "in the interests of public safety" after several US cinema chains refused to screen it. This has caused a storm of protest in America. President Obama said: "We cannot have a society in which some dictators some place can start imposing censorship here." He added: "Imagine what they start doing once they see a documentary that they don't like or news reports that they don't like." Senator John McCain called the cyber-attack "an act of war" and "the greatest blow to free speech" he had seen in his lifetime. Another politician said: "America has lost its first cyber-war." Actor Rob Lowe tweeted: "Everyone caved [in]. The hackers won. An utter and complete victory for them."