5
National news
H
awaii has become the fi rst US state to ban
swimming with wild dolphins. The National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA, the US agency that protects marine life)
announced the new rule. It prohibits people
from swimming, approaching, or getting
closer than 50 yards (about half the length of a
football fi eld) to spinner dolphins. The rule
applies to boats and ships as well.
Spinner dolphins, which are
slim and gray and white, are
one of the most common
species of dolphin that
people encounter in Hawaii’s
ocean waters. They have a
long, skinny beak and are
known for leaping from the
water and spinning up to seven
times in the air. Experts think
the dolphins make these leaps
to signal and communicate with each other.
Scientists have advocated for this law to be
passed for years. Research shows that human
interaction is stressful and harmful to thedolphins. During the day, the dolphins rest,
socialize, and nurture their young in shallow
waters close to land. At night, they hunt for
food. When humans come near the animals, it
disrupts the dolphins’ routine and the animals
don’t get enough rest during the day. This can
cause dolphins to develop health problems,
leave home, or abandon their young.
Swimming with spinner dolphins
has been a popular tourist
attraction around the world
since the 1980s. Vacation
companies in Hawaii can
generate about $39 million
a year by taking people
on tours to swim with wild
dolphins, according to one
study from 2020.
Tour operators can still take
people on dolphin viewing
tours, as long as they remain 50 yards away.
NOAA said that if a person accidentally gets
close to a spinner dolphin while swimming, they
must move away and not engage the animal.November 12, 2021 •The Week Junior
Americans vote on Election Day
Election Day was held across the US on November 2. The
US President and members of Congress were not running
for election. Rather, people in states and cities were voting
for their top leaders. For example, voters in Virginia and
New Jersey were choosing a governor (top state official).
Voters in New York City were electing a mayor (top city
leader). When The Week Junior went to press, people
were still voting and results had not been tallied.Women’s team to get stadium
The owners of Kansas City Current, a National Women’s
Soccer League (NWSL) team in Kansas City, Missouri, said
it plans to build the first stadium created for a professional
women’s soccer team. It would seat 11,000 people and be
completed by 2024. Billie Jean King, former pro women’s
tennis player, said the news was “a testament to the
growing influence and popularity of women’s sports.”Hawaii bans swimming with dolphins
ON THIS PAGE: GETTY IMAGES (4); KC NWSL/TWITTER; NOAA; ON LEFT PAGE: GETTY IMAGES (2); MERCK & CO.; COURTESY PFIZER
Spinner dolphins o
the coast of HawaiiDictionaries recognize top words
Merriam-Webster has added 455 words to its dictionary.
New words include “fluffernutter,” a peanut butter and
marshmallow creme sandwich, “dad bod,” slang for a
father’s body, and “TBH,” an abbreviation for “to be honest.”
The Oxford English Dictionary announced its 2021 word of
the year: “vax,” short for vaccine. “Vax” has injected itself into
the English language more than any other, Oxford said.THE WEEK’S SILLIEST HEADLINE
“SpaceX needs to tame toilet trouble
before weekend launch” APMARINE
MAMMALS
Spinner dolphins grow to
be about 7 feet long and
can weigh about
180 pounds.Fluffernuer
Dad bodTBH
Vax The logo of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric AdministrationA rendering of the stadiumA sign at a
polling site