1. Behind the News: March 5, 2019
2. Programs from series

EGYPT Egypt has one of the longest and most fascinating histories of any modern country. But lately ancient wonders have taken a back seat to modern political problems and a lot of people are worried about Egypt's future. So how did it get like this? SMACKING Discipline is always a controversial topic and last week it hit the headlines again after a group of Australian doctors called for smacking children to be made illegal. BtN takes a look at the debate. WAR GAMES Australia's defence force needs to be ready to respond whenever it's needed, whether to help out in a natural disaster or an overseas conflict. As part of their training defence workers sometimes take part in war games. But don't let the name fool you. These games are taken pretty seriously! CITIZEN SCIENCE Citizen science gives ordinary people the chance to get involved in real life experiments which help scientists with their research. Some schools are even giving kids the chance to become citizen scientists. We head to a school in the Adelaide hills that's helped researchers keep track of koalas. SNOOKER We take a look at a sport that's not often associated with young people. Arthur Lin is a 14 year old who's taking the snooker world by storm having recently won the national under 15 and 18 titles.

PNG PLAN The Prime Minister has announced that asylum seekers who arrive by boat will now be processed in Papua New Guinea. And if they're found to be genuine refugees they'll not be allowed to stay in Australia but they can settle in PNG. Some think it's a good idea - others say it's unfair. YOUTH VOTE A new date for the next Federal Election is expected soon. And when it happens people who aren't on the roll only have a short time to register. We look at the campaign aimed at getting young people on the electoral roll. KIDS SLEEP These days kids have access to a lot of hand held digital devices....but there's a potential downside. Researchers have found that using tablets or phones just before bedtime can actually keep you awake. It's all to do with the light they give off and the mixed messages sent to our brains. PRINCIPAL 4ADAY Imagine you could be principal of your shcool for a whole day. Would it be easy or hard - fun or stressful? We meet one girl who got the chance to do just that ...and followed her around as she tried to juggle friendships and discipline. SURFSCHOOL Kids living in outback towns don't always get a chance to experience some of the things city kids do - like surfing at a beach. But a group of students has been given a taste of surfboard riding as well as some valuable lessons on beach safety.

LABOR VOTES During the school holidays Australia got a new Prime Minister. Kevin Rudd became PM again after Labor MPs elected him leader over Julia Gillard. Now Mr Rudd wants to make changes to the way party leaders are elected - that would include votes from all party members. We see how this would work and why political parties exist. [Sarah] ROYAL BABY The birth's expected this week of William and Kate's first child. We explain why this baby will be third in line for the throne and what will now happen if it's a girl. We also see how names are chosen for Royal babies - there's not such a big pool to draw from. [Nathan] FRUIT FARMERS If your parents owned a fruit orchard, you might think it would be fun growing up in a garden of delights. But these days Aussie fruit farmers are doing it tough. We explain how the high value of our dollar and cheap imports are forcing some farmers to pull up their fruit trees - but maybe there's something you can do to help them? [Sarah] WILD MOB It's not every day a bunch of city kids get a chance to go camping in a rainforest. But some students in Queensland were able to do this through an environmental organisation called Wild Mob. Shontelle and Anna went along and shot some video for BTN to share what they got up to. [Tash] CYCLOCROSS We check out an extreme sport for cyclists who don't mind getting their feet wet - or covered in mud. It's called cyclocross and sees riders navigate a three kilometre course of pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and other obstacles. And that means they often have to jump off their bikes and carry them. [Sophia]

GENDER EQUALITY There's been a lot of recent media coverage on gender equality - mainly centred on how the media and others deal with Australia's female Prime Minister. But what is gender equality and why are so many people sensitive to the role of women in society? These days women can aspire to the highest office in the land but it wasn't always so. BTN goes back in history to uncover some surprising facts. G8 SUMMIT This week the leaders of the eight countries that make up the organisation known as G8 are meeting to discuss some pressing world issues - issues that they don't always agree on. BTN looks at what the G8 is and what it does. ANZAC STORY BTN meets some schoolkids who have been working on a fascinating project. They were each given the task of researching the life of an Australian Digger who fought in the First World War. Their research saw them travel to far way battlefields - and ultimately the soldiers' final resting place. FOOTY GIRLS Aussie Rules football is a sport that's very much dominated by men. But recently the women's league has been getting a bit more attention. BTN talks to a young player who reckons more girls should get involved. POPCORN A trip to the movies is a lot sweeter with a box of popcorn. It's been sold in cinemas for decades...but not all corn can produce popcorn. BTN meets a leading grower to find out where popcorn comes from and how it pops.

ASBESTOS The rollout of the NBN has hit some controversy after it was revealed that contractors doing the work may have exposed residents to asbestos dust. BtN explains what asbestos is and why it can be a dangerous material if it's not treated in the right way. REPUBLIC Last week we saw Wayne Swan and Malcolm Turnbull both agreeing on the same issue, even though they're from different political parties. They want Australia to become a republic. But what would it mean if Australia was to become a republic and how would a head of state be chosen? YOUNG SCIENTISTS Every year, the world's best young scientists get together for a huge international science and engineering fair in the United States. It gives students a chance to talk about their ideas with science experts and showcase their work. We meet some of the winners and look at their amazing inventions. AUCTION IDOL How do you feel about public speaking? Could you convince a group of people to buy a house? We meet a group of school kids who are part of the Auction Idol competition where they put their public speaking skills to the test. And, as Matt discovered, it's a lot harder than it looks. BUSH TUCKER A group of city kids are getting a taste of what life was like for their Aboriginal ancestors. They've travelled to the Queensland bush to learn about their culture and to experience bush tucker. They took a video of what they got up to.

CAR MANUFACTURING Ford has said it's going to stop making cars in Australia. More than a thousand people will lose their jobs. So what does that mean for the future of the car industry in this country? MALARIA Malaria is one of the biggest killers of children in the world. So why don't we hear more about it? Some well known people are trying to raise awareness about malaria and the ways we can fight the problem. COMMUNITY RADIO We look at the future of community radio. The Government has decided it will cut funding to digital radio stations. Some digital stations say they may have to close. FOOTBALL FOR ALL Sport can be a great way of bringing people together and that's exactly what's happening at one football club in Victoria. A group of mainly Muslim girls have got together to create their own team. While they may be struggling on the ladder they're making their mark in other ways. DOG SLED Dog sledding is a sport that people might associate with cold and snowy conditions overseas. But did you know that people also compete at dog sledding in Australia? So how do you race on dry land? Tash finds out.

TORNADOES Powerful tornadoes have devastated parts of America. People have died and thousands of buildings have been destroyed. BtN explains how tornadoes happen and why they are really common in this part of the world. VACCINATION ROW The vaccination debate is back in the news after the NSW Opposition said they want to introduce a plan to ban unvaccinated kids from childcare centres. Figures have also been released that show immunisation rates in some parts of NSW have hit record lows. BtN explores the impact vaccines have had on controlling disease over the years and why people are opposed to the new plan. MABO June 3rd marks the anniversary of the Australian High Court's landmark Mabo decision which gave important land rights to Indigenous Australians. We take a look at the life of Eddie Mabo and why he's considered a significant Australian. BLIND RADIO Nas Campanella has a voice that you may recognise as she's the newsreader on the radio station Triple J. But recently the newsreader was in the news herself when she let it be known that she is blind. So how does Nas read all those news bulletins and operate all the buttons and knobs if she can't see? LUGE GIRL BtN profiles a crazy and dangerous winter sport called luge. We meet an amazing athlete who's overcome some huge setbacks to become one of the best young competitors in Australia.

CLONING BREAKTHROUGH Scientists say they've made a breakthrough by cloning a human embryo to make stem cells. BtN breaks through the jargon to explain what this development actually means and why it's so important. OVERSEAS AID BtN takes a look at Australia's commitment to overseas aid. In the recent budget some money that was meant to be spent on poor people overseas will now be spent in Australia instead. So why do we send money overseas anyway? NO CONFIDENCE The opposition says that it's planning to move a motion of no confidence in the Government. So what does it actually mean? And how could this vote affect Australian politics? BUG MEAL The thought of eating beetles, maggots or ants may make you feel a bit sick. But a UN report is trying to change the way we think about eating insects and says they could be the food of the future. Sport can be a great way of bringing people together and that's exactly what's happening at one football club in Victoria. A group of mainly Muslim girls have got together to create their own team. While they may be struggling on the ladder they're making their mark in other ways. SHOW DOGS We meet some family pets getting a taste of fame on the stage. What makes a great animal actor and how are they trained?

BUDGET The Federal Budget is set to be announced. The big talking point this year is the large hole in the Government's finances. We have billions of dollars less than was predicted. So who made those predictions and why did they get it so wrong? ANIMAL TESTING When you look at most make-up products you're likely to see claims that the item hasn't been tested on animals. Recently the consumer group Choice said that some of these claims may be misleading. Nathan finds out why. LOGGING You probably picture Tasmania as being a pretty peaceful place. It's full of natural reserves and there aren't that many people there. But according to some, the state's been at war for years over the issue of old growth logging. So what exactly are they fighting about? And why are some politicians now saying the war is finally over? VOLUNTEER WEEK Meals on Wheels has been running for more than 60 years delivering food to the elderly and disabled. But the charity is warning that its future could be in danger unless it can attract more young volunteers. Nathan catches up with some of their volunteers to see what they do. BOOK SHARING We take a look at a fun new way of sharing books. It's called book crossing and it's growing a big following. The idea is to hide a book in a public place and leave clues on the internet so that other book lovers can find it.

INSIDE DETENTION Hidden camera footage has revealed the poor conditions for asylum seekers at Australia's off-shore detention centres. So why are we sending people to other countries for processing? And how can we guarantee that they're given fair treatment? FASHION FACTORIES Hundreds of people were killed when a factory collapsed in Bangladesh recently. Factory bosses told staff they had to work in the building even though they'd been warned that it was unsafe. The factory makes clothes for some well-known western fashion brands. So why do we make so many of our clothes overseas? QUAD BIKES Quad bikes are a part of everyday life for kids who've grown up around farms or in the country. At the moment, a kid can ride a quad bike at any age and they don't even have to wear a helmet. There have been some serious accidents recently and some kids have even died. Some people think the rules should be made tougher. ACL INJURY If you listen to any sports bulletin on the news then you're likely to hear at least one story about a player with an injury. Quite often we'll hear the names of these injuries but with no explanation about what they actually mean. Last week three AFL players tore their ACLs which meant they'd be sidelined for the season. So what is an ACL injury and why is it such a bad one? UKULELE KIDS A lot of songs these days feature an instrument you might not know too much about - the ukulele. It's a bit like a mini guitar and is really easy to learn. Tash caught up with some school girls who decided to make their own ukulele ensemble and are proving to be a big hit.

INDIGENOUS ANZAC On ANZAC day the country stops to remember those who fought and died for Australia in times of war. But there's one group of Australians whose sacrifice isn't as well known. In the First and Second World Wars thousands of Indigenous Australians went to fight for a country that didn't even recognise them as citizens. Sarah meets the descendant of one Aboriginal soldier and finds out what ANZAC day means to him. NBN PLANS The government and the opposition have revealed their plans for the Internet. The government is rolling out a National Broadband Network but the opposition has put forward an alternative idea. We'll take a look at both plans and try to explain the differences. CSIRO Australia's biggest scientific organisation, the CSIRO, recently announced it's going to lose some funding. Some people aren't happy because jobs will be lost and it could affect scientific research. We take a look at the role of the CSIRO. BITCOIN In the past few weeks there have been a lot of news stories around about things called bitcoins. They're a type of currency that only exists on computers and some people use them to buy and sell things online. Investors have also started buying bitcoins hoping to make a profit. So what is this mysterious money? COMPETITIVE FISHING Many people think of fishing as a relaxing hobby. But it can also be a highly competitive sport. We got some tips from a young angler and joined him at a fishing comp.

CANBERRA SHUFFLE The dust is still settling in Canberra after the explosive leadership spill involving Julia Gillard. Some of the plotters have either resigned or been sacked and some Gillard supporters have been promoted to the cabinet as a result. So what exactly is the cabinet? And what's the difference between a politician on the front bench and the back bench? CYPRUS BANKS Cyprus is in serious financial trouble. Its banks have had to close their branches and many people are likely to lose some of their savings. But how can a bank go broke? And why are the finances of this tiny country important to the rest of the world? CYBER BULLYING We take a look at a new approach to tackling cyber bullying. This program doesn't just target the bullies or the victims. Instead the focus is on bystanders and the role they can play in stopping cyber bullying. ILLEGAL SOUVENIRS Lots of us bring home souvenirs from holidays overseas to remind us about the great time we had. But did you know there are strict rules about what you're allowed to bring home? Tash visits an exhibition of some of the crazy things airports have collected over the years. LAWN BOWLS Have you ever played lawn bowls? You might think of it as a game that old people play but it's actually something that more and more young people are doing. We meet some up and coming young players.

LEADERSHIP MOVES When people went to the last election many would have made a decision between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott. But did you know that you actually only vote for the party - not the PM? Nathan looks into the latest leadership speculation and why it won't go away. SYRIA KID Can you imagine what it would be like to be a kid living in the middle of a warzone? We follow 11 year old Ibrahim as he goes about his normal life in Syria. YEAR 7 Making the move from primary school to high school is a big step for kids. In some states high school starts in year 7 but in others it's a year later when you're in year 8. So what's the best age to make the change? COMPUTER CODE Lots of us use computers but not many of us actually know how they work. Some computer programmers have launched a campaign to encourage schools to teach computer coding. They reckon it's a really important skill for kids in the 21st century. VOICE ARTISTS We meet some of the people who provide the voices for some well known cartoon characters. So what skills do you need to be a really good voice actor?

MARGINAL SEATS The leaders of our two main political parties have already started campaigning ahead of the next election. Most of their time has been spent talking to voters in Western Sydney. So, if they want the whole of Australia to vote for them, why are they concentrating on just a few areas? Sarah looks at the importance of marginal seats. RECYCLING CANNED A scheme to pay people for every bottle they recycle has had a positive impact on the environment in South Australia. It's so good that the Northern Territory government decided to bring in the scheme too. But that idea has been blocked by a court. Nathan explains. FLUORIDE WATER For years fluoride has been added to water because it helps to prevent tooth decay. Most people regard it as an important public health breakthrough. But some councils in Queensland have been voting to remove it from their water supply. Tash looks at why. SHAKESPEARE IN SCHOOL Learning about the playwright William Shakespeare is usually something kids do in high school. But now his works are being studied in some primary schools too. So who is Shakespeare and why is it important for kids to study him? MONSTER TRUCKS We meet a kid who's been involved with monster trucks for most of his life. Find out more about these amazing machines and what they can do.

WHALING Whaling is a controversial topic that's back in the news again after anti-whaling activists were accused of ramming a Japanese whaling ship. As the debate continues about who was to blame we take a look at the issue of whaling and why many people are opposed to it. FOOD STANDARDS Over the last month there have been lots of stories about horse meat being detected in other foods. The latest discovery was in the meatballs at some Ikea stores overseas. BtN investigates food labelling in Australia and the testing that's done to make sure products are properly labelled. KONY UPDATE Kony 2012 was one of the world's most popular online campaigns. The idea was to tell the world about a war criminal called Joseph Kony, in the hope that he would be caught. It's one year since that campaign started so BtN decided to head to Uganda to see if it has had any real effect. Lots of money was raised, so what was it spent on? OSCAR PROPS While kids might often dream of a life on the stage or screen, working behind the scenes can be just as exciting and rewarding. We meet some young people whose talent in making special effects has taken them all the way to Hollywood. MEDIEVAL KIDS Dressing up as a knight and practicing some medieval swordplay might seem like an unusual after-school sport but for the kids we met, it's the ultimate adventure.

SPY SECRETS This week information was revealed about an Australian man who died in mysterious circumstances while working as a spy for Israel. It's led to a lot of talk about the role of spy agencies around the world. SPACE ROCK When an asteroid flew past the earth last week, it got lots of scientists very excited. And while that was happening a meteor hit a Russian town and caused lots of damage. So what's the difference between an asteroid, a meteor, a meteorite and a comet? UN YOUTH When you think of the United Nations you probably picture lots of old people wearing suits and sitting around tables. But did you know that there's also a UN for kids... and that Australia has its very own youth ambassador? We asked our youth representative to take a video camera along to his next meeting to see what he does. CAR CLASS We visit a school that's putting on classes to teach kids how to fix cars. Not only are they turning kids into future mechanics, but the class is teaching valuable life skills too. The course is popular amongst boys... but not many girls are getting involved. So how can the auto industry attract more girls? MINI MAGIC If you've ever tried a bit of magic you'll know it can take a long time to perfect your trick. The best magicians practice for years to get it just right. We meet a couple of kids who are so good at magic that they've been invited to perform all over the world.

BtN stories include, Pope Resigns, Sport Cheating, Work Experience, World Challenge and Sheep Burps.

BtN stories include: North Korea, Opinion Polls, Sport Doping, Science Kids and Shark Patrol.