Royal family keeps itself in the news

News of Royal babies is not usually announced until a specially chosen moment. But when the Duchess of Cambridge (widely known as Kate Middleton) was taken to hospital in London this week, the Royal Family were quick to explain that she had a pregnancy-related illness and would have a baby next year.

There had already been rumours in the last couple of weeks that the Duchess might be pregnant and the Royal family apparently did not want the news coming out on Twitter before it was officially announced. So they also explained that the Duchess had very severe sickness and needed hospital treatment.

Newspapers were quick to report that this form of pregnancy illness often happens in women expecting twin babies, and lots of bets were placed on names that the couple would choose.

The Duchess has now left hospital.

Scouts movement considers its biggest change in 100 years

The Scouts are a very popular organisation for children in the UK and round the world. The organisation was started more than a hundred years ago by Robert Baden-Powell, who wanted young boys and young men to live healthy lives.

When boys (and now girls) join the organisation, they have to promise to "do their duty to God and to the Queen, to help other people, and to keep the Scout Law." When the Scouts started, they were a Christian organisation, but it was opened up to children of other faiths.

However, the promise to God is now causing problems as more children do not believe in one. One boy, 11-year-old George Pratt, was not allowed to join his local Scouts because he said he did not believe in God.

Now the Scouts, and the Guides movement for girls, says it will consider creating a new promise which does not mention God. The change would also allow adults who do not believe in God to become leaders in the organisation.

Madonna's bras sold for almost GBP 50,000

Two of Madonna's most famous stage costumes have been sold at auction in London. A "corset", which is underwear like a tight swimsuit was sold for more than GBP 32,000. It included conical bra cups, was designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier and worn by Madonna on her 1990 Blonde Ambition tour.

The same buyer bought another piece of black underwear, also with cone-shaped bra cups, for just over GBP 16,000.

In the same sale, a bullwhip used by Harrison Ford in an Indiana Jones film was sold for GBP 20,000.

Thousands of people look for lottery ticket

Sometime in June, somebody in two English towns bought a lottery ticket which won GBP 64m.

The trouble is that winning lottery tickets expire after six months, and that date came this week. Lottery organisers Camelot spent the week publicising the unclaimed prize in the towns of Hitchin and Stevenage, where the ticket was bought.

One man even paid somebody to search his house for him in case the ticket was there.
The ticket was not handed in and so the money will be given to charities.