Children’s Express, the news agency which encourages children to write their own stories, has made frequent contributions to newspapers around the world (including the TES).

The agency was founded in the US in 1975 and the mothership’s website provides contact details for fellow bureaux across the globe (the London bureau has its own site at www.childrens-express.org). A timeline shows CE’s plans for world domination - 2000 will see a new bureau in Tokyo and in 2007 pupils in India and Pakistan could become roving reporters. There are tips for kids on how to write and submit a story and you can read articles that CE reporters have written on topics ranging from dyslexia and eating disorders to violence in schools and racism.

The World Fact Book: www.odci.govciapublicationsfactbook

The CIA has taken on the mammoth task of compiling facts and figures on as many countries as you have heard of and has put them on the web. This quick and easy-to-use online reference covers such far-flung places as the Norwegian-owned island of Bouvet in the South Atlantic and the charmingly named Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

Geographical data includes natural resources and climate and there are facts about the economic activity of each country (big or small). the site is also illustrated with excellent maps. You might like to believe that you are not that interested in how many paved and unpaved runways the Spratly Islands’ airports have, but it could just improve your chances at Trivial Pursuit.

Samantha Pandita-Gunawardena

www.tes.co.uk