22/08/2012 Newsround

Hello, welcome to Newsround with Ricky Boleto and Leah Gooding.

Coming up: We find out why scientists are so obsessed with the

mysteries of Mars. And we meet the young basketballer

with a keen eye on the Paralympics. First, if you're missing the buzz

you felt during the Olympics just a few weeks ago, then fear not. The

countdown to the Paralympics started today. A mammouth torch

relay started in the four corners of the UK, but is it enough to get

everyone excited about the Games? The countdown is on. Northern

Ireland was the first up to the top of the mountain... There was a

Paralympic flame lit here this morning. Wet windy and very high up,

the last of four special torches catches light to mark the journey

to the Paralympic Games. Carried to the top of the highest mountains in

England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, these four

torches will come together to light the flame in the opening ceremony

in a week's time The past the Paralympics haven't always had the

same attention as the Olympics, but tickets are almost all sold out. At

Snowdon the man in charge told everyone they are in for a treat.

think when people see Paralympic sport for the first time they'll be

blown away by the quality of the sport and the spirits around them.

The scouts don't need to be excited The scouting movement Kateers for

all abilities and disabilities. what next? After the climbdown from

the four mountains the torches head back to the UK's four capital

cities for a big party. They will meet up again in the village of

Stoke Mandeville why.? The Games were first held for disabled

athletes 60 years ago. From there are a 24 hour relay with 600 people,

they will carry it to the opening ceremony a week from today. Then

the action really gets started. It is hoped the Games will inspire

thousands of future Paralympians as well. Ten-year-old Archie has

cerebral palsy, a condition hundreds of those taking part have.

My name is Archie and I'm ten years old and I've got cerebral palsy.

It affects my legs, because the signal from my brain can't properly

get down to the legs. They are not as strong.

Wheelchair basketball is very good, because it allows me to play with

other people that feel the same way. And have the same bibl ti. We can

just play together. -- disability. We can just play

together. Kyle and Dion are two of my friends

at basketball. My name is Dionne and I'm 13. My name is Kyle and I'm

ten. He is a good player, but he sometimes attacks. He's got a

brilliant right hand. Sometimes people think just because we are in

wheelchairs we can't play sports, but if we are in while chairs we

can still play Olympic sports. coach is called Steve. Steve

inspires me, because he's on the England team. He brings a message

that you can still do what you want to do.

Tony Nicklinson, the man who lost a big court case about whether

doctors could legally help to end his life has died today. We told

you last week about Tony's case. He was paralysed from the neck down

and could only communicate through a computer. He wanted doctors to be

allowed to help him end his life, but the court ruled hena was

illegal. He died at his home this morning.

For the past few weeks all eyes have been on Mars. We've been

following NASA's robot, Curiosity. Today it is taking its first steps.

But what are we hoping the learn from the Rover and why are we so

excited about a planet that's millions of miles away? Mars, it is

a planet that's fascinated scientists for years. Why? Because

of all the planets out there it's the most like Earth and the most

likely to support life. Over the past 50 years there's been

many missions to land on the Red Planet. It hasn't been an easy

journey. Lots of these have failed. The first to successfully land and

exlor the planet was Viking 1. Curiosity is the latest in a long

line of Mars robots trying to work out if the plan keet have supported

life. So after nearly -- planet could have supported life. So why

are scientists so excited when we touched down on the planet? We've

seen evidence of rivers that used to flow across the surface. The

general aim of Martian exploration was to find out what happened when

water flowed on Mars. It has taken a lot of money to send Curiosity to

Mars, is it worth snifrpblts lit tell us about our place in the

universe. Is it an incredibly unusual thing that we've got life

on the Earth? If we wanted to live on Mars lit tell us what it would

be like to live there, what we would need to do to make ourselves

safe. So Curiosity is going further than any other Rover on the Red

Planet, but until its two years of testing are complete, the mysteries

of Mars will continue to fascinate. From core science in space to an

amazing discovery on Earth. A teenager in America has shocked

medical experts by coming up with a test to check for the world's

diseases. This is Jack. He goes the High School and goes kayaking at

the weekends, and coming up with cures for cancer. Most people play

basketball, but I don't. I do Cancer Research. All that time

research hag paid off and Jack has managed to create a pancreatic

cancer test that's 168 times faster and much cheaper than the best test

out there. All you have to do with the sensor is apply to blood sample

and measure it. From that level that you get you can tell if the

cancer is present. I got really interested in Cancer Research

because a bunch of my family has been affected by pancreatic cancer.

Jack recognises how lucky he is to have modern technology at his

fingertips. Search engines like Google has allowed limb to become

the young inventsor he is. Without that it what be near impossible.

is at the early stages but Jack is hoping his test will eventually be

used in every doctor's surgery in the world.

Prince Harry has been making headlines today. He is in holiday

in Las Vegas. This video shows him challenging America's gold medal

winner in a race. Finally, can I remember the moment

London was awarded the Olympic and ploich gay, but can you remember

when Bristol won the bid to host the robot Games? Maybe not. There