0:00:12 > 0:00:13Morning, everyone.
0:00:13 > 0:00:14I'm Whitney and this is Newsround.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17So, the general election is just under two weeks away
0:00:17 > 0:00:20and that's when millions of adults across the UK get to vote
0:00:20 > 0:00:22for the person they want to be in charge of the government.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24But what is the government?
0:00:24 > 0:00:26What's an election and a party?
0:00:26 > 0:00:30Well, here's Ricky to explain.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33It's almost time for the general election!
0:00:33 > 0:00:36It doesn't sound like the most exciting thing in the world
0:00:36 > 0:00:39but it is a huge deal and over the next few weeks,
0:00:39 > 0:00:41you're probably going to hear a lot of...
0:00:41 > 0:00:42This election...
0:00:42 > 0:00:44General election... General election...
0:00:44 > 0:00:45A bit of this...
0:00:45 > 0:00:46MPs... The Government...
0:00:46 > 0:00:48And almost certainly a few...
0:00:48 > 0:00:49The general election... Vote...
0:00:49 > 0:00:50Government...
0:00:50 > 0:00:52So, strap in and listen up and let me
0:00:52 > 0:00:55try and explain what those words actually mean.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57First up, the election.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Well, a general election usually happens every five years,
0:01:00 > 0:01:02but not always.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05It's when people get to decide who should form a
0:01:05 > 0:01:06Government and run the country.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Next, the Prime Minister.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11He or she is head of the Government here in the UK.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14That person is responsible for most of the big decisions
0:01:14 > 0:01:16that affect your lives.
0:01:16 > 0:01:21They're in charge of the Government.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24And it's usually formed by the party that wins the election.
0:01:24 > 0:01:25Hey-hey!
0:01:25 > 0:01:26No.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Not that kind of party.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30You won't find cake and sausage rolls here.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32In politics, a party is a group of people
0:01:32 > 0:01:34who share the same ideas.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37There are quite a few parties.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40That takes us on to MPs or Members of Parliament.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43In fact, there are 650 of them in total.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Their job is to look after the people in their constituency
0:01:46 > 0:01:49and that's the area where people voted for them.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Those MPs also work in the Houses of Parliament which is where
0:01:53 > 0:01:55new laws and ideas on the way the country should be run
0:01:55 > 0:01:57get talked about.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00On election day, if you're 18 or over, you'll get to vote.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03That means you get to choose who you want
0:02:03 > 0:02:05to be your MP, the person who speaks in Parliament
0:02:05 > 0:02:08for the area where you live.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11But this is nothing like voting for the X Factor
0:02:11 > 0:02:12or Strictly Come Dancing.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15There is no app, you can't use your mobile phone
0:02:15 > 0:02:18and you only have one vote.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21You mark an X on a piece of paper at a polling station
0:02:21 > 0:02:23which is usually inside a school.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25So that means, on the day of the general election,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28loads of you get the day off!
0:02:28 > 0:02:29So, there you have it.
0:02:29 > 0:02:30MPs, Government, vote...
0:02:30 > 0:02:35Simple!
0:02:35 > 0:02:36Thanks, Ricky.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38Next up and it's the oldest competition
0:02:38 > 0:02:40in international sport, arguably one of the most
0:02:40 > 0:02:42difficult trophies to win.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45The Americas Cup is the most famous sailing event
0:02:45 > 0:02:48in the world and guess what - it's back this weekend.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53In its 166-year history, it's never been won by a British team
0:02:53 > 0:02:56but Olympic gold medallist Sir Ben Ainslie is looking to break
0:02:56 > 0:03:00the curse and lead his team team to a first victory.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Take a look at this!
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Those shots of the planet Jupiter have been sent back earth
0:03:04 > 0:03:07by Nasa's spacecraft Juno.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10The team of scientists who have been studying them say the pictures
0:03:10 > 0:03:12have taken their breath away.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15They've been amazed by the storms at the gas giant's poles.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18And in some of the pictures, dozens of hurricanes -
0:03:18 > 0:03:21each the size of Earth - can be seen clustered together.
0:03:21 > 0:03:26Pretty amazing!
0:03:26 > 0:03:29And it's the World Surfing Games right now in France
0:03:29 > 0:03:31with surfers from more than 40 countries taking part.
0:03:31 > 0:03:32That's a lot of people.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34But how do you score in surfing?
0:03:34 > 0:03:36Well, it's not about being the fastest to the finish line,
0:03:36 > 0:03:38or the most goals scored.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40So how do you win?
0:03:40 > 0:03:43To win at surfing, you have to impress a panel of judges,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46but what are they looking for?
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Difficulty.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Surfers get rewarded for picking big, steep, challenging waves
0:03:51 > 0:03:55and going for difficult moves.
0:03:55 > 0:03:56Innovation.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Don't just copy everyone else.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Judges are impressed when competitors show moves
0:04:01 > 0:04:03that are different and unique.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Combining major moves.
0:04:05 > 0:04:10Doing one big move is impressive enough, but if you can go
0:04:10 > 0:04:15smoothly from one to another, you get even more points.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Variety.
0:04:17 > 0:04:18Competitors need to show that
0:04:18 > 0:04:22they've got lots of different skills.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Speed, power and flow.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26This is how fast you move in the water,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29how much power is in your turns and how well you connect
0:04:29 > 0:04:30your moves together.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Handy hint - if you can see lots of spray,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36it's probably a powerful ride.
0:04:36 > 0:04:42Master all of these and you might just become a champ.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44That's all from me for now but Newsround's back right
0:04:44 > 0:04:47here in about half an hour, and if you can't wait until then
0:04:47 > 0:04:50go online to catch up with the strangest stories
0:04:50 > 0:04:52of the week or why not try our news quiz?
0:04:52 > 0:04:58Bye.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Tilly's cooking a slap-up meal for big bro Jack
0:05:09 > 0:05:11in Matilda And The Ramsay Bunch next, and it's brand-new.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Lucky Jack! And today's Fave At 5 is The Secret Life Of Boys.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18Hey, Karim, we're boys.
0:05:18 > 0:05:19Yes, very observant.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22And, and, we have a secret life.