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Good morning and welcome to Kid News.
I'm Tori.
Today is Friday, June 5th, 2026.
And we begin with one of NASA's longest running Mars missions officially over.
The space agency launched MAVEN, which stands for Mars, Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, in 2013 to study the red planet's atmosphere.
But the spacecraft's been silent for six months now, prompting NASA to declare its mission kaput.
Engineers believe MAVEN spun out and drained its batteries while passing behind the planet.
Gone but not forgotten.
Data from its mission discovered how powerful particles from the sun, known as solar wind, cause atmospheric gases to escape from Mars' surface into space.
It also relayed communications from Mars rovers Curiosity and Perseverance back to Earth.
A teenage journalist is already making a splash in the news world.
18-year-old Santiago Campos is the recent winner of the Mike Wallace Memorial Scholarship.
For those too young to remember, Mr Wallace was a legendary newsman and one of 60 Minutes' original correspondents.
In his acceptance speech, the Georgetown-bound teen publicly slammed CBS, the very network that gave him the award, saying its new direction is staining the legacy of the scholarship's namesake.
And now he's calling out CBS again, this time for firing longtime 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley, who made headlines this week for criticizing changes to what is one of the most successful news programs in broadcast history.
Santiago told NBC News that Mr Pelley was right to push back, even if it led to his firing and hopes.
In doing so, he emboldened other CBS staffers to fight for a greater cause.
Tomorrow is an important date in world history.
82 years ago, on June 6 1944, thousands of Allied troops from the US, Britain and Canada traveled across the ocean and landed on the beaches of Normandy France, to free Europe from Nazi German control during World War II.
It was known as D-Day, which was the name given to the first day of Operation Overlord.
The storming of Normandy remains the biggest sea-to-land invasion in history.
If you're eating breakfast right now, you might want to put down your toast.
Scientists in Italy have harvested living yeast from inside a 5300-year-old frozen mummy's guts and used it to bake sourdough bread.
The mummy in question is known as Ötzi the Iceman, who was found remarkably well preserved in what is now present-day Turkey.
According to research published in the Microbiome Journal, it took researchers three months of trial and error to reproduce the yeast in the refrigerator to make the bread which turned out to be very, very good sourdough.
Also on their to-do list, using the yeast to brew beer.
11-year-old Brexton Bush is back behind the wheel.
The son of NASCAR star, Kyle Busch, returned to the racetrack less than two weeks after his famous father's sudden passing at age 41.
Brexton, who has been racing since age five, competed against his dad when he was nine and has already won more than 100 youth races, is getting plenty of support from the racing community.
This week he drove his neon green number 18 legend car in practice sessions at Charlotte Motor Speedway ahead of the Summer Racing Series.
Following in the footstep of his dad, his uncle Kurt and grandfather, Tom Braxton has been steadily moving up in the racing world as he pursues his own motorsport dreams.
Talk about a built-in study buddy.
Identical twin brothers, Travis and Traven Jasper, have spent a lot of time hitting the books together, from co-valedictorians in high school to the same college and then the same medical school.
Now 56 years old.
They've returned to their hometown of Richmond Virginia to co-lead the emergency department of a local hospital.
They say their relationship has been both competitive and supportive, but sharing experiences and learning from each other has been the secret to their success.
With eight kids between them.
When they're not saving lives and spending time with their families, the duo volunteers with young basketball players in their community.
Still to come.
If you're thinking of watching the NBA Finals from Celebrity Row, prepare to break your piggy bank.
But first, we're headed to Shanghai, China, where it's Xander Wang's ninth birthday.
Xander is a great tennis player and rising star on the school swimming team, and his family tells us he's curious kind-hearted, quick to smile and the best brother to Celine.
Xander, we hope you have a great day and a great weekend celebrating your birthday.
Now, today's Kid News Quiz.
Which NASA spacecraft just went silent after years of orbiting Mars?
MAVEN
At what age did Braxton Bush begin racing?
Five.
What did scientists make using yeast found in the remains of Ötzi the Iceman?
Sourdough bread.
Tomorrow is the anniversary of what major date in world history?
D-Day, the storming of Normandy, France during World War II.
In today's Kid News Kicker.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is in the books, after the Knicks beat the Spurs on Wednesday 105-95 in San Antonio.
Play continues there tomorrow evening with Game 2 before the action moves to New York City.
Fans looking to watch Game 3 in person on Monday will pay more than a pretty penny.
The lowest price resale tickets inside Madison Square Garden will set you back at least $7,500 each.
Sitting courtside, a whopping $59,000 per ticket.
However, the Knicks are auctioning off a pair of courtside seats to one lucky bidder, with proceeds going to the Garden of Dreams Foundation, a local children's charity.
Bidding runs through Sunday.
Thanks again to the Wangs of Shanghai, China for sponsoring today's quiz.
A birthday shout out to Xander and Nihao, to all his teachers and friends at Shanghai American School.
And a high five to our other Kid News classrooms, Mrs. Fomenko at Fisher in Walpole, Massachusetts.
Teacher Tanya's Tigers at Afreda High School in Afreda, Washington.
Ms.
Luggett's Labs at Legacy in Ashburn, Virginia.
Ms.
Cole's Lions at Leap Academy Charter in Camden, New Jersey.
Mrs. Watson's Bulldogs at Eli Terry Jr.
Middle School in Plymouth, Connecticut.
And a special shout out to the Together Explorers, a group of adventure-loving families whose classroom is the world.
Thanks for listening.
A friendly reminder that our free weekly word search of news terms was sent out this morning to all who signed up.
Have a great weekend.
We'll see you back here for more Kid News Monday morning.
