First News - Issue 240

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THE AWARD-WINNING WEEKLY NEWSPAPER FOR KIDS First News supports children’s charities Working with £1.20 7 – 13 JAN 2011 ISSUE 240 BIG INTERVIEW ANIMAL NEWS Films for the year ahead The big count starts Imagine a world powered by nature BIG ISSUE 16 6 The stories and images of devastation shown on TV and in newspapers shocked the world. You, our readers, showed your support and raised nearly £20,000 for Unicef to help the people suffering in Haiti. Twelve months on and life is still very difficult for many people in Haiti, as Andrew Mitchell, Secretary of State for International Development, says: “It’s one year on since the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti and Haitians’ lives are still badly affected. There are still many problems, the biggest of which is the outbreak of cholera. Cholera is a disease that lives in water which can kill you if not treated. “According to the United Nations, 400,000 people are predicted to have been infected by cholera since November. That is why the British government recently funded more than a thousand doctors and nurses to work in Haiti as well as funding emergency supplies, 12 cholera treatment centres and water purification facilities and lavatories, which will save the lives of many thousands of people.” continued on page 2 ON 12 January last year a powerful earthquake hit the small island of Haiti, killing 230,000 people and leaving more than 1.5 million people homeless. by Gabrielle Utton AFTER THE QUAKE LIFE IN HAITI ONE YEAR ON FROM THE DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE 10 The stars of Primeval 14

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First News is the award-winning weekly newspaper for kids available at the newstand or by subscription. It is a trusted classroom resource for KS2 and KS3.

Transcript of First News - Issue 240

Page 1: First News - Issue 240

THE AWARD-WINNING WEEKLY NEWSPAPER FOR KIDSFirst News supports children’s charities

Working with

£1.20 7 – 13 JAN 2011 Issue 240

BIG INTERvIEWANImAL NEWS

Films for the year ahead

The big count starts

Imagine a world powered by nature

BIG ISSuE

16 6

The stories and images of devastation shown on TV and in newspapers shocked the world. You, our readers, showed your support and raised nearly £20,000 for Unicef to help the people suffering in Haiti.

Twelve months on and life is still very difficult for many people in Haiti, as Andrew Mitchell, Secretary of State for International Development, says: “It’s one year on since the

devastating earthquake that hit Haiti and Haitians’ lives are still badly affected. There are still many problems, the biggest of which is the outbreak of cholera. Cholera is a disease that lives in water which can kill you if not treated.

“According to the United Nations, 400,000 people are

predicted to have been infected by cholera since November. That is why the British government recently funded more than a thousand doctors and nurses to work in Haiti as well as funding emergency supplies, 12 cholera treatment centres and water purification facilities and lavatories, which will save the lives of many thousands of people.”

continued on page 2

On 12 January last year a powerful earthquake hit the small island of Haiti, killing 230,000 people and leaving more than 1.5 million people homeless.

by Gabrielle Utton

First News supports children’s charitiesFirst News supports children’s charitiesFirst News£1.20 7 – 13 JAN 2011

After the QuAkeLife in Haiti one year on from tHe devastating eartHquake

10The stars of Primeval 14

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Issue 240 7 – 13 JAN 20112

“This will help people overcome cholera but they still need somewhere safe and dry to live as well as ongoing medical care – the British Government has provided more than 380,000 people with food, shelter, clean water and medical care so far.

“The children of Haiti are desperate to get back to school, their parents want to work, and families want to go back to their own homes so that is why the UK Government gave more than $150m this year to big

organisations like the United Nations and the World Bank. They work closely with charities, other governments, and people on the ground to improve tens of thousands of people’s lives.

“The UK is working hard to support Haiti in its hour of need to prevent diseases like cholera spreading further. We are also providing long term support to help rebuild the devastated country so children get the future they deserve.”

Turn to page 5 for a special report on Haiti.

FIRST NEWS HEADLINESIN BRIEF

Bags bannedItaly has banned shops giving out plastic bags anywhere in the country.

This is a big step for Italy as it is one of the biggest users of plastic bags in Europe. Each Italian uses more than 300 bags a year, that’s almost one a day. The government has launched a campaign to raise awareness of why the public should use bags made of natural and recyclable materials.

Landslide kills in the PhilippinesBad weather has killed five people in the eastern Philippines.

A landslide claimed two lives while three more were killed when they tried to escape their homes. Tens of thousands of people had to leave their homes for safety.

After the quake

The website says it’s only for use by over 18-year-olds and a lot of schools have been removed from the site.

While some school pupils may think that the comments are funny, there are many more who find them cruel and hurtful.

Writing something mean or untrue or spiteful about a person is cyberbullying. Those who find unkind comments funny might not do so if the comments were about themselves.

Making cruel remarks on the internet is

wrong and authorities take it very seriously. The Government’s Children’s Minister Tim Loughton says: “I am shocked and disheartened to hear that there are websites like this that seem to encourage cyberbullying. I encourage young people to think very carefully about posting on these sites. Whilst comments such as these may often be intended as a joke they can all too often

become cruel when posted anonymously on the internet. I hope they think about how they would feel if it was aimed at them.

“Cyberbullying is a serious issue and we’re working closely with the charity Beatbullying on their Cybermentors project. Children and young people can get support, advice and information anonymously from specially trained advisers their own age. You can find out more about this project and seek advice at www.cybermentors.org.uk.”

a row has broken out over a website where children can write their opinion, and often cruel comments, about their school and fellow pupils.

Cyberbully warningby Gabrielle Utton

£250 million will be given out in this way. Several big food companies are working with the Government on the new scheme, including Warburtons, Asda, Birds Eye, Mars and Weight Watchers.

However, food policy professor at City University, Tim Lang, is worried about food companies telling people how to be healthy.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley says: “The healthy option isn’t always the cheapest option so it’s a really important step to be able to offer £50 off healthier foods, drinks and activities.”

Voucher books will be available through the News of the World newspaper, Asda stores and some local businesses.

Families get £50 for fooda new scheme will see families given vouchers worth £50 to swap for healthy food and activities.

For more headline news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news

Cyberbullying is just as wrong and as cruel as

saying or doing something unkind to another person

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Issue 240 7 – 13 JAN 2011 3

FIRST NEWS HEADLINES

It feels like Christmas and new year celebrations happened a long time ago, doesn’t it?

Starting a new year and a new term at school is an exciting time, there’s a whole year of new possibilities lying ahead. So while you’re enjoying catching up with your friends and settling into the new school term, spare a thought for the children and young people of Haiti (front page).

Last year, when the earthquake caused such devastation and despair in the country you helped by raising money to provide clean water, shelter and medicine. The people of Haiti are still finding life very difficult but they hope this year will be a happier one than 2010, and we hope so too.

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

On 11 January 1962, an avalanche buried several mountain villages in the Andes in

Peru, killing as many as 4,000 people.

Mystery of the falling birds

BAD WEEK FOR...

GOOD WEEK FOR...

Gavin HensonThe Strictly Come Dancing rugby player started a game for the first time in two years but his team, Saracens, still lost to Sale.

amanda HoldenThe Britain’s Got Talent judge and star of Shrek the Musical is expecting her second baby.

One million kids don’t have a PC

Australia under water

PeoPle in arkansas, USa, are baffled as to why hundreds of birds dropped out of the sky last week.

Rockhampton in Queensland is the worst affected city where military aircraft have been delivering supplies to the 77,000 stranded residents.

Torrential rain has caused rivers to rise high enough to burst their banks and

submerge roads and cause people to leave their homes. Officials say the floods may not ease for a long time yet. At least three people have already died because of the water.

An added danger that Queensland

residents have to deal with is snakes swimming in the water. Rockhampton Mayor Brad Carter said: “Snakes have been swimming at people’s feet as they make their way through the waters. I know one guy who killed four snakes this morning.”

new research has found that more than one million school children don’t have a computer to use at home and almost two million can’t get online at home.

The E-Learning Foundation says that children from poorer families are more likely to have difficulty finding a computer to use at home

and getting online. They say this makes it harder for those pupils to research school topics, do their homework and join in the fun things like playing games and looking at websites like their classmates.

Flood waters in australia have affected an area the size of France and Germany put together and more than 200,000 people.

More than 1,000 blackbirds fell from the sky and landed, dead, on roads, pavements and driveways in Beebe in Arkansas.

Wildlife officials are looking for an explanation and are testing the birds to see if they can find out what killed them.

One idea is that a flock of birds could have been hit by a firework display.

For more headline news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news

EDITOR’S COMMENT

Editor Nicky Cox MBE

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THE NEWS IN PICTURESTHE NEWS IN PICTURES

1 January SOuTH QuEEnSFErry, SCOTLanD: People in fancy dress take part in the annual Loony Dook Swim. More than 1,000 people jumped in the River Forth to celebrate the new year.

4 January DInSLaKEn, GErMany: a partial solar eclipse (the moon partially covers the sun) was seen by millions.

3 January yOKOHaMa, TOKyO: a sealion called Leo paints the word “rabbit” in Chinese at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise aquarium. February 2011 sees the start of the Chinese Year of the Rabbit.

For more pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news-in-pictures

2 January KaILua, HaWaII: President Barrack Obama signs H.R. 847 the james Zadroga 9/11 Health a Compensation act. The document covers health coverage for workers that were affected after helping at ground zero while helping others and clearing the rubble during 9/11.

1 January SurGuT, ruSSIa: Smoke billows from the wreckage of a plane after it is believed one of its engines burst into flames on the runway before take off. Three people were killed and dozens injured in the blast.

1 January BraSILIa, BraZIL: new Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff receives the presidential sash from outgoing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. President Rousseff is the first female President in Brazil after winning 56% of the votes in the election last October.

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5Issue 240 7 – 13 JAN 2011

Special report By Lauren Shearing for UNICEF

For more special reports, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/discover

On 12 January 2010 Haiti was devastated by an earthquake. First news looks at what life is like 12 months after the quake struck…

Now that Christmas is over, children in the UK are looking forward to getting back to school, swapping Christmas stories and looking forward to the year ahead.

However, for children in Haiti life is far from normal, and there are very few stories to swap. That’s because they are still trying to recover from a terrible earthquake that struck the country a year ago destroying many homes and schools and killing thousands of people.

Mackintosh’s story Ten-year-old Mackintosh Fran Durvier is one of the

luckier children, who survived the earthquake with his family. His house and his school, however, were flattened like a pancake.

A makeshift classroom has been set up next to his former school, which was destroyed by the quake on 12 January 2010.

For Mackintosh and his younger brother, Freddy, going back to school has helped to bring normality back to their lives. They are with their friends, playing and learning again.

“It is much better that they are at school than at home surrounded by the memories of 12 January, or in the camps, which is not an environment that children should be exposed to for a long time,” says their principal, Elizabeth Hyppolite.

Some people still live in the camps Facise Jean, 17, still lives in one of these camps. “After the earthquake, my home was damaged” he says.

“I now live in a camp for displaced persons. I worry about dying from cholera. My dream is for things to be the way they were before this terrible earthquake.”

after the earthquake some parents couldn’t look after their children

Latima and Karline Charles, 12-year-old twins, and their little sister, Jocelyn, used to live in a seaside town with their parents. After the earthquake, their parents could not afford to look after them any more, and they had to be taken into care.

They were separated from their mum and dad which was scarier even than the earthquake itself.

“I was very sad that I could only see my parents twice a month,” says Latima

However, with the help of UNICEF, Latima’s dad, Joseph, was able to start his rice farming business again. The family are all back together now, and starting to re-build their lives.

life is getting better The money that you raised for Haiti is helping UNICEF to

help children like these all over the country. One year on, your support means that UNICEF is able to

help put things right for families and to re-open schools. Thanks to you the children of Haiti have somewhere safe

to learn and to recover.

Mackintosh Fran Durvier (left) and Freddy Durvier (right), with their father, Jean Andre Durvier

The Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince is reduced

to rubble

Thousands of people moved into makeshift camps when their homes were desroyed

For more information visit www.unicef.org.uk

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Haiti – one year on

Latima, Karline and Jocelyn Charles were separated from their parents after the earthquake

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Issue 240 7 – 13 jan 20116

Orangutan cruises homeA bAby orangutan has cruised to his new home onboard a ferry!

One-year-old orphan Silvestre journeyed to the UK onboard a Brittany Ferry from his original home at Santillana Zoo in Spain. He has now settled into his new home at Monkey World in Dorset.

Monkey World is home to Europe’s only creche for orphaned orangutans.

Monkey World is home to over 230 rescued primates!

Beaver secrets

Seal colony found!

A new study has filmed the secret lives of baby beavers.

Scientists have used hidden cameras to film the inside of a beavers’ lodge, allowing them to see how baby beavers behave when they’re at home.

Until recently very little was known about the behaviour of the beavers inside their homes. The baby beavers, known as kits, were witnessed following sleep cycles a lot like a human baby, so sleeping for a few hours before waking.

The study was undertaken in south-western Illinois in america.

A colony of rare Mediterranean monk seals has been discovered living in a secret location in Greece.

Mediterranean monk seals are the rarest seals in the world. It is believed that less than 600 remain in the wild, so experts are thrilled with the discovery.

The location of the colony is being kept secret to ensure that the seals remain undisturbed.

Scientists have witnessed the seals behaving in their natural way – sunbathing on beaches. In recent years human activity has driven this species of seal to live in coastal caves, which makes them very hard to study. It also increases the risk of death for young pups.

ANIMAL NEWS

Big animal count!

For more animal news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news

Every year the keepers conduct the annual stocktake, where they count every bird and beast in the zoo.

More than 16,000 animals live at the zoo and

with lots of births this year, the job is set to be an even bigger one than usual.

Can you imagine how long it would take to check and count over 4,000 fish, more than

10,000 invertebrates and over 100 reptiles? Wow! ZSL London Zoo has to count their animals

every year to keep in line with the terms of their zoo licence!

This week the staff at ZsL London Zoo will brave the wintry weather to count every animal in the zoo!

Famous photo comp opens

Emperor Tamarin monkeys at ZSL London Zoo

If you’ve taken an amazing snap of a wild animal, or even your pet you can enter. The competition has been running for 47 years and the winner will be chosen by a panel of expert judges. You can enter photos

in a number of categories, including Urban Wildlife and nature in Black and White.

For full details on categories and how to enter see www.nhm.ac.uk/wildphoto.

This week the famous Veolia environnement wildlife Photographer of the year competition opens.

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THE WEEK’S WEATHER

Week In general Unsettled, cold.FrIday 7 january

Scotland/n Ireland – Wintry showers. Day 1c/34f night -4c/25f. Light northeasterly.

England/Wales – Rain/sleet showers. Day 3c/37f night -1c/30f. Light northeasterly.saturday 8 january

Scotland/n Ireland – Wintry showers. Day 0c/32f night -5c/23f. Light northeasterly.

England/Wales – Rain/sleet showers. Day 2c/36f night -2c/28f. Light northeasterly.sunday 9 january

Scotland/n Ireland – Wintry showers. Day 0c/32f night -5c/23f. Light northeasterly.

England/Wales – Rain/sleet showers. Day 2c/36f night -3c/27f. Light northeasterly.rest oF the Week Remaining unsettled and cold. Frosty.

On 8 january 2000, Kirensk in Siberia recorded a low of

-58ºC.

THE WEEK IN NUMBERS1.28 million pounds has been donated to the naankuse Wildlife Sanctuary in namibia by angelina jolie and Brad Pitt. The couple’s daughter, Shiloh, was born in the african country.

15 people had to be evacuated after a fire hit four houses in Blaenau Gwent in Wales this week.

OUR STORIES

with jonathan Powell

100s of fish have been found dead in a canal marina in Wales, the Environment agency Wales say the freezing temperatures is most likely to blame.

1.84 million copies of Take That’s album Progress were sold in 2010, making it the biggest-selling album of the year.

Bittern in backMore than 150 years after it was last spotted on Irish shores, the bittern has been spotted in County Wexford. Experts believed the bird to be extinct in Ireland, but three have been spotted since December. There could be many more but they are quite hard to spot as they are very shy.

Earthquake hitsa earthquake measuring 3.6 magnitude has hit northern England. The quake struck around 9km away from the town of Ripon at around 9pm. although ripples and tremors were felt throughout Cumbria and West Yorkshire. The quake only lasted a few seconds and experts believe it is unlikely to have caused any significant damage.

Lizard goes walkies

From Friday 7 january 2010 to Thursday 13 january 2011

Home NewsFat to fit

a town in Lincolnshire which is famous for having overweight residents has seen a huge increase in the amount of sport locals have taken part in. Boston local council says the town has gone from fat to fit after an impressive increase of the number of people who exercise more than three times a week for more than 30 minutes at a time. In 2006 Boston was ranked as the fattest place in England.

116 emergency calls were responded to by the Buxton Mountain Rescue Team in Derbyshire in 2010. The most rescues in one year.

20 per cent is how much VaT has been increased to. VaT is a tax that you pay on all things that you buy. VaT was 17.5% of the cost of the object.

The iconic zebra crossing outside the famous abbey Road recording Studios in London has been given a Grade II listed status. The crossing has been recognised for its “cultural and historical importance”. The crossing was featured on a very famous album by the Beatles called abbey Road, which was released in 1969. Since then lots of hopeful musicians have visited the crossing in the hope of following in the Beatles footsteps.

Zebra status

WWF Scotland have said that the population of Scottish whitefish is bright, as long as threatened species continue to get protection. Lots has been done to monitor and manage the fish stocks on lots of species. The good news comes as the European Commission announced the latest figures on catch quotes, which means how much fish we are allowed to catch over the next year.

Fish future is bright

a 40cm long monitor lizard has been found walking through a London Park. The reptile was found by a member of the public in Lambeth. The RSPCa were called and staff transported the lizard to their animal hospital in Putney. The lizard, which comes from africa has been named Fluffy and will be rehomed once he has been checked over by vets.

Teen sheltera £10,000 shelter has been built for teenagers in anglesey to stop them gathering in a village centre. The shelter has solar power and a blue tooth connector which allows music to be played via built-in speakers. It is the second shelter of its kind in anglesey. The shelters were funded after a Police Community Support Officer decided things needed to be done to improve facilities for teens.

That’s album

FAST WEATHER FAcTS

Issue 240 7 – 13 jan 2011

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For more home news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news

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Issue 240 7 – 13 jan 20118

The researchers first discovered that one of their mice was chirping like a bird, and they have since bred another 100 similar mice.

The scientists at the University of Osaka have been working on something called the Evolved Mouse Project. They have been breeding mice that often have random mutations in their Dna. This is the substance found in all of our cells that is like a blueprint that tells the body how to grow.

When Dna mutates, it can have positive or negative effects, or often does nothing different at all. Since mice breed quickly and are mammals, the researchers are using them to try and understand how humans evolved (changed over time).

There is still a lot of debate among scientists about how human language developed, and scientists hope that the ‘singing’ mice will provide some clues.

SCIENCE

African elephants are two speciesan analysis of elephants and their extinct ancestors has shown that african elephants are not just one species after all.

There are around 500,000 elephants living in africa. about 25% of those live in forests, and the rest tend to stay on the savannahs (open grasslands).

new research has shown that the two split into different species at least 2.6m years ago. That is around the same time in history that asian elephants and

woolly mammoths also became two separate species.

To do their analysis, scientists studied samples from modern elephants, as well as ones from a 43,000-year-old bone from a woolly mammoth and a tooth from a mastodon, another extinct ancestor of the modern elephant.

Space inspiration

Creating rain in the desert could be very useful for a

dry country like Abu Dhabi

a SWISS company has claimed that they created rain over the dry deserts of abu Dhabi during summer of last year.

Meteo Systems has been testing its Weathertec system in the al ain region of abu Dhabi. Reporters at The Sunday Times say that they have seen a confidential company video that explains Meteo’s work in abu Dhabi.

Streetlamp-sized ionisers threw up streams of negatively-charged electrons into the air. These electrons attract dust on the way up into the atmosphere, where they then start to attract tiny molecules of water.

When the process works, these drops of water start to increase in size until they become clouds and cause rain.

It is claimed that the ionisers were turned on 74 times last summer, on days when local weather officials said that there would be no rain. Rain then came on 52 of these days, claim the reports.

If the stories are true, the technology could be crucial in bringing rain to dry areas of the planet. However, nearby countries will want to be certain that their own weather patterns would not be affected.

Desert downpours

Robin Barbosa prepares to test the strength of his leathers on

the Estoril track in Portugal

a mISSIon to space has provided the idea for a super-strong new type of jeans for motorcyclists.

The reason why bikers wear leather is because it is very strong and won’t tear in a crash. However, for comfort, many bikers often wear a plain pair of jeans, even though they do not protect the legs in a crash.

now, one company has decided to make biking jeans with a special material called ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). It was used on a European Space agency (ESa) mission in 2007, when a 0.5mm-thick strand stretched 30km through space to drag a capsule. UHMWPE fibres are twice as strong as Kevlar, and up to 100 times stronger than steel.

For a publicity stunt to show how strong his new product was, the founder of the ESquad label suspended a 2.7 tonne Hummer from a pair of his jeans.

The average January rainfall in Abu Dhabi is 13mm, compared to over 250mm for many parts of the UK

African elephants migrating in Kenya

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Instead of squeaking, the new mice tweet like birds

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For more science news and clips go to www.firstnews.co.uk/discover

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all elephants originally came from africa. asian elephants moved out of africa around 200,000 years ago, at the same time as humans started to leave the continent as well.

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Gross fact alert! Mice and other rodents will often eat their own droppings, so that they can get the vitamins contained in them.

In their attempts to understand how humans have developed over time, scientists have accidentally created mice that ‘sing’.

a clip of one of the mice atwww.FirstNews.co.uk

ChECk out

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Issue 240 7 – 13 jaN 2011 9

World NewsStarting young

a poll has shown that young people in Denmark are more politically active than the rest of the population. according to the poll, 71% of 16 to 25-year-olds has taken part in a political event, compared to 57% for the country as a whole.

Officials at the national transplant agency have called for local councils to be more active in signing up new donors. They would like councils to ask anyone applying for a new passport if they would be a donor. The current waiting time for a transplant in the Netherlands is around four years.

Donor shortage

Last year saw the lowest number of people killed on Bulgaria’s roads since 1960. a police spokesman said that 775 people were killed in 2010, which is 120 fewer than in 2009.

Roads result

You’re fired!a man working at a Volvo factory has been sent home for describing his place of work as a ‘madhouse’ on Facebook. The man was told he would not be allowed to work there again, even though he had praised the company in several other posts on his page.

a survey has shown that the average Canadian adult is eating 155 fewer calories per day than they were ten years ago. a report by Statistics Canada suggests that people are starting to eat more fruit and veg, and are also cutting down on red meat.

Calorie control

Wildlife officials are investigating the deaths of 100,000 fish near Ozark, arkansas. Only drum fish were affected, which has led scientists to believe that a disease is to blame, rather than pollution. a spokesman also said that the incident was unrelated to the mysterious deaths of birds in the state (see page three).

Fishy deaths

GLOBAL STORIES

SNIPPETSa Spanish man had to rummage through bins when he realised that he had thrown out a winning lottery ticket. He found it, and shared £7.8m with 14 friends.

a large, 7.1 magnitude earthquake has struck Chile. Many people were scared that the devastation caused by February 2010’s earthquake would be repeated. However, reports say that no-one was killed and that very little damage has been caused. Over 500 people died in February’s disaster.

Earthquake fear Keira in KoreaRiot police have been sent out onto the streets of alexandria following a deadly bomb attack. 21 Christians were killed at a church on New Year’s Day, and several protests against the bombing have taken place. Christians make up around 10% of the population, which is mainly Muslim.

Bend It Like Beckham has become the first ever Western-made film to be shown on TV in North Korea. The country’s media is tightly controlled by the secretive government, but showed the film to mark ten years of links with the UK. However, the film was shorter than usual because some scenes were cut.

Attack response

Tourist trapa group of four German tourists had to be rescued from a crocodile-infested river after their car got stuck. The driver had apparently ignored warnings in Kakadu National Park and tried to drive through Magela Creek, which was 1m under water. Police rescued the group soon after.

SNIPPETSThe ceiling of a cinema in Bathurst, australia, has collapsed during a storm, right in the middle of a movie. Miraculously, no-one was seriously hurt.

KIDS’ WORLD

Priyaswami (right) is 16. He is a member of his school Eco-Club in Tamil Nadu in south India. Priyaswami and his friends are learning what young people in India can do to tackle climate change and protect the environment.

They tell their friends and family everything they have learned to help spread the message.

Priyaswami says: “I’d like to ask children in the UK to make an effort like us. We are trying our best not to use polythene bags

and not to throw away products which can pollute the environment. There should be a concerted effort by everyone. Only a joint effort can really make the planet safe. This is the message I would like to really share with children in the UK.”

CLIMATE change and the environment

Find out more about Christian Aid www.christianaid.org.uk

Name: Priyaswami Age: 16 Lives: India

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10 Issue 240 7 – 13 JAN 2011

Special report by Juliet Davenport for Good EnergyFor more information visit

www.goodenergy.co.uk

For more special reports, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/discover

What would a world powered by wind, sun and water look like?

A world powered by nature

Have you ever wondered what would happen if we ran out of energy? How would we watch our favourite TV programmes, cook dinner or have a hot shower? Most of the energy we use is made from ‘non-renewable’ sources, such as coal, oil and nuclear, which large power stations turn into electricity. These types of fuels won’t last forever, and burning coal and oil gives off carbon dioxide, a gas which causes climate change. The good news is we have plenty of alternatives around us – the wind, sun and water can provide ‘renewable energy’ which will never run out and does not give off carbon dioxide so is much better for the environment.

Because renewable energy won’t run out, so we can keep using our computers, TVs and games consoles, we need to use more renewables and less energy overall.

So, what would a world powered by wind, sun or water look like? What changes might it make to your day?

Let’s think about how your day might change.

at home As you are woken up by your alarm clock for school, your

house would wake up to the morning light. If the sun was shining, the solar thermal panels on your roof would heat the water you shower with, for free! In the kitchen your mum or dad would make breakfast with a kettle and toaster that could tell you just how much energy you are using, and where it’s coming from – maybe from solar PV panels on your roof too.

As you and your family leave the house, a ‘Smart’ energy meter would be able to tell you the amount of energy your family has used so far today and how much it has cost. On a good day your household might earn money for generating more energy than you use. Your parents might work from home to make the most of all the power you are producing.

You would get in your family’s electric car, which would have been plugged in to a socket to recharge overnight. Because the car is electric it would not give off any bad fumes and so, as well as not needing to buy petrol, you would not damage the environment as you drive. On your way to school, you would notice all the houses you pass have solar panels on their roofs; maybe a small wind turbine if they were built on a hill with a large enough garden, and some with water tanks in the gardens collecting rain water to be reused. There would be no petrol stations, but you might see battery-swapping stations instead, where you could recharge a car and swap old batteries for new.

at School Your school would also

look different as it would be run on renewable energy too. Like your house, the roof would probably be covered in solar panels and on the hilltop behind the school would stand big wind turbines, catching the wind and turning it into electricity to power the

lights and computers. Inside, the school would be heated by a biomass boiler, which burns recycled wood chips – like the one Good Energy installed at St Mary’s Primary School, Timsbury, Somerset. A renewable cooling system in the school means that in the summer it will never get too warm!

In the winter the lights in the school and street lamps outside would have motion sensors on them so that they only come on when people walked past, saving energy.

the future To make this renewable future possible, we need to think

carefully about where our energy comes from and how we use it. Wouldn’t it be nice to know when playing on your computer or listening to a CD that the energy you’re using isn’t affecting the environment?

In the meantime, remember that most electricity is not good for the environment, so recycle, turn lights off when you’re not in the room and switch your computers and televisions off at the main switch to save energy.

at at a School Your school would also

look different as it would be run on renewable energy too. Like your house, the roof would probably be covered in solar panels and on the hilltop behind the school would stand big wind turbines, catching the wind and turning it into electricity to power the

An energy monitor will tell you how much energy you are using in your

home, and how much it is costing you

A wind-up penguin torch

Page 11: First News - Issue 240

Issue 240 7 – 13 jAn 2010 11For more news crews, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news

SCHOOL NEWS

Design our logoFIrSt NeWS is giving every school in the country the chance to design a new logo for us.

The winning design will be printed on the front page of First news for one week which will be seen by over 700,000 children! To enter, ask your teacher to download an entry form and the activity sheet from www.firstnews.co.uk/teachers. There is no limit on the number of entries per school!

Entries need to be posted to First news logo competition, First news, Shand House, 14-20 Shand St, London SE1 2ES. Closing date is Friday 4 March 2011.

Your design should fit in a space measuring 250mm wide by 42mm high.

Good luck!

Are you doing something sponsored for charity? Starting your own school newspaper? Or putting on a show? Send your report (including pictures) to the address on page 14 or email [email protected]. If we print your story we’ll send you a copy of the paper and an exclusive First

news certificate to be presented to you in assembly! Don’t forget to include your name, age, and your school’s name and address. (Please note: by writing to First news you give consent to First news printing details and photographs of those involved in the report.)

Your school in First News We want to hear what your school is up to

School post office...the village post office closed 12 years ago. this caused a lot of problems for the elderly of the village as the nearest post office was miles away. Foston’s new post office has recently opened. But it is no ordinary post office – it is being run by the children of our school!

Christina Micklewright, 9, teana Calder, 10, and Megan Woollons, 10, Foston School,

nr York

The grand launch of the post office was on 9 november 2010 and opened by Councillor Seymour. It sells 1st and 2nd class stamps, cards plus books.

The school council planned the new post office. Our school has been shown on TV, radio and in loads of newspapers.

Miss Glass, teaching assistant and administrator at the school, said: “As the villagers were without a post office, Mrs Moore, the head teacher, thought it was something Foston School could do, so the school council started to organise things.”

Harry jones, a pupil at the school, said: “The post office helps us to interact with the community and it’s great fun.”

The post office not only provides an important service for all those in the village but it also helps us with our education. We are learning real life skills, maths and English, how to speak to our customers, as in persuading

people to buy cards and stamps and how to take on a real job.

In the school holidays the post office will be run by the pub in the village. It will be great fun training up the holiday staff to cover the post office while the school is closed.

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Page 12: First News - Issue 240

Issue 240 7 – 13 jan 201112

NatioNwide educatioNNationwide Education – ‘PASS IT ON’! Make a pledge and enter our ‘Pledge Challenge’ to win an iPod Touch or Amazon Kindle!

Visit www.Nationwideeducation.co.uk to enter our ‘Pledge Challenge’.

nationwide Education is a FREE website with interactive games and activities for pupils and students to build life skills in order to:

Manage money wisely.

Lead more sustainable lives.

Be accident free (on the road and at home).

Be employable and contribute towards society.

What is the challenge?

Enter our new and exciting ‘Pledge Challenge’. Make a pledge and tell us what difference you have made to yourself, your family, school or community and you could win a fantastic prize. To make a pledge, visit nationwide Education’s ‘Pass it On’ campaign website – maybe you will help keep your house hazard free, recycle more or save half of your pocket money each week.

Here are some other pledge ideas to get you started:

Try to never spend more than you earn.

Donate old clothes, toys and books to charity shops at least once a year.

always remember to switch off mobile phone chargers at the plug after they’ve finished charging .

Don’t leave things on the floors or stairs, where someone could trip and fall.

Keep abreast of current affairs more by reading newspapers, listening to news reports and discussing with school mates.

Practise your organisational skills by making ‘to do’ lists each week of the key things you want to accomplish.

The ‘Pledge Challenge’ is to show us ‘proof’ of you fulfilling your ‘pledge’ by sending in a photo or video along with a short description of the difference you have made. The top entries will win a prize and we will showcase the best submissions on our website.

Advertisement feature

Page 13: First News - Issue 240

13

NatioNwide educatioNNationwide Education – ‘PASS IT ON’! Make a pledge and enter our ‘Pledge Challenge’ to win an iPod Touch or Amazon Kindle!

Visit www.Nationwideeducation.co.uk to enter our ‘Pledge Challenge’.

How to get involved?

1. Make a ‘pledge’ on our ‘Pass it On’ site. Take a look at some of thepledges already submitted for ideas!

2. Do your ‘pledge’!

3. Send us a photo or video with a short summary as ‘proof’ – what difference have you made?

To enter our ‘Pledge Challenge’ visit:

www.Nationwideeducation.co.uk

What are the judges looking for?

Entries will be judged on the following criteria:

Difference you’ve made: Tell us what positive difference your ‘pledge’ has made to your family, school or community.

Reach: Who did you help with your ‘pledge’?

Tell us your stories: Encourage others to do a ‘pledge’ too and tell us how you did that.

What you can win?

There are several prizes to be won for individuals – from an iPod Touch toan amazon Kindle or £500 donation for your school!

Visit www.Nationwideeducation.co.uk today to enter our ‘Pledge Challenge’ and win a FREE prize!

as well as entering our ‘Pledge Challenge’, you can also help us raisemoney for Children in need by spreading the message of nationwideEducation to your friends. How you can do this:

Pass on our website. Pass on one of our fun games. Pass on some tips on any of the themes.

Every time you ‘Pass it On’; 20p will be donated to the charity Children in need.

Advertisement feature

Page 14: First News - Issue 240

For those of our readers who aren’t familiar with Primeval, what’s the show about? Hannah: It’s a family dinosaur show!Andrew: It’s basically about dinosaurs running rampage in the modern day and a team of select people who are trying to send them back.Hannah: It’s fast paced, it’s action packed and there’s a bit of humour in there as well.

What can we expect from the new season? Andrew: Just more of the same kind of fun really. But it’s fair to say the CGI has got more impressive, which means more fun and more impressive action sequences with the creatures. Now you can expect like, spinosauruses climbing the O2 and stuff. Hannah: Also, this series was shot in HD for the first time ever, which brings those amazing effects in to a whole new light. They just look amazing.

The CGI in the show is amazing! What’s it like acting with creatures that aren’t actually there? Andrew: I’ll admit it was a bit strange in the beginning but we’re used to it now.Hannah: Yeah, it got easier. You’ve just got to imagine them basically and we’re used to that now, but it’s taken a while to get to that stage. We had help in the beginning though. I remember they used to wave around a paper bag on a stick with a scary face on it!Andrew: I’ll tell you what though; it is funny when a new cast member joins the show because they just don’t know where to start. But, you know the CGI guys are so good at what they do, they kind of work around you.

So if you’re reacting to a creature in a certain way they’ll design the creature to fit that reaction. They really do all the work and we just look scared!

What’s been your favourite creature on the show so far? Andrew: Ah! There’s so many to choose from. We have a recurring creature which is called the Future Predator which I just think is really

scary, like genuinely really scary! Also me and Hannah have a pet called Rex on the show which kids love, so he’s definitely one of my favourites.Hannah: One of mine’s got to be from the new season. It’s this creature called the Arboreal Raptor and it’s really human-like,

but moves like a monkey and looks like a reptile. It’s so cool. It’s like nothing we’ve had on the show before so look out for that one. Andrew: Yeah, there’s loads of new creatures to get excited about this season.

Tell us about the characters you play. Andrew: I play Connor and to be honest he was just a kid in the beginning. He was like a

very excitable puppy. He’s got a great sense of humour and he likes to lark about and play with science and gadgets. Hannah: I play Abbie and she’s a strong, independent female character who’s pretty confident and passionate about what she believes in. She’s got strong

morals and is quite nurturing and of course in love with Connor.

Your characters have an on-screen romance but you’re also engaged in real life! What’s it like working together? Hannah: Yeah, it’s great, it really is. Even though it’s important for Andrew and I to do separate things as actors, because we both need that personally, Primeval’s let me and Andrew be together a lot more this year, which has been great. We enjoy spending time together and I love working alongside him. Andrew: It’s all we know to be honest. We met on the show so it’s like second nature to us in a way.

Hannah, you found fame in S Club 7. How does the life of an actor differ to the life of a pop star? Hannah: It’s just a completely different life. It feels so long ago. S Club 7 was extremely successful, but a completely different journey. It’s bizarre looking back.

What would you like to say to your fans? Hannah: A huge thank you!Andrew: Yeah, a massive thanks! Shows don’t carry on if they’re not watched. You know, you read what they say online and you meet them at expos and things and it’s great. We’d be nowhere without them. Oh and I love it when the fans dress up as me, so keep that up!

The new series of Primeval starts on New Year’s Day on ITV1 at 7.30pm.

The Piers Morgan interview…

Issue 240 7 – 13 JAN 2011

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FirstNewsthe fIrst news team Editor Nicky Cox

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All material in this newspaper is © 2011 First News and Newsbridge Limited and cannot be used without written permission. First News is published by Newsbridge Limited, Shand House, 14-20 Shand St, London SE1 2ES. Printed by BGP Limited, Chaucer Business Park, Launton Road, Bicester, OX26 4QZ. Distributed by Advantage, Associated Newspapers, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, Northcliffe House, Kensington, W8 5TT. Tel 0207 938 6000.

THE BIG INTERVIEW

TV’s favourite sci-fi couple, Hannah Spearritt and Andrew Lee Potts are back with the fourth series of Primeval. We caught up with them to chat about their favourite creatures from the show and what it’s like being an on-screen and an off-screen couple.

Primeval pairHaNNaH SpEaRRITT & aNdREW LEE poTTS

14 For more interviews and clips go to www.firstnews.co.uk/discover

Page 15: First News - Issue 240

15

CRAZY BUT TRUE

RECORD OF THE WEEK

TallesT married couple

The tallest married couple living are Wayne and Laurie Hallquist (USA)

who have a combined average height of 407.3cm (13ft 4in).

Wayne Hallquist is 209.3cm (6ft 10in) and Laurie Hallquist is

198cm (6ft 6in).

For info on this record and hundreds more, go to www.guinnessworldrecords.com

The man allegedly broke into the career advice centre where he started to steal electronic equipment, food and sweets. However, the 26-year-old thief fell asleep on the floor of the office, where police found him.

The thief was handcuffed while he slept, before being taken to the station. Police later realised he had been drinking alcohol.

Treehouse home

A THIef who attempted to rob an office in Ahaus, Germany was caught by police after falling asleep on the job.

by Serena Lacey

A GRANDMOTHeR aged 103 is the world’s oldest facebook user.

Lillian Lowe from Tenby keeps up to date with her seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren via the social networking site.

She goes online using one of her grandson’s iPads, but wants to get her own.

She says she isn’t shocked by the things she sees online, but thinks there are other things she should be doing instead of playing on a computer.

A fARMeR in China has built himself a new house at the top of a 15.2m tree in his back garden.

The owner of the house, Xiong Yuhu, 63, said that he was inspired to build his new home by the Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing. It is fully equipped with a working kitchen and bathroom, complete with toilet and shower.

The house is very safe and has even managed to hold 18 people at one time, although Xiong Yuhu’s wife is scared to go in it. She still lives in the main family home!

Sleep on the job

QUICKCHUCKLES

Email us your jokes to [email protected] to Callum Byrne

Facebook gran

HA HA

HA HAQ: How do you start a teddy bear race?

A: Ready, teddy, go! Q: What is a pirate’s shop called?A: Toys arrggh us

Q: What do you call a train that is made out of toffee?A: A chew chew train

IssuE 240 7 – 13 jAN 2011 For more crazy news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news

Written and illustrated by Paul Palmer

Ready, teddy, go!

The thief was handcuffed while he slept, before being taken to the station. Police later

Sleep on the jobSleep on the jobSleep on the job

Facebook

Page 16: First News - Issue 240

Issue 240 7 – 13 jan 201116 Issue 240 7 – 13 jan 20111616

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS TV, Film, Music and Theatre!with Serena Lacey

For more entertainment news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news

2011 is set to be a bumper year for cinema-goers, and this month FILMCLUB have selected eight kids films that we’re getting excited about!

Tangled 3D (U) – out in JanuaryWe like our Disney heroines feisty and they don’t come much feistier than the Mandy Moore-voiced Princess Rapunzel in this animated version of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. The long-haired Princess has spent her entire life in a tower, but when she falls in love with a bandit who was passing by she must venture into the outside world for the first time to find him.

Nenette (TBC) – out in Februarynenette is a 40-year-old orangutan and the oldest resident at the Paris Zoo. This brilliant documentary from the director of ‘Etre Et avoir’ gets inside the primate’s world like never before.

Rango (TBC) – out in Marchjohnny Depp voices a lizard named Rango in this visually-impressive 3D animation set in the Mojave desert. Rango, who aspires to be a swashbuckling hero, finds himself in a Western town plagued by bandits and is forced to literally play the role in order to protect it.

Attack The Block (TBC) – out in Apriljoe Cornish, one half of the comedy duo adam and joe, makes his directorial debut with this sci-fi comedy about a teen gang in South London defending their block from alien invasion.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (TBC) – out in MayPrepare for more swashbuckling adventures with Captain jack Sparrow who returns to the big screen to embark on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth, only to discover that Blackbeard and his daughter are after it too.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part II (TBC) – out in the summerGet your popcorn ready for the last EVER Harry Potter movie. The boy wizard and his friends set out on their final adventure to beat the Dark Lord Voldemort… will there be a happy ending?

The Adventures of Tin Tin: The Secret of The Unicorn (TBC) – out in OctoberStephen Spielberg directs a cast crammed with British talent (Simon Pegg, Daniel Craig, jamie Bell, nick Frost, Daniel Mays…) in this updated re-telling of the boy journalist with the quiff hairstyle, his dog, Snowy, and his adventures.

Arthur Christmas (3D) – out in NovemberFrom the makers of Wallace and Gromit, this aardman CG-animation about the life of Santa’s son, arthur, is sure to be next Christmas’ film cracker! Questions such as ‘How does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?’ are answered in this fun family comedy.

FILMCLUB is the exciting education charity inspiring young people across the UK to discover the power of film. Here each month FILMCLUB and young film fans report on the fascinating world of movies.

Films are great to watch with friends. If you’d like to join the 180,000 school children across the country who are already members of FILMCLUB and set up a club in your

school, ask your teacher to visit www.filmclub.org/register

THe stars of Disney Channel’s Wizards Of Waverly Place have an important message for you: “Let’s get together and save the planet!” Join forces with the magical cast and find out how you can make a difference on planet earth.

GOING GReeN WITH… JAKe T AusTIN How green are you at home, Jake?

I try to be as green as possible. I take colder and shorter showers, which saves both water and energy – and I also recycle as much as I can.

Impressive! Do you do anything else? Yeah! I use eco-friendly light bulbs instead of normal light bulbs at home and I also try to use electrical equipment – like laptops – as little as possible to save electricity. I never leave them plugged in now as I’ve discovered it wastes electricity. Oh, and I’m going to buy a hybrid car when I’m old enough, too!

Do you really think we can save the planet?I think so. If we all get together and make an effort then anything is possible! You know what? There are so many kids out there who don’t know what’s going on in the world, but I hope that reading this can open their eyes. Hopefully, this will motivate everyone to make a change for the better.

GOING GReeN WITH… DAVID HeNRIe How green are you at home, David?

I’m pretty green. I plug all of my electronics into a power strip so that I can just press a ‘kill switch’ at night and turn everything off completely. This means my electronics aren’t left in standby mode, which uses power throughout the night. I also try to conserve water and energy. Little things can make a big difference.

Is your family good at recycling?I’m learning so much about the environment and going green that I want to pass on the message, so I am definitely informing my parents about the green issue. They’re starting to use power strips and things like that – and they’re starting to recycle, too.

Are you very green on the set of Wizards?

Very much so. We’re taking lots of steps to help save the planet. We have double-sided scripts instead of single-sided scripts, which means we print on both sides of the paper to save trees. We don’t have bottles of water anywhere on set now – we use reusable cups instead. and we don’t use plastic cutlery with our lunches any more either. We use biodegradable cutlery. It’s very green indeed!

GOING GReeN WITH… JeNNIFeR sTONe

How green are you at home, Jennifer?I’m very green! For my first car, I got a hybrid and I definitely try to recycle whenever I can. I don’t drink out of plastic water bottles anymore. I have a re-usable metal water container that I can fill up and re-use. I try to take water around in something more environmentally friendly than plastic. Don’t hurt the environment!

What else do you do?I also try to use my animal compost, which isn’t the cutest thing – but it’s a great fertiliser. I know it sounds disgusting, but it’s really good for the environment.

Are you talking about animal mess? Ha ha! I am. I have a rabbit and two dogs – and I grew up on a farm, which is where I learned about fertiliser. It’s something we always did, so it’s something I try to do now. Use the not-so-cute stuff from your cute pets in the back yard as fertiliser to feed the garden. If we band together, I honestly believe that we can make a difference and help save the planet.

GReeN TIP ONe!SeLeNA GOMeZ: “There are loads of small steps that can make a big difference in saving the planet – especially if everyone gets involved. On the set of Wizards Of Waverly Place, we recycle all our scripts and we don’t use plastic water bottles any more because they create a lot of waste. Why not pack your school lunch in a re-usable lunch

Wizards go green!Focus on film with

Tangled

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

nenette

Page 17: First News - Issue 240

Issue 240 7 – 13 jan 2011 17

SHHH!

box instead of plastic or paper bags? Every little bit helps!”

GReeN TIP TWO!DAVID HeNRIe: “Don’t waste energy! Turn off all of the televisions and gadgets and gizmos in your house. They all have a standby mode, but that uses up a lot of power. Switch them off completely!”

GReeN TIP THRee!JeNNIFeR STONe: “I try to buy clothes that are bio-degradable because that’s a really cool way to help create less waste. also, try out re-usable canvas bags when you buy your groceries instead of plastic bags.”

GReeN TIP FOuR!JAKe T AUSTIN: “The easiest way to go green is to recycle. Don’t throw away any paper, bottles or cans in the trash. Recycle them! It’s really not that difficult to get involved, so get recycling everyone.”

Catch the Wizards of Waverly Place every day on The Disney Channel

X Factor winner Matt Cardle celebrated winning the show and his Christmas number one by sleeping! Matt’s mum has admitted the family had a quieter than normal festive period as Matt was exhausted and spent most of his time off asleep. He will now head into the studio to work on his debut album and follow up single, which will be released later this year.

I’M a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here winner Stacey Solomon has admitted she plans a future as a TV presenter and singer and actress. She said: “I want to try everything – TV presenting, singing, even some musical and stage acting. I love all of it, I feel like I was born to do it.”

RaPPInG teenager Cher Lloyd has reportedly signed a record deal just weeks after getting voted off of the X Factor. Reports claim Cher has been snapped up by jay-Z’s record label Roc nation. There has been a lot of interest in the singer from Malvern after her attitude-packed performances on the show.

Matt Cardle

Stacey Solomon

CHeeKy DUODick and Dom are back with a brand new comedy series. Don’t miss them, or their mad-cap antics. Dick and Dom’s Funny Business, BBC2, Saturday 8 january @ 9am.

NeW MOVIeBrand new Disney Channel movie about 16-year-old hockey star alex Pearson, whose naughty antics cost his team dearly! Den Brother, Disney XD, 13 january @ 6.30pm.

GLee IS BACK!The second series of this musical TV series FInaLLY hits our screens. Expect more singing, dancing and crazy storylines from McKinley High. Glee, E4, Monday 10 january @ 9pm.

TOP TELLY!

Cher Lloyd

For more entertainment news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news

GAME ZONE Last week was just the start. Here’s more to look out for in 2011

Ones to watch

GAMeRS of all types will have something to float their boat this year, so you’d best start saving that pocket money right now.

The LEGO videogames are always a treat, and two more will be heading your way this year. In May, LeGO Pirates of the Caribbean will sail into view at the same time as the new movie. Later in the year, we’ll get LeGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (below). You can choose to play as the Republic or

Separatists, or even a bounty hunter. There’ll be some new lightsaber tricks to learn, such as climbing with it or hurling it at enemies. Strategy fans will love the fact that you can control whole battalions of clone troopers, build bases and call for reinforcements.

There’s more colourful, paint-splashing fun to be had in de Blob 2 (top). The first game was Wii-only, but this sequel will be on 360, PS3 and DS as well. The evil Comrade Black is back, and de Blob has loads more new moves to foil his crafty plans. With a mixture of 2D and 3D platform play, this is definitely one to keep on your radar.

We’re quite excited here about getting our hands on the amazing-looking Sims Medieval (above). It should be out in the spring, and is a whole new game rather than just an expansion pack. You get to take on the roles of heroes ranging from knights and spies to wizards and priests, and can build castles and whole kingdoms.

SEGa have got two cool treats in store for superhero fans. Captain America: Super Soldier (below) and Thor: God of Thunder will both be out around the same time as the new movies. SEGa claim that Captain america will have “dozens” of moves at his disposal, whereas Thor will have wind, thunder and lightning on his side.

Sporty types with a PS3 should definitely give Virtua Tennis 4 a go. If you’ve got a 3D TV it looks fantastic, and it seemed pretty cool when we tried out the demo a while ago.

Don’t think we’ve forgotten about all the car buffs out there. next month will finally see the release of Test Drive Unlimited 2 (below), and it should be quite special. This time, the game has moved to Ibiza, although it’ll be possible to hop on a plane and experience Oahu all over again, with an extra 600km of new roads. Ibiza has over 3,200km of main and back roads to explore, and there are now areas where you can get out of your car to wander round and interact with other players. Car damage also comes into play this time, and there are hundreds of kilometres of dirt roads to explore in the new off-road class.

See www.FirstNews.co.uk/bored for some hot new trailers!

Page 18: First News - Issue 240

Issue 240 7 – 13 JAN 201118

There is this boy that has asked me out, I like him a lot but I said no because I like his older brother. Now I feel bad. Should I tell him the truth? Anonymous, 12

For more green news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news

I’m esther rantzen, President of ChildLine, which helps 2,500 children every week. If there’s something worrying you, please write to me at the address below.

ASK ESTHER With thanks to

New start...

I hAve just started my period and I have a swimming party to go to soon. how can I tell my friend I can’t go to their party? It seems rude to cancel at the last minute and I was really looking forward to having a great time with all my friends. Please help me. Confused, 12

Growing up...

Write to me: Ask esther, 4th Floor, Shand House, 14- 20 Shand Street, London, Se1 2eS. emAiL me: [email protected] and put ‘Ask esther’ in the subject box. I’m sorry I can’t reply to every letter.

If you have a problem you want to talk about please call ChildLine on 0800 1111. If you are worried by anything you read in First News, please visit www.childline.org.uk/Helpandadvice.asp

Wherever you are going the winter time can bring a few extra dangers, so it’s a good idea to take time to think about how you can keep safe.

the first major difference between winter and summer is that it gets dark sooner in the evening, and can also be dark in the mornings. take extra care crossing roads and always use a crossing if there is one.

Playing out in the snow can be great fun, building snowmen or going sledging. You’ll need to wear warm clothes, waterproof ones

are a good idea. it can get slippery out there, and a lot of people fall over. Some of them even end up in hospital with a broken arm or leg.

Wherever you are going always remember to let an adult know, and what time you’ll be back. And if you’ve got a mobile phone make sure your family have the number so they can call to check you’re okay. Sadly, lots of people do get their mobile phones stolen so only use it in places where you feel safe, like a shop or a friend’s house.

AT this time of year most people are huddled indoors keeping warm but there are still times when we all have to go outside.

I’m moving schools next term and I want to be treated better than I am in my current school. People ignore me, don’t want to be friends, boys I like always seem to go off with my friends. Could you give me tips on first appearance and behaviour, who I should approach and what to do about boys to get them to notice me? I don’t necessarily want a boyfriend, I just want to be able to talk to them without them throwing insults and pulling horrible faces. Zoe, 13

it seems that you like to be honest with people. While this is a great quality to have, it has created a dilemma for you. Whatever decision you come to, it will end up hurting the boy that asked you out. relationships with others can be difficult at the best of times, never mind when you are faced with a dilemma.

We all have a responsibility to ensure the relationships we have are based on trust, and that we are open and honest, in a kind

and considerate way, to others. At least if we know the truth we can deal with things and move on. the ChildLine website www.childline.org.uk has lots of ideas on things that affect young people such as friends and relationships.

WinTER DAngERS

it sounds like you are hoping that your experience at this new school will be better than your current experience. i am wondering how you would feel about thinking about all of the positive things about yourself and building

on these? You could try writing these down. maybe this will make you feel more confident about your qualities which might reflect in how you approach people. i hope this helps and good luck at your new school.

I fancy his brother

WE WAnT TO HEAR FROM YOU! What do you do to help fight climate change? How do you get your friends, family and school to do their bit too? tell us and First News readers, write to

[email protected] or the address on page 14.

with Gabrielle UttongREEn nEWS

Cheer up with a tune

Green supermarkets revealed

Paris goes electric

the shops ethical Consumer magazine looked at included m&S, the Co-op, Asda, Waitrose, tesco, Sainsbury’s, morrisons, Budgens, iceland, Lidl and Aldi among others. ethical Consumer looked at the stores’ environmental and ethical performance.

the Co-op scored well because they work to keep their fish policy in line with the marine Stewardship Council’s recommendations. the supermarket chain also plans to use almost entirely renewable electricity in all of their stores.

the magazine gave high marks to m&S because of their work with WWF on the issue of palm oil and its affect on forest

and wildlife. m&S are also hoping to use biofuels not made from crops for all of its vehicles.

Budgens and Londis came top out of the smaller convenience stores.

rob Harrison from ethical Consumer says: “if you’re lucky enough to live close to a local independent shop that has an ethical stocking policy then this is where we would recommend people to shop.”

But the magazine conducted this review because they know that most people shop in supermarkets, with £1 out of every £3 spent on groceries being spent in tesco.

the National trust think that listening to birds singing will make people think of sunny weather and the outdoors and so feel more cheerful. it’s hard to find birds singing at this time of year so the National trust have made recordings of birdsong. they have an audio guide on their website which has five minutes of birds tweeting, including the robin, chaffinch, wren, blackbird, wood pigeon, bluetit, pheasant and great-

crested grebe!Peter Brash, a National trust ecologlist,

says: “We’re all attuned to the need to eat five fruit and vegetables a day or take a 30-minute walk. taking the time out to listen to five minutes of birdsong every day could be beneficial to your wellbeing.”

the green idea of hiring bikes to travel short distances worked so well in Paris that other cities, including London, copied the idea.

to reduce the number of cars jamming up the city the mayor of Paris is launching the Autolib scheme. this will see 3,000 electric cars available for hire for €5 for half an hour’s use. maybe we’ll see the same idea in the UK one day?

mArkS & Spencer and The Co-Op have been declared as the greenest supermarkets, beating 17 other stores to reach the top.

FIrST they had a bicycle hire scheme, now Paris is getting electric cars to hire by the half hour.

A New theory is being put to the test to help people feel happier during the dark, cold winter months.

Listen to birdsong at www.nationaltrust.org.uk

it sounds to me like you want to have a good time with your friends and you do not want to let them down. Starting your period can be confusing and can take a bit of time to find out what you are comfortable doing and not doing. if you feel you do not

want to go swimming do you think you could go with your friends but not go into the pool? You can call ChildLine to talk further free on 0800 1111 if you feel this would help, or you can go online at www.childline.org.uk. take care.

Page 19: First News - Issue 240

Issue 240 7 – 13 jan 2011 19

My first audition in front of the judges was nerve-wracking, because it was the first time that I had ever danced in front of professional judges, Ashley Banjo, Kimberley Wyatt and Adam Garcia.

I waited for three hours before I actually auditioned, and by that time I was shaking like jelly. Luckily, I had nothing to worry about because I got three gold stars from the judges, which meant that I was on the shortlist for the live shows!

On the day of my semi-final, I wasn’t nervous, I just couldn’t wait to get out there and dance. I was backstage and was bursting to get onto the stage.

Finally, Davina McCall called out my name and it was time for me to perform. I went on stage and danced my heart out. I got three gold stars again, and amazing comments.

At the final I performed my dance, and got a standing ovation and another three gold stars.

When it was time for Davina to announce who the winner of Got To Dance was, it seemed like I was waiting forever. When she shouted out

“…AKAI!” I was in total shock and had to hold onto my hat, because I just couldn’t believe it!

Since being on Got To Dance, I have been recognised wherever I go, and now I sign autographs and have pictures taken with the people I meet.

Being on the telly has changed my life, and now I get to dance for a living!

Alfie was originally meant to be a sheep dog on a nearby farm, but as he was deaf, the farmer couldn’t teach him to herd the sheep properly and offered Alfie for sale. From the minute I saw him I knew we were going to be friends forever and adopted him straight away.

Because Alfie is deaf, he can’t hear commands like other dogs, so I have been teaching him tricks using hand signals, actions and face expressions. For example, if I want him to lift his paw, I cannot just say “paw” like other owners. I touch his paw and his natural reaction is to lift his leg up. Of course I have to give him a treat after!

He is doing so well with his training that I am now teaching him to dance at our local dog class - The Wizard of Paws in Glasgow – where we live. I think he is so brilliant, that I have now entered him into a national competition to find Britain’s best pet.

He loves the camera and because he has been through so much, I think he might have a chance of winning!

Having a dog like Alfie has changed my life. When I grow up I want to be an animal psychologist and help other animals just like Alfie.

For more news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news

THE NEWS CREWReporter

Brave dogI HAve a one-year-old border collie who has been deaf from birth. Instead of feeling sorry for him, I love him even more. We even go to dog dance classes together.

by Bethany King

Being on TVby Akai Osei-Mansfield

I WAS first on the telly when I entered the competition Got To Dance in October 2009.

www.explorelearning.co.uk

Do you love maths?The coloured shapes stand for eleven of the numbers from 0 to 12.

Each shape is a different number. Can you work out what they are from the multiplications below?

x x

x

=

=

=

=

=

=

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

=

=

=

=

=

=

Shape Times Shape Challenge

To see this problem in full, along with a solution and teachers’ notes, type ‘Shape Times Shape’ into the keyword search box on the NRICH website - http://nrich.maths.org

If you enjoy maths challenges like this one, you will love Explore Learning’s new

Enrichment Maths Coursefor gifted young mathematicians!

Information for parents and teachers:

Explore Learning has worked with NRICH at the University of Cambridge to provide a course that takes children beyond the school curriculum and develops their mathematical thinking. In our Enrichment Maths course, Explore members work both independently and as part of small groups to solve challenging and stimulating maths problems.

FREE trial sessionTo find out how Explore can unlock your child’s potential, visit your nearest centre for a free trial session. One of our excellent tutors will work with your child, and demonstrate how exciting maths and English can be! Call 01483 447 410 to find your nearest centre or visit www.explorelearning.co.uk.

Page 20: First News - Issue 240

20 Issue 240 7 –13 jan 2011

FUN STUFF

LEGO ATLANTIS BOOKS!

FUN STUFF

WINComplete our prize crossword using the clues below. Send in your answers and one lucky winner could win their very own Wii Cars Wheel. It has a unique look, with a replica of the lightning mcQueen car character in its centre. the wheel features two handy openings – one that lets you use the infrared pointer without removing the Wii Remote™ (once it is inserted), and one to slide the Wii Remote™’ wrist strap through, racing games will be more fun than ever!

WIN tHIS week we have the usual 3x3 grid and you need to fill in the numbers one to nine. Send in your answers and you could win one of two leGo Brickmaster atlantis books. If you love leGo bricks, then you’ll enjoy this book complete with 140 fantastic leGo bricks and two mini-figures. Find out all about building with the leGo bricks provided while you take the plunge and encounter the feared Guardian of the Deep.

A WII cArS WhEEL!

WOrD WhEELSee how many words of three or more letters you can make, using the middle letter in each one. and can you find the word that uses all the letters?

For more competitions go to www.firstnews.co.uk/competitions

LR

EET

E

HD

S

9 4 7 6 83 1 9 5

6 5 29 2 6

4 3 6 96 7 3

9 3 64 6 1 91 6 7 9 8

1 2 3

4 5 6 7

8

9

1011

12 13

14 15 16

17

Across1 - Strictly Come Dancing winner (4,7)4 - Kingdom (5)7 - What you eat food off (5)8 - Frozen form of water (3)10 - Improve (7)13 - Female sheep (3)14 - You dry yourself with this (5)16 - Alan ___ : hired Stella as The Apprentice (5)17 - BBC Sports ___ of the Year: won by A P McCoy (11)

Down1 - Martial art (6)2 - Nothing (3)3 - The First ___ : Christmas carol (4)5 - Have the same opinion; concur (5)6 - ___ McIntyre: new Britain's Got Talent judge (7)7 - Coins of low value (7)9 - Begin (anag) (5)11 - Andy ___ : top British tennis player (6)12 - Finish (4)15 - Ernie ___ : South African golfer (3)

Q1 Which zoo has undertaken its annual animal stocktake?

Q2 In which show would you find Hannah Spearritt and andrew lee potts?

Q3 How old is the world’s oldest Facebook user?

Q4 What is David Henrie’s green tip?

Q5 How many tonnes of soil has been dug up in order to build the london 2012 aquatics Centre? Q6 Where in europe has a rare bittern been spotted?

Q7 Which australian state has been hit by flooding?

Q8 Which X Factor contestant has been signed to jay-Z’s record label?

Q9 Where in europe have some rare mediterranean monk seals been found?

Q10 Who had the biggest selling album of 2010?

www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk

bricks provided

Across1 Strictly Come Dancing winner (4,7) 4 Kingdom (5) 7 What you eat food off (5) 8 Frozen form of water (3)10 Improve (7) 13 Female sheep (3) 14 You dry yourself with this (5) 16 alan ___ : hired Stella as the apprentice (5) 17 BBC Sports ___ of the Year: won by a p mcCoy (11)

Down1 martial art (6) 2 nothing (3) 3 the First ___ : Christmas carol (4) 5 Have the same opinion; concur (5)6 ___ mcIntyre: new Britain's Got talent judge (7) 7 Coins of low value (7) 9 Begin (anag) (5) 11 andy ___ : top British tennis player (6) 12 Finish (4) 15 ernie ___ : South african golfer (3)

LAsT WeeK’s ANsWeRs: First news chAllenge 1) madagascar 2) Custard Cream 3) mitchel musso 4) Stuart Broad 5) tom Daley 6) the World Cup 7) £19,000 8) 14 years sPot the DiFFerence eyebrow is higher, button is a different colour, extra button on suit has been added, light switch is missing, antenna is missing worD wheel plaything whAt on eArth Big Ben, champagne, streamers, calendar, fireworks, confetti

3 9 5 2 4 7 1 6 81 6 7 3 8 5 9 4 24 8 2 6 9 1 5 7 35 3 4 7 2 9 8 1 66 7 1 4 5 8 2 3 99 2 8 1 3 6 7 5 48 1 9 5 6 3 4 2 77 4 6 9 1 2 3 8 52 5 3 8 7 4 6 9 1

M A T T C A R D L EO L O OV A L U E L E V E LE I A E E ED I V I N G F L A T

E S O IM A R K S T R E E TA P K T S HT O O T H A F T E R

O A W OA L A N P A R D E W

FIrST NEWS chALLENGE

Page 21: First News - Issue 240

21

TrAVEL

Issue 240 7 –13 jan 2011

senD your finished puzzles to Puzzles 240, First news, shand house, 14 - 20 shand street, london, se1 2es. the closing date for puzzle entries is Friday 14 January 2011.

For more competitions go to www.firstnews.co.uk/competitions

Being huge Harry potter fans (films and books) we were buzzing with excitement when we were invited to visit Florida to spend a few days at Universal Studios and Universal Islands of adventure®. as well as amazing thrill-rides like the Incredible Hulk Coaster® and the amazing adventures of Spider-man®, Islands of adventure is the home of Universal’s newest attraction area, the Wizarding World of Harry potter™.

as the gates to the park open there is a rush as visitors head straight to Hogsmeade the fully themed area is like stepping into a film.

the snow covered shops and restaurants are the foreground for the huge, and very impressive Hogwarts Castle that looms above the whole park.

Backed by the clear blue Florida skies, the castle literally stops you in your tracks as you stare up at it.

It’s actually the housing for the ride, Harry potter and the Forbidden journey™. even the queue area of this ride is an experience as you wander through the halls of Hogwarts, past Dumbledore’s office, the portrait gallery full of moving wizards and witches and through a classroom, where Harry, Ron and Hermione explain the story of the ride.

the ride itself is stunning. part roller coaster, part simulator, part 3D attraction. as you take flight on an enchanted school bench, you soar over Hogwarts, face fire-breathing dragons, bone-chilling

Dementors and zip through a Quidditch match. It’s fast-paced, filled with unexpected bumps, turns and thrills – all with the stunning backdrop of mountains, lakes and Hogwarts. not to mention video

appearances from all your favourite Harry potter stars. the minute the ride ended, we were dying to do it again.

everywhere in Hogsmeade are genuine artefacts from the films. the sorting hat, with a script written by jK Rowling herself, the car that Harry and Ron enchant in the second film, Hagrid’s hut, the tri-Wizard Championship cup; they can all be seen as you queue for the rides, eat lunch or shop.

one of the most popular attractions in the area is a trip to ollivanders™ wand shop, where a musty, magical smell and candlelight makes you feel enchanted. ollivander himself is there to help a lucky witch or wizard find their wand. With a flick of a wand you can send piles of wands flying,or send a breeze through the room as you try to find your wand. Check out a video of our ollivanders experience online at www.firstnews.co.uk

another highlight of Islands of adventure is popeye & Bluto’s Blige-Rat Barges®– beware, you will come off this ride soaked to the skin and laughing so much your stomach hurts. Brilliant fun.

While the Wizarding World of Harry potter™ is by far the newest attraction at Universal it is by no means the only thing to do. Universal Studios Florida®, famous for rides like men in Black™ alien attack™ and the oldie-but-goodie jaWS® (which is terrifying in the dark) Universal Studios is one of the classic theme parks in the US. the Simpsons Ride™ is also not to be missed, neither is the brilliant Shrek 4-D™.

Whether thrills and spills are your thing, or you prefer more chilled out attractions, there is plenty to do at Universal parks and Resorts. First news had a brilliant few days in the sun, and is so keen to go back for another visit.

when the wizarding world of harry Potter™ launched last year, it was one of the most exciting events of the summer. First news jetted off to Universal Parks and resorts in Florida to see if it really is as amazing as we imagined.

seven nights in orlando with Virgin holidays, including scheduled flights with Virgin Atlantic from london gatwick or Manchester direct to orlando, accommodation at the 5V loews Portofino Bay hotel at Universal orlando on a room

only basis with car hire included starts from £1,299 for adults and £499 for kids (up to 16). Prices are per person based on 2 adults and 1 child travelling and sharing a standard room, price includes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change.Prices are based on departures Jan 2011. start your holiday before you’ve even taken off

in the V rooM at gatwick Airport, adults £17, Kids £10. to book: www.virginholidays.co.uk or call 0844 557 3859 or visit one of our 40 stores located in Debenhams and house of Fraser stores nationwide.

Wizarding wonder!WIN jUNIOr BrAIN

TrAINEr 2!Can you spot the five changes to this picture from Gullivers travels? Send in your answers and you could win a copy of junior Brain trainer 2 on nintendo DS. Back with new exercises and puzzles, junior Brain trainer 2 puts your mind to the ultimate test with a collection of over 130 new mind-boggling puzzles and activities! Complete five activities each day and unlock games, quizzes and puzzles, all designed to improve memory, spelling, reading, logic and problem solving skills! are you up for the challenge?

A

B

www.avanquest.com

We try Butterbeer™

Harry potter and the Forbidden journey™

Hogsmeade

the jaWS® ride is one of the classic rides in Universal Studios Florida®

Page 22: First News - Issue 240

Issue 240 7 – 13 jan 201122

READING CHAMPIONS

THE BOOK CORNER FIRSTNEWS.CO.UK

EvEryonE knows a reading Champion – they’re people who inspire others to get reading. Each week one of our champions tells you a bit about their favourite reads and what they think makes reading so appealing.

name: Steve Cole

Steve Cole is the bestselling author of the Astrosaurs series, he has just started a new series for teens with ex-bomb disposal expert Chris Hunter. The first book in the series, Tripwire, is out now.

Favourite reads: “When I was younger, I loved Doctor Who books, Marvel comics – especially Spider-Man – and Charlie Brown newspaper strip cartoons. They expanded my vocabulary and my imagination and I still enjoy them to this day. Reading’s so brilliantly simple – you can jump into someone else’s world just by turning your eyes to some words on a page! I was inspired to read by the telly – I started on books about my favourite TV shows and then moved onto books with similar subjects. Reading decodes the world around you. It gives you power and independence. It gives you ideas. If I met someone who didn’t like reading I would say to them “maybe you haven’t found the right book – here, try one of mine!” The best thing about being an author is that I get paid for making stuff up. Plus it is one of the few jobs you can do wearing pyjamas all day”!

Do you think you would make a good reading Champion? Ask your school to sign up today. www.readingchampions.org.uk

BOOK REVIEWS www.redhouse.co.uk

RegulaR kid Hooey has an equally regular friend called Twig, and a slightly less regular brother called Will (who’s always making plans). They live near the sea and one day hear about a shark and Will devises a plan to catch it. as they try to carry out the plan, they come across what they think is a huge sea urchin but

is, in fact, something that’ll make their plan go with a bang! When they make up a game involving throwing shrimps around, the shark appears – along with a pair of pink knickers! If you like funny stories, sharks and pants, then you’ll love this great story just as much as I did!

reviewed by Joshua Wood, 8

Hooey HIggIns and tHe sHark steve voak

TWo teenagers, anna and Peter, are the only two humans fighting against the corruption and mysterious goings-on at Pinsent Pharma. The drugs that Pinsent Pharma sell offer longevity but do not work and are downright dangerous. But what can two teenagers do when faced with a big, powerful corporation? even though this

novel is entirely fictional, it asks some powerful questions relating to science and longevity. anna’s and Peter’s story is so gripping that you will not want to put this novel, the last in a trilogy, down. a totally absorbing read!

reviewed by Charlotte Westwood , 13

tHe Legacygemma maLLey

WHAT’S IN THE SHOPS?

Colour CHAnging FiSH HoT WATEr boTTlEWWW.iWAnTonEoFTHoSE.Com £9.99CHeCk out this rather cool hot water bottle. Inside the bottle are two plastic fish that will change colour depending on the temperature of the water. If the fish change from their natural pink to white, then the water is too hot, if they go purple then it’s perfect to snuggle.

CoSy PluSH miCroWAvAblE AnimAlWWW.FinD-mE-A-giFT.Co.uk £7.99look at this cute alternative to a hot water bottle. Convenient and easy to use, no boiling water is needed, just a quick two minutes in the microwave. This cosy ladybird is just what you need to warm you up on a cold winter’s evening.

CAmPEr vAn HAnD-WArmErSmillETS £9.99eaSy to operate and wear, these rechargeable hand-warmers are sure to keep your hands warm when battling the bitter winter air. activated by a simple click on the metal disk inside the van, these hand-warmers can be heated up in no time. When pressed, the gel inside becomes solid and provides instant heat for your hands.

HoT SliPPErSWWW.FirEbox.Com £14.99keeP tootsies nice and warm with this fab Hot Slippers. Pop them in the microwave for a couple of minutes and the wheat grains inside will keep them warm for up to an hour. Perfect for keeping your feet cosy on those winter nights.

For more book reviews and clips go to www.firstnews.co.uk/bored

WHAT’S IN THE SHOPS?

CAmPEr vAn HAnD WA

HoWWWkeein the microwave for a couple of minutes and the wheat grains inside will keep them warm for up to an hour. Perfect for keeping your feet cosy on those winter nights.

pink to white, then the water is too hot, if they go purple then

For more book reviews and clips go to

FIRSTNEWS.CO.UK

6 great reasons to go on www.firstnews.co.uk

1. We have the most up-to-date news

Whether you love animals, sports, showbiz or weird and wacky news stories you’ll find the news as it breaks on firstnews.co.uk!

2. you can win amazing prizes you won’t get anywhere else!

Check out www.firstnews.co.uk/competitions for exclusive competitions and money-can’t-buy prizes that you won’t find in the paper.

3. you can tell us what you think you can share your views with our fun polls and surveys, or by leaving a comment on articles that you like.

4. you’ll meet interesting people

you can make new friends by leaving comments* on other members’ articles and get to talk to people from all over the world. PluS you can ask the firstnews.co.uk team questions, set them dares and get to talk to the people who write the newspaper.

5. you’ll get a behind the scenes infoWe upload funny behind the scenes videos, pictures and stories on www.firstnews.co.uk every day.

6. It’s Free!

you can register, pick your username and avatar at www.firstnews.co.uk and join in the fun for Free!

What are you waiting for? Sign up to www.firstnews.co.uk today!

*all comments and articles are strictly moderated before being approved.

Page 23: First News - Issue 240

Issue 240 7 – 13 jan 2011 23

sport NEWs IN NUMBErs

Role reversalaustralian kids are less competitive and better losers than English kids, according to a surprising new survey.

A building site doesn’t look like the sportiest place on Earth, but this is actually the London 2012 Aquatics Centre. The hard-hat wearing figure in the middle is world 10m diving champion Tom Daley, who is standing on one of

the centre’s six diving boards for the very first time. “I’ve never seen a diving pool like it,” said Daley. “The Aquatics Centre looks great inside and out.”

Australian kids are more gracious when they win or lose, according to a

new survey

Did you know?

During construction of the aquatics Centre, 160,000 tonnes of soil were dug up and four skeletons from a prehistoric settlement were discovered.

The Cricket Foundation charity polled over 1,000 parents of kids aged six to 16, and the results go against the traditional view of both countries’ attitudes to sport.

although British sportsmen are often characterised as being very gracious whether they win or lose, the survey showed that australians have overtaken them. although 21% of australian parents said that their kids were gracious every time they lose, that dropped to just 12% for English kids.

Similarly, australians are often said to be very competitive at sport, but 8% more English parents

described their children as being competitive.Both nations’ parents agreed that not having

enough time was the major barrier to their kids doing sport. The survey also suggests that australian kids have better access to facilities and organised sport, and have less homework to take up their spare time.

One common view of England was proved right by the survey, though – 30% of English parents said that the weather stopped their kids doing sport, compared to just 17% of australians.

The survey was carried out as part of the Chance to Shine scheme to get cricket played in more schools.

sport NEWsFor more sport news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news

pIctUrE oF tHE WEEK

Page 24: First News - Issue 240

a storming victory in the fourth test has helped England to retain the ashes and make up for their 5-0 hammering down under four years ago.

Although Australia played brilliantly to win the third Test and level the series 1-1, England’s win in the fourth Test meant that Australia’s hopes were finished. The fifth Test was still being played as we went to press, but even if Australia win and draw the series, England will keep the Ashes because they were the holders at the start of the series.

England won the fourth Test by the incredible margin of an innings and 157 runs, which is Australia’s worst home defeat in 98 years. It also meant that Australia lost two Tests by an innings in a home series for the first time in history.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has been widely criticised and was injured for the fifth Test. His replacement, Usman Khawaja, is the first Muslim to ever play Test cricket for Australia.

Issue 240 7 – 13 jAn 2011

The 16-year-old has been accused of not being committed to her training programme and of being overweight.

Smith won bronze at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, her first senior championships. It was the first ever medal won by a female British weightlifter.

british weightlifting star Zoe smith has had her olympic funding taken away for allegedly lacking commitment.

Glasgow remembers

At the end of a Rangers v Celtic match on 2 january 1971, 66 people died in a crush as they tried to leave Ibrox Stadium. The dead included 31 teenagers, the youngest being a nine-year-old called nigel Pickup.

A minute’s silence was also held before Celtic’s 2-0 win over Rangers, as the two clubs met exactly 40 years after the tragedy.

a rEmEmbErancE service has been held to mark the 40th anniversary of the ibrox disaster.

Zoe Smith in action at the Commonwealth Games

by ian Eddy

“It’s pretty hard to accept. We haven’t deserved it, that’s the bottom line” – australia captain ricky Ponting

“It is not my victory, but the team’s victory” – England captain andrew strauss

England spin bowler Graeme Swann leads the team’s performance of the ‘sprinkler dance’ after the fourth Test

Get

ty

England keep a tight grip on the Ashes

The Celtic and Rangers captains from 1971, Billy McNeill (left) and John

Greig lay a wreath before the match

Get

ty

Did you know?

Before the start of the fifth Test, Australia had achieved the four best bowling performances of the series. Mitchell johnson was top, with six wickets for just 38 runs in the third Test.

Get

ty

CRAZY BUT TRUe

GReeN SPORT

with Ian eddy

n 2011n 2011

23 15 18

Sleep on the job

Cheer up with a tune

For more sport news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news

www.FirstNews.co.ukfor an update after the fifth Test

CheCk OUT

Sour news for Smith

24