ISSUe 290 - First News

£1.30 23 DecemBER 2011 – 5 JANUARY 2012 Issue 290Working withMore than one million readers every week*First News supportschildren’s charities2011THE YEARWHENWHICH NEWSSTORY HADTHE MOSTHITS ON THEBBC NEWSWEBSITE?A LOTHAPPENED2011 SAW ONEOF THE WORSTNATURALDISASTERSIN HISTORYWHAT WAS IT?EVEN THE SPEED OF LIGHT CHANGED. OR DID IT?… p2&3Merry christmas and a happy new year to all our readers*Source: First News Readership Survey, January 2011, Opinion Matters

2FirstNews Issue 290 23 DECEMBER 2011 – 5 January 2012FIRST NEWS HEADLINESFor the latest on these headlines, go to www.firstnews.co.uk/newsRemember what11 February: Egyptian antigovernmentprotesters celebrate afterPresident Hosni Mubarak steps down.11 March: Japan is hit by amassive 8.9 magnitude earthquake anddevastating tsunami.29 April: Two billion people watch asPrince William marries Kate Middleton.1 May: US President Barack Obamaannounces the death of terrorist leaderOsama bin Laden.One of theworst naturaldisasters inhistoryJan Feb Mar Apr May Jun2011 has been a year of huge news stories,writes editor Nicky Cox. Historic changes in theArab world, the deaths of tyrant leaders, naturaldisasters, riots, the phone-hacking scandal, theAfrican famine and good news, too, such as theRoyal Wedding, are all stories that have made theheadlines this year. Here are some of the majorstories we have featured in First News over thelast 12 months. Of course, there were many otherevents which we can’t squeeze onto these twopages. Let us know what you think were the mostimportant stories of 2011 at www.firstnews.co.uk.Some of the other stories31 October: The global population reaches seven billion.April: Prime Minister DavidCameron announces Governmentcuts, prompting protests.22 July: Norway suffers from two terrorist attacks – a bombing inRegjeringskvartalet and a shooting at a political youth camp on the islandof Utøya.February: Schoolgirlcampaigns to keep her library open.July: NASA’s final space shuttlemission is launched.September: Ten-yearanniversary of the 9/11 attacks inthe United States.

FirstNews Issue 290 23 DECEMBER 2011 – 5 January 2012FIRST NEWS HEADLINESFor the latest on these headlines, go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news3happened in 201123 July: SingerAmy Winehouse dies.6 August: Rioting breaks outacross London after the shootingof Mark Duggan. Several shops andbuildings are looted and set alight.20 October: Longtimedictator of Libya, MuammarGaddafi, is killed following thecapture of his hometown of Sirte.4 December: Two giant pandasarrive at Edinburgh Zoo from China.19 December: KimJong-il, North Korea’sruthless dictator, dies.The riotsstory sawthe most hitson the BBCwebsite allyearJul Aug Sep Oct Nov Decthat made the headlines in 2011Rupert Murdoch James Murdoch Rebekah Brooks10 July: The News of the World closes after allegations of phonehacking. Former editor Rebekah Brooks and company boss JamesMurdoch are among those investigated.9 December: World leaders meetin Brussels to discuss the eurozonecrisis. Investors are increasingly worriedabout government debt in certainEuropean countries.July: Particles travelling fasterthan the speed of light stunscientists across the world.December: Egypt has its firstreal election for 30 years.7 November: Dr Conrad Murrayis sentenced to four years in jail forMichael Jackson’s death.Ongoing: East Africa faces its worst drought in 60 years, affectingmore than 11 million people. The United Nations declares a famine in theregion for the first time in a generation. Aid helps to save some people,but the situation is far from over.

4FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 january 2012FIRST NEWS HEADLINESFor the latest on these headlines, go to www.firstnews.co.uk/newsIN BRIEFAmerica leavesIraq after 8 yearsAmerica’s war with Iraqis officially over, aftereight years.The end was marked with theAmerican flag being lowered inIraq’s capital city, Baghdad.All the US troops will leave Iraqby the end of the year. After that,Iraq will look after its own security.People fear there will be moreviolence after the troops leave.America invaded Iraq in 2003.The country’s tyrant leader, SaddamHussein, was overthrown, then puton trial and executed in 2006.ReadingFirst Newsmakes yousmarter!School loos avoidedA QUARTER of kids won’tuse school toilets, says anew report.Now a charity called ERIC isasking the Government to improveschool loos.Pupils said they avoided usingschool toilets because they weredirty and had broken locks. Manychildren said they didn’t drink duringthe day, so they didn’t need the loo.THIS WEEK IN HISTORYON 24 January 1965, former PrimeMinister Sir Winston Churchilldied at the age of 90. Churchillis famed for leading the countrythrough World War II and formaking powerful speeches toboost morale. He is the only Britishprime minister to have receivedthe Nobel Prizein Literature, and hewas the first person tobecome an HonoraryCitizen of the USA.WE had no doubt that First News readers were smart, but a new report now proves that knowing about the newsmakes kids smarter!A study by the Organisation for EconomicCo-operation and Development showedthat 15-year-olds whose parents discussedcurrent affairs with them scored 28 pointshigher in reading than students whoseparents rarely or never discussed the newswith them.While the report focuses on learning aboutthe news at home, it could also happen in theclassroom. The important thing is that youFlash floodshit PhilippinesFlash floods and landslides caused by a typhoon haveleft the Philippines devastated.Around 1,000 people have been killed and more than 800 aremissing after the floods hit the southern island of Mindanao. TyphoonWashi, which caused the floods, brought more rain in 12 hours thanusually falls in a whole month.Many communities along the coastline have been destroyed.Houses, cars and even whole villages were swept away.Around 35,000 people are sheltering in evacuation centres. Thegovernment says survivors are in need of fresh water, shelter andmedicine. However, it’s proving difficult to reach survivors in remoteareas, as roads have been so badly damaged.Army officials in the region have cancelled Christmas plans and aredonating food to homeless survivors.by Keilly Swiftlearn and think about what is going on in theworld around you.It is thought that the reason for this is thatfinding out about current affairs helps todevelop a good vocabulary. When peoplefind a topic interesting, they usually want toresearch and find out more, which meansmore and more reading practice!Learning about current affairs from a youngage has benefits that can last a lifetime.Emma Wilkson, a programme leader fromMidKent College in Southeast England, said:“Being able to talk and discuss and have anopinion and awareness of the world is goingto help you to get on and continue to learnfor the rest of your life.”Now you can enjoy the rest of this edition,knowing all the benefits it can bring you!Olympicfact800,000 people areexpected to use publictransport to travel tothe Games on thebusiest day.Olympic countdown31 weeks to go!World’s smallest womanA BIG birthday for Jyoti Amge meant she could be officiallydeclared as the world’s smallest woman!When the teenager from Nagpur, India, turned 18, she was awardedthe Guinness World Record after being measured at just 63.5cm (25inches) tall.Jyoti weighs only 5.4kg (12 pounds) and hasn’t grown any taller sinceshe was one year old.For a little lady she has a big future ahead of her, as she is due toappear in two Bollywood films. Jyoti said: “I want to make people happy.”

FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 january 2012FIRST NEWS HEADLINESFor the latest on these headlines, go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news5New leader forsecretive countryKim Jong-il, who chose hisyoungest son to replace himas North Korea’s leaderFOLLOWING the death of North Korean leader, KimJong-il (left), his youngest son Kim Jong-un hasbecome the country’s new leader.Mr Kim, who died from a heart attack at the age of 69, had ledthe nation since 1994. He had been unwell for several years.It was announced a year ago that his son Kim Jong-un wouldbecome head of state on his father’s death.Kim Jong-un is the youngest of the leader’s three sons. It is notknown exactly how old the new leader is, although he is thoughtto be in his late twenties.North Korea is a communist nation, which is known for beingvery secretive. The nation became even more isolated becauseKim Jong-il was trying to build up a supply of nuclear weapons.There is now concern that the change of leader, combined withthe fact that the new leader is very young, could bring trouble.Professor Lee Jung-hoon from Yonsei University in Seoul, SouthKorea, said that these events could mean “very unstable times”for North Korea.EDITOR’SCOMMENTEditor Nicky Cox MBEIT was very difficult choosing thestories to put on pages two andthree this week.2011 really was an extraordinary year,when so many major events seem to havetaken place. Let us know what was your“standout” moment of the year.Looking ahead, 2012 looks like it, too,could be a major year. In the UK alone weare looking forward to the Queen’s DiamondJubilee, which takes place in June. And, ofcourse, the eyes of the world will be on ourcountry for the London 2012 Olympic andParalympic Games.First News itself will be making headlineswith some very special plans we have for 2012.Thank you so much for reading First Newsthis year to find out what’s going on aroundthe world. We all look forward to sharingthe headlines with you next year too –and to listen to your views. Write to me atnewsdesk@firstnews.co.uk or you can tweetme on Twitter – @nicky_firstnews.Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!Help from HarryPrince Harry came to the rescue of his friend, Thomas van Straubenzee, after he wasmugged for his mobile phone.Prince Harry was talking to Mr van Straubenzee onthe phone when he heard a scuffle andbecame concerned.The prince then rushed across London with hisprotection officers to look for his friend. They foundhim at a police station in Battersea, near to wherethe incident took place.It is thought that Prince Harry signed apolice statement and volunteered to go to courtas a witness. If he is called before the judge, hewould become the first senior Royal to becross-examined.The prince and Mr van Straubenzee are childhoodfriends who studied together at Ludgrove Schoolin Berkshire and then at Eton. Straubenzee wasalso an usher at Prince William’s wedding toCatherine Middleton.A day after the attack, a man was arrested onsuspicion of robbery and the BlackBerry mobilephone was returned to Mr van Straubenzee.Good news forchimps and sealsTHERE have been two important steps forward in animal rights thisweek, which will mean more protection for both chimpanzees and seals.Over in the United States, new grants for medical research on chimpanzees have beenstopped. Chimpanzees are used by drug companies there to test products, as they are theclosest animal relatives to human beings. However, it has been found that most of thesetests are unnecessary.Now that the National Institutes of Health has stopped funding new projects, it is hopedthat the testing will be stopped altogether. Britain banned medical tests on large apes in1998. Jarrod Bailey, science consultant at the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection,said: “It’s an important step in bringing the US in line with everybody else.”Meanwhile, Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation have banned the importand export of harp seal skins. For many years, thousands of seal skins have been exportedto these countries from Canada, where they are slaughtered for their skin.The new law will mean the lives of many seal pups are saved. Russian prime minister,Vladimir Putin, said that the import and export of harp seal skins “should have beenbanned years ago”.Prince Harry could be askedto give evidence in courtSUBSCRIBE FOR HOMEGet 4 issues for £1*Call 0844 8267 338www.firstnews.co.uk/subscribeQuote: FNSH*followed by £13.99 every 3 months by Direct DebitGOOD WEEK FOR...Harry JuddTHE McFly drummer has just been crownedthe winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2011.Harry, who said he was really nervousabout competing in the show, collectedhis glitterball trophy with professionaldance partner, Aliona Vilani.Harry’s win makes it adouble victory for the McFlyboys, as his band-mate,Dougie Poynter, recentlywon I’m a Celebrity… GetMe Out Of Here!BAD WEEK FOR...A white ChristmasWEATHER forecasters are predictinga warmer Christmas than normal thisyear, with temperatures as high as 15°C.Although this means a white Christmas isunlikely, the warmertemperatures aregood news forthose of you wholike long walks afterChristmas dinner!

6 FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 January 2012THE NEWS IN PICTURES19 decemberQingdao, China: A lion cubthat was abandoned by itsmother rests at a wild animalzoo. Workers in the zoo willfind another way to feed theone-month-old cub.19 december damascus, syria: A picture of Syrian president Basharal-Assad hangs from a building as supporters gather to support the government.There has been a lot of fighting in the country for the past nine months.19 december surrey, uk: Members of the Chapel Royal choir skate during aphotocall at the Hampton Court Ice Rink. The event was aimed at highlighting a new charity, TheChoral Foundation, which is hoping to raise £1.5m to fund choir-led music lessons for the choristersand the refurbishment of the historic organ in the Chapel.17 december Jakarta, Indonesia: Workers clean the amazing creations atthe first International Sand Sculpture Festival. Artists from 11 countries created 40 large sandsculptures of world-famous figures and landmarks.22 december MELKSHAM, ENGLAND: A semi-detached house is lit up with Christmaslights.The trend to decorate the outside of houses – which became popular in the USA during the1960s – continues in the UK. Some of the larger displays raise money for charities.18 december doha, Qatar: Qatariheritage policemen ride camels during the GulfEmirate’s National Day celebrations.For more pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news-in-pictures

FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 january 2012OUR STORIESFor more home news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news7UKCull agreedSome people are unhappy afterplans have been agreed for a trialbadger cull in the UK. The trialis to see if killing badgers willhelp stop the spread of a diseasecalled bovine TB, which affectscows. If it is successful, the cullcould become a regular thing.There are a lot of strong opinionsabout the proposed cull, but theGovernment thinks it is the bestway to try to tackle the problem.Bovine TB kills cattle and spreadsvery quickly among them.PembrokeshireStone originsFor the first time ever, historiansthink they have pinpointed theexact locations where the stonesthat form Stonehenge came from.It has long been thought theycame from Wales. Now researchersfrom National Museum Walesand Leicester University havesupported this. They say the giantrocks come from within 70m(230ft) of Craig Rhos-y-felin, nearPont Saeson. No-one knows howthey were moved to Wiltshire.EssexMixed resultsA survey has discovered thatEssex is home to one of the bestand one of the worst primaryschools in England. Figuresrevealed by the Governmentshow that St Margaret’s Church ofEngland School in Halstead is oneof the best-performing schools,while a school in Billericay wasbottom of the list.Home NewsScotlandWeather recordScotland has received moreextreme weather warnings inDecember 2011 than any otheryear. As First News went topress, more than 30 weatherwarnings had been issued forflooding, snow, ice and strongwinds – three times the amountof previous years. Experts predictthat Aberdeen is the city mostlikely to have a white Christmas.BelfastGyms for everyonePlans have been approved tobuild two outdoor gyms topromote healthy living. Sitesfor seven more gyms will bepresented to Belfast City Councilin January. The equipment willinclude a selection of differentapparatus to encourage peopleto get active.TeessideAirport for saleDurham Tees Valley Airport is upfor sale. The airport is currentlyowned by shareholders, butthe company with the largestportion of the shares hasdecided they want to sell. Theairport will continue to operateas normal while a new buyer isfound. Local MPs have alreadyannounced they would like it tostay as an airport and hope thenew buyers will agree.FAST WEATHERFACTS1814 saw the last ‘frost fair’(pictured) on the Thames,when the ice on the river wasthick enough for stalls andamusements to be set up on it.THEWEEK’SWEATHERwith Jonathan PowellFrom Friday 23 December 2011to Thursday 5 January 2012Week in generalSlender chance of a whiteChristmas.Friday 23 DecemberScotland/N Ireland– rain/sleet. Day 5c/41fNight 1c/34f. Strongsouthwesterly.England/Wales – rain, west.Drier, east. 8c/46f Night 3c/37f.Strong southwesterly.Christmas eveScotland/N Ireland –rain. Day 6c/43f Night2c/36f. Strong southwesterly.England/Wales – rain, west.Drier, east. 9c/48f Night 4c/39f.Strong southwesterlyChristmas dayScotland/N Ireland –rain. Day 7c/45f Night3c/37f. Strong southwesterly.England/Wales – rain, west.Drier, east. 8c/46f Night 4c/39f.Strong southwesterly.Boxing dayinto 2012Turning drier and colder,with some snow possibleover Scotland.FACT FILETHE WEEK IN NUMBERS117,000 pounds will bespent creating a state of the art splashpark in Swindon, which will be free foreveryone to use.690,850 pounds ishow much a manuscript written byCharlotte Brontë has sold for at auction.A French museum now owns themanuscript, which dates back to 1830.30 months is how long aman has been jailed for aftersetting up a Facebook pageencouraging people to take partin the August riots.13,500 military troopswill be used to help provide securityat the London 2012 Olympics.600 zoo visitors have been the firstto see the new giant pandas at EdinburghZoo. The pandas have gone on display forthe first time this week.10 rare paintings by Leonardo daVinci are going on display at BirminghamMuseum and Art Gallery from 13 Januarytill 25 March, to celebrate the Queen’sDiamond Jubilee year.

8 FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 January 2012SCIENCEFor more science news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/discoverFred KrausWalk fast toThe two new species. Top row:Paedophryne dekot. Bottom row:Paedophryne verrucosaThe world’ssmallestfrogs!a researcher workingin Papua New Guinea hasdiscovered two new speciesof frog, which are thesmallest known to science.Fred Kraus, from Bishop Museumin Honolulu, Hawaii, found thetwo new species living in leaf litterin remote mountain forests insoutheastern Papua New Guinea.Only females were found for thefirst species, Paedophryne dekot,which measures between 8.5-9mm.It was named dekot because that isthe word for ‘very small’ in the localDaga language.The second species, Paedophryneverrucosa, is even smaller. Althoughthe females were 8.8-9.3mm, themales were just 8.1-8.9mm long. Itsname comes from the Latin wordmeaning ‘full of warts’, as both sexesof the frog have lots of raised bumpson their backs.Like other frogs on the island,their tiny size means that the newspecies only have three fingers ontheir hands, and four toes. Theirsmaller fingers and toes mean thatthey are not very good at climbingand live most of their lives in theloose leaves and other material onthe forest floor.know?Did youThe new species of frogmentioned above are notjust the smallest frogs in theworld, they are the smallesttetrapods. This is the group ofmammals, birds, amphibiansand reptiles that have fourlimbs. However, there is aspecies of fish that is smaller.The discovery of the fish,Paedocypris progenetica, wasannounced in 2006, and it isjust 7.9mm long on average.The males of another fish,Photocorynus spiniceps, arejust 6.2mm long, but thefemales are up to 50mm long.stay aliveif you want to avoid death, it’s best to walk faster than 5km/h. That’s because it’s quicker than the Grim Reaper’smaximum speed, according to some silly seasonal research!The Christmas issue of doctors’ magazine,the British Medical Journal, is usually full ofresearch into not particularly serious topics,such as why all the teaspoons in a drawermysteriously disappear.This year, medical researchers in Sydney,Australia, wrote a report about Death’swalking speed and how quickly you need towalk to outrun him! Almost 2,000 men havebeen taking part in a long project that studieshealth and ageing over years and years, and“Yeah, it’s probably only threemetres high. Am I right?”Leaning affects your guessesscientists have found that people estimating a value will give alower number if they are leaning to their left.This bizarre fact was discovered by asimple but clever experiment. A group ofover 90 volunteers were asked to stand ona Wii Balance Board and keep their bodystraight, with the help of a posture meteron a TV screen. However, the meter hadbeen rigged, so that some people wereleaning to the left or right when theythought they were standing straight.The volunteers were then asked to makean estimate of certain numbers, suchtheir walking speeds were measured regularly.Using data from this study, researcherslooked at a period of five years. They foundthat no men who walked faster than 1.36mper second died during the study, leadingthem to say that this is the fastest that theGrim Reaper can travel!“To our knowledge, this is the first paperto estimate the walking speed of the GrimReaper, which has clear importance for publichealth,” the scientists joke. Although theyas the height of the Eiffel Tower. Resultsshowed that pretty much every guessmade by someone who was leaning tothe left was smaller than those made bypeople standing straight or leaning right.For instance, those leaning left guessedon average that the Eiffel Tower was 12mshorter than the estimates given by theother groups. Scientists say that they areonly just beginning to realise how muchour bodies affect our minds.Gettyadmit that their study was limited, becausethey didn’t have any data on items that couldhelp people to cheat death, such as invisibilitycloaks, resurrection stones and elder wands!Although the report is less than serious, thelink between walking speeds and how longpeople live for is true for many people. This ispossibly because walking needs your heart,lungs and many other body parts to be ingood order, so walking quickly can be a goodsign that you are healthy.Have we foundthe ‘God particle’?scientists working at the Large HadronCollider (LHC) say that they are very close tofinding out whether or not the so-called ‘Godparticle’ exists.One of the mainaims of the LHCis to confirm if atheoretical particleknown as the HiggsOne of the decayboson exists.events in the LHCSomethingknown as theStandard Model of physics has correctly predicted theexistence of certain tiny particles, but the Higgs bosonis the only one that hasn’t been found in experiments.It is thought that the Higgs boson is what gives atomsand all the stuff in the universe mass. If it wasn’t for theHiggs boson, scientists say nothing in the universe wouldever have formed and there would just be tiny particleswhizzing around at the speed of light, with nothing toslow them down.If Higgs bosons do exist, they are very short-lived anddecay in many different ways. For this reason, scientistshave to look for the particles given off when the Higgsbosons decay. Latest results show some interestingdecays at certain energy levels, which could be signs ofthe Higgs boson. However, experts at the LHC say thatmore data is needed to be sure.“Additional data delivered in 2012 by this magnificentmachine will definitely give an answer,” says Guido Tonelli.CERN

FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 January 2012GLOBAL STORIESFor more world news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news9SNIPPETSAfter Sweden ran into buttersupply problems, theirneighbour Norway has nowstarted to suffer the samedifficulty. Some people havestarted to make their own.CanadaTreaty trashedCanada has been criticised bycountries around the world, afterpulling out of the Kyoto treaty,which legally requires countriesto stick to agreed environmentalstandards. Government ministersclaimed that the decision wasnecessary because otherwiseCanada would have been finedalmost £9 billion for breakingemissions limits.USADeath decisionGettyOfficials in charge of New YorkState’s cemeteries have changedtheir minds and said that peoplecan now have their remainsburied alongside those of theirpets. Rhona Levy, who wants tobe buried next to her dog andcats in Hartsdale Pet Cemetery,called the decision “an earlyChristmas present”.GettyWorld NewsDenmarkSmoking rowAn MP has spent £3,800 oftaxpayers’ cash on putting asmoking booth in her office, sothat she didn’t have to go outsideto smoke. Now the government’sfood and agriculture minister,Mette Gjerskov, has been criticisedfor wasting public money.FranceJackal jailedThe famous Venezuelan terroristknown as Carlos the Jackal hasbeen sentenced to life in prison.He was found guilty of carryingout four bombings in France in1982/83, which left 11 peopledead and nearly 150 injured.SwedenWheel of fortuneA bus passenger has been calleda hero after taking the wheelwhen the driver collapsed. PatriciaClaesson saw the bus move overinto oncoming traffic, so quicklygrabbed the wheel and pulledthe bus over into a ditch. Then shehelped to get everyone off the bus.ChinaTown plan droppedThe government has scupperedplans to make a town where peoplewould only speak English. Someexperts said that the town wouldnot really help people to learnEnglish. Officials didn’t give theirreasons for not accepting the plan.GermanyCrane crashThe driver of a car was luckyto escape unhurt, after the146-tonne base of a crane fell off atransporter lorry. The base nearlywiped out the car accompanyingthe operation and caused anenormous amount of damage tothe road. Police are investigatinghow the accident occurred.AustraliaFeeling the heatTwo 18-year-old boys have beensent to prison for six months, afterbeing found guilty of starting a fireat a school in their home town ofWavell Heights, near Brisbane.The fire destroyed a teachingblock and administration building,with the total repair bill coming tonearly £3m.JapanTree technologyThe builders of the TokyoSky Tree have installed newtechnology to stop ice fromfalling onto passing pedestrians.The Sky Tree is the tallest towerin the world, so falling ice is verydangerous. The windows nowhave heaters inside them andthe outsides have been coveredwith an ice-proof coating.New ZealandHospital tragedyA single mother with threekids said that she prayed for aChristmas miracle days beforeshe won £500,000 on a TV lotteryshow. Vicky Marshall says thatshe wants to buy some land anda couple of horses, but is goingto take time to decide what tobuy her family.SNIPPETSIllegally-made alcohol has killedmore than 180 people in India.Most of the dead are poormanual labourers. The alcoholwas mixed with cheap, toxicchemicals to increase profits.GettyGettyA KID’S WORLDName: Isatu Bangura Age: 13 Lives: Makeni, Sierra Leone“When my mother died, my stepfather was not interested in looking after me. He made me do all the hard work in the houseand I was not allowed to go to school.”“A friend of mine was living in the streets,making money by washing dishes for food-sellersin a park. She said: ‘As you are not getting enoughfood at home and they treat you badly, come withme and I will help you.’”“I went to the park but, from the first night, I feltI had made the wrong decision. It was better athome, but I didn’t feel I could return.”“I stayed with my friend and we made a littleTo find out more about Street Child visit www.street-child.co.ukmoney. But one time some older boys stole what Ihad. They slapped me and I had to give it to them.”“Eventually, I was approached by staff fromStreet Child of Sierra Leone. Now that Street Childhas taken care of me, I feel fine. I feel secure andmore protected and I have gone back to school. Iwould like to be a nurse.”Street Child of Sierra Leone saves hundredsof street children across Sierra Leone eachyear. It provides counselling, clothing, medicalcare, food and a safe place, and unites childrenwith a family member or guardian. It alsofunds the children’s return to education ortraining and offers ongoing financial supportto their families.You can find out more about Street Child ofSierra Leone at: www.street-child.co.uk.

10 FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 january 2012ANIMAL NEWSFor more animal news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/newsBIG animal countIT’s that time of yearagain when zookeepersacross the country takepart in the biggestanimal inventory in theworld, by counting alltheir animals!This week, ZSL LondonZoo will lead the way bycounting every single one oftheir animals in their annualstocktake. Every animal, fromthe tiniest ants to the tallestgiraffes, will be counted andmeasured.The stocktake is one of therules of every zoo licenceand allows keepers andconservationists to keep trackof all births and deaths in thezoological world. All the datais loaded onto one centraldatabase.The job is no small one, asZSL London Zoo alone hasmore than 16,000 animals!ZSL London Zoo is openevery day of the Christmasholidays, except ChristmasDay itself.Happy chickensFROM 1 January 2012 it will be illegal for farmersin Europe to keep battery chickens in bare,cramped cages.A new law means that all battery cages must meet newrequirements for the health and safety of the chickens. Eachcage must be “enriched”, which means there is space for thechicken to move around and room to scratch and perch. Thespace is still quite small, but much better than it was.While all farmers in the UK have been making plans for thenew rules, it is believed lots of farmers in Europe won’t have,so the RSPCA are asking all egg buyers to make sure theybuy British eggs or, even better, free-range eggs. The newcage guidelines are a start, but still not as good as free-rangechickens and eggs.Free-range eggs come from chickens that are allowed toroam freely in their homes and have a much happier life.Friend for lifeWHILE a new puppy might be on manyChristmas wish lists this year, animal charity,the Dogs Trust, is urging everyone to rememberthat a dog is for life and not just for Christmas.In honour of their famous slogan, the Dogs Trust has puta ban on all rehoming until 2 January 2012.The aim is to reduce the number of dogs given asChristmas presents. Every year, hundreds of puppies areleft abandoned after the novelty wears off in the New Year.If someone seriously wants a dog, they will be happy towait a week or so.The Dogs Trust slogan, ‘A dog is for life, not just forChristmas’, has been around for more than 30 years.Santa claws!A RARE albino lobster is settling into his newhome at Weymouth Sea Life Park this Christmas.The pure white crustacean was caught off the coast ofDorset by two fishermen from Bridport. Experts think onlyone in 100 lobsters are ever born albino. The only parts of thelobster that are coloured are his eyes, which are black.Staff have christened him Santa Claws and are amazed hehas survived in the wild so long. Albino animals stand outand are often eaten by predators. Lobsters shed their hardshell as they grow and are very vulnerable for a few days,while their new shell hardens.Fion Smith, curator at the Sea Life centre says: “There havebeen one or two other albino lobsters found around the UKin the last 20 years or so, but none of them as perfectas Santa!”

FirstNews Issue 290 23 December 2011 – 5 January 2012subscription offers11Are you looking for afun and engagingway to improve your child’sreading in 2012?Then order a subscription toFirst News today for as little as £1!*99%of teachersrecommendFirst News**Nevermiss an issueand deliveryis free!To order, simply choose your offer from the below...4 issues for only £1* orAnnual subscription – £48.99 or6 month subscription – £28.99*Followed by £13.99 on quarterly Direct Debit ** First News Readership Survey, Opinion Matters, January 2011Call 0844 8267 338 visit www.firstnews.co.uk/subscribePlease quote FN290 when ordering

14 FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 january 2012THE BIG INTERVIEWFor more interviews and clips go to www.firstnews.co.uk/discoverIt’s mesmerisingLegendary naturalist Sir David Attenborough narrates the stunning 3D movie The Bachelor King, which will beshowing exclusively on Sky 3D this New Year’s Eve. He tells us all about it…This is the second of your 3D movies.How did this film come about?Well, we had done Flying Monsters, whichwas a rather cautious way of putting our toeinto 3D. We knew that you could do CGI in3D no bother, and we knew that we couldget close to things if you dealt with fossils,so you had two well-controlled thingsthere that we knew you could deal with.And the next stage was then to not usethose crutches and try to make a 3D naturalhistory film. And from what we had learnedwith Flying Monsters, we all knew that the3D camera is a monster itself. I mean, itcould take four people just to shift it about.So you had to pick a natural history subjectwhere you wouldn’t have to compete withwhat you could normally do in naturalhistory films, where you creep up on somecreature doing something unmentionableso that he doesn’t know you’re there. Youcannot do that with a 3D camera, so youhad to pick something that was going to beSir David Attenborough narratesThe Bachelor King 3Dthere, that was not going to be put off, thatwas going to look good in three dimensionsand which would have a good story.Why did you choose to go to SouthGeorgia to film?After chewing it over, South Georgiaabsolutely matched, because it has threeanimals that are spectacular in threedimensions: the king penguins, the elephantseals, which are huge – three tonnes –and the albatross, which has the biggestwingspan of any bird in the world. I knewthat with all three of those characters youcould stand as close as you liked and theywouldn’t take fright, so that was a big, bigplus. And that really was what we did.What was it like filming there?South Georgia is a hell of a place. It is notthe place for cowards and not the placeto go if you’re going to be upset aboutbeing uncomfortable. It’s very cold andfull of unpredictable gales. I had some realtrepidation in suggesting it, because I knewsome poor souls, a crew of a dozen or so,were going to have to be out there withvery little support. It’s a long way awayand you have to deal with these particularproblems, so it was a gamble. I’ve been acouple of times to South Georgia beforethis film was made and I know what it’s like,the relief of getting back on board a shipthat is anchored just out at sea, where it’swarm and there’s a drink. The crew decidedthat with the whole business of setting up,which takes so long with a 3D camera, theywould sleep in tents on the beach, so thatthey could get on in the morning as soon aspossible. I was astonished.Is there any distinguishing markbetween male and female penguins?No, but they know. It’s a very goodquestion and mysterious answer. The mostextraordinary thing is when they come back,the chicks won’t be in the same place. Thecrèche has moved on, so it’s no good theparents coming back and looking in the sameplace, because he won’t be there, he’ll besomewhere else. He’ll be with 500 identicalyoung chicks and the parents. Both male andfemale penguins can recognise the call oftheir own chick among1,000 others.How long can a penguin keep a stonewarm before it realises it’s not an egg?This isn’t a scientific answer – because theydo incubate for a long time and they knowthey’ve got a weight on their feet andthey’re waiting for something to happen.When eventually it doesn’t happen andeveryone else’s does, it begins to thinksomething’s wrong.Sir DavidAttenboroughIf you could be any kind of animal in theworld, what would you be?A sloth, undoubtedly.Do you have any idea about what yournext 3D project might be?The next one, I’m proud to say, takes theprocess of 3D filming one sensationalstep further. I wish I’d thought of it before,really. It is absolutely breathtaking. It is atime-lapse 3D of flowers and plants. In 3D,the sight of a flower bursting open, of thestamen coming out, pollen shedding andinsects coming in, is not just breathtaking,it’s mesmerising. I was astonished. You justlook at it over and over again and you nevertire of it. We are blessed in Kew Gardens ofhaving 90% of all known plants represented,so you can cover the world in Kew Gardens.You can take down those huge camerasand show in 3D these wonderful thingshappening; plants strangling one another,water lilies rising up through the pond andbursting open. That’s what we’re doing. Wefilmed the last shot two months ago.The Bachelor King 3D, 8pm, New Year’s Eve,Sky 3D and Making of David Attenborough’sBachelor King 3D on Sky1 at 7pm.Cescychops’ Winter WordsearchFirstnews.co.uk member Cescychops has made awinter wordsearch. Can you find all the words?BaublesChristmasFreezingIceRudolphSkiingSleighSnowflakeSnowmanStockingsWinterWant to make a wordsearch for the newspaper? Go towww.firstnews.co.uk/bored today to find out how!The First News TeamEditor Nicky CoxDeputy Editor Keilly SwiftEntertainment EditorSerena LaceyWriters Ian Eddy, Jill ReillyEditorial AssistantKirsty MacdonaldDesign Manager Richard RobsonWebsite Editor Nicola WilliamsMarketing and Website AssistantBen PulsfordProduction Assistant HannahGreenfieldHead of Finance Tony FinnAccounts AssistantKelane HendersonEducation ConsultantNicolette SmallshawPublishing ConsultantSusan DowneyAdvertising Nina Chaudhry,Leanne Pollard, Sam EadsPartnership Marketing DirectorLindsaye FoxSubscriptions ManagerRachel HendersonDirect Marketing ManagerEmma RobsonPublisher Kelly AustinExecutive Director Amanda HillsFounders Piers Morgan, Nicky Cox,Sarah and Steve ThomsonEmail: firstname.surname@firstnews.co.ukTel. (020) 3195 2000 For subscriptions call 0844 8267 338www.firstnews.co.ukAll material in this newspaper is © 2011 First News and Newsbridge Limited and cannot be used without writtenpermission. First News is published by Newsbridge Limited, Shand House, 14-20 Shand St, London SE1 2ES. Printedby BGP Limited, Chaucer Business Park, Launton Road, Bicester, OX26 4QZ. Distributed by Advantage, AssociatedNewspapers, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, Northcliffe House, Kensington, W8 5TT. Tel. (020) 7938 6000.Charities supported byFor more information on these exceptional charities, log on to our website www.firstnews.co.uk

FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 january 2012CRAZY BUT TRUEFor more crazy news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news15RESIDENTS in a townin Taiwan are beingencouraged to pick updog poo by being givenprize lottery tickets!by Serena LaceyOfficials in New Taipei Cityhave launched the campaignto try to tidy up the city’sstreets.So far, more than 4,000people have helped clear14,500 bags of dog poop. Everyfull bag of mess handed in isexchanged for a lottery ticketto win a selection of prizes.The scheme was started inAugust and originally due toend in October but, becauseit’s been so successful, officialsare keeping it going.One lady in her 50s hasscooped the top prize of asolid gold bar, worth £1,400.In total, 85 people havescooped prizes so far and thestreets of New Taipei are farcleaner than they were.What do you think? Wouldyou clean up dog poo for aprize? Vote online atwww.firstnews.co.uk/polls.Poop prizesRECORD OFTHE WEEKYoungest personto fly solo aroundthe worldBarrington Irving (Jamaica/USA, born 11November 1983), an aerospace student atFlorida Memorial University, circumnavigatedthe globe in Inspiration, manufacturedand assembled bythe Columbia AircraftManufacturingCompany, between23 March and 27 June2007. His landmark97-day flight was alsothe first ever solocircumnavigation flightby a black pilot.For info on this recordand hundreds more, go towww.guinnessworldrecords.comQUICKCHUCKLESSanta for 50 years!A GRANDAD from theWest Midlands could bethe UK’s longest servingpretend Santa, aftergiving out gifts to childrenfor 49 years.Ray Hulse, 67, has beenhelping to spread festive cheersince he was 18. Every yearhe dresses up as Santa in acostume he has had especiallymade for him and raises moneyfor charity. So far, he believes hehas raised around £50,000.Ray says: “The magic is in theexpressions that you see on thekids’ faces. That’s the reward.”Ray has no plans to stopdressing up as Santa. He haseven built his own sledge withthe registration ‘Santa 1’.Taxi! (for my dog)A TAXI driver from London got a surprise jobwhen he was asked to go and pick up a dogfrom Madrid in Spain and drive it backto London!The round trip was for a regular client of the taxi driver,John Jupp, although he’d never been asked to make such along journey before.The price of the journey has not beenrevealed, but it took 16 hours to drive toMadrid from the french port of Calais,after a 4am start.Mr Jupp told the London EveningStandard paper: “She asked me to giveher a price to pick the dog up and bring itto her house in Knightsbridge, so I askedher for the address. Her reply was truly amoment I will not forget: Madrid!”The entire 3,220km (2,000 miles) journeyis believed to have taken 38 hours!What is the longest time you’ve spentin a car? Email us atnewsdesk@firstnews.co.uk to tell us!Q: What do you call people who arescared of Santa Claus?A: Claus-trophobicQ: What is red and goes “oh, oh, oh”?A: Santa walking backwards!Upload your jokes to our website at:www.firstnews.co.ukWritten and illustrated by Paul Palmer

16 FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 January 2012ENTERTAINMENT NEWSwith Serena LaceyExciting films for 2012!THIS year has been a bumper year for amazing films, but 2012 looks set to be even better. Here’s a quick guide to some of the brilliant films wecan look forward to in the first half of the year!JanuaryWar HorseStars: Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Peter MullinThis powerful film charts the friendship of Albert and hisremarkable horse, Joey. When Joey is sold to the cavalry tohelp in the World War I trenches, Albert will stop at nothingto rescue him.Released: 13 JanuaryA Monster In ParisStars: Mathieu Chedid, Vanessa Paradis and Gad ElmalehThis action-packed 3D animation guarantees fun for allthe family. Set in Paris, a flea is accidentally turned into amonster and it’s up to pretty singer Lucille to help him.Released: 27 JanuaryA Monster In ParisFebruaryJack and JillStars: Adam Sandler, Katie HolmesEvery year, Jack Sadelstein dreads Thanksgiving because histwin sister Jill comes to visit. This year is no different. WhenJill refuses to leave, Jack finds himself with a big problem…Released: 3 FebruaryLike CrazyStars: Felicity Jones, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer LawrenceThis modern Romeo and Juliet story sees British exchangestudent Anna fall in love with a young American, Jacob. But,when Anna overstays her American visa, their relationship isthrown into jeopardy.Released: 3 FebruaryBig MiracleStars: Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Kristen BellBased on an incredible true story, this is the tale of areporter and his ex-girlfriend who are reunited when tryingto save a family of gray whales.Released: 10 FebruaryJourney 2: The Mysterious IslandStars: Josh Hutcherson, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine,Vanessa HudgensSean Anderson is desperate to find his grandfather, who heJourney 2: The Mysterious Islandbelieves is stuck on a mythical island. When he andhis friends track him down, more adventures lay ahead!Released: 10 FebruaryThe MuppetsStars: Amy Adams, Jason Segal, Chris CooperThe Muppets are back! When a greedy oil tycoon threatensto destroy their beloved theatre, the Muppets team up withthree fans to try to save the day!Released: 10 FebruaryMarchJohn CarterStars: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willem DafoeWhen a Civil War veteran is sent to planet Mars, he iscaptured by the evil creatures that reside there. Can heescape, and will he be able to help the beautiful princess hehas met there?Released: 9 MarchWe Bought A ZooStars: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden ChurchBased on a true story, a father uses his life savings to buy arun-down zoo in the countryside. As he uproots his childrenand takes on the challenge of handling exotic animals, hesoon realises the true meaning of chaos.Released: 16 MarchThe Hunger GamesStars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam HemsworthSet in the future, this film sees 12 young boys and girlstackle a series of games for the right to live. When Katnissvolunteers to take the place of her sister, everyone fears thisis the end.Released: 23 MarchThe Hunger GamesThe MuppetsThe Pirates! In An Adventure WithScientistsStars: Hugh Grant, Salma Hayek, Jeremy PivenIt’s a ‘plunderful’ life for the pirates in this cartoonadventure! Pirate Captain is desperate to win the Pirateof the year award, but first he has to defeat his arch rivals,Black Bellamy and Cutlass Liz.Released: 28 MarchStreetdance 2 (3D)Stars: Tom Conti, George Sampson, Falk HentschelStreet dancer, Ash, is humiliated after being beaten by theInvincible crew. In a bid to regain his title as the best, heseeks out dancers from around the world to compete ina rematch.Released: 30 MarchWrath of the TitansStars: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Rosamund PikeFollowing on from Clash of the Titans, this exciting film seesPerseus venture to the Underworld in a bid to save Zeus.Ares and Hades have captured Zeus and are hoping to doaway with him…Released: 30 MarchAprilAfrican CatsStars: Samuel L JacksonIn this delightful Disney documentary, the two cat familiesof Africa are brought to life. Showing how cubs learn to livein the wild, this promises lots of cute moments!Released: 20 AprilThe AvengersStars: Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr, GwynethPaltrow, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Samuel L JacksonA team of superhumans are brought together to try to savethe Earth from an alien invasion. Based on the Marvel comicseries, this is one for comic-book hero fans everywhere!Released: 27 AprilThe AvengersMayMen in Black 3 (3D)Stars: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh BrolinAgent J and Agent K are back in business! This time-traveltale sees the agents enjoy a new mission, but will they makeit out alive?Released: 25 MayJuneSnow White and the HuntsmanStars: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize TheronThe original Snow White fairy tale enjoys an excitingmodern-day twist. The huntsman who is ordered to killSnow White ends up becoming her protector, and so abeautiful/dark tale unfolds…Released: 1 JuneCheck out the trailers for all the latest films online atwww.firstnews.co.uk

18 FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 january 2012FUN STUFFWINIce Age trilogydvdsWINSonic and SEGAAll-Stars Racing gamesTHIS week we have the usual 3x3 grid and you need to fill in the numbers one to nine.Send in your answers and three lucky winners will get a copy of Ice Age Trilogy on DVD.Follow Manny and Sid from the start as they make friends with Diego and set off onnumerous adventures.Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment9 83 2 8 67 5 3 21 9 2 62 1 3 44 7 2 37 1 8 21 7 2 92 8where on earthALL of these are associated with a country. Can you guess which one?ABComplete our prize crossword using the clues below. Send in your answers and threelucky winners will win a copy of Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing on PC CD-ROM. Getready for the ultimate party racing showdown with Sonic and his SEGA friends, asthey take to the track in cars, monster trucks, bikes and even aeroplanes! Explore newcircuits, hurtle under lush rainforest canopies and tear through blistering cityscapes ina frantic race to the finish line. Stay ahead of the pack by dodging traps and launchingSonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing offensive character moves!www.avanquest.co.ukAcross1 Torchbearers for this 2012 event have beenannounced recently (8)6 Mammal with distinctive humps (5)7 What one does when asleep (5)9 Camera part (4)10 Opposite of top (6)12 Pay no attention to (6)14 David Cameron did this to arecent EU treaty change (4)Down2 Yellow citrus fruit (5)3 You pour this on cereal (4)4 Not occurring outside (6)5 Wintery mix of rain and snow(5)6 Marcus ___ : X Factor runnerup(7)8 Woolly ___ : extinct animalscientists are trying to clone (7)11 Place where you can seeSanta Claus (6)13 Comes close (5)15 Zac ___ : High SchoolMusical actor (5)16 Genuine; actual (4)what on earthALL of these are associated with a 10 celebration. - Opposite of top Can (6) you guess what they are?A12 - Pay no attention to (6)B17 Clever (5)18 Our planet (5)19 Schools were closed here recently dueto gales (8)1 2 3 4 56 7 89 101112 13 14 151617 1819Across1 - Torchbearers for this 2012 event have beenannounced recently (8)6 - Mammal with distinctive humps (5)7 - What one does when asleep (5)9 - Camera part (4)14 - David Cameron did this to a recent EU treatychange (4)17 - Clever (5)18 - Our planet (5)19 - Schools were closed here recently due to gales (8)Down2 - Yellow citrus fruit (5)3 - You pour this on cereal (4)4 - Not occurring outside (6)5 - Wintery mix of rain and sn6 - Marcus ___ : X Factor run8 - Woolly ___ : extinct anima11 - Place where you can see13 - Comes close (5)15 - Zac ___ : High School Mu16 - Genuine; actual (4)CDCDEFEFCOMPETITIONS: You can enter First News competitions in one of two ways. 1. Go to www.firstnews.co.uk/competitions and follow the instructions. 2. Write to us at ‘competition name’ (eg. Holiday), Shand House, 14-20 Shand St, London SE1 2ES. Please note: First News will not share your personal details with third parties. First News will only use your details to contactthe competition winners. First News competitions are open to aged 16-and-under residents of the UK & Republic of Ireland, except employees of First News, Newsbridge Ltd, BGP and any associated companies and their families. Winners will be the first correct entries drawn after the closing dates. No purchase necessary. No responsibility can be accepted for entries thathave been lost or damaged in transit. First News will not enter into any correspondence. All winners will be notified accordingly and their names and addresses will be available on request. No cash alternative for any prizes will be offered. The winner may be required to partake in media activity relating to the competition.

FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 january 201219HOW TOENTERsend your finished puzzles to Puzzles 290, First News, Shand House, 14 - 20 Shand Street,London, SE1 2ES. The closing date for puzzle entries is Friday 6 January 2012.WIN match attack collectors tinwww.toppsdirect.comCAN you spot the five changes to this picture from Alvin and the Chipmunks - Chipwrecked? Send in your answers and three lucky winners will each win aMatch Attax Collector Tin. The Match Attax Collector Tin is great for players always on the go, because you can keep your top cards and those all-importantswaps in this fantastic collector tin. This is the only official Match Attax 2011-12 season collector tin and comes with 51 cards, including a special Limited Edition card.ABFIRST NEWS CHALLENGEword ladderQ1 Lexi Thompson plays which sport?Q2 Which airport has been put up for sale?Q3Q5 Which river has been awardedthe International Theiss River Prize forriver management and conservation?Q9Q7 How much did a manuscript byCharlotte Bronte recently sell for?Q8 Who went for two years without scoringa league goal for Manchester United?Q9 On which day in 2011 didthe global population reachseven billion?CAN you get from the top to the bottom bychanging one letter at a time to make a new word?TALLQ10 An albino lobster has settled into anew home. Where is it?Q10Q3 Barrington Irving has become the worldrecord holder for what?Q4 How many people watched as PrinceWilliam married Kate Middleton?Q6 Matt Damon, Scarlett Johanssonand Thomas Haden Church appearin which film, due for release in 2012?LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS: First News Challenge 1) Poland 2) Best National Newspaper 3) Theworst storms for 10 years 4) Amelia Hempleman-Adams 5) Little Mix 6) 72% 7) 50,000 8) Green Issues9) Captain America 10) 900 spot the difference Smurfette’s hair is a different colour, moustacheis missing, reins are a different colour, sleigh leg missing, snowball missing What on Earth Gloves,hot water bottle, hot chocolate, scarf, boots, ski Word ladder Fish, wish, wash, wasp, warp, carp8 2 3 4 7 1 9 5 61 5 7 9 3 6 8 2 49 4 6 2 8 5 1 7 36 8 5 1 9 2 3 4 72 7 1 3 4 8 5 6 94 3 9 6 5 7 2 8 17 6 2 5 1 3 4 9 85 1 4 8 6 9 7 3 23 9 8 7 2 4 6 1 5R A D C L I F F EE O E AP R E S S W O R S EO R E E W NY S O R T I N GN A B G LT U N I S I A AE I T W E NR U M B A F I X E DA R U AL I T T L E M I XWEEK

20FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 january 2012GREEN NEWSwith Keilly SwiftFor more green news, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/discoverTasty tyresTYRES may soon be more eco-friendly, as it is possible tomake rubber from sugar now!Tyre companies have teamed up withbiotechnology companies to produceprototypes of the new tyres, which userubber made from sugar cane.Traditionally, tyres are made from oilor rubber trees, which are both limitedresources.It takes sevengallons of oil tomake just onetyre. This addsup to a hugeamount, as abillion tyresare made eachyear.Using sugarcane to makerubber willASK ESTHERhave less of an environmental impact, as it isboth renewable and sustainable.However, there is still a problem with howtyres are disposed, which needs to be dealtwith. Old tyres are often dumped and thishas a big effect on the environment.This new development does takes tyres onestep closer to being eco-friendly, though.The ‘sweet’ tyres should be available withinthree to five years.WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!What do you do to help fight climate change? How do you get your friends, family andschool to do their bit too? Tell us and First News readers. Log on to www.firstnews.co.uk/discover, or write to newsdesk@firstnews.co.uk or the address on page 18.River Thames scoops awardAfter years of being so polluted that no life could live there, the RiverThames has been given a top environmental award.The river was once described asriver management and conservation.“biologically dead”, but thanks to almost 400 It beat competition from China’s Yellowprojects by the Environment Agency, it isriver and waterways in Australia and Japan.now thriving. Around 125 types of fish make Alastair Driver, the Environmenttheir home in the river and species such as Agency’s national conservation manager,salmon, sea trout and otters are beginning said: “Our work with farmers, businessesto return.and water companies to reduce pollutionTo recognise the Environment Agency’s and improve water quality has allwork, the Thames has been awardedhelped to make the Thames a living riverthe International Theiss River Prize foronce again.”Withthanks toI’m Esther Rantzen, President of ChildLine, which helps 2,500 childrenevery week. If there’s something worrying you, please write to me atthe address below.Too strict!My parents are really strict, to the point that one of themwill meet me from school. I can’t go anywhere on my own,have a private conversation or go on the internet without one of them being there. Itis suffocating and I really don’t know how to stop them. Jules, 14It sounds like your parents are trying to protect you. However, this is comingacross as being a bit overprotective, would this be right? It seems that this might besomething that you would need to talk to your parents about. Do you think you could?You could think of some compromises to suggest to them, such as coming off theinternet at a certain time, having a time to be home after school, letting them knowhow you are getting home from school and who you are with? It might only take timefor your parents to realise that they can trust you. If you would like to talk about thisfurther, you could call ChildLine free on 0800 1111.Winter bluesAt this time of year, lots of us are getting excited about winter celebrationslike New Year’s Eve, and it’s traditionally a time for having fun with our friendsand family. But, for some people, the shorter days and cold weather reallybring them down.The lack of sunlight during the wintermonths can make people feel very tired all thetime, depressed and generally out of sorts. Itdoesn’t affect everyone and some people findit affects them more than others.If someone you know does seem a bit downin winter, it could be for all sorts of reasons –but it could also be a case of the ‘winter blues’.If you are worried about a friend who seemsa bit down at this time of year, you could askif everything is okay. If they don’t want totalk about it, you could try giving them a bitof time and space, but let them know you’rethere if they want to talk.I want a change…HELP! I hate the way I look. Nothing suits me, my hair is dull and I hate looking inthe mirror. How can I change?It is important to remember thateveryone is different, because if wewere all the same and looked the same,life would be very boring! Have youthought about what you feel are yourgood points? Everyone has them, evenif you can’t see them. Sometimes it takestime to figure out what does suit youand also what you like. How would youfeel about going with someone youtrust to try on different clothes, to seewhat does and doesn’t suit you, just soyou can have an idea? Also, you can doall sorts of hairstyles yourself at home, bylooking in magazines for some good ideasand tips.Wealthy friend…One of my closest friends is very rich. She is always inviting me to concerts and days out, whichI love. She is very normal and doesn’t boast about her wealth. However, I recently asked her tospend the day shopping with me and she said she couldn’t as we wouldn’t be buying the samethings! I don’t understand why she is being like this. Emma, 13.It seems like you don’t care about moneyand you know that friendships aren’t built onmoney. I wonder if it would help to ask yourfriend where she would like to shop and see ifyou can come to a compromise when thinkingabout where you would like to go and where shewould like to go? Maybe you can let your friendknow that it shouldn’t matter who can affordto buy what, but that by going shopping witheach other, you are spending some quality timetogether as friends.Good luck and I hope you can resolve this.

FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 January 2012YOUR NEWSFor more news crew, pictures and videos go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news21Musical fun…An orchestra of kids played at the QueenElizabeth Hall on Sunday 4 December2011 and I was lucky enough to go alongand see them play. They are called TheNational Children’s Orchestra.The youngest players are 11years old and the oldest is 13. Themusicians come from all overthe UK.They played music from HarryPotter and by Tchaikovsky (areally famous composer).Some of the music had storiesbehind it. The Smetana music wasby Rosebased on a river, so the music started quietly like rain drops and got louderas the river got bigger and closer to the sea. The Offenbach music featured astory about the devil who steals a man’s wife and takes her to the underworld.There were three Christmas carols and peoplesang along to two of them and the childrensang the final one. The concert finished witheveryone clapping along to a famous piece ofmusic called the Can-Can.Two of the players said what it’s like to playin the orchestra.Ruben, 12, said: “I like meeting newfriends, playing amazing pieces andeverything, really.”While Lily, 13, said: “ I love the music andRoseNCO Under 13 OrchestrajuniorJOURNALISTmeeting new friends. I really enjoyed playingOrpheus. It’s so much fun.”Alex von KoettlitzCard winnerI entered a competition withDaybreak and Hallmark Cardsto design a Christmas card thatcaptured exactly what Christmasmeans to me.by Ella WrightjuniorJOURNALISTWhen I saw the competition on TV I didn’t think that I would bethe winner! It was really exciting when I found out I’d won, becauseI got to visit the Hallmark factory with my mum and dad. We sawwhere they made my drawing into a card and I saw hundreds ofthem coming out of a special machine!It was on Daybreak too and all my class at school watched me!I’m really pleased with the card and all my family are reallyproud of me. I’ve lovedcamper vans ever sinceI saw one on holiday inCornwall and ever sinceI’ve drawn them all thetime; that’s where my ideacame from.It’s great to see it inthe Hallmark shops andI’ve sent them to all myfamily and friends.Some of the money fromthe cards that are sold willbe going to Barnardo’s, soI’m really happy that mydrawing is helping otherchildren this Christmas.NEWS VIEWSHere are some of theviews on the news fromour website users. We’d loveto hear more of your views!Prisoners to be charged £100per night to stay in jailWhat if they don’t pay it, theycan’t exactly get sent to prisonfor not paying, as they alreadyare in prison!Gecko1 (Age 12)Should parents spend less onChristmas presents?But it is nice to give andreceive presents. Maybe youcould make something, like abead bracelet or a calendar?Millieboo (Age 9)Could you eat a stray cator dog?I wouldn’t.......Prunnie (Age 9)Dogs used to pullChristmas treesWow that’s pretty cool!!!Popcorn007 (Age 11)www.firstnews.co.ukUN ChildrenConference…JUNIORJOURNALISTBuilding schoolsI was lucky enough to be involved with the SandalsFoundation Scholarship scheme in Jamaica, West Indies.JUNIORJOURNALISTI was selected to go to the UN Children Conference on the Environment2011. I was so excited and very nervous about going.by Ella CunnisonIt was great to meet new people from all over theworld there. The themes were ‘Rio+20’ and ‘GreenEconomy’, ‘Global Environment Governance’and ‘Sustainable Consumption’ and ‘State of theGlobal Environment’ and ‘Forests’.We also worked on the Bandung Declaration, thevoice of Children and Youth for Rio+20, callingworld leaders to safeguard the Earth and its people through sustainable development,and urging governments not to ignore the demands of children and youth.Since going, I will think much more about what we can do to save the planet and theanimals that live on it.Lots of items are not recycled, get buried underground and take ages to biodegrade.Animals and bugs get stuck in rubbish. Not all plastic bags are recycled or binned,and animals then get caught in them and die. If you don’t know where you canrecycle stuff, ask someone.Everyone who was at the conference will be bringing back a similar message to theirown countries.by Chantal PryceLiving in Jamaica is like living in paradise. It is themost wonderful experience. The people are very friendly andwe have a rich culture, with beautiful landscape.The Sandals Foundation has helped many schools inthe Caribbean. It helps to fund and repair schools, helppeople and communities to improve their standards, status,growth and help to make life a little more enjoyable. It alsopromotes good environmental practices.My school was one of the schools that has benefited fromthe foundation. We were given a computer lab so thatcomputer studies could become a part of our curriculum.The buildings were painted, a reading garden was builtto encourage reading and a team of dentists now visit theschool annually to give us free dental treatment.We were also taught how to be more environmentallyfriendly,by making compost heaps, participating in beach clean-ups and using recycledmaterials to make new items.All the students and parents were involved in the project and we are all very grateful andappreciative for the work that has been done.We feel proud whenever members from the Sandals Foundation start a new project andeveryone is always really happy to see them when they come to our school for a visit.We want to hear what your school is up toAre you doing something sponsored for charity? Starting your own school newspaper? Or putting on a show?Email your report (including pictures) to newsdesk@firstnews.co.uk. If we print your story we’ll send you a copy of the paper and aFirst News certificate to be presented to you in assembly! Don’t forget to include your name, age, and your school’s name and address.By writing to First News you give consent to First News printing details and photographs of those involved in the report.SUBSCRIBE FOR schoolTerm time only subscriptionsfrom £45.60 per year (P&P included).Call: 0844 8560 634 Quote: SPAwww.firstnews.co.uk/teachers

22 FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 january 2012THE BOOK CORNERMY WAY CAMPAIGNWith thanks toBook reviews www.The Brilliant World of Tom GateL. Pichonreviewed by Daniel Pate, eightThis is a book about Tom Gates and his life during a wholeterm of school. It’s a diary written by Tom, with lots ofdrawings, and it’s filled with doodles from his schoolbooks. This book waseasy to read and I enjoyed it because it’s really funny. As soon as I’d finishedthis book I lent it to my brother Thomas to read. We’re both huge Diary of aWimpy Kid fans so I knew he’d love this book too. I’d definitely give it 5/5 because it was brilliantand I can’t wait to read the next book now!Sky HawkGill Lewisreviewed by Charlotte Westwood, 13redhouse.co.ukFrom the first page I was drawn into this very specialnovel, which has an ecological message at its heart. Inthis book, Callum meets Iona, who is willing to share asecret about a magical osprey with him. The characters are truly believableand the language of this novel is poetic and beautiful. For anyone with aninterest in wildlife and conservation issues, I would strongly suggest they read this debut novel. Ihope it won’t be her last book!These books are short-listed for the Red House Children’s BookAward 2012. Visit www.redhousechildrensbookaward.co.uk to viewthe full short list and to vote for your favourite. The closing date forvotes is 20 January 2012.For more book reviews and clips go to www.firstnews.co.uk/boredREADING CHAMPIONSEveryone knows a Reading Champion – they’re peoplewho inspire others to get reading. Each week,one of our champions tells you a bit about theirfavourite reads and what they think makes readingso appealing.Name: Conn IgguldenConn is a consistently bestselling author of historical fictionWhat books did you read when you were a child?Roald Dahl, to name one. I think The Twits is probably the bestchildren’s book ever written.If you could be a storybook character, who would you be?Leaving aside the obvious choice of some superhero or other – well, who wouldn’t wantto be Superman, really? – I’d still choose Pug from Raymond Feist’s Magician.What is the best thing about reading?I’m pretty sure it induces a different, smoother form of brain wave, almost a trance state.I like dropping into the well of a good story, of caring about a character and wanting toknow what happens next.What is your all-time favourite book?Lion of Macedon would be right up there, or anything else that David Gemmell wrote.There are some books that make me want to be a better man, to be honourable and tohave courage. That’s not a bad thing for a writer to achieve.How important is reading in life?A good book is a thread into an interesting mind, with a bit of luck. Ideas I wouldn’t havehad myself are there to be chewed over. Characters I couldn’t have made, stay with meforever, with their values and their triumphs and their tragedies.Do you think you would make a good Reading Champion?Ask your school to sign up today. www.readingchampions.org.ukFIRST NEWS has been runninga campaign for a year called MyWay! It’s about getting people tounderstand that everybody learnsin their own way. For some people school is easy but, for others, it might beharder. The important thing we want everybody to understand is that the wayyou learn has nothing to do with how smart you are. Around six children ineach class have learning challenges but that doesn’t mean that they won’t befantastically successful in whatever they choose to do. As My Way! champion,Hank Zipzer author Henry Winkler says: “Every child has brilliance inside them.Their job is to dig it out and give it to the world.”This year, 2011, is the National Year of Communication. The Hello campaign isaiming to help people understand how important it is for children and youngpeople to develop good communication skills. Penn School in Buckinghamshire is asecondary school for students with communication difficulties. As part of the Hellocampaign and My Way! we have asked students from Penn school to write aboutwhat it is like to have a communication disability. Each month,a different student tells their story.Here is Lucy’s story:Hi. My name is Lucy, I’m 17 and have one brother, Alex. Myepilepsy started when I was about a year old. I have been onepilepsy medicine for years. I have to take a lot of different tabletsevery day. I had lots of EEGs and MRI scans and four years ago Ihad surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital to take out a part ofmy brain to try to stop the seizures, but it didn’t work.I’m lucky, as my seizures only happen at night when I’m asleep,but I used to have daytime seizures. It is important to use the word seizure and notthe word fit, because it is serious.One time I was asleep and I had a seizure and no-one came in to help. I was quitescared, unable to breathe, panicky. I sometimes know when a seizure will come. Iused to get up early and walk to the bathroom and have a seizure then. It is scarywhen you do fall out of bed and you’ve bashed your head, eye, and nose. But ithasn’t stopped me from doing anything that I want to do when I want to do it.When I do have a seizure I go cold or hot and I toss and turn, flipping my duvet onand off and I mumble or bite my lip or the inside of my cheek. I usually have a seizureevery two to three weeks. I used to have a lot of seizures but now I have fewer.I like going to school. When it’s the holidays I get bored and I miss my friends!I like art and I am doing it at GCSE. I have lots of interests and I enjoy knittingbecause it relaxes me.Want to share your story? Find outhow online at www.firstnews.co.ukand click on My Way!WHAT’S IN THE SHOPS?Official Top Gear Calendar 2012the works £4.99If you are a car fanatic then you’ll love this Top Gear calendar. Withsome great tips, loads of crazy stunts and plenty of humour, thereare some super pictures from the series all here in this Top Gear2012 wall calendar.CHECK IT OUTfor more information go towww.hello.org.ukMoshi Monsterswww.popartuk.com £8.99Every proud owner of a Moshi Monster will love thisfantastic bold and bright square calendar, which is dedicatedto all things Moshi! This calendar will inject a little monstermagic into your room. Watch your favourite characters builda snowman, collect Easter eggs or transform into ‘SuperMoshis’ to protect their universe, as you plan your events for 2012.Mind Benders and Brainteasers 2012Page-A-Day Calendarwww.amazon.co.uk £7.19HELP the days fly by with this calendar. Filled with hundredsof puzzles, games, riddles, and conundrums, Mind Bendersand Brainteasers will keep you entertained all year long.

FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 january 2012Sport News23The ultimateteam sportGET INVOLVEDFor more information, see www.britishhandball.com.To find out where you can play, seewww.britishhandball.com,www.scottishhandball.com,or www.olympichandball.org.“The speed and the action are what I love about handballand there are always lots of goals. I think it’s the ultimateteam sport: full of action, tackles, goals, speed and skill.You don’t get that with many other sports, especially atan Olympics.I loved the intensity of training when I started, but also asa goalkeeper you are constantly involved. There’s very littletime to get bored!I swapped from football to handball because of thepotential opportunity to represent GB at an OlympicGames, especially in London. Adapting to the new sportyou might not know much about handball, but it’s one of the fastest and most exciting sports in the Olympics. Bobby White,the captain and goalkeeper of the GB men’s team (above), told us why you should get involved with this great game.was quite challenging and I don’t think I’ll ever stoplearning or improving. I also had to move to Denmark, sobeing away from friends and family, and in particular mygirlfriend, was very tough. Things like MSN and Skype werea massive help with that.The amount of training we do is the hardest thingabout it. We train two to three times a day and have videoanalysis once or twice a week.Why do I keep doing it? Well, the progress andimprovement that I see keeps me striving to be better, butI also want to see an improvement in the level of the gamein the UK, so that drives me on.I’d recommend the sport to First News readers becauseit is different to anything you have ever tried, but at thesame time has elements of popular sports like rugby,football and basketball. It has something for everyone! Ithink you would enjoy learning the skills and the physicalnature of the game. Once you pick up the basics, itbecomes a lot of fun.It’s a great form of exercise, but is also a great team sport.If you try it, hopefully it will create friendships and developdiscipline and respect for others.”SPORT NEWS IN NUMBERSPICTURE OF THE WEEK2 years is how long MichaelCarrick went without scoringa league goal for ManchesterUnited. He broke his droughtthis week by scoring the secondin United’s 2-0 win over QPR.Carrick picked the ball up insidehis own half and burst forwardto fire home, then said later thatthe last time he’d done that waswhen he was playing under-12football. United manager SirAlex Ferguson later joked thathe was angry with Carrick forgoing forward. “He’s supposedto sit in the middle of the pitch,”said Ferguson. “I’ll maybe have tofine him!” Carrick responded bysaying: “I’d be happy to pay it if Iscore goals like that!”Getty Getty12 rounds is how longBritain’s Carl Froch lastedin his super-middleweighttitle fight with America’sAndre Ward (left).Unfortunately for Froch, allthree judges ruled that Wardhad won, so Ward addedFroch’s WBC title belt to theWBA belt he already owned.17 is the number oftimes that Liverpool havehit the post or bar thisseason (left), the most inthe Premier League. BossKenny Dalglish joked thatthey should shave a fewcentimetres off the posts.Finland’s Anton Lindfors (left) leads the wayin one of the snowboard cross heats at theFIS Snowboard World Cup in Colorado, USAGetty

24 FirstNews Issue 290 23 december 2011 – 5 january 2012SPORTCRAZYBUT TRUEGREENwithIanEddy23Poop prizes15River Thamesscoops award20Thompson has had twowins in just three monthsGettyA starat sixteensixteen-year-old golfing sensation Lexi Thompsonhas become the second youngest winner in thehistory of the Ladies European Tour.by Ian EddyWhen she won the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters this week,Thompson was just 16 years, ten months and eight days old.She is the youngest professional winner on the tour, as AmyYang was still an amateur when she won in Australia in 2006,aged 16 years, six months and eight days old.Thompson finished the Dubai tournament on 15 under par,four shots clear of her nearest challenger.“I’ve been working on my game really hard and it’s paid off,”she said. “I’m going to continue working hard and just trying toimprove every tournament.”The American star stunned the world of golf three monthsago by winning the Navistar LPGA Classic in Alabama andbecoming the youngest ever winner on the LPGA Tour.Swim success for StatesBarca are top of the worldamerica beat Europe by more than 100 points as swimmers from both sidesof the Atlantic took part in the Duel in the Pool in Atlanta, USA.American athletes won 22 out of the 30 events, ending the competition with 181.5 points,compared to Europe’s 80.5.The best performanceby the Europeans camein the 4x100m freestylerelay. Britain’s Fran Halsall,Jeanette Ottesen (Denmark),Aliaksandra Herasimenia(Belarus) and RanomiKromowidjojo (Netherlands)came together to set thefastest ever time by awomen’s team, as they won in3mins 27.53secs.However, the amazing timewon’t count as an officialworld record, as the athleteswere all representingdifferent countries.Britain’s Fran Halsall helped to setthe fastest ever freestyle relay timeGettyit’s official – Barcelona arethe best football team inthe world… again.The Spanish superstarsthrashed Brazilian club Santos4-0 in the final of the FIFA ClubWorld Cup, which Barcelonaalso won in 2009.The tournament bringstogether the winners of thebiggest tournaments on eachcontinent, such as Europe’sChampions League.Lionel Messi scored two goalsMessi takes on theSantos defencefor Barcelona, while Santos’ Brazilian star Neymar didn’treally get a look in.“Today, the best team in the world showed us how toplay football,” said Neymar.Barcelona are still the team to beat, but their reign at thetop of Spain’s top division is under threat, as their big rivalsReal Madrid are currently three points clear.Getty