FirstNews ISSUE 275

4FirstNews ISSUE 275 9 – 15 SEPTEMBER 2011FIRST NEWS HEADLINESLibya: anupdateThe fighting in Libya is between Col.Gaddafi and rebel fighters who arebeing helped by countries includingBritain, France and America.Col. Gaddafi, who has been leader for42 years, has vowed to fight on and ‘letLibya burn.’Rebel fighters now control mostof the country, including thecapital Tripoli.The British Prime Minister DavidCameron said that the world would bebetter off without Gaddafi.The hunt is on for Gaddafi. A Libyanmilitary convoy has crossed intoneighbouring Niger. Gaddafi maybe with these soldiers, or hiding ina town controlled by his soldiers, orhe may have escaped to anotherAfrican country.A plane load of Libyan cash – £950million – was flown from Britainto Libya to help pay doctors andcivil servants.Somalia:updateThe famine is getting worse and theUnited Nations is warning that 750,000people could die there because of alack of food.Around 12 million people needurgent food aid across the region.It’s East Africa’s worst drought for 60years. The lack of rain has meant cropsdidn’t grow and animals used for foodare dying.Half of all deaths so far have beenchildren.For the latest on these headlines, go to www.firstnews.co.uk/newsA good year for spidersand apples and berries...IT’S been a rubbish Summer if you wanted sun, but a bumper year for an Autumn harvest and arachnids!So, if you like fruit and finding giant hairy spiders in your bath, thenyou’re in luck!The combination of a warm dry Spring followed by a cool wetSummer has meant ideal growing conditions for British crops suchas apples, pears, blackberries and nuts. And the same conditionswere also ideal for spiders to breed and for the baby spiders tosurvive and grow.It’s been the coolestSummer for almost 20 years,with more rainfall than lastyear. It was a record breakingApril though, with hightemperatures and blue skiesfor much of the UK. Thiswas followed by warningsof a drought for parts of thecountry. People’s hopes werehigh for a hot dry Summer.by Ian PrinceThe bumper crop of Autumn fruits and nuts, though, could be aprediction of a harsh Winter ahead according to amateur weatherwatchers.Warning: arachnophobes stop reading now!It’s this time of year when you’re likely to see large spiders in thehome – running across the floor while you’re watching TV or trying toclimb their way out of the bath. They are all hair, legs, knees and veryefficient fangs. This year has been a good one for them. They headindoors looking for some shelter and a mate. The ones in the bath aremost likely to be male spiders, which fell in while looking all aroundyour house or flat for a female spider.Spider lovers say the creatures are very beneficial. You can easilyhelp them out of the bath by hanging a tea towel over the edge. Thenthey can carry on their good work of eating flies and other insects.Now, to udder news!Yvonne: she’s a lucky bovineOLYMPICFACTAn estimated globalaudience of 4 billion peopleare expected to watchthe opening ceremonyon July 27, 2012.OLYMPIC COUNTDOWN46 WEEKS TO GO!AN escaped cow has finally been captured afterbeing on the run in Germany for three months.Yvonne, described by authorities as brown and white, quitebig, and very determined, escaped from her farm in Bavariaby charging through an electrified fence. She gained herfreedom shortly before she was due a one way trip to theslaughter house to be made into sausages.Yvonne joined a herd of deer and lived in the forest. Shemanaged to evade capture and even a shoot to kill orderafter she bolted past a police car and was thought to be adanger to traffic.Her adventure made headlines in Germany where she wascalled the “heroine of the Summer”.Eventually she was caught by a farmer and now it looks likeshe won’t be turned into sausages and shoes, after all.Yvonne is beginning a new life in a sanctuary after her newowners paid the farmer around £600 for her.