FirstNews ISSUE 275

FirstNews ISSUE 275 9 – 15 SEPTEMBER 2011FIRST NEWS HEADLINESFor the latest on these headlines, go to www.firstnews.co.uk/news5What a load of rubbish(Trouble is, it’s in space!)THE amount of junk circling the Earth has reached crisis point.Whatever you call it – trash,rubbish, debris, junk – there’sso much of it in space that it’sbecome dangerous.That’s the warning to NASAfrom top scientists from theNational Research Council.The space junk is made up of oldsatellites, boosters and rockets.When these things collide theysmash into smaller pieces whichcontinue to orbit the Earth.The space boffins are warningthat even tiny pieces of debriscould cause damage to spaceships carrying astronauts orThe amount of rubbish inspace could harm astronauts.satellites, which have crucial usesin communications, sat navs andTV signals.In June this year, astronauts inthe International Space Stationhad to prepare for an emergencyevacuation back to Earth becauseof the risk from space junk.One scientist said: “We have lostcontrol of the environment.”Ideas for a huge clean upinclude huge nets and giantumbrella-like structures to scoopup the orbiting mess.There are 22,000 pieces which arelarge enough to track from Earth.An artist’s impression of thejunk floating around EarthHappy Feetlegs it homeEDITOR’SCOMMENTEditor Nicky Cox MBEONE big news story is all over theheadlines this week even though ithappened ten years ago, before someFirst News readers were even born.The story is 9/11 and it’s on our front pagethis week. 9/11 stands for the date of 11thSeptember in America (though in Britain itwould normally mean 9th November) and it isknown as “the day that changed the world”.The 9th of September 2001 saw the biggestever terrorist attack in America. To markthe anniversary, there are many special TVprogrammes being shown that tell the story ofthe terrorist attacks that happened that day (seeour report on pages 2 and 3).America responded by launching the “War onTerror”, invading Afghanistan to get rid of theTaliban who were looking after the Al-Qaedaterrorist group who carried out the attacks. Itwas only this year that their leader, Osama BinLaden was found and killed.New laws were brought in, making it harderfor terrorists to plot deadly attacks. And securityat airports was made much tighter.Now America, and the world, is looking to thefuture. Movie maker Steven Spielberg has madea 9/11 TV special for the Discovery Channelcalled “Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero” whichtells the story of hope from darkness and newdreams born from the nightmare. It will beshown from Monday.SUBSCRIBE FOR HOMEGet 4 issues for £1*Call 0844 8267 338www.firstnews.co.uk/subscribeQuote: FNSH*followed by £13.99 every 3 months by DDAn unlucky bit of luckAN 11-year-old ice hockey whiz kid has lost out on claiming his$50,000 prize for scoring an amazing shot.Nate Smith hit his puck into a tiny holefrom an incredible 27 metres away at acompetition in Minnesota in the U.S.A.That accuracy should have earnedhim the prize, equivalent to morethan £30,000. But he couldn’t claim itbecause he had taken the place of hisidentical twin brother who had boughtBack to a new typeof “free” schoolThey’re called free schools and 24 havejust opened around England. Hundredsmore are expected to open in the nextfew years.They are different from other stateschools because they can be set up byparents, teachers, businesses or faithgroups and can make decisions withoutthe local authority.the entry ticket for the event. The boysowned up to swapping places the dayafter.The organisers and the twin’s dadpraised their honesty. The boys are stillpleased though, as the organisers havedonated £12,000 of the prize moneytowards youth hockey in the area.IT’S back to the classroom for millions of children, but some arestarting the term at a new type of school.They can introduce subjectslike Latin, have different startingtimes, or have a strong emphasison sport.The Government hopes they willimprove standards of teaching, butcritics say they are more likely to be setup in better off areas and will not beavailable to everyone.CELEBRITY penguin ‘Happy Feet’is making the long swim back hometo Antarctica.He was taken four days out to sea on a boat,where he slid off the back and into the SouthernOcean. As we reported last week, the youngEmperor penguin ended up in New Zealand,3,000km away from home, and started eatingsand, mistaking it for snow. Fish milkshakes andsurgery helped him back to the peak of penguinhealth, ready for the big swim.It’s hoped he’ll join other penguins who areheading back to Antarctica.GOOD WEEK FOR...Work experience that’sout of this world!WHEN Hannah Blyth went on workexperience, she did more than makethe tea – she discovered a new asteroid.During her week’s experience atGlamorgan University she was givenimages of space to analyse and she wasso good it made her a bit of a star!An asteroid has been named after her.BAD WEEK FOR...Jessie JTHE singer, who felloff a stage in June,has revealed thather broken footis worse than shethought. She saidshe’s had to havea bone transplantand her foot maynever heal properly.Ouch.