THE AWARD-WINNING WEEKLY NEWSPAPER FOR KIDS
£1.10 7 – 13 MAY 2010 ISSUE 206
WIN!
Nintendo
DSi XL
and
games! 15
You voted in the First News election and
THE WINNER IS…
Liberal Democrats’
David Laws
YESTERDAY (Thursday) Britain went to the polls to vote for the next Government, and you have been voting too
in our own First News election.
As First News went to press the results of
Thursday’s General Election were not yet
known. But the votes in our own election
were already counted. Young people in
Britain voted on who you think is the best
person to make decisions for children, and
the winner was David Laws from the Liberal
Democrat party. He won 41% of the votes
while the Conservative’s Michael Gove came
BIG INTERVIEW
High School
Musical’s
Matt
Prokop 14
by Gabrielle Utton
second with 31%. Labour’s Ed Balls, who
became Children’s Secretary in June 2007,
came third with 28% of the votes.
Votes were cast at www.firstnews.co.uk/
decision-time. Readers also left comments
about the three main parties and their
leaders on the website, including:
BIG ISSUE
Life
in the
slums 5 scared of?
“I think Nick Clegg should win because
he is very fair and I think he would make a
good Prime Minister.” Katie1999, aged 10.
“Gordon Brown is the best prime minister,
but the Conservative party have the best
policies and they work as a team. I want the
Tories to win.” Zoe1001, aged 12.
“My vote goes on policy not personality,
and there has been only one party that has
First News supports children’s charities
Working with
ANIMAL NEWS
What are
elephants
6
Don’t miss our full report on the General
Election results in next week’s First News
made it clear what they will do – Labour
Party.” Rkk101, aged 8.
“I think it is very cool because we get to
vote too.” Key-girl, aged 8.
Check the First News website
www.firstnews.co.uk for the election result
and to say what you think about it.
 2 ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010 www. FirstNews.co.uk
FIRST NEWS HEADLINES

Marathon
IN BRIEF
Trainer verdict
A VERDICT of accidental

month
death has been ruled on
the death of SeaWorld
killer whale trainer Dawn
Brancheau.
Dawn died in February from
drowning and her injuries after
she was pulled into the water by
Tilikum, a killer whale she trained.
Dawn had been an animal trainer

Grandma runs for 16 years.

27 marathons
A GRANDMOTHER has raced into the record books
by running an incredible 27 marathons in 27 days.
Rosie Swale Pope is 63
years old and from
Pembrokeshire, and she ran
1,137km (707 miles) for charity
in less than a month. Rosie’s
challenge took her through
London, Tunbridge Wells,
Bury St Edmonds, Bristol and
finished in her home town
of Tenby. The money she has
raised will go to the Ty Hafan
Hospice in Cardiff and Helen
& Douglas House Hospices in
Oxfordshire.
Rosie isn’t new to this kind
of running challenge. She
spent nearly five years running
20,000 miles across Europe,
Girl survives
jellyfish attack
A GIRL has amazed doctors
by surviving a nasty
jellyfish sting.
Rachel, 10, was stung by a
by Gabrielle Utton box jellyfish while swimming in
Queensland, Australia. Box
Russia, Asia and north America.
jellyfish are one of the most
Rosie was running in memory
deadly creatures and their venom
of her husband who died of
can kill humans in just a few
cancer. As well as running
minutes. Doctors think that Rachel
that distance Rosie also
may be the first person to survive
pulled a cart along behind
such a sting.
her which she used to sleep in
each night.
After completing her last
marathon Rosie said: “I think
the main thing is to show
people that they should reach
out to do what they want to
do. Maybe you can’t always get
there but you should always
reach out.”

Green exercise boosts health

EXERCISING somewhere green and leafy
can make you feel mentally better as well as
physically.
Researchers looked at ten studies of 1,250 people
and found that young people benefit the most from
doing activities in the outdoors. In just five minutes of
walking, cycling or horse-riding in a park or garden, an
improvement in mood and well-being was noticed. If the
exercise was carried out where there was water too, such
as a lake or river, the improvement was even greater. VOTE AT
Experts think that anyone who is stressed could www.FirstNews.co.uk
benefit from ‘green exercise’, and that it could even help

Animals need privacy

young offenders.

Who is the richest in sport? WILDLIFE film and programme makers should be
DAVID Beckham may be one of the most famous more careful about intruding on animals’ lives, says
people in sport but he’s only the second richest. a university lecturer.
His £125 million fortune puts him behind the chairman of Dr Brett Mills, from the University of East Anglia’s film and
Wigan Athletic football club, Dave Whelan, who is worth television department, says that people aren’t allowed to be
£190 million. filmed without their knowledge and maybe animals shouldn’t
Seven of the top ten of the Sunday Times Sport Rich List are in either. He says that if animals are showing ‘secretive’ behaviour
motor racing, including Jenson Button with £43 million. Jenson then film makers shouldn’t see that as a challenge to find out
also tops the young rich list. Six of the sportsmen on the young what they’re doing but as a sign the animal wants to be left alone.
rich list are footballers while Andy Murray is the only tennis What do you think? Do you want to see what animals get up
player, valued at £15 million. None of those listed in the top ten to in the wild or do you think programme makers should leave
sport rich or young rich lists are women. them alone?
ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010 www. FirstNews.co.uk 3

FIRST NEWS HEADLINES

Teacher New York car bomb EDITOR’S
COMMENT
cleared
A TEACHER who hit a student with
POLICE in New York have arrested a man after finding a car bomb in
Times Square.
A street vendor in the famous
square noticed the abandoned
car, still with its engine running,
THE result of the First News
election is in, are you happy with
the result?
When the three politicians answered
children’s questions in our live debate
a dumbbell has been aquitted of on Saturday evening. Police
arrived and conducted a Decision Time, the audience voted for
attempted murder. David Laws from the Liberal Democrats.
controlled explosion after
Peter Harvey, 50, struck a 14-year-old evacuating the area. They have And he’s the man you voted for on the First
student with a dumbbell in July 2009, described the home-made News website too.
fracturing his skull. bomb As First News went to press the result
The teacher had recently returned to work as“crude”but able to have of the General Election wasn’t yet known.
after taking time off for depression when the made a“significant fireball”. The But in the weeks leading up to the
incident happened. Evidence showed that he home-made device Election it became obvious that the Liberal
was mocked by pupils who were attempting was made from fireworks, Democrats had grown in popularity. So did
to provoke a reaction, which they intended to fertiliser, petrol and propane gas the young people of Britain see something
film with a camcorder. tanks. in the Liberal Democrats before the adults?
A jury at Nottingham Crown Court decided The mayor of New York says Maybe grown-ups should pay more
to let Peter Harvey off the charge for attempted there is no evidence to show the attention to children’s views…
murder after a two hour deliberation. He has bomb was an attempt by a large See you next week with our full report on
already spent eight months on remand. He terrorist group. The suspect the results of the General Election.
will return to court on 21 May to be sentenced was arrested at John F Kennedy Editor
for the charge of grievous bodily harm airport as he was trying to Nicky Cox
without intent. board a flight to Dubai. MBE

Oil slick THIS WEEK

disaster
IN HISTORY
ON 8 May 1945, Prime Minister Winston
Churchill announced the offi cialend to
the Second World War.

BAD
WEEK FOR...
Doctor Who fans
Thousands of fans
have complained to
the BBC after a cartoon
advert popped up,
covering Matt Smith’s
mouth during the end
scene of an episode.

Birds at a Breton Island sanctuary get

President Obama speaking some protection from oil boom barriers
in Louisiana
GOOD
PRESIDENT Barack Obama has spoken about the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, labelling it as a “potentially
unprecedented” environmental disaster.
WEEK FOR...
The President was visiting Louisiana to see for himself the by Serena Lacey Avatar
damage the oil has caused. The slick is now 14km off the coast of
south-eastern Louisiana and growing daily. The oil spill is spreading due to winds and choppy seas. The sci-fi film
President Obama said: “The oil that is still leaking from the well Experts fear that if it keeps spreading, it could become the worst has broken
could seriously damage the economy and the environment of oil spill in US history. the UK record
our Gulf States. And it could extend for a long time.” Deepwater Horizon exploded on 22 April, killing 11 workers for biggest
US coastguards say it is impossible to determine how much and sinking soon after. BP own the sunken rig and President opening-day
oil is leaking from the Deepwater Horizon, but it is estimated at Obama has said they must take responsibility and pay for
sales of a
around 200,000 gallons of oil a day. the disaster.
Blu-ray disc.
4 ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010
THE NEWS IN PICTURES
30 APRIL
QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND: Local workers attempt to pump the water
away from Camp Street as flood water rises in Queenstown central business
district. Local residents continue to wait as flood waters rise from Lake
Wakatipu. More rain is forecast as flood waters rise at around 1cm per hour.
2 MAY
LOS ANGELES, USA: A fisherman releases the crabs he has caught
back into the ocean. An oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico has left
some fishermen worried that the shellfish in their nets could
be contaminated.
2 MAY
HITACHINAKA, JAPAN: Visitors gather at Hitachinaka Kaihin Park to see the Blue
Nemophila flowers in bloom during the Golden Week holidays. Millions of these
flowers blossom on the Miharashi No Oka hill, attracting many visitors to the park.
www. FirstNews.co.uk
30 APRIL
NEUNKIRCHEN, GERMANY: An elephant is fed with apples after
arriving at a zoo. Two elephants arrived at the zoo after a four day trip
from Benidorm in Spain.
2 MAY
TOYKO, JAPAN: Around 1,200 carp streamers
2 MAY fluttered along the banks of the Sagami River
as part of an annual event for Japan’s national
BADMINTON, ENGLAND: Zara Phillips completes holiday, Children’s Day. ‘Koinobori’ (carp streamers)
the water jump on her horse, Glenbuck, on day three reflect the parents’ wishes for boys to grow up as
of the Badminton Horse Trials. strong as the carp.
30 APRIL
SHANGHAI, CHINA: Fireworks illuminate the sky during the opening ceremony of
the 2010 World Expo. More than 20 heads of state attended the 90-minute opening
ceremony presided over by Chinese President Hu Jintao.
ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010
SPECIAL REPORT
Life in
the slums
THERE’S only one word to describe the slums of Nairobi in Kenya at first look – shocking.
There’s a lack of so many things – clean water, toilets, ceilings or roofs without holes. Many
families also face a constant fear of eviction.
One of the slums in Matopeni, Swahili for ‘in the mud’,
shows what can happen after years of no sanitation.
The drinking water is not fit for public use and the drains
are full of rats. This leads to the everyday risk of diseases like
typhoid, cholera and tuberculosis. There are no roads, no
proper buildings or schools, and no cleaning facilities.
The families who live in Matopeni call it “the secret slum”
because of the lack of attention from the government.
However, things are now changing, thanks to the help of
an organisation called Arise and Shine.
Arise and Shine is a community group, supported by UK
charity Christian Aid, which has been formed by Catherine
Kithuku. Catherine lives with her family of nine in a room
the size of a garden shed. “Children are the ones who are
most affected when there is an outbreak of typhoid,” says
Catherine, “but people don’t always understand.”
“If we get proper taps, proper water points where people
can go and fetch clean water, then the life of Matopeni will
never be the same again.”
Things are getting better
Christian Aid is about to invest £30,000 into the area
but nearby Kiambiu shows how things are getting better
for some families. Ten years ago, it was one of the dirtiest
To find out more about Christian Aid Week, go to www.caweek.org
by John McKie for Christian Aid
slums in all Nairobi. That has all changed. The lives
of thousands have been improved by the addition
of sanitation blocks.
These blocks offer showers and toilets for
everyone in Kiambiu. They cost five Kenyan
shillings (around 2p) to use and pay for themselves.
The community is very proud of them.
Humphrey Oduor, a former gang leader who turned his
life around, now helps run weekly clean-ups in the area
for the teenagers and they look up to him as a role model.
Music is played to encourage teenagers to join in during
the clean-ups, which give many of the youngsters a sense
of identity and something to do.
“It’s great to see money going
to the right places”
Both Matopeni and Kiambiu were both visited for
Christian Aid Week by Clash of the Titans and Skins actor
Nicholas Hoult, who was amazed to see the difference
an investment could make to an area. “The first day in
Matopeni was a really sharp kick in the teeth and it put a
lot of things in my life in perspective,” Nicholas said.
”You can’t get a grasp of how bad a slum is until you see
it in person. The humidity and the stench and the dirt are
www. FirstNews.co.uk 5
something which will live with me for a very long time. But
the families there are still determined to make it a happy
place to be.
“When I went to Kiambiu, I could really appreciate the
positive changes and the work being done by people
like Humphrey. It’s great to see money going to the right
places. The families in Kenya can help themselves but they
just need a kick-start to get on their way.”
Did you know?
Half of Nairobi’s population live in slums. That area
accounts for only 1% of the available land set aside for
housing in the city.
Matopeni has 2,000 people living in 300 houses.
What is Christian Aid Week?
CHRISTIAN Aid Week is the UK’s longest-running
fundraising week. It has raised more than £60m
over the past five years. People deliver famous red
envelopes as well as making online collections. This
money means that people of all faiths in more than
40 of the world’s poorest countries will be given
life-saving help. A big part of Christian Aid’s work is
that their funding enables local partners to support
themselves and lift themselves out of poverty.
 6 ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010
ANIMAL NEWS
Scared
of bees!
SCIENTISTS have discovered that elephants are so scared of bees that they warn other elephants about them by
making a rumbling alarm call.
The study was done by Save the Elephants
and researchers from the University of Oxford
who were studying elephants in Kenya.
They found that when the animals heard
the buzzing sound associated with bees, they
became distressed and moved away, making a
noise to warn the rest of their herd.
They reacted the same way when a recording
Giant jelly filmed
A GIANT jellyfish found only in the
deepest seas has been filmed by
scientists.
An ROV (remotely operated vehicle) was
used to collect the images of the animal in the
Gulf of Mexico.
The giant jellyfish can reach 6m long and
have a width of 1m. They have only been
known to exist for the last 110 years, so very
little is known about them.
by Serena Lacey
of buzzing was played, even if no bees were
actually around.
Elephants have tough, thick skin but they are
still afraid of bees. Baby elephants have delicate
skin and can easily be killed by a swarm of bees
stinging them, while adult elephants have
Whaling rows
CONSERVATIONISTS are angry at plans to allow a reduced amount of
whale hunting over the next ten years.
The International Whaling Commission
(IWC) is trying to keep conservationists and
whalers happy with a compromise. Lots of
people are against the Japanese whaling
www.
delicate areas around their eyes and inside
their trunks.
The research was part of a bigger plan to
find a way to help farmers and elephants live
together peacefully. Lots of farmers in Kenya
dislike elephants as they can trample their fields
and eat their crops. Perhaps playing the sounds
of bees could help keep elephants away?
industry. A draft plan to reduce the amount
of whales hunted has been put together.
It will be discussed at the IWC’s annual
meeting in June.
FirstNews.co.uk
Record-
breaking crab
THE Blue Reef Aquarium
in Newquay has a giant
new resident.
Titan, believed to be one of the
largest edible crabs ever caught in
the UK, has found a home there.
Titan has a claw span of 60cm
and weighs 3.5kg. His claws are the
size of fists.
He was caught in a lobster pot
off the coast of Cornwall, but was
too impressive to be turned into
crabcakes. Instead, he has gone on
display at Blue Reef Aquarium.
Matt Slater, curator of the
aquarium, says: “He’s twice as big
as any other crab we have ever had
at the aquarium. He is quite feisty
so you do have to take care when
handling him!”
Nature vote
SCHOOL kids across the
country are being asked to
vote on the species of animal
that they think needs the
most help.
A new project by the RSPB called
Vote for Nature encourages kids to
look at five selected species of animal
and learn about the threats affecting
them. The chosen animals are the
bumblebee, albatross, polar bear,
sand eel and Sumatran tiger.
The RSPB is hoping schools
will spend an hour with students
discussing each of the species and
why it is important to save them,
before putting it to a vote. Which
species do you think needs most
help? Email First News at newsdesk@
firstnews.co.uk
ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010
SCHOOL NEWS
Maths challenge
PUPIL scoops gold award for World Maths Day challenge.
by Jayshiv Patel, 7, Uxendon Manor Primary School, Harrow
My school registered children to The World
Maths Day 2010.
The competition lasted two days, and
parents and teachers who had registered
logged on to the computer and played
mental maths games.
There were five levels and each
level had 100 games. Each game
lasted 60 seconds. In one game you
had to answer as many questions as
you could.
If you got three questions wrong
then that game finished. When you
start the game, the computer searches
for people around the whole world
at the same level as you to compete
with in your age group. Children were
categorised according to their age:
five to eight, nine to 13 and 14 to 18
years old.
I was very scared at the beginning
because I had never typed so quickly
before, but I got used to it.
I managed to reach level four and
played 59 games. In total I had played
359 games. I thought that I would
never win anything.
The next day I received a Gold
award certificate at school as I had
answered 8,797 correct questions out
of 9,315. I got the highest mark out of
Pupils get political ON THE BALL
CLASS trip to the Houses of Parliament helps kids discover the law of the land.
by Cherise Veerasawmy and Isabel Blatch, Year 6, Howard School, Croydon
Our class were invited to go and visit the
Houses of Parliament. This was to expand
our knowledge about citizenship and how
laws are made in the country. Everyone was
extremely excited to be in the Houses of
Parliament.
We had to go through a very important
security check. Then we were greeted by
two very polite ladies, who were going to
guide us through the Houses of Parliament.
Our tour began with a stop at the House of
Commons. The room was filled with green
leather benches for only the MPs to sit on.
There was also an area for the press and
members of the public to observe debates.
As soon as we were out of the House of
Commons it was straight to the House of
Lords. Once we were in there, everyone put
their hands to their mouths in shock as they
noticed the Queen’s throne. Nobody had
realised that the House of Lords was filled
with ruby red and glowing gold, unlike the
House of Commons. The two ladies explained
that the room is used for checking through
the bill and if they have a few changes
they will send it back. This practice is called
“ping pong”.
www. FirstNews.co.uk 7
Home school life
KIDS reveal what it’s like to be home
educated.
by Clover, Emily, Gabrielle, Krystie,
Naomi, Rachel and Serena
We are a group of home educated children
the whole school.
who read First News as a source of topics for
I was so delighted that I had achieved the
our Discussion Group, and we thought your
Gold award certificate in school assembly.
readers might find it interesting to hear what
might think we are a bit “weird” – we don’t
we get up to!
have a uniform, which means we wear what
We feel very privileged and lucky to be
fits our personalities, and we have learned to
home educated because we have great fun
think freely and explore ideas.
while learning – we are able to meet with our
We are not sure whether home education
friends regularly, and Mum or Dad are never
would suit everybody: to someone familiar
very far away!
with the school routine, home ed can seem to
We get to do a range of stuff, usually with
lack structure, but everyone learns in different
other children of a mixture of ages. This can be
ways and home ed accommodates that.
a bit frustrating sometimes, but it can be good
There are an estimated 37,000 of us in the
to see what people of varying abilities can
UK, so some must enjoy it. We hope you have
teach each other.
enjoyed finding out a little about us!
Some children who attend regular school
Your school in First News
We want to hear what your school is up to
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 newsdesk@firstnews.co.uk.
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.)
AFTER some brilliant battles, silky skills and fantastic football,
the UK Final of the Tesco Cup 2009/10 is nearly here.
The earlier thrilling rounds of
the competition have whittled
down the teams to the final 12.
Three teams each from England,
Northern Ireland, Scotland and
Wales will be hoping to win their
matches at the Reebok Stadium,
home of Premier League stars
Bolton Wanderers.
The fifth year of this excellent U14 girls and U13 boys.
competition has seen teams battle This grassroots tournament is
it out in three categories: U16 girls, part of the Tesco commitment to
encourage people to enjoy sport
and to keep themselves healthy.
As we walked out of the glorious House A huge number of teams test their
of Lords, we passed a special statue of the skills out in county, regional and
mighty Winston Churchill, former prime national stages of the competition.
minister. We realised that his foot was a Last year saw English teams win
completely different colour to the rest of his
all three finals, so could the other
body and found out that so many MPs had
rubbed his foot that the colour had worn home nations get their revenge
away. Now the MPs have been banned from this year?
touching his foot!
After a long day, everyone was very tired For more details about this great tournament,
but satisfied. Everybody had a fantastic www.tesco.com/football is the place to go.
experience that will never be forgotten.
8 ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010
OUR STORIES
THE
WEEK’S
WEATHER
with Jonathan Powell
From Friday 7 May 2010
to Thursday 13 May 2010
WEEK IN GENERAL
Generally settled. Cool.
FRIDAY 7 MAY
Scotland/N Ireland
– Dry, sunny spells. Day
11c/52f Night 6c/43f. Light north
easterly.
England/Wales – Dry,
sunny spells. Day 14c/57f
Night 7c/45f. Light north easterly.
SATURDAY 8 MAY
Scotland/N Ireland
– Dry, sunny spells. Day
12c/54f Night 7c/45f. Light north
easterly.
England/Wales – Dry,
sunny spells. Day 14c/57f
Night 8c/46f. Light north easterly.
SUNDAY 9 MAY
Scotland/N Ireland
– Dry, sunny spells. Day
11c/52f Night 6c/43f. Light north
easterly.
England/Wales – Dry,
sunny spells. Day 15c/59f
Night 8c/46f. Light north easterly.
REST OF THE WEEK
Turning increasingly
unsettled.
WEATHER
FACT FILE
MAY weather in New York
is usually dry, often sunny,
and rather pleasant, with
temperatures up to 22c/72f
by mid-afternoon.
THE WEEK IN NUMBERS
700 years ago a charter
was signed saying there would
be a weekly market in Stockton.
It now attracts thousands of
visitors a week.
500,000 pounds has
been spent returning Craigievar
Castle in Aberdeenshire back to its
original glory.
www. FirstNews.co.uk
Home News
Mull
Swimming cat?
A rare Scottish wildcat has been
spotted on the island of Mull. Mull
is around a mile from the Scottish
mainland, so experts are curious
as to how the wildcat got there.
Belfast Ireland Lewis Some believe it may have swum.
Wildcats aren’t scared of water
like normal cats, although
Sounds of art Tears for broadcaster Ash hideout it is very unusual for them
Ireland is in mourning after Gerry The largest species of falcon in to swim. There are believed
Ryan, one of its much-loved radio the world has been seen on Lewis, to be only 400 pure wildcats
broadcasters died unexpectedly. where it is suspected of sheltering left in Scotland.
Books of condolence have been from the volcanic ash cloud.
set up in memory of the Experts at the RSPB think the
radio star. gyrfalcon flew to Scotland from UK
Greenland to get away from
the ash. It could also have Oak disease
followed migrating geese
A new art project in Belfast will
to the island. Bird watchers
make use of the hidden rivers
are very excited by the
that flow underneath the city.
sighting as there are only
Special installations around the
a few sightings of the
city will project the sounds of
bird of prey a year.
the waterways onto Belfast’s
streets. The historic rivers
now flow through pipes,
some big enough for a bus
to drive through. Conservation groups around
the country are concerned
about a disease that is spreading
through the UK’s oak trees. The
deadly disease, known as Acute
Oak Decline (AOD) is caused
by bacteria and can kill a fully
grown tree in just a few years. It is
affecting two species of native oak
tree. Experts want more money
spent on research to help stop
the disease.
Buckinghamshire
Knife attack
Two pupils at a respected private
UK school in Buckinghamshire
have been arrested after a fight
involving a knife. One 17-year-old
Flying Prince suffered a small cut on his arm
Prince Harry has passed his pilot’s course after the fight. Two boys aged
and finished his Army training. The Prince 16 and 17 were arrested and
can now fly two types of helicopter then bailed. The headmaster of
and choose which type of aircraft he the school has said it has a “zero
specialises in. A spokesperson for the tolerance” policy towards knife
Prince said: “He will give the matter serious crime and has reassured the rest of
consideration over the next few days.” the students.
10 beaches in Torbay are offi cially
now dog-free zones until 30 September.
100 acres of land near
Northwich, Cheshire, is being
Anyone caught on the beaches with a investigated as part of a
dog will be fined. There are still 18 dog- two day mammal hunt by
friendly beaches in the area. wildlife experts.
90 year-old Mary Tattersall from
West Yorkshire astounded fellow golfers
600 young fish have
been killed by a spill of waste
by getting a hole in one after playing into the River Teifi. The fish
golf for just two years. were mainly salmon and trout.
ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010 www. FirstNews.co.uk 9

SCIENCE Did you

know ?
Eagle One of the main reasons for the
bald eagle’s decline, along with
many other birds of prey, was
the use of the pesticide DDT. This
substance is hard to break down

vs
and builds up in animals. It is
most dangerous for top predators
Asteroids could have brought

Getty
such as the bald eagle and can water and life to Earth
prevent them from raising chicks.

Water found on
It is still used in some places to
control malaria, although it is
hoped that this will stop by 2020.
an asteroid for

fox
the first time
SCIENTISTS have seen signs of ice
and other life-giving substances
on the asteroid 24 Themis.
Most astronomers have thought that
asteroids travel too close to the sun to
keep any ice. However, using the infrared
telescope at Mauna Kea in Hawaii,
Although bald eagles prefer fish, they are very
scientists have shown this to be false.
good at finding new sources of food, even going
so far as to steal it from other creatures Writing in Nature, scientists report

A PROGRAMME to reintroduce bald eagles to some American islands could endanger local fox and sea bird populations.
Bald eagles disappeared from the Californian
Channel Islands before the end of the ’60s. This
was due to several human factors, including
shooting, poisoning, egg collecting and the use of
harmful pesticides by farmers.
Wildlife managers have been trying to start new
colonies of bald eagles on the islands of Santa
Catalina and Santa Cruz.
Recently, researchers have been studying the
diets of bald eagles on the islands over thousands
of years. One of the ways they did this was to
by Ian Eddy
chemically analyse animal bones found in a nest
that had been used for a hundred years.
Scientists found that the eagles had, at various
times in history, eaten lots of sea birds and also
used to eat sheep and cattle when farming was
still allowed on the islands.
There are no longer any cattle or sheep on the
islands, and local sea bird populations are quite
fragile. Some endangered foxes that live on the
Getty
islands have also been killed, although this was
mainly by golden eagles. Experts had to remove
the golden eagles from the island to prevent the
fox population from dying out.
The researchers say that wildlife managers
should consider the possibility that bald eagles
will start to prey on foxes too. This is because local
fish and sea bird populations have dropped, and
the eagles might be forced to change their diet.
This is even more of a danger now that the eagles
cannot prey on sheep or cattle.
how they studied 24 Themis for six
years. Their measurements repeatedly
showed that ice was present, as well
as substances containing carbon and
hydrogen. These are two of the most
important elements for life on Earth.
The discovery has brought new life to
something called panspermia. This is the
theory that life on Earth was delivered
here on asteroids or comets that came
from other planets. Many microbes
and bacteria can survive in space, so it
is possible that life and water came to
Earth from another planet.
Experts think that 24 Themis may have
ice deep inside it, and that collisions with

Found on the
other asteroids brings it to the surface.
Getty

moon after 40 years

TEAMS of scientists have been working together to find a
lost Russian moon rover that went missing in 1971.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (SSC)

Lunokhod 1 was carried into space by the unmanned Luna 17 craft,
which landed on the moon in November 1970. It was carrying a light
reflector, which scientists were supposed to use to accurately measure
the distance to the moon’s surface.
A honeybee making our
Other reflectors have been placed on the moon. The American Apollo favourite toast topping An artist’s impression
11, 14 and 15 missions put some there, and the Russian Lunokhod 2 of an asteroid belt

Bee death investigation

rover also successfully positioned its reflector. However, the Lunokhod
1 reflector would have helped to provide better information about the

?
moon’s core, as well as locating the exact centre of the moon.
Now, scientists working on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
A REPORT by experts says that the huge drop in bee
(LRO) have helped
to find Lunokhod populations doesn’t have one simple explanation. Did you
1. Their pictures of
the moon’s surface
allowed researchers
at the University of
Scientists from the World
Organisation for Animal Health
(OIE) have been looking into
colony collapse disorder (CCD) in
bees. These include infections
from viruses and bacteria, poor
nutrition caused by human impact
on the environment, and deadly
know
Most asteroids are found in
California San Diego honeybees. CCD leads to huge parasites such as Varroa mites. a belt between the orbits
to look in the right populations of bees being wiped Bees are hugely important, of Mars and Jupiter. There
area. Experts there out in a short space of time. because they pollinate up to a are over 200 asteroids
had been looking A group of researchers has said third of the food that we eat. there that measure more
miles away, but that pesticides have a large impact “Bees contribute to global than 100km in diameter,
have now managed on bees’ health, by weakening food security and their extinction and millions of smaller
to send laser pulses their resistance to disease. would represent a terrible ones. Their average surface
and measure the However, they say that many biological disaster,” said Dr Bernard temperature is -73°C.
One of the Russian Lunokhod rovers
return signal. other factors are also killing Vallat, the head of the OIE.
10 ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010 www. FirstNews.co.uk
GLOBAL STORIES

SNIPPETS
A shipwreck off the coast of
Croatia has been covered with
a huge metal cage, to protect
the millions of pounds worth
of valuable treasures inside.
USA
Bank bravery
An off-duty security guard was
praised by police after he stopped
a robbery. Ruben Torres, 62, was
inside a bank in Palm Bay when
a man demanded money from
a cashier. Torres slipped out to
his car to get his gun, then went
back into the bank and ordered
the robber to lie on the floor until
police arrived.
World News
Canada
Alien influence
The former Canadian defence
minister, Paul Hellyer, has dismissed
Stephen Hawking’s warning that
aliens could be bad for our planet.
Hellyer believes that aliens have
been visiting Earth for years, and
that their technology led to the
development of microchips and
other technological advances.
Netherlands
Dutch delight
The former England football
manager Steve McClaren has led
FC Twente to their first ever league
title. He is the first English coach to
win a major European league title
since 1996. Last year, when Twente
only came second, a book was
written about the season called It’s
A Miracle.
Sweden
Wolf trouble
In the five counties that allow wolf
hunting, nearly half of the offi cialsin
charge have received death threats
or other kinds of harassment.
However, the Swedish Hunters’
Association has also said that its
members have received threats.
Both sides say that the debate over
the wolf culls has got out of hand.
Japan
Honey hassle
Police have warned beekeepers
to be on the lookout for thieves
that have been stealing beehives.
Since a ban on bringing bees
into Japan was put in place, the
price of bees has doubled. The
ban was brought in to try and
control the spread of a parasite.
A spokesman for Japanese
beekeepers claimed that two
million bees were stolen last year.

Getty
Australia
Getty

I’m not dead!

A Melbourne hospital has
apologised to a patient, after
a letter was sent to the man’s
USA doctor saying that he was dead.
Peter Thornton checked himself
Too fat to fight out of the Alfred Hospital after
he says he was left alone on a
trolley for 12 hours. Offi cialsare
investigating the situation.

Getty
Cameroon Afghanistan India
Getty

Two retired US generals have
warned that the obesity levels of
America’s youth are putting the
country’s defence in danger. John
Shalikashvili and Hugh Shelton’s
report says that 25% of young
people would be too fat to go to
war, and that new rules on school
nutrition should be brought in.
Elephants escape
Dozens of elephants have fled from
the Dja Faunal Reserve, causing panic
in local villages. Reports say that the
creatures destroyed houses and crops
as they ran away from poachers. The
head of the reserve claimed that the
poachers were locals and only had
themselves to blame.
School ‘poisoning’
At least 88 schoolgirls and teachers
have fallen ill at three separate schools,
and deliberate poisoning is suspected.
It is thought that the Taliban or a group
working with them is responsible
for the attacks in Kunduz province.
The Taliban and other groups do not
believe that girls should be educated.
Guilty gunman
The only surviving terrorist from the
attack on Mumbai in 2008 has been
found guilty at the end of a long court
case. Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab
was caught after the shootings, which
left 174 people dead. The nine other
gunmen who were with him were all
killed by police during the attacks.
SNIPPETS
A Hong Kong cargo ship has
sunk off the coast of China, after
it collided with a Liberian ship.
Both crews were rescued. Fog
was blamed for the crash.

KIDS’ WORLD
Name: NomFundo Ndlovu Lives: Johannesburg, South Africa Age: 15
ACROSS South Africa, thousands of vulnerable children leave school and miss out on an education. VSO and local
charity SCORE are helping at risk children on their way to a better future through sport classes.
At 15, NomFundo Ndlovu has had to fight for her education. sessions and to offer every child the opportunity to talk to someone
NomFundo says: “My mother was a prostitute and couldn’t afford to about their problems.
take me to school.” NomFundo is now looking forward to the future as a care worker,
Photo:Simon Rawles/VSO

She was rehoused at a children’s shelter, where she went to school and taking girls just like her to school, helping them with homework and
passed her exams. Girls like NomFundo are helped to change their lives trying to reunite troubled families, similar to hers, by talking through
through sport. VSO and Score aim to get everyone taking part in coaching their problems.
72 million children are missing out on a quality primary education. Celebrate the World Cup by supporting 1 GOAL
– Send My Friend to School. For more information and schools resources visit www.sendmyfriend.org
ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010 www. FirstNews.co.uk 11
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
GREEN NEWS What do you do to help fight climate change? How do you get your
with Gabrielle Utton friends, family and school to do their bit too? Tell us and First News
readers, write to newsdesk@firstnews.co.uk or the address on page 14.

Grow your What a waste

own… DID you know that more than 8.3 tonnes of food is thrown
away every year in the UK?
WRAP’s campaign, Love Food Hate Think before you throw

beans
Waste, wants everyone to realise something away. If your spuds are
that by making a small difference sprouting, don’t bin them – just give
FROM runners to broad, there are lots of diff erent types to how much food we throw away, them a good peel and they’ll make
we can all save money and help the delicious mash.
of beans that you can plant in your garden!
environment. Make sure your eyes aren’t bigger
What you need Cover the soil with staw to protect your growing Not only does throwing away food than your belly. Only cook what you
Large plant pot beans from any pesky slugs. that could be eaten cost the average are going to eat.
Four canes Make sure you get rid of any aphids (small plant- family with children £680 a year, but Start composting – put all those
String eating insects) by rubbing them off with your if we stop doing it the CO2 impact peelings to good use in your garden.
Soil or peat-free compost fingers or spraying your plants with water. would be the equivalent of taking one
Straw After about 14 weeks in four cars off the road. Wasting food
Watering can your beans should be is also a waste of resources – just think
Bean seeds nice and long but still of all the energy, water and packaging
tender, so are ready to that is used in food production,
What you do be picked! Keep picking transportation and storage.
Push your four canes into a pot filled with soil your beans and new But there are some simple things
and tie them together at the top in the shape of a ones could grow for the you can do to cut down on your food
wigwam. next eight weeks. waste…
Place your bean seeds into the soil, about 5cm If you allow a few of Make the most of your leftovers.
deep, one each side of a cane. the pods on your plant Last night’s lamb or chicken can
Cover your seeds with soil and water them. to dry out you can open make a tasty sandwich for your
When the seedlings start to grow, wrap them them up and use the packed lunch.
around the nearest cane as this will support the beans inside to grow Freeze or store food correctly to
bean plant as it grows. more next year! make it last. For example, you can
put apples in the fridge to keep them
fresher for longer.
The headline typeface used in Green News is called Ecofont. It’s better for the environment because the holes mean it uses less ink!
For more info, check out www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

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 Advertisem

USE YOUR IMAGINATION

WE’VE been taking a peek at the Creativity section of the
new Tesco for Schools & Clubs catalogue this week. That’s
where you’ll find tonnes of fun and interesting products
to inspire you in the classroom. Whether it’s musical
instruments, art and design materials or special historical
packs, there’s something to bring out everyone’s creative side.

ART OF
DIFFERENT CULTURES
This great book is packed full of ideas that
allow you to create your own images and artefacts
from ten of the world’s cultures. You can get busy
with everything from textiles, drawing and painting
to amazing 3D objects

BEGINNER’S
ELECTRIC GUITAR
You can add a touch of rock ’n’ roll to music
lessons with one of these six-stringed beauties

Don’t forget about the Muscular Dystrophy
Campaign’s Young Pavement Artists Competition 2010.
The MDC was the Tesco Charity of the Year for 2009, and
we’re supporting this great creative contest.
Young people across the country are invited to enter,
by turning their pavement into works of art. It’s a unique
opportunity to show off your arty skills, as well as win
some great prizes and raise money for the campaign.
Visit http://www.muscular-dystrophy.org/
pavementart for all the details of how to enter. Then
get chalking, have fun and help raise money for a very
important cause!
ment feature

CRAY PAS
PASTELS
These cool, non-toxic pastels give you all the
fun of oil painting, but without the mess of paint.
They make bright, intense colours and are made
specially to allow easy blending and layering.
SAMUEL PEPYS
Perfect for every budding Van Gogh! COLLECTION
Now you can relive the time of the Great Fire
of London and have some fun in class as well. The
pack includes a wig and neck ruff, plus a quill,
inkwell, sand shaker and 30 pieces of parchment
for you to write your own diaries on

QUOTES
,,
,, I like the new catalogue because you have put everything
in it, from toys to ICT to electrical and books. Fantastic!

,, – Mrs Penny Antoni, St Demetrios after school club

Fantastic to have all of this for ‘free’! We especially love the buttons
,,
,,
– M Watson, Congerstone Primary School
,, The choice of resources is excellent, just wish we
had more vouchers to spend. Can’t wait until next year’s scheme!

,,
– J Humberstone, Swallow’s Nest
,, There was a wonderful selection. We are delighted with
the art equipment we got, as well as the digital camera
– Hilary Ryan, Ballyhea National School

Start collecting vouchers now.

Deadline for orders is
Friday 2 July 2010.
For more information, check out
www.tesco.com/schools
14 ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010
THE BIG INTERVIEW
I wanted the racoon
MATT Prokop caught our attention when he played Jimmie Zara in High School Musical 3: Senior Year. This week he’s
back on the big screen as Tyler Sanders in the family comedy Furry Vengeance. Matt fills us in on the importance of
being green, what it was like working with real animals and the rumours about High School Musical 4.
Furry Vengeance is a hilarious comedy,
but is there a moral to the story?
Yes, it has a great message behind it. Basically
Brendan Fraser plays Dan Sanders, my dad,
who is hired to build a neighbourhood and
take out a small portion of the forest. But
then his evil boss reveals that they are taking
out the entire forest. The local animals hear
about this and they do whatever they can
to stop the evil destruction of the forest. My
character, Tyler Sanders, gets told this by a
local environmentalist, Amber. She really
opens up Tyler’s eyes to what his dad’s really
doing and we give the animals a voice they
never had.
Are you quite a green person yourself?
Yes. I’m always trying to turn off the
electricity wherever possible and recycle and
do what I can to live a greener life. I started
shooting stuff for dosomething.org, it’s kind
of just a big website involved in planting
trees and going green.
The film had real animals starring in it.
What was it like having them on set?
It was amazing. It was pure work when we
were on set, but once those cameras stopped
rolling, we were hanging out with all the
animals and playing with the racoons and
skunks and I actually got to pet the bear,
which was cool.
Which was your favourite?
I’d have to say the racoons. They’re very
cuddly, kind of like a cat, they wanted to
hang on to you and rub their noses on you.
The bear wasn’t that scary until we had to
make him roar in front of the camera. That’s
when everyone realised: “Okay, this is a
real bear. It could kill you. This is scary.” But
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The Piers Morgan interview…
he had great trainers and I’ve never seen
such tame animals. There might have been
the occasional crew guy who got pooed
on or something, by one of the birds. But
genuinely, they were all very well trained.
The film was made on a green film set.
What did that involve?
A lot of eco-friendly trucks and we had a
team of recyclers who were hired to come
in every day and make sure people were
putting all their recyclables in the right bins.
We didn’t have any water bottles on set, there
were big water jugs and everyone had their
container to put their water in. We just kind
of did everything we could to make the set
more of a green environment.
Did you learn a lot from the film?
Yes I really did. I took my water bottle back
with me and I still, to this day, have it. I try
www. FirstNews.co.uk
and do what I can to cut back on certain
things in LA and do what I can to stay green.
I really wanted to sneak home the racoon.
Do you have any pets at home?
I have three dogs and two cats back
in Texas. I love animals. I’m a big animal
MATTP
lover. So I love going home and I try
and spend a good hour a day playing
with my pets.
OKO
PR
through. The nerves kind of fizzled away after
they really respected me as one of their peers
and not just the new young kid.
Most of the film is set outdoors. Are you
an outdoorsy kind of guy?
Yes, I grew up in South Texas so I was
constantly either camping, or out fishing or
just doing something. When I was six years
old, I was out fishing with my dad and I had
just caught a fish and he was trying to get it
in the net. My sister wasn’t paying attention
and she got bumped and pushed into the
water. That was a fun process: it was either
catch the fish or save my sister. Unfortunately,
we saved my sister. No, I’m just kidding!
What was it like working with Brendan So what else is coming up for you? Is it
Fraser and Brooke Shields who have both true you will be in HSM4?
been acting for years? As of now, we’re heard nothing of HSM4 – it’s
It was pretty intimidating. I was a huge fan all been rumours. Other than that hopefully
of Brendan’s growing up. Everything from I can have some vacation time. I’m big into
California Man to The Mummy series and it travel and want to check out the Caribbean
was just really nice to see how genuine and and see Jamaica and hopefully come back
down-to-earth they were. There were never to London!
any diva moments or anything. They were so
nice and caring – just genuine people and Catch Matt in Furry Vengeance
it made everything so much easier to get in cinemas now!
THE FIRST NEWS TEAM
Editor Nicky Cox
Deputy Editor Gabrielle Utton
FirstNews
Entertainment Editor Serena Lacey COMPETITIONS
You can enter First News competitions in one of two ways. 1. Go
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Design Manager Richard Robson Please note: First News will not share your personal details with
third parties. First News will only use your details to contact the
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ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010 www. FirstNews.co.uk 15
THE NEWS CREW

Super fan! Reduce smoking! Repor

ter
MY great aunt, Gillian Merron, is the MP for Lincoln and is
I AM Doctor Who’s biggest fan. I watch out for the TARDIS the Minister of State for Public Health. Her aim at the moment
and for alien life forms everywhere I go. is to encourage people to stop smoking. I interviewed her for
First News!
by Laurence Vines, 8
by Georgia Bell, 10
My bedroom is
Doctor Who crazy What are you and the Government doing to stop vending machines.
– it’s a great young people smoking? This is to help stop
place to play with The Government increased the age when it is legal children being tempted
my collection of to buy tobacco from 16 to 18 years old. We have to smoke. This law will
Doctor Who action just published a new strategy that has many mean large shops must
figures, games ideas in it about how we can help young people to cover up their cigarette displays from October
and books. not smoke. 2011 and small shops from October 2013. It will
I have been be illegal to use tobacco vending machines from
How bad is it for children to smoke?
looking forward October 2011.
Nicotine in cigarettes is extremely addictive, more
to the new series so than other drugs, and smoking tobacco is very What are your overall thoughts on smoking?
of Doctor Who for bad for your health. Every year thousands of Smoking is dangerous for the health of the
ages and now people become sick and many die due to smoking person who smokes and the people around them. I
it’s here I thinks it’s brilliant, scary and funny. I was really spooked and many of these people started smoking as feel that it is very important that children do not
by the crack in the wall and the people with Prisoner Zero’s teeth and I children. The longer a person smokes, the more start smoking.
think the Smilers look creepy. damage they are likely to do to their health. When you made your law, did anybody vote
I really like the new Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, he is a bit fierce,
Are you making a law to stop young children against it?
slightly crazy and very funny. His new outfit is really cool, especially
smoking? There were some MPs who voted against particular
his tweed jacket and red bow tie. I can’t wait to get the new Eleventh
No, we do not want to turn ordinary children parts of the law, but Parliament overall voted in
Doctor action figure, I’ve heard it looks just like the real Matt Smith!
into criminals. But there will soon be a new law favour and I am happy that we are able to help
I’m also excited about getting the new sonic screwdriver so I can
that will stop shops from displaying cigarettes protect children from the damage caused by
shine the green light up to the sky and hopefully the Doctor will come
and will stop cigarettes from being sold from smoking.
running and eat the fish fingers and custard that I have got ready for
him. GERONIMO! First News reader Georgia interviewed Gillian Merron before the General Election.

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16 ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
t a r
with Serena Lacey
G e t s
struck
FOLLOWING in the footsteps of High School Musical and Camp Rock, the latest Disney
Channel movie is another music-based hit. We caught up with Sterling Knight, the star of StarStruck!
Tell us about StarStruck!
It’s the story of a girl who’s very, very
down to earth. She’s from the Midwest
and she goes on vacation with her family
to California, and it’s there that she ends
up running into the most successful pop
star on the planet, which happens to be
me. They end up on this crazy adventure,
running away from the paparazzi and
they’re kind of getting to know each other
and realising that they can help each other
out, when they didn’t really expect it.
What is your character like?
Well, Christopher is extremely successful:
Bieber fever
JUSTIN Bieber is finding that life as an international superstar isn’t all
glitz and glamour.
The teen star is reportedly
upset with fans after getting
mobbed at an airport in New
Zealand. He tweeted: “Not
happy that someone stole my
hat and knocked down my
mama. Come on, people.”
Security around the star has
been beefed up for his safety
and his fans after his popularity
rocketed.
The Canadian teen is
rumoured to be enrolling in
school in California and has
just been voted into the list of
most beautiful people by an
American magazine.
he’s got seven cars and lives the most
extravagant lifestyle you could ever
imagine. And then he meets this girl who
kind of comes in and says things that no-
one else will say to him.
He’s a pop star, so did you have to do
any singing?
Yes I did, I recorded a song for the movie,
called Starstruck. It was crazy, I have such
newfound respect for recording artists, it
was really hard. I don’t think I’d like to be
a pop star. I think I’ll leave that to people
who are much more talented in the singing
department than myself.
Did you have to have
singing lessons?
Yeah, a little bit. I had to get
back into shape. I sang a
lot when I was a kid and it
hadn’t really been a priority
of mine, it’s not something I
normally work on, so I
had to get back into shape
with it.
Can you tell us any
secrets from the set? Did
anything embarrassing
happen?
Well, I fell constantly! This
one day, me and Danielle
www. FirstNews.co.uk
TV,, Film,, Music and Theatre!
SHHH!
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus has revealed that she
deals with life in the spotlight by staying
positive. She says: “If you have a positive
mind you’ll live a positive life. I surround
myself with positivity.” She also admitted
she doesn’t read reviews of her work,
stating: “Don’t ever let anyone tell you that
something you did isn’t good, if you’re
proud of it.”
Simon Cowell
had this scene where we were in this mud
pit, covered in mud, so we would always
try and sneak back to base camp as quickly
as possible, so we could use up the hot Simon Cowell has admitted that
water… but it was ice cold. No-one wants a he won’t be taking part in the audition
cold shower, especially when you’re trying process of the next series of Britain’s Got
to get mud and plaster off you. Talent. He told a women’s magazine: “I
will join the show at the semi-final stage.”
What’s your favourite moment from
It’s not even summer yet but already next
the film?
year looks to be a big one for Mr Cowell
Probably watching that horrendously
with the launch of US X Factor!
ugly car sink into a mud pit. That was
just hysterical and probably my favourite
moment.
When you’re not working, what do you
JLS
like to do for fun?
Good news for JLS fans, the boys are
Usually I hang out with my friends, I try
treating us to a new single this summer.
and play golf whenever I can, that’s pretty
For the last few weeks they’ve been hard
relaxing. I’ve been catching up on some
at work in America spreading the JLS
really good movies that, when you’re a bit
music and working on some new tunes.
older, you just really kind of need to see,
They haven’t forgotten the UK though and
especially as an actor. I had to go back and
have announced that they will be back
re-watch Edward Scissorhands to really
with a brand new song this summer. We
understand the whole Tim Burton/Johnny
can’t wait!
Depp thing. Or my friend and I will get
together and we’ll play American football
or something. My friend is actually a very
talented European football player.
StarStruck premieres on the Disney
Channel on 14 May at 6.25pm.
TOP TELLY!
SIX TO SING
The final six girls must face the
judges for their chance to star
as Dorothy. Judge Charlotte
Church will also perform this
week. Over the Rainbow, BBC1,
Saturday @ 6.45pm and Sunday
@ 7.15pm.
SAD FAREWELL
It’s the end of an era as Jamie
and Anna host their final
ToonAttik shows. Expect tears!
ToonAttik, BBC1, Saturday and
Sunday @ 7.25am.
CELEBRITIES SCREAMING
Duncan James hosts this hilarious new TV series where celebrities ride roller coasters while
competing in a quiz. Think it sounds nuts? It is, but it is also very funny. Scream if You Know
the Answer Watch, Sunday 9 May @ 7.00pm.
ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010
GAME ZONE
Check out our hands-on review of Sony’s hot new gadget!
Sony gets you moving
THIS week, Sony gave us the chance to try out their new PlayStation
Move motion controller for the PS3.
Their new system basically allows PS3
owners to jump about in their living room
like Wii users have been doing for years.
Ever since the Wii launched, Sony and
Microsoft have been plotting to copy its
motion control system and steal some
customers. The system for the Xbox is
totally hands-free, and we tested it out
in February.
Sony’s system is pretty much like the
Wii, with a motion controller (above) and
a sub-controller (below) that has a small
analogue stick on it. To use
it, you’ll need a PlayStation
Eye camera.
The first thing to say
is that they’re more
comfortable to hold
than the Wii Remote.
Sony’s is rounded, like a
microphone, so it fits in
your hand more naturally.
Out of the few games we
tried, Sports Champions
(the name may change)
gave the best idea of how the controllers
work. It’s a collection of six games: disc
golf, volleyball, archery, bocce, table
tennis and a wicked gladiator contest.
Playing table tennis (above), there’s
a real sense that your actions are really
affecting the flight and spin of the ball.
For the gladiator duel (right), you hold
two controllers. One is your shield and
one is your weapon, and you can bash
your opponent with either. Your character
responds really well to your movements,
even when you crouch down. We liked this
one A LOT and you could have hours of fun
with it, especially if you have mates round.
Check out the PlayStation Move at www.FirstNews.co.uk/news.
www. FirstNews.co.uk 17
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
How you drew
your dragon!
TO launch the fantastic new video game based on the Dreamworks
movie How To Train Your Dragon, we asked you to create and design
your very own dragon.
We asked you to suggest why yours of dragons were created: everything
was the greatest, so that you could win from super-fast, poisonous creatures to
a Nintendo DS and copy of the action- fearsome, powerful beasts.
packed video game. Here is just a small selection of some of
And what a response we got! All manner the fantastic entries we received.
Move Party (name may change) is a silly
mini-game collection, where you guide
falling chicks into their nest with a fan,
paint certain shapes, splat bugs and so on.
Since the camera shows you on your TV,
by Charlie P
your controller changes on screen so that ogson
r
by Morris Sea
it looks like you’re holding anything from a
paint brush to a fan.
Another party game we tried out was by Jonathan
Mitchell
TV Superstars (above). This one has five
different shows that you can star in,
focusing on modelling, cooking, home by Rosie Shaw
make-over, making adverts for a shopping
channel and a physical game show. Using
the camera, you can put your face onto
your character and record your own name
and introduction.
Also, there’s a new version of EyePet
where you can use the controllers as the
shower, hairdryer and so on for your little
bundle of fur. This version does away with
the special card that you needed, so it feels
more interactive. There will also be some
new toys for your critter to play with.
There should be a big announcement
yshire
Abigail Derb
by Helen and
in June about a launch date and price. The
only thing we know so far is that the Move
should be out in the autumn. Sony will
have around 20 games that are specifically
for Move or are compatible with it, and
all of the big games companies are
developing games for it as well.
18 ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010 www. FirstNews.co.uk
ASK ESTHER With
thanks to FUN STUFF www.avanquest.co.uk

WIN Games on DS!

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. Junior Classic
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A band came to my school to
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WRITE TO ME: Ask Esther, First News House, 95 The Street, West Horsley, Surrey, KT24 6DD. EMAIL ME:
newsdesk@firstnews.co.uk 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
Check out www.thepresentclub.co.uk
by anything you read in First News, please visit www.childline.org.uk/Helpandadvice.asp
ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010 www. FirstNews.co.uk 19
SEND your finished puzzles to Puzzles 206, First News House,
FUN STUFF 95 The Street, West Horsley, Surrey KT24 6DD.
The closing date for puzzle entries is Friday 14 May 2010.

WIN Where The Wild Things Are DVDs! Available From 10 May to own on Blu-Ray & DVD

CAN you spot the five changes to this picture from Where The Wild Things Are? Send in your answers and you could win one of three Where The Wild
Things Are DVDs. Follow Max, an adventurous boy who feels misunderstood at home, as he escapes to where the Wild Things are. Max lands on an island
where he meets mysterious and strange creatures whose emotions are as wild and unpredictable as their actions and who are desperately longing for a
leader to guide them, just as Max longs for a kingdom to rule. When Max is crowned king, he promises to create a place where everyone will be happy.

A B

©2010 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

First News challenge
LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS: 1 8 6 3 9 7 5 4 2 V O L C A N O C A R

FIRST NEWS CHALLENGE 57 34 92 61 48 25 89 13 76 D

O E A
A Y S T I P O D

1) 20 years 2) Giant sea

E A H N C
4 7 1 5 2 8 3 6 9 M L I V E R P O O L
8 2 5 9 3 6 1 7 4 O
scorpion 3) The rapper 6 9 3 7 1 4 2 5 8 C
T R
H O C O L A T E
U
F
I

Fugative 4) David 3 6 7 8 5 9 4 2 1 A
R
R M Y
H A
N
A
O G R E
F

2 5 8 4 7 1 6 9 3 T
Walliams 5) 86cm 6) 16 7) D L

Q1 What is threatening to kill off oak Q6 What are elephants scared of? 9 1 4 2 6 3 7 8 5 S U N U S E L E S S
peppermint 8) The pommel
horse 9) Ely 10) locusts WORD WHEEL Narrators
trees in the UK?
Q7 When was the first World Cup held?
Q2 Where did the Lunokhod 1 go
missing?

Q3 How much food is thrown away every

Word wheel
SEE how many words of three or more letters you
year in the UK? can make, using the middle letter in each one. And,
can you find the word that uses all the letters?
Q4 What does the Swahili word
“Matopeni“ mean?

S P
Q8
D R
Q6
Q8 Where in the world this week was a car
bomb attempt foiled by police? S
Q5 How long did a message in a bottle, Q9 What sport does John Higgins play? E U
sent by Olivier Vandewalle, take to be
Q10 What is DDT?
I R
Q5 returned to him?

Win amazing prizes at FirstNews.co.uk!

THERE are loads of ways that you can win top prizes at www.firstnews.co.uk. You can…
Tell us your thoughts and win some amazing goodies at www.firstnews.co.uk/surveys

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Write your own articles and leave comments to be in with a chance of being our Winner of the Week
www.firstnews.co.uk/bored

PLUS we still have the latest news, reviews, celebrity gossip and lots of fun polls to vote on, all for FREE!
What are you waiting for? Go to www.firstnews.co.uk today!
20 ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010 FirstNews.co.uk
www.

CRAZY BUT TRUE

Message
found Loo disguise
33 years later! POLICE in America are
searching for a man who used
toilet roll as a disguise while
A MESSAGE in a bottle sent 33 years ago has been returned to its owner via Facebook.
he held up a shop.
Olivier Vandewalle dropped the message into the had no idea what she was talking about when she first
The man covered his head with
sea when he was 14 and travelling on his dad’s yacht. got in touch but then she mentioned the name of my
toilet roll before holding up the store
He wrote a message on a page of his school notebook father’s boat.”
in Lincoln, Nebraska.
and sealed it into a wine bottle using candle wax The finder then scanned in a copy of the note to
Police dogs found a trail of toilet
before throwing it overboard. Then he forgot about prove she was genuine.
roll leading away from the store but
the note until he received a message on Facebook Olivier dropped his note into the sea halfway
have very few leads.
from a woman claiming to have found his bottle. between England and France. It was found on a beach
One offi cer said: “With that
Olivier said: “I was very surprised to hear from her. I in Dorset.
disguise there isn’t much to go on!”

RECORD OF THE WEEK

SMALLEST ROBOT HUMANOID
Croc joins class
THE smallest humanoid robot is the
BeRobot, which measures 153mm
(6in) high and is able to walk, kick
and perform push ups. The robot was
manufactured by GeStream (Taiwan)
and demonstrated at the Global SMEs
Convention on 6 September 2007 in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
For info on this record and hundreds more,
go to www.guinnessworldrecords.com
A WATER aerobics class in Australia
was disrupted this week by a crocodile
joining the class.
The 1.5m croc slid into the pool at the
Howard Springs Holiday Park in Darwin
minutes before the exercise class started.
Government rangers were called to remove
the croc from the pool and return it to the wild.
One witness said: “The crocodile gave one of
the rangers a bit of a run-around, having to
chase it around the pool.”

QUICK HA HA
CHUCKLES
Q: Why do cats love Q: Why are leopards terrible at
computers? Q: What do you call a sleepy
hide and seek? bull?
A: Because they get to A: They are always spotted.
play with the mouse. A: A bull dozer.
Email us your jokes to newsdesk@firstnews.co.uk

Written and illustrated by Paul Palmer

 :A

I=:<GJ7IDLC
:
HE 8I>D
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DAILY HERALD *%e 
WHERE
SOLD

Friday 7 May 2010

A6C9HA>9:K>8IDGN I=:H>AA>C:HH
A6C9HA>9:K>8IDGN
;DGB6NDG;A677N 8DCI>CJ:H
;DGB6NDG;A677N
<DB:O
Mayor Flabby Gomez was triumphantly
returned to power in Grubtown’s mayoral
election yesterday, winning 100 per cent
of the votes cast. ‘I’m delighted to be
re-elected as Mayor of this not-very-
grubby-at-all-despite-what-Beardy-
New book from
Ardagh-says town,’ said Mayor Gomez. Beardy Ardagh – OUT NOW
‘I have always believed in one- Flabby Gomez
Breaking news from Grubtown:
man, one-vote, as long as I am supporters
gather around Mayor Flabby Gomez has finally
the Town Hall
the one-man with the one-vote, Mayor votes for finished knitting his new house,
which, of course, I am.’ himself again and the brand new Grubtown
Aquarium and Carwash is
about to open its leaky doors
For more Grubtown news visit www.visitgrubtown.com where you can: . . . but with the duck-hating
Fox family out for revenge and
Download freebies and special content some seriously dodgy dealings,
(these Grubtown Goodies change each week until 27 May –
things are about to get as crazy
get them before they’re gone)
as the townsfolk.
Read a special Grubtown Tale Find out more – read Trick
by resident author Beardy Ardagh Eggs and Rubber Chickens – in
(and work out who’s sabotaging Grubtown’s chance of winning THE GOLDEN bookshops now.
PINEAPPLE FOR THE BEST TOWN THIS SIDE OF THE RIVER DUMP)
Read the first chapter on
Become a reporter for the Grubtown Daily Herald www.visitgrubtown.com
Enter a competition to have Beardy Ardagh turn – it’s only there for
your story into a mini Grubtown Tale one week!
Plus! Win a Beardy visit for your class

So go to lll#k^h^i\gjWidlc#Xdb. Go on, what are you waiting for?

22 ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010 www. FirstNews.co.uk
THE BOOK PAGE
www.redhouse.co.uk

BOOK REVIEWS
H.I.V.E ROGUE
BY MARK WALDEN
Reviewed by Ellie Hutchings, 9

Otto attends a school called H.I.V.E. (Higher Dyslexia makes

me creative
Institute of Villainous Education), which is
part of the criminal organisation, GLOVE.
Otto has gone rogue and crossed over to their enemy HOPE’s side.
GLOVE won’t allow that to happen though, and sends out agents
to recover or kill Otto. Dr Nero wants Otto to come back alive so
he sends his best assassin, Raven, to find him. But Otto’s best friend,
FIRST NEWS is running a campaign called My Way! It’s about getting
Wing, sneaks along too as he wants to help save Otto. In a race against time, they travel into people to understand that everybody learns in their own way. For
HOPE enemy territory in the Amazon, but someone is on their trail… I would recommend some people school is easy but, for others, it might be harder. The
this book for people who like spies, action and baddies – I really enjoyed it. important thing we want everybody to understand is that the way
you learn has nothing to do with how smart you are. Around six
SPACE, BLACK HOLES children in each class have learning challenges, which means that
AND STUFF their brains work in a diff erent way. But that doesn’t mean that they
BY GLENN MURPHY won’t be fantastically successful in whatever they choose to do. Here
Reviewed by Sebastian Westwood, 9 is singer Lee Ryan’s story…
Glenn Murphy used to work in the Science
M
Museum in London and it’s clear that he’s I ALWAYS get labelled as
brilliant with budding young scientists and thick and I hate that. I’m
can answer a question or two! Whether it’s not stupid, I’m dyslexic.
the difference between asteroids and comets, how to tell Sirius At school, being dyslexic was
from Procyon, or whatever you want to have explained, this book frustrating. I was always on the
will not let you down. There is a fascinating chapter on the secret life lower level books and I would
of galaxies and some advice on the best planet for humans to live on… and plenty more still struggle. I went to drama
exciting facts in between – all explained in question and answer form. The book lives up to school and they’d tell me to
its promise of “no boring bits” and really helps you to get “science sorted”! write down certain lyrics and
I could never get them down
quickly enough.
Even now, I can’t read
or write things as fast as
READING CHAMPIONS other people. I had to read
something last year when I
was on television and they
said to me: “Lee, can you read
EVERYONE knows a Reading Champion – they’re people who that from the newspaper, live
inspire others to get reading. Each week one of our Champions tells on TV?” And I couldn’t do it.
you a bit about their favourite reads and what they think makes I was stammering along and
everyone was laughing like
reading so appealing. I was really stupid and I said:
“It’s not because I’m thick, I just
Name: Chris Hunter can’t read this!”
I look at the words and they
Occupation: Chris Hunter is an ex-bomb disposal
don’t make sense and the more nervous I get, the harder it is for me to digest what
expert. He is an author of both adult and children’s
the word says. I know I can understand its meaning, but when I get more and more
books, including his latest series, Tripwire, which
nervous, it doesn’t register in my brain.
he has written with Steve Cole.

Chris says:
I love reading because it provides both a means
of escape and an education. I was dyslexic as
I’m dyslexic and I’m
a child and my mother inspired me to read…
through her, I was brought up on CS Lewis and as a
child I loved reading The Chronicles of Narnia.
left-handed, so apparently
Gerald Seymour is and always has been my favourite author. Before he became an
author, Gerald was a reporter for ITN. He covered many front page stories, eventually
going on to become one of the most prominent military and terrorism reporters in the
I’m a borderline genius!
world. I love his books as I feel he has a unique and first-hand understanding of the
adventure and conflict about which he writes. When I read, I stammer and it’s horrible. I know the words, they just don’t come out
Reading is a very powerful tool. Through reading you are able to expand your so easily. In my head it gets stuck and I can’t say it. I hated reading out loud in school
imagination, vocabulary and mind. Moreover, reading can inspire you to do things you and I still don’t like it now.
had not considered before… and in my case, Gerald Seymour’s books definitely played a When I was at school, singing and acting really helped me become more confident
part in moving me to join the army. with my speech and writing. And I think that’s why I’m so creative: I’ve taught myself
It doesn’t matter what you read. It doesn’t have to be the latest release or the books piano and guitar and I love cooking and painting. I’m dyslexic and I’m left-handed:
that everyone is talking about. Reading has been made so accessible – join your local they say that if you’re both, it’s pretty rare, so apparently I’m a borderline genius!
library and I’m sure if you take your time, you will find something you love.
Do you think you would make a good Reading Champion? Want to share your story? Find out
Ask your school to sign up today. www.readingchampions.org.uk how online at www.firstnews.co.uk
ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010 www. FirstNews.co.uk 23
SPORT NEWS WORLD CUP
WHAT’S IN THE SHOPS? COUNTDOWN
ECO BUTTON
WWW.IWANTONEOFTHOSE.COM £12.99 35
The
PLUG this little gadget into your USB port and
give it a tap every time you have to leave your DAYS TO GO
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biggest
your computer uses as little power as possible.
Not only do you get to see how many carbon
units you’ve saved when you reactivate the
computer, but the Eco Button software will also

event in
show you how much cash would have been
spent if you’d left the computer on.

USB SNAKESCOPE CAMERA

WWW.FIREBOX.COM £29.99
CHECK out this amazing camera. Thanks to
sport
its waterproof head and cable and its long
flexible tube, this cool camera can take a
peek in all those out of reach places. It’s
even got a clip-on magnetic attachment

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so you can retrieve all those metallic items
that have dropped out of reach.

Did you
CHATMAN
WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK £39.99
Chatman is the first PC pal of his kind and
know
Red and yellow cards were first
has been designed specifically to make
chat sessions, web surfing and gaming introduced at the 1970 World
Cup Finals in Mexico. Italy celebrate their
fun the safe way. Simply load the software, 2006 World Cup win
connect to a USB port and you’re ready
to play games or do your homework.
Chatman has all the answers and will
always have something to say about it! PART one of your guide to this year’s biggest sporting event.

What’s it all about?

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest tournament in football and only takes place every
four years. This June, national teams from all over the world will be heading to South
Africa, where 64 matches will decide who the world champions are. It is the first time
that the World Cup has been held anywhere on the African continent. The World
Cup final is the most-watched sporting event on Earth, and the 2006 showdown
between Italy and France was seen by 715.1 million viewers worldwide!

When did it start?

The first ever World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. Thirteen teams took part and
hosts Uruguay won, beating Argentina 4-2. Both of the semi-finals finished 6-1!

Who’s playing?
204 national teams entered the preliminary competition for this year’s tournament,
with only 32 qualifying to play in the finals in June. Spain and Brazil are the current
favourites to win, closely followed by England and Argentina.



   
    
  When can I watch it?
The opening match, South
Africa vs Mexico, kicks off at
15:00 on Friday 11 June. There
are games most days until the
final at 19:30 on Sunday 11 July.

   

  

 




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Did you
know
England have only won the
?
World Cup once. In 1966, 400
million people around the England went out of
world saw them beat West the 2006 tournament
& "! '"#!' !(#) )!*! +',((#)) --. Germany 4-2 after extra time. after losing to
Portugal in the
quarter-finals
24 ISSUE 206 7 – 13 MAY 2010
SPORT
with Ian
Eddy
23
Tweddle on top
Snooker shame
THE three-time world champion
John Higgins has been
suspended, while offi cials look
into match-fixing allegations.
John Higgins
at the table
The News of the World has alleged
that Higgins and his agent, Pat
Getty
Mooney, agreed to take £260,000 in
return for deliberately losing frames
in agreed matches. The paper secretly
filmed the meeting in Kiev, Ukraine.
A reporter from the paper pretended
to represent illegal gambling gangs,
who would bet huge amounts on the
frames that Higgins would lose.
Higgins and Mooney have denied all
of the allegations. They say that they
were terrified that they were speaking
with the Russian Mafia, and agreed the
deal so that they could leave.
The story came at a bad time for
the sport, on the day that the final of
the World Championship started. Neil
Roberts of Australia beat Graeme Dott
18-13 in a final that finished at 1am.
www. FirstNews.co.uk
CRAZY GREEN
BUT TRUE
Grow
Message your
found 20 own beans 11
Did you
know ?
In the rules produced by the
international governing body
for gymnastics, the surface used
for the floor event “must not
produce disturbing sounds”!
Everton ecstatic
A DRAMATIC goal at the end
of extra time helped Everton to
beat Arsenal in the final of the
Getty
Beth Tweddle puts in a superb FA Women’s Cup.
performance on the fl oor on her
way to another gold medal
THE best week in the history of British gymnastics got even better this
weekend, as Beth Tweddle successfully defended her two European titles.
by Ian Eddy
Getty
The British men’s team won a record four medals last week, and the women added three more
at the European Gymnastics Championships in Birmingham. As well as Tweddle’s two golds, the
women also finished in second place in the team competition, behind Russia. It is the first time
that female British gymnasts have ever won a European medal in the team event.
“We were feeling confident before the event,” said Becky Downie, “and we’re all so pleased with
today. We’ve being working really hard on our routines in the gym and it all came together at the
right time.” Dowie scored two goals and
was named player of the match
“Absolutely amazing! I was really worried that I was going The match finished 2-2 at the end of
to overcook everything and fail!” – Jocelyn Hunt
normal time, but Natasha Dowie’s chip
over Emma Byrne sealed the victory.
“I jumped into the crowd, I don’t
After that excellent team performance, Beth Tweddle then went on to win the finals of the
even know if they were our fans,” said
floor and uneven bars events, retaining the titles that she won in Milan a year ago.
Dowie. “It’s just the best feeling ever. I
“I’m ecstatic,” said Tweddle. “After the amazing team silver yesterday there was a temptation to
want it to last.”
celebrate, but we knew we had to get some rest and focus on today’s finals.”
The win is Everton’s first in the
competition, and the first time that
“It’s always easier to chase a champion than to be the Arsenal have ever lost in the final.
champion, so I had to keep focused and do the job” – Beth Tweddle Arsenal have won the cup ten times.
The amazing results for the British men and women have really given the sport a boost, and
raised hopes that the team could win some Olympic medals in the future.
“This is the first senior year for some of our team members,” said Tweddle. “We have other
girls too with some injuries at the moment, but there’s a strong squad and this has been great
preparation for the world championships, taking us forward to the Olympics in 2012.”