news sports entertainment interviews puzzles competitions

NEWS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT INTERVIEWS PUZZLES COMPETITIONS

FirstNewsIssue 741 £2.25 28 August – 3 September 2020 THE UK’S ONLY NEWSPAPERFOR CHILDREN

MORE THAN 2.6 MILLION* READERS!

PANGOLIN PANGOLIN PROTECTORPROTECTORP3P3

HOMES OFHOMES OFTHE FUTURETHE FUTURE

P19P19

FASTEST FASTEST ICE CREAMICE CREAMP5P5

RARERARESHREW SHREW REDISCOVERED REDISCOVERED P9P9

BACK TOSCHOOL

MANY pupils across Britain are heading back to classrooms for the fi rst ti me since the pandemic closed schools back in March.

There is oft en some anxiety about going back to school aft er the summer break, butfear about coronavirus is making it even harder this year for some children and families.

However, all of the UK’s chief medical offi cers put out a joint statement this week to reassure parents that it was safe to send their children back to school. They said “very few, if any” children and teenagers would come to long-term harm from the virus just by att ending school, while there was a “certainty” of harm from not returning.

Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical offi cer for England, said she understood why parents and carers might be worried. But she said she wanted to reassure everyone that the risk to pupils is “very, very small”. And, she said what she has said before – if children do catch COVID-19, it tends to be very mild.

Dr Harries added that the “long-term harms of children not att ending school” posed more of a danger than the virus, in a well-managed school environment.

Schools in Scotland reopened earlier this month. Northern Ireland welcomed pupilsback on Monday, with English and Welsh schools opening the school gates again at thestart of September.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson released a video saying: “It’s vitally important that we get our children back into the classroom to learn and to be with their friends. Nothing will have a greater eff ect on the life chances of our children than returning to school.”

Meanwhile, the Nati onal Educati on Union (NEU), which speaks for a lot of teachers, said it agreed it was good for children to return to school. But it is urging the Government to get extra teachers into schools, fi nd more teaching space, give schools more money forcleaning, and have a clearer plan about what to do if there’s a spike in COVID-19 cases.

by editor in chief Nicky Cox

*First News readership is 2,626,625. Source: Opinion Matt ers 2020. First News is the widest-read of all children’s publicati ons audited in the UK. First News supports children’s chariti es – see page 12

What can you expect when you return to school? See p13

News

SCHOOLThere is oft en some anxiety about going back to school aft er the summer break, but

fear about coronavirus is making it even harder this year for some children and families.However, all of the UK’s chief medical offi cers put out a joint statement this week to

reassure parents that it was safe to send their children back to school. They said “very few, if any” children and teenagers would come to long-term harm from the virus just by att ending

Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical offi cer for England, said she understood why parents and carers might be worried. But she said she wanted to reassure everyone that the risk to pupils is “very, very small”. And, she said what she has said before – if children


Schools in Scotland reopened earlier this month. Northern Ireland welcomed pupilsback on Monday, with English and Welsh schools opening the school gates again at the

Prime Minister Boris Johnson released a video saying: “It’s vitally important that we get our children back into the classroom to learn and to be with their friends. Nothing will have a greater eff ect on the life chances of our children than returning to school.”


See p13

SCHOOLThere is oft en some anxiety about going back to school aft er the summer break, but

fear about coronavirus is making it even harder this year for some children and families.However, all of the UK’s chief medical offi cers put out a joint statement this week to

reassure parents that it was safe to send their children back to school. They said “very few, if any” children and teenagers would come to long-term harm from the virus just by att ending

Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical offi cer for England, said she understood why parents and carers might be worried. But she said she wanted to reassure everyone that the risk to pupils is “very, very small”. And, she said what she has said before – if children


Schools in Scotland reopened earlier this month. Northern Ireland welcomed pupilsback on Monday, with English and Welsh schools opening the school gates again at the

Prime Minister Boris Johnson released a video saying: “It’s vitally important that we get our children back into the classroom to learn and to be with their friends. Nothing will have


See p13

INSIDE:TIPS ABOUT

MAKING FRIENDS IN NEW SCHOOLS

P13

POLL OF THE WEEKAre you happy to go back to school?

Vote at fi rst.news/polls

FOR INTERNAL SCHOOL USE ONLY. For use on projectors and IWBs. Not to be uploaded to school websites.

2. QUICK NEWS FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

MODIFIED MOSQUITOS

QUICK NEWSTO READ YOURSELF AND SHARE WITH FRIENDS

POTTER PARK

ROAMING RAVENS

A new Harry Pott er experience is set to open in the Japanese capital Tokyo in 2023. The Warner Bros Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Pott erwill be similar to the tour in the UK, with costumes, props and sets from the movies for fans to enjoy.

Millions of geneti cally modifi ed mosquitos are set to be released in Florida from next year. It’s hoped they can help to get rid of mosquitos carrying deadly diseases, rather than authoriti es having to use insecti cides (toxic sprays). Lots of people are unhappy about the project, with some arguing it poses a risk to other animals and the environment.

A raven master at the Tower of London is urging tourists to visit again, to stop the ravens from leaving. Two of the resident birds have been spied fl ying away from the att racti on to fi nd food. They’ve apparently become bored during lockdown, with not many people to see. According to Briti sh folklore, if six ravens leave the site permanently then the kingdom, the crown and the Tower of London itself will fall.

The US military used a fl ight simulator to test whether its arti fi cially intelligent (AI) pilot could beat a top human pilot in a batt le. The AI beat the human pilot easily, using tacti cs that the human pilot hadn’t seen before. The US Air Force said the virtual fi ght could be seen as a “coming-of-age moment for AI”.

Following the confusion around A Level results that had been decided by a fl awed computer program, GCSE results were enti rely decided by teachers. Grades rose everywhere, and a higher percentage of students than usual received top marks. There was another issue, however, as the results of around 200,000 BTEC pupils were delayed following a last-minute review of their grades.

In more magic news, thousands of Pott er fans are being asked to stay at home for this year’s Back to Hogwarts Day on 1 September. The day celebrates Harry and his friends returning to Hogwarts for a new school year. People usually mark it by gathering at Platf orm 9¾ at King’s Cross stati on in London and waving their wands. But this year, because of the coronavirus, the event is going virtual. Actors from the movies will be taking part in the online celebrati ons, featuring fun games and a live stream.

HOGWARTS DAY

THE BIGGEST APPLE

Apple became the fi rst US company to be valued at $2 trillion (£1.5tn) on the stock market last week. The tech giant makes things like iPads, iPhones and Apple computers. It’s not the fi rst in the world to break the $2 trillion mark though. Saudi Aramco, a gas and oil company in Saudi Arabia, hit the milestone in December 2019.

PINOCCHIO REMAKE

A number of stars have been confi rmed for Netf lix’s remake of the Disney movie Pinocchio. Ewan McGregor is set to play Cricket (no Jiminy), while David Bradley (best known as Filch from the Harry Pott er movies) will play Geppett o the woodcarver. Tilda Swinton and Cate Blanchett will also star. The movie will be out in 2021.

SURPRISE SALEA set of broken chairs belonging to King Charles X of France has sold at aucti on for a whopping £1 million! It’s believed the chairs were designed for Charles’ bedchamber at his Château de Bagatelle in Paris. The high price surprised many people, as the chairs come without seats or backs!

MINING MISTAKESThe top three bosses at the giant mining corporati on Rio Tinto will miss out on millions of pounds worth of bonuses, aft er they oversaw the destructi on of two sacred, 46,000-year-old sites in Australia. The executi ves will keep their jobs, however. James Fitzgerald, a leader at the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility, said the punishment was an “empty gesture”.

KIDS WEEK 2020Sadly, theatres are sti ll closed, so for Kids Week 2020, the Society of London Theatre is creati ng special family theatre fun for every day of August on the Offi cial London Theatre website. For more than 20 years, Kids Week has off ered free theatre ti ckets to children 16 and under when they att end with a paying adult.

TIKTOK TERRORSA group of TikTok stars wouldn’t stop having parti es during lockdown in LA, so the mayor cut off their power! Los Angeles has a rule banning large parti es, due to the coronavirus outbreak. Mayor Eric Garcetti warned that he would shut off supplies to the homes of people who broke the rules, and he meant it. TikTok stars Bryce Hall, Noah Beck and Blake Gray’s Hollywood Hills home had the power cut off aft er police said there were reports of at least two large gatherings at the mansion in the last few weeks.

GCSE RESULTS

RUSSIAN “POISONED”

Alexei Navalny, the most famous criti c of Russian President Vladimir Puti n, is in a serious conditi on in a Berlin hospital. Doctors believe he has been poisoned, but Mr Puti n’s spokesman has said the President was not involved. A German charity arranged for an air ambulance to take the lawyer and campaigner to Germany.

AI BEATS TOP PILOT

iSto

ck

Gett

y

Gett

y

Gett

y

Actor Ewan McGregor

Gett

y

Gett

y

Gett

y

large gatherings at the mansion in


FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

A SURVEY has found that more than half of kids (57%) think they should get pocket money unti l they get their fi rst job.

The average age for starti ng a fi rst job in the UK is 18. However, the average parent said they planned to stop paying pocket money when their children reached 17. Around 11% of parents said they planned to stop paying at age 15 or younger.

The results from UK bank Halifax’s poll also showed that the average amount of pocket money a week has gone down by 16p since last year, from £7.71 to £7.55.

Meanwhile, 44% of parents think their kids should only get pocket money if they do chores, while 55% of kids think they should get it anyway.

3. BIG NEWS

POCKET MONEY

PROBLEMSPANGOLINS are endangered animals, but one clever dog is now trained to sniff them out to help protect the species.

Havoc has been trained to be a working dog since he was a puppy. The Belgian Malinois is a master of tracking people and animals, and now he is the fi rst dog to be trained to detect pangolins.

Havoc lives in Africa, where pangolins are said to bring good luck. Sadly, pangolins themselves aren’t so lucky – the scaly creatures are the most traffi cked animal in the world.

Hundreds of thousands of pangolins are hunted and taken from Africa to Asia each year. Their scales are used in Chinese medicine and their meat is considered a rare treat.

To stop people poaching (illegally stealing) the animals, the African Pangolin Working Group was formed in 2011 to help protect pangolins. And with Havoc on their side, ready to sniff out the stolen creatures, let’s hope pangolins will be safer soon.

HUMAN CHAIN SAVES SWIMMERA SWIMMER stuck out at sea during high winds was rescued when beachgoers formed a human chain.

The swimmer was pulled away from the coastline in Dorset due to strong waves and was soon seen waving for help. More than 20 people linked arms to form a human chain and step out into the sea. Big waves hit the helpful heroes but, eventually, the swimmer was brought closer to shore by a wave and was rescued.

Witness Emily Foote said: “It was a very traumati c rescue by some very brave members of the public. It should serve as a warning of the dangers of the sea, especially in these winds, as so many are putti ng themselves at risk.”

Coastguard Matt Leat also warned of the dangers of sea swimming in windy weather. He said: “The sea is unforgiving, so you need to respect it. You need to look out for your friends and family, and don’t take infl atables to the beach. Very quickly you can be blown off shore and then we’re having to deploy lifeboats, helicopters, coastguard rescue teams to rescue people.”

MEET HAVOC

A human chain starts to form to help the stranded swimmer, circled in red

Rich

ard

Mar

kham

A pangolin in the wild

Havoc with his human helpers

VOTE INOUR POLL

Do you think you should get pocket money unti l

your fi rst job?fi rst.news/polls

Gett

y

Since Greta Thunberg started her school strikes, sat on her own outside the Swedish parliament, millions of people have taken to the streets to join protests about the climate crisis. The European Parliament even declared a “climate and environmental emergency”.

However, the environmental campaigner revealed in a piece for The Guardian newspaper (written with fellow climate activists Luisa Neubauer, Anuna De Wever and Adélaïde Charlier) that a lot more needs to be done.

The activists reported that over the past two years, the world has emitted more than 80 gigatonnes of CO2 and seen lots of natural

disasters taking place around the world, including wildfires and the collapsing of glaciers.

They have written a letter to EU and other world leaders, with demands including halting all fossil fuel investments and making ecocide (destruction of natural habitat) an international crime.

They are calling on world leaders and society to treat the climate crisis like any other crisis and take urgent action.

The activists say: “We still have the future in our own hands. But time is rapidly slipping through our fingers. We can still avoid the worst consequences. But to do that, we have to face the climate emergency and change our ways.”

LAST week (20 August) marked two years since Greta Thunberg’s fi rst school strike for the climate. So what has changed since her fi rst Friday strike?

CLIMATE SCHOOL STRIKES TWO YEARS ON

From left to right: Climate acti vists Luisa Neubauer, Greta Thunberg, Anuna De Wever and Adélaïde Charlier

Gett

y

THE PANGOLIN DETECTOR

Afric

anPa

ngol

ins/

Face

book

Gett

yAf

rican

Pang

olin

s/Fa

cebo

ok

This ti red pangolin was saved from poachers

FOR INTERNAL SCHOOL USE ONLY. For use on projectors and IWBs. Not to be uploaded to school websites. FOR INTERNAL SCHOOL USE ONLY. For use on projectors and IWBs. Not to be uploaded to school websites.

4. NEWS IN PICTURES

3 ISSUES FOR £1SUBSCRIBE.FIRSTNEWS.CO.UK


PORTHCAWL, WALES

A SAND arti st puts the fi nishing touches to his sand sculpture during the Hindu festi val of Ganesh Chaturthi.

PEOPLE stand with fl owers in a human chain that crosses the Belarusian border. The Freedom Chain was organised in support of protests in Belarus against the recent electi on, and stretched from the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, to the Belarusian border.

WAVES crash against the harbour wall. The Met Offi ce issued a yellow weather warning for wind, with gusts of up to 70mph around coastal areas, as Storm Ellen passed over the UK. THE winding Aizhai mountain path at night, as seen from above.

MEDININKAI,LITHUANIA

SHERINA Jones (left ) helps Valenti na Pedon, aged nine, place the items her family is donati ng into a community refrigerator. The fridge was placed there to help people who need food, especially those who have lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic. PURI, INDIA

JISHOU, CHINA

Gett

y

Gett

y

Gett

y

Gett

y

FLORIDA, USA


IT’S been a long ti me coming for most of you but, fi nally, you’re back to school.

Scotland’s schools opened fi rst two weeks ago, followed by Northern Ireland. Now, English and Welsh pupils are polishing their shoes and heading back to the classroom.

It’s going to feel a bit weird, especially as there will be more diff erences than normal – see page 13. But, if you have any questi ons, write to us at newsdesk@fi rstnews.co.uk.

5. BIG NEWS FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

EDITOR’S COMMENT

BAD WEEK FOR…CINEMASFILM fans are sti ll staying away from cinemas. Last week the top ten fi lms in cinemas in the UK and Ireland made just over £800,000. Last year an average week would bring in £24m.

Visit subscribe.fi rstnews.co.uk

Get First News delivered to your home!

TRY 3 ISSUES FOR £1

UGLY VEG SAVES LIVES

IT’S Scroll Free September, so everyone who’s old enough to use social media (13+) is being asked to take a break from it for a whole month.

BTSTHE K-Pop group’s video for Dynamite, their fi rst all-English ti tle, has broken the YouTube record for most-viewed video in 24 hours, with 98.3 million views.

EVERY day, 83 tonnes of veggies grown on Kenyan farms are thrown away because they’re ‘ugly’, but now the edible but slightly unsightly food is being put to good use

in children’s school dinners. In 2017 the UN World Food Programme (WFP)

launched a project to change the desti nati on of these funny-shaped or oddly-sized vegetables from landfi ll to lunch. They were sent to a school meals programme at three schools on the outskirts of Nairobi and were a hit with

pupils, some of whom otherwise wouldn’t eat a hot meal all day.Now the WFP is looking to extend the scheme to get these cheap

vegetables to more schools, while also tackling the big issue of food waste.

iSto

ck

iSto

ck

GOODWEEK FOR…

Gett

y

Although social media can be positi ve and fun, it can also have a bad eff ect on some people’s lives. The Royal Society For Public Health claims that staying off social media for a month will give you ti me to think about how

you use it, what you missed about it when you weren’t on it, what you didn’t actually miss and what other things you enjoyed doing instead of scrolling. What do you think? Are you willing to go Scroll Free this September?

CAN YOU GOCAN YOU GO30 DAYS WITHOUT 30 DAYS WITHOUT

SOCIAL MEDIA?SOCIAL MEDIA?

BRITISH inventorEdd China hascreated the fastestice cream van ever,with a top speed of73.921 mph.

Edd actually set out to create a more environmentally-friendly ice cream van, but broke a Guinness World Record instead. He said he was inspired to make a van that runs on electricity aft er he discovered that some parts of London had banned ice cream vans because of their harmful emissions.

Guin

ness

Wor

ld R

ecor

ds

SUPERSPEEDYICE CREAMS!

a month will give you ti me to think about how go Scroll Free this September?

iSto

ck


6. HOME NEWS FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

SCOTLAND

Positi ve peopleYoung people from Ardoyne Youth Club in North Belfast have been spreading positi vity in their community by taking part in fi ve days of volunteering. They kicked off a busy week by tackling litt er and graffi ti , before moving on to weed their school’s nature garden. Later, they helped prepare meals and food parcels for homeless people who are sleeping rough in the Belfast area.

The party’s overPolice in Birmingham broke up more than 70 parti es in a single night aft er the city was added to a Government watch list following a spike in COVID-19 cases. One of the events had two marquees and a DJ. Under strict new rules for England, organisers of illegal gatherings with more than 30 people can now be fi ned up to £10,000. West Midlands Police said that everyone packed up and went home aft er being reminded of the guidelines. Offi cers in Manchester have also been disrupti ng parti es.

Fish scupperThousands of fi sh had to be rescued aft er the Union Canal near Polmont burst its banks. The breach happened aft er torrenti al rain and thunderstorms washed away the embankment, leaving freshwater fi sh including pike, eel, three-spined sti ckleback and brown trout fl apping around in pools of water downstream. More than 11,000 fi sh have been returned to their rightf ul place now.

Mind the gapLondon’s historic Tower Bridge was closed to traffi c for 24 hours aft er a fault left its two halves stuck in diff erent positi ons. Pedestrians and motorists had to fi nd another way to cross the Thames while mechanics fi xed the arms, which are designed to rise and fall so large boats can pass through. It took just over an hour to get both sides down. Pedestrians were allowed across soon aft er, but the bridge was only reopened to motorists the following day, causing bad traffi c.

On your bike!Councillors put the brakes on plans for a new cycle cafe in Llantarnam – because there wouldn’t be enough car parking! Applicant Kelly Eroglu promised to provide space to park bikes, and argued that most of her other customers would arrive on foot, but Torfaen Council wasn’t convinced. Disappointed supporters of the proposed coff ee shop say the decision goes against the Welsh Government’s £38m scheme to improve faciliti es for cyclists and walkers, and have started a peti ti on in support of Kelly’s plan.

School safetyA growing number of COVID-19 cases have been confi rmed among pupils and staff , but it’s thought that the virus has been passed round the community, rather than in schools. On Tuesday, it was announced that pupils and teachers in secondary schools would have to wear masks in corridors and communal areas, but not in classrooms. Pupils aged fi ve and over will also need a mask on school buses.

iSto

ck

Ardo

yne

Yout

h Cl

ub/T

witt

er

LONDON

iSto

ck

Scotti

sh

Cana

ls

POLMONT

Tham

es R

IB E

xper

ienc

e/Tw

itt er

Gett

y

BELFAST

LLANTARNAM

BIRMINGHAM

Ding-dong goes wrongA bell-ringer carrying out maintenance at Llandaff Cathedral was injured when the rope he was pulling suddenly yanked him up in the air! The unlucky victi m crashed to the ground and broke his arm, but was said to be “in good spirits” aft er the incident. There was further drama when emergency services had to take the injured man out via the roof and onto a platf orm fi re engine, aft er they were unable to get him down a spiral staircase.

CARDIFF

iSto

ck


FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 20207. BIG NEWS

THE Government has said that hands-free driving could be legal on UK roads by next spring.

The Department for Transport is launching an investi gati on to see how safe the technology is, including ‘automated lane keeping systems’ that control a car’s movements to keep it in the correct lane on the road. However, drivers do need to be ready to take control of the vehicle at all ti mes.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says the technology could cut accidents, as the vast majority of crashes are caused by human error.

NEELAKANTHA Bhanu Prakash is the fastest human calculator in the world, aft er winning gold in the mental calculati ons event at the Mind Sports Olympiad.

NEW research has revealed that honey may be bett er than medicati on for treati ng coughs and sore throats.

The work by researchers from the University of Oxford, which was printed in the journal BMJ Evidence- Based Medicine, looked at studies comparing honey and the standard medicati on used by people with a cold, including anti histamines, painkillers and cough medicines. They discovered that honey was more eff ecti ve for easing the symptoms, especially coughing.

In fact, two of the studies also showed that cold symptoms lasted one to two days less when treated with honey.

Other benefi ts of honey are that it’s less harmful than other medicati ons and has virtually no side eff ects (although it is sti ll sugar). Winnie the Pooh was on to something aft er all…

HOORAY

FORHONEY!

@bh

anup

raka

shjn

/Tw

itt er

The 20-year-old, who is known as Bhanu, had an accident when he was fi ve that left him stuck in bed for a year with a head injury.

His parents said that his brain might not return to a normal level of functi on, so Bhanu started practi sing mental maths calculati ons to keep his brain engaged.

Bhanu would practi se for six to seven

hours a day outside of school when he was younger, but now weaves maths into his day by adding up taxi numbers as they pass, or counti ng how many ti mes people blink while he talks to them!

Bhanu says that he aims to use his superhuman maths skills to promote the subject as something enjoyable to students all over the world.

THE HUMANCALCULATOR

iSto

ck

HANDS-FREE DRIVING ARRIVING IN THE UK

iSto

ck

The report by the Internati onal Rescue Committ ee (IRC) foundthat since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, which is already facing increasing confl ict, Yemenis’ income has gone down, but the price of food and other basic necessiti es has gone up.

Sixty-two percent of people who took part in the survey are not able to aff ord food and water,

while many Yemenis are having to resort to desperate measures such as sending their children out to work or to beg in order to be able to buy food. UNICEF says that almost half of all children under fi ve in the country will be malnourished (not getti ng enough food) by the end of the year if they don’t get help straight away.

The IRC is now calling on the UN to do more to help the country.

A NEW survey has revealed that the people of Yemen are more worried about going hungry than getti ng COVID-19, as the coronavirus sweeps their country.

Gett

yG

ett y

YEMEN FEARSYEMEN FEARSHUNGER HUNGER MORE THAN MORE THAN CORONAVIRUSCORONAVIRUS


IN May, the UK Government announced plans to scrap free or discounted public transport for under-18s in London. With 700,000 children living in poverty in the city, this will have a huge impact on children’s right to educati on.

Not everyone lives close to their schools. For Olivia, walking would take over two hours, meaning a morning alarm of 5am.

Thanks to the Zip card, which allows young people to move freely around London, she has always been able to take the bus or a train. That could end if the UK Government goes ahead with its plans.

London has the highest rate of child poverty in any Briti sh region – many simply won’t be able to get to school reliably without the Zip card.

When 17-year-old Olivia found out that the scheme was at risk, she launched the #DontZapTheZip campaign to fi ght for the Zip card. Her peti ti on now has more than 160,000 signatures.

Olivia said: “I decided to make a peti ti on, so that there would be a specifi c place that people could show how much this means to them… Now let us hope that some positi ve change will happen; I have faith that it will.”

8. WORLD NEWS FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

TO FIND OUT MORE, GO TOWWW.AMNESTY.ORG.UK/ZIP

NAME: OLIVIALIVES: UK

Extra walkiesGerman dog owners could be ordered to walk their pooches at least twice a day for a total of an hour, if a new law is passed. The country’s agriculture minister is worried that Germany’s 9.4 million mutt s aren’t getti ng enough exercise, and wants new powers to force owners to be more responsible. It will also be forbidden to leave dogs at home on their own all day, or ti e them up for long periods. Criti cs say the rules will be impossible to enforce, and that some dogs aren’t fi t enough to be out for longer periods.

California blazes rageWildfi res sparked by lightning in California have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands of people to fl ee. At least six people have died, aft er more than 500 blazes spread across one million acres of land. Offi cials say one of the fi res is the second largest the state has ever seen. NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy reported that he could see the smoke from the Internati onal Space Stati on. More than 13,700 fi refi ghters have been fi ghti ng the fl ames.

Protests conti nueTens of thousands of adults and children fi lled Independence Square in Minsk to protest against the results of the recent electi on. President Alexander Lukashenko won another term in offi ce, but the demonstrators say he stole the electi on and want him to resign. The president has already had 26 years in power, and has been called “Europe’s last dictator [a leader with complete power]”.

Oldest man dies aged 116Fredie Blom, the South African man who was thought to be the oldest in the world, has died aged 116. Fredie was born in May 1904. When he was a teenager, he saw his enti re family killed in the Spanish fl u pandemic. Fredie also lived through the rise and fall of apartheid, a racist system in South Africa that forced non-white people to live separately from white people.

Blizzard of OzA freak blast of chilly polar air brought snow to some low-level parts of Australia for the fi rst ti me in 15 years. Temperatures plummeted in New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania thanks to an “Antarcti c blob”, a strong and powerful weather system. Ski resorts celebrated the biggest snowfall of the season, but some locals were worried that visitors from city hotspots could spread COVID-19.

TikTok fi ghts US banBosses at TikTok are taking legal acti on to challenge a proposed ban on the video-sharing app by US President Donald Trump. He’s planning a law that will mean American companies can no longer do business with ByteDance, the owners of TikTok. President Trump says he’s worried that the Chinese government could use the app for illegal spying and tracking. TikTok says it would never share US users’ data in that way. If the order is passed, TikTok would be eff ecti vely banned in the US, unless sold to an American buyer.

BELARUS CHINA

USA

GERMANY

Gett

y

iSto

ck

OURWORLD

Amne

sty

Inte

rnati

ona

l

AUSTRALIA

SOUTH AFRICA

Gett

y

Gett

y

Gett

y

Gett

y


9. ANIMAL NEWS FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

HAMISH the polar bear will soon be waving goodbye to his home at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Highland Wildlife Park and moving to a new home in Yorkshire.

FOUNTAINSTOWN Beach in Cork was lit

up this week by bioluminescent plankton. The ti ny critt ers in the water that glow in the dark are also known as sea sparkle. The County Cork coastline is well known for the natural phenomenon.

BITESIZE NEWS

WAVING GOODBYE

The ti ny babies were born on one of the hott est days of the year to mum Missy and dad Dourado.

Golden lion tamarins live in a group, and the other adults in the group at the zoo are pitching in to help care for the twins. The babies can oft en be spott ed in the enclosure on the back of one of the adults, before heading back to mum to feed.

The safe arrival of the twins is great news for the species, which is part of a European breeding programme that helps to protect the future of the tamarins.

Stev

en H

erita

ge, D

uke

Uni

vers

ity L

emur

Cen

ter

The ti ny creature was found during a scienti fi c expediti on to Djibouti , a country on the Horn of Africa. The Somali elephant shrews are also known as Somali sengis and experts previously believed they only lived in Somalia. These litt le mammals are so small that they can fi t into the palm of your hand. They use their ti ny trunks to feed on insects, and their closest relati ves are actually aardvarks, manatees and elephants.

The research team caught their fi rst

sengi in one of 1,000 traps they set in 12 locati ons around the country, using a mixture of peanut butt er, oatmeal and yeast as bait. In total, they saw and recorded 12 diff erent animals during their expediti on.

Kelsey Neam from Global Wildlife Conservati on said: “Now that we know it survives, scienti sts and conservati onists will be able to ensure it never disappears again.”

A full report on the research was published in the journal Peer J.

A “LOST” species of elephant shrew has been rediscovered in Africa, aft er 50 years without being seen.

LOST SPECIESLOST SPECIES

FOUND!FOUND!

The young bear was born in 2018 at Highland Wildlife Park and was the fi rst polar bear cub to be born in the UK for 25 years. He’ll be leaving mum Victoria in October and heading to his new home, alongside a group of young male bears at Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s Project Polar habitat. The bears at Project Polar are part of the European Endangered Species Programme and will stay there unti l they are adults and ready to fi nd

mates across Europe. Rachel Williams, senior animal keeper

at Highland Wildlife Park, said: “In the wild, polar bear cubs will stay with their mothers for two to three years, so this is a natural ti me for Hamish to be moving on, and I’m sure Victoria will appreciate some peace and quiet!”

Hamish won’t be leaving unti l the end of October, so there is sti ll plenty of ti me to see him before he goes.

RZSS

TWIN golden lion tamarins have been born at Bristol Zoo Gardens. Br

isto

l Zoo

Gar

dens

GOLDEN ARRIVALS


10. SCIENCE NEWS by Eddie de Oliveira FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

COUNTRIES led by women have dealt with COVID-19 bett er than those led by men, new research has found.

A study of 194 countries andtheir responses to the virus up unti l 19 May found that those nati ons with female leaders have had “signifi cantly bett er” outcomes. They suff ered half as many deaths on average as those led by men.

Some countries with female leaders include New Zealand, whose PM is Jacinda Ardern, Germany, whose Chancellor is Angela Merkel, and Bangladesh, where the PM is Sheikh Hasina.

Supriya Garikipati , an economics expert at Liverpool University who co-wrote the report, said: “Our results clearly indicate that women leaders reacted more quickly and decisively. In almost all cases, they locked down earlier than male leaders in similar circumstances.”

Only 19 of the countries studied were led by women, yet they experienced fewer cases and deaths, partly explained by the fact they locked down earlier and harder.

DID exploding stars, known as supernovas, cause exti ncti on on Earth 359 million years ago?

That’s the theory in a new study by scienti sts at the University of Illinois in the USA. The research focused on the ti me between the Devonian and Carboniferous periods in Earth’s history.

The conclusion is that one or more supernova explosions, about 65 light years away from Earth, could have been responsible for destroying the ozone above our planet. This, in turn, caked the Earth in damaging ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays. To make

matt ers even worse, supernova debris then caused more damage, leading to the exti ncti on of plant and animal species for some 100,000 years.

Astronomy and physics professor Brian Fields, who worked on the study, said: “We are citi zens of a larger cosmos, and the cosmos intervenes in our lives.”

THIS week 100 years ago, engineer and inventor Oti s

Bobby Boykin was born.Boykin is best known for improving the cardiac

pacemaker, a device that regulates the heartbeat by sending electrical signals to the heart muscles. Pacemakers are oft en put inside the chests of people whose natural pacemaker – the part of the heart that makes it beat – is too slow.

Boykin improved the device by inventi ng a control unit, which made pacemakers more precise, easier to install and use, and safer. Today, pacemakers are worn by millions of people around the world.

You can see some historic cardiac pacemakers – such as the fi rst implantable one, pictured above – at the Science Museum’s Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries.

This report is from the Science Museum in London

WOMEN LEAD ON COVID-19

Jacinda Ardern

Sheikh Hasina

One way the coronavirus spreads is through big droplets that leave our mouths when we talk, sneeze or cough. Scienti sts don’t yet know how likely ti ny droplets – known as aerosols, which can spread several metres away – transmit the disease

A NEW study has found that loud singing and shouti ng is more likely to spread the new coronavirus.

Previous research had found a link between singing and the projecti on of aerosols, which are small liquid parti cles that we eject from our mouths. These aerosols can contain viruses, such as the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Scienti sts also know that big droplets that we expel when we cough, sneeze or talk are most likely to spread COVID-19, as they contain more of the virus. They fall to the ground within a couple of metres, which is why social distancing reduces the danger of infecti on.

But research is fi nding that the virus also lives in the ti ny aerosols, some of which can linger in the air for hours. It’s not yet known how likely these aerosols are to infect a person.

Singers and some musicians who produce a lot of aerosols have therefore been considered a risk, and choirs have not been allowed to sing since restricti ons began in March. Singing and chanti ng in religious buildings has also been banned.

But a new study has given hope that indoor concerts, religious services and plays can resume safely. Scienti sts at the University of Bristol reckon it’s volume, not the actual singing or speaking, that makes a diff erence to spreading aerosols.

They asked 25 professional singers to breathe, speak, cough and sing into funnels. The researchers then studied the aerosols suspended in the air inside the funnels. They found that the lower the volume, the fewer aerosols were produced.

In fact, singing and speaking quietly generated the same mass of aerosols as breathing. The loudest singing produced 36 ti mes the mass of aerosols as breathing, while the noisiest talking sent out 24 ti mes the mass.

The study also found that other factors, such as the size of a space, the venti lati on and how long people are talking or singing for, all play a part in the spread of aerosols. The new research has not yet been peer-reviewed (studied and checked by other scienti sts).

The Government recently relaxed social distancing rules from three metres to two for singers and woodwind and brass musicians. That means more people can fi t in an audience and be closer to the performers.

Shouti ng and loud singing is more likely to spread the virus, but a new study found that soft singing isn’t so risky

iSto

ck

VOICE VOICE VOLUME VOLUME LINK TO LINK TO COVIDCOVID

Gett

y

Gett

y

© S

cien

ce M

useu

m G

roup

A supernova

Gett

y

NEW EXTINCTION NEW EXTINCTION THEORYTHEORY

iSto

ck

ON COVID-19


11. SPECIAL REPORT by Tracy Genever, Blue Cross Head of Educati on Services FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

SMALL animals such as rabbits and hamsters are sti ll considered to be a perfect fi rst pet, but nati onal animal charity Blue Cross is calling on people to do their research before rushing in.

The number one issue Blue Cross sees is small animals who have been kept alone or in inadequate or overcrowded conditi ons.

Small animals need as much space as possible and should be able to stand on their hind legs, dig, hop, climb and jump around in their hutches or cages.

Most prefer to live in pairs or groups, as they get lonely if kept alone. But they also need space, as overcrowding can lead to fi ghts and injuries.

Rabbits, for example, should be kept in a hutch that has at least 183cm x 90cm fl oor space, and is 90cm tall. They also need access to a large run to keep fi t and healthy.

Rats or guinea pigs can make a great choice, as they enjoy being handled.

Rabbits, gerbils, mice and hamsters can make a bett er choice if you require less interacti on and are happy to watch and care for them. This is because rabbits are prey animals who don’t like to be picked up, while smaller rodents can be quick and diffi cult to handle but are a joy to watch.

Hamsters also sleep for a lot of the day but could make the perfect pet for children who are happy to watch and care for them aft er school.

Peter Rabbit had overgrown nails, which would have been painful to stand on, as he had been kept alone in his hutch aft er his young owner lost interest in him. Aft er a much-needed trim, he is no longer lonely and is happily living with another rabbit in his new home.

Having pets can be a wonderful experience for families. Animal chariti es like Blue Cross can

help advise you on the best pet for you and your family. See www.bluecross.org.uk

DO YOU HAVE SPACE?Rabbits can live up to 12 years,

while guinea pigs can live for around eight years. Gerbils, hamsters, rats and mice have shorter lifespans of around three years. It’s important that you will be able to provide the right care for your pet for their enti re life. They can become lonely and/or sick if kept in the wrong conditi ons and not fed the right diet.

RABBITS AND GUINEA PIGS CAN LIVE ALONERabbits and guinea pigs should be kept in pairs or same-sex groups, as they love company and can become lonely if kept alone.

GUINEA PIGS AND RABBITS CAN LIVE TOGETHER IN A HUTCH They are diff erent species and should never be kept together.

HAMSTERS CHEWING ON CAGE BARS IS NORMALThis can be a sign of boredom. Make sure they have a wheel and plenty of toys and toilet roll tubes to keep them entertained.

SMALL ANIMALS JUST NEED A HUTCH OR CAGE TO LIVE INRabbits and guinea pigs need regular access to a run to keep them fi t and healthy. Gerbils, hamsters, mice and rats also need plenty of space to climb and dig, and love accommodati on across diff erent levels.

RATS ARE DIRTYRats are one of the cleanest pets.They are also very intelligent.

iSto

ck

iSto

ckBl

ue C

ross

ARE YOU READY ARE YOU READY FOR A PET?FOR A PET?

MEET PETERRABBIT!

WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM YOUR PET?

iSto

ck

HOW LONG DO THEY LIVE?Lots of people think they know enough about

small pets and their needs, but many of these common thoughts are wrong! How many of these false statements have you heard? Read on to fi nd out the truth!

FACTS

I know theanswers!


12. BIG INTERVIEW FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

CHARITIES SUPPORTED BY FIRST NEWS

How does it feel to be back voicing your characters again?Ashley: Obviously, it had been a couple of years since we did the series and I was nervous. My voice got lower, and I wanted to make sure I could fi nd her craziness. But I felt like I just jumped right back into it.Vincent: What was nice is that we’d all gott en to kind of play these characters again for Milo Murphy’s Law when we did the crossover. It was nice just being able to come back and be in the studio doing these characters again. Phineas is a huge part of my life. I mean, I’ve played him for ten years for the series, so it was great getti ng to spend some ti me with him again. I was, like, 13 when I did the pilot and when we fi nished I think I was 23. I never got any taller!

Candace has always been one of the main characters, so how does it feel to fi nally be in the ti tle alongside Phineas and Ferb?Ashley: I think Candace is just so excited that it’s her movie. It’s prett y cool. I mean, it’s like Vincent said, Phineas and Ferb has been such a big part of my life for so many years. And Candace has always been that crazy big sister trying to bust her brothers, but it’s really cool to be the star for one movie. It’s awesome. Candace is very excited to have her name up there.

Vincent, in this fi lm we see a more mature Phineas – what memories does playing Vincent bring back?Vincent: Oh, I have so many great memories of playing Phineas. For the fi rst couple of years of working on Phineas and Ferb, I was sti ll living in Florida. So I was actually recording right behind Disney World. A lot of my memories of playing Phineas would be me completely alone on a really, really big stage. And it would be just me at 13 years old. I would try and warm up Phineas’ voice a lot, on my way to the recording studio. My parents would play a lot of Bob Dylan music and that was the perfect key. It was perfect to warm up Phineas’ voice that

way. And so a lot of my early memories of playing Phineas are actually singing a lotof folk music. That’s what I would doall the ti me going to sessions.

Ashley, how did it feel forCandace to experience this new space reality without her brothers? And how was the experience of being abducted by aliens?Ashley: Well, the experience of being abducted is a litt le scary! But she then feels very special and I think it’s something like a win for Candace. I think she’s at this point with her brother, where she’s so frustrated that she never gets them busted. I think she needs a litt le separati on from them but then realises that she might take them for granted. So I think she has a lot of learning experiences being in space!

What do you think is the key tothis show and these characters being so popular all around the world?Vincent: So many families have told me they’re able to watch this show together and be so happy watching something that’s full of adventure and fun. Ashley: I think the music helps too. I feel music is so universal and the music is just so, so good. I sti ll have people come to me, like: “squirrels in my pants”, which is one of the songs from the fi rst season, I think. And you remember all of those songs. All of the songs in Phineas and Ferb are good, but some of the best stuff is in this movie!

Disn

ey+

VINCENT Martella and Ashley Tisdale fi ll us in on their brilliant new fi lm, Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against The Universe.


Phineas and Ferb The Movie:Candace Against The Universe premieres

on Disney+ on 28 August

Disn

ey+

Disn

ey+

Disn

ey+

Gett

y

Vincent and Ashley

SPACESPACESISTER!SISTER!


13. SPECIAL REPORT by editor in chief Nicky Cox FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

WELCOMEWELCOME BACK! BACK!Going back to school can always be a bit nerve-wracking – this year more than most!

THERE’S always a mixture of feelings when you go back to school aft er the summer break. But, this year, it’s been even longer than usual since you’ve been in school. The coronavirus pandemic has meant most of you have been at home for nearly six months.

So, we imagine many of you have a mixture of feelings; excitement to see friends and teachers and a new classroom. But, perhaps you might be a bit worried about what you’ve missed, if there’s any risk from the virus and what’s going to be diff erent because of COVID-19.

And, some of you will be starti ng new schools and might be wondering about making new friends.

So, First News is here to help. Firstly, remember that you are not alone. Other kids will be feeling a bit lost and anxious, too. And, so will teachers! It’s a fresh start for everybody.

WHAT TO EXPECT BECAUSE OF COVID-19When the Government made the decision to ask schools to open

only to a small number of children earlier this year, that was to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. But, now, things have changed. There are fewer cases of COVID-19 and the Government has given out guidelines to make schools safer. And, remember, the risk to children of becoming severely ill with COVID-19 is very low.

YOU MIGHT NOTICE SOME CHANGES Not all schools will do exactly the same things, because all schools are diff erent.

Hands will need to be cleaned more oft en and more thoroughly than usual, using soap and water, or hand saniti ser.

The ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach conti nues to be very important for sneezes, so schools should have more ti ssues and bins available in the school for all pupils.

More deep cleaning will take place in the school. Children will be grouped together – perhaps in whole classes – but contact between diff erent groups or classes will be avoided, so no assemblies, for example.

Lunch and break ti mes are likely to be staggered. There may be diff erent start and fi nish ti mes for diff erent classes or year groups.

Schools may encourage parents, staff and pupils to walk or cycle to school if at all possible.

Where possible, desks in classrooms will face forwards. Teachers will try to keep as much distance from each other and pupils as they can.

Every school will have a plan for the possibility of a local lockdown, if there is a spike in cases where you live, and to make sure your educati on does not suff er.

If anyone in school becomes ill with symptoms that could be COVID-19, they should stay at home for at least ten days and should arrange to have a coronavirus test.

MAKING NEW FRIENDS by Childline

YOU can have diff erent types of friends.Some friends are good for having a laugh with, or sharing your favourite

hobbies. Other friends can be there when you want to pour your heart out.The number of friends you have isn’t important. What matt ers is having

friends that you’re close to, who can support you and who won’t try to hurt you or bully you.

You might be a young carer and have less ti me to make friends, or you may feel shy in front of other people.

But these things don’t have to stop you making friends.

THINGS TO REMEMBER It can take ti me to make friends. It’s scary going up to someone new, but you’ll gain more confi dence.

It’s good to smile. If someone’s friendly to you, try to be friendly back.

GIVE A COMPLIMENTSaying something nice can be a great way to start building a friendship with someone – maybe compliment their hair or shoes, or the way they laugh.

FIND THINGS TO SHARELots of friendships start because people have things in common. You could:

Look out for people who have similar hobbies and interests as you. Take something to school to share at break, like sweets or a new game. Share a song or video that you like. Join a club in school so you can meet other kids with similar interests.

TALK TO SOMEONE NEWIf you see someone having lunch on their own, why not go over and sit with them? You could ask how their day is going and start a conversati on about what you both like to do at the weekend.

START CONVERSATIONS Ask questi ons about them. It’s a good way to show that you’re interested.

Talk about a fi lm, show or musician – they might like them too.

iSto

ck


14. ENTERTAINMENT FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

CLASSI-COOL!CLASSI-COOL!

AUTHOR and McFly singer Tom Fletcher has writt en a poem about dreams as part of a new book to celebrate Puffi n’s 80th birthday. First News has an exclusive preview of the poem, so check it out below!

To celebrate Puffi n’s 80th birthday,The Puffi n Book of Big Dreams collecti on is available to pre-order now in hardback for

£14.99 and is on sale from 3 September.Tom’s new book, The Danger Gang, illustrated by Shane DeVries, is out

on 1 October.

by Tom Fletcher

Illustrati ons by Shane DeVries

BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY POEM!POEM!

I used to be a dreamer.I used to dream a lot.I knew how to make my dreams come true but I forgot…

Everybody knows you mustbelieve your dreams can beMore than just a dreamand become reality.

But if you think believing is the secret, well, it’s not.The secret is, once dreams come true,to let your dreaming stop.

I don’t mean for forever,just a while to take it in,To smell the roses, so they say,Before you dream again.For only when you stopAnd take a look at what you haveYou might fi nd you’ve already gotthe thing you wish you had.

Sure, you can go on dreamingTill the day that you are old,Always striving for perfecti on,Never sett ling for gold,Always pushing past the limit,Going over the threshold,Getti ng everything you want,

Then you want it sevenfold,

But why cook theperfect dinnerand then let the foodget cold?

If you’re thinking of dessert Through your appeti ser, then youNever taste what’s in your mouth

With your eyes upon the menu.Eat it while it’s nice and hot –

it doesn’t last for long.Dream again tomorrow.You’ll put the stove back on.

Or what’s the point in wishing upthese dreams inside your head?

They’ll pass you by so quicklyIf you stay one dream ahead.

Trust me, that’s what I did.I was always hoping, wishing.

I caught the perfect catch, then thought,

I might just keep on fi shing.

And sure enough, behind my back,That dream just slipped away,

And now, I hope, and wish, and prayI’ll dream it back someday.

So, dream big, kid,For life gives back exactly what

you give it.Just make sure when your

dream comes trueYou stop a while to live it.

I don’t mean for forever,I don’t mean for forever,just a while to take it in,just a while to take it in,To smell the roses, so they say,To smell the roses, so they say,Before you dream again.For only when you stopAnd take a look at what you haveYou might fi nd you’ve already gotthe thing you wish you had.

Sure, you can go on dreamingTill the day that you are old,Always striving for perfecti on,Never sett ling for gold,Never sett ling for gold,Always pushing past the limit,Always pushing past the limit,Going over the threshold,Going over the threshold,Getti ng everything you want,Getti ng everything you want,

Then you want it sevenfold,Then you want it sevenfold,

But why cook theBut why cook theperfect dinnerperfect dinnerand then let the foodand then let the food

Or what’s the point in wishing upthese dreams inside your head?

And sure enough, behind my back,

And now, I hope, and wish, and pray

I don’t mean for forever,I don’t mean for forever,

FIRST NEWS has teamed up with Classic FM to make your fi rst week at school as cool as can be! Join Tim Lihoreau during Classic FM’s More Music Breakfast show from 1-4 September for a special Schools Week aimed at children and students!

Tim said: “I’m absolutely CHUFFED to be presenti ng Schools Week on Classic FM’s More Music Breakfast. I’ve wished children well for many years now on their way to school and this year is more important than ever. We will have lots of fun, I know, with brilliant music, dedicati ons and the rare chance for children to make their Classic FM debut! I’m also working with First News to test your brain cells with a daily Carpe Diem questi on – a crypti c clue that I’d like you to solve. Aft er 8:30am every day, I’ll share this clue and will reveal the answer before the end of the programme.”

Clas

sic

FM


GET ready for a whole new Pokémon adventure when the latest series, called Pokémon Journeys, starts this September.

Pokémon trainer Ash has a grand plan to see the world, but fi rst he wants to know everything he can about the mysterious Pokémon he may encounter. As Ash teams up with new friend Goh, his training to become a Pokémon Master leads him on some exciti ng new adventures.

Join Ash, Goh and, of course, Pikachu and a host of other colourful characters when Pokémon Journeysbegins on POP on 1 September, daily at 6:30pm.

PICSPICS OF THE WEEK1 Doctor Who fans can join

the Doctor on a brand-new, interacti ve theatre adventure in 2021. Doctor Who: Time Fracture will open in London in February. Guests will join the Doctor on a journey through space and ti me in an original, new experience that will feature monsters, aliens and lots of other surprises. Tickets are on sale now at www.immersivedoctorwho.com.

2 Ashley Banjo will stand in for Simon Cowell as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent while Simon

recovers from surgery aft er breaking his back. Ashley will step in as a judge for the semi-fi nals, which start fi lming this week, and the fi nal. Ashley won the show with his dance act Diversity in 2009.

3 Screen Anime’s online fi lm festi val launched this week and runs unti l 25 September. The line-up

features fi lms for the whole family, with Children of the Sea as the main att racti on. All fi lms will be shown with both Japanese and English subti tles. Find out how you can subscribe to Screen Anime and join the festi val atwww.screenanime.com.

15. ENTERTAINMENT

THIS WEEK

POP

POP

ARIANA GREENBLATT AND BROOKLYNN PRINCE

What’s it like to be part of such a bigDisney movie? Ariana: When I was in the third grade I read the book The One And Only Ivan before I even started to act. But it’s crazy because the cast is incredible! It’s been such an amazing experience and I’m so grateful and happy to be part of such an amazing story. Brooklynn: I eat, sleep and breathe Disney, so when I found out, I was like: “I got an auditi on?! For a Disney movie?” I almost fainted.

Brooklynn, you play baby elephant Ruby, who has a close bond with Stella, voiced by Angelina Jolie. We heard you have matching elephant onesies… Brooklynn: I said to her: “Why don’t we wear elephant onesies?!” So I asked my mum if we could buy me and Angelina an elephant onesie so we can rock it! So my mum got her size and we sent it over to her. Then on the day that we were all together in the recording booth, I was there waiti ng in my onesie jumping with excitement, then she comes in, drops all her stuff , and puts on her onesie and we have a selfi e together – wearing our elephant onesies, doing the peace sign. It was the best. I’m going to frame that onesie.

Ariana, how did you fi nd working with moti on-capture suits and all that green screen where the animals would be?Ariana: I had a litt le bit of experience with green screen and moti on-capture suits with Avengers: Infi nity War [Ariana played a young Gamora]. That defi nitely helped me with the process, but the person who was in the moti on-capture suit for The One And Only Ivanhad spent weeks practi sing the gorilla’s movements

and head moti ons. He’d spend the whole day walking around on all fours like that. That defi nitely helped me to react to Ivan.

Julia has such a touching relati onship with Ivan in the fi lm. Do either of you have a special relati onship with an animal in real life?Ariana: Yes, I have two dogs and they’re both rescued. They are the sweetest creatures in the enti re world. I defi nitely have a bond with them, like I do with Ivan, so I relate to Julia on that.Brooklynn: I have two dogs. One’s called Monty and here’s something sweet that he does: he comes by my room every night to check on me. When I was a baby, he slept by my crib. I also have a dog named Harley, who I was never really close with, unti l now. I woke up one morning and he crawled on my arm – put his paw over my arm – and lay his head down on my shoulder. It was the cutest thing ever!

Disn

ey+

Disn

ey+

FIVEMINUTESWITH…

ONE voices a baby elephant, the otherplays Julia, the human heart and soul in

The One And Only Ivan, which is streaming now on Disney+.

POP

BBC



FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 202016. BOREDOM BUSTERS! PUZZLE FUN

WORDLADDER

SEE if you can get from the top of the ladder to the bott om by changing one lett er at a ti me to make a new word.

NEAR

LAND

CAN you complete our crossword puzzle by using the clues below?

Send in your answers, and two lucky winners will win a Gibsons Rainbow Heroes puzzle. This 500-piece circular jigsaw puzzle celebrates the wonderful heroes who have helped us during the COVID-19 crisis, from nurses and doctors, to delivery drivers and emergency services. Gibsons will donate £2 from every Rainbow Heroes puzzle sold to the Samaritans charity.www.gibsonsgames.co.uk

CAN you complete our crossword

WIN!WIN! RAINBOW RAINBOW HEROES PUZZLEHEROES PUZZLE

CAN you complete our sudoku puzzle, fi lling in the numbers one to nine?Send in your answers and three lucky winners will each win two Batt le Balls.

This summer, head into an epic batt le with Funko’s brand new toy range, Marvel Batt leworld: Mystery Of The Thanostones. Collect your favourite Marvel Heroes and take down the evil Thanos! The best part? Each Batt le Ball contains a mysterious Thanostone with a surprise character – you never know which one you’re going to get!

Available to purchase at Smyths Toys Superstores, Tesco and Asda.

WIN! MARVEL BATTLEWORLDBATTLE BALLSCAN you complete our sudoku puzzle, fi lling in the numbers one to nine?

© 2

020

MAR

VEL

WORDWHEELE R

F

ENI

T

FD

SEE ho

w

many words of three or more letters you can make, using the middle

letter

ineach one. And can you find the word that uses all the letters?

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8

9 10

11

12 13 14 15

16

17 18

19

Across1 - Scottish city (8)

6 - A doglike African mammal (5)

7 - Royal ___ : famous horse racing event (5)

9 - Garden tool for collecting leaves (4)

10 - Closer (6)

12 - Do up securely (6)

14 - Small; tiny (4)

17 - Large cats that roar (5)

18 - Happen (5)

19 - Computer device you use to type (8)

Down2 - Stop working (5)

3 - Wander (4)

4 - Soft rubber stationery item (6)

5 - More pleasant (5)

6 - Unkind or upsetting (7)

8 - Type of small dog (7)

11 - Knitted garment (6)

13 - Surprise (5)

15 - Runic (anag) (5)

16 - Extinct bird (4)

1 9 7 5 4 8 62 5 1 9

6 7 3 9 4 1

5 4 1 7 3 81 6 8 5

4 5 3 9 6 1 7

ACROSS1 Scotti sh city (8)

6 A dog-like African mammal (5)7 Royal ___ : famous horse racing event (5)9 Garden tool for collecti ng leaves (4)10 Closer (6)

12 Do up securely (6)14 Small; ti ny (4)17 Large cats that roar (5)18 Happen (5)

19 Computer device you use to type (8)

DOWN2 Stop working (5)3 Wander (4)4 Soft rubber stati onery item (6)5 More pleasant (5)6 Unkind or upsetti ng (7)8 Type of small dog (7)11 Knitt ed garment (6)13 Surprise (5)15 Runic (anagram) (5)16 Exti nct bird (4)


COMPETITIONS: You can enter First News competi ti ons in one of two ways. 1. Go to fi rstnews.co.uk/competi ti ons and follow the instructi ons. 2. Write to us at ‘competi ti on name’ (e.g. Holiday), First News, 7 Playhouse Court, 62 Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1 0AT. Please note:First News will not share your personal details with third parti es. First News will only use your details to contact the competi ti on winners.First News competi ti ons are open to those aged 17-and-under and residents of the UK & Republic of Ireland, except employees of First News, First Group Enterprises Ltd, Reach plc and any associated companies and their families. Winners will be the fi rst correct entries drawn aft er the closing dates. No purchase necessary. No responsibility can be accepted for entries that have been lost or damaged in transit. First News will not enter into any correspondence. All winners will be noti fi ed accordingly and their names and addresses will be available on request. No cash alternati ve for any prizes will be off ered. The winner may be required to partake in media acti vity relati ng to the competi ti on.

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS:Spot the diff erence: Ariel’s top is green, Ariel’s hand is bigger, fi sh has been added, Sebasti an’s claw is missing, Flounder’s patt ern removed.Word ladder: good, gold, cold, cord, card, cars.Word wheel: att enti on.

4 7 2 1 8 3 6 9 59 3 6 4 2 5 7 1 81 8 5 9 6 7 4 2 33 5 1 6 9 8 2 7 46 2 9 3 7 4 5 8 18 4 7 2 5 1 3 6 95 6 4 7 1 9 8 3 27 9 3 8 4 2 1 5 62 1 8 5 3 6 9 4 7

T H I R T E E N PE G D O AL I L Y A L W A Y SE O M H PS C O W L G E E S EC O R EO P E R A W E I R DP S E D IE I G H T Y F A R E

L I E H SL P A S S P O R T

17. BOREDOM BUSTERS! HOW TO ENTER: Send your fi nished puzzles by email to win@fi rstnews.co.uk. Don’t forget to put Puzzles 741 in the subject box. We’re afraid that we can’t accept postal entries for now. The closing date for entries is Thursday 3 September 2020.

Tobi™ Robot Smartwatch is available in two colourways: blue and pink. Available at litt leti kes.co.uk,

The Entertainer, Smyths, Argos and Amazoncolourways: blue and pink.

ENTER NOW!ENTER NOW! MARK YOUR ENTRY MARK YOUR ENTRY WATCHWATCHfi rstnews.co.uk/competi ti ons or see below. The closing date is 10 September 2020.

WE’VE teamed up with Litt le Tikes to give you the chance to win one of seven TobiTM Robot Smartwatch prizes.

The TobiTM Robot Smartwatch is the only kids’ smartwatch that Comes to Life Before Your EyesTM, and includes dual photo and video cameras, a unique robot personality and lots of built-in games and features. The new wearable tech will keep you entertained and learning for hours.

Track your footsteps with the built-in pedometer, while the 50+ digital and analog clock faces will help you learn to tell the ti me in a fun and interacti ve way.

Additi onal practi cal features include a calendar, alarm clock, stopwatch and ti mer.

To be in with a chance of winning, just answer this questi on:

WIN!WIN! A TOBIA TOBITMTM ROBOT ROBOT SMARTWATCHSMARTWATCH

Which of these is a type of watch?a) pocket watch b) patch watch

c) post watch

Lessons

Homework

Pencil case

Teacher

TimetableHistory

Playground

Science

Friends

Backpack

Desk

Uniform

CAN you fi nd the words in our back-to-school wordsearch?Remember that the words can be horizontal, verti cal or diagonal.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCECAN you spot the fi ve changes we’ve made to this picture from Disney’s Mulan?

A B © 2

020

Disn

ey E

nter

pris

es, I

nc. A

ll Ri

ghts

Res

erve

d.


18. BOREDOM BUSTERS! FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

1. I’M ALWAYS ON THE DINNER TABLE, BUT YOU DON’T GET TO EAT ME.WHAT AM I?2. WHAT CAN YOU HEAR, BUT NOT SEE OR TOUCH, EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE CONTROLLING IT?3. GRANDPA WENT OUT FOR A WALK AND IT STARTED TO RAIN. HE DIDN’T BRING AN UMBRELLA OR A HAT. HIS CLOTHES GOT SOAKED, BUT NOT A HAIR ON HIS HEAD WAS WET.HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?

BRAIN BRAIN TEASERSTEASERSA BUNCH of brilliant people and places are doing their bit to entertain us through summer! This week, here’s what we’ve been enjoying.

The Longitude Explorer Prize from Nesta Challenges has launched a free Digital Summer Camp so that you can develop your STEM skills during the summer holidays! The camp features online tutorials, quizzes and creati ve acti viti es – along with the opportunity to win a back-to-school goody bag. Find out more at longitudeexplorer.challenges.org.

Fancy receiving a special story via email every day? The mysterious Madame Kalamazoo is sending personalised stories out to families across the globe. You can even join in with the stories by creati ng your own fan art for them, and sharing it online! To fi nd out more, head to madamekalamazoo.comor visit nati onaltheatre.org.uk.

doing their bit to entertain us through summer!

THIS WEEK’S HEROES IN THETHIS WEEK’S HEROES IN THEBATTLE AGAINST BOREDOMBATTLE AGAINST BOREDOM

1) Plates and cutlery 2) Your voice3) Grandpa is bald!

Bananas Strawberries Mixed berries Granola Raisins

Beth

Cro

ckatt

nati onaltheatre.org.uk

Nati

ona

l The

atre

iSto

ck

LOTS of you will be heading back to school soon, and some of you have already returned! Why not start the year off right, by making these tasty frozen treats as a breakfast snack before school? This healthy breakfast can be prepared in bulk, so you can make enough for a whole week at once!

What you will need: A baking ti n Greaseproof paper Honey A tub of yogurt A freezer

Once you’ve got all that, you’ll need to get yourself some toppings! While the only real limit is your imaginati on, here are a few of our favourites:

1. Line your baking ti n with greaseproof paper – a shallow baking ti n is best.2. Mix some honey into the tub of yogurt.3. Plop a dollop of the yogurt into the centre of the baking ti n. Using a spoon or pallet knife, gently spread the yogurt across the baking ti n and smooth out the edges. Don’t worry about it being perfectly fl at; litt le waves will give it texture!4. Cover in whatever toppings you like!5. Place fl at in the freezer for a minimum of three hours. 6. Enjoy your yogurt bark!

METHOD

YOGURT BARK!

iSto

ck

iSto

ck


19. SPECIAL REPORT FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

This design is built to reduce carbon emissions and encourage social interaction. It includes communal spaces for communities

to grow food, and areas like ponds to promote biodiversity

By The Positive Collective (changebuilding Perpendicular

Architecture & humblebee) with ECOSystems Technologies, COCIS

and Arup

The home designs submitted had to be age-friendly and inclusive, have a low environmental impact, promote healthy living, and able to be built across the UK at any scale.

Christopher Pincher MP said: “This competition demonstrates the best of British design – delivering homes that are good for the planet that promote healthy, independent living for older generations.”

The six finalists have each received £40,000 of funding to help them develop detailed plans.Along with the brilliant designs on this page, created by architects and designers from around

the UK, young people from across the country also had the opportunity to submit their ideas.George Clarke, the architect, TV presenter and founder of MOBIE, the educational charity

running the junior competition, said that “the incredibly high standard of design creativity and enthusiasm exhibited by the submissions to the Home of 2030 Young Persons’ Design Challenge has been absolutely amazing.”

The winning Home of 2030 will be revealed at a later date.

THE THE HOMES HOMES OF THE OF THE FUTURE!FUTURE!HOUSING Minister Christopher Pincher has announced the finalists in the Home of 2030 competition to design

new, eco-friendly and accessible houses.

This design is built to be adapted to the size and needs of a community and will aim to create connected,

sustainable, age-friendly and inclusive neighbourhoods

Studio OPEN

These homes can be rearranged to fit their location, are to be built out of organic biomass materials (mostly timber and straw) and will feature communal greenhouses and gardens

Outpost Architects and team

This idea focuses on standard parts so that

people can create their own climate-friendly homes and

walkable communities

Igloo Regeneration with Useful Projects, Expedition Engineers and Mawson Kerr Architects

This design aims to use new, modern methods of construction to build lots of homes out of swappable parts, which are all high quality and sustainable

HLM Architects with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and Green Build

Openstudio Architects Ltd

The focus of this design is to combine homes with outdoor spaces, and to be both sustainable and age-friendly


FIRST NEWS PRINT AD 264 X 338 .indd 1FIRST NEWS PRINT AD 264 X 338 .indd 1 20/08/2020 17:4620/08/2020 17:46


21. SPECIAL REPORT FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

MENTAL health charity stem4 is launching a campaign called Bounce Not Break, which aims to help kids overcome challenges

such as anxiety, self-harm (deliberately hurti ng yourself)and eati ng disorders. The head of stem4, psychologist

Dr Nihara Krause (right), told us what it’s all about.

iSto

ck

The campaign for Youth Mental Health Awareness Day is all about resilience. How would you define resilience?I’d say that resilience is about the way that we overcome challenges and the different ways we might think to look beyond something that’s been difficult for us. It’s the way that we might then behave differently and adapt to a situation. It’s about how flexible we can be as well – and it can be learnt.

Do you think kids have more mental health problems now, or are they just more aware of them and more willing to seek help?It’s a little hard to say; I’d say it’s been a combination of both. So we are definitely more aware and adults are talking more to young people and they’re picking up on things earlier. But I would also say that probably children and young people are more affected by the stresses and the changes that they’re going through or that other people in their lives are going through, and so will also present with [go to see a doctor about] more mental ill health.

Are kids more likely to want to use an app for mental health advice rather than talk to their parents or a teacher?Absolutely. When we started thinking about our apps we asked young people what they wanted. They said they wanted something that was reliable and they wanted

something they could use quite discreetly [without anyone knowing]. Now obviously we want to be as responsible as possible with young people,

so we will always try to point them to talk to somebody.

Are you starting to see the effects of lockdownon kids’ mental health?

Yes, our apps have been downloaded a lot more by younger people since the lockdown began. I’ve certainly seen a lot more young people who’ve presented with problems, mainly anxiety.

Anxiety about getting ill, or other things?A whole load of different things actually. Some have been worried about getting ill, but quite a lot of the time they’ve been worried about the health of family members, missing out on school, losing contact with friends… so it’s been a variety.

There’s still a lot of disagreement over the effects of social media. Do you have any opinion on whether young people should use it? It has its benefits. It’s very helpful in terms of young people connecting, learning, just learning to socialise in a different way, particularly if they’re quite shy. But information isn’t censored on social media, so I think young people will alsooften see information that might not be to their advantage.

Do schools do enough to teach more about mental andphysical health?I think there’s always room for more. The Government has also made mental health education compulsory in secondary schools from September, and at stem4 we’ve got a digital mental health education programme that’s been really popular. It’s called Head Ed, and we’ve had lots of schools register and start to use that.

“I have quite intense anxiety and I used to get a lot of panic att acks. It takes me ti me to come back from them but I’m learning. The things that help me are healthy exercise and the stem4 apps, Clear Fear and Calm Harm. I love them and I use them all the ti me. Talking about my anxiety and panic attacks also helps me massively, instead of keeping it all bottled up inside. My advice to anyone else young feeling low would be: don’t expect too much from yourself and work at your own pace.Comparing yourself to others doesn’thelp anyone.” India Trainor (right), 17

You can fi nd out more about resilience and stem4’s free apps at stem4.org.uk/youthmentalhealthday/#involved

“I am resilient because my family helps me. I’m learning not to give up. Resilience is a skill and I’m learning to get back up.”

Cecilia, 7

“I keep trying because I like how it feels when I get it right. When I get upset, I take time to calm down, then I come back to the problem. I think I’m resilient because I’m learning from problems I can fix. There will be bigger problems as I grow older that I can’t fix, but I’m learning to be okay with that”

Arthur, 14

CHALLENGESCHALLENGESCHALLENGESCONQUERING

health charity stem4 is launching a campaign called Bounce Not Break, which aims to help kids overcome challenges

CHALLENGES


THIS week, Microsoft Flight Simulator launched – and we’re obsessed with how this game looks!

It’s absolutely gorgeous and an incredibly detailed recreati on of what it’s like to fl y a plane in real life – and while you can play it with a controller, there’s not too much that’s parti cularly video game-y about it.

Instead, it off ers a realisti c planet Earth for you to fl y around, with weather that looks amazing!

FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 202022. GAME ZONE

THE most bumbling batt le royale game around, Fall Guys, has been an instant success on both PC and PS4. This week, the game’s creati ve director refl ected on the journey that the game has taken, and shared some secrets about its development.

In its fi rst week on PC, Fall Guys was bought over two million ti mes, and was played by nearly 16 million people on PS4 in less than two weeks.

Jeff Tanton, creati ve director at Mediatonic (which makes Fall Guys) said that the game has smashed all expectati ons for its success, and he shared a few behind-the-scenes secrets.

According to Jeff , the game had originallybeen pitched as Fool’s Gauntlet, a 100-player game show, with the winners sharing out a fi nal big prize.

At one point, the game was going to be called

Stumble Chums, but once the initi al artwork for the game was shown to the team, they found that the name Fall Guys just stuck.

Once development had begun, however, they quickly realised that 100 players was just too many to fi t on screen, and it was diffi cult to see what was going on.

The rest, as they say, is history, andJeff says that now, it’s all about what’s next for Fall Guys.

“There’s so much more to come, and the team can’t wait to share it with you all,” he said.

REUSABLE bott le company Dopper is challenging YOU to come up with soluti ons that can reduce the use of single-use plasti cs and help change the world, in the Dopper Changemaker Challenge Junior!

You can either take part in the challenge with your enti re class, or at home! Work independently or with a small group to come up with your plasti c-reducing design and if you’re one of the ten selected fi nalists then you’ll be sent an extra-special winner’s kit. The kit includes everything you need to bring your idea to life, ready to present via a pre-recorded video to an infl uenti al panel of judges!

The winning team will be crowned the Junior Changemaker(s) of 2020 and will receive a visit from one of Dopper’s VIP judges!

To celebrate the 2020 Dopper Changemaker Challenge Junior, Dopper is giving away 20 personalised Dopper Bott les (maximum ten characters) to First News readers who want to change the world – could it be you?


How many two-litre plasti c bott les does it take to make a recycled fl eece jacket?

a) 10 b) 25 c) 50

ENTER NOW! To become a Changemaker, sign up atdopper.com/changemaker-challenge-junior MARK YOUR ENTRY BOTTLE

fi rstnews.co.uk/competi ti ons or see page 17. The closing date is 10 September 2020

WIN!WIN! A PERSONALISED BOTTLE FROM DOPPERA PERSONALISED BOTTLE FROM DOPPER

THE STUMBLE CHUMS?!

Med

iato

nix

STUNNINGSCENES

Mic

roso

ft

FOLLOWING Fortnite’s (PEGI 12) ban from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, Epic Games, which makes Fortnite, plans to take its fi ght with the tech giants right inside the game itself.

When you spend money on a game that’s on the App Store or the Play Store, 30% of the money you spend goes to Apple or Google. Epic Games says this isn’t fair, and is planning on taking Apple and Google to court to change things.

Now, Epic is planning on turning the fi ght with Apple into a special event inside Fortnite. Epic has announced a special #FreeFortnite tournament for pro players, and introduced a new Tart Tycoon skin to the game (pictured above).

Once the new season of Fortnite begins, those with iPhones will be unable to play the game unti l Epic and Apple work out their problems in court – which could take months, if not years.

FORTNITE FEUD CONTINUES

Epic

Gam

es


WHAT DO YOU CALL A SLEEPING

DINOSAUR?A DINO-SNORE!

HOW DO YOU PUT A BABY ASTRONAUT

TO SLEEP?YOU ROCKET!

A 95-YEAR-OLD man known as Bicycle Bob has just celebrated cycling 100,000 miles (161,000 kilometres) in Santa Maria, California.

Bob Mett auer took up cycling in the 1990s and has kept a close eye on how far he has cycled over the years. Bob says he cycles at least nine miles every day, even if it’s raining.

As 100,000 miles is a crazy big number, let’s put it into perspecti ve. The UK is about 621 miles from top to bott om, so it’s about the same distance as cycling up and down the UK 161 ti mes!

Despite his age and the landmark achievement, Bicycle Bob has no plans to stop. “On 18 September, I’ll be 96 years old, and I’m going to keep on going,” he told California’s KSBY News.

Writt en and illustrated by Paul Palmer

23. CRAZY BUT TRUE FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

UPSIDE-DOWN ARCHERA FIVE-YEAR-OLD archer has sent111 arrows fl ying into a target in just13 minutes… while hanging upside down!

Sanjana, from Chennai in India, att empted toset a world record on India’s Independence Day (15 August).

Her trainer said that in competi ti ons, trained archers shoot just six arrows in four minutes, which shows how speedy Sanjana’s att empt was. He plans to tell Guinness World Records about Sanjana’s achievement.

Sanjana’s dad hopes that she will train for the 2032 Olympics and “bring home several gold medals and make her country proud”.

BICYCLE

BOB

CHOCOLATE RAINTHE town of Olten in Switzerland found itself in a strange fairy-tale land when chocolate rained from the skies above!

The bizarre sight happened when a nearby chocolate factory had a problem with one of its venti lati on systems.

The Lindt & Sprüngli factory accidentally sent “small parti cles of roasted, crushed cocoa bean pieces” out into the air. Strong winds blew the cocoa beans (which are used to make chocolate) all over the town of Olten.

Factory bosses said they would cover any clean-up costs, although we wonder if any residents were tempted to lick the chocolate mess up!

SEE-THROUGH LOOS!TWO parks in Japan have a strange new feature – toilets that you can see into!

The toilets have a special glass that you can see through, but which becomes frosty (so you can’t see into it) when it is being used.

The park toilets are in Japan’s capital, Tokyo, and were designed by Shigeru Ban Architects.

So why would you need to look into a toilet? The team behind the Tokyo Toilet Project say it is so that people can see if the toilet is being used and whether or not it is clean.

One really weird thing is that when you use the loo, you can sti ll see outside, even though those outside can’t look in. Just remember to lock the door – that’s what makes the glass turn frosty!

ksby

new

s/Fa

cebo

ok

One resident woke up to fi nd his car covered in chocolate!

mm

men

diet

a/Tw

itt er

sajik

ana/

Inst

agra

m

R Ra

mes

h Sh

anka

r &Th

e Ti

mes

of I

ndia

/You

Tube

SHARE YOUR JOKES WITH US ATSHARE YOUR JOKES WITH US AT [email protected] [email protected]

SUBMITTED SUBMITTED BY BY ANIKA, ANIKA,

AGE 6AGE 6


24. SHOPS

First News team details available at www.fi rstnews.co.uk/team. For editorial enquiries, contact newsdesk@fi rstnews.co.uk or (020) 3195 2000. For home subscripti on enquiries, email subscripti ons@fi rstnews.co.uk or call 0330 333 0186. For school subscripti on enquiries, email [email protected] or call (01371) 851 898. Web: www.fi rstnews.co.uk. All material in this newspaper is © 2020 First Group Enterprises Ltd and cannot be used without writt en permission. First News is published by First Group Enterprises Ltd,

7 Playhouse Court, 62 Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1 0AT. Printed by Westf erry Printers Ltd, Kimpton Rd, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 0TA. Distributed by Marketf orce (UK) Ltd, 3rd fl oor, 161 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9AP. Tel: 0330 390 6555.We are extremely passionate about the environment and we are always looking at ways to reduce waste throughout the company and across all of our products. Our paper comes from sustainable sources. The new material we use to wrap mailed copies

is made from potato starch, so it is now fully home compostable and completely biodegradable, and you can put it in with your food waste, in your green garden waste recycling bins, or on your own compost heap.


WHAT’S IN THE

SHOPS?

DRAGON KITEAMAZON.CO.UK £19.99This classic, bright dragon kite has a long tail and lightweight design. It includes multi ple control lines to allow the kite to balance the airfl ow and stay fl ying in the air longer. It’s perfect for beginners and comes in a handy carry case for easy travel.

PIZZA KITEIWANTONEOFTHOSE.COM £12.99Fans of pizza everywhere will love this fun kite. No matt er what your favourite toppings are, you’re bound to want to show off your love of pizza on the beach, in the park or even in your garden and let this tasty, pizza slice-shaped kite brighten up the sky!

POCKET KITECAMPUSGIFTS.CO.UK £5.59This fantasti c compact kite can be easily carried in your pocket and its rainbow colours will really brighten up windy days. It comes complete with a hard storage case to keep the string tangle-free. Once unfolded, the kite goes from being 8cm to 44cm!

*All prices correct at ti me of printi ng

WIN!WIN! A COLOR’PEPS A COLOR’PEPS COLOURING BUNDLE COLOURING BUNDLE

FROM FROM MAPED HELIXMAPED HELIX

fi rstnews.co.uk/competi ti ons or see page 17. The closing date is 10 September 2020.ENTER NOW! ENTER NOW! MARK YOUR ENTRYMARK YOUR ENTRY MAPED MAPED

WE’VE teamed up with Maped Helix to give away a fantasti cColor’Peps colouring bundle to brighten up your day!

The bundle includes everything you need to get creati ve, from Duo Stamp pens with a fun stamp design on each pen to the Jungle Innovati on Felt Pen Set that stands up on your desk!

Also included are Maped Creati v Mini Boxes, the perfect acti vity for rainy day fun! We have seven Maped Helix Color’Peps colouring bundles up for grabs.

www.mapedhelix.co.ukwww.mapedhelix.co.uk

Which of these animals would you not fi nd in the jungle?

a) armadillo b) sloth c) llama

Maped Helix products are available on Amazon and in all good stati onery retailers.To fi nd out more, visit www.mapedhelix.co.uk


www.fi rstnews.co.uk/subscribe Follow-on price:13 issues for £19.99

TELL YOUR FRIENDS

TRY 3 ISSUES

FOR £1

Sti ll delivering the news to your door every FridayLearn about the changing world around you while keeping up to date

with the latest science, sport and entertainment news.

KITES


25. BOOKS FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

A FEW months ago, Cressida Cowell, author and Waterstones Children’s Laureate, started a new story in First News. Then she handed things over to YOU to write what happened next. Every week the story has conti nued, writt en by our readers, 250 words ata ti me. Read every part of the gripping tale at:

WRITE A STORY WITH CRESSIDA COWELLWaterstones Children’s Laureate, started a new story

. Then she handed things over to YOU to write what happened next. Every week the story has

WRITE A STORY WITH CRESSIDA COWELL

FIRST.NEWS/CRESSIDACOWELLSO FAR IN THE STORY…Long ago, a war between spellcasters and evil creatures took place. For years, many of these evil creatures have been locked away… unti l shapeshift er Typhon helped his father, the Lord of the Beasts, to fi nd the door to an ancient maze that could return these monsters to the world. The task of stopping these evil beings has fallen on young spellcaster Ferocity and her smoke-producing pet boggart, Guggalugs, who, aft er surviving a surprise att ack from the shapeshift er, have tracked down the Lord of the Beasts with their spellcasti ng allies: the mysterious Trick, his sister Aida and his mum Ariella. The three had been fooled into believing that the shapeshift er was actually Trick’s grandfather, and very nearly lost their lives to him. Now they face Typhon, the Lord of the Beasts and an army of his subjects in a race to the centre of the strange, magical maze – and Guggalugs has been taken.

IF you took the ti me to have a go at conti nuing the story, thank you!

We’re sti ll enjoying reading all of your amazing entries! If your story wasn’t chosen this week, there’s no reason you can’t try again. We could choose you

to be next week’s star writer! You can submit the next part of the story by email

at newsdesk@fi rstnews.co.uk, popping Story into the subject line, or at fi rst.news/cressidacowell.

We’ll be deciding on the next part of the story every Monday, so make sure you send us your story by then!

PART 23: BY YOU!

WORDSFOR LIFE

ROSS Montgomery started writi ng stories as a teenager, when he should have been doing homework, and conti nued doing so at university. His new book, Rock Bott om: A Midsummer Nightmare, is a Shakespeare-inspired tale of a school play that goes hilariously wrong, and his fi rst for Barrington Stoke. Ross told us which storybook character he’d most like to be:

TO READ THE FULL INTERVIEW, VISIT WORDSFORLIFE.ORG.UK/AUTHOR-INTERVIEWSFOR BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS, ACTIVITIES AND GAMES, GO TO WORDSFORLIFE.ORG.UK

“Timmy the dog in The Famous Fiveseries seems to have a prett y sweet

deal, doesn’t he? It’s 90% walks in the countryside and picnic left overs,

10% barking at a smuggler.

“PART 22:BY ISABELLA MYERS

Acrid, violet mist billowed out from Guggalugs’ ears and shrouded the pathway, but the Lord of the Beasts’ burning red eyes pierced the thick fog, and found their way towards the fearful spellcasters.

Ferocity could feel herself reddening in the cheeks, furious at the group of beasts. She moved forward, holding her arm up to fi re at them. Trick pulled her back, shaking his head, but never lift ing his gaze off the shadowed fi gures standing before them.

Ferocity stood staring for a second, then screamed in anger and pelted towards the Lord.

For a split second, he was taken aback and lost concentrati on.Ferocity didn’t take this opportunity for granted. She raised her arm,and fi red a burst of electric blue bolts that hit him right in the chest.

He was knocked to the ground, but one of the Halfl ings behind him opened his arms, and an inky black shadowy shape grew from his hands, and snaked towards Ferocity.

Thinking fast, she ducked, and the fi gure moved towards Trick and Aida.‘Watch out!’ shrieked Ariella, fi ring a glowing red net out of her palm,

which caught and crushed the dark spell. Ferocity jumped and landed on top of Guggalugs. ‘I don’t think so…’ the Lord of the Beasts’ deep voice mutt ered. He opened

his arms wide and a blood-red spell burst into the air and grew out towards the fi ve, spreading like the roots of a tree.

Suddenly, a husky, evil voice was projected into the air:‘We’ve found it!’

YOUR READS!This book is about a 13-year-old boy called Jordan

who has made a deal with a girl he met in hospital about doing good deeds for others.

Jordan’s mum gives him a fl ask of soup to take to school every day, but then one day he is invited to go out for lunch with the ‘cool’ kids. He feels embarrassed about having the fl ask of soup, so he decides to give it to a homeless man. This one small act of kindness creates a chain reacti on for other good deeds across the globe…

I really enjoyed this book, as it hooked me in from the start. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop! However, there are

a couple of sad parts in the story, so I would recommend it to children aged nine and above. I would give it fi ve stars.

The message that I have taken from the story is that itis important to be kind to others, and if you do good in

the world it will help others and also make you feel good in the process.

THE SOUP MOVEMENTBEN DAVISreviewed by Kyle Anand, aged ten

Hele

n N

iani

as

CRESSIDA COWELL


During the coronavirus crisis, cycling levels have increased by nearly 150%, and more and more people have been enjoying getti ng acti ve and riding their bike again. Not having to travel to work or school has given many people more free ti me in order to be able to exercise, and with gyms and indoor swimming pools closed for much of the summer, cycling was one of the best ways to stay fi t.

Many people whose important jobs meant they had to keep going to work, such as health workers or police offi cers, have been using a bicycle for their journey to work. That’s because they don’t want to travel on public transport, as they are concerned that being so close to other people could increase their risk of catching the virus.

Many adults who began cycling again had not ridden a bike for many years and said it gave them the feel of being young once more. It brought back memories of their own childhood, going cycling with friends and exploring new places. They felt it gave them the freedom to decide where to go next. That feeling of adventure is part of the reason for organising such a major event as the World’s Biggest Bike Ride.

Big events such as pop concerts have been cancelled, and football matches are being played in empty stadiums. But because the World’s Biggest Bike Ride is for families and individuals to take part in

on the roads, trails or parks around your home, you can sti ll be part of something epic this summer.

26. SPECIAL REPORT by Cycling UK FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

The event is being organised by Cycling UK, a nati onal charity that encourages people to get out and experience the thrill of cycling.Visit the Cycling UK website at www.cyclinguk.org/pumpedup/wbbr and register to take part. You will be sent details about how to log your

ride – and don’t forget to share your experiences using the hashtag #wbbr2020. Please be aware of age restricti ons on social media.

HOW DO I TAKE PART?

RIDING a bike can be great fun, but it also keeps you feeling fi t and healthy. On Saturday 12 September the fi rst ever World’s Biggest Bike Ride takes place, encouraging people all over the UK to cycle somewhere.

WHY IS CYCLING GOOD FOR YOU?Cycling contributes to fitness and maintaining a healthy weight, but you can

fit it into your daily routine because it’s a form of transport that you can use to get to school, to visit friends and family or to go to the shops. Boys aged 10-16 who cycle regularly to school are 30% more likely to meet recommended fitness levels, while girls who cycle are seven times more likely to do so.

Starting cycling now could help future generations to stay fitter and live longer. If we continue with our inactivity at its current level, 60% of men, half of women and a quarter of children in the UK could be classed as obese by 2050. That’s a lot of extra people needing to be looked after by the doctors and nurses of the NHS.

Other countries in Europe have many more young people cycling to school than we do in the UK. For example, in the Netherlands, 49% of primary school children cycle to school. In the UK, only around 2% of under-tens cycle to

school, with more being driven to school or walking. Many teachers believe cycling or walking to school can help improve concentration in the classroom, because pupils have begun the day with exercise and arrive at school feeling energised.

Although riding a bike is generally a safe activity, there are lots of complex moving parts that help you turn the power from your legs into motion, so it’s important you look after your bike to keep it running well and safe to ride.

On average, people in the Netherlands cycle more than any other country in the world.

DID YOU KNOW?

There are estimated to be around two billion bicycles

in use in the world today!

DID YOU KNOW?

Julie

Ske

lton

Mat

eus

BE PART OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST BIKE RIDEBIGGEST BIKE RIDEBIGGEST BIKE RIDEBIGGEST BIKE RIDEBIGGEST BIKE RIDEBIGGEST BIKE RIDEBIGGEST BIKE RIDEBIGGEST BIKE RIDE

Cycling UK has launched a scheme to fix bikes and give more people a chance to go cycling. The charity is working with delivery partners to establish pop-up bike-fixing sessions at venues in local communities at around 150 locations in England.The money to fund the scheme comes from the Government’s Department for Transport, and it is running now until the middle of November. You can find out where the nearest session to you is by going to www.cyclinguk.org/bigbikerevival. If you can’t find a venue near where you live, the website also has helpful tips and video guides for looking after your bike. Scotland has its own project in bike shops, which is called the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme.


27. YOUR NEWS

SUBSCRIBE FOR SCHOOL – FIND OUT MORE AT SCHOOLS.FIRSTNEWS.CO.UKCALL: (020) 3195 7256 EMAIL: [email protected]


WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU/YOUR SCHOOL IS UP TOWrite in to let us know what you’ve been up to lately! Have you been getti ng creati ve? Been for a great day out? How has it made you feel now that lockdown has eased? Why not share your experiences with First News readers?

Email your report (including pictures) toyournews@fi rstnews.co.uk

Don’t forget to include your name and age (and your school’s name and address for school news reports). By writi ng in, you give consent to First Newsprinti ng details and photographs of those involved in the report.

Following the Government’s announcement that everyone should wear face masks when shopping, I had an idea that I would try and make bright and colourful face masks.

I wanted to make something a litt le diff erent from the ones I saw my parents wear all day at work.

Initi ally, I started making face masks just for friends and family, but soon the requests started to roll in, so I was happy to help support the local community, and saw the perfect opportunity to raise money for charity too!

I asked my mum to help adverti se my cheerful face masks on our local WhatsApp group. The group was set up at the beginning of lockdown, to off er help and support to vulnerable residents.

The post went out and the response was amazing! I received 100 orders and have raised over £150 for the local charity Rainbows, a hospice for children and young people who have life-limiti ng conditi ons.

My mum, who is a key worker, said: “I couldn’t be more proud of Iris. She has worked so hard, keeping records of the orders and making sure she delivers quickly. Although I helped Iris to get started, she has produced all the masks herself, and is sti ll taking orders. Her Harry Pott er masks are parti cularly popular”.

by Iris Gardener

by Connor Sunderland

I DECIDED to fi ll my spare ti me by making face masks for the people in my local community and raising money for charity at the same ti me!

ROALD DAHL WINNERIT was so exciti ng to win Roald Dahl’s MarvellousChildren’s Charity’s fundraising idea competi ti onwith my Roald Dahl fi lm night idea!

I entered the competi ti on because I love reading Roald Dahl books and I enjoy organising fundraising events.

I thought it would be fun to have friends and family over to watch a fi lm, dress up, have treats and support the amazing work of the Roald Dahl specialist nurses.

I was really excited that Richie Driss from Blue Peter was one of the judges, as I am a Blue Peter fan. I couldn’t believe it when they said I had won!

I hope that lots of children will use my idea over the summer to raise money so that the charity can provide more Roald Dahl nurses and help seriously ill children.

MAKING MASKS

BACK TO SCHOOLI AM really looking forward to starti ng my new secondary school. It’s an especially big milestone for me, as I was diagnosed with cancer, Burkitt lymphoma, six years ago and I had to have months of chemotherapy treatment.

I sti ll have yearly check-ups to make sure that the cancer hasn’t come back, but thankfully I am bett er, and I feel like it’s behind me now.

I feel a bit nervous about starti ng my new school, as I have been with the same class at my old school for years, so I’ll be meeti ng lots of new people, but it’s exciti ng too.

When I grow up, I want to be a paramedic, like my mum. She has taught me about emergency medicine and I oft en help her check the defi brillator kit that she uses at work. I’ve already learnt a lot about the human body aft er everything I have been through too, so I am really looking forward to science and biology classes at school to learn more. I know it will be strange at fi rst, but I do know the school a bit already, as my swimming club uses the school pool. It helps that I know some of the older kids there too, so it’s good that I’ll see some familiar faces.

I can’t wait!

Connor is supporti ng Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People, in partnership with TK Maxx, during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September. Find out about children’s and young people’s cancers and how research is helping more 0-24-year-olds survive cancer with a good quality of life at cruk.org/childrenandyoungpeople.

JUNIORJOURNALIST

JUNIORJOURNALIST

by Sarah

Iris hard at work

JUNIORJOURNALIST

Masks ready to go


28. SPORT by Richard Mead FirstNews Issue 741 28 August – 3 September 2020

This year’s route will visit all fi ve of France’s mountain ranges, but unlike previous races, there will be no crowds fi lling the roadsides there. Strict rules brought in to keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic means a ban on spectators.

The competi tors face tough new rules, too. Doctors will have to assess the health of the teams every day. If any two riders or staff members show symptoms, that team must withdraw.

This year may also be the fi rst ti me since 2014 that a Briti sh cyclist does not appear on the podium, aft er Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas were surprisingly dropped from Team INEOS’s

line-up. Fresh talent is emerging, though, with Tom Pidcock and twins Simon and Adam Yates names to watch. Yates has agreed to join Team INEOS next year.

However, it is 23-year-old Egan Bernal who is rightf ully att racti ng the most att enti on. The Colombian won the Tour de France in 2019, a year aft er his debut in the competi ti on. He became the youngest champion for more than 100 years, as well as the fi rst South American winner. He dedicated the win to his family and his homeland. “This is not only my triumph,” Egan said last year. “It’s the triumph of a whole country.”

AFTER a delay of two months, the 2020 Tour de France cycle race is fi nally set to start in Nice on 29 August – but this year’s competi ti on will be unlike any in the event’s 117-year history.

victories in 11 games resulted in Germany’s Bayern Munich winning the Champions League,

beati ng Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the fi nal. It is the fi rst ti me a team has won every game in a campaign to secure the presti gious football ti tle. Bayern have lift ed the trophy six ti mes – only Real Madrid and AC Milan have won it more ti mes.

points were scored by Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Dončić, including three points in overti me, to beat the

Los Angeles Clippers 135-133. Luka became one of only three players to score at least 40 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a play-off game, even though he had sprained his left ankle.

SPORT INNUMBERS11

Briti sh athletes were in winning form at the Stockholm Diamond League meeti ng. Holly Bradshaw triumphed

in the women’s pole vault and Adam Gemili dominated the men’s 200m. Jemma Reekie notched up her fourth victory of the season in the 800m. The 1,500m saw a Briti sh one-two-three, led by Laura Muir (centre in photo).

4 SOPHIA Popov has become the lowest-ranked player to win a major women’s golf ti tle, aft er she triumphed at the 2020 AIG Women’s Open at Royal Troon in Ayrshire.

The 27-year-old German was ranked 304 in the world and only qualifi ed to play in the competi ti on a fortnight before it began. Her two-shot lead over Thailand’s Jasmine Suwannapura saw Sophia collect $675,000 (£514,000), more than six ti mes her previous total career earnings.

Following her success, a tearful Sophia explained that she almost quit playing golf last year. Suff ering from illness and lack of energy, it took about 20 visits to doctors to diagnose that she has Lyme disease, a bacterial infecti on that is spread by ti ck bites. Sophia revealed that she now has the disease under control, allowing her to conti nue her career.

“I’m glad I stuck with it,” the new champion said. “It was probably the best golf I’ve ever played.”

2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal in the yellow jersey for the rider with the fastest overall ti me

CYCLESAFETY

Gett

y

43

Gett

y

Gett

y

Gett

y

Gett

y

Sophia Popov overcame years of illness to become

Open champion

This year may also be the fi rst ti me since 2014 that a Briti sh cyclist does not appear on the podium, aft er Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas were surprisingly dropped from Team INEOS’s

well as the fi rst South American winner. He dedicated the win to his family and his homeland. “This is not only my triumph,” Egan said last year. “It’s the triumph of a whole country.”

ranked player to win a major women’s golf ti tle, aft er she triumphed at the 2020 AIG Women’s

TOPTOP OFOF THE THE POPS!POPS!


news sports entertainment interviews puzzles competitions

Documents

Transcript of news sports entertainment interviews puzzles competitions