THEUK’S WHAT YOU PICTURES CHILDREN’S THINK FROM NEWSPAPER WITH MORE THAN WHAT?! ABOUT MARS 2.6 MILLION* P13 READERS! A YELLOW PENGUIN? P4 SPORT P9

Issue 767 £2.25 26 February – 4 March 2021 HELPING THE UK GROW NEWS I SPORTS I ENTERTAINMENT I INTERVIEWS I PUZZLES I COMPETITIONS

by editor in chief Nicky Cox PRIME Minister Boris Johnson has announced that all children will be able to go back to school in England on 8 March. It’s the fi rst big change in the PM’s four- part plan for relaxing COVID lockdown rules in England. If all goes well, we should see the end of any restricti ons on 21 June. That’s 115 days from today (Friday). And, yes, we’re counti ng – it’s a bit like waiti ng for Christmas! The lockdown will be lift ed in all areas of England at the same ti me, with no ti ers like we had before. Scotland, Wales and Northern 115 DAYS Ireland were all planning to announce their plans for leaving lockdown this week. Students in Scotland and some in Wales have already gone back to school this week. Children in Northern Ireland will return on 8 AND COUNTING March, like in England. WHAT IS THE PM’S FOUR-PART PLAN?

• All pupils to return to 1 2 • Restaurants, 3 4 English schools. Secondary school cinemas, theatres 8 MARCH pupils will be tested twice a week for 12 APRIL 17 MAY and sports stadiums COVID-19. will reopen. The 21 JUNE • Breakfast and aft er-school clubs to start, as • Hairdressers, leisure delayed Euro 2020 competi ti on begins on well as other children’s acti viti es such as sport. centres, gyms and all 11 June with Wembley set to host seven • All rules will be • Two people from diff erent households can meet shops will be able to matches, including the fi nal on 11 July. lift ed and we can go outdoors just for fun, maybe for a chat or a picnic. open again. Wimbledon, which was cancelled in 2020 back to “normal” • You’ll be able to go for the fi rst ti me since the Second World – with large events • Just in ti me for Easter, you won’t to zoos, theme parks War, is scheduled for 28 June to 11 July, able to take have to stay at home any more. and drive-in cinemas. with Formula 1’s Briti sh Grand Prix at place. 29 MARCH • Six people can meet outside, • Parent and child Silverstone on 18 July. including in gardens. groups of up to 15 • 30 people will be able to get together. • Two households can meet outside. people can restart • You’ll be able to see friends and family • Outside sports such as tennis, basketball and organised indoors. indoors, but only two households at a ti me. outdoor sports will be allowed, plus outdoor swimming. WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR ALL THIS TO TAKE PLACE AS PLANNED? The Prime Minister’s plan will take place on the dates above IF the things below happen: 1. The vaccine programme needs to keep going well. So far, around 20 million people have had their fi rst dose. 2. The number of people needing hospital care or dying of coronavirus conti nues to fall. 3. The NHS is coping. 4. New variants of the coronavirus don’t cause new problems, especially for the vaccine.

*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 17 2. QUICK NEWS FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021

PROTECTION FOR LEARNING THE LINGO More than three million Briti sh POLAR BEARS people have learned a new Did you know it’s Internati onal Polar language during lockdown. A Bear Day on 27 February? The day study by language experts Rosett a aims to raise awareness about these Stone found that 28% of UK adults majesti c animals, the threats they face QUICK NEWS can speak a second language and what you can do to help them. fl uently now. That’s up from You can check out some fun polar TO READ YOURSELF AND SHARE WITH FRIENDS 23% in 2020. Spanish is the most bear acti viti es at www.wwf.org.uk. popular language to learn. French is in second place, with German in third. What language would SOUL SINGING NEW EMOJIS ARRIVE you like to be fl uent in? A charity single is being released to A host of new emojis are coming – help children suff ering in lockdown. including an updated vaccine emoji. Young musician Jasmine Eskenzi As part of Apple’s iOS 14.5 update, BONKERS BIRTHDAY partnered with the NSPCC for the you’ll be able to customise couples It’s Dr Seuss Day on 2 March. Dr Seuss’ track, All You Need. Jasmine said the according to their race (so one person fi rst children’s book was published song is all about empowerment and can be white and the other Asian, for all the way back in 1937. Now his self-love. Proceeds from the single example) and there will be more faces books are read across the world will go to the children’s charity. to choose from. These will include a and there’s even a Dr Seuss zone dizzy face and a person with a beard. at Universal Studios in Florida! Why There will also be more heart emojis. not enjoy reading a Dr Seuss book in celebrati on? Our favourite is The Cat in the Hat! iStock BIG BANKSY BUY A Banksy picture has been removed from a wall, aft er being bought by an CADBURY’S art collector for a six-fi gure sum. The CONUNDRUM artwork, showing a girl hula-hooping with a bicycle tyre, was discovered EGG SOLD on a Notti ngham street last year. New owner John Brandler says he hopes to restore the piece ROYAL ROUND-UP and display it in a museum. POTTER MAGIC A magical Harry Pott er exhibiti on is set to tour the world in 2022. Harry Pott er: The Exhibiti on will celebrate the fi lms and stories of

G e tt y Harry Pott er, Fantasti c Beasts and G e tt y the expanded Wizarding World. It will visit six conti nents and display all sorts of original STRAWBERRY DELIGHT props and costumes. Batemans Batemans oneers Aucti Remember the Cadbury’s Conundrum Creme Egg we told you about on our Crazy But True page a few weeks ago? We can now reveal it sold for a whopping £37,200 at aucti on! The Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have spectacular golden egg smashed its announced they will not be returning esti mate of £15,000 to £20,000 and as senior working royals. That means eventually sold to an online bidder. they lose their offi cial ti tles and charity roles. The couple have also taken part in a tell-all interview with iStock GOLDEN GLOBES US chat show host Oprah Winfrey. They are expected to reveal lots about Briti sh strawberries are hitti ng shelves The 78th Golden Globe Awards take life in the royal family and other early this year! Aldi has become the place in America on 28 February. The personal details. The programme is set fi rst supermarket to off er home- annual awards celebrate the best to air in America on 7 March. In other grown strawberries. The fruit has movies and TV shows. The Croods: royal news, Princess Eugenie and Jack been picked from Springfi eld Nursery A New Age, Onward, Soul, Over The Brooksbank have revealed the name in South Wales. Briti sh strawberries Moon and Wolfwalkers have all been of their baby boy. He will be known as aren’t available unti l the start of nominated for Best Animated Picture. August Philip Hawke Brooksbank. G e tt y summer, normally. 3. BIG NEWS FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 HAIRY RESCUE COULD GAMING FOR FROZEN BE GOOD FOR YOU?! BOBCAT A FROZEN bobcat had a lucky escape when it was rescued from a rail track in Canada just before a train was due. The bobcat – a medium-sized wild cat nati ve to North America – was eati ng its prey when its hind paws became frozen to the track. Luckily, train conductor Coby Reid spott ed the animal while doing a track inspecti on, just 30 minutes before a train was due. He and his colleagues managed to get some warm water and free the furry fella before it was too late.

iStock Mr Reid said that, even once the kitt y’s paws were loose, he didn’t seem fussed about his dangerous locati on and wanted to keep eati ng!

BOYS who regularly play videogames at the age of 11 are less likely to be depressed three years later, says a new study. Researchers have been looking at how diff erent types later than boys who played videogames less than once a of screen ti me can aff ect young people’s mental health, month. This was only the case if the boys didn’t do lots of and whether it makes a diff erence for boys and girls. physical acti vity, which researchers say could be because The group, led by a researcher from UCL, used data they were having their fun playing videogames instead. collected from 11,341 young people. The researchers argue that there are some positi ve When the children were aged 11, they were asked aspects of videogaming that could support your mental about how much ti me they spent on social media, playing health. This includes things such as problem-solving. videogames or using the internet. When they were 14, The study, published in Psychological Medicine, also

the same children were asked about symptoms such as looked at social media. It found that girls who used social Reid Coby low mood, lack of enjoyment and poor concentrati on. media most days at age 11 had 13% more depressive The study found that boys who played videogames most symptoms three years later than those who used social days had 24% fewer depressive symptoms three years media less than once a month.

DIARY iStock DATE RESTORING NATURE FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT by Archie Johnston 22 FEBRUARY – 7 MARCH LAST week, the United Nati ons Environment Programme (UNEP) published a new report called Making Peace With Nature. HAVE you ever thought about where your food and drink come It calls for an urgent change in the way people interact with the environment. from? Or how your clothes are UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that human destructi on of nature made? Fairtrade Fortnight is all is “senseless”. about making sure farmers and The report echoes the demands of environmental groups like Greenpeace G e tt y workers in developing countries in saying we need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to ‘net zero’ by 2050. get bett er prices, decent working This means that emissions must be balanced with processes that remove conditi ons and fair terms. Look out carbon from the atmosphere, or be removed completely. for this symbol on items and you’ll The key dangers addressed were climate change, polluti on and the loss of Sea levels are rising, and the eff ects are already being felt in places like know it’s been produced fairly! biodiversity. The UNEP says that, if all its targets are met, Earth’s ability to Indonesia (above) “support life, provide resources and absorb waste matt er” will be restored. 4. NEWS IN PICTURES FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 LONDON, UK G e tt y

THE Natural History Museum installed Luke Jerram’s model of Mars alongside its famous blue whale, to celebrate NASA’s Perseverance rover arriving on Mars aft er a seven-month journey from Earth. See page 12 for the full story. TIJUANA, MEXICO G e tt y

PEOPLE seeking asylum in the United States sleep next to the El Chaparral border crossing. US President Joe Biden has reversed Donald Trump’s CODOGNO, ITALY immigrati on policy, but changes are being made slowly due to concerns about COVID-19. This means many migrants are sti ll unable to cross America’s borders. G e tt y

A MURAL shows Wonder Woman dressed as a frontline health worker. A memorial for the victi ms of the pandemic was revealed this week, to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the fi rst pati ent to test positi ve for COVID-19 in Italy. Groveland Park Groveland

SOUTH GEORGIA and Media News Kennedy

A LUCKY wildlife photographer has revealed “once in a lifeti me” photos of what he believes is a “never before seen” yellow penguin. Yves Adams was BEXLEYHEATH, UK leading a two-month photography expediti on through Antarcti ca and the South Atlanti c when the tour stopped off at the wild islands of South Georgia, and he TOM Jones, aged 103, is following in the footsteps of Captain Sir Tom Moore by saw the yellow bird. Yves, from Ghent, Belgium, said: “I’d never seen or heard walking to raise money for charity. This Tom is prett y speedy and doesn’t need of a yellow penguin before. There were 120,000 birds on that beach and this any walking aids, and has even been pictured doing laps around the garden of was the only yellow one there.” his care home while wearing a tuxedo and sipping a cocktail! 3 ISSUES FOR £1 SUBSCRIBE.FIRSTNEWS.CO.UK 5. BIG NEWS FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 EDITOR’S COMMENT

AT last! There have been ti mes when we have all felt that we were in an endless coronavirus tunnel. Now, we have a plan to come out of the other side. It couldn’t have come at a more perfect ti me. With spring round the corner and increasingly longer and sunnier days, there is a new sense of hope. I was lucky enough to get a COVID-19 vaccine this week – it’s thanks to the brilliant scienti sts who developed them that we can all look forward to a “normal” summer.

GARDENS Get First News delivered to your home! TRY 3 ISSUES FOR £1 ARE TINY Visit fi rst.news/subscribe

GOOD JASMINE WEEK FOR TAKEAWAYS Nicholas Tew HARRISON EVEN the ti niest garden or window box can be a surprisingly large source of food for A 21-YEAR-OLD teacher has become the bees and other insects in our towns and citi es, scienti sts have found. youngest woman to row solo across the Atlanti c Ocean. Jasmine Harrison, from Scienti sts led by the University of Bristol took said we can help by “ensuring there is always North Yorkshire, left from the Canary samples from nearly 200 diff erent plant species something in fl ower from early spring to late Islands and reached Anti gua 70 days later. Jasmine Harrison/Facebook in Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds and Reading. They autumn, mowing the lawn less oft en to let were shocked at how big a role our gardens play dandelions, clovers, daisies and other plant in providing food for pollinati ng insects, such as fl owers fl ourish, avoiding spraying pesti cides, BAD bees, wasps, butt erfl ies, moths and beetles. and avoiding covering garden in paving, decking WEEK FOR The results showed that, on average, gardens or arti fi cial turf.” KIRBY KLEMENTS provide 85% of the nectar in urban areas. All of which is even more reason to join in with WHEN Kirby Klements went Around 29% of the land in urban areas is made our #HelpingTheUKGrow challenge, where outside aft er hearing a loud up of gardens, which is around six ti mes the we’re asking you all to plant something as crash, he was surprised to fi nd area of parks, the scienti sts say. a symbol of growth for the future. When you that jet engine parts had fallen It was found that just three gardens can do, make sure you share your photos with us, from the sky and crushed his produce a teaspoon of nectar every day, and challenge someone else to join in! See truck. Bad news for the truck, which is enough to feed thousands of bees. fi rst.news/HelpingTheUKGrow to fi nd out DillonMThomas/Twitt er DillonMThomas/Twitt but the American was uninjured. Nicholas Tew, lead author of the study, more and to send us your pics! CATCH-UP ALLERGY QUESTIONS DEATHS by Archie Johnston DECLINE AS some pupils have returned to school in G e tt y Scotland and Wales this week, the Briti sh NHS data has shown that deaths Psychological Society (BPS) says that pressure to “catch up” aft er from allergic reacti ons are really lockdown might not be good for children’s mental health. rare and have dropped over the last 20 years. The Government has announced G e tt y £1 billion in funding to support children making up for We oft en think of nuts as a big factor in allergic lost ti me aft er the closure of schools. However, their POLL OF reacti ons, but the data studied by Imperial College London suggesti on of longer school days and shorter holidays to experts showed that cows’ milk is the most common cause of help children catch up has not gone down well with some THE deadly reacti ons in children. WEEK Dr Paul Turner said: “There is a lot of awareness of allergies to teachers and educati onal experts. Would you like longer school days to peanut and tree nut, but many people think milk allergy is mild. Dr Dan O’Hare, the co-chair of educati onal and child help you catch up on school work? psychology for the BPS, said: “We can’t assume that the People don’t realise how dangerous it can be.” right thing to support their recovery and wellbeing is to be However, we must stress that this is sti ll very unlikely. Deaths in lessons for longer each day.” VOTE AT FIRST.NEWS/POLLS from food allergies are believed to be less than ten each year. of writi ng) was “phenomenal”. money raised (£800,000at theti me wheelchair butthat the amount of said that MrLewis may endupina (500ft ). Fellow volunteer Mike Blakey lockdown ruleswhenhefell 150m to helpcampers whohadbroken rescue. ChrisLewis was onhisway who was badlyinjured inamountain raised intwo days to helpavolunteer More thanhalfamillionpoundswas for injured volunteer and struggling families. meals by the endofMarch to thehomeless Bristol-based charity aimsto give out2.5m day are nothing like we’ve heard before”. The who stressed that “thestories we hearevery Phoebe Ruxton at FareShare SouthWest, enough demand”. Thecomments came from “if we doubledinsize there would sti llbe across thesouthwest ofEnglandsays that A charitythat suppliesfood to thoseinneed 6. HOMENEWS Max brings…hasbeen aprivilege.” the support, comfort andjoy that everysmile day. Being ableto share to live andhe conti nues to make me my lowest, Max became my reason Max’s owner, Iwas said:“When at around theLake District. Kerry Irving, thousands ofpeople watch hiswalks than 200,000 followers onlineand Sick Animals(PDSA). Hehasmore charity the People’s for Dispensary awarded theOrder ofMeritfrom vet worldwide. Max the Miracle Dogwas and supportto thousandsofpeople received amedal for providing comfort A 13-year-old springer spanielhas CUMBRIA CUMBRIA BRISTOL PDSA/Facebook “Phenomenal” support “Phenomenal” support Demandfor food support Miracle dog’s medal

Chris Lewis Support Fund/Just Giving Scotland andaround theworld.” animals andprotect endangered speciesin supported us.You are helpingto care for our YOU toA post everyone said:“THANK whohas animals andmost money comes from visitors. zoos, asitisvery expensive to lookaft erthe staff andanimals.It’s beenatough ti me for measures willbeinplaceto protect visitors, The zoo hasreassured peoplethat strict safety people that live inEdinburgh for now, though. Edinburgh Zoo isbackinbusiness!It’s onlyfor As Scotland beginsto openupaft erlockdown, EDINBURGH Edinburgh Zoo reopens FareShare/Facebook of three ginger cats! Ginger teabags for herpainti ngs to herpictures, like using Three She even likes to match thetea has beenanenjoyable challenge. moving to amuch smallercanvas instead. JanHeath says that decided to paint onusedteabags room for hermany painti ngshas An arti st who was running out of NORFOLK Total-tea amazing! News First

Issue767 player, whodiedin2019. Joyce, thebrother ofaTupsley Girls (CRY) of15-year-old inmemory Kieran money for Cardiac RiskintheYoung to make upthemiles.They are raising scooti ng, walking andrunninglocally FC have beencycling, skateboarding, charity. ThePumasat Tupsley Girls of football grounds to raise money for a 2,307km(1,434-mile)virtualtour An under-12s football team isdoing overweight, you needaBMIofjust 25. who isextremely unhealthy –to be 28,000. That would suggest someone weight asanindicator ofhealth,was (BMI), whichusesyour height and meant LiamThorp’s bodymassindex up listed himas6.2cmtall! This a vaccine earlywhenanNHSmix- A healthy maninhis30swas offered 26February –4March 2021 HEREFORDSHIRE MERSEYSIDE Football fundraisers Vaccine mix-up

justlovetopaint/Facebook TupsleyGirlsFC/Facebook EdinburghZoo/Facebook 7. BIG NEWS FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 SUPER WOOD PLANTS! BEACHES NOT BURNERS

A COVID RISK BADPOLLUTERS

NEW research shows that the growing number of

G e tt y Cotoneaster francheti i wood-burning stoves in homes is an increasing source SCIENTISTS have named of fi ne parti cle polluti on. the Cotoneaster francheti i G e tt y plant as the best shrub for Research by the Department for Environment shows that open cleaning polluted air. fi res and stoves cause 38% of The research shows that the fi ne parti cle polluti on in the UK, bushy, hairy-leafed super plant compared with 12% caused by is at least 20% more eff ecti ve at road traffi c. This is despite only soaking up polluti on compared 8% of the populati on burning to other shrubs. wood indoors. Dr Tijana Blanusa, who led A GOVERNMENT adviser has told MPs that beaches are safe, and have never Fine parti cle polluti on is seen the research, said that the as a risk to health as the parti cles caused people to catch COVID-19. Cotoneaster’s thick foliage would are ti ny – the width of a strand of make it “ideal along busy roads Prof Mark Woolhouse, an epidemiologist at outbreak linked to a beach, ever, anywhere hair – and can enter your lungs in polluti on hot spots”. the University of Edinburgh, told the Science in the world, to the best of my knowledge.” or even lodge in organs. Elsewhere, a rare cactus from and Technology Committ ee that there was Experts believe that breezy air and warm the Amazon has fl owered for the “very litt le evidence of outdoor transmission” temperatures can slow the spread of the virus. fi rst ti me in the UK. Cambridge in the UK. He told MPs: “Over the summer we Prof Woolhouse said outdoor acti viti es like University Botanic Garden were treated to all this on the television news, sporti ng events could be riskier, as they make livestreamed the blooming of the pictures of crowded beaches, and there was social distancing harder and have “pinch moonfl ower, which only lasts for an outcry. There were no outbreaks linked to points” like entrances or food stalls where 12 hours, changing scent from public beaches. There’s never been a COVID-19 many people are forced together. jasmine to something more like “public toilets”!

MORE than 140,000 virus species have been found in the human gut! Amazingly, more than half of them have never been seen before. That’s a lot of G e tt y research for scienti sts to get stuck into!

The moonfl ower G e tt y CUBotanicGarden/Facebook

THE French government has lashed out at a mayor for taking meat off the school menu. MEAT-FREE Mayor Gregory Doucet, of French city Lyon, has said the decision to off er the single menu, which includes fi sh and eggs, was made to off er a smooth service at lunchti mes while there is social MEALS distancing. But members of the government, from a diff erent party to the mayor, were outraged. One

G e tt y said the decision was an “unacceptable insult” for ROW French farmers and butchers. What do you think? 8. WORLD NEWS FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 USA ITALY JAPAN Mount Etna erupts Europe’s most acti ve volcano, Mount Etna, erupted a number of ti mes throughout last week, spewing a fountain of lava and ash into the sky. Authoriti es said that they were monitoring the situati on, but that they didn’t think it posed any danger to nearby villages. The European Space Agency (ESA)

used a satellite to watch the erupti on G e tt y G e tt y and to measure the lava fl ows inside the Harsh hair rules Bear bum shock volcano. They also used atmospheric sensors on satellites, which can identi fy A former Osaka high school student A woman in Alaska got the fright has won a lawsuit against her of her life when she went to the the gases released by the erupti on and look at the wider environmental impact. G e tt y local government aft er she faced loo in an outdoor toilet out in the discriminati on from her school for wilderness. As Shannon Stevens sat not having “black enough hair”. The down, something bit her bare bum. female student’s natural hair colour Her brother Erik came to investi gate is brown, but the school repeatedly and was stunned by what he saw. He told her to dye her hair to make it said: “I opened the toilet seat and look blacker. She was banned from there’s a bear face just right there at att ending some classes and a school the level of the toilet seat, just looking trip because “her hair was not dyed right back up through the hole, right black enough,” the lawsuit said. The at me!” The pair ran back to their yurt court ruled that the local government and Erik treated Shannon’s sore bum was responsible for the student’s with a fi rst aid kit. Luckily, it wasn’t a emoti onal distress, but did not fi nd serious injury and Shannon was okay. the school’s strict rules to be illegal. SOUTH AFRICA ISRAEL Ashia Cheetah Conservati on Conservati Ashia Cheetah

Cheetahs rewilded For the fi rst ti me, two cheetahs who G e tt y were born in capti vity in the UK have MYANMAR been successfully rewilded, meaning Vaccine badges they are able to fend for themselves The ‘fi ve twos revoluti on’ Israel has begun to roll out a “green in the wild. Saba and Nairo were Thousands of protesters took to streets across badge” app for people who have had born and raised in Port Lympne Hotel Myanmar on Monday to protest against the both shots of the Pfi zer COVID-19 & Reserve in Kent. A year ago, they military takeover of the country. The military said vaccine. It will allow them to enter were fl own 6,000 miles (9,660km) to protests would be met with violence, but that gyms, cultural events and restaurants. the Ashia Cheetah Sanctuary. Over didn’t stop huge numbers of people from turning The country’s health ministry said the last year, they have been trained out. The day of protests has been called the the risk of illness or hospitalisati on to get used to life in the wild and, on ‘fi ve twos revoluti on’ in reference to the date: dropped by more than 98% for those 17 February, they were set free to live 22.2.2021. The country’s former leader, Aung with two jabs. Almost half of the 9.3m naturally in the wild. San Suu Kyi, is sti ll under house arrest. G e tt y populati on has had both doses.

` ANNABEL was diagnosed with dyspraxia when she was OUR WORLD fi ve years old. The conditi on aff ects her balance, core strength and co-ordinati on. It takes Annabel longer to learn things at school, which can leave her NAME: ANNABEL feeling down. Annabel att ends Stable Life, a project funded by Comic Relief that LIVES: SCOTLAND off ers outdoor acti viti es and horse riding to support young people with mental health issues. Since att ending Stable Life, Annabel hasn’t looked back and To fi nd out more, go to says: “It has taught me things that will stay with me forever.” www.comicrelief.com/rednoseday 9. FIRST NEWS EDUCATION TV FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021

First News has teamed up with A QUESTION show FYI and the OF SPORT SHOULD the UK be bett er at supporti ng to make programmes and people, parti cularly young people, to be videos about the news, more acti ve? That’s the questi on a House of Lords committ ee is asking. The country has seen which you can watch on a decline in fi tness, with a 2018 study by Essex University First News Educati on TV. fi nding that the least fi t child in a class of children in 1998 This week, FYI is looking at would be one of the fi ve fi tt est in a class tested today. what young people think And that was before COVID-19, which has seen levels of about sport and physical physical acti vity drop even further. acti vity. Now, the House of Lords Nati onal Plan for Sport and Recreati on Committ ee is looking at how we can change things. Some of the questi ons they’re asking include: OUR partner children’s news show, How we can increase physical acti vity, including among young people 19% FYI (shown on Sky News/Sky Kids – almost one in fi ve – How can children and young people be encouraged to parti cipate in children surveyed have and at fi rst.news/Educati onTV), sport and recreati on both at school and outside school, and lead an taken part in online carried out a survey of 1,000 acti ve lifestyle? exercise classes. 7 to 14-year-olds to make sure the Should there be a nati onal plan for sport and recreati on? voices of young people were heard by the House of Lords committ ee (see right). We wanted to know Most rate their school sports what you like about sport and 43% 35% faciliti es well. recreati on, what you don’t like of surveyed children say they only – more than a third – want to keep and what would encourage you do one hour or less of exercise a up walking as a form of exercise 89% to be more acti ve. The results of week, including 14% who say they aft er lockdown. say they are average or bett er. the survey, completed by Opinion do no exercise at all. Matt ers, have been sent to the 79% committ ee as evidence. You can say the same about faciliti es for read some of the most important exercise in their communiti es. results on this page. 23% – almost a quarter – of children say they only exercise up to twice a week. 64% of the children surveyed

said either team sports More than eight out of ten – children say they enjoy 34% PE lessons at school. 64% or running or walking – nearly two thirds – have been walking to get exercise 30% What is the 75% during lockdown. was their favourite way to exercise. House of Lords? aren’t a member of a local The House of Lords is the upper leisure centre or gym. Baroness Karren chamber of the UK Parliament. 63% Brady CBE (who you The lower one is the House of – nearly two thirds – of might know from Commons, where elected MPs 75% children think they don’t do TV’s The Apprenti ce) discuss issues and laws. The Lords rely on school for some, or most, enough physical acti vity or would is on the House of of their physical acti vity. like to do more. Lords committ ee shares the task of making and and talks about shaping laws and they check the the survey on this work of the Government. Teachers – you can use your First News login to access educati on week’s FYI. You can watch it at resources to accompany the fi lms at fi rst.news/Educati onTV fi rst.news/Educati onTV episode 112. 10. ANIMAL NEWS FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 PANGOLIN PLIGHT ON World Pangolin Day (20 February), charity Born Free announced a new campaign to help protect and save these

unique creatures from exti ncti on. Gudehus Project/Maja © Sangha Pangolin There are eight species of pangolin in the world, and all eight are at risk of exti ncti on if more is not done to protect them. Pangolins are the most traffi cked animal on the planet, with their scales and meat in high demand in some cultures. In 2020, pangolins and bats were named as possible sources for the COVID-19 pandemic, leading China to remove pangolin scales from a list of approved ingredients for traditi onal Chinese medicine. While this is good news, the demand for pangolin scales is sti ll high, leading to high prices on the black market [when things are sold illegally], which makes poaching pangolins even more profi table than ever. PANCAKE PARTY In September, more than a tonne of pangolin scales was seized by customs offi cials in Hong Kong and, just a few weeks ago, a haul of pangolin scales was taken from a gang in India. Scienti sts sti ll have lots to learn about pangolins, but if the illegal traffi cking and poaching conti nues, there is a high chance they will be exti nct before we fully understand them. Longleat Longleat WILD HIPPO CULL STAFF at Longleat have celebrated pancake day with their family of pancake tortoises! Five of the criti cally endangered tortoises have been born at the safari park in the last year. The eldest, Syrup, celebrated his fi rst birthday on Shrove Tuesday. Pancake tortoises are known in the tortoise world for being speedy and agile – they can even climb! They are under threat in the wild from loss of habitat and poachers, who sell them illegally as pets. iStock

AFTER a huge response from its annual Birdwatch, the RSPB is asking for the public to help feed garden birds. EXPERTS have said that wild hippos in Colombia need to be culled as Spring is on the way, but they’re having a damaging eff ect on local wildlife and the environment. with cold snaps and wet, A group of hippos were imported cause huge problems. They believe the wintry weather sti ll around, it into the country for a criminal’s private non-nati ve species could have an impact is important to help out nati ve zoo decades ago, but some were on the local ecosystem, aff ecti ng nati ve birds who may struggle to fi nd released and their numbers have grown species like the manatee and even food. Bird seed and feeders are massively. Around 100 are concentrated altering the levels of chemicals found available in most supermarkets FEED THE iStock around one of the country’s main in rivers. or you can use things you have waterways, the River Magdalena. However, not everyone is for the cull, at home, like porridge oats, to Scienti sts fear that unless the especially as hippos are considered make your own bird food. populati on is reduced, the hippos will a vulnerable species. BIRDS 11. SPECIAL REPORT by WRAP FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021

HOW LOVING iStock YOUR CLOTHES CAN PROTECT G e tt y THE PLANET! G e tt y LAST year, Prince William, the Duke of try making some home-made make-up remover Cambridge, launched The Earthshot Prize, a REPAIR pads or kitchen cloths with an old T-shirt. Even bett er, competi ti on to inspire people to solve some of We get it – rips happen! And although a couple of these are reusable, so you don’t have to keep buying the world’s greatest environmental challenges. rips in a pair of jeans can be cool, some clothes don’t disposable alternati ves! Every year unti l 2030, the Prince and look so great with a tear or hole in them. But this If you want a super simple opti on, there are loads of members of the presti gious Prize Council will doesn’t mean they have to end up in the bin. With things you can do with old socks – they make brilliant dusters and storage bags for toys! And of course, award £1 million to fi ve projects, each tackling a responsible adult on hand, you can patch up some small holes and tears with a needle and thread, and there’s always the classic sock puppet. a diff erent issue. sewing on a butt on is easier than you think! Throughout the month of February, the focus has DONATE been on Building A Waste-Free World, one of the fi ve categories of The Earthshot Prize. WRAP (the Waste When charity shops and Resources Acti on Programme) is a charity partner reopen, they always for the prize, promoti ng sustainable resource use and, welcome donati ons of good in this arti cle, talking about clothes! quality clothes they can sell. Clothes are a big part of our everyday lives. They The same goes for texti le keep us warm, allow us to express ourselves and help banks too. These are great us enjoy fun acti viti es like baking, playing sports or opti ons when you’ve grown dancing. And looking aft er your clothes can also be out of your clothes. a good way to look aft er the planet. Throwing clothes in the bin when we don’t want G e tt y them any more is something that contributes to RECYCLE climate change. Every year in the UK, about 336,000 When all else fails, you can recycle your clothes! tonnes of used clothing are thrown away – that’s the G e tt y Plenty of shops will accept unwanted and unwearable same weight as roughly 84,000 Asian elephants! This clothing to recycle, meaning these precious fabrics is a huge waste of all the things that are needed to can be transformed into something brand-new – even make clothing in the fi rst place. REUSE new clothes! For example, did you know it can take up to 2,700 When you’ve grown out of clothes, or they are too litres of water to create a single cott on T-shirt? If you old to repair, there are plenty of other ways to carry drank a litre of water every day, it would take you on using them! If you’re a confi dent craft er, you can nearly seven-and-a-half years to drink that much! In some parts of the world, water is in very short supply, so throwing clothes away wastes this precious resource that some people can’t access at all. Luckily, there are lots of really easy ways we can all make our clothes last longer. When we get to the age where we grow out of our clothes less G e tt y quickly, we can keep them for longer, and just doing that means we put less pressure on the environment to make new clothes. The main thing is not to put your unwanted clothes in the bin.

No clothing deserves to end up in the bin. We hope you’ll try some of our suggested ti ps to make a diff erence for our lovely planet. If you need more help, go to loveyourclothes.org.uk for loads of great advice.

13. SCIENCE NEWS by Eddie de Oliveira FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 DOLPHINS ARE A BIT LIKE YOU

Perseverance’s planned route iStock DOLPHINS have developed similar ROVER personaliti es to human beings, a new study has found. Researchers studied 134 male and female bott lenose dolphins around the world and found a number of personality aspects were similar to LANDS those found in people. In parti cular, dolphins were found to be curious and sociable, two traits commonly found in primates, including humans. Dr Blake Morton, who led the study, stressed that humans and dolphins do NASA/JPL-Caltech ON MARS not have exactly the same traits, just NASA’s Perseverance rover is exploring Mars aft er successfully landing last week. some similar ones. The US space agency’s latest Red The 1,025-kilogram robot covered some of Mars and fi nd signs of ancient life. It has long been known that dolphins Planet robot is the most advanced yet, 472 million kilometres before it entered The mission will collect and store a are intelligent. This is partly explained by and it’s on a mission to fi nd signs of the Marti an atmosphere at 19,000km/h set of rock and soil samples that will the fact that, like many primates, their ancient life and collect samples of (12,000mph). Its descent to the Red hopefully be returned to Earth in the brains are a much bigger size than they rock for future return to Earth. Planet was enti rely self-guided, which future. Perseverance will also test new need to be for their bodies to functi on. NASA hopes this mission will means that the team at mission control technology that could be used for future provide lots of valuable data for could only watch and hope it all went roboti c and human missions to Mars. a fi rst trip by astronauts to Mars. well. Aft er entering the atmosphere, There were happy scenes at mission Perseverance cut itself loose from its LOCKDOWN control in Los Angeles, USA, as the rover parachute and used rocket thrusters on a successfully touched down inside a ‘sky crane’ to slow down. LEARNING huge crater last Thursday. It left Earth Aft er the “seven minutes of terror” as LAST week we showed you some on 30 July 2020 and had been travelling it landed, Perseverance fl ight controller of the iconic items in the Royal through space for nearly seven months. Swati Mohan announced: “Touchdown Insti tuti on (Ri) collecti. on confi rmed! Perseverance safely on the surface of Mars, ready to begin seeking If you’re looking for some fun signs of past life.” NASA scienti sts, all science videos to keep you busy during wearing masks due to the pandemic, lockdown, you can view the Ri’s famous erupted with cheers and applause. A few Christmas lectures on their website. minutes later, the fi rst images taken by There are talks from 1968 up to last Perseverance arrived on Earth. year, on everything from ti me travel to

G e tt y animal languages. And look out for a The Perseverance rover is designed to Perseverance’s fi rst image of Mars, very young David Att enborough! Take help us bett er understand the geology which was posted on Twitt er Mission control a peek at ti nyurl.com/RiXmasTalks.

COVID-19 CLUE This report is from the Science Museum in London A NEW study has found that people MONDAY 1 March is with COVID-19 who get mild symptoms

G e tt y Internati onal Wheelchair Day. or no symptoms may have their ancient A model of a Neanderthal The wheelchair is used by millions of people around ancestors to thank for it. the world, but its history goes way back. While it’s Researchers in Germany identi fi ed a geneti c element called a haplotype unclear what can be considered the fi rst wheelchair, that reduced the risk of severe disease by almost a quarter. This parti cular stone inscripti ons from Ancient China and Greece © Science Museum Group haplotype, passed down in some people over thousands of years from an suggest that wheelchair-type furniture has been used at least since the sixth century AD. exti nct human species called Neanderthals, aff ects the body’s response to One of the best-known early examples was made by an unknown inventor in 1595 viruses. The scienti sts found it in pati ents with mild COVID and also in DNA for King Philip II of Spain. It featured an elaborate design with plush upholstery. The taken from the skeletons of four ancient humans. more recent example pictured is from the 1990s. It’s a ‘Shadow Racer’ designed by People of purely African descent don’t carry Neanderthal DNA, which may Jim Marti nson, an injured war veteran, for track and road racing. You can fi nd out explain why some black pati ents are more likely to suff er severe disease. more at ti nyurl.com/WheelchairHistory. 14. ENTERTAINMENT FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 FIVE MINUTES ASTON

WITH… + Disney MATILDA LAWLER UNMASKED THE young star makes her fi lm debut in Disney’s family comedy Flora & Ulysses! AFTER being unmasked as Robin on The Masked Singer, Aston Merrygold has surprised fans by releasing two new singles in a week! We caught up with the star to talk about being Robin, What can you tell us about Flora & Ulysses? his new music and the exciti ng JLS reunion tour planned for this year! Well, I play Flora, and Flora & Ulysses is the story of a young girl who really just loves comic books. Her father is a comic book arti st and author, and her parents recently separated, so she’s feeling kind of broken. Then she We loved The Masked Singer odd thing or two on his show and on other meets a squirrel and the squirrel is a superhero, and the squirrel really this year. How was it performing shows, but I don’t think he has really put brings her family back together. as Robin? his voice out there. He could sing a whole I enjoyed it but it was actually really diff erent array of stuff and really throw his Are you a comic book fan? voice around and I just don’t think people I wasn’t that much of a comic book person, but I have a lot of friends who diffi cult; a lot harder than I thought. It was would guess it! love comic books. Aft er I did Flora & Ulysses I was really curious, so I’ve hot, it was heavy and you can’t see that been reading some lately. My favourite is Calvin and Hobbes. well. The energy that everyone puts into it, though, it’s like people really want to You’ve been really busy How was it fi lming the scenes with Ulysses? guess your voice! I kind of adopted this with your own music too, That was defi nitely a challenge. A lot of the ti me I just had to act with air, walk – which was a bit like the boxer Conor and have two singles out! but someti mes there was this stuff ed animal that wasn’t cute – it looked McGregor – so I could be kind of regal with Do you know what, I’ve had albums’ worth like a rat! It was kind of hard to work with, but the director, Lena [Khan], the feathers and all that kind of stuff , and of songs just sitti ng on my laptop for years. would someti mes use this cute stuff ed squirrel and act out what Ulysses I got to really jump into this character! As I’m constantly writi ng sti ll, so I thought would do, which was fun. soon as you go into that show thinking why not put something out? Tomorrow is never promised and, if this past year Can you tell us any fi lming secrets? it’s a singing competi ti on, I think you’re is anything to go by, I don’t want to have Yes, there’s actually a funny story. There’s a scene in the beginning, where probably not there for the right reason. music I love and that I’m proud of just I’m riding on my bike and I get hit on the head by a ball – and it turns out This show is about hiding your voice and sitti ng there on a laptop for no-one to hear. that the ball was CGI’d in. I actually fell off the bike because I’m not the trying to get the panel to give the most Just do it, let people hear it, let people best bike rider, and they added a CGI soccer ball in to make it look like out-there guesses possible. Honestly, it have it – that’s the whole point in doing that’s what knocked me off , but really I just fell off the bike! was just fun! music, to share your mood, your arti stry, What animal would you choose as your superhero sidekick? Which celebs would you like to what you feel. I just think it refl ects the I would choose an elephant because elephants are my favourite animal. see on the show next ti me? mood I’ve been in for the past year too. I feel like they could take down any villain, they’re prett y awesome. Someone I’d really like to see on it is James Everything in my life is positi ve, I want to What about a superpower? Corden. I think everyone’s seen him do the fi nd the positi ves in every single thing and this is an outlet for that. I would choose ti me travel! If you could travel back in ti me or to the future, I feel like that would just be so awesome. I would defi nitely go to the How are the JLS reunion future and see if we have any cool inventi ons, or maybe I could meet plans going? You my parents when they were kids – that would be interesti ng! announced you were back together and then the world went into lockdown! It’s just one of those things, isn’t it?! People were waiti ng for the tour in 2020 for so long, and then had it

Flora & Ulysses is available to stream now on Disney+ The new singles Overboard and Share a Coke by Aston Merrygold are both out now 15. ENTERTAINMENT FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 THIS WEEK Taylor Swift is back in the charts with a new version of Love Story, which was 1 originally released in 2008. The singer has recorded a new version of her album Fearless with six new songs on it. Taylor is planning to re-record the rest of her early

albums, aft er a long batt le over their rights G e tt y with her previous record label.

A virtual concert is being held tomorrow, Saturday 27 February, to celebrate Pokémon’s 25th anniversary. Rapper Post Malone 2 will headline the concert, which is also being used to launch Pokémon’s P25 Music programme. Find out more and catch the UNMASKED concert at 25.pokemon.com.

AFTER being unmasked as Robin on The Masked Singer, Aston Merrygold has surprised fans Chessington World of Adventures in by releasing two new singles in a week! We caught up with the star to talk about being Robin, Surrey has revealed the name and an his new music and the exciti ng JLS reunion tour planned for this year! 3 arti st’s impression image of its new ride for 2021. Croc Drop will take riders 25m into the air before dropping them taken away again. The pent-up excitement one day and someone saying: “Shall we do into the jaws of the giant croc Sobek. The and frustrati on of the past year is what it again?” Then all of us saying: “Yeah, let’s park is hoping to welcome visitors later is going to drive the fi rst concert on the do it!” Getti ng all the team back together this year when restricti ons are relaxed. rescheduled tour this summer. Everyone, and bringing in new parts to the JLS including the band, have been waiti ng for machine has been so exciti ng for us. it for so long. I just can’t even describe the We’re itching to get out there. feeling of that. What is it going to be like for someone who has been totally locked away Which of your songs are you most and this is their fi rst concert for a year? excited to perform live again? It will be our fi rst show together in a long We’ve got all the classics from Beat Again ti me, but also the fi rst show any of us have to She Makes Me Wanna, but Everybody In been to in a year. So, it’s going to be a party Love was always a special record when we OF THE WEEK before, a party aft er, a party all the ti me! did it at a show. It was always the encore. PICS Honestly it is unimaginable, but it’s going I think of some of the biggest venues that DISNEY has announced that its exciti ng new fi lm Cruella, starring to happen and it’s going to be massive! we ever did, like the O2 where the seats go up and around really high, and you’ve got Emma Stone as Cruella de Vil, will be released in May. Have you managed to get all these people singing Everybody In Love Fans have been waiti ng pati ently for the fi rst-look trailer of the fi lm, which much planned? with their hands up, going for it. Before, it fi nally premiered this week. We’ve got as much done as we can do was breathtaking; now it’s just going to be The trailer gives us a glimpse into the life of Cruella de Vil before the with the lockdown restricti ons in place. something else. We’re all gonna be back 101 Dalmati ans story, and will fi nally shed some light on how she became On paper, we’re just looking at it thinking in this environment that we love to be in, one of Disney’s most notorious villains. “this is going to be the best show that we having a good ti me, good vibes and just have ever done”. It’s just so exciti ng that going for it. So that’s going to be

this idea came from all of us sitti ng down a moment, defi nitely! Disney

Disney

G e tt y Disney

The new singles Overboard and Share a Coke by Aston Merrygold are both out now Cruella will be released on 28 May 16. COMPETITIONS FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 WIN! A SUPERTHINGS POWER MACHINES BUNDLE WIN! A WE’VE teamed up with Magic Box Toys to off er STATIONERY BUNDLE ten lucky winners the chance to win an awesome SuperThings Power Machines bundle! CREATE something special this spring A new ultra rare glow-in-the-dark character – Dr Volt – with these wonderful STABILO goodies that arrives in Kaboom City! Volt is the clever inventor of the are up for grabs! Power Machines, and has two rare gold leaders and six The STABILO power felt ti p pens are perfect for adding rare silver team captains. a splash of colour to your page and you can win a wallet When a riot breaks out in the lab, half of Volt’s force of 18, so the colour combinati ons are endless! Why not become villains who then escape with a number of Power try designing something for someone environmentally Machines. Now the batt le to save Kaboom City conti nues! conscious with the STABILO GREENcolors?! Their With 80 characters to collect, there are also eight Power hexagonal shape and 24 colour opti ons means there Jets, eight Giant Power Bots and eight Batt le Spinners to is a colour for every occasion. If you’re looking to mix collect, plus great value packs and the ulti mate Batt le Arena Playset. up card designs or add some lovely lett ering to your Each bundle will include eight One Packs, two Power Jets, creati ons, then the STABILO Pen 68 are ideal for the job. The quick drying non-smudge ink a Power Bot, a Batt le Spinner and a Starter Pack. To be in Which two colours make is great for ensuring your lett ering with a chance of winning, just answer this questi on: purple when mixed together? stays in pristi ne conditi on. a) Brown & blue b) Red & blue Which of these vehicles would you typically fi nd on a farm? We have nine STABILO bundles up c) Green & blue a) Crane b) Tractor c) Forklift for grabs. To be in with a chance of winning, just answer this questi on: Find out more at www.superthings.com ENTER NOW! MARK YOUR ENTRY VOLT ENTER NOW! MARK YOUR ENTRY PEN fi rstnews.co.uk/competi ti ons or see page 19. The closing date is 11 March 2021. fi rstnews.co.uk/competi ti ons or see page 19. The closing date is 11 March 2021.

RASPBERRY PI FOUNDATION Adverti sement feature SEND A MESSAGE TO ASTRONAUTS IN SPACE THE European Space Agency (ESA) and the Raspberry Pi Foundati on are off ering you the chance to take part in Astro Pi – Mission Zero! Astro Pi – Mission Zero gives YOU the chance to write a simple computer program and send a message to the astronauts on board the Internati onal Space Stati on (ISS)! Taking part is free and easy, and you don’t need any coding experience. Just ask a parent or teacher to register at astro-pi.org/mission-zero!

You are promoted to “ ALL ENTRIES real ISS scienti sts. MUST BE Congratulati ons! ESA/NASA SUBMITTED BY – Thomas Pesquet, Thomas points to Astro Pi 19 MARCH! ESA astronaut computers on board the ISS Head to astro-pi.org/mission-zero to start your mission! David Att enborough for the podcast? topics for eachepisode? WWF called for WWF? his footsteps withyour work nature andre-wilding. oceans andplasti cs,climate, travel, deforestati on, than SirDavid Att enborough? Then we go into at thenatural world, andwhobett er to hearfrom talking to. Thefirst episodeiskindofagood look we could betalking aboutandwhowe could be decades, sothey hadaprett y good ideaofwhat WWF have. beenleadinginthisarea They’ve for very luckyto have accessto theresources that It’s amassive subjectandIthinkwe are very, something that Ivery much believe in. I thinkitissomething that isneededandit’s cool stuff andhearfrom someinteresti ngpeople. help make adifference, andhopefully learnsome and learnaboutthethingswe can dothat might toand try learnasmuchaboutitwe can. To try into someofthekey areas abouttheenvironment perfect way we could create thisseriesanddelve organisati oninthat sense.Thisseems to bethe thing for WWF, andfor any kindofcharity enjoy thejourney we take themon.It’s anew I’m soexcited by itandIreally hopethat people 17. BIGINTERVIEW what are we going to do? done hisbitandheissaying now itisourturn, think heissaying that to usall.Hehasmore than to leadthisfight andbring aboutthischange. I saying that itreally isover to theyoung people bit like that inourconversati on,abitlike he was work, thenthat willbeeverything. Itfelt alitt le career, andifthat ti ny contributi onis mylife’s [copy] ati ny bit ofwhat hehasdonein his to to try carry onhislegacy. IfIcan emulate everyone. ButIthink,very much,Iwould like incredible asDavid Att enborough hasbeen for No-one isever going to come closeto beingas being oneofmy greatest inspirati ons. to read to himaskindofathankyou for a litt lelett erthat I wrote andI wanted I amat thestart ofthepodcast. Iread open initaswell; you can hearhow nervous I’m really buzzingaboutit.I’m quite honest and feel like theperfect placeto start ourpodcast and that Iwanted theconversati on to be.It really does severity ofthesituati on.It was just everything and hopeful, whilealsoreally addressing the hereallyamazing, listened andwas soinsightf ul achievements andproudest moments. Hewas just will probably always beoneofmy proudest He iseven bett erthan you want him to be!It you tell usaboutit? CHARITIES SUPPORTED BY How was itinterviewing Sir How didyou choosethedifferent You’ve just launchedanew podcast with Are you hopingto follow in Call of the Wild the of Call , sowhat can by SerenaLacey FIRST NEWS you eat andthe impactthat you are having ontheplanet. Then finally just being abitmore conscious aboutwhat one last voice, that onefinal signature that bringschange. happy aboutit.You don’tknow ifyou are going to be that tellsomething, thecompany andlet themknow that you’re not of Commonsorallaround theworld. Ifyou’re nothappy about MP, signingthat peti onthat is going to be shared intheHouse ti it’s how we spend ourmoney orgoing andspeaking to your local We allhave oneanditissomething we can actuallyuse. Whether to make your spendingmore ethical. Also, your voice ismassive. visit thecharityshopinyour local town centre. That’s agreat way money. Rather thanspending£3onaT-shirt from anonline shop, some green spaces.Then Ithinklookingat where we are spending that you saw inyour local nature reserve, ormaybe to re-wild maybe want to learnmore orgo outandhelp –maybe ananimal Once you have that connecti on,that breeds aninterest and you and reconnect withnature andthenatural world that’s around you. The first thingIalways tell people isto get back outthere andgo What everyday thingsdoyou thinkwe can do? WITH NATURE CONNECT ACTOR andWWFambassadorCelSpellmanhas ACTOR podcasts, theplanet andinterviewing Sir David. our planet. Each episodeCelwillbejoinedby a special guest, includingthelegendary SirDavid launched anew podcast where hetalks about Att enborough! We caught upwithCel to talk News First First News

WWF Issue767 decide you wanted to make achange? that save ourplanet. Whendidyou ones whowillmake thechanges all remember theimportance ofnature? found otherways to go anddoit! the sameeven ifIhadn’tbeen.would have just that Iwas onCBBC, butIthinkwould have done I wanted to dowhat Icould. Iwas very fortunate That’s thepoint where Iemailed WWF. Irealised help communicate withthemabouttheclimate. with young people,soIwanted to usethat to I was alsoonCBBC.Ihadagood connecti on and they’re even more angry. Around that ti me feel, except now they’re even more frustrated I thinkthat isafeeling that alotofyoung people anything aboutit.Ididn’tunderstand itand about theplanet heati ngup, yet we weren’t doing around 15or16.Iwas frustrated because Iread I thinkwhenfirst reached outto WWFIwas to itand,inturn,madethemrealise that there is I thinkitreally hasopenedpeople’s eyes andears doorstep that they didn’tknow were there before. I thinksomany peoplehave found placesontheir nature asarefuge andabitofrespite [arest], and the garden. Ithinkpeoplehave really turnedto and suddenlyyou’re hearingloadsmore birds in nature can bounceback.Theairpolluti ondrops – whenthebigmachinesstop, lookhow quickly it. Ithinkit’s going to beafascinati ng case study full effect unti l we are really outtheothersideof Gosh, yeah. We’re notgoing to actuallyrealise the a lotmore outthere that isworth protecti ngand You always say children are the Doyou thinkthelast year hashelpedus worth fighti ng for. It’s quite sadthat humans have just hadthiswilfulnature ofdestroying for itthat litt lebitmore. Call of the Wild the of Call and we really alldorely onit,solet’s allcare we don’tforget it.Nature doessomuchfor us it withoutacare intheworld. Ijust hopethat all ofyour usual podcast providers 26February –4March 2021 isavailable now from

WWF 18. PUZZLE FUN FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021

BAKE WIN! WALLACE & GROMIT FUNKO POP! WORD CAN you complete our sudoku puzzle, fi lling in the numbers one to nine? Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Wallace & Gromit: A Close Shave LADDER with these brand-new Funko Pop! collectables of Wallace, Gromit and SEE if you can get from the top Shaun the Sheep! One lucky winner will win all three Funko Pop! vinyl of the ladder to the bott om collectable fi gures. FunkoEurope.com by changing one lett er at a ti me to make FOOD 9 4 1 3 a new word. 3 8 9 6 1 1 5 4 6 WIN! MARVIN'S 2 5 MAGIC PENS 7 5 2 3 CAN you complete our crossword puzzle by using the clues below? 4 1 Send in your answers and three lucky winners will win a set of Marvin’s Magic pens. Create marvellous magic art using 25 magic pens with amazing powers! These magic pens allow you to write secret 6 8 1 7 messages, create stunning 3D lett ering, change colours and make your art vanish! 4 6 1 8 9 MarvinsMagic.com 1 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 6

6 7

DWH 8 9 10 more letters y E Re or ou c re an E h Oof t ou find the wo ma y rd k L s n e 11 12 13 14 rd d ca that , u o An us si Ww e. es ng y n a n o ll th a ch th e m a e m w e le o in tt id h r e d r l 15 16 17 E e s e E tt ? S le

H N 18

Across Down 1ACROSS - Not natural; made by people (10) DOWN 2 - Sequence of actions done regularly (7) T W 1 Not natural; made by people (10) 2 Sequence of acti ons 6 - Certain (4) 3 - Times (anag) (5) 6 Certain (4) done regularly (7) 77 -Price Price asked asked for for goods goods (6) (6) 3 Times (anag) (5) 4 - ___ Newton: scientist who discovered gravity (5) T 88 -Thin Thin type type of of paper paper (6) (6) 4 ___ Newton: scienti st 5 - You walk on this (3) 99 -Money Money in in coins coins or or notes notes (4) (4) who discovered gravity (5)7 - What you use to play snooker (3) 1111 -Jewels Jewels (4) (4) 5 You walk on this (3) 10 - Put an idea forward for consideration (7) 13 Living room (6) 7 What you use to play snooker (3) I T 13 - Living room (6) 12 - Latin American dance (5) 15 Case for carrying money (6) 10 Put an idea forward (7) 1517 -A Case platf fororm carrying projecti money ng from (6) the 12 Lati n American dance13 (5) - Large amount (3) 17shore - A intoplatform the sea projecting from the shore 13intoLarge the sea amount (3) 14 - Opposite of lower (5) (4) 18 Overstate (10) 14 Opposite of lower (5) 16 - Great serve in tennis (3) E E 18 - Overstate (10) 16 Great serve in tennis (3) Send your fi nished puzzles by email to win@fi rstnews.co.uk. Don’t forget to put Puzzles 767 in the subject box. 19. PUZZLE FUN HOW TO ENTER: We’re afraid we can’t accept postal entries for now. The closing date for puzzle entries is Thursday 4 March 2021.

CAN you spot the fi ve changes we’ve made to this picture from Scooby-Doo! The Sword and the Scoob? Send in your answers and four lucky winners will win a copy of the DVD. Take a journey back in ti me to SCOOBY-DOO! King Arthur’s court in this legendary saga of wizards, knights, dragons… and Scooby-Doo! An evil sorceress tries to seize power in Camelot, so King Arthur needs the help of our favourite super sleuths to save his DVDs throne. But will their valiant eff orts only make things royally worse? WIN! Scooby-Doo! The Sword and the Scoob is available now on DVD and digital download. A B ©2021 Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved Inc. All Rights Home Entertainment Bros. ©2021 Warner WHERE ON EARTH? CAN you guess which country these are all associated with? CAN you fi nd the words in our Roald Dahl-themed wordsearch? Remember that the words can be horizontal, verti cal or diagonal. A B L K B N Y C P B G D R J E S O Z K R E E W N P N G X N H X D L R M W P C B N Z R L I G D B A A K O R D O I C L K M V Y W M K R Y C D Y A X V R B Z X S T N Y W V L A R B I S G N I J B N X O D F Q S X D O R Q V N Z W P D M J N S J F C L L X T Z U F A E R M A Y T M J M I G G L I L C S Z P T R A L F S U J P R B W M Y R K K T T Y Q X S X H iStock T Q C G Y B D Y S X T L H U F X M O M V S G W L A S E A iStock R P P M E I O F W A S F S B O U R D U Y Q B Y R D S D R U V M O E M L V Q O Q O M P R J F M O K T J R N M P T L N L A P Q D G I K J N A P Z B B O T P N E V O U R I Z I

C D iStock C X T F O L Q W Z B R K J H Z Q X O H O V I H E E D L E H N I I T H D I T Y U T A F I U J N T J A Y Z E G E R B B E L R R Q O K B K K E P B E E W J X W L K U Y P R A U U O D L Q R B R M P F P Z M C H Z Z T Y E O U Q T A D C L X A D A N N Y K B V D K L N C N V I M G M K Y H T H K L Q Q N L Q K Y A S C T I U J G M F O A I T K T E G Z E iStock I D B N Q F N F H O U L E T H E T W I T S D K C B X I T W I U A C V P G P L C V L F T V I O O C E M D U F C D H P Y V H K S S F X B Q M K O O O Y W V W Z Y K Z G S K R N X D V E O Y L Q O L J A M E S P W A A B H T M N B F K

F S Y R V R P V W H B V I P O I J Z G C M O M D I B J N E F iStock S G G E O R G E K R A N K Y J Y L U J I R R I N S J R H iStock Willy Wonka Miss Trunchbull Mr Fox Mati lda Danny James The BFG Sophie Miss Spider Charlie Bucket George Kranky The Twits

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. 3 7 1 4 8 9 2 5 6 V O C A B U L A R Y LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS: A R I E 2. Email us at win@fi rstnews.co.uk putti ng ‘competi ti on name’ (e.g., Holiday), in the subject box. Please note: First News will 4 2 6 7 5 3 9 1 8 Spot the diff erence: Robin’s head is bigger, Joel’s L A P S E E T H I C not share your personal details with third parti es. First News will only use your details to contact the competi ti on winners. 8 5 9 6 1 2 3 7 4 U R A S E U jacket is now pink, badge is missing from Badger, First News competi ti ons are only open to those aged 17-and-under and residents of the UK & Republic of Ireland, except employees of 2 9 4 5 3 6 1 8 7 E V E N T S L A M B Dragon is missing a tooth, extra light in front of 6 8 3 2 7 1 5 4 9 S H D R First News, First Group Enterprises Ltd, Reach plc and any associated companies and their families. Winners will be the fi rst correct entries 7 1 5 9 4 8 6 2 3 S K I N F I E S T A the stage. Word wheel: traditi on. A D E V A C 9 4 7 1 6 5 8 3 2 drawn aft er the closing dates. No purchase necessary. No responsibility can be accepted for entries that have been lost or damaged in transit. Word ladder: ears, cars, cabs, labs, lobs, lobe. G R E E D I G L O O First News will not enter into any correspondence. All winners will be noti fi ed accordingly and their names and locati on will be available on 1 6 8 3 2 4 7 9 5 N G N R Where on Earth?: Malta. 5 3 2 8 9 7 4 6 1 S T R E N G T H E N 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. 20. BAKING SPECIAL FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 LEMON SLICES REECE’S Ingredients for the cake Ingredients for 250g self-raising fl our 2 tbsp milk the topping 250g soft butt er 15ml vegetable oil 4 tbsp lemon curd 4 large eggs juice of a lemon 100g icing sugar RECIPES 2 tbsp milk 2 tbsp lemon zest 1-3 tbsp milk 250g caster sugar 2-3 drops yellow 1 tsp vanilla extract food colouring gel

Method 1. Whip the butt er and sugar unti l pale and fl uff y 2. Add in the eggs one at a ti me unti l fully mixed 3. Add the dry ingredients, then fold unti l combined 4. Pour in the milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, oil and TOP TIP! vanilla, then pour into a lined baking tray Don’t forget to add 5. Bake for 15 minutes or unti l a skewer comes out clean fl avour. Flavour is 6. Once cooked and cooled, spread over the lemon curd 7. To make the topping, place the icing sugar in a bowl and add the milk everything! a litt le at a ti me unti l it turns into a thick icing 8. Take 1⁄3 of the icing and add the gel colour to turn it yellow

9. Pour over your white icing then drizzle your yellow icing on top 2021 © Reece Recipe Junior Bake Off champion Reece shares another 10. Using a toothpick, create swirls with the icing delicious recipe with us. This week it’s lemon slices! Don’t forget to to make a marble eff ect share pictures of your bakes with us at newsdesk@fi rstnews.co.uk. 11. Chill for 15 minutes then slice into bars and serve

If you’re inspired by Reece and fancy showing off your baking skills, then why not apply for Junior Bake Off 2021? If you’re aged between 9 and 15, and can whip up a cool cake or some brilliant biscuits, then this could be your year! To apply, visit junior.take-part.co.uk, but make sure to check with a grown-up fi rst. Entries close on 28 March 2021. 21. SPECIAL REPORT by Dr Ranj FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 ANXIETY EXPLAINED Anxiety is a perfectly normal biological reacti on. We’ve had it since we were cavemen (and cavewomen) and it’s a protecti ve mechanism. Whenever it feels under threat, your body’s natural defence systems kick in to prepare you either to fi ght

whatever the threat might be, or to iStock run away. We feel this as anxiety: Dominic Turner you feel worried, your heart beats faster, you breathe more quickly, your stomach does funny things and you sweat like crazy. I’m sure you’ve felt like this before an exam, a sports match or a performance. When the TOP so-called threat has passed, these bodily responses sett le down again and you get on with life. This kind of anxiety may not feel very pleasant, but it’s perfectly natural and has COPING WITH TIPS kept us safe for thousands of years. However, this protecti ve mechanism Anxiety is something you can someti mes get out of control. It can totally overcome. It may may start happening more oft en, for take ti me though, and some no reason at all, feel more intense, people may need help from a or it may not sett le down easily. health professional or maybe For some people it can have a huge medicati on to get on top of it. impact on their life. That is when Here are some ways you can anxiety becomes an issue and needs ANXIETYANXIETY is something you will have heard menti oned quite a lot help yourself: to be addressed – but the good news recently. It’s one of the more common diffi culti es experienced by is that there is a lot you can do to keep young people – and the coronavirus has made it more of an issue. Always remind yourself it under control. Some of us have found that lockdown made our anxiety worse, 1 that anxiety is a completely and others discovered anxious feelings when life started to slowly normal feeling and you’re not get back to normal. Well, the ‘new normal’ anyway. doing anything wrong. The feelings will pass, and you So why does it happen and how can you deal with it? can and will feel bett er. Read on for some essenti al informati on… If you know that certain 2 acti viti es, such as a parti cular lesson, ‘trigger’ your anxiety, don’t avoid them DON’T BE – this can make things worse YOU ARE in the long run. Instead, try to AFRAID TO confront them bit by bit and see if you can build up your AMAZING! ability to cope. ASK FOR HELP When you feel anxiety One thing about anxiety – or any 3 coming on, try to stay iStock other mental health diffi culty – is If you’re really struggling, with calm and distract yourself (for that it can make us feel like we’re anxiety or anything else, never be example, do a physical acti vity, doing something wrong, or that scared to talk to someone or ask for listen to music, go for a walk, we’re not good enough. Let me help. You could speak to a friend, count to 100). CORONAVIRUS stop you right there! family member or a professional, such Try not to assume that It’s completely normal to have as a teacher, counsellor, doctor or 4 the terrible thing you are AND ANXIETY feelings like this and it’s okay. Your nurse. There are lots of helplines and imagining will actually come brain and body just need some ti me to websites you can try for advice and to pass. It may never happen! Many people found that anxiety adjust to everything that is going on in informati on too – the NHS website Don’t forget: YOU can be the became a real issue for them due to your life. Some of the most successful is a great place to start. one in control of your feelings, the coronavirus. If this is something people in the world have been not the other way round. you’ve noti ced in yourself, remember: through challenges just like this. Talk to others about how children and young people are at the Never forget that you have come Dr Ranj’s new book, How 5 you are feeling. So many lowest risk from coronavirus, but we this far in spite of everything To Grow Up And Feel of us go through similar things, can all play a part in keeping each you’ve faced – and that makes Amazing!, is out now and talking about it really helps. other safe. you prett y amazing! 22. GAME ZONE FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 RACING ARRIVES AT SPLATOON 3 ANNOUNCED ELECTRONIC ARTS BRITISH videogame developer Codemasters, who make some of the biggest racing games, has been bought by Electronic Arts (EA) for £850 million. Codemasters has been behind games like F1 2020, Need for Speed, DIRT 5 and DiRT Rally, and is just the latest company to have been snapped up by EA. It’s thought that the deal could lead to more big e-sports competi ti ons, similar to the FIFA tournaments that EA runs. Nintendo

NINTENDO’S fantasti c squid-based shooter is getti ng a sequel, although we’ll have to SPARE A MINIT FOR CHARITY? wait a while before we get to play it! A TINY, strange During the latest Nintendo Direct (an occasional entry to the Mario Golf series (arriving in June), litt le racing livestream where Nintendo shows off new games a fun Mii-based adventure game called Miitopia game has been Digital Devolver coming to the Nintendo Switch), Splatoon 3 made (arriving in May), an HD re-release of the Wii’s released for a surprise appearance towards the end of the cleverly moti on-controlled The Legend of Zelda: PC, with all showcase. Skyward Sword (arriving in July) and plenty more. proceeds from The trailer begins with an Inkling in a vast orange What are you most looking forward to? desert, that looks to have once been France – as the game going in the background, the Eiff el Tower can be seen to charity. buried upside down in the sand. Available for either £2.09, £7.19 or £15.49, all money spent Wielding a new bow-like weapon, our Inkling on Minit Fun Racer will go to a variety of chariti es, starti ng with hero hops on a train and heads to the city. Doctors Without Borders and SpecialEff ect. Sadly, Splatoon 3 won’t be released unti l 2022, In the game, based on the indie ti me-looping puzzle which means we’ve got quite a wait ahead of us. game Minit, you have to race against the clock while avoiding Also in the Direct, Nintendo showed off a new obstacles. It looks delightf ul!

FIRST NEWS MAGICAL READS HOME iHUB IDEAL FOR HOMESCHOOLING

PERFECT FOR YEAR 2 TO YEAR 8

Compelling thriller Can three brave orphans It’s a race against time picked by Times, Sunday save a starving tiger and to stop a devastating Times, FT, Guardian as a circus in a country at flood for Needle, Glory one of the best books of war? Sometimes you and their magical crow. 2020. At the car crash need something more that killed his parents than courage to survive! ‘The plot swirls and sparkles Lucas saw a wolf. Now and keeps the reader on tenterhooks’ it’s come for him. — Lovereading4kids

HEAD TO FIRSTNEWS.CO.UK/HOMEIHUB www.everythingwithwords.com TO FIND OUT MORE 23. CRAZY BUT TRUE FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 CAN YOU SMASH

A BOOK RECORD? iStock A CHILDREN’S author and primary school teacher is att empti ng to pull off a mega reading record – and she wants you to have a go at one, too! To celebrate World Book Day on 4 March, Jenny Pearson a new world record – for the most people in an online has come up with a novel idea! She’s teaming up with her reading video relay. pupils at St Margaret’s Primary School in Durham to att empt The class will read from Jenny’s new book, The Incredible Record Smashers. Each child will take it in turns to read a secti on of the book – whether it be at home or in school – unti l they make it to the end. That’s not all – they want you to get in on the record-breaking fun, too! All you have to do is come up with your own book-themed record and see if you can smash it on World Book Day. Perhaps you could att empt to build the highest book tower, or balance the most books on your head? Check out usborne.com/gb/recordsmashers Jenny is ready and raring to read! to fi nd out more. TOADS STOP TRAFFIC

iStock LOST OR LATE?! SWNS A POSTCARD has arrived at its address a staggering 77 years aft er it was HOW did the toad cross the road? It got all the traffi c to stop! fi rst sent! but a family member sti ll lives at the Beanford Lane in Notti nghamshire is set to close this March so that toads can safely The card was writt en by 18-year- address. Both Bill and Fred have now get from one side of the road to the other. old Bill Caldwell to his uncle Fred in passed away, but Bill’s family said they Every year, the ti ny amphibians have to hop across the lane to get to their breeding Liverpool. It’s dated 7 July 1943, and really enjoyed reading the card. grounds. This can be very dangerous with lots of traffi c about. reveals all about Bill’s fi rst week of The Royal Mail can’t be sure what Thankfully, in 1999, a woman called Margaret Cooper successfully led a campaign to training as a sailor in the Royal Navy. happened to the item, but believes get the road closed temporarily to protect the toads. All these years later, the closure Unfortunately, the postcard lost someone might have put it back in the sti ll comes into force every year so that the toads can go about their business. its way and never made it to Fred, post recently rather than it being lost.

Writt en and illustrated by Paul Palmer 24. WORLD BOOK DAY SPECIAL FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 WORLD BOOK DAY IS HERE! THAT’S right, World Book Day has arrived again – a day dedicated to promoti ng reading for pleasure. It off ers young people across the UK the opportunity to choose a book of their own (someti mes their fi rst) from a range of £1 books, using a free £1 token.

With lots of you across the UK not in school this year, World Book Day is going to be a litt le diff erent. For one thing, lots of you got your £1 Book Token in First News last week, instead of receiving them in class. For the fi rst ti me, events hosted by the authors are being held online, and the World Book Day organisers are launching a Book Club. Reading for pleasure can be a way to escape to another world and experience the life of someone else. So while we’re mostly stuck at home, why not give it a shot? You could ‘Share a Story’ by reading with someone else. Even for just ten minutes DATES FOR a day, sharing a story can boost your creati vity and imaginati on – and make you feel DATES FOR YOUR DIARY a whole lot bett er! YOUR DIARY THETHE AUTHORAUTHORS AND AND ILLUSTRATORS Nati onal Literacy Trust’s ILLUSTRATORACADEMY ACADEMY A seriesA series of funof fun and and fascinati fascinati ng tutorialng tutorial videos videos from from World World Book Virtual School Library BookDay Day £1 £1Book book authors authors and and illustrators illustrators have have been been produced to producedcelebrate to celebratethe day! the day. STEAL a moment with Katherine Rundell. AvailableAvailable now now on onthe the World World Book Book Day Day YouTube YouTube channel channel Visit the Virtual School Library from the Nati onal Literacy Trust and the Oak Nati onal Academy to SHOW YOUR SHARES read Katherine’s The Good Thieves for free! We want to see you sharing a story with your family! Read along with a family member, a friend or even a pet who’s in Katherine recommends these books: yourSHOW bubble, YOUR and share SHARES it on social media. High-Rise Mystery by Sharna Jackson FromWe want1 March to see onwards you sharing a story with your family! Read To Liberty! The Adventures of Thomas-Alexandre Dumas along with a family member, a friend or even a pet that’s in your by Catherine Johnson and illustrated by Rachel Sanson bubble, and share it on social media. Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones FromSHARE 1 March A STORYonwards LIVE Loads of the World Book Day authors will be sharing Step inside the library this World Book Day to fi nd ti ps on stories over on the World Book Day YouTube channel – spending your £1 World Book Day book token. And keep an including Sita Brahmachari, Joseph Coelho, Jonny Duddle, eye out for some exciti ng surprises, happening from 1 March. TomSHARE Fletcher, A Jess STORY French andLIVE more! Visit library.thenati onal.academy to fi nd out more. TheLoads hosts of includethe World moti Book vati Day onal authors speaker will Kenny be sharing Baraka, stories TVover presenter on the NigelWorld Clarke Book andDay actor,YouTube comedian channel and – including writer Sita JessieBrahmachari, Cave. Joseph Coelho, Jonny Duddle, Tom Fletcher, Jess LiveFrench from and 3-5 more!March With hosts moti vati onal speaker Kenny Baraka, TV presenter Nigel Clarke and actress, comedian and writer JessieFor the Cave. full list of events, and to sign up to the World Book Day Book Club, head to: FOR MORE TIPS AND ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE Live on 3 - 5 March YOUR READING, WRITING, SPEAKING AND LISTENING AT WORLDBOOKDAY.COM HOME, VISIT WORDSFORLIFE.ORG.UK 25. WORLD BOOK DAY SPECIAL FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 WORLD BOOK DAY AUTHORS LOVE THEIR BIG DAY! WE all know that World Book Day is an amazing day that helps to get books into the hands of young people across the UK – but what do the authors think of the annual event? We asked and, as you might have guessed, they’re prett y big fans!

HUMZA ARSHAD AND DEREK LANDY KATHERINE RUNDELL “I’m not letti ng it go to my “I have loved World Book HENRY WHITE head, the fact that this will be Day ever since I dressed up as “We’re so excited to be part my second book released for a Moomin more than 20 years of this year’s World Book Day. World Book Day. Is it grati fying ago: it is a joy and an honour Nina Subin It’s such a great way of inspiring to be asked twice? Absolutely. to be part of it now – part of an kids to love books and we’re Is it heartening to know that countless children are eff ort by so many people to galvanise [encourage] and honoured to be involved. Every clamouring for more molten drops of nurture a love of reading. I absolutely ti me we see a word-goodness? Indeed it is. But as a can’t wait for children to read my WBD photo of a student seasoned World Book Day contributor, book; I hope it will seize them by the dressed up as I am well aware that this day isn’t wrist and take them on an adventure, Litt le Badman on about me. It’s about books, it’s about up and away into another world.” World Book Day it blows us away. We stories, and it’s about readers… and can’t wait to share our new story, Litt le a litt le about me. But no more than SKYSTEPPERS Badman and the Radioacti ve Samosa, 20 percent – 25 at the VERY most.” with as many children as possible.” SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT: APOCALYPSE KINGS HOLLY JACKSON LITTLE BADMAN AND THE RADIOACTIVE SAMOSA “Stories and storytelling are in everything we do; they are an intrinsic [essenti al] part of being JESS FRENCH human. I love that World Book “I sti ll vividly remember Day is an enti re the excitement I felt when day dedicated to celebrati ng the power selecti ng my World of stories and introducing young people Book Day books to the love of reading. I am thrilled to as a child. It’s an incredible honour to be be a part of it this year, waving the fl ag selected to write one myself, especially for thrillers!” to address such a crucial and ti mely issue as protecti ng our planet.” KILL JOY PROTECT THE PLANET ALEX BELLOS AND SITA BRAHMACHARI BEN LYTTLETON “I am so excited to have been “We are over the moon chosen to be among this year’s to be part of World Book Day World Book Day authors. I have 2021, the never lived through a ti me Football Marti n Levenson Marti when children’s lives have been School dressing room is buzzing! We so disrupted and their access to stories and learning ZANIB MIAN will give 110 percent to make this impacted on. As I wrote The River Whale, the thought “World Book Day has always World Book Day the best ever!” of it being made available to so many readers in need been special to me and my of dream ti me inspired and guided me. Equality is at sons, so being involved as an FOOTBALL SCHOOL the heart of my writi ng, and that these WBD stories author for 2021 is an absolutely are accessible to so many children – incredible feeling! I’m so excited oft en being the fi rst treasured books about Omar taking readers worldwide some children own and potenti ally a on a special, very bookish adventure, catalyst to a lifelong love of reading – where they get to meet a goofy Briti sh makes my heart sing.” Muslim family!” THE RIVER WHALE PLANET OMAR: OPERATION KIND 26. SHOPS FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021

WHAT’S IN THE WORLD MARY POPPINS SMIFFYS BOOK DAY COSTUME SET ACCESSORIES KIT SHOPS? TUCLOTHING. ARGOS.CO.UK £6.00 EACH SAINSBURYS.CO.UK £16.00 These fantasti c kits MATILDA TOTE BAG from Smiff ys are great This magical Mary Poppins for easy and fun fancy TRUFFLESHUFFLE.CO.UK £16.99 costume is practi cally perfect dress. With a palett e of If you’ve got a book habit that could beat Mati lda’s, in every way, so you can bring face paints, applicators, then what bett er place to keep your favourite books your favourite book character headband and tail, you’ll than in this marvellous to life. The blue dress comes be able to pull together a Mati lda tote bag? With with a blouse and brooch, plenty of room for all a jacket, and a skirt with an those books, this enchanti ng rooft op print. delightf ul Quenti n It even comes with a Blake design is a hat on an Alice cute fancy dress outf it must-have for fans band and a litt le in no ti me. Choose of Roald Dahl’s litt le carpet bag to from a ti ger, lion, bookworm hero. complete your fox or cat. new Mary Poppins look.

*All prices correct at ti me of printi ng

WIN! A ROBO FISH TELL YOUR TRY 3 ISSUES BUNDLE FROM ZURU FRIENDS FOR £1 PREPARE for a whale of a ti me with the all-new Robo Fish from ZURU. The new ZURU Robo Fish are the most realisti c roboti c swimming pets ever! Drop them in water and watch them swim in fi ve diff erent directi ons and dive up to 6ft (2m) as ZURU’s water-acti vated technology brings them to life like magic! There are six colours to collect, each with water-acti vated colour changing abiliti es! Create an underwater spectacular for your fi shy friends with the Robo Fish Tank Playset. Drop them into the fi shbowl and watch them fl ip and dive their way through their watery wonderland! There are two exclusive fi sh to collect with the playset, and it also comes with Never Wet Sand to build and sculpt your own coral reef creati ons. We have eight bundles, including two Robo Fish and a Fish Bowl Playset up for grabs. To be in with a chance of winning, just answer this questi on:

What do fi sh use gills for? a) to see underwater b) to balance underwater c) to breathe underwater Sti ll delivering the news to your door every Friday ZURU Robo Fish are available from Smyths, The Entertainer, Argos, Asda, and B&M. Learn about the changing world around you while keeping up to date with the latest science, sport and entertainment news.

ENTER NOW! MARK YOUR ENTRY FISH Follow-on price: fi rstnews.co.uk/competi ti ons or see page 19. The closing date is 11 March 2021. www.fi rstnews.co.uk/subscribe 13 issues for £22.99

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 © 2021 First Group Enterprises Ltd and cannot be used without writt en permission. First News is published by First Group Enterprises Ltd, 58 Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1 0AS. 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. We package First News in a mixture of compostable wrapper, paper wrapper, cardboard wraps and boxes, depending on the order size. See www.fi rstnews.co.uk/about-fi rst-news for more informati on about our environmental commitments. 27. YOUR NEWS FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021 WE WANT TO COOKING TUTORIALS HEAR WHAT by Sienna Cecco YOU/YOUR DURING lockdown last year I started doing live online Italian cookery tutorials with JUNIOR my dad, to inspire others to get cooking and have fun with food. SCHOOL IS UP TO The videos became really popular announced in January and schools JOURNALIST Write in to let us know what and we even got nominated for an closed, me and my dad decided to you’ve been up to lately! Have award at the Manchester Food & bring back our weekly live tutorials you been getti ng creati ve? Been Drink Festi val Awards 2020. This to help out parents and children who for a great day out? How has the inspired me to create my own are spending more ti me at home. coronavirus aff ected your school, cooking YouTube channel called In our most recent video, we made friends and family? Why not Sienna’s Cucina, where I post red and green coloured pasta using share your experiences with tutorials of my favourite Italian beetroot and spinach. These are First News readers? dishes and encourage other kids both superfoods and look amazing, so Email your report like me to learn how to cook. it was fun to make and really healthy. (including pictures) to I started to cook at the age I hope my videos inspire young yournews@fi rstnews.co.uk of three with my Italian nonna people to give cooking a go. It is such (grandmother) and dad, who are an important life skill and it’s great Don’t forget to include your both from Italy. I love making to know what’s going into your food. name and age (and your school’s fresh pasta and my favourite dish name and address for school is parmigiana, which is made with Check out Sienna’s recipes on her news reports). By writi ng in, aubergine, mozzarella and tomato, YouTube channel, Sienna’s Cucina. you give consent to First News Sienna’s and is a great dish for vegetarians. Please be aware of age restricti ons printi ng details and photographs fresh pasta Since the third lockdown was on social media. of those involved in the report. THE CAPTAIN TOM LEARNING TO SIGN by Connie Carter LAST lockdown I learnt some sign language and have conti nued to, so I can keep moti vated through all 100 CHALLENGE the lockdowns. by Juliett e, St Faith’s School Over the second lockdown I have learnt all about sign JUNIOR MY school created the Captain Tom 100 challenge aft er language. I now know how to sign the alphabet and a rock JOURNALIST he very sadly died with coronavirus. song called Livin’ On A Prayer. SCHOOL I have really enjoyed learning this, as it’s the only way for some We had to pick a sport-related task, like NEWS people to communicate. I hope to learn lots more songs and words. I check the running for 100 minutes, as Captain Tom BSL (Briti sh Sign Language) website did 100 laps of his garden. regularly to learn more acti ons. My sports teachers joined in too. My I fi rst discovered sign language during PE teacher did 100 minutes cycling and the fi rst lockdown with my sister, cycled 24.35 miles [39.2km]. Alice. Did you know the fi rst historical My netball teacher did 100 over-head menti on of BSL is a record of a wedding passes onto the wall. ceremony conducted parti ally in sign My hockey coach, who played for the language in Leicester in 1576? England women’s team, did 100 keepy- I would like to help more people learn uppies on her sti ck with balls of diff erent sign language, so we can help those sizes, and my other hockey coach, who who need it. It is also just a handy skill played for the England men’s team, did to learn, as you never know who you 100 press-ups! Juliett e on her bike will meet and when you may need it. I really enjoy sport, so instead of doing In the UK, there are around 150,000 just one set of 100, I actually did four: ride; plus 100 conditi oning exercises/ Briti sh Sign Language users and 300 100 hockey goals; 100 netball goals; a stretches. Last year, during the fi rst diff erent types of sign language. rowing triathlon for 100 minutes, which lockdown, I did a 50km run over the I hope people see how important Connie signing the word ‘friend’ included a turbo trainer for an hour, a course of May and I raised £120 for sign language is. 30-minute run and a ten-minute bike the NHS, smashing my target of £50. SUBSCRIBE FOR SCHOOL – FIND OUT MORE AT SCHOOLS.FIRSTNEWS.CO.UK CALL: (020) 3195 7256 EMAIL: [email protected] 28. SPORT by Eddie de Oliveira FirstNews Issue 767 26 February – 4 March 2021

Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka IN triumphed at the SPORT fi rst tennis Grand NUMBERS NOVAK AND Slam of 2021 wickets was the winning margin for England as they beat NAOMI WIN New Zealand in their 8 one-day internati onal match. Tammy Beaumont (below) notched up 72 runs, while captain Heather Knight made 67 not out. DOWN UNDER England fi nished on 181-2 while the SERBIA’S Novak Djokovic and Japan’s Naomi Osaka G e tt y White Ferns were bowled out for 178. won the singles ti tles at the Australian Open, capping off a dramati c fortnight of tennis.

The fi rst Grand Slam of the season was full of COVID-related controversy. Some Australians complained that the tennis stars G e tt y were allowed in to the country while thousands of their fellow citi zens have had to wait weeks to be allowed back home, due to restricti ons on travel into the country. There was also an outbreak of coronavirus cases in Melbourne during the tournament, which led to fans being barred for fi ve days. Despite all the hullabaloo, Djokovic came out victorious aft er Barcelona league beati ng Russia’s Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 in the fi nal. The appearances have Serb now has 18 Grand Slams to his name – just two short of been made by Lionel Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Djokovic has won nine Aussie 506 Messi – a club record. Opens dati ng back to 2008. The Argenti nian In the women’s tournament, Naomi Osaka took home her broke Xavi’s record in a 1-1 draw second Australian ti tle and fourth Grand Slam overall. Osaka, against Cádiz. The all-ti me record for who has never lost a major fi nal, sealed La Liga appearances is held by Andoni her place as a hard-court specialist. Only Zubizarreta, who played 622 ti mes for three women have won more grand slam three clubs, including Barcelona. ti tles on hard courts – Serena Williams, Steffi Graff and Monica Seles. In the men’s wheelchair singles, Britain’s Alfi e Hewett lost 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 to Belgium’s Joachim Gérard in the fi nal. But Hewett triumphed in the men’s doubles with G e tt y fellow Brit Gordon Reid (left ). G e tt y

points have been taken from José Mourinho’s fi rst 50 PIC OF THE 81 games as manager of Tott enham Hotspur. That’s Mourinho’s lowest points total aft er his fi rst 50 matches at any club he has managed. Spurs have lost fi ve of their last six Premier League games. G e tt y WEEK Katharina Liensberger of Austria stumbles aft er crossing the fi nish line during the second run of the women’s slalom at the Alpine Ski World Championships. She became the fi rst Austrian woman to win the slalom world ti tle in ten years. In the men’s slalom, Norway’s Sebasti an Foss-Solevåg won his fi rst individual world ti tle. Austria fi nished top of the medal table with eight, including fi ve golds, followed by Switzerland with nine, of which three were golds. G e tt y