Two a penny

French trumpet big win over pirates

French News — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:30:00 +0000

.The French navy has captured 35 suspected pirates off the coast of Somalia in what French officials are hailing as the most successful mission since the European Union began monitoring the seas in 2008.
Four mother ships and six smaller boats have been seized over three days. .
The EU’s mission has focused on the Gulf of Aden - one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.

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Jurisdiction over the suspects remains unclear, and there have been renewed calls for an international tribunal to be set up

Davis Cup heavyweights roll on

NZ News — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:30:00 +0000

.Defending champions Spain proved there is life without Rafael Nadal when it swept aside Switzerland 4-1 overnight to set-up a mouthwatering Davis Cup quarter-final clash with France.
World number two Novak Djokovic won a five-set thriller to defeat America’s John Isner and hand Serbia a first ever place in the Davis Cup quarters.
Serbia will face bitter rivals Croatia at home on July 9-11 for a spot in the semi-finals after Djokovic claimed a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4 win over Isner in a four hour, 16 minute marathon as his team took an unassailable 3-1 lead.
Croatia, the 2005 champions, the Czech Republic, which was runners-up to Spain last season, and France had already wrapped up their quarter-final places on Saturday.
Russia also went through thanks to a 3-2 win over India, its 17th successive home win, which gave it a last eight clash against Argentina who defeated Sweden 3-2 in Stockholm.
Nicolas Almagro then eased past Marco Chiudinelli 6-1, 6-3 in the dead rubber.
In Logrono, world number 16 David Ferrer scored the winning point for Spain as he easily saw off an exhausted Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 to give the hosts an unbeatable lead after they had led 2-1 overnight.
Despite his heroics, Ferrer admitted that his place in the team for July’s clash with France was not guaranteed with Nadal and Fernando Verdasco expected to return. I just want to focus on the next tournaments,” said Ferrer. .
“It’ll be like a final, it’s the kind of thing you dream about,” said France captain Guy Forget.
France maintained their 72-year domination of Germany when they wrapped up a 4-1 win in Toulon, leaving the French eager to face Spain on home ground..
“Facing the defending champions with Nadal, Verdasco, Ferrer, Lopez…”
France will have the advantage of playing the tie at home and will - not surprisingly - opt for a hard court rather than the clay courts favoured by the Spanish. We have started to talk about it and I hope that the boys will be in peak form.
Croatia wrapped-up a 5-0 win over Ecuador in their first round tie.
“You play tennis for moments like this, at home, in front of your own fans and against a very strong team,” said Forget.
Rohan Bopanna won the dead rubber, beating Teimuraz Gabashvili 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, to ensure a final scoreline of 3-2, after veteran doubles pairing Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi won Saturday’s doubles to keep India in the tie.
In Moscow, Mikhail Youzhny eased Russia into the last eight when he beat Somdev Devvarman 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 to give his side a 3-1 lead over India.
“It was much easier for me in the first two sets.
“It wasn’t as easy as the scoreline may suggest,” Youzhny said.”
David Nalbandian was Argentina’s match-winner in Stockholm when he defeated Andreas Vinciguerra 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the deciding rubber after Robin Soderling had seen off Leonardo Mayer 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 to pull Sweden level. I won many points with drop shots as he (Devvarman) was not running well. Chile were 2-0 ahead after the opening singles. Chile were 2-0 ahead after the opening singles.
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France calls to say it loves Stevie Wonder

NZ News — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:37:00 +0000

.US singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder has been awarded one of France’s top cultural honours, 30 years after he was tapped to receive it.
“I receive this honour in memory of my mother and in memory of all of those that have made it possible for me to stand here today,” said an emotional Wonder, clad in marine-blue striped suit, as he received the Commander of Arts and Letters award from French culture minister Frederic Mitterrand..
“As I was. listening to what you were saying, I had a flash in my memory, the memory of 1964, when I came to Paris, France for the first time.. His mother died in 2006. I came with my mother,” 59-year-old Wonder told Mr Mitterrand.
The accolade has been bestowed over the years to personalities ranging from South African writer Nadine Gordimer, British actor Roger Moore and Lebanese diva Fairuz.
Standing next to Mr Mitterrand was former culture minister Jack Lang, who first named Wonder for the medal.
Mr Mitterand praised Wonder as “music’s familiar genius”.
“As citizen, administrator and culture minister I just called to say we love you,” Mr Mitterrand told Wonder, mixing French and English and referring to one of Wonder’s biggest hits, which featured in the film The Woman in Red.
During the ceremony, he made a pitch for Mr Obama’s push to extend health coverage to millions of uninsured Americans.
A political activist who fought for national day to honour slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Wonder more recently backed US President Barack Obama’s run for office in 2008. “Don’t change.
“I’m very encouraged you have it here, in this country,” he said, referring the France’s close to-universal coverage.”
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France, Czechs, Croatia into Davis quarters

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:42:00 +0000

.France set-up a potential Davis Cup quarter-final blockbuster against defending champion Spain after extending its 72-year stranglehold over Germany overnight.
France cruised past Germany in their World Group first-round tie when Michael Llodra and Julien Benneteau defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber and Christopher Kas 6-1, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in Toulon.
France will face Spain in the last eight if the champions get past Switzerland in Logrono.
“The attitude was very good and the result was ideal,” said France skipper Guy Forget.
Spain, playing without the injured Rafael Nadal, opened a 2-1 lead in its tie when Marcel Granollers and Tommy Robredo defeated Yves Allegro and Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6 (10-8), 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. It will be another high level.
“We know what awaits us in the next round.”
Croatia, the 2005 champions, saw off Ecuador 3-0 and will face either bitter rivals Serbia or 32-time champions USA for a place in the semi-finals.
“It wasn’t one-way traffic in the doubles, it was as tough as we expected it to be and we are overjoyed to have secured a berth in the last eight,” said Cilic.
Marin Cilic and Ivo Karlovic coasted to a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 7-5 win over Nicolas Lapentti and Giovanni Lapentti in Saturday’s doubles to give Croatia an unassailable 3-0 lead.
Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi kept India’s hopes of advancing alive beating Igor Kunitsyn and Teimuraz Gabashvili in straight sets in Moscow.
In Belgrade, Bob Bryan and John Isner kept the US in their tie when they defeated Nenad Zimonjic and Janko Tipsarevic 7-6 (10-8), 5-7, 7-6 (10-8), 6-3 to leave Serbia 2-1 in front going into the final day.
The winner of the tie faces either Sweden or Argentina in the last eight.
The Indian doubles specialists, who won 14 grand slam titles during their career, outclassed the Russian duo 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to make the tie score 2-1 to Russia ahead of Sunday’s reverse singles.
The Argentines took a 2-1 lead in Stockholm when David Nalbandian partnered Horacio Zeballos to a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) victory over Robert Lindstedt and Robin Soderling. .
The Czechs, runners-up in 2009, will face the winners of the delayed Chile-Israel encounter in the quarter-finals, where they would be away to Chile or home to Israel.
Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek gave the Czech Republic a 3-0 victory over Belgium in Bree, beating Steve Darcis and Olivier Rochus 7-6 (7-0), 6-0, 6-3.
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Nicolas Massu gave the Chileans a 1-0 lead Saturday after winning the opening singles against Dudi Sela 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4

Spain level with Swiss in Davis Cup

German News — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:49:00 +0000

.Spain’s David Ferrer dispatched Marco Chiudinelli in straight sets to level the depleted champions’ Davis Cup first-round tie against Switzerland at 1-1 in Logrono overnight.
Seven of the eight World Group matches were under way around Europe, with the start of Chile’s tie at home to Israel delayed to Saturday (local time) as a result of the disruption caused by last weekend’s deadly earthquake.
Russia carved out a 2-0 advantage over visiting India, victories for Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga put France 2-0 up at home to Germany, and last year’s finalists Czech Republic opened up a 2-0 lead in Belgium. Spain also won the title in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
The Swiss are bidding to become the first team to beat the Spanish in 19 home ties stretching back to a defeat by Brazil in 1999.
Ferrer, ranked 16th in the world, is the only survivor from last year’s Cup-winning team, with Rafael Nadal (3), Fernando Verdasco (12) and Juan Carlos Ferrero (14) hit by injuries.
Stanislas Wawrinka, leading the Swiss in the absence of world number one Roger Federer, drew first blood at the Plaza de Toros de Ribera bullring when he twice battled back from a set down to beat Nicolas Almagro 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Backed by the noisy, red and yellow-clad home support, he fought off stiff resistance from the powerful, 56th-ranked Chiudinelli in the second set on the clay before completing a 6-2, 7-6, 6-1 victory.
Real fighter
France’s Monfils earned his first Davis Cup point in Toulon when he fought past tenacious German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 before Tsonga took four sets to beat Benjamin Becker.
The three-day, best-of-five tie is finely balanced ahead of Saturday’s doubles, when home pair Tommy Robredo and Marcel Granollers play Wawrinka, who won the Olympic doubles gold in Beijing with Federer, and Yves Allegro.
“It was one of my best matches of the season,” he added.
“To win that game was a matter of honour because Kohlschreiber is a real fighter,” Monfils said.”
Elsewhere, Sweden’s Robin Soderling beat Eduardo Schwank 6-1, 7-6, 7-5 in the opening singles in Stockholm to put the hosts ahead against Argentina.
“I’m very happy with the way I moved on the court and the way I controlled the match and, of course, very happy to bring the point for France for the first time.
Ivo Karlovic came through in five sets to give Croatia the advantage over Ecuador in Varazdin and Serbia moved 1-0 ahead against the United States in Belgrade thanks to Viktor Troicki’s hard-fought 7-6, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory over John Isner.
Ivo Karlovic came through in five sets to give Croatia the advantage over Ecuador in Varazdin and Serbia moved 1-0 ahead against the United States in Belgrade thanks to Viktor Troicki’s hard-fought 7-6, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory over John Isner.
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Kunitsyn, drafted in after the injured Igor Andreev pulled out, said: “It was a surprise for me and there is no way you can prepare yourself with just an hour to go before your match”

French fans jeer captain Henry

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:15:00 +0000

.France captain Thierry Henry said he understood why fans were jeering him after persistent booing from the home crowd during the 2-0 loss to Spain in a World Cup warmup match at the Stade de France on Wednesday.
France, in its first game since Henry’s infamous handball against Ireland in a World Cup play-off in the same stadium last November, was outclassed by the European champions and the 32-year-old captain was the main focus of French fans’ wrath even before Spain opened the scoring.
“I understand people who were eager for us to play well against Spain and, when you don’t play well, you have to expect being jeered at.
“It’s the same story as usual and it’s not the first time I’ve experienced that kind of situation at the Stade de France,” he said.
“I absolutely had no pace. I don’t know if I deserved that but there is nothing I can do.
Coach Raymond Domenech, who had been a firm supporter of France’s all-time topscorer until Wednesday night, expressed his concern at Henry’s present state. .
“[His situation] raises some questions but we’ve not reached the point yet when it has become alarming.
“Obviously, everybody knows Titi has performed better in the past and it’s obvious that it is becoming a problem for him to play high level games such as this one while he’s got less playing time [at Barcelona],” Domenech, the only man French fans booed more than Henry, said.”
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Investigators want Portugal’s Madeleine McCann files

NZ News — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:30:00 +0000

.Files containing reported sightings of missing British girl Madeleine McCann and held by Portuguese police should be handed to investigators still searching for her, a family spokesperson says.
Several British newspapers are reporting that thousands of previously unseen pages of information passed to police after the case was closed had been released to them after they applied to a Portuguese court.
“Kate and Gerry [McCann] have made it clear that they were shocked to see the lack of follow-up work done by the Portuguese police since the investigation was shelved,” he said.
Family spokesperson Clarence Mitchell says the girl’s parents are very disappointed.”
The Portuguese are no longer investigating the case, but other investigators acting on the couple’s behalf are still examining for the missing girl and appealing to the public for information.
“All the information in these files must go to the private investigators as they are the only people still examining for Madeleine.
Other reported sightings crop up in Portugal, Spain, France and the United States.
Fresh leads reported by the newspapers include security camera footage in New Zealand showing a girl resembling Madeleine being led into a supermarket by a man. .
Madeleine went missing from a holiday apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007, a few days before her fourth birthday, as her parents and their friends dined at a nearby restaurant.
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Rwandan widow arrested over genocide

French News — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:30:00 +0000

.French police have arrested Agathe Habyarimana, the widow of Rwanda’s assassinated ex-president, who is wanted in her homeland as one of the alleged masterminds of the 1994 genocide.
The arrest came just five days after President Nicolas Sarkozy made the first trip by a French leader to Rwanda since the genocide.
French police - acting on an international arrest warrant issued by Rwanda - arrested Habyarimana at her home in Courcouronnes, south of Paris on Tuesday morning.
Habyarimana has lived in a Paris suburb for 12 years, having fled Rwanda after her husband Juvenal Habyarimana’s plane was shot down in April 1994 and his supporters launched a massacre of 800,000 civilians.
The Tutsi-led government in Kigali has accused the 67-year-old of being a member of the Hutu inner circle that planned the mass killings. .
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She has steadfastly denied the charge

Real shatters another rich list record

NZ News — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:16:00 +0000

.Real Madrid has become the first team in any sport to post revenues in excess of 400 million euros ($602 million) in a single year, according to an annual survey of the richest soccer clubs by accountancy firm Deloitte.
In its survey released today, Deloitte said the figure of 401.4 million euros had been helped by high broadcast revenue.
European and Spanish champion Barcelona overtook Manchester United, which was hit by the weak pound, into second position.
Real topped the “Football Money League” report, which ranks the 20 biggest clubs by revenue, for the fifth consecutive year. The club’s revenue rose by 57 million euros to 366 million euros.
Barcelona posted the largest absolute increase in the Deloitte report, from the 2008-09 season.
“Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have created a clear revenue gap between themselves and their European competitors, and look set to contest the top two positions in the Money League for the foreseeable future, particularly if the pound doesn’t strengthen against the euro,” Alan Switzer, director in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, said in a statement.
The combined revenue growth for the 20 clubs slowed compared with previous years to over 3.
Top clubs weathered the worst economic crisis in decades thanks to their loyal fan bases and large broadcast audiences, according to the report.8 billion).9 billion euros ($5.
The top 20 was little changed from last year, with Werder Bremen and Manchester City replacing VfB Stuttgart and Turkish club Fenerbahce.
“However, it will not be until 2009-10, the season currently in progress, before we see the full impact on clubs’ revenues,” said Paul Rawnsley, director in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte.
The list was again dominated by European clubs, with seven English clubs, four from Italy, and two each from France and Spain.
The list was again dominated by European clubs, with seven English clubs, four from Italy, and two each from France and Spain. (1) Real Madrid (ESP) 341.
Rankings (position, last year’s position, club, country, revenue in millions of pounds, revenue in million of euros):
1.4
2.9, 401.7, 365. (3) FC Barcelona (ESP) 311. (2) Manchester United (ENG) 278.93.0 4.5, 327.6, 289.6, 289.5 5. (6) Arsenal (ENG) 224.0, 263.06. (5) Chelsea (ENG) 206.4, 242.3 7. (8) Liverpool (ENG) 184.8, 217.0 8. (11) Juventus (ITA) 173. .29. (10) Inter Milan (ITA) 167.4, 196.510. (7) AC Milan (ITA) 167.4, 196.511. (15) Hamburg SV (GER) 124.9, 146.712. (9) AS Roma (ITA) 124.7, 146.413. (12) Lyon (FRA) 118.9, 139.614. (16) Marseille (FRA) 113.5, 133.215. (14) Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) 113.0, 132.716. (13) Schalke 04 (GER) 106.0, 124.517. (n/a) Werder Bremen (GER) 97.7, 114.718. (20) Borussia Dortmund (GER) 88.1, 103.519. (n/a) Manchester City (ENG) 87.0, 102.220. (17) Newcastle United (ENG) 86.0, 101.0 -

Zidane would ‘rather die’ than apologise

Sydney News — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:59:00 +0000

.France legend Zinedine Zidane says he would “rather die” than apologise to Marco Materazzi for his infamous headbut of the Italian defender in the 2006 World Cup final.
“I will ask forgiveness from football, from supporters, from the team,” he told Spain’s El Pais newspaper. It won’t change anything, but I’m asking for your forgiveness.
“After the match, I entered the dressing room and I told them ‘I’m sorry. Never, never.’
“But as for him (Materazzi) I cannot…. it would be dishonourable. I would rather die..
“A lot of things happen on the pitch,” he said.”
After a verbal altercation, Zidane was sent off for headbutting Materazzi during the World Cup final in Berlin, which France eventually lost in a penalty shoot-out. But in this case I couldn’t contain myself. . More than once they have insulted my mother and I said nothing.
“It’s not an excuse, but my mother was ill, she was in hospital.. But in this case.”
Zidane retired from professional football after the tournament and now works as an advisor to Real Madrid chairman Florentino Perez..
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