Two a penny

.A 13-year-old French boy set out on Tuesday to mow down his teachers with a shotgun, but abandoned the plan when he arrived at the school and found it surrounded by police, officials say. .
The teenager was in custody on suspicion of attempted murder and admitted his homicidal intentions during an interview, Beauvais prosecutor James Juan said in a statement.
The boy had on Monday left a message on his blog stating that “this is the last day of my life”.
He wanted “to attack his teachers who quarrelled with him even though he had done nothing (wrong),” Mr Juan said. “He went in the direction of the school where, according to his declarations, he intended to kill his teachers.
“He left his home with a loaded hunting rifle and 25 cartridges,” said senior local official Raymond Yeddou.”
But when he saw a major police presence in front of and inside the school, he abandoned his plan and instead headed to a cyber cafe in Beauvais town centre where his parents later found him.
Mr Yeddou stressed that the boy never managed to get into the school and students were not in danger at any point.
Police warned the head of the 2,000-pupil Saint Esprit school to keep his students confined to their classrooms as the drama unfolded.
“His parents were worried when they saw him leave the house very early, around 7:00am.
The alarm was raised at 8:15am local time by the boy’s parents, who had become concerned by his unusual behaviour and searched their house, finding the gun and ammunition gone.
Though generally a good student, the source said, the boy has recently had problems at school and was worried about a parent-teacher meeting due on Tuesday. He did not seem to be his usual self,” a source close to the investigation said.
The Beauvais prosecutor said the boy wanted to stop the meeting at the academically high-achieving school from going ahead.
The Beauvais prosecutor said the boy wanted to stop the meeting at the academically high-achieving school from going ahead.
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.French world number 12 Gilles Simon has been confirmed as a starter in the Brisbane International event in January.
Simon, 24, will join compatriot Gael Monfils, former world number one Andy Roddick and American James Blake in the men’s draw.
The Brisbane International will take place at the Queensland Tennis Centre from January 3 to 10.
Simon has won six career titles and was a quarter-finalist at this year’s Australian Open.
Baghdatis, on the comeback trail from injury, pulled out of the Kooyong Classic for the Sydney event because it carries tour points.
Meanwhile, former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis has joined the field for January’s Sydney International tennis tournament. .
As a result, US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro has been added to the line-up for the Kooyong event in Melbourne from January 13-16.
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.Australian rugby league coach Tim Sheens has rubbished suggestions he is fielding a second-string side in the Four Nations match against France this weekend.
Sheens has opted to resting star Melbourne trio Greg Inglis, Cameron Smith and Billy Slater for the Paris clash.
The Kangaroos coach stuck to his pre-tour vow to give every member of the touring party a run during the tournament, with Michael Jennings, Josh Morris and Cooper Cronk all named to play.
Sheens claimed the inclusion of his number one halves pairing proved the Australians meant business in Paris, where a win will book a berth in the November 14 final in Leeds.
Jennings and Morris will start in the centres – the latter lining up alongside twin Brett on the left edge – while Cronk will come off the bench as back-up to starting halves Darren Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston, as well as new hooker Robbie Farah.
“If I’m resting anyone it’s because they’ve had a couple of hard hit-outs and they’ve finished with a long season and I think that’s indicative of Thurston and Lockyer starting.
“It might come across to some back in Australia as ‘oh, he’s resting people’ – it’s not the case,” Sheens said.
“The side I put out, that’s a very good side.
“I’ve changed both sides and I’m going into the third game just keeping the structure.
“For anyone to say that’s a second-string side – I don’t think we have a first-string side.
Most open are the spots on the bench, with Farah, Kurt Gidley and Cronk all battling it out for the back-up playmaker’s spot.”
While the likes of Inglis, Smith and Slater will no doubt come straight back into the side, Sheens has indicated that the squad for the November 14 final is far from decided.
Sheens also said his decision to leave Hayne on the wing and not give him a run at full-back – where he starred for Parramatta this season – was made with one eye on the final.
It is just as tight in the back row, with Ryan Hoffman and Trent Waterhouse given another chance to push for selection after being named to play France in place of injured duo Anthony Watmough (concussion/groin) and Paul Gallen (neck).
“Jarryd’s coming to terms with the wing again,” Sheens said.
“Jarryd’s coming to terms with the wing again,” Sheens said.”
Two players going nowhere are Lockyer and Thurston, though Sheens did admit the pair had been given another run just to iron out a few kinks.
“If I had a problem at the back (during the game) Jarryd would move.
“I’m concerned about getting Darren and Thurston on the same page – that hasn’t been as comfortable as I thought or as slick as it should be,” Sheens said.
It had been assumed Cronk would get the number seven jumper for the clash with France, with Australia all-but assured a finals berth.
“Game two was better. .”
Australia: Kurt Gidley, Brett Morris, Josh Morris, Michael Jennings, Jarryd Hayne, Darren Lockyer (c), Johnathan Thurston, Petero Civoniceva, Robbie Farah, Ben Hannant, Trent Waterhouse, Ryan Hoffman, Nathan Hindmarsh. I’d like to improve it, I’d like things to be working better and Darren getting good ball when he wants it.
– AAP

. Interchange: Cooper Cronk, Luke Lewis, David Shillington, Sam Thaiday

.Croatian Ivan Ljubicic ended a title drought stretching back over two years overnight as he claimed the 650,000 euros Lyon ATP trophy beating Frenchman Mickael Llodra 7-6, 6-3.
The third-seeded Ljubicic, who won the first of his nine career titles at this event in 2001, required one break of serve in the first set in the 12th game to edge into the lead having wasted two break points in the sixth game.
However, that was the high point of his match as Ljubicic, ranked 29 in the world, stormed back to take the next five games and ultimately the match to claim his first title since winning on grass at s’Hertogenbosch in the summer of 2007.
Llodra, ranked 107th in the world and who required a wild card invitation to compete here, fought back to break Ljubicic in the first game of the second set and then took a 2-0 lead.
“I felt good on court and I played really good tennis. .
“My level of play was top notch and I will remember the manner in which I played such fantastic tennis this week.
“If I continue to play like this, there will still be good things to come.
“I wasn’t quite as strong physically as I had been and the semi-final against Gilles Simon took its toll on me,” said Llodra, whose previous final this year was in Marseille in February.”
Llodra, principally regarded as a doubles specialist, lamented the fact he had not been able to play as he had done for the rest of the week.
“Here I was not able to get enough first serves in.
“My general play was pretty good except for my serve which had held up alright prior to Sunday.
“My target this year was to finish in the top 100 and I will be definitely well inside that mark,” added Llodra, who has been plagued by shoulder and groin injuries this campaign.”
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.Activists fighting for victims of French nuclear testing in the Pacific are stunned by conditions imposed in a compensation bill by France’s upper house.
There was praise in July when the National Assembly approved a bill for compensating the victims of tests carried out in French Polynesia and Algeria over more than three decades.
Roland Oldham, president of the Mororua e Tatou Association representing French Pacific nuclear test workers, told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat the actions of the French Senate reflected arrogance in metropolitan France towards its territories.
About 150,000 civilian and military personnel took part and many later developed serious health problems.
“For our Polynesian people it’s going to be hard.
He said the Senate has imposed strict requirements on applicants to prove their case on various grounds.
“A lot of us people don’t keep a document. A lot of our people won’t be part of compensation,” he said. So it’s going to be very difficult for them. We don’t have the same conception of things.
“It’s the same people that have done the nuclear testing in our place, in our island,” Mr Oldham said.”
He said the Senate had further rejected a bid by his organisation to be part of a compensation committee, which will now be made up of only people nominated by the French Ministry of Defence.”
Mr Oldham says the geographic zone from which claims would be considered has been greatly limited.
“They’ve been saying for many years that the tests are clean and today they’re going to decide about compensation on their own.
“And finally, there’s only one person decides if the case is going to be taken into account, [if a victim] is going to have compensation or not – and that’s the Ministry of Defence,” he said.
He says the views of Polynesians have not been taken into account. I mean, to me it’s very restricted.
“And they call that democracy. .”
He says Mororua e Tatou will now think about other strategies, including strong political action and seeking Pacific-wide support, to win their battle

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AFP – French soldiers providing protection on board French fishing ships in the Indian Ocean early Saturday fired on pirates to repel an attack, sources said.

Three small launches…

The soldiers at first fired warning shots, then they fired at the target, he added. (which were) close toly invisible and that we had on the radar at the last moment, chased us, a member of the crew of the Drennac, one of two fishing French vessels approached by the pirates, told by telephone. There were no casualties on the French side.

The incident took place 195 nautical miles (350 kilometres) north of the Seychelles. He said that the pirate skiffs that came under fire returned to a mother ship some 30 metres (90 feet) long.

The report was confirmed by a western source in the same area.

It proves that this measure (having soldiers on board) works, the western source said.

It is the first time that the French soldiers, who have been providing protection since July 1 on board about 10 French fishing ships off the Somalian coast, have opened fire on pirates.

A Spanish vessel, the giant tuna hauler the Alakrana, was captured September 2 on the high seas between Somalia and the Seychelles with 36 crew on board.

Spanish fishing vessels operating in the same region have called for the same protection measures but Madrid has so far refused. It is under surveillance from two frigates that are part of the European anti-piracy initiative Atalanta.

The pirates brought the vessel in towards the coast and it is currently anchored off Harardere, a central Somlia port.

Several warships involved in the Atalanta operation headed into that zone following the attempted attack on the cargo vessel.

The latest attack on the Glenan and the Drennec took place some 20 nautical miles (36 kilometres) from the place where pirates last week attacked a cargo vessel.

Five pirates were captured.

On Wednesday Somali pirates operating at night attacked a French military command ship and petrol tanker La Somme after mistaking it for a cargo vessel.

France – piracy – Seychelles

.The French resort of St Tropez hosts the Antipodes Film Festival this week, featuring about 50 movies from Australia and New Zealand.
The 11th edition of the festival opens today with New Zealand film Dean Spanley, directed by Toa Fraser and with a cast including Peter O’Toole and Sam Neill.
Anthony LaPaglia – the Australian actor who stars in the US television series Without A Trace – serves as head of the jury, which will hand out the Grand Prix des Antipodes award to one of the six full length films in competition.
Set in Edwardian England, the story centres on a father and son reconciling.
A dozen documentaries will also be featured at the festival, which runs to October 18. .
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A missing Indian student’s family say Auckland police diverted resources to search for two-year-old Aisling Symes, leaving them to look for Srikanth Rayadurgam on their own.

Mr Rayadurgam, 23, disappeared on his way to class at the Auckland University of Technology eight days ago. Aisling went missing in West Auckland on Monday evening.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Joe Aumua of Avondale police told One News the two cases did not have the same officers working on them.

The Kakanoor family told 3News they have been left to search for Mr Rayadurgam on their own, and questioned whether it was because of the colour of their skin. This inquiry is being dealt with by the Avondale police station and I’m happy with the resources that we have,” he said.

“The inquiry out west is a separate inquiry.

Mr Rayadurgam’s brother-in-law Nageesh Kakanoor found his backpack, mobile phone and his left shoe scattered along the waterfront.

They said when police divers were finally called to search the harbour they were suddenly pulled off the case to join the search for Aisling.

Mr Kakanoor and his wife Padam said Mr Rayadurgam had no enemies and was not suicidal, but police acted far too slowly.

“I honestly don’t know, to tell you.

Mr Kakanoor and his wife questioned why one missing person’s case was more important than another.

.

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REUTERS –

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The revelations were made in a 2005 autobiography The Bad Life and have surfaced after Mitterrand passionately defended film-maker Roman Polanski, who faces deportation from Switzerland were he was arrested to the United States for having had sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.0pt
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A senior aide to French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday defended Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand who is facing calls for his resignation for having written about paying boys for sex.

Politicians from all parties have criticised Mitterrand for his attack on the United States.

French political debate sometimes takes on a pathetic form. The far-right National Front party has called for him to step down.

Asked whether Mitterrand should resign, he said: When there is a controversy as pathetic as this, with so much delay, I don&rsquot think there should be such drastic consequences. It excessive and quite undignified, Sarkozy adviser Henri Guaino said on France 2 television.

The experiences in the book are presented as a mixture of straight autobiography and more dreamlike reflection.

Guaino said there were no facts to back up the accusations and Mitterrand had not been subject to any legal complaints.

I got into the habit of paying for boys, Mitterrand wrote, adding that his attraction to young male prostitutes continued even though he knew the sordid details of this traffic.

I got into the habit of paying for boys, Mitterrand wrote, adding that his attraction to young male prostitutes continued even though he knew the sordid details of this traffic…

Mitterrand is the nephew of former Socialist President Francois Mitterrand and was drafted into Sarkozy centre-right cabinet in June. the abundance of very attractive and immediately available young boys put me in a state of desire. Sarkozy was delighted to have brought him on board, but now faces unease within his own UMP party over his choice of minister.

Although he was not a Socialist, his surname still reverberates in France and carries a lot of clout. .

France considers itself to be at the forefront of the fight against sex tourism but Guaino said Mitterrand would not compromise this position.

Although still openly siding with Polanski, Mitterrand has toned down his language, saying his emotions overtook him the day he heard that Switzerland had arrested the film director.

Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux said Mitterrand was respected for his competence in the role of culture minister.

Frédéric Mitterrand – French politics

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Renault’s future in Formula One hung in the balance Monday as the French carmaker’s race team faced the sport’s governing body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), on charges it fixed last year’s Singapore Grand Prix.

Some fear that a stiff sanction could push the French manufacturer, which has been hit like the rest of the car industry by a sharp drop in sales due to the recession, into following Honda and BMW out of Fomula One.

Outgoing FIA boss Max Mosley last week raised the spectre of a total and permanent exclusion of the team, which is a central player in a sport whose reputation has suffered from repeated cheating scandals. Total. . That’s the worst that could happen, he said when asked what the toughest sanction could be. Exclusion forever, gone, finished.

Entrenched corruption

Ari Vatanen, a former rally champion who is in a run-off with Mosley’s preferred candidate Jean Todt in next month’s FIA presidential election, told UK newspaper the Sunday Telegraph that corruption was so entrenched in Formula One a total break from the existing system may be the only way forward.

The image of the sport has been battered recently.

What is occuring here with Renault is more than just the tip of the iceberg, it is symptomatic of a wider problem, he told the newspaper. We have gone from ‘Spygate’ to ‘Crashgate’ with many other things in between. Look at all the leaked dossiers. They do not trust it and who can blame them. What the public see is a corrupt sport.

In 2007 British team McLaren-Mercedes was fined 100 million euros for spying on Ferrari, a fine that would surely sink cash-strapped Renault Formula One ambitions given that the company has suffered heavily from falling sales.

In 2007 British team McLaren-Mercedes was fined 100 million euros for spying on Ferrari, a fine that would surely sink cash-strapped Renault Formula One ambitions given that the company has suffered heavily from falling sales. Piquet has been offered immunity from prosecution.

Team boss Flavio Briatore and engineering head Pat Symonds have already quit and will not attend the hearing at the FIA headquarters.

The FIA could decide to permanently exclude the former world champions, but a heavy fine or a suspended ban appear more likely despite the unprecedented nature of the offence.

The FIA has said it has no reason to suspect that double world champion Alonso, who is widely expected to move to Ferrari next year, knew anything of the plot seemingly agreed upon by the two team bosses and Piquet.

Formula One – Renault