Two a penny

.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

.Australian filmmaker George Miller is to be honoured with a prestigious French award for his contribution to cinema.
Miller will join a select group of foreigners when he receives the Order of Arts and Letters at a ceremony at a French Film Festival gala later today in Sydney.
Mr Garnier says Miller will be presented with the award for “his life achievement as director and what he gave to cinema in Australia and around the world. .
He went on to direct Witches Of Eastwick (1986), Lorenzo’s Oil (1992) and Babe: Pig In The City (1998).”
Miller gave up a career as a doctor to concentrate on film, directing and co-writing 1979′s Mad Max starring Mel Gibson.
Miller is currently working on a 3D sequel to Happy Feet, as well as Mad Max 4.
In 2007, he won an Oscar for the animated penguin movie Happy Feet.
– ABC/AFP

.Pressure has mounted on Israel as Australia joined a growing list of countries angered by the use of their passports in the Dubai killing by suspected Mossad agents of a top Hamas militant. .
“We are very angry at the fraudulent use of information that was stolen from valid Irish passports to make forged passports,” Mr Martin said during a visit to the Gaza Strip, which has been controlled by the Islamist Hamas movement since June 2007. France said the killers had used three forged French passports to travel to Dubai. Whoever did this forged the passports.
“These people were not Irish citizens.”
Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman said there was no evidence to link his country to the killing of Mahmoud Al Mabhouh, who was found dead at a luxury Dubai hotel on January 20. We’re angry about that because it violates the integrity of our passport system and also places at risk the security of our citizens.
In many cases, the documents appeared either to have been faked or obtained illegally.
But Israel’s envoys have been called in over the affair by four European countries – Britain, France, Germany and Ireland – because of the use of such passports seemingly issued by these countries.
The 15 new suspects being sought are six British, three French, three Irish and three Australian passport holders, on top of 11 already named suspects, Dubai investigators said in a statement.
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, who summoned Israeli ambassador Yuval Rotem for an explanation on Thursday, said initial investigations showed the Australian passports were probably “duplicated or altered”.
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.Tennis chiefs insist Andy Murray was within his rights to withdraw from this week’s Marseille Open.
The British star was due to be the top seed at the tournament but he will not be playing in France now after deciding to continue his recovery from the Australian Open, where his bid to win a maiden grand slam title ended with a defeat by Roger Federer in the Melbourne final.
And the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) said that, in any event, there were no grounds for suspending Murray.
Tournament director Jean-Francois Caujolle was quoted in a British national newspaper calling for Murray to be suspended after missing the tournament for the second straight year but said later he was merely “really disappointed” with the Scot.
“We understand a situation like this can be frustrating for a tournament, but we are looking forward to a great week of tennis in Marseille with a strong field led by six of the world’s Top 20 players.
“There are clear rules and regulations in place with regard to player withdrawals and Andy Murray followed them,” their statement said.
“There is a responsibility for the credibility of all the game when it’s a top player.”
Earlier, Caujolle told Sky Sports News: “I never said that he should be suspended, but it’s true I was really disappointed because he was my top player.
“I understand he’s quite young and it’s not a huge tournament but it’s quite disappointing and we had the same last year. Sometimes you have to force yourself and be responsible. He sent me an email saying next year I will play.
“Last year he played in Rotterdam and was a bit injured and I understand that.
“One week before, to phone and say I am not coming would have been good.
“I understand everything but the fact is it’s going to affect the tournament.
“A few minutes later Juan Martin Del Potro pulled out with a real injury so I lost my top two players. In that case I could have found another player, not as good as Andy, but made an offer to Marin Cilic or someone, but it was too late..
“I think the top seed and marquee player. they have to not pull out because all the promotion is framed around them.. It’s just life.
“There should be something but the ATP is working on that, it’s not the fault of the ATP or even Andy.

.An arrest warrant has been issued for US cyclist Floyd Landis, who is accused of hacking into a French drug-testing laboratory, France’s anti-doping authority (AFLD) said.
Pierre Bordry, head of the AFLD, said Landis used documents “illegally hacked from the authority’s laboratory computer system” in his defence after he was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France win following a positive drugs test.
The warrant was issued by a French judge on January 28 in response to the failure by 34-year-old Landis to answer a summons issued in October, Mr Bordry said.
Arnie Baker, a former American rider and cycling coach, for whom an arrest warrant was issued in November, is also being sought by the French authorities in connection with the affair. .
He had won that stage in spectacular fashion with a solo attack which virtually secured him the yellow jersey only 24 hours after a dramatic collapse on stage 16.
Landis tested positive for testosterone during the 17th stage of the 2006 edition of the world’s most famous cycling race.
He was stripped of his Tour de France win in September 2007, more than a year after he crossed the finishing line on the Champs Elysee in Paris.
During that time he carried on the legal fight to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), sports highest appeal authority, who threw out his case in June 2008.
He was banned from racing for two years, making his return in January 2009.
Landis’ attempts to clear his name have cost the rider an estimated $US2 million.
As well as rejecting his appeal CAS ordered him to pay $US100,000 in judicial costs to the American anti-doping agency (USADA).8 million budget set aside to ensure Landis’ attempt to appeal his ban failed.
CAS itself has spent almost the entire $US1.
The accusation of hacking first arose when the Paris suburbs-based AFLD lodged legal proceedings on November 7, 2006 after becoming aware that documents belonging to them had been used in Landis’ defence.
The accusation of hacking first arose when the Paris suburbs-based AFLD lodged legal proceedings on November 7, 2006 after becoming aware that documents belonging to them had been used in Landis’ defence.
On his return to competition he joined the OUCH Pro Cycling Team.
During his ban, Landis had hip surgery and worked as an adviser to American cycling outfit Rock Racing.
Landis, who became a professional mountain biker aged 20 and who had a spell riding for the US Postal team alongside seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong, has since competed in the Tour of Southland in New Zealand. His first race back from suspension was in the 2009 Tour of California.
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Green MP Sue Bradford bowed out of politics today saying her most important achievement in a decade in Parliament was to never sell out.

In her swansong speech to Parliament this evening the long-time activist acknowledged she would go down in history for her controversial bill amending section 59 of the Crimes Act which divided the country.

The bill, for which Ms Bradford received death threats, was her most significant achievement and she thanked supporters for backing it.

The so called anti-smacking bill removed the defence of reasonable force when an adult was charged with assaulting a child.

The debate would continue to rage but Ms Bradford said she was sure in future people would look back on it and wonder “why on earth our country tore itself apart over whether there should be a legal defence for assaulting children or not”.

She also acknowledged Prime Minister John Key and the National Party for not buckling under pressure to repeal the change.

“But finally, I think the achievement that counts most to me is that from the perspective of my own personal and political core values, and those of the Green Party, I have never sold out.

She was also proud of achievements in helping beneficiaries and low income workers and extending the time some mothers in jail could keep their babies with them. .”

Ms Bradford said when she lost a contest for the party’s co-leadership to Metiria Turei in May, after Jeanette Fitzsimons stood down, she found her heart was no longer in the job.

She also thanked her colleagues and party members, former Speaker Jonathan Hunt for mentoring her and former Labour leader Helen Clark.”

Among those she thanked for their help was Ms Fitzsimons and former co-leader the late Rod Donald.

“There will be no safe and secure future as long as we have a system which supports and encourages inequality rather than being serious about addressing root causes.

Looking to the future Ms Bradford, who as a teenager was a member of the Progressive Youth Movement, the youth wing of the Communist Party, said capitalism was not providing the answers.

“I am going back out into the world, determined to contribute what I can to raising peoples’ awareness of the power we hold in our hands if we really want to change the world – and to help as best as I am able with the never ending task of working to help make our country a better place for all of us to live, not just some.”

An economic crash was on the way she said, but the same mistakes were being made while people deluded themselves with talk of green shoots.”

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A man accused of deliberately driving his car at speed into two other vehicles, killing a young woman, said “he was going to f**k someone up” that night, the High Court at Auckland was told today.

Tony Worrell, 50, of Swanson in West Auckland, is facing six charges – murder, causing grievous bodily harm, and four charges of attempted intentional damage. Another man, Brett Robinson, was seriously injured.

Katie Powles, 26, died when Worrell’s car struck her vehicle in Karaka, south of Auckland, on June 3 last year.

Before he went across to his car, another vehicle pulled up in front of him, he told the court.

Witness Ian Cooling today told the court he had been dropped off at Karaka Hall just before 7pm that night to collect his car. I opened the passenger side door to see if I could help him.

“I thought the gentleman was lost and about to ask for directions.

“He was ranting and raving and using a lot of hand gestures. The first thing I noticed was the smell of alcohol,” Mr Cooling said.

“I tried to convince him to pull over and have a breather. He said `he was going to f**k someone up’.

“Other vehicles had to swerve around him. I was fearful of an accident at that stage. I could hear him yelling above the vehicle noise. I thought it was getting out of hand so I decided to call 111.”

Mr Cooling said Worrell headed off west, and was driving erratically. He was quite aggressive at times.

Worrell’s lawyer Hugh Leabourn, asked Mr Cooling if he previously told police Worrell wasn’t speaking in full sentences.

“I remember that drive home very well because I was quite concerned that I might encounter him again,” Mr Cooling said.

“But in that statement you didn’t think it was important to mention that particular sentence he said that `he was going to f**k someone up’?” Mr Leabourn asked.

Mr Cooling told the court he had made a statement to police that night.

“Did you not think it was important to tell police about that sentence as it might be relevant to a murder investigation?” Mr Leabourn asked.

“I thought that I should have, and I regret not doing it there and then,” Mr Cooling said.

He said he did try to call the police officer back to give him that information.

He said he did try to call the police officer back to give him that information. .

Mr Leabourn asked Mr Cooling if he had watched the news last night or read the paper earlier today, and if he was aware that this was a murder trial.

Mr Cooling said he had not seen any media reports about the case, and he was disgusted by Mr Leabourn’s line of questioning.

“I thought today was my chance to explain fully what happened that day,” Mr Cooling said.

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The Court of Appeal has reserved its decision over an appeal by Wiremu Curtis, one of two brothers found guilty of murdering Rotorua toddler Nia Glassie, against his conviction.

Curtis’ former partner, Nia’s mother Lisa Kuka, has also appealed her conviction, saying the jury should have been offered a second option of neglect rather than manslaughter.

Curtis was sentenced in the High Court at Rotorua in February to life imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 17½ years, for the August 2007 murder of the three-year-old. She was dropped on her head, put in a clothes dryer which was turned on, had wrestling moves performed on her and was flung off a clothesline before her short life ended at Starship Hospital in August 2007.

During the trial the court heard how Nia suffered months of misery.

However, insufficient emphasis had been placed on the limited mental capacity of Wiremu Curtis, and whether he had “conscious appreciation” that his actions could lead to death, his lawyer Craig Horsley told the Court of Appeal in Wellington today.

Prosecutors said the fatal blow was a kick delivered by one of the Curtis brothers.

During the original trial the jury was told Curtis had a mental age of up to five years below his peers.

When Justice Grant Hammond asked why this defence had not been introduced from the beginning, Mr Horsley said the admittedly “slim” evidence had emerged during the trial when Curtis’ mother described him as “a simple boy”. He was aged 19 when sentenced and his brother Michael was aged 22 and also jailed for life on a similar charge.

“Why should he think the kick to the child’s head should be any different?”

Mr Horsley acknowledged it was “an unattractive proposition”.

Mr Horsley suggested the ongoing abuse Nia was subjected to in their house had “desensitised” Curtis , as there had been to that point no long term consequences.

During the trial Mr Horsley maintained Curtis was not responsible for the kick which was believed to have caused Nia’s death.

Justice Hammond said that despite Curtis’ illiteracy and lack of schooling, there was no evidence showing an inability to comprehend his actions.

“When a trial tactic is taken (and fails) you can’t come back and find another tactic,” Justice Bruce Robertson said. .

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He said there was an inconsistency in the approach taken for the appeal compared with that of the trial

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Boxer David Tua is believed to taken half the $7.5 million at the centre of a legal row between Tua and his former managers, Kevin Barry and Martin Pugh.

The three were in the High Court at Auckland during the week arguing over who should get the millions of dollars Tua earned as a heavyweight fighter while he was trained and managed by Barry and Pugh.

The matter was due to go to trial in Auckland next year and had already cost millions in legal fees, the New Zealand Herald reported.

The three were believed to have settled to end the high legal fees of the six-year-old dispute.5m left was to be divided between Tua, as a 50 percent shareholder in the fight company Tuaman Inc, and Barry and Pugh, who each owned 25 per cent. . Tua is believed to be heavily in debt, most of it in legal bills.

Tuaman Inc’s biggest asset was a beachfront property at Pakiri Beach north of Auckland.

The two days of hearing in the High Court at Auckland this week were closed to the media and to the public.25m. It was sold almost four years ago for $10.

. The newspaper said earlier documents showed Tua made about $20m

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Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia hopes a stomach stapling operation planned for this year will help provide extra energy to see out another term in Parliament.

Mrs Turia initially planned to retire from politics at the next election in 2011, but announced at the weekend that she wanted to stay beyond that.She said her husband, George, wasn’t so keen on living in Wellington rather that their home town of Wanganui, but the rest of the family loved it.Considering her weight, she had analysed the risks presented by such an operation and decided it was a better option than not having one.She had decided to have a gastric bypass (stomach stapling) operation with the aim of recovering in time for the 2010 political year.”Mrs Turia assured the public the operation would be done at her own expense, and at age 65, it was not about wanting to look good.”The reality for me is that I don’t want to end up like so many of my relatives, who are on dialysis machines and getting amputations.”It really goes back to wanting to be there for my whanau, for my mokopuna whom George and I care for. .”She said politics played “second fiddle” to that, but at the same time there were a number of things she wanted to get done before leaving Parliament.

.”Maori Party president Whatarangi Winiata had also talked about retiring after this term, but at the party’s annual general meeting in Auckland at the weekend he also announced his intention to stay on