.Hurricane-force winds, surging seas and driving rain have lashed western Europe, leaving at least 13 people dead and more than a million households without power.
Dubbed “Xynthia”, the Atlantic storm crashed against the western coasts of France and Spain, bringing with it a band of foul weather stretching from Portugal to the Netherlands.
Britain, already suffering localised flooding from a previous weather system, braced for more weather misery.
“We have confirmed five deaths in the area of La-Faute-sue-Mer and l’Aiguillon-sur-Mer,” Herve Rose, a government spokesperson in the low-lying Vendee region, where flood waters in some coastal towns reached 1.
Gusts of up to 150 kilometres per hour and eight metre waves battered the northern and western coasts of France, flooding inland and sending residents scurrying onto rooftops.
Separately, an 88-year-old woman was found drowned in her home on the island of Oleron in Charentes-Maritime further south, police said.5 metres, said.
Two more bodies, that of a 10-year-old boy and of a pensioner, were found in Charentes-Maritime, a regional official said.
In Spain, regional authorities said that two men aged 51 and 41 died when the car they were travelling in was hit by a falling tree.
French authorities had said on Saturday that a man was killed by a falling tree in the Pyrenees mountains.
Portugal said on Saturday that a 10-year-old boy was killed by a falling branch in the north-west of the country. An 82-year-old woman was killed on Saturday when a wall collapsed in the Galicia region.
– Flights cancelled –
Air France announced that 70 flights out of 700 were cancelled from its hub at Paris Charles de Gaulle, as chaos gripped transport networks across western Europe at the end of French school’s half-term break.
In France, fallen powerlines caused blackouts for around a million homes across a 500 kilometre swathe of the country from the Brittany peninsula to the highlands of the Massif Central.
A major road crossing between France and Spain was closed to heavy goods vehicles, causing a 1,200-vehicle tail back of seven-tonne trucks on the French side of the Pyrenees.
A major road crossing between France and Spain was closed to heavy goods vehicles, causing a 1,200-vehicle tail back of seven-tonne trucks on the French side of the Pyrenees.
The storm developed in the Atlantic off the Portuguese island of Madeira, still reeling from the flash floods sparked by heavy rains that wrecked the centre of the capital Funchal and killed 42 people a week ago.
A hurricane is defined as a storm with winds consistently above 118 kilometres per hour.
The storm swept north-east into north-western Spain late on Saturday afternoon, where wind gusts reached 147 kph and some 27,000 households were without electricity, regional authorities said.
Powerful winds and heavy rain hit Spain’s Canary Islands archipelago late on Friday, with gusts of up to 128 kilometres per hour reported. .
Rail services were cancelled in Galicia as well as in the northern regions of Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country and parts of Castilla y Leon, where the storm left some 63,000 households without power.
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“This is a very deep, very intense and very fast-moving storm,” Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said, warning people to avoid using their cars and taking mountain or sea walks
.Stade Francais prop David Attoub has appealed against his 70-week ban for gouging in a Heineken Cup match against Ulster the previous month, competition organisers said overnight.
“David Attoub has today lodged an appeal against both the finding of foul play and level of sanction imposed by an independent disciplinary hearing last Tuesday,” said a statement posted on the ERC website.”
The 28-year-old, who played for France in 2006, was suspended for gouging flanker Stephen Ferris’s eyes in an ill-tempered game won 23-13 by Ulster in Belfast.
“The independent appeal committee will be appointed as soon as practicable.
“This is the worst act of contact with the eyes I have had to deal with,” judge Jeff Blackett said in a statement posted on the ERC website at the time. .
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.The niece of a British government minister went on trial Monday in Versailles, accused of murdering a young Frenchman by slitting his throat after she picked him up in a bar.
Jessica Davies contacted police in the early hours of a Sunday in November 2007 to say she had stabbed the 24-year-old man at her apartment in the chic Saint-Germain-en-Laye suburb west of Paris, judicial officials said.
Davies, who is being held in Versailles women’s prison, claimed to remember nothing of the stabbing, only that she had met Olivier Mugnier in an Irish pub close to her flat a few hours before his death.
Police found the now 30-year-old niece of Britain’s multi-millionaire junior defence minister Quentin Davies so drunk that she could not be brought before a judge until the evening, sources said at the time. .
The trial by jury is expected to last two days, with a verdict likely on Tuesday.
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.Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has taken a break from the rough and tumble of Italian politics, shopping for nudes on the French riviera. .
Art gallery spokesman Loic Deltour described the works as “sensual nudes” worth “several tens of thousands of euros”.
Witnesses said security was visibly tight around Mr Berlusconi during his shopping trip.
The billionaire media magnate, 73, has been mostly out of the public eye since December 13, when a man, said to have a long history of psychiatric troubles, hit him in the face with a miniature model of Milan cathedral.
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.France has warmed up for their clash against New Zealand by crushing Samoa 43-5 in a one-sided rugby international at Stade de France.
Coach Marc Lievremont largely revamped the side that upset world champion South Africa 20-13 last week in Toulouse, but that did not stop France from running in seven tries, four of which were converted by scrum half Morgan Parra. I’am also happy to be spoilt for choice before naming the 23-man squad that will face the All Blacks,” he said.
“I’m very happy with our performance tonight.
“This France team will become a great team when it reaches the status of favourite against the best teams in the world and vindicates it by a series of wins. .”
Samoa, which came close to upsetting Wales last week, losing 17-13 at the Millennium Stadium, was never in contention this time, although it resisted bravely in the second half.
“I hope it will come very quickly, but we are not there yet and we know the All Blacks will put forward a very strong challenge next Saturday in Marseille.
France: 43 (F Trinh-Duc 2, D Szarzewski, V Clerc, Y Jauzion, T Dusautoir, B Fall tries; M Parra 4 conversions.
France, which was far too fast, powerful and clever for the visitors, will face a tougher task against the All Blacks next weekend in Marseille.
Samoa: 5 (I Tekori try)
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.France captain Thierry Henry, the central figure of this week’s handball controversy, has agreed a replay against Ireland would be the fairest solution to the controversy surrounding the teams’ World Cup play-off.
But the French Football Federation has thrown out that suggestion, after the Football Association of Ireland again lobbied FIFA after its initial replay request was rejected.
The striker handled the ball in the build-up to William Gallas’s goal in the 1-1 second-leg draw in Paris, earning France a 2-1 aggregate win and sending it through to next year’s finals in South Africa.
“Of course, the fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control.
“Naturally I feel embarrassed at the way we won and feel extremely sorry for the Irish who definitely deserve to be in South Africa,” Henry said in a statement.
The FAI reacted to Henry’s statement by reiterating its request for FIFA to sanction a replay.”
Henry’s statement was issued after world football’s governing body FIFA rejected an FAI appeal to replay the match.
But the French Football Federation was quick to scotch any such talk, while expressing its sympathy with Ireland. The federation never sought to deny the refereeing error which saw the equalising French goal allowed,” it said in a statement.
“The FFF understands the disappointment and bitterness of the Irish players, management and supporters.”
Henry said while he admitted the ball struck his hand, he was not a cheat.
“At the end of the match and because French football itself has suffered in the past by events of a similar nature, the FFF management expressed their regrets and sympathy to their Irish counterparts.
“I am not a cheat and never have been,” said Henry.
“There is little more I can do apart from admit the ball had contact with my hand leading up to our equalising goal and I feel very sorry for the Irish,” he said. “It was an instinctive reaction to a ball that was coming extremely fast in a crowded penalty area. “It was an instinctive reaction to a ball that was coming extremely fast in a crowded penalty area.”
Best interests
Irish captain Robbie Keane, who scored his team’s goal in Paris, responded by issuing his own statement. I told the Irish players, the referee and the media this after the game.
“As captain of the French team, to make such a statement took courage and honour, and all of us recognise that.
“On behalf of the Republic of Ireland players, I would like to thank Thierry Henry for his statement,” he said.
“We can only hope that the French Football Federation might accept the wishes of both captains in the best interests of the game.
“As captain of the Republic of Ireland team, I would also be happy for a replay to happen in the interest of fair play so that whichever team qualifies, can do so with their heads held high..”
The FAI board met on Friday and issued a statement saying said it had called on the French federation to “join with it and the captains of the French and Irish teams. to request a replay from FIFA that would protect the integrity of the game worldwide and the pride of the French national team”..
Win properly
Arsene Wenger, Henry’s former manager at Arsenal, agreed that a replay would be the fairest solution.
Win properly
Arsene Wenger, Henry’s former manager at Arsenal, agreed that a replay would be the fairest solution.
“France has to say ‘yes it was a handball and we offer a replay’,” he said. “It is embarrassing to qualify the way we qualified. We want to beat Ireland properly and that didn’t happen.”
Wenger, who agreed to replay an FA Cup tie against Sheffield United in 1999 over an issue of fair play added:
“Thierry Henry is not the problem. He played here for 10 years and has always been super fair. .
“Football and sport in general is full of heroes who have cheated 10 times more than Thierry.
“A player of his stature has a massive pressure on his shoulders and if somebody has to do something for Thierry, it is French football and France as a country, not to leave him out there alone against the whole world.”
Wenger, echoing the comments of many managers on Friday, maintained that the use of technology was the way forward.
“The biggest anger for me is that we are still in 2009, sitting here where millions of people see what happened, one guy doesn’t see it and we can’t help him,” he said.
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.Football’s world ruling body FIFA has officially turned down a request from the Irish football authorities to stage a replay of their controversial World Cup play-off defeat to France.
Backed by Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) had lodged the request with FIFA.
However a statement on FIFA’s website said: “FIFA has today, 20 November 2009, replied to the request made by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to replay the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa play-off match held on 18 November 2009 between France and the Republic of Ireland in Paris.”
France qualified for the 2010 World Cup by winning the two-leg tie 2-1 on aggregate, although there has been outrage and claims of cheating after a blatant Thierry Henry handball led to France’s decisive equaliser.
“In the reply, FIFA states that the result of the match cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed. .
The French Football Federation (FFF) said it had “taken note” of FIFA’s decision but said it would make “no further comment”.
“A previously scheduled meeting of the FAI board of management will take place this afternoon where the matter will be considered,” an FAI statement said.”
Despite no likelihood of a replay, there have been calls for FIFA president Sepp Blatter to personally comment on the controversy, which many commentators claim has further tarnished the sport.
“No further comment will be made until this meeting has concluded.
“Where is Sepp Blatter? Why hasn’t he come out and stood up and told everyone how it is?
“He’s very good at telling other countries how to run their game.
Former Republic of Ireland midfielder Ray Houghton admitted he did not expect FIFA to order a replay as it is governed by the rules, but he called on Blatter to make a public statement on the decision.”
Henry admitted he handled the ball just before crossing for William Gallas, who headed home the equaliser that broke Irish hearts at the Stade de France. It really needed the top man to come out and tell the footballing public why they have made this decision.
But while Henry was widely condemned, and his integrity questioned, the French football authorities maintain that the referee, Swede Martin Hansson, and not Henry is to blame.
But while Henry was widely condemned, and his integrity questioned, the French football authorities maintain that the referee, Swede Martin Hansson, and not Henry is to blame.
FIFA’s statement added: “As is clearly mentioned in the Laws of the Game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these decisions are final. I don’t understand why we are expected to say sorry,” France coach Raymond Domenech said.”
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.World road cycling champion Cadel Evans is confident a combination of his rainbow jersey and several high-profile team-mates will be enough to earn his new BMC Racing Team a wildcard to next year’s Tour de France.
Evans, who today confirmed he will compete at next January’s Tour Down Under, shocked the racing fraternity earlier this week when he quit powerhouse Belgian outfit Silence-Lotto to join second-tier US team BMC.
But the 32-year-old says the move will better his chances of future success on the Tour and says Tour de France organisers should give his team a wildcard to next year’s race.
.Sydney Roosters wing Sam Perrett bagged a hat-trick to help New Zealand ultimately thrash France 62-12 overnight as the Kiwis record their first Four Nations win.
New Zealand raced into a 10-point lead through skipper Benji Marshall and Perrett before France hit back thanks to Sebastien Martins’s maiden try.
But Perrett, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Frank-Paul Nuuausala led a succession of second-half tries to eventually put the underdogs to the sword as the world champions, held 20-20 by Australia last week, proved too strong.
World Cup hero Lance Hohaia and France’s Australian-born James Wynne exchanged scores either side of the break as the hosts kept their hopes alive.
Yet they started the brighter and when former Newcastle Knights man Wynne broke the tackle and fed the ball wide, Nicolas Piquemal came within inches of touching down. .
Within three minutes of the re-start Marshall was probing again and after Frank Pritchard and Fuifui Moimoi were denied, Nathan Fien chipped the ball into the corner for Perrett to collect and score.
But French hopes looked dashed in the first New Zealand attack when hooker Thomas Leuluai burst clear to lay-off for skipper Marshall to wander over and put the first points on the board.
Undeterred, Wynne, a former understudy to Australia half-back Andrew Johns, combined with New Zealand-born Kane Bentley to send Martins over for his first French try in the 23rd minute.
Bryson Goodwin dragged his first conversion attempt wide but managed to curl his second inside the posts to put the Kiwis 10-0 up.
The hosts produced three consecutive sets of six inside the New Zealand 22 but after Wynne was halted five-yards short of the line, Isaac Luke scampered clear and World Cup hero Hohaia grabbed his eighth Kiwi try.
Thomas Bosc converted to reduce the score further and after Perrett knocked-on over the line the French could smell an upset.
Yet any hopes they had of pulling away in the final 40 minutes appeared to be dashed when Bosc’s kick was fumbled in defence and Wynne downed the ball.
Goodwin made no mistake with the conversion to send the world champions in 16-6 up at the break.
New Zealand eventually turned up the heat and after a sustained period of pressure Hohaia and Fien combined to send Perrett in at the corner in the 53rd minute.
Bosc slotted over the extras from in front of the posts to peg the Kiwis back at 12-16.
With its hopes of a famous win snuffed out, France began to cave in and Nuuausala drove over before Hohaia sprinted the full length of the field to score on the hour.
Goodwin converted and after collecting the kick-off Perrett dug the ball out just short of the line to allow Waerea-Hargreaves to cross within two minutes.
Perrett did then grab his third try of the night before Goodwin and Waerea-Hargreaves rounded off the scoring.
Goodwin converted both tries before Perrett flicked the ball unselfishly out the back of his hand for Junior Sa’u to extend the lead.
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Meal and rest breaks from work will become more flexible if legislation introduced into Parliament today is passed, Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson says.
The Employment Relations (Rest Breaks and Meal Breaks) Amendment Bill was introduced today by Ms Wilkinson.
Ms Wilkinson said the new amendment would provide “greater flexibility” and give employers and employees the opportunity to develop breaks at a time best suited to individual requirements.
It seeks to alter legislation passed by the previous Labour government which set aside specific breaks and time for breastfeeding, depending on the length of a work day.”
The bill still has a requirement for breaks but allows for “compensatory measures” – such as earlier or later start times or time off in lieu, she said.
“Everyone needs to take breaks during their hours of work – but the law as it stands is too rigid and makes life difficult for a number of occupations and industries.
“These changes remove the absolutely fundamental right to minimum breaks at reasonably spaced periods during a working day.
Council of Trade Unions (CTU) president Helen Kelly said the amendment was unnecessary.
“The changes provided today will enable employers to determine whether or not a worker should have a break and then how long and when it should occur,” Ms Kelly said.”
Labour’s legislation only came into effect this year and ensured minimum requirements for workers in unorganised workplaces, she said.”
Ms Kelly said it was an example of the Government “pandering unnecessarily” to employers’ interests. .