.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.
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.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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.More than a dozen foreign ministers, including secretary of state Hilary Clinton, are in Montreal this morning for a donor conference on Haiti. .
The Paris Club of creditor nations, which includes the US, Canada, Britain and France have already agreed to speed up the process of debt relief.
The foreign ministers, non governmental agencies, the United Nations and banks will try to lay the groundwork for a long-term plan for the rebuilding and recovery of Haiti.
Another option is to start by forgiving Haiti’s debt load, estimated at just over $1 billion.
It has also been suggested that international donors create a $10 billion, five-year assistance program for Haiti.
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But today’s meeting will focus more on what the country’s long-term needs are and also decide where and when a more more substantive pledging conference will take place
.French top seed Gael Monfils has withdrawn from the Sydney International, citing a shoulder problem.
The world number 12 said he had an inflamed right shoulder and needed some time off to give him a chance of playing in next week’s Australian Open in Melbourne.
“I have had an inflammation since last week in Brisbane and it has been getting worse,” Monfils said.
Monfils, 23, reached the semi-finals of last week’s Brisbane International and said he was taking the precaution of pulling out of the Sydney tournament to prevent the onset of shoulder tendonitis.
“So I need to take some days off and to be 100 per cent for the Australian Open.
“I had a little hope it would be a bit better, but I think it’s going to turn into something chronic if I keep going playing with it.
“I’ve had this now for 10 days because maybe I overworked it. .”
He said he intended to return to practice in a few days to test the serving shoulder before the year’s opening grand slam tournament, starting next Monday. Then with the first (Brisbane) tournament of the year, I played a long match, so maybe that’s why I feel like that.
“I will try to stay positive for the Australian Open.
“I will have treatment with my physio, and then maybe I will have an X-ray to see exactly what is the problem,” he said.”
Czech Tomas Berdych, the second seed, is now the designated highest men’s seed of the Sydney International, which started on Sunday.
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.French police are investigating whether a pickpocket stole thousands of euros from passengers as they slept on an Air France flight from Tokyo to Paris.
“There is an investigation under way,” a spokesperson for the border police at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris said.
A report on the website of the Le Figaro newspaper said around 4,000 euros ($6,260) appeared to have been stolen from five business class passengers as they slept on the overnight flight.
A woman alerted the cabin crew when she woke to find a large sum missing, the passenger said. . Counting Swiss francs, euros and yen, there was apparently about 3,000 euros,” the passenger said.
“This lady called staff to say that all the cash in her handbag had been stolen.
A spokeswoman for Air France said the pilot had alerted police who were waiting when the flight touched down.
She said that while the company was responsible for baggage carried in the hold, passengers had responsibility for possessions they had with them in the cabin.
“I would say that it is really extremely rare to have several passengers at once reporting thefts on board,” she said.
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.A Paris judge has appointed two medical experts to determine whether French rock star Johnny Hallyday was the victim of a botched operation that landed him in hospital with a severe infection.
Hallyday’s lawyer described the decision as an “important step” in the case against Stephane Delajoux, dubbed the “surgeon to the stars”, who performed the operation in Paris in November to correct a herniated disc.
An infection specialist and a neurosurgeon will take several months to study Hallyday’s medical records and examine the 66-year-old singer before giving their conclusions, lawyer Virginie Lapp said.
Known as the French Elvis, Hallyday left a Los Angeles hospital on December 23 after undergoing a second operation and spending several days in a drug-induced coma to treat complications from the the initial surgery.
Hallyday “believes that an important step has been taken to establish the truth following what he sees as a medical blunder of which he was the victim”, said Ms Lapp.
Hallyday, whose career has spanned more than four decades, was forced to scrap his farewell tour.
The singer was admitted on December 7 to Cedars Sinai hospital and his health problems have made front page news in France, prompting President Nicolas Sarkozy to wish him a speedy recovery.
“I came very close to death.
Though little known abroad, Hallyday has sold more than 100 million albums and played 45 major tours in a career that began in the 1960s, selling out at French stadiums. That is why I want to know the truth,” he wrote in a letter to the judge last week.
“We will now have the opinion of objective professionals and that is excellent,” said David Koubbi, adding that he was convinced they would find Dr Delajoux was not responsible for the singer’s post-operation condition.
Dr Delajoux’s lawyer welcomed the decision and voiced confidence that the experts will rule that his client was not guilty of malpractice for the complications from the November 26 operation in Paris.
Earlier this month, Dr Delajoux was mugged in Paris by two masked men.
Dr Delajoux has said he plans to file suit against Hallyday’s publicist after he accused him of botching the operation on the singer’s back. Police suspect that the attackers were Hallyday fans seeking revenge. .
They will also form an opinion as to whether Hallyday is “physically and mentally fit to resume his professional activities,” according to court documents.
The two experts will provide full details of the surgery performed by Dr Delajoux and determine whether the post-op infection was contracted during his stay at the Paris clinic, according to the court order.
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The singer has suffered several health problems since he was operated for colon cancer this summer
.Renault will stay in Formula One after selling a large stake in its team to Luxembourg-based Genii Capital, the French carmaker said in a statement.
“Renault has decided to maintain its commitment to Formula One and welcomes the perspective of a strategic partnership with Genii Capital, a Luxembourg-based firm specialised in new technologies, brand management and motor sport,” it said. The letter of intent signed by the two companies should be concluded in early 2010.
“Following the proposed sale of a large stake of Renault F1 team to Genii, both partners will operate the team together.
Renault, one of three manufacturers remaining in Formula One after the departure of Honda, Toyota and BMW in the last year, will continue to supply engines to the British-based team as well as this year’s championship runners-up Red Bull.”
The company said the team would stay as Renault and maintain the “core ingredients” that took it to championships in 2005 and 2006.
“Altogether, we look forward to competing again at the highest level in Formula One.
“I am delighted to welcome Genii Capital as our new strategic partner as I am sure that their enthusiasm and business expertise will create a new dynamic for the team, the staff, and our partners,” said team president Bernard Rey in the statement.”
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“Today’s announcement also confirms Renault’s commitment and trust in the sport’s governing bodies to improve the green credentials of Formula One