French Villa Holiday News.

French News Tues 5 May 2009
PACA TGV route

The route for the high-speed TGV train through the PACA region will be announced on 30 June. The route of the service has been hotly debated for a number of years, with many towns fighting to ensure they are not bypassed. Ecology Minister Jean-Louis Borloo is due to unveil the details.

More CCTV cameras
The total number of surveillance cameras in Nice will climb to 500 by the end of next year. There are already 200 cameras in the City and surrounding suburbs. A further 150 will come on line by the end of 2009, and a further 150 the following year. Many of the cameras will be installed in areas identified as risky.

Don't look rubbish
A French couple has unveiled a program that could bring a whole new look to the Cote d’Azur; decorated rubbish bins. They have designed a series of large, printed, hard-wearing plastic covers which can be easily applied to most domestic wheely-bins. The first new look bins, around 600 in total, will be unveiled later this month at the MIN wholesale food market.

Fourth swine flu case

France now has four confirmed cases of swine flu. The Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot says this figure is almost certain to reach five, and could possibly climb as high as eight. Meanwhile, the French government yesterday sent 100-thousand bottles of Tamiflu to Mexico to help combat the outbreak.

Prison strike violence

Prison guards in France have clashed with police during protests against overcrowding in French jails. At France's largest prison, Fleury-Merogis, south of Paris, wardens began a four-day action by setting barricades on fire and hampering inmate transfers. Police used tear gas to dispel the protesters and open access to the jail.

SPORT

Football – Three games to go and the tension is growing at the foot of the English Premier League as another of the strugglers lost last night, Hull going down 1-nil to Aston Villa.

Thierry Henry sat out training on Monday ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League showdown with Chelsea on Wednesday night. Henry picked up a knee injury during Saturday’s win over Real Madrid but is expected to be fit.

The veteran Liverpool centre-back Sami Hyypia is to join the German side Bayer Leverkusen on a two year deal at the end of the summer.The 35 year old Finn has undergone a medical and will leave Anfield in the summer. He’s been at Liverpool for 10 years and has made 317 appearances.

Cricket - The England coach Andy Flower has admitted that some of his side are under prepared for the first test against West Indies which starts at Lords tomorrow. Flower says that the players who’ve been taking part in the Indian Premier League are without a doubt under prepared for first class cricket although he stressed he wasn’t criticising E.C.B policy. Kevin Pietersen, Ravi Bopara and Paul Collingwood have all been in South Africa with the I.P.L although Collingwood didn’t actually make any appearances for the Delhi Daredevils.

Rugby Union - Alan Quinlan’s place in the Lions squad is in doubt after he was cited for allegedly eye gouging the Leinster captain Leo Cullen during Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi final. The Munster player is to appear before a European disciplinary panel as soon as it can be arranged and could face a lengthy ban if found guilty.

Jamie Noon is the latest England player to pack his bags for France.The Newcastle centre is leaving the club after 10 years and is believed to be signing for Brive.
Tennis - Venus Williams struggled to a 3 set win over Lucie Safarova in the second round of the Italian Open in Rome on Monday. The number 4 seed took the first set easily enough but lost the second 6-4 before recovering to take the decider. Her sister Serena who’s seeded 2 will start her campaign later today with a second round tie against Patty Scheider.

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And finally, a man trying to rob a factory in Sydney got stuck on its slippery, steep roof in pouring rain, triggering a three-hour rescue operation by police and firefighters in the early hours of Sunday. New South Wales state police said in a statement a rescue unit tried to reach the man, three storeys above ground, but it was too risky to climb onto the roof in the rain. Firefighters then tried to get to the man with a ladder, but couldn't reach him. Another truck with a longer ladder was brought in while a police helicopter was used to light the area. After his rescue the man was found to be carrying items including a helmet with a light, bolt cutters, a small ladder, backpack, tarpaulin, ropes and harnesses, police said. The 53-year-old has been charged with an attempted break-in.