French Villa Holiday News.

French News, Thurs 7 May 2009
Suspected swine flu in Monaco

A 27-year-old Monaco resident is isolated in hospital, suspected of contracting swine flu. The man, who recently returned from a trip to Mexico, was admitted to the L’Archet hospital yesterday. He contacted the Princess Grace Hospital after displaying flu symptoms; after being examined he was transferred to the L’Archet infectious diseases unit. Officials are now awaiting the results of blood tests to confirm if it is an actual case of H1N1 flu. There are now seven confirmed cases of the virus in France.

Orange network woes

600-thousand mobile phone users were without service for more than three hours yesterday afternoon, because of a fault in the Orange network. The problem also affected internet and television connections, as well as fixed phones on the network. The problem with two network routers in Nice affected all Orange services throughout the Alpes-Maritimes and Var.

Guatanamo inmate in Nice

A former detainee from Guantanamo Bay, released after seven years, will soon be living in Nice. 42-year-old Algerian Lakhdar Boumediene was accepted by French authorities after being freed by the Americans. In 10 days' time he'll join his sister-in-law in an apartment block in the des Moulins area.

'Glacier' to close

The Environment Minister yesterday confirmed the closure of the controversial “Glacier” rubbish site in Villeneuve-Loubet. However, no official date has yet been announced for when the facility will be shut down.

Spreading the word

The popularity of Riviera Radio continues to spread. The latest figures reveal on-line listeners are up to almost 140-thousand, an increase of around 25%. And while most are in France, people are also listening via their computers in the UK, US, Germany, Italy, Canada and Ireland.

Prison peace plan

France’s prison strike, which has hit facilities in Nice, Grasse and Toulon, enters its fourth, and most likely final day. Prison guards have been blockading jails across the country, preventing the movement of inmates and access to visitors since Monday. Unions will present a new peace deal to members today, thrashed last night in marathon talks with the Justice Minister.

Cult leader recaptured

French police yesterday recaptured a cult leader jailed for child abuse after he escaped last week from a prison on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion in a helicopter. Dozens of police clad in bullet-proof vests raided a building in Saint-Denis, less than two kilometres from the prison where Juliano Verbard and two fellow prisioners escaped in a helicopter hijacked by accomplices on April 27. Five of Verbard's accomplices, including three who hijacked the helicopter, were captured in the raid, which was broadcast live on television. 27-year-old Verbard, the leader of a cult called the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, was serving a 15-year term for raping and sexually assaulting children.

SPORT

Football - The European Champions League final will be between Manchester United and Barcelona. Barcelona won their place after going through on the away goals rule following a one all draw against Chelsea-but last night’s game at Stamford Bridge was mired in controversy.

Formula One - The son of the President of the F.I.A Max Mosley has been found dead at his home in West London. Alexander Mosley who was 39 was found at the property in Notting Hill on Tuesday. Police say they’re treating the death as non suspicious. Reports suggest that Mr Mosley may have suffered a drugs overdose.

Cricket - A Ravi Bopara century in an otherwise poor display of batting saved England’s blushes on day 1 of the 1st test against West Indies at Lords. Bopara had got to 118 not out at stumps in England’s total of 289 for 7. The players returning from the Indian Premier League looked rusty. Kevin Pietersen was out without troubling the scorers and Paul Collingwood also failed to make an impact. Fidel Edwards was the pick of the West Indies bowlers finishing the day with figures of 4 for 53.

Rugby Union - Tom Shanklin’s hopes of touring with the Lions is in the balance after he suffered a dislocated shoulder in last night’s match between Cardiff Blues and Dragons. The Wales star was forced off the field with the injury and was taken to hospital for a scan.

The England fly half Toby Flood will be out of action for 6 months after surgery on a ruptured left Achilles. Flood suffered the injury during Leicester Tigers’ Heineken Cup semi final win over Cardiff Blues last Sunday. He’ll miss England’s summer tour of Argentina.

Tennis - Ana Ivanovic has been knocked out of the Italian Open in Rome. Ivanovic was beaten in three sets in the third round by Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. The defending Champion Jelena Jancovic, world number one Dinara Safina and the number 4 seed Venus Williams are all through to the quarter finals.

Athletics - Paula Radcliffe says she’s targeting the World Championships in August for her return from injury but she won’t be taking any unnecessary risks. The 35 year old marathon world record holder had surgery in March to remove a bunion on her right foot and she’s hoping to resume training next month. The star also says that the bunion has been responsible for a succession of injuries dating back three years.

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And finally, six Chinese who sped through a Swiss highway at up to 229 kilometres per hour have each been fined up to 95,000 francs (62,000 euros, 84,000 dollars) for speeding and other traffic offences. According to a verdict published by the district court of Horgen, the judge threw out the defence that the Chinese drivers were unaware of Switzerland's highway speed limit of 120 kilometres per hour. It ruled that they had "intentionally exceeded the speed limit." The group was stopped by police on May 5 in 2008 while travelling in luxury vehicles, including Lamborghinis, from Italy to France where they were due to catch a flight home.