Islamic ring smashed – Police say they have smashed an Islamist network in Nice. A former armed robber had reportedly recruited 30 young men to form a radical group. He was apparently organizing for his young followers to travel to Afghanistan for training. The alleged leader, a 37-year-old Senegalese, has apparently been under surveillance for over a year. They are now investigating if he had any links with the Toulouse mass-murderer Mohhamed Merah.
Jewish graves damaged – Police are investigating the desecration of a number of Jewish graves in Nice. On the nights of 22 and 23 March, 37 graves in a Jewish cemetery in the east of Nice were damaged. Some headstones were toppled, others daubed with the Star of David.
Coast casino robbery – A gang of three men yesterday morning robbed the La Siesta casino, on the coast road between Antibes and the Marina Baie des Anges. It is believed the gang, which struck around 7.15 in the morning, escaped with around €10-thousand. The masked intruders threatened six employees with two handguns and a teargas canister, forcing them to open the safe. It is believed one of the bandits may have been injured in the raid. There could also be a fourth accomplice who drove the get-away car, a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Another earth tremor – A new earth tremor shook the south-east yesterday morning. The quake, measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale, struck around 10 yesterday morning. Its epicentre was near Barcelonette, where a strong quake struck late February.
Monaco’s recycling boom – Residents of Monaco are taking to recycling with relish. In 2011, some 225 tonnes of trash was collected to be reprocessed. This is 100-tonnes more than was collected in 2008. Officials in the Principality have also registered an increase in the amount of bottles and paper being collected as well as the household recycling.
National News
Gunman’s brother charged – The brother of Tolouse gunman, Mohammed Merah, has been charged with complicity in the killing of seven people, including three school children. 29-year-old Abdelkader Merah, who has been in custody since last Wednesday, denies any role in the three shootings that also claimed the lives of three soldiers. Mohammed Merah was killed last Thursday while trying to shoot his way out of his apartment, following a 32 hour siege.
Business News
The Australian airline Qantas and China East Airlines have announced that they’re to launch a new budget carrier for the Chinese market. The new airline which is called Jetstar Hong Kong will be the first low cost carrier based in Hong Kong. It already operates some budget airline services in other parts of Asia. Operations are expected to start next year using 3 Airbus A320s which will be increased to a fleet of 18 by 2015. Qantas and China Eastern will be equal partners in the venture.
The news comes after Spain’s Iberia launched a new low budget airline over the weekend. Iberia Express started operating on Sunday with prices starting at 25 euros for a one way ticket. The airline covers Spanish cities including Madrid and islands including Ibiza and Lanzarote. It has 500 staff and a fleet of 4 Airbus A320’s. It’s looking to expand out of Spain and fly to destinations including the Rebublic of Ireland, Italy, Greece and the Netherlands.
The Irish Prime Minister has said that the Republic and China have a surprisingly similar business culture. Enda Kenny is on a 4 day trade mission to China and said that both countries’ economies were centred on enterprise and innovation. The Taoiseach is meeting Chinese business leaders in Shanghai and Beijing and hopes to increase Chinese investment in Ireland. The visit comes a month after the Chinese vice premier made a three day trip to Ireland.
Sports News
Golf – Tiger Woods has won his first PGA Tour victory since September 2009 with victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. Woods who’s won 14 majors held off a challenge from Graeme McDowell in the final round to clinch victory by 5 strokes. Afterwards he said that it had been tough but it felt good.
Football – There was one game in the English Premier League on Sunday. West Brom lost 3-1 at home to Newcastle. Tonight, Manchester United host Fulham.
In the English Championship on Sunday Birmingham and Cardiff shared a 1 all draw.
And in Scotland, Rangers won the old firm derby against Celtic 3-2 to prevent their rivals winning the SPL title on their own ground.
Formula One – Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari won an exciting, rain affected Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday holding off the challenge of Sergio Perez in the Sauber with Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren finishing third. Hamilton who started on pole was affected by a bad pit stop while last week’s winner Jenson Button had a bad race and finished out of the points. Alonso, who was fifth when the race was stopped because of rain, emerged in second place after the restart when all the drivers came in for intermediate tyres. He then passed Perez and built a 7 second lead and managed to hold the Sauber off right to the chequered flag. Alonso now leads the driver’s championship. The next race is in China in three weeks.
Cricket – It’s day 1 of the 1st Test between Sri Lanka and England in Galle. The home side have won the toss and decided to bat but the tourists have made a great start taking three quick wickets, to put the homeside on the backfoot.
And Australia salvaged a one day series draw against West Indies with victory in the 5th match in St Lucia on Sunday. The Aussies won by 30 runs to square the series 2 all.
Rugby Union – The Wales coach Warren Gatland has been offered the position of leading the British and Irish Lions on their tour of Australia next summer. It’s reported that Gatland was interviewed for the job last Wednesday and offered the position. The appointment is expected to be finalised in the next month.
There was one game in the Aviva Premiership on Sunday. 26 Points from Toby Flood helped Leicester to a 41-32 win at London Irish.
Weather
Fine and sunny with light south-easterly winds for Monaco, the Alpes-Maritimes and Var. Temperatures: 19 – 24°. Overnight: clear, 6 – 12°.
And Finally
Talk about a memorable day: on Saturday mountaineer Nelson Dellis won the USA Memory Championship for the second year in a row. The Florida man and mountaineering enthusiast outlasted seven other finalists, known in contest circles as mental athletes, at a packed event in New York. Contestants’ hyper-fit brains performed serious gymnastics, including remembering 99 names and faces, a 50-line poem, and the order of a shuffled deck of cards. 27-year-old Dellis turned in an unforgettable performance, even smashing his own record in the random numbers category, in which he managed to memorize an amazing 303 figures in five minutes.