British train travel among Europe's most expensive

Advance fares to the French capital on the high-speed Eurostar train start at 59 pounds ($85), 7 pounds ($9) cheaper than a standard off-peak return to the city in northwest England.

The study found that flexible, last-minute tickets to London from other British cities were almost twice as expensive as comparable journeys in Germany _ the next most expensive among nine countries studied _ and more than three times costlier than in the cheapest, The Netherlands.

After a series of deadly accidents, blamed by many on underinvestment, the government dismantled the private company that had been put in charge of rail infrastructure and replaced it with a nonprofit firm.

Norman Baker, transport spokesman for the opposition Liberal Democrats, said the report showed that "British passengers are the most ripped off in Europe." The government insisted fares had fallen relative to earnings since 1997, when the governing Labour Party took power.



Source: http://www.columbiamissourian.com/wire/article/124437/

OGM : la France maintient la suspension de la culture du maïs ...

Si ce vote ne permet pas de dégager une majorité en faveur de la levée de ces clauses de sauvegarde ou contre, le sujet devra être arbitré par les ministres de l'Environnement de l'Union européenne.

Apès la publication officielle de l'avis de l'Afssa, les réactions sont arrivées en chaîne."Aucune certitude scientifique" Yvon Le Maho avait été mandaté par le ministère de l'Environnement pour étayer les arguments de la France, qui demandait à Bruxelles la suspension des cultures de maïs transgénique, avait jugé impossible, dans son rapport sur le maïs MON 810, de "conclure à son innocuité" pour la santé et l'environnement.

Le spécialiste de l'écologie indique qu'il avait accepté de se charger d'un tel rapport "en connaissant les dangers d'une telle entreprise après les attaques portées contre le sénateur (UMP) Jean-François Le Grand", président de la Haute Autorité provisoire sur les OGM, qui s'était prononcée pour la suspension de leur culture.

"D'un point de vue scientifique, ce que l'on peut dire aujourd'hui, c'est qu'on est un dans un contexte d'incertitude : il y a des controverses entre experts, il y des doutes, il y a des connaissances fragmentaires" a expliqué Arnaud Gossement, porte-parole de la fédération FNE, pour qui "tant qu'on n'a pas la preuve d'absence de risque sanitaire, environnemental etc., il faut appliquer le principe de précaution".



Source: http://www.lesechos.fr/info/agro/300329800-ogm-la-france-maintient-la-suspension-de-la-culture-du-mais-transgenique.htm

Ireland triumph over France in thriller

The French then drifted the ball to the other end of the pitch with a long pass from Lionel Beauxis and Imanol Harinordoquy went over for the try.

Beauxis added the extra two points.France gave away a needless penalty straight from the kick-off as they were penalised for going into the ruck off their feet and O'Gara kicked his second penalty of the game.France had done all the attacking play at the beginning of the match, but Ireland showed their ability with a brilliant try which matched that scored by the French.Rob Kearney and Tommy Bowe combined to break through the French line on the left-wing, with the ball played to number eight Jamie Heaslip, who cut through a huge gap in the French defence and then did a mesmerising step to his left,Poitrenaud was completely fooled and Heaslip went to his right to score the tr, with O'Gara successful with his conversion attempt.

Ireland got off to the best possible start in the second-half as Brian O'Driscoll showed his old magic by taking advantage of a missed tackle by Beauxis, slipping through the French defence and side-stepping Julien Malzieu for the try.

Beauxis then added another drop-goal as the French came within two points of Ireland.The Irish hit back as the forwards set up a good attacking position and substitute Gordon D'Arcy came off the wing and went past Thierry Dusautoir to touch down.



Source: http://www.inthenews.co.uk/sports/autocodes/countries/france/ireland-triumph-over-france-in-thriller-$1267251.htm