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/ 15 October 2007

Airbus delivers first A380 superjumbo

Airbus on Monday delivered the first of its A380s, the world’s biggest passenger jet, to Singapore Airlines, 18 months behind schedule but with both sides hailing the major advance in air travel. The 73m-long superjumbo was handed over in a ceremony at the Airbus headquarters in Toulouse in southern France.

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/ 29 September 2007

All Blacks cut loose against Romania

New Zealand finished the World Cup pool stage in style with a spectacular demonstration of running and passing to demolish Romania 85-8 on Saturday. The All Blacks racked up 13 tries, three coming from flying winger Joe Rokocoko, as they blew away their opponents with some dazzling rugby to the delight of the packed crowd at the Stade Toulouse.

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/ 16 September 2007

Merciless France hammer 14-man Namibia

Hosts France showed no mercy to 14-man Namibia on Sunday as they got some vital momentum for Friday’s crucial Group D World Cup clash with Ireland, winning 87-10 to post their record score in international rugby. Vincent Clerc ran in three tries, while locks Jerome Nallet and Sebastian Chabal grabbed a brace each.

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/ 12 September 2007

Fiji hold off spirited Japan in thriller

Fiji overcame sweltering conditions in Toulouse and stubborn Japanese resistance to win their opening pool B World Cup match 35-31 on Wednesday. Japan thrilled the crowd by fighting all the way to the final whistle against their more experienced and bigger opponents, who picked up a crucial bonus point for scoring four tries, before agonisingly coming up just short.

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/ 28 February 2007

Airbus announces massive job cuts

European jet maker Airbus is set to axe 10 000 of its 56 000 workforce as part of a cost-cutting operation to lift it out of a financial crisis. The company said on Wednesday it will cut the jobs over four years: 4 300 in France, 3 700 in Germany, 1 600 in Britain and 400 in Spain.

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/ 9 February 2007

Michalak joins Natal Sharks

France flyhalf Frederic Michalak has signed a one-year contract to play for the Natal Sharks in South Africa after this year’s World Cup, Sud Radio reported on Friday. The 24-year-old Toulouse playmaker will make an official announcement on his transfer at a press conference in Paris later on Friday.

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/ 24 January 2005

Frenchman rescued after weeks in caves

A 48-year-old Frenchman who went missing last month has been found emaciated but alive in an underground cave system where he spent 35 days in pitch blackness eating nothing but wood and clay, police said on Sunday. "It was truly terrible fumbling around with nothing to eat," Jean-Luc Josuat-Verges said.

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/ 18 January 2005

New Airbus is a really big thing

Airbus on Tuesday lifted the curtain on its A380 super jumbo — the world’s biggest passenger aircraft that is set to eclipse Boeing’s 747 when it takes to the skies next year. The European company unveiled the aircraft, which can carry up to 840 passengers, at a glitzy ceremony at its headquarters in Toulouse, south-west France.

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/ 1 January 2002

‘It’s as big as a building’

The Airbus A380, the biggest airliner built to date, completed a momentous maiden flight on Wednesday, winning praise from one of the pilots as a ”magnificent machine” and opening a new era in aviation history. ”We had a very successful first flight and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it,” said Claude Lelaie, one of the two pilots and the head of the Airbus flight division.