has abandoned his appeal against conviction for assaulting Sandys Secondary principal Melvyn Bassett. ---- Page 7 FRANCE FALL AT FIRST HURDLE RUG France fall at first hurdle Last year's surprise finalists Argentina indicated their desire to go one better this year, pummelling the favoured French team in the opening game of the World Rugby Classic yesterday. ---- Sport, Page 19 PAIR ACHIEVE `THREE-PEAT' GLF Pair achieve `three-peat' Bill Pitt and Henry Ascento achieved the much sought-after `three-peat' in the men's Bermuda Four Ball Championships at Port Royal yesterday, while visiting pair Ginette Spinucci and Darlene Werhnyak were the women's winners. ---- Sport, Page 19 WANDERERS ENTER THIRD ROUND SOC Wanderers enter third round Having at least 75 percent of the play and hitting the framework twice counted for nothing as Second Division St.George's were bundled out of the FA Cup by the Commercial League champions Wanderers at BAA Field yesterday. ---- Sport, Page 21 SOVEREIGN LEADS THE WAY BUC Sovereign leads the way Just a year old, a Bermuda-based insurer that specialises in providing cover for political risks, is already a global leader in its field. And the recent volatility in world markets could mean that Sovereign Risk Insurance Ltd. may find an increasing demand from third world countries for the specialty cover it provides. ---- Business, Page 29 LASALLE'S INCOME TUMBLES BUC LaSalle's income tumbles Hit in the fourth quarter by losses from Hurricane Georges, Bermuda-based catastrophe reinsurer LaSalle Re Holdings declared income of $65.2 million for the year ended September 30, a 46 percent drop from 1997 results. ---- Business, Page 29