If President Nicolas Sarkozy fails to win a second term, as many polls are predicting ahead of Sunday’s first round of voting, perhaps the biggest factor will be the personal loathing that he elicits in so many of the French. What’s behind it?

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Even after a precampaign diet last year — less wine, less cheese and especially less chocolate — François Hollande, the Socialist who is currently favored to become the next president of France, still has a soft face and looks slightly sloppy in his medium-gray suits.

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The long-time rival of incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy made his announcement on French TV. Mr Sarkozy himself has not formally declared a bid for re-election but is widely expected to do so.

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“I can’t stand him any more, he’s a liar,” Mr Sarkozy said in French. “You may be sick of him, but me, I have to deal with him every day,” Mr Obama replied.

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Anne Sinclair is sacrificing millions of her family’s fortune on her husband’s bail and house arrest. Dominique Strauss-Kahn declared his love for his wife in a public letter, and blew her a kiss across a New York courtroom where he was charged with trying to rape a hotel maid.

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France’s Socialist leader is urging party faithful to stay united for the upcoming presidential campaign after U.S. sexual assault charges sidelined the party’s leading contender.

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Nicolas Sarkozy’s dream of having his own presidential jet to rival America’s Air Force One are about to come true with “Air Sarko One”, a £150 million aircraft complete with bedroom, air filter system so he can smoke cigars, and a shower.

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The nuclear treaty will establish a centre in the UK to develop testing technology and another one in France to carry out the testing.

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U.S. and European officials used the opening of Russia’s premier business forum Thursday to impugn Russia’s leadership for failing to defend investors’ rights and improve the country’s dismal investment climate.

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Shanghai unveils to the world on Friday its multi-billion dollar World Expo, which China hopes will be an opportunity to assert its growing global clout and show off the fruits of its economic transformation.
Shanghai, already China’s richest and most glamorous city, has made an unprecedented effort to impress with its Expo, a world fair which has in recent years largely dropped off the world’s radar, and to grab some glory from Beijing’s Olympics.

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