Hollande elected as president of France - CNN

PARIS (Reuters) - Francois Hollande has become the most unpopular French president on record, an opinion poll showed on Monday, with the Socialist leader hit by anger over tax hikes, unemployment and rows over the government's immigration policy. Hollande's popularity has sunk to 26 percent of those surveyed, the first time the BVA poll has seen a French president's approval ratings fall below 30 percent.

Saint-Denis de la Reunion (AFP) - Francois Hollande's spurned girlfriend turned poison pen has skipped France for the Indian Ocean isle of Madagascar, a day after dropping a bombshell with her best-selling kiss-and-tell about life with the president.

Wolf Richter   www.wolfstreet.com   www.amazon.com/author/wolfrichter

French elections are done in two rounds. The top two candidates by popular vote square off in round two. Things do not look good for French president Nicolas Sarkozy, especially for round two. However, he may not make it that far.

UNITED NATIONS — Iran’s new president met with the French leader Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, but not with U.S. President Barack Obama, as Western nations explored whether conciliatory talk from the Middle Eastern leader offers a way out of the impasse over Iran’s nuclear program.