Franois Hollande has won France’s presidential election in a swing to the left at the heart of Europe that could start a pushback against austerity.

France voted on Sunday in round one of a presidential ballot, against the backdrop of a feeble economy.

France’s Nicolas Sarkozy and Germany’s Angela Merkel are preparing to centralise control of EU members’ budgets in order to rein in their debt crisis.

Former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn apologised to his country on Sunday for a sexual encounter with a hotel maid.

Former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel says he won’t run for IMF chief, making French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde a firm favourite.

G8 leaders will approve billions of dollars in aid to new Arab democracies on Friday as they end their summit.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy moved closer to victory on Wednesday in his showdown with unions over pension reform.

US troops protected aid handouts and the UN sought extra peacekeepers in Haiti on Monday as looters emptied shops as survivors received medical care.

World leaders pledged massive aid programmes to rebuild Haiti but desperate earthquake survivors are still waiting for food, water and medicine.

Haitian earthquake survivors fought over food and water and others fled their wrecked capital on Saturday as the US rolled out its relief effort.