An Italian MP has “blacked up” to deliver a staggering anti-immigration rant in the country’s parliament.

Francois Hollande has made the French presidency look "ridiculous" with his scooter-driven nocturnal trips to visit his mistress, Nicolas Sarkozy was reported as saying.

Who's taking the brunt of the Hollande affair? In a very French twist, it looks like it's the jilted first lady - who's been hospitalised since she found out.

Campaigning for the French presidency less than two years ago, Francois Hollande pledged that in office he would be 'normal'.

Julie Gayet, the actress thought to be having an affair with French President Francois Hollande, is reported to be pregnant.

The FBI "most wanted" mugshot shows a tough, swarthy figure, his hair in a jailbird crew-cut.

Goal to correct education 'left-wing bias' looks to critics like political exercise.

Francois Hollande is facing the toughest hour of his presidency as his partner remains in hospital after news of his alleged affair with a glamorous actress.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott heads to the annual economic summit in Davos, Switzerland, next week to sell the world on Australia's priorities.

It is an unlikely setting from which to launch a fightback against Egypt's new military rulers.

The French first lady Valerie Trierweiler was in hospital suffering from "depression" three days after a magazine reported that President Francois Hollande was having an affair.

Israelis paid their last respects to former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon yesterday as his body lay in state outside the Knesset.

The French president's woes have continued, as it emerged his girlfriend was rushed to hospital following claims he was having an affair with an actress.

In less than 24 hours, a Government banned a comedian and its President threatened legal action against a magazine that reported him having an affair with an actor.

He may be one of the world's richest men but American multi-billionaire Michael Bloomberg couldn't do much about Queenstown's unseasonable summer weather.

A250-page dossier, detailing allegations of beatings, electrocution, mock executions and sexual assault, has been presented to the International Criminal Court.

New Jersey governor Chris Christie is facing legal action over huge traffic jams created when his staff orchestrated the closure of a bridge for political revenge.

Downing St has intervened to quell the the latest row over WWI centenary commemorations amid claims the role of Australian and NZ troops is being ignored.

More fuel has been added to the growing debate over the decision to force boatloads of asylum seekers back to Indonesia.

Iran's ambassador to NZ, Seyed Majid Tafreshi Khameneh, talks to political editor Audrey Young.

The appointment of a new US ambassador to New Zealand, to replace David Huebner who has already left the post, has been delayed in the US Senate.

George Osborne was accused yesterday of targeting the poor and vulnerable and sparing the rich as he outlined 25 billion ($50 billion) of spending cuts.

The aunt of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un and wife of Kim's recently executed uncle has died in mysterious circumstances.

The White House faces growing pressure to shore up the Iraqi Government as al-Qaeda fighters swarm into the power vacuum left by the exit of United States forces.

Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin will freeze over before Cory Bernardi becomes leader of the Liberal Party.

"In my travels I've encountered petty corruption with officialdom everywhere," writes Bob Jones. "Here are some examples..."