Tens of thousands of people across France protested President Nicolas Sarkozy's handling of the economic crisis, as unions and the left-wing opposition united in a "historic" demand for more aid for those hit by the slowdown.
When Segolene Royal apologized to Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero over French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s allegedly nasty remark, she sparked a nastier row – against the ruling party and within her own Socialist Party.
In 2007, late President Lansana Conté faced a massive general strike called by the country’s main trade unions. Now the ruling military junta says the former government did not “fulfill its duties” and claims to be acting for the people.
The Algerian parliament has approved the lifting of presidential term limits, a move that opens the way for 71-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to run for a new term in the April 2009 election.
Elected the first black president of the United States, Barack Obama, 47, has reclaimed the American dream he defended throughout his campaign. Ambitious and charismatic, the Democrat has vowed to be a leader for all Americans.
