A court scuttled the plan last month when it ruled the measure was unconstitutional. Mr Hollande says the legislation will be reworded and submitted again. He's also promised to take all efforts to cut unemployment which topped three million last year.

 

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron is urging his fellow G-8 leaders to take bold steps to help boost global economic growth in 2013. UK has begun its year-long presidency of the G-8 group of nations.

 

Mr Cameron says his priorities will be to extend free trade, tackle tax evasion and combat government corruption. Britain will host the annual G-8 leaders' summit in Northern Ireland in June.

 

To the markets now and this is how the world financial markets finished in 2012. Of course, the markets remain closed for the New Year's holiday today.

 

But we have a look at commodity prices. West Texas Crude is trading at 92 US dollars a barrrel. Tapis Crude is trading at 116 US dollars a barrel. And gold is worth 1675 US dollars an ounce.

 

The Australian dollar is buying 104 US cents, 79 Euro cents and 64 pence sterling.