IMF director Christine Lagarde arrived at last month’s World Economic Forum on a mission.

Europe Correspondent Ann Cahill looks at the life of Christine Lagarde.

Shakira has released dates for her European tour, including a December 16 gig in Dublin.

In-form David Nalbandian claimed his second Masters Series title in the space of a fortnight when he destroyed Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the final of the Paris tournament on Sunday.

Barbara Streisand has been awarded France's most coveted prize after she was inducted into the French Legion Of Honour.

GREG RUSEDSKI yesterday hailed rising British star Andy Murray after booking his place in the second round of the Paris Masters.

The year-end battle for the world number one spot between Juan Carlos Ferrero and Andy Roddick moved closer to centre stage on Monday night at the Paris Masters Series event.

World number one Juan Carlos Ferrero was pushed all the way by French qualifier Nicolas Mahut before advancing to the third round of the BNP Paribas Masters Series in Bercy tonight.

The top seeds sat out the opening day of the Paris Masters at Bercy, but some of the better performed hopefuls from the lower ranks wasted their chance to grab the headlines.

Fabrice Santoro and Nicolas Escude have pushed France to within one victory of a successful Davis Cup title defence by beating Russian duo Marat Safin and Yevgeny Kafelnikov in a five-set thriller.