REIMS (France) - FORMER presidential candidate Segolene Royal struggled on Saturday to rally support for her bid to lead the Socialists at a party congress that threatened to leave the French left in tatters.

Eighteen months after she was trounced by rightwinger Nicolas Sarkozy in presidential polls, Ms Royal announced she was in the running to lead the opposition through renewal and a likely showdown with Mr Sarkozy in 2012.

WASHINGTON - US GOVERNMENT health officials have ordered dozens of imported foods from China held at the border as possible health risks. Most are ethnic treats, including snacks, drinks and chocolates.

WASHINGTON - PRESIDENT-ELECT Barack Obama has interviewed primary election rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Richardson to be his secretary of state, Democrats said, as he weighed the decision on folding former foes into his new administration.

Mr Obama had secret meetings in Chicago with Richardson on Friday and a day earlier with Clinton, said several Democratic officials.