BBC News with Sue Montgomery

The two contenders in the French presidential election are taking part in a televised debate. Polls suggest President Nicolas Sarkozy is

trailing

his Socialist rival Francois Hollande by around six points. Chris Morris reports.

Both men have accused the other of lying as they've

sparred

over economic policy in particular. "You want less rich people," the president said to his Socialist challenger, "I want less poor people." "I'll protect our children," Mr Hollande responded, "you just protect the privileged." Mr Hollande began by saying he'd be a president who would end division and bring France together. Mr Sarkozy, who really needs to win this debate to have any chance of winning the election, responded by saying the people would decide. "It's too late to change your mind," he said, "once you've elected someone who's not

up to scratch

."

The American politician Newt Gingrich has officially ended his campaign to become the Republican candidate in November's US presidential election.

Bowing out

of the race, Mr Gingrich offered only a limited

endorsement

of his rival Mitt Romney. Here's Mark Mardell.

Newt Gingrich said the Republican primary had been a truly wild ride - amazing and astonishing. He bowed out with a typically expansive

grandiose

review of his own personal history and his own future, sparing just a few moments for an endorsement of Mitt Romney that was cooler than