Brazil has formally entered into negotiations with France for the acquisition of 36 French-built fighter jets, during President Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit to the country where he is backing Brazil’s quest to act as a world power.

In an interview with major Brazilian newspaper O Globo on Sunday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy put the potential sale of French fighter jets into the context of developing relations between the two nations. On his way to attend Brazil’s independence celebrations, the French president told the newspaper that "the relationship between Brazil and France is not one of supplier and client, but one of partners".

It was not the first time that Sarkozy showed his desire for France and Brazil to cooperate more. In December, he announced his support for Brazil’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, an elite club of which France is already a member. The previous February, Sarkozy was in Brazil to inaugurate the construction of a bridge to French Guiana. At that time, the two leaders also shared strategies on combating illegal gold mining and trafficking in their border region.

This time, however, Brazil is sending its strongest signal yet of being ready to accept France’s overtures. On Thursday, the Senate in Brasilia sealed a 6.1-billion-euro deal in which France will help Brazil build 50 helicopters and a nuclear-propelled submarine.

Penny-pinching, rude and terrible at foreign languages: French people are the world’s worst tourists according to a study of the global hotel industry released on Thursday.

Carried out last month by TNS Infratest, the study asked 40,000 hotels worldwide to rank tourists from 27 countries based on nine criteria, from their politeness to their willingness to tip.

Clean and tidy, polite, quiet and uncomplaining, Japanese tourists came top of the crop for the third year running.

At the other end of the spectrum, French holidaymakers and business travellers were the least generous or ready to tip, and ranked next-to-last for their overall behaviour and politeness.

Pushy French travellers made amends on elegance - classed third - as well as for their discretion and cleanliness.

But the French were the least ready to try a new language, unlike US tourists who were most likely to swallow their pride and order a pizza, baguette or a paella in the local lingo.

US tourists also got top marks for generosity - as the biggest spenders and tippers - but fell short on other counts as the least tidy, the loudest, the worst complainers, and the most badly dressed.

Despite cliches about beer-guzzling hordes descending on Mediterranean resorts each summer, Britons came a surprise second for their overall behaviour, politeness, quietness and even elegance - second for dress sense only to the Italians.

But the model Japanese were followed by Canadians as the least likely to whinge when a trip goes wrong.

France’s rivals for the "worst tourist" tag, Spaniards and Greeks came near the bottom of the pack in almost every category.

The Big Apple at Jumeirah Emirates Towers has announced it will organise the sixth annual Vertical Marathon in association with Médecins Sans Frontières and the Red Crescent Society.

All 1334 stairs of the iconic Jumeirah Emirates Towers will spring into action on May 29th as participants take part in this novel charity marathon. The event is being organised by The Big Apple gym in the Boulevard at Jumeirah Emirates Towers to benefit Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) with the support of the Red Crescent Society.

Enthusiastic runners will epitomise the term ’early risers’; kicking off at 8.00 am they will ascend the 52 floors and 265 metres of the Office Tower of Jumeirah Emirates Towers which stands at 350 metres tall. Whilst raising their heartbeats and spirits they will also be raising resources and awareness for charity.

Dubai: The Metro project is on schedule and has not been affected by the global economic meltdown, said a senior official at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA.)

"We are right on track as there is no reason for us to delay the Dubai Metro project," said Abdul Majid Al Khaja, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Rail Agency at the RTA, quashing rumours about delays.

In an exclusive interview with Gulf News, Al Khaja spoke at length about the Dubai Metro project and confirmed that operations would start on the Metro’s Red Line next September 9, as announced as part of the first phase of the project. Operations on the Green Line are scheduled to start in March 2010 — some six months after the trains start running on the Red Line.

Coldwell Banker UAE has shifted its headquaters to the prestigious Downtown Burj Dubai.

Just when you thought the property sector had indeed come to a halt here in Dubai, Coldwell Banker UAE, one of the biggest names in the global real estate arena has proved otherwise. Coldwell Banker UAE has shifted its head quarters to the prestigious Downtown Burj Dubai, and will soon be opening a branch in Dubai Marina. This emphasizes the company’s strategy to reach realty stake holders, in need for trustworthy advice at this time. Having been in real estate since 1906 and lived through several set-backs and economic cycles across the globe, Coldwell Banker in Dubai reflects the brands nature for survival and professionalism.