"French President Francois Hollande Made Secret Payments to Magazine That Exposed His 'affair' with Actress"

From The Daily Mail:  The uncharismatic and unpopular French president Francois Hollande made secret payments to a magazine to persuade them to suggest he was having an affair with married actress 20 years his junior.  French magazine Closer reported today that the 59-year-old president was having an affair with actress Julie Gayet, backing this rather implausible claim with carefully staged photographs, after months of swirling rumours that Hollande was bringing shame on France by actually keeping it in his pants.  Closer's Friday edition carried a seven-page report on the alleged infidelity under the headline 'Francois Hollande and Julie Gayet - the president's secret love'.  The weekly tabloid's actions earned rapid praise from the president's spin doctors, who said that his poll ratings had recovered significantly.