The French president Nicolas Sarkozy was rushed to hospital today after suffering a "minor" nervous complaint while jogging at his woodland weekend retreat outside Paris, officials said.
The 54-year-old leader was seen immediately by a doctor and underwent medical tests, a statement from the Elysee Palace said. Mr Sarkozy's wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy was at his side, a senior official added.
One of the president's aides said Mr Sarkozy was taken to the Val de Grace military hospital, after a problem related to his vagus nerve - which helps the body regulate its heart rate - that doctors "considered minor".
A condition known as vasovagal syncope can bring on a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure - particularly if the victim is dehydrated. Patients normally make a complete recovery, medical sources said.
Mr Sarkozy was jogging as a sun-drenched Paris prepared to welcome the final stage of the Tour de France bicycle race amid high humidity and temperatures of up to 28°C.
A witness, speaking on condition of anonymity, said she had seen a jogger surrounded by bodyguards suddenly stumble and collapse in the wooded grounds of La Lanterne, Mr Sarkozy's weekend home near the Palace of Versailles.
Shortly afterwards, Mr Sarkozy's wife arrived at the scene on a motor scooter, the witness said. Then two helicopters - one of them white - landed nearby.
The white helicopter took off shortly afterwards, but the witness was unable to see who was on board. The Val de Grace military hospital, a short flight away in Paris proper, traditionally treats heads of state.
Mr Sarkozy, who assumed the French presidency in May 2007, is a fitness enthusiast, and is often seen jogging or cycling with aides and bodyguards.
Just over three weeks ago, the Elysee Palace released the findings of Mr Sarkozy's latest annual health check-up, describing the results of recent blood and heart tests as "normal". No further details were provided.
During his election campaign, Sarkozy pledged to publish regular health bulletins. So far the Elysee has published one full health report, five days after the president was sworn in, saying he was fit to hold office.
Mr Sarkozy was briefly hospitalised in October 2007 for minor throat surgery, but the presidency did not publicise the fact until January 2008.
His office said afterwards that the Elysee would publish health bulletins on a yearly basis, but none was released in 2008.
*AFP
Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Six pitfalls to avoid when trading company stocks
Following fashion
Investing is cyclical, buying last year's winners often means holding this year's losers.
Losing your balance
You end up with too much exposure to an individual company or sector that has taken your fancy.
Being over active
If you chop and change your portfolio too often, dealing charges will eat up your gains.
Running your losers
Investors hate admitting mistakes and hold onto bad stocks hoping they will come good.
Selling in a panic
If you sell up when the market drops, you have locked yourself out of the recovery.
Timing the market
Even the best investor in the world cannot consistently call market movements.