Two words: Pete Doherty.
   I am not even sure what fascination he holds. Once a boyfriend of Kate Moss? Read that story. Druggie? Read that story.
   Unless he cleans up and gets a knighthood, I am not sure why anyone would make him the subject of any story. You’ll notice we didn’t, all year.

With less on the newswires today except for more Sarko and Bruni, we thought we’d put up a few of the unpublished images from our server. Here are two that didn’t make publication for one reason or another: American Idol’s Katharine McPhee (mentioned by Summer Rayne Oakes in Lucire 20) at a skin cancer benefit hosted by Too Faced Cosmetics in May 2007; and, in the same month, two models at a Diesel function in the same area. These were from Lucire’s west coast editor Elyse Glickman.

The French political and gossip press, as well as some glossies, united over Christmas as President Nicolas Sarkozy’s girlfriend, model-turned-singer Carla Bruni, ?ew to Luxor with his family to stay at the ?ve-star Hotel So?tel Old Winter Palace (left), near the Karnak temple. The family ?ew on a Falcon 900 private jet loaned by billionaire Vincent Bolloré. This was con?rmed by the Élysée.
   The Élysée states that President Sarkozy has an of?cial visit in Egypt on the 30th, but has not elaborated on Ms Bruni’s role.
   The political left is critical of the relationship being in the limelight, despite an earlier poll showing that 89 per cent of French people regard it as a private matter.
   Given the state of the non-political media, the attention Sarkozy and Bruni have received is unsurprising and cannot be levelled entirely at the President. While he has been attacked over a lack of solemnity for the of?ce by Jean Matouk, a leftist economist, one thinks that even the most restrained of conduct would not stop public and gossip media interest. The alternative, surely, must be to transport Ms Bruni as cargo—or hide the relationship altogether (as Sarko’s married predecessors once did with their extramarital affairs) in an age of transparency?
   The price of the rooms at the Old Winter Palace might be a better target for leftists: some of the top suites go for $1,100 per night, according to Libération.

In today’s video, People’s Ericka Souter discusses her magazine’s end-of-year double issue featuring the best and worst of 2007. Patrick Dempsey is the stand-out celebrity, and makes the cover as ‘Star of the Year’. Inside, there’s an interview with President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.
   In addition, People pays tribute to eight other celebrities:

Amy Adams: the Breakout
Katherine Heigl: America’s New Sweetheart
Carrie Underwood: the Chart Topper
Tyler Perry: the Triple-Threat
Matt Damon: the Sexiest Hero
Johnny Depp: Most Versatile Actor
Christina Applegate: Comeback of the Year
Tyler Perry: the Triple-Threat
Will Smith: the Biggest Legend

   We’d say People’s pretty on the ball with their picks as 2007 draws to a close. Now, who will be the stars of 2008? We wonder.

How did the celebrities creating designs for the H&M Fashion Against Aids collection get their inspiration? What are the meanings behind the designs? In this video, they reveal all. (Licensed till June 18, 2008.)

[Video removed, June 18, 2008]

The publisher and editors of Lucire wish all our readers and team members our warmest wishes for Christmas and for a grand New Year. We’ll continue our bulletins after Christmas Day.

Hennes & Mauritz’s Fashion Against Aids collection appears in Lucire today, a few days after its announcement to the media on December 20. A quarter of the proceeds from the sale of the garments, available from the Divided section of H&M stores, will go to HIV and Aids prevention programmes.

Last night, the nominees for Lucire’s Car to be Seen in 2008 were announced:

Fiat 500
Ford Mondeo
Jaguar XF
Volvo C30
Audi A4
Audi S5

   Look, ma: no minivans or SUVs. These still have not distinguished themselves, in our book. One looks much the same as the other—except for the Volvo XC60, which we hope to see in production form in 2008.

   I had wanted the Renault Laguna (above) to make it, but the divisive styling has seen to its omission. Pity: the 5·5 l/100 km (55 mpg Imperial) dCi model sounded just right for our fuel-sensitive times. It’s not often such a big car comes with a tiny 1·5 litre engine.
   Still, out of the six nominees the final award should still be hard-fought.