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8. April 2017, 21:58

Juppe rules out standing in French election

The former French Prime Minister Alain Juppe says he will not run in the forthcoming presidential election, after earlier being touted as a potential replacement for the centre-right candidate Francois Fillon. Juppe says it´s too late to reunite the Republican party. Fillon is facing a deepening scandal over allegations that members of his family were paid taxpayers' money for fictitious jobs.

FBI director rejects Trump´s wiretap claims

It´s being reported that the director of the FBI James Comey has rejected Donald Trump's claim that Barack Obama ordered a wiretap of his phone before he was elected US president. According to the New York Times and NBC, Comey has asked the US justice department to publicly reject the allegation which President Trump made on Saturday. The former Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, has also rejected the accusation: "There was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president-elect at the time or as a candidate or against his campaign." Meanwhile, Trump is expected to sign a new executive order on a travel ban to the United States today, after his controversial first attempt was blocked by the courts.

North Korea conducts more missile tests

The United States, Japan and South Korea have condemned North Korea after it fired four ballistic missiles into the sea off Japan's northwest coast in defiance of a UN ban. Russia has expressed serious concern and called for restraint. The missile launches come days after the US and South Korea began military drills that the North says are a rehearsal for invasion.

IS suffers another blow in Syria

US-backed Syrian militias have reportedly cut the last main road out of Raqqa, severing the link between the Islamic State group's de facto capital and its stronghold of Deir al-Zor. The advance means that the only remaining way out of Raqqa is south across the River Euphrates.

Germany rejects Erdogan´s “Nazi” accusations

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff has rejected accusations of quote "Nazi practices" made by Turkey's president, days after the local authority in Gaggenau prevented the Turkish justice minister from addressing a rally there. Peter Altmaier said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks were "absolutely unacceptable." Turkish ministers are trying to rally support among Turks in Germany, ahead of a referendum next month on constitutional reforms which would extend the president´s powers.

PSA reaches deal with General Motors

The French company that owns Peugeot and Citroen has struck a 2.2bn euro deal to buy General Motors' European unit. It will make the PSA Group the second largest carmaker in Europe, behind Volkswagen.

The weather

Changeable with scattered rain or snow showers. Top temperatures from 4 to 14.

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