Trump insists he's not under FBI investigation

Mr Trump also told NBC News it was his decision alone to sack James Comey. Mr Comey was leading an inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the US election and possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Moscow. Mr Trump has dismissed the probe as a "charade", a claim directly contradicted by Mr Comey's successor.

In his first interview since firing the FBI director, Mr Trump told NBC News he had asked Mr Comey whether he was under investigation. "I said, if it's possible would you let me know, 'Am I under investigation?' He said: 'You are not under investigation.'"The White House has depicted the Russia inquiry as "probably one of the smallest things" that the FBI has "got going on their plate".

But acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe said on Thursday that it was "a highly significant investigation". In testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, he also cast doubt on White House claims that Mr Comey had lost the confidence of his staff.

"I can confidently tell you that the vast majority of employees enjoyed a deep and positive connection to Director Comey," Mr McCabe said.

on Thursday, May 11, 2017

FBI chief James Comey fired by Trump

President Donald Trump has fired the director of the FBI over his handling of the inquiry into Hillary Clinton's emails, the administration says. The White House shocked Washington by announcing that James Comey "has been terminated and removed from office". But Democrats said he was fired because the FBI was investigating alleged links between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The move came as it emerged Mr Comey gave inaccurate information about Mrs Clinton's emails to Congress last week. President Trump wrote in a letter to Mr Comey that he agreed with US Attorney General Jeff Sessions' recommendation that "you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau".

Mr Sessions said the Department of Justice was "committed to a high level of discipline, integrity, and the rule of law", and "a fresh start is needed". The White House said the search for a successor would begin immediately.Mr Comey was addressing FBI agents in Los Angeles when he was handed a note by one of his team informing him he had just been fired.The 56-year-old - who was four years into his 10-year term as FBI director - reportedly laughed, thinking it was a prank.

on Tuesday, May 9, 2017

French election: Emmanuel Macron condemns 'massive' hack attack

The campaign of French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron says it has been the target of a "massive hacking attack" after a trove of documents was released online. The campaign said that genuine files were mixed up with fake ones in order to confuse people. It said it was clear that hackers wanted to undermine Mr Macron ahead of Sunday's second round vote. The centrist will face off against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.

The documents were leaked on a file sharing website late on Friday and the Macron camp condemned the action just before the official campaigning period ended at midnight (22:00 GMT). Candidates and the media now face restrictions until the polls close on Sunday evening, meaning Mr Macron cannot issue further statements. Opinion polls had indicated the former economy minister carried a lead of 20 percentage points or more over Ms Le Pen, the National Front candidate.About nine gigabytes of data were posted online by an anonymous user.

Mr Macron's En Marche movement said internal campaign documents, including emails and financial data, had been taken in an "act of massive, co-ordinated hacking". "The leaked files were obtained several weeks ago by hacking personal and professional email accounts of several officials of the movement," it said in a statement.

The campaign said the documents showed only legitimate campaign activities. France's election commission warned that publication or republication of the leaked information could be a criminal offence.

on Saturday, May 6, 2017

Donald Trump: I would be honoured to meet Kim Jong-un

US President Donald Trump has said he would be "honoured" to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in the right circumstances. "If it would be appropriate for me to meet with....

on Monday, May 1, 2017

France election: Macron says EU must reform or face 'Frexit'

The front-runner in the French presidential election has told the BBC that the EU must reform or face the prospect of "Frexit". Pro-EU centrist Emmanuel Macron made the comments as he and his far-right rival Marine Le Pen entered the last week of campaigning. French voters go to the polls on Sunday to decide between the pair. Ms Le Pen has capitalised on anti-EU feeling, and has promised a referendum on France's membership. 

She won support in rural and former industrial areas by promising to retake control of France's borders from the EU and slash immigration."I'm a pro-European, I defended constantly during this election the European idea and European policies because I believe it's extremely important for French people and for the place of our country in globalisation," Mr Macron, leader of the recently created En Marche! movement, told the BBC.

"But at the same time we have to face the situation, to listen to our people, and to listen to the fact that they are extremely angry today, impatient and the dysfunction of the EU is no more sustainable. "So I do consider that my mandate, the day after, will be at the same time to reform in depth the European Union and our European project."

Mr Macron added that if he were to allow the EU to continue to function as it was would be a "betrayal". "And I don't want to do so," he said. "Because the day after, we will have a Frexit or we will have [Ms Le Pen's] National Front (FN) again."

on

Brexit: Chancellor Merkel warns UK on scope of talks with EU

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says some British people have "illusions" about discussing the UK's future ties with the EU at the same time as nailing down the UK's Brexit terms. An EU-UK deal can only be discussed once the exit issues - such as......,

UK payments to the EU budget - are resolved, Mrs Merkel told German MPs. The UK initiated the formal procedure to leave the EU on 29 March.

It sets a two-year deadline for completion of the exit negotiations. EU leaders are to meet on Saturday to adopt their joint negotiating position on Brexit. They are working on the basis of draft guidelines issued on 31 March.

Official talks will not begin until after the UK general election on 8 June. UK Prime Minister Theresa May called the early election, saying she needed to strengthen her hand in Brexit negotiations.The EU wants the terms of the UK's exit to be decided before any discussion of a future trade relationship, while Mrs May wants the two issues to be dealt with simultaneously.

The German chancellor told German MPs it would be "a waste of time" to maintain illusions that the two sets of negotiations could be held simultaneously. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said the EU would "for sure" reach a free trade deal with the UK after Brexit. But Mrs Merkel warned that it would be a different relationship, saying: "A third country - which is what the UK will be - cannot and will not have the same rights as an EU member state. "All 27 EU countries and the EU institutions agree about that," she told the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament.

on Thursday, April 27, 2017

Paraguay congress set on fire as election protests turn deadly

Demonstrators in Paraguay have set fire to the country's parliament during violent protests against a bill that would lift presidential term limits. One activist was killed by a blow to the head which the opposition blamed on a rubber bullet fired by police. Under the 1992 constitution, introduced after the dictatorship, a head of state may only serve a single five-year term.

But sitting President Horacio Cartes is trying to remove the restriction and run for re-election. Protesters were photographed smashing in windows of the congress building in the capital, Asuncion, on Friday night and setting fire to the interior. Protesters "ransacked" the offices of those who had backed the bill, AFP news agency reports.Police used rubber bullets, mounted units and water cannons to disperse the crowd. A number of people were injured, with AFP saying about 30 had been hurt, including three lawmakers and a senator. Santi Carneri, a journalist in Asuncion, told the BBC the congress building had burnt for "more than one or two hours". There were "a lot of battles between people and the police in the streets", he said, adding that it was the worst violence of its kind since Paraguay became a democracy in 1992.

on Saturday, April 1, 2017