a very warm welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to our viewers in north america and around the globe. my name's mike embley — our top stories: the head of the fbi says he can find no evidence barack obama put donald trump under surveillance —— but confirms the agency is investigating russian interference in the election, and any possible ties to the trump campaign. that includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the trump campaign and the russian government. the corruption scandal that led to her impeachment. under the spotlight — france's five main presidential candidates clash over policing, crime and immigration. as major companies cancel contracts — google‘s european chief apologises the head of the fbi has confirmed, for the first time, that his agency

is investigating whether—some ,,, team colluded with the—russian of criminal charges right to the door of the white house. james comeyalso told the hearing. l. . ;, ,.',';,il.,“'. l ' liz: ell—f. ql::.%:. z..:'%'£';e;:.e'££ - this from our north. america ,, w l. . , l the kremlin has cast a long shadow overamericannolitics , , . . :2’i2212:i22 what is more less accepted by all sides is that russian intelligence hacked comguters! between the trump campaign and moscow? the president says that is fake news. then there's the allegation that barack obama tapped the phones in trump tower before the election, perhaps using british big questions for a big man.

at six foot eight, james comey stands head and shoulders above all around him. answer, yes. the fbi, as part of our counter intelligence mission, is investigating the russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. and thgt inclfid2sinve§tiggting between individuals associated with the trump campaign and the russian government, and whether there was any co—ordination between the campaign and russia's efforts. on the detail of the investigation into russian collusion, james comey would not be drawn. but what about the president's claims, that his predecessor barack obama had wiretapped trump tower? here, he was more forthcoming. with respect to the president's tweets about alleged wiretapping information to support those tweets and we have looked carefully

inside the fbi. 50 president obama could not unilaterally order a wiretap of anyone? no president could. the president accused mr obama and presumably the fbi of engaging in mccarthyism. were you engaged in mccarthyism, director comey? i try very hard not to engage in any isms of any kind, including mccarthyism. then congressman schiff turned to the director of the national security agency to answer questions about british involvement. again, the responses were unequivocal. did you ever request your counterparts in gchq should wiretap mrtrump on behalf of president obama? no sir, and norwould i, that would be expressly against the construct of the five eyes agreement that has been in place for decades. our british allies have called the president's suggestion that they wiretapped him for obama nonsense and utterly ridiculous, would you agree? yes, sir. does it do damage to our relationship with one of our closest intelligence partners

for the president to make a baseless claim that the british participated in a conspiracy against him? it clearly frustrates a key ally of ours. i believe the relationship is strong enough, this is something we should be able to deal with. donald trump didn't wake of the committee to start before tweeting his verdict. but in the white house briefing, were they getting ready to hoist the white flag? of course they weren't. is the president prepared to withdraw the accusation and as for collusion with the russians? there is no evidence according to the people that have been briefed

that that exists. the president's one public meeting today grabbing the president's arm at the end u.- :.- __.|._._..4__l laughed at the joke. we now know to sure that the fbi is associating the lgg’gg’fififis-‘i; is associating the president's team is with a hostile “22.2.2.in rifle-54:1;- ,l*l:—l+:‘-l~: —— power to put in the house. it has been another white hausa it has beenanothec day white heuse; it has beenanothec day in washington. we extraordinary day in washington. we have so extraordinary day in washington. we have - so many i them have had so many of them since the president... , , have had so many of them since the mame! have had so many of them since the lgsldeatcame into have had so many of them since the midget came into - two 22222222212 inte’effifefwfii ago butjust to months ago butjust to reiterate, let me say it again, the f?‘ is '

let me say it again, the fbi is whether members of the investigating whethermerflbersef the e investigating whether'rnernbersaf the e met investigating whether'rnerntters'at the e met colluded trump campaign met with, celluéedi with, russian officials . interfere filth neeeee emeee 554234252 the election. that is a in the election. that is a criminal investigation. that is the investor the head of the fbi has come out —— the head of the fbi has come out and said - is under way since and said that is under way since july. he has also come out and publicly contradicted the july. he has also come out and pubi he contradicted the reefej , july. he has also come out and pubi he is )ntradicted the reefej , july. he has also come out and pubi he is tweets ted the reefej , july. he has also come out and pubi he is tweets from ie reefej , july. he has also come out and pubi he is tweets from a reefej , july. he has also come out and pubi he is tweets from a couple 2:2 , july. he has also come out and pubi he is tweets from a couple of , fh’ft “2: '5—2 532—222? f”? 22 t’f‘jt‘e ts ago claiming his phones were tapped at tower tapped at - tower by the obama tapped at - he >wer by the obama tapped at - he is er by the obama tapped at - he is the y the obama tapped at - he is the y the lto ima 5333151151; 2221221212751; 22g22212ie2 he 52215272152; that 22g22212ie2 he 2 1he le1e7511e that there is absolutely say that there is absolutely no evidence of that. he also referred an investigation by the intelligence community in january which came out and concluded that russia did indeed . e e which came out and concluded that russia did indeed with — — — which came out and concluded that russia did indeed with the — russia did indeed interfere with the 2016 election. he said that there was a lot of- he said hated hillary so hm that he putin, hated hillafysor’nirchthathe ' '

wa nt putin, hated hillafysor’nirchthathe ' ' want her to putin, hated hillafysor’nirchthathe ' ' want herto win, putin, hated hillafysor’nirchthathe ' ' want her to win, clearly, and didn't want her to win, clearly, and would therefore want to help president trump win. - was president trump win. that was the other side of that coin. president trump win. that was the other side said at coin. g president trump win. that was the other side said that n. g president trump win. that was the other side said that is not% president trump win. that was the other side said that is not the g repeatedlyesaid that his hetethe= case. we repeatedlyesaid that his fietethe= case. we have today president trump and the white house repeatedly case. we have today president trump and th anyiite house repeatedly case. we have today president trump and th any allegations epeatedly case. we have today president trump and th any allegations of eatedly case. we have today president trump and th any allegations of collusion calling any allegations of collusion "fake news". calling any allegations of collusion " fa ke news". but calling any allegations of collusion "fake news". but this is persisting persist for many months and will gersistfot mang monthsfi‘ , to - sean spicer will gersistfot mang monthsfi‘ , for l to - sean spicer will gersistfot mang monthsfi‘ , for the - sean spicer will gersistfot mang monthsfi‘ , for the president an spicer will gersistfot mang monthsfi‘ , for the president says iicer possible collusion investigating possible collusion and having proof of it are two different things. the president tweets there is no evidence that potus colluded with russia. maybe not mr trump but some in h? with russia. maybe not mr trump but s . we . with russia. maybe not mr trump but some in h? campaign, surragates! with russia. maybe not mr trump but some in hh campaign, surrogates for some in his campaign, surrogates for him, we have him, maybe did. do we have any information on how the fbi i going information on how the fbi is going to investigate this further? who they may be investigating and for how long? that's true. there is no specific evidence at all at the

moment that james coney talked about as specifics in who could be involved in this. —— comey. his a nswer involved in this. —— comey. his answer was no comment, no comment, no comment. but is something that will happen behind closed doors. 0ne question that is being asked is why russia did this and how it did this. those are the questions that will be addressed by the committees and also in this fbi investigation. 0ne addressed by the committees and also in this fbi investigation. one thing in thie'fee meefiaenfifi 222222 ' james comey said was that they that james comey said was that they weren't quite about this. russia allegedly wanted the us and the world to know that they were doing it. they used the phrase they were allowed about it. this is something it. they used the phrase they were allowed undermined; is something it. they used the phrase they were allowed undermined us something it. they used the phrase they were allowed undermined us democracy and that has undermined us democracy and caused comey and it

that has undermined us democracy and cau: that comey and it that has undermined us democracy and cau: that that - comey and it that has undermined us democracy and cau: that that interfered zomey and it that has undermined us democracy and cau: that that interfered with y and it that has undermined us democracy and cau: that that interfered with the d it was that that interfered with, the was that that interfered with the it wasn't the was that that interfered with the it wasn't - the number votes tallied i and being of votes talliedjjpandebeing~= interfered - changed, this is interfered with changed, this is about how the russians could have influenced the in about how the russians could have influenced the - in other influenced the election in other ways and thee 2' influenced the election in other ways and thee were influenced the election in other ways and - thee were working people in trump's campaign. with people in trump's campaign. this investigation will be looking very closely into the ousted south korean president park guen—hye is appearing before prosecutors for questioning over the corruption scandal that led we can see supporters of the ousted president to bear. steve evans joins us live now from seoul. can you bring us up—to—date with the

latest and some of the background to latesteand som eofthebaeisgzound to1| this? she is the first democratically elected president to actually be ousted while in office but every single democratically elected president has been caught up in corruption allegations. 0ne committed suicide as the prosecutors are circled. she is in that building to the prosecutors and there talking to the prosecutors and there are basically 13 allegations. they range from the very serious about she brokered a multimillion dollar deal to give money to her best friend in return for government is: she friend in return for government 25212222211, she desires that and so influence. she desires that and so do the companies. the allegations go right down the she let do the companies. the allegations go right down the - she let her best friend, for example, - too best friend, for example, have too much influence, that she was behind much influence,'that she was hehindi black list of artists who were a black list of artists who were the government. a whole

antie the government. a whole range h allegations. there are 30 people et’ettegettenez there’a’re’ee eeeetei her already formally et’ettegettenez there’a’re’ee eeeetei trials |lready formally m et’ettegettenez there’a’re’ee eeeetei trials currently 'mally m et’ettegettenez there’a’re’ee eeeetei trials currently orally m et’ettegettenez there’a’re’ee eeeetei trials currently or upcoming. g facing trials currently or upcoming. the question will be will the person at the centre of the allegations be arrested and - on trial and maybe be bars maybe be - bars during that 0r she or-she be or. she be allowed to go trial? or will she be allowed toge she trial? or will she be allowed togo she for the first time is free? she for the first time is questions and those answering questions and those questions will be about particular say it with the head meetings, say it with the head of samsung. the danger is - her might they subordinates might saythatthey just obeying orders. there may werejust obeying orders. there may bea werejust obeying orders. there may be a situation where everybody is pointing at everybody else in a kind of circular firing squad. steve, we will be back to you as that session comes to an end. thank you very much

for that. the five main candidates part in the first of three televised debates. there were clashes over religion and money. here's our paris correspondent, lucy williamson. the colours were sober, and the entrance is low—key — but make no mistake, this arena was designed for a fight, the circular set calculated to encourage a real debate between the five political heavyweights fighting for france's top job. it worked. the election's two leading contenders, far—right leader marine le pen, and herfirst—tirne centriste. . ”a o ,. e. -- rival. unsurprising, perhaps, they differ on almost everything, of minorities in france. translation: a few years ago there were no bikinis on the beach. and i know you're for them, mr macron. —— burkinis.

it is a trap to turn the burkini into a big debate at about secularism. and that's the trap you're falling into mme le pen. it's to divide the country, and turn the 4 million muslims living in our country into enemies of the republic. francois fillon was, for once, not the centre of attention. after weeks of media focus on his financial scandals, he may have been hoping for a presidential kind of reserve. but after all the surprises in the selection, it's not clear that's the kind of president france wants any more. in other news: devices from cabin baggage on flights from eight middle eastern and north african countries. the move includes laptops, tablets, cameras and electronic games — and will—affect nine aianes-l us media reports thatt‘tre—order- the iraqi prime minister, in iraq.

after meeting mr trump, 'tnan'mspreueeessoe i165; 7, fee" '2' stay with us on bbc on nigeria's struggle to regain control and how boko haram has put hundreds of thousands at risk in the country's northeast. whee ere reee 212222 wehg the trophy itself was on the pedestal in the middle of the cabinet here.

above all this was a triumph for the christian democrats this is bbc news. i'm mike embley. the latest headlines: the fbi director, james comey, alleged russ’angovernment qt'etee‘i cafe-tie legs—eye e—eeieieet ———— — ————— ——r the un says hundreds of thousands oontinuesanotfensive

food shortages have forced many to flee their homes and farms boko haram gained notoriety in 2014 with the kidnap of 292 girls from their school in chibok but since then it has has been been largely destroyed of fightingrand'he'sent'this —repor—t;—= farmers fields in north—east nigeria, known to you crops but nigeria. known'to'gou'crogs but= they're now just dusty nigeria. known'to'gou'crogs but= they're nowjust dusty brown pjty. they're now 'ust dusty brown because farmers for years patches because farmers for years had been to till patches because farmers for years had been - to till the land due had been unable to till the land due to conflict. and on the ground in the town of bama, bullet ridden buildings, homes ransacked - lives

buildings, homes ransacked and lives destroyed. this city used to have a population of close to 300,000 people, now you walk down the main street here and there is nothing but rubble, it's a ghost town, a shell, emptied of. residents had to emptied of life. residents had to flee the islamist group boko haram. now the grounds grounds of a derelict hospital many gall home. i derelict hospital many call home. i sure ali escaped the bloodletting, she's 1a. sure ali escaped the bloodletting, she's 14. translation: sure ali escaped the bloodletting, she's14. translation: theyjust sure ali escaped the bloodletting, she's 14. translation: theyjust are to she's14. translation: theyjust are to killing people algd burning - she's14. translation: theyjust are to killing people algd burning houses to killing peopleand—burningboast-752} so we hid. they said we will be saved, don't be afraid. but when they found us, they cut my father and they killed him. exiles in their own country, the rituals of life but so rituals of life continued. but so many people are paying the price for the twisted ideology of a few, nigeria's cams for those displaced

the fighting are struggling. this by the fighting are struggling. this one houses 11,000 people and was so overcrowded with malnourished new arrivals a few months ago there wasn't enough food. more than 1000 died. nevertheless, hundreds are arriving at camps like this every day as the nigerian military continues to push boko haram and back, liberating villages. a mother who had walked with ‘hee children who had walked with three children from 10pm one evening and it took her until 9am to reach the bama centres, it's her until 9am to reach the bama centres, its estimated there could be 500,000-800,000 centres, its estimated there could be 500,000—800,000 people trapped in there with no access, left to their there with no assess, left to thele 2 —r — 2— — 22— fate. what's needed is more international help and crucially farmers being help and erueially farmerehemg to tell their land. but boko able to tell their land. but boko haram is still out there and farmers asked. the chances of a decent harvest this year are zero —— asked. planting season begins in less than

weeks or. the town of bama is two weeks or. the town of 13an 'g'__ rebuilt after the being rebuilt after the wanton destruction of but destruction of boko haram. but this holds memories for who fled for their lives. those who fled fortheirlives. ,, , ., . mohammed is 15. farmata mohammed is 15. translation: i have no methec. farmata mohammed is 15. translation: i have no meihfi i have farmata mohammed is 15. translation: i have no meihg i have no father. i have nemetherrlhavefla fatheie have i have na'motberrlhaveba fatbee have nowhere to i have nemetberrlhaveba fatbee have nowhere to live. i'll myrie, bbc news in clive myrie, bbc news in bama, northern nigeria. imnorte oue' ellegetioee—ebetefi— isa is a country reed is a country read of its beef but lately that confidence has been shaken. health inspectors here

since checks on since - checks on meat in since buying—ebeehs on meat—and at in since buying—ebechs on meat—and at supermarkets. a w police 3.53, -.- ”’ w country'se 3.53, -.- ”’ w country's largest 3.53, w ..- w country's largest meatpacking ; the country's largest meatpacking have been selling conglomerates have been selling 5.22212 conglomerates have been selling 27g: 2352 produce four years. they've unsafe produce four years. they've been accused of using chemicals e55; illuiii li ”5-2; £eiz-lilil . l. .. .l. . . . the legal limits to mask aspects of rotten meat. unpleasant aspects of rotten meat. and i bribing unpleasant aspects of rotten meat. and ‘ bribing to and of bribing officials to have u nsafe and of bribing officials to have unsafe products - off, the company 1315 denied the allegations. company has denied the allegations. but the have begun to but the allegations have begun to hurtan but the allegations have begun to hurt an industry that sells over $12 but the allegations have begun to hurt a of |dustry that sells over $12 but the allegations have begun to hurt a of meat 1 that sells over $12 but the allegations have begun to hurt a of meat a :hat sells over $12 but the allegations have begun to hurt a of meat a year. alls over $12 but the allegations have begun to hurt a of meat a year. following 12 billion of meat a gear. following e scandal the chinese the scandal the chinese government! it will not allow meat from said it wrtbnatattanrmeatfcfl to said it wrtbnatattanrmaatfcfl to be sold there before it brazil to be sold there before it, . . more about the