BBC news.

The eleven candidates standing for the French presidency are taking part in the final set-piece televised encounter of the campaign. They are sharing a stage but to be interviewed one by one as they seek to win over the electorate at the Sunday's first round of voting. First before the cameras was the hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon.

Details are just coming in that two policemen are reported to be shot in central Paris. The authorities have ordered the evacuation of areas close to the Champs-Elysees.

State media in Iran say the former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been disqualified from standing in next month’s presidential election. Only six people have been approved by the Guardian council, the clerical body which vets candidates.

Riot police in the Venezuela’s capital Caracas has fired tear gas at opposition demonstrators taking part in the second day of protests against the government of Nicolas Maduro and made serious economic crisis. Three people were killed during marches on Wednesday.

President Trump has ordered an inquiry into the mount of Chinese and other foreign-made steel imported into the United States, and whether that volume was a threat to national security. The US commerce secretary has said a quarter of all steel used in the American market was produced in China.

The Supreme Court in Moscow has banned the Russia branch of Jehovah's witnesses after deeming the Christian group an extremist organization. Russia’s Justice Ministry says it’s conflict inside hatred. Jehovah's witnesses reject the assertions.

Two separate models of flying cars have been unveiled at a luxury good show in Monaco. The first is 6 meters in length with retractable wings. It is made by a Slovakian company and will cost more than 1 million euros. The second is made in the Netherlands under the sale price of less than half a million euros.

BBC news.