Thousands of people were evacuated from the center of the east German city of Dresden on Wednesday, as authorities there prepared to defuse a World War II bomb.

Germany's Defence Ministry denied on Wednesday that German special forces were in northern Syria and said repeated claims by the Syrian government to this effect were not and had never been true.

The Syrian government said on Wednesday that German special forces were present, alongside French and American military personnel, in northern Syria, an accusation denied by Germany.