Mobile phone giant Vodafone has agreed a cable deal with Telefonica in Germany to help ease competition concerns over its takeover of large parts of Liberty Global in Europe.

Germany’s auction of spectrum for 5G mobile networks drew brisk initial bidding with prospective new entrant 1&1 Drillisch submitting bold offers for the frequencies it covets.

Pope Francis, who earlier this year was reported - falsely - to have endorsed Donald Trump for US president, has warned about the dangers of fake news.