New figures from France’s national statistics office show that the budget deficit, public debt and public spending all exceeded government forecasts in 2013. French ministers have hailed the reduction in the deficit since 2011 as a triumph, but the news is likely to make difficult reading for President François Hollande, who has to cut €50 billion in public spending by 2017. Also today: Apple and Samsung are heading back to court in their long-running patent battle.
