Wyclef Jean 'will run for presidency'

The former head of Haiti's Chamber of Deputies says the singer Wyclef Jean is about to announce his candidacy for president of a nation struggling to recover from the 12 January earthquake. Pierre Eric Jean-Jacques told the Associated Press that the hip-hop artist will run as part of his coalition in the November election. Cindy Tanenbaum, spokeswoman for Jean, declined to confirm the report. She said the singer would make an announcement tomorrow night but declined to say what it would be. Rumours have swirled for months that Jean would run. The singer has always been careful not to rule out a run for the president and recorded a song "If I was President".

The 37-year-old was born near Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, but grew up in Brooklyn, New York.