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  • Beijing (AFP) - 04/06/2018 - 07:14

    China ready to pay "any cost" in trade war: Ministry of Commerce

  • Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - 04/06/2018 - 06:21

    Malaysian PM announces dissolution of parliament for election

  • Caracas (AFP) - 04/06/2018 - 03:10

    Venezuela suspends flights by Panama's Copa for three months

  • Tokyo (AFP) - 04/06/2018 - 03:02

    Japanese studio confirms death of anime master Isao Takahata

  • Panama City (AFP) - 04/06/2018 - 02:01

    Panama orders Venezuela ambassador out, recalls own envoy from Caracas

  • Seoul (AFP) - 04/06/2018 - 01:52

    Samsung Electronics flags record $14.7 billion Q1 operating profit

  • Bamako (AFP) - 04/06/2018 - 01:45

    Two peacekeepers dead, 10 wounded in Mali attack: UN

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/06/2018 - 01:21

    White House calls on Gaza demos to avoid border

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/06/2018 - 01:00

    Trump eyes $100 billion of additional tariffs on China: White House

  • Caracas (AFP) - 04/06/2018 - 00:25

    Venezuela risks deeper isolation by suspending ties with Panama airline

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/06/2018 - 00:23

    Trump to host Qatari Emir in bid to end Gulf crisis: WH

  • Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 23:23

    Brazil judge issues warrant to imprison ex-president Lula

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 23:13

    Trump says he did not know about payment to porn star

  • Mexico City (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 23:07

    'Threats, lack of respect' unjustified, Mexican president tells Trump

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 22:57

    Trump vows to send 2,000 to 4,000 troops to Mexican border

  • Berlin (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 19:24

    German court refuses to extradite Catalonia's Puigdemont: official

  • Geneva (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 18:16

    China launches WTO challenge against US intellectual property tariffs

  • Rome (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 17:54

    Italy president says no govt accord, new talks next week

  • Istanbul (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 17:01

    Major fire at Istanbul hospital, patients evacuated: TV

  • Ottawa (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 16:09

    Trudeau sees high chance of NAFTA deal with US, Mexico

  • Petrozavodsk (Russia) (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 16:07

    Russian historian cleared of child porn charges

  • London (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 15:13

    Poisoned Russian spy's daughter says growing stronger 'daily': statement

  • Madrid (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 14:40

    Spain judge frees HSBC leaker Falciani on bail: judicial source

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 14:39

    US trade deficit rises despite record American exports

  • Istanbul (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 14:35

    Four staff dead in Turkish university shooting: reports

  • Jerusalem (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 12:07

    Israel says open-fire rules for Gaza unchanged for new protests

  • Paris (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 12:07

    French, Malian troops kill 30 jihadists: French military

  • Freetown (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 11:46

    Challenger Bio wins S. Leone presidential vote: election watchdog

  • Paris (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 10:54

    Saudi crown prince on official visit to France next week: French presidency

  • Jodhpur (India) (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 10:53

    Court jails Bollywood star Khan for five years

  • Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 10:30

    Palestinian killed by Israeli air strike on Gaza border: ministry

  • Moscow (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 09:24

    UK can't ignore 'legitimate questions' over spy poisoning: Moscow

  • Jodhpur (India) (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 08:49

    Bollywood superstar Salman Khan convicted of killing rare antelopes

  • Moscow (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 05:43

    Expelled diplomats leave US embassy in Moscow: AFP

  • Brasília (AFP) - 04/05/2018 - 05:31

    Brazil Supreme Court rejects Lula's bid to delay prison

  • San Francisco (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 23:15

    Zuckerberg says he is right person to lead Facebook despite 'mistakes'

  • New York (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 22:06

    US stocks jump as investors reassess trade war risk, Dow +1.0%

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 21:28

    Trump orders National Guard to Mexican border: official

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 20:56

    Data on 'up to 87 million' Facebook users shared with UK firm

  • The Hague (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 19:48

    Russia says OPCW voted down joint poisoning probe bid

  • Madrid (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 19:27

    HSBC leaker Herve Falciani detained in Spain: police

  • Brasília (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 19:12

    Brazil Supreme Court opens session on Lula bid to delay prison

  • United Nations (United States) (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 18:46

    Russia requests Security Council meeting on spy poisoning

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 17:32

    Syria mission coming to 'rapid end' but not over yet: WHouse 

  • Matías Romero (Mexico) (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 17:22

    Migrant caravan abandons plan to travel to US border

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 15:53

    One year on, West vows Assad will pay for sarin attack

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 15:39

    Decision made on Syria pullout, announcement soon: US intel chief

  • New York (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 15:36

    US stocks open sharply lower on trade war fears

  • Ankara (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 15:32

    Putin urges 'common sense' to prevail in row over poisoned spy

  • Ankara (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 15:13

    Turkey, Russia and Iran urge 'lasting ceasefire' in Syria

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 14:47

    Facebook CEO Zuckerberg to testify before Congress April 11: panel

  • Brussels (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 13:26

    France to extend internal EU border checks: EU Commission

  • Manama (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 13:21

    Bahrain announces discovery of 80 bn barrels of oil

  • Ankara (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 12:34

    Iran, Russia, Turkey leaders begin summit on Syria

  • The Hague (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 11:49

    Britain slams 'perverse' Russian plan for joint poisoning probe

  • Douala (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 11:20

    12 European hostages freed in troubled anglophone Cameroon

  • Brussels (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 11:07

    Eurozone unemployment falls to 8.5% in February

  • Beijing (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 10:10

    China to hit US soybeans, cars, planes with retaliatory tariffs

  • Moscow (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 09:52

    Russia says spy poisoning 'grotesque provocation' by UK, US

  • Moscow (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 09:52

    Russia intel chief warns against 'new' Cuban Missile Crisis

  • Beijing (AFP) - 04/04/2018 - 01:23

    China says ready to retaliate to US tariff plan: Xinhua

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 23:20

    US identifies $50 bn in Chinese imports facing tariffs

  • San Francisco (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 22:44

    Police confirm 'active shooter' at YouTube offices

  • San Francisco (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 22:32

    Police probe possible shooting at YouTube's California offices

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 20:20

    Trump says he wants US troops 'out' of Syria

  • Ankara (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 20:13

    Russia, Turkey agree to speed up delivery of S-400s: Putin

  • Ankara (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 20:06

    Putin hopes arms watchdog meeting to put 'full stop' on spy case

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 19:07

    Trump claims 'nobody's been tougher' on Russia than him

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 19:01

    Trump vows to deploy military to Mexican border

  • New York (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 18:56

    Spotify valued at $29.5 billion in stock debut

  • United Nations (United States) (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 18:27

    One peacekeeper killed, 11 wounded in C. Africa attack: UN

  • London (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 18:15

    UK accuses Russia of using arms watchdog meeting as 'diversionary tactic'

  • London (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 17:27

    UK scientists unable to prove nerve agent was Russian-made: reports

  • Paris (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 17:22

    France's SNCF warns of major rail strike disruption on Wednesday 

  • London (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 17:16

    Britain's Prince Philip, 96, admitted to hospital for hip surgery: official

  • Brussels (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 16:31

    Half of European flights face delays after computer failure: Eurocontrol

  • Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 16:15

    Palestinian shot dead by Israeli forces on Gaza border: ministry

  • Ankara (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 16:05

    Putin, Erdogan launch construction of Turkey's first nuclear power plant

  • The Hague (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 15:59

    Malian jihadist in court for war crimes on Wednesday

  • The Hague (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 14:14

    OPCW to meet over Britain-Russia spy poisoning case

  • Geneva (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 12:44

    UN urges Israel to 'reconsider' cancellation of African migrant deal

  • Jerusalem (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 11:58

    Israel cancelling deal with UN on African migrants: Netanyahu

  • Berlin (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 10:36

    German prosecutor requests Puigdemont extradition to Spain

  • Kunduz (Afghanistan) (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 10:18

    UN probes reports of 'serious harm to civilians' in Afghan airstrike

  • Beijing (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 10:08

    N.Korea foreign minister visits Beijing to meet counterpart

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/03/2018 - 05:51

    Powerful 6.8 quake strikes Bolivia: USGS

  • Jerusalem (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 22:22

    Netanyahu suspends deal for African migrants

  • New York (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 22:04

    US stocks end sharply lower on tech, trade worries; Nasdaq: -2.7%

  • New York (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 20:10

    US stock selloff deepens, Dow -3.0%; Nasdaq -3.4%

  • Berlin (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 19:15

    Four Russian envoys expelled from Germany back in Moscow: Russian embassy

  • Johannesburg (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 19:14

    Ramaphosa remembers Winnie Mandela as 'voice of defiance'

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 18:40

    US keen to work with Egypt's re-elected Sisi: official

  • Johannesburg (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 17:16

    Tutu says Winnie Mandela was 'a defining symbol' of anti-apartheid struggle

  • Johannesburg (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 16:19

    Nelson Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Mandela dies at 81

  • Jerusalem (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 16:15

    Migrants in Israel to resettle in Canada, Germany, Italy: Netanyahu

  • Cairo (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 15:46

    Sisi wins Egypt election with 97 percent of valid votes: official

  • Kunduz (Afghanistan) (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 15:19

    Civilian casualties in Afghan airstrike on madrassa: witnesses

  • Moscow (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 15:12

    Trump proposed White House summit last month to Putin: Kremlin

  • Baghdad (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 14:40

    Iraq condemns 6 Turkish women to death for IS membership: judiciary

  • Washington (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 14:28

    Trump, Japan's Abe to meet in US April on North Korea: White House

  • Jerusalem (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 14:00

    Israel cancels controversial plan to deport African migrants

  • Aden (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 13:28

    Air raid kills 16 near Yemen port of Hodeida: security sources

  • Moscow (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 13:00

    Lavrov says spy poisoning could be 'in interests' of UK govt

  • Damascus (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 11:46

    Rebels begin evacuating from last opposition pocket of Syria's Ghouta: state media

  • Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 10:00

    18 killed in Boko Haram attack in Nigeria: emergency services

  • Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 09:48

    Gaza toll rises to 17 after Palestinian dies of wounds: ministry

  • San José (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 04:27

    Ruling party candidate Carlos Alvarado elected Costa Rica's next president

  • Beijing (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 03:13

    China says space lab breaks up over South Pacific

  • Beijing (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 02:58

    China says space lab's re-entry imminent, off Sao Paulo

  • San José (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 02:09

    Polls close in polarizing Costa Rica presidential election

  • Tokyo (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 02:00

    Japan business confidence slips in March survey: BoJ

  • Beijing (AFP) - 04/02/2018 - 01:22

    China slaps retaliatory tariffs on 128 US imports

  • Guatemala City (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 19:35

    Former Guatemala dictator Rios Montt, accused of genocide, has died: family

  • Madrid (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 19:35

    Four migrants found dead off Spain, others missing: rescuers

  • Coatzacoalcos (Mexico) (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 17:39

    Seven police killed in Mexico prison riot: officials

  • Seoul (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 15:28

    N. Korean leader Kim attends S. Korean concert in Pyongyang: Yonhap

  • Ankara (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 14:53

    Erdogan calls Netanyahu 'terrorist' over Gaza deaths

  • San José (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 14:11

    Voting starts in divisive Costa Rica presidential election

  • Vatican City (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 12:24

    Pope encourages 'fruits of dialogue' on Korean Peninsula

  • Vatican City (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 12:19

    Pope urges Middle East 'reconcilation' in Easter message

  • Vatican City (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 12:19

    Pope calls for end to 'carnage' in Syria in Easter message

  • Beirut (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 11:18

    'Final' evacuation deal reached for Ghouta's Douma: monitor

  • Moscow (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 10:01

    Plane carrying Russian diplomats expelled from US lands in Moscow

  • Beirut (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 09:10

    Deal to evacuate hundreds of civilians from Syria's Douma: monitor

  • Moscow (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 07:55

    Russian governor resigns over huge mall fire: statement

  • The Hague (AFP) - 04/01/2018 - 00:04

    Malian jihadist handed over to ICC on war crimes charges

  • Jerusalem (AFP) - 03/31/2018 - 19:46

    Netanyahu praises Israeli troops after Gaza border clashes

  • Damascus (AFP) - 03/31/2018 - 17:40

    Syria's army vows to finish off last Ghouta rebels

  • Damascus (AFP) - 03/31/2018 - 16:56

    Penultimate pocket of Syria's Ghouta 'empty' of rebels: state media

  • Moscow (AFP) - 03/31/2018 - 11:46

    Russia says Britain must recall more than 50 diplomats

  • Mingora (Pakistan) (AFP) - 03/31/2018 - 08:15

    Malala lands in Swat, Pakistani district where she was shot: AFP

  • United Nations (United States) (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 21:37

    UN Security Council to meet Friday on Gaza violence: diplomat

  • United Nations (United States) (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 21:18

    UN blacklists dozens of ships, businesses over N. Korea smuggling: diplomat

  • Paris (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 20:08

    Russia expels 4 French diplomats in spy dispute, Paris says

  • Paris (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 19:59

    French court charges Pippa Middleton's father-in-law with rape of minor: legal source

  • Jerusalem (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 18:39

    Israel strikes three Hamas sites in Gaza: army

  • London (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 18:12

    Member of UK armed forces embedded with US killed in Syria: ministry

  • Berlin (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 16:27

    Russia expels 4 German diplomats in spy dispute, Berlin says

  • Washington (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 15:53

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  • Moscow (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 14:23

    Russia gives Britain one month to reduce diplomats

  • Dakar (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 14:15

    Senior Senegal politician Khalifa Sall gets 5 years jail for fraud

  • Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 13:54

    Death toll on Gaza-Israel border rises to five: ministry

  • Moscow (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 13:43

    Russia expels two Dutch diplomats over spy poisoning: Dutch envoy to TASS

  • Moscow (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 13:23

    Russia summons European envoys over spy poisoning: AFP

  • Beirut (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 12:41

    Syria rebels deny any deal reached with Russia for Douma

  • Moscow (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 12:26

    Russia says deal reached on armed groups leaving E. Ghouta town

  • Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 12:23

    Gazan killed by Israeli fire during border clash: ministry

  • Moscow (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 11:43

    Kremlin says Russia did not initiate 'any diplomatic war'

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    France says not planning unilateral Syria operation

  • Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 11:09

    Thousands of Gazans march near Israel border in major protest

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    US military says two coalition personnel killed, five wounded in Syria 

  • Istanbul (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 09:06

    Turkey rejects France offer for mediation with Syrian Kurdish force: Erdogan spokesman

  • Ankara (AFP) - 03/30/2018 - 08:47

    17 dead as bus with illegal migrants crashes in Turkey: media

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Brazil's Lula given 24 hours to start prison sentence

AFP/File / Miguel SCHINCARIOL Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is ahead in the polls as he seeks a third term as Brazil's president, suffered a blow as the Supreme Court refused to delay a prison sentence for corruption

Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, frontrunner in Brazil's October presidential elections, was given 24 hours Thursday to surrender to police and start a 12-year prison sentence for corruption.

The timing of the order from Judge Sergio Moro, head of Brazil's huge "Car Wash" anti-graft probe, took Lula's lawyers by complete surprise. They had been expecting to use legal maneuvers to delay the start of prison at least until next week.

In his first public reaction, Lula, who was once among the planet's most popular politicians, called the abrupt order "absurd," CBN radio reported.

Lula, 72, easily leads polls in Brazil's presidential race and his apparent downfall will throw the contest completely open. Currently, hard-right former army officer Jair Bolsonaro, who openly praises Brazil's 1964-1985 dictatorship, is in second place.

Moro's order said that in view of Lula's stature as a former president, he would have "the opportunity to present himself voluntarily" to police in the city of Curitiba, where the "Car Wash" probe is based, by 5:00 pm (2000 GMT) Friday.

A special cell "was prepared in advance... in which the ex-president will be separated from other prisoners, with no risk for his moral or physical integrity," Moro wrote.

Lula posted a video on Facebook of himself waving from a window to cheering supporters in the street. It was not clear if he would be making any public address.

At the metal workers union offices in Lula's hometown Sao Bernardo do Campo, a suburb of Sao Paulo, Lula backers were furious.

Reflecting leftists' hostility to what they say is a right-leaning media in Brazil, some attacked journalists at the metal workers' offices with eggs and ice cubes, an AFP photographer said.

In the capital Brasilia, a car carrying journalists from Correio Braziliense had its windows broken in an attack by a mob outside a trade union headquarters, the newspaper said.

Senator Lindbergh Farias, from Lula's Workers' Party, called for supporters to flock to the embattled leader on Friday. "Moro ordered prison for Lula. Everyone to Sao Bernardo tomorrow from 5:00 am in front of Lula's house!" he tweeted.

- Court ruling -

Lula was convicted last year of receiving a seaside apartment as a bribe from a construction company. A lower court appeal failed this January.

On Wednesday, Lula petitioned to the Supreme Court to be allowed to remain free while pursuing appeals in higher courts. But the Supreme Court judges ruled 6-5 in a marathon session that under the law, Lula must begin his sentence after having lost that first appeal.

Brazil's left sees Lula's imminent imprisonment as a plot to prevent the Workers' Party from returning to power. Party leader Gleisi Hoffmann said the Supreme Court's failure to protect Lula violated "constitutional law and the presumption of innocence" and made Brazil "look like a little banana republic."

However, there were celebrations on the right and among prosecutors supporting the epic "Car Wash" probe, which has revealed high-level corruption throughout Brazilian business and politics over the last four years.

To them, Lula epitomizes Brazil's corruption-riddled elite. His conviction is "Car Wash's" biggest scalp by far.

Operation "Car Wash" was named after the service station where agents initially investigated a minor money laundering scheme in 2014, before realizing that they'd stumbled on a gargantuan web of embezzlement and bribery at state oil company Petrobras and right through the political classes.

- Campaign from behind bars? -

Lula, who grew up poor and with little formal education before becoming a trade union leader and politician, says he will go down fighting. When he left office after serving two terms in 2011, he had some of the highest approval ratings of any leader in the world.

Analysts say that his election hopes have now been dealt a body blow. But he is not necessarily knocked out.

In theory, once someone has been convicted and lost their lower court appeal, they are barred from running for office under Brazil's clean slate law. But the issue will not be decided for months.

Lula has until mid-August to register his candidacy and only after that will the Superior Electoral Tribunal rule on whether his candidacy is valid.

Even if he were barred, as seems likely, he would have an opportunity during that period to exercise influence on his followers, possibly preparing the way for a replacement candidate.

In the latest election polling, Lula scores more than 30 percent, with his nearest rivals in a crowded field, including Bolsonaro, getting only around half that.

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