Brazil's jailed former leader Lula ends bid

CURITIBA, Brazil - Brazil's most popular politician, imprisoned former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, on Tuesday ended his legal battle to run for the top office in next month's election.

Residents flee as 'monster' Hurricane Florence takes aim at eastern US

WILMINGTON, North Carolina - Coastal residents fleeing a potentially devastating blow from Hurricane Florence encountered empty gasoline pumps and depleted store shelves as the monster storm neared the Carolina coast with 225 km/h winds and drenching rain that could last for days.

UN calls for prevention of full-scale attack on Idlib

UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that it is "absolutely essential" to avoid a full-scale attack on Syria's Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in the country.

EU set to beef up security on borders

The European Union will send an extra 10,000 border guards to its external boundaries in an attempt to stem the tide of illegal immigration, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in his annual state of the union address in Strasbourg, France, on Wednesday.

Putin offers peace treaty with Japan

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia - Russian President Vladimir Putin turned to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on a conference stage on Wednesday and offered to sign a peace deal to end a decades-old territorial dispute by the end of the year.

China, Vietnam vow to enhance cooperation

HANOI - China and Vietnam have promised to further promote their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Forum opens with emphasis on youth

HANOI - Common objectives and challenges for member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and how the region can forge ahead through the fourth industrial revolution dominated the discussion on the first day of World Economic Forum on ASEAN 2018.

IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Top legislator meets DPRK top leader

PYONGYANG - Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, met China's top legislator Li Zhanshu again on Monday and hosted a special arts performance and a grand reception for the visiting delegation.

Trump receives Kim letter for new summit

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Monday that US President Donald Trump received a "very warm, very positive" letter from Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, asking for a second meeting, and the White House is looking at scheduling one.

President set to mark 17 years since Sept 11

WASHINGTON - Seventeen years after the devastating Sept 11 attacks, US President Donald Trump headed to Pennsylvania on Tuesday to pay tribute, as his predecessors have done, to the men and women who died aboard hijacked Flight 93.

Millions braced as Hurricane Florence looms

RALEIGH, North Carolina - With mandatory evacuations already issued for parts of three East Coast states, millions of US citizens are preparing for what could become one of the most catastrophic hurricanes to hit the Eastern Seaboard in more than 60 years.