French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian today left for New Delhi where he is expected to sign a long-delayed deal to sell 36 Dassault fighter jets to India.
	Dassault CEO Eric Trappier was part of Le Drian's delegation, an AFP reporter accompanying the minister on the flight said.
	Paris has stopped short of confirming the deal approved yesterday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet committee on security, with government spokesman Stephane Le Foll saying France was waiting for "things to be said officially".
	But a senior Indian defence ministry official said that Le Drian and his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar would sign the accord tomorrow.
	The long-delayed deal is the biggest order for the Rafale after Egypt and Qatar each ordered 24 of the jets last year.
	India entered exclusive negotiations four years ago on buying 126 Rafale jets, but the number of planes was drastically scaled back in tortuous negotiations over the cost and assembly of the planes in ...

iFrench defence minister heads to India over jet deal

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Brazilian police today arrested Guido Mantega, a former finance minister under presidents Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff, as part of the investigation into the vast Petrobras corruption scheme, media reported.
	Mantega, who was an important figure in the leftist Workers' Party, was arrested at a Sao Paulo hospital where his wife had undergone surgery, his lawyer Jose Roberto Batochio told the G1 online news outlet. The arrest also was reported by Folha group's UOL site.

'Ex-finance minister under Lula, Rousseff arrested in Brazil'

Two Belgian policemen were arrested after being found in a French border town with a vanload of migrants, officials said today, sparking a diplomatic incident.
	The police van carrying 13 migrants and the two policemen was stopped by French police in Nieppe, a town on the Belgian border, on Tuesday evening, after crossing from Belgium.
	The Belgian policemen were arrested and questioned before being released, an official source said.
	The policemen, from Ypres, said they had picked up the migrants after finding them walking along a road in Belgium.
	One of the officers, Georges Aeck, told Belgian broadcaster RTBF: "We didn't want to leave them... On the side of the road to walk to the border.
	"So we took them... In the direction they wanted to go."
	Belgium's ambassador to France, Vincent Mertens de Wilmars, was summoned today over the incident "so we can ask him for an explanation", the French interior ministry said.
	French authorities have already expressed "their strongest ...

Belgian police found with vanload of migrants in France

Egyptian prosecutors remanded four men in custody today on suspicion of people trafficking after a migrant boat capsize in which dozens are feared to have drowned, judicial and security officials said.
	The four suspects are accused of involuntary manslaughter and human trafficking, the officials said.
	At least 42 bodies have been recovered from the sea after the disaster off the Egyptian coast on Wednesday. Rescue teams saved 163 of those on board.
	The deadly accident comes months after the European Union's border agency Frontex warned that growing numbers of migrants bound for Europe were turning to Egypt as a departure point for the perilous sea voyage.
	Traffickers often use barely seaworthy vessels and overload them to extract the maximum money in fares for the crossing from desperate migrants.

Egypt holds 4 suspected traffickers over migrant boat capsize

Moroccan police have arrested four "dangerous" suspected jihadists linked to the Islamic State group who were planning attacks across the country, the government said today.
	Investigators apprehended an individual on Wednesday in the northern city of Meknes who had been "planning terrorist attacks in Morocco," according to a statement from the interior ministry.
	The suspect had "acquired vast experience in the manufacture of remote-detonated explosives" and was "about to procure essential materials to make" a bomb, it added.
	Last week three suspected extremists were arrested around Tangiers, in northern Morocco, reportedly in the process of preparing "extremely serious terrorist acts", the statement said.
	The head of the cell had allegedly been contacted by a Moroccan IS member and had planned to travel to join the jihadists in Iraq or Syria.
	Rabat says more than 150 "terrorist cells" have been uncovered since 2002, including dozens in the past three years with ties to jihadists .

Morocco detains four 'dangerous' IS suspects

A top EU lawyer today said Islamist movement Hamas and Sri Lankan rebel group LTTE should be taken off the bloc's terror list because procedural mistakes invalidated the decision to put them on it.
	The European Union imposed travel bans and asset freezes against Hamas and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam under 2001 rules. The groups subsequently contested being kept on the bloc's terrorist black list.
	The General Court, second to the European Court of Justice, found in their favour in 2014 on the grounds the EU had based its decision on publicly available information, not on a finding by a competent authority.
	The European Council of the 28 member states in turn appealed that finding.
	Advocate General Eleanor Sharpston of the ECJ said the EU "cannot rely on facts and evidence found in press articles and information from the internet, rather than in decisions of competent authorities, to support a decision to maintain a listing."
	Given that "some of the reasons advanced could .

Hamas, LTTE should be dropped from terror list: top EU lawyer

Israeli authorities have arrested at least 35 Palestinians over the last few days in raids following a spike in violence ahead of upcoming Jewish holidays, officials said today.
	The arrests have occurred in annexed east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank for reasons ranging from stolen property to suspicions of "terrorism."
	Israeli police carried out raids in Issawiya and the Shuafat refugee camp in east Jerusalem over the last two days, arresting 23 people, they said.
	"Police operations took place to locate and seize arms and weapons, finding suspects involved in terrorist activity, in riots and criminal activity," a statement said.
	Weapons and ammunition had been seized, it said.
	"As part of the police operation 23 suspects were arrested on suspicions of terrorism, rioting, possession of illegal weapons, drugs and stolen property," police said.
	Israel's military confirmed 12 Palestinians had been arrested overnight in various parts of the West Bank, including four accused of 

Israel arrests 35 Palestinians in raids after violence spikes

Taiwan's leading museum said today it will remove statues donated by actor Jackie Chan that were attacked by anti-China protesters late last year, as relations sour between the island and Beijing.
	The set of 12 zodiac animal sculptures sit in the garden of the National Palace Museum's southern branch and are copies of high-profile ancient relics from China's Qing Dynasty.
	They are seen on the mainland as emblematic of China's past suffering under foreign invaders. The originals of the statues were looted from Beijing's Old Summer Palace in 1860 by Anglo-French troops.
	Hong Kong actor Chan is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) -- China's mainland's political advisory body -- and has drawn criticism in the past for his pro-Beijing remarks.
	Two of the bronze statues were defaced with red paint and daubed with anti-China slogans last December, days after the museum branch opened in Chiayi county. The main branch is in the capital Taipei.
	The ...

Taiwan museum to remove statues after graffiti attacks

South African captain AB de Villiers, struggling to recover from a left elbow injury, will miss a one-off One-day International against Ireland in Benoni on Sunday.
     The world's number one-ranked ODI batsman is also in doubt for a five-match series against Australia, which starts in Centurion on September 30.
     Cricket South Africa announced today that De Villiers had been given "an extended period of rehabilitation" and his participation in the series against Australia would be subject to a fitness test.
     He suffered the injury in August and did not play in two Test matches against New Zealand later that month.
     Faf du Plessis, who captained the team against New Zealand, will again stand in as captain against Ireland.
     South African team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee said: "AB has been on a rigorous rehabilitation and treatment plan for the last six weeks but is still complaining of pain in the elbow region. We consulted with a specialist, who advised extensive ...

De Villiers to miss Ireland match

Taiwan's government has ordered a freeze on the opposition Kuomintang's bank account, officials said today, as part of an investigation into its allegedly ill-gotten political assets.
	The order comes as political tensions remain high on the deeply divided island after the Beijing-friendly KMT were ousted by a landslide in January elections.
	The new Beijing-sceptic Democratic Progressive Party government announced a probe into the assets of all parties in late July, but it is only the KMT that has faced questions.
	The KMT is thought to be one of the richest political parties in the world and registered total assets of Tw$18.96 billion (USD 600 million) by the end of last year, compared with Tw$478.72 million by the DPP.
	The party traces its wealth to its origins in pre-communist China - KMT forces fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to the Chinese communists on the mainland.
	It also inherited assets nationalised by the Japanese, who ruled Taiwan as a colony from ...

Taiwan opposition's bank account frozen in assets probe

The United States has warned of the risk of a terror attack in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep close to the Syrian border on businesses frequented by Westerners, including the popular coffee chain Starbucks.
	The US embassy in Ankara said in a message to citizens that there are reports of a police investigation into a "terror cell" in Gaziantep, which in August was hit by a deadly suicide bombing on a wedding blamed on Islamic State (IS) jihadists.
	It said the information suggests the jihadists are "possibly targeting" shopping centres, Starbucks, the popular upscale Turkish restaurant chain Big Chef or other businesses frequented by Western customers.
	"US citizens in Gaziantep are advised to exercise caution when patronising these sorts of businesses and to avoid them if possible," it said in the notice published late Wednesday.
	A major city lying just 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of the Syrian border, Gaziantep has become a hub for Syrians fleeing the civil war in their .

US warns of 'Starbucks attack risk' in south Turkey

Malaysia's government has been criticised over plans to redraw electoral boundaries ahead of possible snap polls, with the opposition accusing it of gerrymandering to keep embattled Prime Minister Najib Razak in power.
	The Election Commission, whose members are picked by the government, has said it intends to reorganise boundaries in 112 parliamentary seats -- about half the national total -- as well as 445 of the 576 state seats.
	Opposition lawmaker Tony Pua from the Democratic Action Party said the new boundaries are designed to ensure a win for Najib who is embroiled in a massive corruption scandal involving state investment fund 1MDB.
	"With Najib Razak's popularity at the lowest in the history of prime ministers, and a 1MDB scandal that just refuses to go away, Najib has to find the formula to win the elections," Pua said today.
	He said the rearrangement aims to bundle opposition- inclined voters into "super-constituencies" with more than 100,000 voters, while breaking up ...

Malaysia government accused of gerrymandering

Possible debris from missing passenger jet MH370 handed over by a US amateur investigator was not "exposed to heat or fire", Australian authorities said today, following speculation it was blackened by flames.
	The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which is coordinating the search for the Boeing 777 Malaysia Airlines plane that disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014 carrying 239 passengers and crew, added that it was not yet able to link the pieces to MH370.
	American Blaine Gibson brought the two recently recovered items from Madagascar to Australia to be forensically investigated by the ATSB on September 12 and told local media then that one piece appeared to show "some signs of melting... as you see when something is exposed to fire".
	But Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester said after an initial examination of the fibreglass-honeycomb composite debris that "what is known is that contrary to speculation there is no evidence the item was 

No evidence MH370 'debris' exposed to fire: Australia

A crocodile handler known as the "Barefoot Bushman" was seriously hurt after being mauled by a massive creature while feeding it at an Australian wildlife park today.
	Rob Bredl, 66, was bitten by the 4.5-metre (14-foot, nine- inch) crocodile at Bredl's Wild Farm in Bloomsbury on Queensland state's central coast, the local ambulance service said.
	He suffered a "severe laceration to his left hand and also some bite marks to his lower right leg", paramedic Heather Shields added.
	"(He was) extremely lucky," Shields said. "He said that it was a fully grown adult crocodile about 4.5 metres long so he is very lucky.
	"He said it happened on land. It was attempting to drag him to the water but he's got away before he was submerged at all."
	Shields said there were "a lot of bystanders and tourists present" and they helped to staunch the bleeding before paramedics arrived.
	Bredl was taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital in a serious but stable condition.
	A Bredl's Wild Farm spokeswoman 

'Barefoot Bushman' seriously hurt after Australia croc attack

Afghanistan was set today to sign a draft peace agreement with notorious warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, paving the way for his political return despite a history of war crimes and after years in hiding.
	Hekmatyar, who heads the now largely dormant Hezb-i-Islami militant group, is the latest in in a series of controversial figures that Kabul has sought to reintegrate in the post- Taliban era.
	The deal with Afghanistan's second-biggest militant group marks a symbolic victory for President Ashraf Ghani, who has struggled to revive peace talks with the more powerful Taliban.
	The government said an "initial draft agreement" would be signed on Thursday by Hekmatyar's delegation and Afghanistan's High Peace Council (HPC), responsible for reconciliation efforts with militants.
	"Fortunately, after two years of negotiations between the Afghanistan's High Peace Council and the Hizb-e-Islami, the peace negotiations have been successfully completed, and a (draft) agreement between both sides has 

Afghanistan set to sign peace deal with notorious warlord

China invested more money abroad last year than foreign firms piled into the country, data showed today, a first for the world's second largest economy as Beijing looks overseas as part of its drive to transform its economic growth model.
	Overseas direct investment soared more than 18 percent to an all-time high of over $145 billion last year, exceeding the USD 135.6 billion of foreign direct investment, according to the 2015 Statistical Bulletin of China's Outward Foreign Direct Investment, published today.
	The milestone was a result of the "enhancement of China's comprehensive national power", deepening cooperation, and Beijing's strategy of encouraging Chinese firms to "go abroad" in search of growth, it said.
	Chinese firms "have to make use of international resources and markets to transform and upgrade," the commerce ministry's representative Zhang Xiangchen told reporters at a press conference.
	"We feel companies currently are keen to go abroad and actively integrate into ...

China foreign expenditure tops inward investment for 1st time

China has removed an almost 13-year- old ban on some US beef products, its quality inspection regulator said today.
	A ban on imports of "American bone-in beef and boneless beef for cattle under 30 months" has been lifted immediately, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said, according to a document posted on its official website.
	The Asian giant stopped most beef imports from the US over a decade ago after mad cow disease was found in Washington state in December 2003.
	China is already the world's largest consumer of pork, and demand for beef is surging as its burgeoning middle class adds more meat to its diet.

China removes 13-year-old ban on some US beef products

Saudi-led air strikes killed 20 civilians in the rebel-held Yemeni port city of Hodeida late yesterday just hours after the rebels celebrated the second anniversary of their seizure of the capital, a government official said.
	The raids hit the Suq al-Hunod district of the Red Sea port, the official in the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi which is supported by the Saudi-led coalition told AFP.
	The strikes were also reported by the rebel administration in the capital Sanaa, which reported civilian casualties without giving a specific toll.
	The loyalist official said the residential neighbourhood was "probably hit in error."
	He said the presidential palace in Hodeida was also hit.
	Dr Khaled Suhail of Hodeida's Al-Thawra hospital said his facility alone received 12 dead and 30 wounded from the strikes.
	The Saudi-led coalition has been repeatedly criticised for the high civilian death toll from its 18-month-old bombing campaign in support of Hadi's government.
	More ...

Saudi-led raids kill 20 civilians in Yemen rebel port:official

Colombia international forward Radamel Falcao will spend the night in hospital after suffering a knock to the head in a Ligue 1 match on Wednesday.
     The Monaco striker was caught in a sandwich between goalkeeper Yoann Cardinale and defender Paul Baysse just before half-time in the 4-0 defeat at Nice.
     "Radamel was caught in a sandwich and stayed on the ground with head pain for some time," said Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim.
     "He's gone to hospital for tests."
     He didn't appear for the second half and went to the Princesse Grace hospital in Monaco for scans. Due to head trauma protocols, Falcao must remain in hospital overnight.
     Doctors including a neurologist will decide when he can return to action. Young Monaco player Kyllian Mbappe had to sit out for four weeks for a similar knock to the head recently. Falcao has scored once in three Ligue 1 appearances this season.
     Monaco next play Angers on Saturday before hosting Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League 

Falcao to spend night in hospital after head clash

Lionel Messi will miss the next three weeks after suffering the recurrence of a groin injury as Atletico Madrid came from behind to hold Barcelona 1-1 at the Camp Nou on Wednesday.
     Ivan Rakitic headed Barca into the lead just before half-time, but Angel Correa slotted home on the hour mark just seconds after Messi limped off to hand Atletico a deserved point.
     Earlier, Real Madrid's record-equalling 16-game La Liga win streak came to an end as Villarreal drew 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu.
     Madrid continue to lead Barca by three points at the top of the table with Atletico a further point back in fourth.
     Sevilla, who beat Real Betis on Tuesday, remain in second place. "To lose Lionel Messi means football loses and we lose," said Barca boss Luis Enrique.
     "Now we have to look for other solutions. With Leo we are much stronger, but without him we are still a strong team."
     Messi is set to miss Barca's next three games at Sporting Gijon and Celta Vigo in La .

Messi out for three weeks as Atletico hold Barca

Australia coach Darren Lehmann predicted Wednesday that sledging is likely to be part of the mix when they confront South Africa in a five-match one-day international series.
     Skipper Steve Smith had lamented the quiet, virtually shy approach of his Test team during a recent 3-0 series loss in Sri Lanka.
     "Steve hit it right on the head," said Lehmann after the Australian squad arrived in Johannesburg for a series, which begins at SuperSport Park in Centurion next Friday.
     Lehmann believes that the one-day side differ from the Test team in that they were more inclined toward sledging.
     "The one-day guys are pretty vocal," he assured reporters. "I think we can look forward to a pretty fiery series.
     "One of the great things about these two countries is that they play it really hard on the field, but get along really well off it. I do not think the noise will be an issue for both teams in this series."
     Lehmann said he chose a young team, including uncapped ...

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