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| - Duty Editor: James Hossack Tel: +852 2829 6211 -- TOP STORIES -- + US imposes sanctions on Russia, expels diplomats + Chauvin says he will not testify at Floyd trial + Video shows Chicago police shooting boy, 13, dead + Brazil court upholds annulling Lula graft convictions + Zuckerberg urged to nix kids' version of Instagram US-Russia-diplomacy-sanction,WRAP WASHINGTON The United States announces sanctions and the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats in retaliation for what Washington says is the Kremlin's US election interference, a massive cyber attack and other hostile activity. 800 words moved by Sebastian Smith. Picture. File picture Also moved: US-Russia-sanction,FACTS US-Russia-hacking-sanction-SolarWinds,FACTS US-racism-trial-police-Floyd,WRAP MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin says that he won't testify at his murder trial for the death of George Floyd as a policewoman facing charges for the killing of another Black American makes her first court appearance. 800 words 0230 GMT by Ben Sheppard with Chris Lefkow in Washington. File picture Also moved: US-crime-police-shooting-Chicago CHICAGO Authorities in Chicago released police body camera footage showing an officer shooting dead a 13-year-old Latino boy as the mayor of America's third-largest city appealed for calm over the "excruciating" video. 550 words moved by Bob Chiarito. Picture. Video Brazil-politics-corruption-court-Lula,WRAP BRASILIA Brazil's full Supreme Court upholds a ruling annulling former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's corruption convictions, which clears the way for him to run for a new presidential term next year. 650 words moved by Jordi Miro. File picture. Video. File video US-Instagram-Facebook-children SAN FRANCISCO Advocates for children from around the world urge Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg to ditch plans for a version of Instagram geared toward pre-teens. 400 words moved -- SPOTLIGHT -- Myanmar-politics-military-ethnic-minorities-rebels,FOCUS MAE HONG SON, Thailand Myanmar's coup has opened an unexpected window of opportunity for myriad ethnic rebel outfits, who have no loyalty to either the junta or deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and could play a key role in deciding whether the army rules for the long term. 800 words 0330 GMT by Dene-Hern Chen. File Picture. File Video. Graphic -- CORONAVIRUS -- Health-virus-entertainment-sport-California,SCENE UNIVERSAL CITY, California California marks several milestones in its emergence from the pandemic -- vaccinations are available to all over-16s, basketball fans can watch the Lakers in-person, and Universal Studios Hollywood finally re-opens to impatient theme park fans. 600 words 0130 GMT by Andrew Marszal. Picture. Video -- AMERICAS -- US-Japan-diplomacy,WRAP WASHINGTON President Joe Biden will receive Japan's prime minister for his first in-person summit, with the leaders expected to announce a $2 billion 5G initiative as part of a concerted US push to compete with China. 700 words 0130 GMT by Shaun Tandon. File picture US-politics-court,2ndlead WASHINGTON A group of congressional Democrats launches a daunting bid to expand the US Supreme Court from nine to 13 justices, angering Republicans who accuse their rivals of attempting a power grab to enact President Joe Biden's agenda. 650 words moved by Michael Mathes. Picture Cuba-politics-party,ADVANCER HAVANA Cuba's leadership is passing to a younger generation, with the last Castro leaving office and ending a 60-year family monopoly, but there is little other change as power remains firmly with the Communist Party. 800 words 0130 GMT by Leticia Pineda and Katell Abiven. Picture. Video. Graphic Also moving: Cuba-politics-party-Castro,CHRONO -- ASIA -- China-society-health,PROFILE NANJING, China On a grey and rainy morning, Chen Si patrols the two-mile-long Nanjing bridge soaring above China's Yangtze river, determined to stop the desperate from jumping into the swirling waters below. 800 words 0230 GMT by Helen Roxburgh. Picture. Video -- EUROPE -- Ukraine-Russia-conflict-diplomacy-France-Germany,WRAP PARIS French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a show of support for the former Soviet state, which fears a Russian invasion. 550 words 0400 GMT by Fabien Zamora and Clare Byrne Iran-nuclear-politics,WRAP VIENNA Diplomats say the latest talks in Vienna to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal were positive despite fresh tensions over Tehran's announcement on ramping up uranium enrichment in response to an attack it blamed on arch-foe Israel. 800 words moved by Jastinder Khera. Picture. Video Britain-royals-Philip-funeral,WRAP LONDON British royals William and Harry will not walk side by side in the procession at this weekend's funeral of Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip, as Buckingham Palace reveals eagerly-awaited details about the service. 850 words moved by Joe Jackson. Picture. Video. Graphic Also moved: Britain-royals-Philip-funeral-guests,POINTS Britain-royals-Philip-LandRover Britain-royals-Philip-attitudes,FOCUS -- MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA -- Iraq-conflict-US-Iran,FOCUS BAGHDAD Armed pro-Iran Iraqi groups, striving to oust all foreign forces from their country, upped the stakes with a drone attack, a technique favoured elsewhere in the Middle East, experts say. 700 words 0200 GMT Already moved: Iraq-conflict-US,WRAP Iraq-US-attack-rockets,CHRONO Israel-Iran-conflict,FOCUS JERUSALEM Arch-foes Israel and Iran have long fought an undeclared shadow war across the Middle East. More recently, the battle has moved to the high seas with a series of mysterious attacks and sabotage incidents. 850 words moved by Guillaume Lavallee Also moved: Iran-Israel-conflict,CHRONO Saudi-agriculture-culture,VIDEOESSAY TAIF, Saudi Arabia Every spring, roses bloom in the western Saudi city of Taif, turning pockets of the kingdom's vast desert landscape a vivid and fragrant pink. 300 words 0300 GMT by Rania Sanjar. Picture. Video -- AFRICA -- Nigeria-unrest-Damasak,WRAP KANO, Nigeria At least 10 people are killed when jihadists attack a northeast Nigerian town, burning down a UN office and prompting thousands to flee across the border into Niger, local officials and the UN says, in the latest assault on the region. 700 words moved by Aminu Abubakar and Louise Dewast in Abuja. Video. Graphic Benin-vote,WRAP COTONOU, Benin Benin's constitutional court approves President Patrice Talon's re-election as associates of a key opposition figure say he was taken into custody by police following the weekend presidential vote. 450 words moved -- HEALTH/ENVIRONMENT -- France-poetry-dance-health-hospital,SCENE PARIS Cooped up every day by the pandemic, 79-year-old Francoise is tired of looking at the tower blocks outside her window. "There's not much greenery," she says. Luckily, her "doctor" for the day has the right medicine. 600 words moved by Rana Moussaoui. Video afp
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