Silencing Brazil's Lula 

Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gestures during a campaign rally to launch his presidential candidacy for the upcoming October elections, at the Workers Central Union (CUT) headquarters in Sao Paulo, Brazil on January 25, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

These are the headlines we are tracking for you in this episode of On the News Line:

Silencing Brazil's Lula 

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva was once described as the most popular politician on earth. He served as Brazil's president from 2003 to 2010. Lula is back under the spotlight. His worker’s Party announced on Thursday that the 71-year-old would represent it in the next presidential election. He was widely seen as the winner of October’s race. But things are apparently becoming difficult for the former president with the Judiciary taking a tough line on him. Lula is now barred from running for president. On Wednesday, an appeals court voted to uphold his corruption and money laundering conviction.

US blackmailing Europe over the JCPOA?

The United States appears to have lately intensified its diplomatic offensive against the Islamic Republic. Only on Thursday, US House Speaker Paul Ryan on a visit to the Persian Gulf region said Washington was in talks with its European allies to increase sanctions against Iran. The reason, as he put it, the country’s missile program as well as its foreign policy.  Ryan said EU should follow America’s suit in imposing tougher sanctions against Iran. This was what US Vice President Mike Pence also said when he traveled to Israel earlier this week. Pence also called on Europe to join the US in altering a nuclear agreement with Iran which President Donald Trump has already declared a crusade. And finally, the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has announced that Washington will send a team to Europe to discuss changing the Iran deal. Clearly, a large segment of the American political establishment is pressuring Europeans over Iran. 

 


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