Mobile phone services were restored across swathes of Taliban-contested areas of Afghanistan over the weekend as a partial truce with the militants held for a second day.
The Taliban, US and Afghan forces are currently overseeing a week-long "reduction in violence" that kicked off on Saturday.
The commitment has seen fighting drop dramatically and is set to pave the way for an American withdrawal deal to be signed later this week.
There have been reports of small clashes in rural areas, but no major attacks that have long defined the conflict have erupted.
"In general we do see (a reduction in violence)," acting interior minister Masood Andrabi told AFP.
The lull in violence allowed telecom operators to begin restoring networks across the country that have long been hampered by fighting.
"Around 730 cell towers have restarted," said Naqeebullah Sailab, vice chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of Afghanistan.
"There are towers which started operating after almost five years." .

Mobile phone services restored as Afghan truce holds

PTI Automatic

An elderly woman in hospital for cancer who tested positive for the new coronavirus has died, health officials in Italy said on Sunday.
"She had been hospitalised for a few days," said Giulio Gallera, the health chief of the northern Lombardy region, the centre of a coronavirus outbreak.
"She'd been tested and they already knew she had the coronavirus." If coronavirus is determined to be the cause of death, the woman will be the third person in Italy to have died from the so-called COVID-19 epidemic.

Elderly cancer patient with coronavirus dies in Italy: official

South Africa's bowlers held their nerve as the hosts bounced back from a record defeat to win the second Twenty20 international against Australia at St George's Park on Sunday.
Opening batsman David Warner hit an unbeaten 67 for Australia but it wasn't enough as South Africa defended a modest total of 158 for four to win by 12 runs and level the three-match series.
Australia lost three wickets for eight runs in the last 2.1 overs to finish on 146 for six. It was their first T20 defeat in nine matches going back to November 2018.
South Africa captain Quinton de Kock was named man of the match after he slammed 70 off 47 balls to get the home team off to a blazing start as they set out to recover from a record 107-run defeat in the first match in Johannesburg on Friday.
He hit two sixes in the second over, bowled by Pat Cummins, and raced to 50 off 31 balls.
Warner, Aaron Finch and Steve Smith got Australia off to a similarly fast start but both teams found scoring increasingly difficult 

South Africa's bowlers hold nerve to level Australia T20 series

Malaysia's leader-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday denounced "betrayal" in his ruling coalition, saying that some partners were trying to bring down the government and form a new one.
The comments came after senior figures from his coalition and opposition politicians met in a Kuala Lumpur hotel amid speculation they were seeking to form a new alliance that excluded Anwar.
"Even though there is no announcement tonight, the information I get... there is an attempt towards it (changing the government)," said Anwar, the presumptive successor to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed.
"We were shocked today by developments, which for us is a betrayal because there has been a promise (to hand over power to me)." Anwar is a lawmaker from the "Pact of Hope" coalition, which unexpectedly swept to power in 2018 and ousted a corruption-plagued government that had ruled Malaysia for more than six decades.
Mahathir, 94, agreed to hand power to Anwar if their coalition won but tensions have been rising 

Malaysia's Anwar says partners trying to bring down govt

Diogo Jota scored twice as Wolves comfortably brushed aside rock-bottom Norwich 3-0 at Molineux on Sunday to maintain their push for European football again next season.
After scoring a hat-trick in a 4-0 Europa League thumping of Espanyol on Thursday, Jota took his tally to 14 for the season with both goals in the first half.
Raul Jimenez then poached his 21st of the campaign early in the second period to leave Nuno Espirito Santo's side in eighth place, two points behind fifth-placed Manchester United.
Norwich are propping up the Premier League, seven points from safety.  The home side were sluggish in the opening stages but from the opening goal in the 19th minute there was only one team in the game as a Norwich side clearly lacking in confidence fell away.
From Leander Dendoncker's cross from the right, Matt Doherty collected, spun and played in Jota, who followed up with a spin away of his own from his marker before firing a low shot underneath Tim Krul.
The goal eventually stood 

Jota at the double as Wolves ease past lowly Norwich

Israel ordered nearly 200 pupils into home quarantine Sunday after they were in proximity to South Korean tourists carrying the coronavirus, as the premier announced a taskforce to manage the threat.
"Today, I will appoint a ministerial team to convene on a daily basis in order to deal with this major challenge," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after a special meeting on the COVID-19 virus.  The meeting included senior security officials.
The announcement came after South Korean members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus toured Israeli sites between February 8-15 and upon their return home 18 of them were discovered to be infected with the virus.
Israel's health ministry urged people who might have encountered them to self-quarantine, including 180 pupils and 19 staff from three separate schools who it said had close contact with the South Korean visitors.
The pupils and staff, including 18 teachers and a guard, were instructed "to remain home" for 14 days, the education ...

Israel quarantines pupils over coronavirus fears

Iran confirmed eight deaths from the novel coronavirus on Sunday, the highest toll of any country outside China, as the supreme leader accused foreign media of trying to use the outbreak to sabotage a general election.
The final results of the parliamentary election are due on Sunday, two days after it was held on the heels of the confirmation of novel coronavirus cases in the country.
A low turnout had been widely forecast, as a conservative-dominated electoral watchdog disqualified about half the 16,000-odd candidates, mostly moderates and reformists.
Voter apathy marked the polls, but Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday lauded the people's "huge participation" despite what he termed "this negative propaganda".
It "began a few months ago and grew larger approaching the election and in the past two days, under the pretext of this illness," he said, according to a televised extract of his speech.
"Their media did not miss the slightest opportunity to discourage ...

Iran says 'enemies' used virus to sabotage vote as death toll rises

Stefanos Tsitsipas successfully defended his Marseille title on Sunday with a straightforward victory over Canadian teenager Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Greek star Tsitsipas eased to a 6-3, 6-4 win to leave Auger-Aliassime still waiting for his maiden ATP title after his fifth consecutive final defeat.
Tsitsipas, who had arrived in southern France with a 3-4 losing record this season, enjoyed an emphatic return to form as he clinched his fifth ATP trophy.
Auger-Aliassime would have been confident of finally ending his wait for tournament success after two wins from his three previous meetings with Tsitsipas, but has still failed to even win a set in his five Tour-level finals.
World number six Tsitsipas, the ATP Finals champion, broke in the third game and saved three break points to serve out the opening set.
The second seed got the better of a run of three successive breaks in the second set to move 4-3 in front and only dropped one more point on serve.
He will now travel to the United ..

Tsitsipas defends Marseille trophy, extends Auger-Aliassime title wait

Novak Djokovic admitted on Sunday he will miss injured rival Roger Federer as he prepares to begin his charge for the Dubai Championships.
Swiss defending champion Federer was forced to withdraw after this week undergoing right knee surgery which will reportedly keep the 20-time Grand Slam winner away until the summer grass season.
"It was a surprise, to be honest," Djokovic said prior to his Monday start against Tunisian wildcard Malek Jaziri.
"I knew he was struggling with an injury in the Australian Open. But no one knew really what was the injury, what is the extent of that injury.
"I really don't like to see anybody going through surgery. I've been through that once, and hopefully the last time in my life.
"Roger is Roger -- this sport needs him."
World number one Djokovic last played here in 2016 and won his fourth Dubai title three years earlier.
"I'm looking forward to competing again at the tournament where I've done well in the past," Djokovic said.
"I've been coming here ...

Djokovic laments Federer's absence in Dubai

Jordan said on Sunday it would bar entry to citizens of China, Iran and South Korea and other foreigners travelling from those countries in response to the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
The minister of state for media affairs, Amjad Adayleh, said the decision was part of "preemptive measures... following the rise in cases of coronavirus in South Korea, Iran" and China.
Adayleh said the ban would be "temporary" and imposed on all non-Jordanians coming from the three nations among the worst affected by the illness.
"Jordanians who come from those countries will be placed in quarantine for two weeks to ensure they have not contracted the coronavirus," he said.
His comments came as South Korea on Sunday raised its alert on the new coronavirus to the highest level after reporting three more deaths and 169 new infections.
Iran reported three more novel coronavirus deaths among 15 new cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of fatalities in the Islamic republic to eight and ...

Jordan bars travellers from China, Iran, SKorea over virus

South Africa's batting order held their nerve to deliver an upset six-wicket victory over England at the women's Twenty20 World Cup in Perth on Sunday.
The Proteas have made the early running in Group B along with the West Indies, who beat newcomers Thailand on Saturday. Only the top two from each of the two five-team groups qualify for the knockout phase.
Chasing a modest 124, South Africa appeared in control at 90 for 1 in the 16th over before the match turned with the wickets of captain Dane Van Niekerk (46) and Marizanne Kapp (38) in quick succession.
Needing nine runs off the final over, Mignon du Preez was the hero with a six off the fourth last ball from Katherine Brunt before then hitting the winning runs with a boundary.
It capped an impressive performance from South Africa after Van Niekerk's decision to bowl was vindicated when her accurate attack restricted England to 123 for eight off their 20 overs.
England were shackled by disciplined bowling until Natalie Sciver (50) ..

South Africa hold nerve for win over England at women's T20

Anthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn wants a blockbuster all-British heavyweight unification fight with Tyson Fury this year after Fury battered Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas to become a two-time world champion.
Fury brought Wilder's five-year reign as WBC heavyweight champion to a halt in seven rounds in their rematch on Saturday.
Fourteen months after their dramatic split-decision draw, Fury dominated the American -- who had blood dripping from his left ear and leaking from his mouth when referee Kenny Bayless called a halt as Wilder's corner threw in the towel.
"The king has returned to the top of the throne," said Fury, who had dropped Wilder in the third and fifth rounds as he remained unbeaten while handing Wilder the first defeat of his career.
The question is, what happens next? Will there be a Wilder-Fury part three or a historic all-British meeting with Joshua? Fury and Hearn are both expecting Wilder, who has a re-match clause, to ask for a third fight but Hearn is impatient 

Hearn wants Joshua-Fury all-British showdown this year

Novak Djokovic on Sunday called on the rival ATP and Davis Cups to combine in order to survive as he prepared for the Dubai Championships.
Djokovic, who recently won his eighth Australian Open title and led Serbia to the ATP Cup trophy last month, made his plea prior to starting this week as top seed at the Aviation Club.
"In my opinion, they have to merge," the world number one said of the two competitions, which are held less than two months apart at the end of one season and the start of the next and he believes should become "one super cup".
"That's necessary because for me personally it will be very difficult to play every single year both competitions, so I'm going to have to choose," said the 32-year-old, president of the ATP Player Council.
"I don't think this is (a) sustainable model for our tennis."
Djokovic dropped major hints that the Davis Cup, which has eliminated the classic home-and-away format in favour an 18-team Finals held over a week in Madrid, needs the most ...

Djokovic urges Davis and ATP Cups to merge or die

Captain Quinton de Kock slammed 70 off 47 balls but South Africa were restricted to 158 for four in the second Twenty20 international against Australia at St George's Park on Sunday.
De Kock got South Africa off to a blazing start as they set out to recover from a record 107-run defeat in the first match in Johannesburg on Friday. He hit two sixes in the second over, bowled by Pat Cummins, and raced to 50 off 31 balls.
South Africa scored 59 runs in the six-over powerplay but scoring proved increasingly difficult on a slow pitch with low bounce as the ball lost its shine and hardness.
De Kock also appeared to become frustrated as he tried to maintain his scoring rate before he was caught at long-off by Mitchell Starc off leg-spinner Adam Zampa. He hit five fours and four sixes.
Rassie van der Dussen made 37 off 26 balls but South Africa could score only 36 runs off the last five overs.
Seamer Kane Richardson was Australia's best bowler, taking two wickets and only conceding 21 runs in 

De Kock shines for South Africa despite slow pitch

A third person who became ill on board a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship quarantined off the coast of Japan has died, the country's health ministry said on Sunday.
In a statement, the ministry identified the victim as a Japanese man in his 80s who was removed from the Diamond Princess and taken to a local hospital after suffering "symptoms."
The ministry did not confirm whether the man had tested positive for COVID-19, saying it could only disclose the information that the family of the man had consented to make public.
It gave the man's cause of death as pneumonia.
The death comes after two other elderly passengers, also both Japanese and in their 80s, died on Thursday after contracting the virus.
Despite a quarantine imposed on the Diamond Princess, more than 600 people on board tested positive for the virus, with several dozen in serious condition.
In total, Japan has so far recorded four deaths linked to the new coronavirus outbreak, which has infected more than 130 people ...

Third person from Japan cruise ship dies: health ministry

At least three Mali soldiers were killed and five wounded Sunday in a suspected jihadist attack on an army camp in the far north of the country, the Malian military said.
The outpost in Bambara Maoude, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of the city of Timbuktu "was the object at about 0500 GMT of a terrorist attack," the military said on Twitter.
"During this attack, we regret to report a provisional toll of three dead, five wounded, together with material damage," it said.
"The wounded were airlifted to Sevare... the outpost remains under the control of the armed forces."
"Three of our men fell Sunday during a jihadist attack in Bambara Maoude," a military official told AFP from Timbuktu earlier.
A local official confirmed the toll of three soldiers dead and said two more were missing.
According to another local official, "the terrorists left, taking vehicles and military equipment with them... together with the bodies of two of their comrades."
The attack is the latest in a long .

Three Mali soldiers killed in suspected jihadist attack

Pep Guardiola is confident Aymeric Laporte is ready to play 90 minutes against Real Madrid on Wednesday even though the defender asked to be substituted during Saturday's 1-0 win at Leicester.
Laporte was replaced by Nicolas Otamendi after 57 minutes of Saturday's match, his third appearance since his return from a long lay-off with a knee injury.
Guardiola said there was no fresh injury problem for the Frenchman but the pace of Leicester's attack was a tough test for a player still rediscovering his rhythm.
"He asked me to be subbed," Guardiola said. "He's not injured. We cannot forget he has been out for four or five months injured. They run a lot, (Jamie) Vardy, Kelechi (Iheanacho), (Harvey) Barnes, they are all so fast.
"It was quite different against West Ham (on Wednesday), where there was only one striker so it was easier to control, but he's OK."
Asked if Laporte was ready to play the full match in the Champions League last-16 first-leg clash at the Bernabeu, Guardiola said: ..

Laporte will be fit to face Real Madrid, says Guardiola

Eden Hazard's season could be at risk after Real Madrid announced on Sunday that he had fractured his right ankle during his team's 1-0 La Liga defeat at Levante.
Belgium forward Hazard, whose first season at Real has been plagued by injury, will now miss Wednesday's Champions League last 16 clash with Manchester City and the Clasico with league leaders Barcelona next weekend.
He has made just 10 La Liga appearances this season after arriving from Chelsea for 100 million euros ($109 million), scoring once and adding one assist.
Madrid did not announce a recovery time for Hazard but his latest setback will be a worry for Belgium boss Roberto Martinez ahead of Euro 2020 this summer.
On Saturday, Madrid coach Zinedine admitted that the 29-year-old's injury "doesn't look good" ahead of those two huge matches, which could define his side's season.
Hazard was pictured with an ice pack around the same right foot he broke in November after being substituted in the second half of Saturday's ...

Real's Hazard suffers right ankle fracture ahead of City clash

Najmul Hossain and skipper Mominul Haque hit half-centuries as Bangladesh replied strongly to Zimbabwe in their one-off Test in Dhaka on Sunday.
Najmul made 71 off 139 balls while Mominul was unbeaten on 79 as Bangladesh reached 240-3 at stumps on the second day, trailing Zimbabwe by 25 runs in the first innings.
Pace bowler Abu Jayed earlier finished with a career-best 4-71, as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 265 in the opening session, after the visitors resumed on 228-6.
Najmul, who struck seven fours in his fluent innings, led Bangladesh's initial batting charge after Victor Nyauchi removed opener Saif Hasan for eight to give Zimbabwe an early breakthrough.
He was involved in partnerships of 78 and 76 runs with Tamim Iqbal and Mominul on his way to a maiden Test fifty in only his fourth match.
"I think I had the chance to make the innings longer because the wicket was good. Still I would say apart from the out, I batted well as long I was at the crease," said Najmul.
Tamim made 41 ...

Bangladesh dominate Zimbabwe as Najmul, Mominul hit fifties

The number of coronavirus cases in Italy has jumped to over 100, the president of the Lombardy region said on Sunday, as northern towns struggle to contain rising infections.
"More than 100 cases" have now been reported throughout the country, Attilio Fontana told SkyTG24 television, with 89 of those in Lombardy, centred around the small town of Codogno, about 70 kilometres (43 miles) southeast of Milan.
Responding to a rising number of new cases, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Saturday announced that 11 towns in Italy's north would be placed under quarantine, affecting about 50,000 people.
Two people have already died from the so-called COVID-19 epidemic in Italy, which was the first country to ban direct flights to and from China in January.
First to contract the virus were two Chinese tourists who were placed under quarantine in Rome and remain there. Another man, who was also held at the same hospital in Rome, has since recovered and been released, authorities said.
The number ..

Italy coronavirus cases surpass 100 as towns put on lockdown

Bangladesh have called up uncapped batsmen Mohammad Naim and Afif Hossain for their 15-man squad for the first two one-day internationals of a three-match series against Zimbabwe next month.
Naim and Afif have played Twenty20 for Bangladesh, but were not part of the ODI side to be led by pacer Mashrafe Mortaza.
Mashrafe was retained as captain despite concerns over his future, and will lead the side for the first time since the World Cup last year.
Batsman Liton Das and all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin also return to the ODI side after missing the previous series against Sri Lanka in July.
"It is great to have Mortaza back as his experience and leadership is vital to our one day cricket," said Bangladesh Cricket Board official Minhajul Abedin.
"Saifuddin is also key to the team's balance." The first two ODIs against Zimbabwe will be held in Sylhet on March 1 and 3.
The teams are currently playing a one-off Test in Dhaka.
Bangladesh ODI Squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (Capt), Tamim Iqbal, Nazmul 

AFP

AFP

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