The United States said Tuesday it supports the right of the Algerian people to "free and fair elections," amid fears that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is seeking to prolong his two-decade rule.
In a surprise announcement Monday, the ailing 82-year-old Bouteflika said he would not stand for a fifth term -- but also cancelled next month's presidential election in the North African country.
"We support the rights of the Algerian people to vote in free and fair elections," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said, after thousands of protesters returned to the streets of Algiers on Tuesday.
Palladino did not directly address Bouteflika's decision, simply saying: "We're closely monitoring reports that Algeria's elections have been postponed." "We support efforts in Algeria to charter a new path forward based on dialogue that reflects the will of all Algerians and their aspirations for a peaceful and prosperous future," he said.
"We respect the rights of the Algerians to assemble ..

US says Algerians have right to 'free and fair' elections

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The EU closed its airspace to Boeing 737 MAX planes on Tuesday, joining similar action by nations across the globe following a second deadly accident in just five months.
Fleets of the best-selling workhorse plane were also grounded by airlines as safety concerns swirled, sending Boeing shares tumbling another seven percent in Tuesday trading and wiping billions more off its market value.
On Sunday, a new Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 went down minutes into a flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, killing all 157 people on board.
In October, a Lion Air jet of the same model crashed in Indonesia, killing 189 people shortly after takeoff from Jakarta.
The widening airspace closures puts pressure on Boeing, the world's biggest planemaker, to prove the MAX planes are safe.
The full extent of the impact on international travel routes was unclear, although there are some 350 MAX 8 planes currently in service around the world with more than 5,000 on order.
The EU aviation safety agency said it ..

More nations ban Boeing 737 MAX jets after Ethiopia crash

Six Malian troops were killed on Tuesday when their vehicles drove over improvised land mines in the centre of the country, the army said.
Two army escort vehicles hit improvised explosive devices (IEDs) "leaving two dead in Dialloube and four dead in the Hombori area," in the central Mopti region, the army said in comments online.
Security sources put the toll at seven soldiers dead.

At least six Mali troops killed by landmines: Army

US and Taliban negotiators wrapped up their latest round of marathon peace talks on Tuesday with "real strides" made but no agreement on a timetable for troop withdrawal, the US special envoy said.
"Just finished a marathon round of talks with the Taliban in #Doha. The conditions for #peace have improved. It's clear all sides want to end the war. Despite ups and downs, we kept things on track and made real strides," Zalmay Khalilzad tweeted.
Khalilzad said the next step would be discussions in Washington, adding that "there is no final agreement until everything is agreed".
The talks focused on the withdrawal of US troops and assurances that insurgents would not use Afghanistan's territory to stage future terrorist attacks -- one of the initial aims of American policy in the wake of the 9/11 attacks back in 2001.
"Progress was achieved regarding both these issues," said a Taliban spokesman.
"For now, both sides will deliberate over the achieved progress, share it with their respective 

US envoy says 'real strides' made in longest Taliban talks

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned British lawmakers Tuesday against the "dangerous illusion" that they could benefit from a transition deal even without a proper divorce deal.
"Listening to debate in @HouseofCommons: there seems to be a dangerous illusion that the UK can benefit from a transition in the absence of the WA (withdrawal agreement," Barnier tweeted in a dramatic intervention as British MPs prepared to vote on the deal struck by Prime Minister Theresa May.
"Let me be clear: the only legal basis for a transition is the WA. No withdrawal agreement means no transition.

No Brexit transition period without withdrawal agreement: EU's Barnier

Britain, France and Germany joined a growing list of countries to ban Boeing 737 MAX planes from their airspace on Tuesday as airlines around the world grounded the jets following a second deadly accident in just five months.
On Sunday a new Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 went down minutes into a flight to Nairobi, killing all 157 people on board, from 35 countries.
In October, a Lion Air jet of the same model crashed in Indonesia, killing 189 -- but no evidence has emerged to link the two incidents.
The widening airspace closures puts pressure on Boeing, the world's biggest planemaker, to prove 737 MAX planes are safe as increasing numbers of fleets have been grounded.
Turkish Airlines was among the latest to announce it was suspending its 12 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft from flying from Wednesday, until "uncertainty" was clarified.
Low-cost airline Norwegian Air Shuttle, South Korea's Eastar Jet and South Africa's Comair also said they would halt flights, but the full extent of the impact .

Wave of countries ban Boeing 737 MAX jets after Ethiopia crash

The EU aviation safety agency said on Tuesday it was closing European airspace to Boeing 737 MAX aircraft after two fatal crashes of the model within five months.
"EASA has decided to suspend all flight operations of the two affected models," the agency said.
It noted that the "exact causes" of a crash of a 737 MAX aircraft operated by Indonesian airline Lion Air in October for the loss of 189 lives were still being investigated.
"Since that action, another fatal accident occurred," EASA said, referring to Sunday's Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people.
"At this early stage of the investigation, it cannot be excluded that similar causes may have contributed to both events," the agency said.
"Based on all available information, EASA considers that further actions may be necessary to ensure the continued airworthiness of the two affected models.

EU agency closes European airspace to Boeing 737 MAX aircraft

Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been sentenced to an extra 10 years in jail on top of the five-year term she is already serving, her husband said Tuesday.
Sotoudeh is an award-winning rights activist who was arrested last June and told she had been found guilty in absentia of espionage charges and sentenced to five years.
The new 10-year sentence was the longest of seven different verdicts totalling 33 years bundled together in a case and communicated to Sotoudeh in prison, according to her husband Reza Khandan.
"But only the longest sentence will be served, which is 'encouraging corruption and debauchery and providing the means'," he told AFP by telephone.
He said Sotoudeh had also been sentenced to a total of 148 lashes for appearing in court without the hijab Islamic head covering and for another offence.
She had been found guilty of "colluding against the system, propaganda against the system... disrupting public order" and several other counts.
On Monday, a judge .

Iran rights lawyer Sotoudeh to face additional 10 years in jail

The Netherlands, home to busy Amsterdam Schiphol airport, on Tuesday became the latest country to ban Boeing 737 MAX aircraft from its airspace following a crash in Ethiopia.
Dutch infrastructure ministry spokesman Roel Vincken told AFP "the Netherlands has decided to shut its airspace to the Boeing 737 MAX", following the lead of European countries including Britain, Germany and France.

Dutch ban Boeing 737 MAX planes from airspace: Ministry

Chickens in a poultry farm in northeast France are suspected of killing a fox who tried to sneak into their coop.
The young predator is thought to have entered the henhouse at an agricultural school at dusk last week and become trapped inside by light-controlled automatic hatch doors that close when the sun goes down.
Students at Le Gros Chene school in Brittany discovered the body of the animal when making their rounds to check on the chickens the following morning.
"There, in the corner, we found this dead fox," Pascal Daniel, head of farming at the school, told the AFP.
"There was a herd instinct and they attacked him with their beaks."
The free-range, organic farm where the incident took place has a chicken coop that is open all day, and the hens spend most of the daytime outside unless they're laying eggs.
The last time a fox visited one of the school's chicken coops, more than a year ago, it turned out much worse for the hens, said Daniel.

Trespassing fox henpecked to death on a French farm

"Desperate Housewives" star Felicity Huffman and fellow Hollywood actress Lori Loughlin were among 50 people indicted Tuesday in a multi-million dollar scam to help children of the American elite cheat their way into top universities.
The accused, who also include chief executives, financiers, a winemaker and fashion designer, allegedly cheated in admissions tests or arranged for bribes to get their children into prestigious schools including Yale, Stanford, Georgetown and the University of Southern California, federal prosecutors said.
They paid a bogus charity run by Californian William Rick Singer millions both to arrange for people to fix SAT and ACT entrance exams for their children, and also to bribe university administrators and sports coaches to recruit their children, even when the children were not qualified to play university-level sports.
Huffman, 56, and Loughlin, the 54-year-old star of "Full House," were among 33 parents accused of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and ...

Hollywood stars among dozens charged over college entrance scam

US and Taliban negotiators wrapped up their latest round of marathon peace talks on Tuesday with "real strides" made but no agreement on a timetable for troop withdrawal, the US special envoy said.
"Just finished a marathon round of talks with the Taliban in #Doha. The conditions for #peace have improved. It's clear all sides want to end the war. Despite ups and downs, we kept things on track and made real strides," Zalmay Khalilzad tweeted.
Khalilzad said the next step would be discussions in Washington, adding that "there is no final agreement until everything is agreed." The talks focused on the withdrawal of US troops and assurances that insurgents would not use Afghanistani territory to stage future attacks.
"Progress was achieved regarding both these issues," said a Taliban spokesman.
"For now, both sides will deliberate over the achieved progress, share it with their respective leaderships and prepare for the upcoming meeting." It is unclear as yet when the next round of talks .

US envoy says 'real strides' made in Taliban talks

National carrier Turkish Airlines said Tuesday it was suspending flights using its fleet of 12 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft following the deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash at the weekend.
"Until the uncertainty surrounding the safety of the 737 MAX is clarified, we are withdrawing these planes from commercial flights from March 13," airline boss Bilal Eksi said on Twitter.

Turkish Airlines halts flights using Boeing MAX planes

Former US vice president Joe Biden dropped teasing hints Tuesday that he could soon announce a 2020 White House campaign, telling an enthusiastic crowd that he may need their energy "in a few weeks."
The Democratic elder statesman has been mulling a challenge against President Donald Trump for months.
While he tops nearly all early polls for the Democratic nominations race, strategists and election observers have stressed that he is under pressure to enter the crowded field soon, or bow out.
Biden, a consensus-building pragmatist and Washington establishment fixture, is almost certain to jump in, with a campaign kickoff expected by mid-April, sources recently told The New York Times.
Much about Biden's address to the International Association of Fire Fighters in Washington suggested he is in: attendees waving printed "Run Joe Run" placards; recollections from his blue-collar roots; criticism of Trump without naming him; and soaring oratory about America's "creed" and the nation's ...

Biden inches towards declaring a 2020 presidential bid

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp has called for Google to be broken up in Australia, the latest salvo in a battle between the corporate media giants.
In a petition to Australian regulators, News Corp's local subsidiary complained that "Google enjoys overwhelming market power in both online search and ad tech services."
Going a step further, the company accused Google of "abusing its dominant position to the detriment of consumers, advertisers and publishers."
Earlier this week US presidential hopeful -- and former federal consumer watchdog -- Elizabeth Warren became the latest in a line of commentators to argue that firms such as Amazon, Google and Facebook hold " too much power" in society.
News Corp echoed her argument that Google's businesses should be split, or failing that, search and advertising businesses should be firewalled off from each other.
"While News Corp Australia recognises that divestment is a very serious step ... divestment is necessary in the case of Google, due to the .

Murdoch's News Corp calls for Google breakup

Unrest at a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site led Israeli police to shut off access to it on Tuesday after several weeks of tension at the location.
Police said they evacuated the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, after a Molotov cocktail damaged a police post.
Video spread online of scuffles between police and Palestinians before the site was cleared.
More than 10 people were arrested, police said, including two minors allegedly linked to the firebomb attack who will be brought to a court for a remand hearing on Wednesday.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported two people hurt, while police said an officer suffered from smoke inhalation.
Police said they found a number of firecrackers and Molotov cocktails in searches of the site.
Residents said police were also restricting Palestinian access to Jerusalem's Old City, where the site is located.
Worshippers later prayed outside the locked gates of the site in protest.  Jordan, the custodian of the site, ...

Israel shuts Jerusalem holy site after unrest

The EU on Tuesday set out a 10-point plan aimed at rebalancing relations with Beijing as fears grow about Chinese investment and influence on critical infrastructure, including new communication technology.
European leaders will be asked to sign off on the proposals at when they meet next week in Brussels, with senior officials urging them to take action to protect EU values and standards, warning that China is a "rival" as well as the bloc's biggest trading partner.
The move comes with the US urging European allies to abandon plans to use Chinese firm Huawei in telecom infrastructure plans, especially 5G networks, arguing it could serve as a front for spying.
The EU last month also took a major step towards toughening up scrutiny of foreign takeovers, with trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem acknowledging there was "no secret" about concerns over China.
Trade between the EU and China is worth more than a billion euros a day but European Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen said 

EU sets out 10-point plan to rebalance China ties

Two people were killed and two more injured in an avalanche on Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, Scottish police said on Tuesday.
Police had earlier said three people were killed.
"We can sadly confirm that two people have died and two people have been injured," Police Scotland said.
Police said they were informed about an avalanche in the area at around 1150 GMT and mountain rescuers and emergency workers had been sent to the scene.
The Scottish Ambulance Service said it had sent an air ambulance, three ambulances and a trauma team to the peak.
The Scottish Avalanche Information Service on Monday said the risk of avalanches in Lochaber, where Ben Nevis is located, was "high".
There have been several climbing accidents on Ben Nevis this winter.
A 21-year-old British climber was killed on the mountain in December, and a German woman of the same age was killed on New Year's Day after falling from a ridge.

Two killed in avalanche in Scotland: Police

President Emmanuel Macron visited former French colony Djibouti Tuesday with promises of "respectful" partnership in the face of growing African indebtedness to China, fast expanding its foothold on the continent.
Both Paris and Beijing, as well as Japan and the United States, have military bases in East Africa's smallest country due to its strategic location along a key shipping lane leading to the Suez Canal.
Macron described Djibouti, the last colony to gain independence from France, as a "historical partner and strategic ally", and "the point of entry" to the Horn of Africa region.
Its geographic importance forms the foundation of Djibouti's hopes of becoming a major trading hub.
Two years ago, it inaugurated its newest and biggest port -- part of an infrastructure expansion, partly funded by China, that includes three other ports and a railroad to the capital of landlocked Ethiopia.
President Ismail Omar Guelleh's administration hopes to turn Djibouti into a "new Dubai" competing 

Macron on trip to woo Djibouti amid China's African expansion

Ireland on Tuesday banned Boeing 737 MAX planes from its airspace following a deadly crash in Ethiopia involving the US passenger jet, matching a move taken by other nations.
"The Irish Aviation Authority has decided to temporarily suspend the operation of all variants of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft into and out of Irish airspace," the IAA said in a statement.
On Sunday, a new Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 went down minutes into a flight to Nairobi, killing all 157 people on board.
In October, a Lion Air jet of the same model crashed in Indonesia, killing 189.
The IAA said its decision Tuesday had been taken "in the light of the two fatal accidents involving the aircraft in recent months".
It was made also "based on ensuring the continued safety of passengers and flight crew, which is the IAA's number one priority", it added.

Ireland closes airspace to Boeing 737 MAX planes

Icelandair said Tuesday it had suspended flights of its three Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft until further notice after a plane of the same model crashed in Ethiopia.
"Icelandair Group has decided to temporarily suspend operations of its three Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft until further notice," it said in a statement.
The carrier nonetheless expressed confidence in the safety of the aircraft.
"Based on the available information, Icelandair's thorough safety processes and the training of its crew, the company is confident in the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft."
It said it would "follow any further developments closely, working with local, European, and American authorities regarding next steps."
A string of airlines have suspended flights with the US aircraft maker's 737 MAX planes and numerous countries have banned them from their airspace, after Sunday's Ethiopian Airlines crash killed all 157 people on board.
It was the second deadly accident involving the aircraft in just five ...

AFP

AFP

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