A third major city in China will ban long-distance buses, authorities said Sunday, as they scramble to contain a deadly new virus that has spread across the country.
From 6 pm (1000 GMT) Sunday, Xi'an will suspend long-distance buses and tourist chartered buses entering the city of 10 million people, local officials said on the Twitter-like Weibo platform, following the announcement of similar measures in Tianjin and Beijing.

Third Chinese city to ban long-distance buses over virus concerns: official

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Japanese police have arrested a former SoftBank employee for allegedly stealing proprietary information from the telecom giant and giving it to Russian officials, police and media reports said Sunday.
Yutaka Araki, 48, is suspected of obtaining "trade secrets from a computer server at a telecommunication-related company on February 18 last year, in violation of Japan's unfair competition prevention law," Tokyo police said in a statement.
Authorities did not identify the firm, but local media said it was major mobile carrier SoftBank Corp, a unit of the SoftBank Group.
Police suspect Russian trade officials at Moscow's mission in Tokyo were involved in espionage, Jiji Press and other local media reported.
The reports added that the police have asked the Russian embassy to present two officials to the authorities.
In a statement on its verified Facebook page, the Russian embassy described the media reports as "regrettable" and "cheap spy allegations".
SoftBank said in a statement that ..

Japan arrests ex-SoftBank employee suspected of spying for Russia

Quique Setien's honeymoon period lasted less than a fortnight as he tasted his first Barcelona defeat in his second La Liga game in charge after a 2-0 loss to Valencia.
A Jordi Alba own goal and Maxi Gomez's strike at Mestalla on Saturday raised early doubts about Setien's appointment and gave Real Madrid the chance to move three points clear at the top of the table when they visit Real Valladolid on Sunday.
Sevilla jumped into third, above Atletico Madrid and five points behind the top two, after they beat Granada 2-0.
Barcelona had most of the ball but Valencia had the best chances as Gomez missed a penalty and also hit the crossbar in the first half. Gabriel Paulista saw a third goal ruled out late on.
While performances under previous coach Ernesto Valverde were stodgy and familiar failings went unresolved, he left a side in first place.
Setien promised a new style but few will cheer a team that loses. Despite dominating possession, Barcelona did little with it and as Valencia ...

Barca beaten by Valencia in early blow for Setien

The United States is arranging a flight to evacuate personnel and American citizens trapped at the epicentre of a deadly virus in central China, the US State Department said on Sunday.
The flight will leave on Tuesday from the city of Wuhan and take people to San Francisco, the department said in an email to Americans in China, warning that there would be limited space for private citizens.
"This capacity is extremely limited and if there is insufficient ability to transport everyone who expresses interest, priority will be given to individuals at greater risk from coronavirus," the department said.
France plans to evacuate its citizens stuck in Hubei by bus.
The outbreak, which has killed 56 people and infected nearly 2,000 across China, is believed to have originated in a seafood and live animal market in Wuhan.
The city of 11 million people has been placed under effective quarantine for days, with a car traffic ban going into effect on Sunday.
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei ...

US to evacuate its citizens from China virus epicentre

The animal-borne SARS virus 17 years ago was supposed to be a wake-up call about consuming wildlife as food, but scientists say China's latest epidemic indicates that the practice remains widespread and a growing risk to human health.
Like SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which was traced to bats and civets, the virus that has killed dozens in China and infected almost 2,000 people is believed to have originated in animals trafficked for food.
Final findings are yet to be announced, but Chinese health officials believe it came from wildlife sold illegally at a meat market in the central city of Wuhan that offered everything from rats to wolf puppies and giant salamanders.
The so-called "bushmeat" trade, plus broader human encroachment on wild habitats, is bringing us into ever-closer contact with animal viruses that can spread rapidly in our uber-connected world, said Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, a global NGO focused on infectious disease prevention.
The ...

China's animal trade to bring more viral outbreaks: experts

Robbie Rensenbrink, who famously came within a goalpost's width of winning the 1978 World Cup for the Netherlands, has died at the age of 72, former teammate Jan Mulder told the Belga news agency.
Rensenbrink, who had been fighting progressive muscular atrophy for a number of years, played in the famous Dutch team which lost the 1974 World Cup final 2-1 to West Germany and the 1978 decider against Argentina four years later.
He came agonisingly close to settling the final in Buenos Aires when, with just 30 seconds left and the teams level at 1-1, Dutch captain Ruud Krol freed Rensenbrink on goal.
However, his shot from a narrow angle came off the post and was cleared.  Argentina then scored twice in extra-time for a 3-1 victory.
In his club career, Rensenbrink made his name at Belgian giants Anderlecht where he won league titles in 1972 and 1974 as well as four Belgian Cups in 1972, 1973, 1975 and 1976.
He also played in the teams which won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1976 ad

Robbie Rensenbrink, who almost won 1978 World Cup, dies at 72

Supercar manufacturer Bugatti, fresh off one of its best years, wants the world to know it has taken environmental concerns to heart even as it prepares a next generation of heart-pounding -- and gas-guzzling -- speed machines.
The French automaker has implemented a series of measures to offset the carbon emitted by the 81 racers it produced last year, including a shift to biogas and other green energy sources to power its manufacturing facilities in northeast France.
But will Bugatti, which has hinted at "surprises" this year, be joining other luxury carmakers in shifting to electric or hybrid models? The short answer: Not right now.
"For the next 10 years to come, only the W16 motor provides the emotion and the passion expected by our supercar clients," Stephan Winkelmann, the firm's chief executive, said recently in reference to its massive 16-cylinder engine.
Nonetheless, the Volkswagen-owned brand believes it can offset its own greenhouse gas emissions as well as those of its ...

Bugatti touts green ambitions while storming full speed ahead

China announced a partial lockdown in the southern city of Shantou on Sunday in a bid to control the spread of a deadly virus, the first such measure taken outside the epicentre of the disease.
From midnight, non-emergency vehicles will be prohibited from entering the city of 5.6 million people, which is a 1,100-kilometre (680-mile) drive from Wuhan, the heart of the epidemic.
People arriving at Shantou train stations will be screened and "urged to return", said city authorities.
Buses, ferries, public transport and taxis will be suspended, Shantou authorities said on their official social media account.
The measures are to "spare no efforts in doing a good job of preventing and controlling" the epidemic, Shantou officials said, and to "cut off the channels of spreading the virus".
The new virus has infected nearly 2,000 across China and killed 56. Most of the dead are in Wuhan or the surrounding Hubei province.
There have been two cases confirmed in Shantou and 98 in Guangdong ...

China imposes first partial lockdown in city outside virus epicentre

Hong Kong's Disneyland announced it was shutting its doors on Sunday until further notice over the deadly virus outbreak in central China, a day after city authorities classified the crisis as an emergency.
The park said it was taking the step to protect "the health and safety of our guests and cast members" and said refunds would be given.
Ocean Park, a rival amusement park on Hong Kong's main island, said it was also closing its doors.
On Saturday, Hong Kong classified the outbreak as an "emergency" -- the city's highest warning tier -- and announced ramped-up measures to reduce the risk of further infections.
The move came as city leader Carrie Lam faced criticism in some quarters over her administration's response to the crisis, including calls to halt, or limit, arrivals from the Chinese mainland where the epidemic began.
Of the five people who have tested positive for the virus in Hong Kong so far, four arrived via a newly built high-speed train terminal which connects with the .

Hong Kong Disneyland says closing over China virus fears

Frank Lampard called on Chelsea to back him in the transfer market after his side edged into the FA Cup fifth round with a 2-1 win at Hull.
Lampard has bemoaned Chelsea's failure to kill off defensive opponents throughout his first season in charge and he believes signings in key attacking areas are the solution.
The Chelsea manager watched his team take control at second tier Hull thanks to Michy Batshuayi's early strike before Fikayo Tomori's header doubled the lead after half-time  on Saturday.
But the Blues should have been further ahead by that point after squandering several chances and Kamil Grosicki's late deflected free-kick for Hull set up a tense finale.
Chelsea survived but the inconsistent performance underlined Lampard's belief that new recruits are needed after his club were unable to sign players to replace Eden Hazard, who joined Real Madrid during the summer window when the Blues were serving a transfer ban.
"It's a big test coming up for us. It's clear we've got a ..

Frustrated Lampard calls for Chelsea to make signings

Josip Ilicic hit a hat-trick, including a sensational strike from the halfway line, as Atalanta crushed Torino 7-0 in Serie A on Saturday, inflicting the worst home defeat ever on their northern rivals who finished the match with nine men.
The Slovenian forward opened the scoring on 17 minutes, adding two more in quick-fire succession eight minutes after the break.
Substitute Luis Muriel also bagged a late brace to add to first-half goals by Robin Gosens and Duvan Zapata.
The hosts played the final quarter of an hour a man down after Armando Izzo was sent off, with Sasa Lukic joining him with just a minute to go.
Torino coach Walter Mazzarri blasted an "indefensible performance".
"All we can do is apologise," he said. "In so many years of my career I had never had such a game." But the Torino coach ruled out quitting.
"Resignation? No, in difficulties I never leave." Gian Piero Gasperini's Atalanta hit back after last weekend's shock defeat to lowly SPAL, following a draw against ...

Ilicic hits hat-trick as seven-goal Atalanta humiliate Torino

Tiger Woods charged into contention for a record-setting 83rd all-time US PGA title on Saturday, shooting a three-under par 69 as he chases a ninth career victory at Torrey Pines.
Woods began the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open six strokes adrift of leader Ryan Palmer, but stood on seven-under 209 after 54 holes, five back of leader Jon Rahm with the third-ranked Spaniard having two holes yet to finish.
"I'm going to have to shoot a pretty good round tomorrow," Woods said. "I'll have my work cut out for me. I'll have go out there and post a number and hopefully it will be good enough."
Second-ranked Rory McIlroy, needing a victory to return to world number one, moved into third with a stellar 67 to stand three adrift on 207, but the bid for history by Woods stole the spotlight.
The 44-year-old reigning Masters champion matched Sam Snead for the US PGA record of 82 triumphs with an October victory in Japan and could claim the mark alone on Sunday at the seaside San Diego ...

Tiger roars into contention for record 83rd US PGA win

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova set up a potential clash with top seed Ashleigh Barty in the Australian Open quarter-finals after fighting back to defeat Maria Sakkari in three sets on Sunday.
The Czech seventh seed lost the first set before winning 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-2 to ruin Sakkari's hopes of becoming the first Greek woman to reach the last eight of a Grand Slam.
The 2019 finalist Kvitova will face either Australia's world number one Barty or the American 18th seed Alison Riske next in Melbourne.
"It's pretty tough to play Maria, I lost to her last time," said Kvitova, the 2011 and 2014 Wimbledon winner.
"I had to fight pretty hard."
The 22nd-seeded Sakkari made a fast start, breaking the more experienced Kvitova in the first game in just two minutes at a sunny Rod Laver Arena.
Cheered on by a band of boisterous Greek supporters, the 24-year-old displayed few nerves despite never getting this far in 16 previous Grand Slam appearances.  Kvitova, who suffered severe injury .

Kvitova fights back to reach Australian Open quarter-finals

Israel carried out air raids on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip late Saturday, in response to the launching of incendiary devices attached to balloons sent over from the Palestinian enclave, the army said.
"A short while ago, combat planes hit a number of targets of the Hamas terrorist organisation in the southern Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement.
Among the targets was an arms factory, the army added, stressing that the air raids were in response to the launching of the incendiary ballons towards Israeli territory.
Hamas has controlled Gaza since 2008, and Israel holds the Islamist movement responsible for all rocket fire coming from the territory, although it has targeted other militant groups there.
On Tuesday, Israeli troops shot dead three Palestinians who crossed into Israel from Gaza and hurled an explosive device at soldiers, according to the army.
Hamas has fought three wars with Israel, which maintains a crippling blockade on the impoverished territory.

Israel strikes in Gaza in response to incendiary balloons

At least 30 people have been killed by intense storms in southeastern Brazil, the Civil Defense office in Minas Gerais state said Saturday.
The toll was a jump from the 11 reported by the same office earlier in the day.  Seventeen people are also missing, seven injured, and some 3,500 have been forced to move in more following a series of landslides and house collapses, Civil Defense officials said.

Record southeastern Brazil rainstorms kill 30: official

President Xi Jinping warned Saturday that China faced a "grave situation" as authorities raced to contain a virus that has killed 41 people and caused a drastic scale-back of Lunar New Year celebrations.
The world's most populous country, which is scrambling to contain the disease that has infected nearly 1,300 people and overwhelmed health facilities, is building a second field hospital and closing more travel routes.
After more countries reported cases, Xi said at a Communist Party leadership meeting on the disease that China was "faced with the grave situation of an accelerating spread of the new coronavirus" but that the country will "definitely be able to win the battle," according to state media.
Meanwhile China's most important celebration has been all but cancelled for at least 56 million people as authorities expanded travel bans across central Hubei province to try and contain the spread of the virus.
In Wuhan, the epicentre of the emergency, 450 military medics were ...

China says virus situation 'grave' as Lunar New Year curtailed

French carmaker PSA on Saturday said it would repatriate expat staff from Wuhan as fears grew that more cases of coronavirus would be found in France.
Three cases of the virus have been confirmed in France while Chinese authorities have said the death toll there has risen to 41 with around 1,300 infected.
The French firm, which makes brands including Peugeot and Citroen, said in a statement the evacuation was being "implemented in full cooperation with the Chinese authorities and French consulate general" and involved 38 people made up of staff members and their families working in the Wuhan region.
They would be quarantined in the city of Changsha, around 300 kilometres (180 miles) from Wuhan where the virus originated, before being allowed to return "to their countries of origin", the company said in a statement.
The first cases to be confirmed in Europe were announced by French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn on Friday.
Others were "being monitored", said Paris emergency service chief .

French carmaker to evacuate expats from virus-hit Chinese

An armed attack on a highway rest stop in central Mexico has left at least nine people dead in the country's latest mass killing, state and federal authorities said Saturday.
The attack occurred Friday evening in Guanajuato state when a group of heavily armed men burst into a hostel restaurant frequented by truck drivers and opened fire.
Six people died on the spot, while three others were taken to a nearby parking lot and executed, the Federal Security Directorate reported. Two other people were injured.
Police and national guardsmen cordoned off the area, but the attackers escaped, officials said.
In recent years, heavily industrialized Guanajuato has gone from being one of Mexico's most peaceful states to one of its most violent. A network of pipelines crossing the state has attracted criminal gangs trafficking in stolen fuel.
In December, three officers died in an attack on a police station in the Guanajuato town of Villagran.
Earlier this month in southern Mexico, police found 10 

Attack at truck stop in Mexico kills 9: officials

White House lawyers began their defense of Donald Trump at his historic Senate impeachment trial on Saturday, saying the president did nothig wrong in his dealings with Ukraine and American voters -- not Congress -- should decide his fate.
White House counsel Pat Cipollone said it would be a "completely irresponsible abuse of power" if the Senate follows the lead of the House of Representatives and votes to remove the 45th US president from office.
"They're asking you to do something that no Senate has ever done," Cipollone told the 100 senators gathered on a rainy Saturday morning for a rare weekend session at just the third impeachment trial in US history.
Democratic prosecutors from the House, which impeached Trump last month for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, had not convincingly made their case that he had committed "high crimes and misdemeanors," as demanded by the Constitution, Cipollone said.
"We don't believe that they have come anywhere close to meeting their ...

White House say voters should decide if Trump remains in office

Chad's government on Saturday lifted the five-month state of emergency in the north and the east of the country, hailing a campaign to disarm civilians and quell deadly ethnic violence between farmers and herders from rival ethnic groups.
"10,000 weapons of all calibres have been recovered," Defence Minister Mahamat Abali Sala said at a ceremony in the east at which he announced that the state of emergency "has reached its objectives".
The emergency measures were imposed in August in the Quaddai and Sila regions in the east, bordering Sudan, and Tabesti in the north of the country, near the frontier with lawless Libya.
Tensions between indigenous settled farmers and nomadic Arab herders in the central African landlocked country, have simmered for years in the regions, sometimes erupting into deadly clashes. The disputes are often over access to grazing land or trampled crops.
President Idriss Deby has blamed the surge in violence partly on an influx of guns to Chad from conflict zones 

State of emergency lifted in north and eastern Chad

- The death toll in the explosion of a gas tanker in Lima has risen to 13 after the overnight deaths of five people hospitalized with severe burns, Peru's Health Ministry said Saturday.
The dead included several young children and a 40-year-old man from Venezuela, the ministry said.
Nearly 50 people were injured, many seriously, when a tanker truck carrying 10,000 liters of liquefied gas exploded early Thursday, igniting a major fire that destroyed several houses and vehicles in the capital's Villa El Salvador district.
Investigators believe the explosion was caused when a fuel hose became detached as the tanker truck passed over a speed bump as it approached an intersection.
The driver, initially reported to have died in the crash, in fact survived.

AFP

AFP

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