The United States voiced optimism Tuesday about reaching an accord to end the war in Afghanistan as a partial truce held with the Taliban, warning rival leaders in the Kabul government not to scuttle the "enormous opportunity."
The United States plans to sign an agreement with the Taliban on Saturday in Qatar if the week-long truce holds. Four days in, the number of Taliban attacks has fallen dramatically.
"So far the reduction in violence is working -- imperfect, but it's working,"
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a news conference in Washington.
"We're on the cusp of an enormous, enormous political opportunity," he said.
The historic deal would see the US withdraw thousands of troops, winding down America's longest war which was launched after the September 11, 2001 attacks but has grown increasingly unpopular at home.
The Taliban would then open negotiations with the internationally recognized government in Kabul, which the Islamist militants have refused to recognize.  But the .

US upbeat on Taliban peace, warns Afghan leaders

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American health authorities said Tuesday they ultimately expect the novel coronavirus to spread in the United States and are urging local governments, businesses, and schools to develop plans like canceling mass gatherings or switching to teleworking.
The comments mark a significant escalation in the level of threat being conveyed to the US public and come amid fears of a pandemic, as the disease has taken root in several countries outside China, including Iran, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
COVID-19 has killed more than 2,600 people and infected almost 80,000 others, mainly in China. There are so far 53 recorded cases in the United States.  "Ultimately, we expect we will see community spread in this country," said Nancy Messonnier, a senior official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"It's not so much a question of if this will happen anymore, but rather more a question of exactly when this will happen, and how many people in this .

Health authorities expect coronavirus spread on US soil

Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian who spent eight years on death row on blasphemy charges, spoke Tuesday of trying to make a new life in a strange country and her dreams of returning home.
While safe in Canada, which granted her a one-year stay after she was freed from jail, she has yet to taste true freedom.
"Well, I haven't visited Canada yet. I have stayed at home, mostly... I don't go out much and basically it is because of the cold and the snow," the 48-year-old told AFP in an interview in Paris, speaking in Urdu through an English translator.
Bibi was in France to promote her book "Enfin Libre!" (Finally Free!) co-written with French journalist Anne-Isabelle Tollet.
She does not speak either of Canada's official languages, English or French, and is largely illiterate.
She misses her sisters, brother, father and in-laws back home. But most of all having "four (distinct) seasons, my culture and my food!" Bibi said she was hopeful things would change to allow her and her family -- 

Freed from Pakistani jail, exiled Asia Bibi dreams of home

Saudi sports authorities have launched a women's football league, the latest unlikely extravaganza in the kingdom as it attempts to shrug off its ultra-conservative image.
The first season of the 500,000 riyals (USD 133,000) league for women over 17 will be staged in the cities of Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam, the government-run Saudi Sports for All Federation said on Tuesday.
"The launch of the (league) bolsters women's participation in sports at the community level and will generate increased recognition for women's sports achievements," the federation said.
The development marks a new leap for Saudi women, who were first allowed to enter a football stadium to watch a match in January 2018.
The ultra-conservative kingdom, which has long had some of the world's tightest restrictions on women, had previously barred women from sports arenas.  But the country is now seeking to boost women's participation in sports as it eases strict decades-old rules separating the sexes.
De facto leader ..

Saudi Arabia launches women's football league

From jacking-up the prices of disinfectant gel to scammers posing as Red Cross volunteers, Italy's battle to contain its coronavirus outbreak has been a gift to grifters of various stripes.
After a spike in confirmed cases in recent days, Italy's number of infections now stands at 283, by far the largest in Europe.
Most of them are in the northern region of Lombardy, which contains the country's economic capital Milan.
Worried residents in the north have been scrambling to get hold of face masks and disinfectant gels, leading to shortages in many pharmacies and supermarkets.  The less scrupulous have been quick to spy an opportunity to profit.
On Tuesday morning one vendor on Ebay was asking for no less than 300 euros (325 dollars) for a litre of disinfectant solution.  The equivalent product for babies was by comparison a bargain at a mere 240 euros.
The phenomenon has prompted a wave of jokes and memes on social media.  "Will exchange five litres of Amuchina (antibacterial gel) in ..

Coronavirus generates rash of swindlers in Italy

The United States on Tuesday urged Afghan leaders to unite for upcoming talks with the Taliban, pointedly not congratulating President Ashraf Ghani on his disputed victory.
In a statement a week after the results were published, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said the US "notes" the announcement and warned against "destabilizing actions." She confirmed that Ghani had agreed to postpone the presidential inauguration that had been set for Thursday -- two days before the expected US signing of a peace deal with the Taliban.
"The Afghan people want peace," Ortagus said.
"It is time to focus not on electoral politics, but on taking steps toward a lasting peace." She called for feuding leaders to set up "an agreed national framework for peace that is fully representative" to prepare for talks with the Taliban, which are expected to begin in March.
The State Department specifically warned against "purported efforts to establish parallel government structures," in a clear ...

US urges Afghans to unite for Taliban talks amid election dispute

Austria on Tuesday placed a hotel in the Alpine city of Innsbruck under lockdown after an Italian receptionist working there contracted the virus, media reports said.
"No one can get in and out while the authorities assess who she has been in contact with," a spokeswoman for the Tyrol province state government told AFP, adding the place where the woman lived in Innsbruck was also being isolated.

Austria places Innsbruck hotel under lockdown over coronavirus

French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah, jailed in Iran since last year, has been transferred to a prison hospital after her health deteriorated following a hunger strike, her lawyer said Tuesday.
"This is a consequence of the hunger strike she had. Unfortunately, her kidneys have been damaged," Saeed Dehqan told AFP, emphasising that her situation was "concerning".

Jailed French academic Adelkhah hospitalised in Iran: lawyer

Switzerland reported its first case of new coronavirus on Tuesday, after outbreaks were identified in its main neighbours Austria, France, Germany and Italy.
"It's confirmed," a spokeswoman for Switzerland's federal health office told AFP, adding that more details about the case would be released later on Tuesday.
The case was found in the Italian-speaking Ticino canton on the border with Italy, the canton said on its website announcing a press conference for 1600 GMT.  Switzerland on Monday had said the country was in a state of "heightened vigilance" because of a surge in Italy.
Prior to this case, the country had tested some 300 suspect cases that were all found to be negative.
The government said on Monday that it had stepped up testing on patients with flu-like symptoms and was working to raise awareness at all border points.

Switzerland reports first case of new coronavirus

The team world championships in table tennis scheduled in South Korea is the latest sports event postponed because of the virus outbreak from China.
The International Table Tennis Federation on Tuesday said it plans to reschedule the March 22-29 championships in Busan to June 21-28  one month before the Tokyo Olympics.
After Busan reported its first confirmed cases of COVID-19 last week, city officials and table tennis organizers held an emergency contingency meeting about the event.
The ITTF cited the emerging situation in Korea Republic and to best preserve the health and safety of players, officials and fans for the decision.
The new tournament calendar could affect World Tour competitions in Australia and South Korea currently scheduled in June.
The spread of COVID-19 to South Korea has meant the domestic basketball league will finish its season with games played in empty stadiums. The K-league also announced this week the 2020 domestic soccer season will be delayed.
China on ...

Virus cases in SKorea delays table tennis team world champs

Juventus fans have been given the all clear to travel to France for a midweek Champions League clash against Lyon despite the spread of Coronavirus in Italy, the Italian club confirmed.
Upcoming matches in Serie A and the Europa League will be played behind closed doors to combat the highly-contagious virus which on Tuesday spread to Tuscany and Sicily in the south of the country.
Napoli's Champions League last 16, first leg match against Barcelona in Naples on Tuesday will go ahead on front of supporters at the San Paolo Stadium.
And French authorities and Lyon announced that "no special restrictions will be implemented for Juventus fans," the Turin club said in a statement.
"Fans following Juventus will be able to watch tomorrow's Champions League match at the Groupama Stadium without any problems."
The number of confirmed infections in Italy has jumped to 283, with over 50 new cases reported since Monday, with seven people having died after contracting the virus.
Eleven towns -- 10 

Juve fans free to travel to France despite Coronavirus fears

Amazon is aiming to kill the supermarket checkout line.
The online retailing giant is opening its first cashier-less supermarket, the latest sign that Amazon is serious about shaking up the $800 billion grocery industry.
At the new store, opening Tuesday in Seattle, shoppers can grab milk or eggs and walk out without checking out or opening their wallets. Shoppers scan a smartphone app to enter the store. Cameras and sensors track what's taken off shelves. Items are charged to an Amazon account after leaving.
Called Amazon Go Grocery, the new store is an expansion of its 2-year-old chain of Amazon Go convenience stores.
At 10,400 square feet, the supermarket is more than five times the size of the smaller stores, and stocks more items beyond the sodas and sandwiches found at Amazon Go. The new market stocks fresh baked bread, blood oranges, butternut squash and other food to whip up dinner or stock the fridge.
Amazon is not new to groceries. It made a splash in 2017 when it bought ...

No checkout needed: Amazon opens cashier-less grocery store

A Wall Street Journal reporter will remain in the locked-down Chinese city at the centre of the new coronavirus outbreak despite being ordered to leave the country, authorities said Tuesday.
Three journalists had their press credentials revoked and were told to depart China last week over what Beijing said was a racist headline in the newspaper's opinion pages, which none of the trio were involved in writing.
Two flew out from Beijing on Monday but the third -- US national Chao Deng -- has been reporting from Wuhan, where the virus was first detected.
The central city and industrial hub has been under effective quarantine for more than a month and its 11 million residents have been largely confined to their homes.
Chao will not be expelled for the time being but will not be permitted to work while she remains in China, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a press briefing.
"Out of humanitarian reasons, we will continue to allow her to stay in Wuhan, but she cannot conduct ...

Expelled WSJ China journalist stuck in virus epicentre

A lawyer for Julian Assange complained Tuesday that the WikiLeaks founder was handcuffed 11 times, stripped naked twice and had court papers taken away on the first day of a hearing on his extradition to the United States.
Attorney Edward Fitzgerald told a judge that the treatment of Assange at London's Belmarsh Prison could be a contempt of this court. The extradition hearing opened on Monday at Woolwich Crown Court, which is located next to the prison.
District Judge Vanessa Baraitser, who is hearing the case, said she had no power to act unless Assange became unable to participate in the proceedings, which are expected to last several months.
"If it comes to that, please let me know, the judge said.
Assange is wanted in the U.S. on espionage charges over the leaking of classified government documents a decade ago.
US prosecutors accuse Assange of conspiring with US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password, hack into a Pentagon computer and release hundreds of ..

Lawyer complains of prison treatment of WikiLeaks' Assange

Britain's government, parliament and political parties spent decades turning "a blind eye" to high-profile child sex abusers and sometimes actively protected them, an investigation reported Tuesday.
A former Liberal party leader announced his resignation from the House of Lords after the report condemned his failure to act against a paedophile MP from his party.
The government-commissioned report into how Westminster institutions dealt with abuse claims found a culture of deference by police, prosecutors and parties towards politicians. It also noted a widespread failure to put the needs of children first.
"It is clear to see that Westminster institutions have repeatedly failed to deal with allegations of child sexual abuse, from turning a blind eye to actively shielding abusers," said the inquiry's chairwoman, Alexis Jay in a statement.
"A consistent pattern emerged of failures to put the welfare of children above political status, although we found no evidence of an organised ...

UK politicians ignored child sex abuse: inquiry

Britain's Financial Conduct Authority on Tuesday admitted to a data breach, in an embarrassing revelation for the regulator and its boss, who shortly takes over at the Bank of England.
The FCA said it had mistakenly published the details of around 1,600 consumers who had complained about the regulator, which is tasked with overseeing the conduct of Britain's key financial sector, including any data breaches by banks for example.
The revelation comes just a few weeks before FCA chief executive Andrew Bailey replaces Mark Carney as governor of the Bank of England.
On Tuesday, the FCA said its website had mistakenly allowed visitors to see the names, addresses and phone numbers of complainants, as well as details of the complaints they had made over a period of 18 months to mid-July 2019.
"In many instances, the extent of the accessible information was only the name of the person making the complaint, with no further confidential details or specific details of their complaint," the FCA ..

UK financial regulator admits to data breach

Tokyo Olympics organisers said preparations were "continuing as planned" on Tuesday as Japan's football league became the latest sporting victim of the coronavirus, just five months before the Games.
The J-League added to jitters around the Olympics as it called off domestic football until mid-March, starting with seven cup games scheduled for Wednesday, as fears of a pandemic grow.
But Games organisers said cancelling the July 24-August 9 Olympics, which will draw millions of fans and tourists, as well as thousands of athletes and officials, had never been discussed.
"We have never discussed cancelling the Games," said a Tokyo 2020 statement sent to AFP.
"Preparations for the Games are continuing as planned."
The J-League postponement comes a day after South Korea's K-league was suspended as COVID-19 spreads rapidly beyond China, where nearly 2,700 people have died. The Chinese Super League is also on hold.
The virus has cut a swathe through Asia's sporting calendar and although the .

Olympics 'continuing as planned' but virus halts Japanese football

A lawyer for Julian Assange on Tuesday accused the United States of "boldly and blatantly" misstating facts about the Wikileaks founder's conduct, on the second day of his extradition hearing in Britain.
Assange faces charges under the US Espionage Act for the 2010 release of a trove of secret files detailing aspects of US military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Washington claims the 48-year-old Australian helped intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to steal the documents  before recklessly exposing confidential sources around the world.
But defence lawyer Mark Summers argued much of the 18-charge US indictment Assange will face if extradited was "provably wrong", adding elements were "lies, lies and more lies".
"It's difficult to conceive of a clearer example of an extradition request that boldly and blatantly misstates the facts as they are known to be to the US government," he told a packed courtroom in southeast London.
"You will have to determine in due course whether it is ..

Assange lawyer accuses US of peddling lies

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday hit out at China and Iran for their response to the outbreak of coronavirus, accusing the two governments of censorship and of trying to cover up the severity of the spread of the deadly illness.
Pompeo assailed Beijing for expelling three Wall Street Journal reporters and said a free press was needed to ensure accurate information about the virus is available to the public and medical personnel. He also said Iranian authorities must tell the truth about the virus amid signs the outbreak there may be far wider than officially acknowledged.
Expelling our journalists exposes once again the government's issue that led to SARS and now the coronavirus, namely censorship. It can have deadly consequences, Pompeo said of China.
Had China permitted its own and foreign journalists and medical personnel to speak and investigate freely, Chinese officials and other nations would have been far better prepared to address the challenge, he told reporters at a 

Pompeo blasts China, Iran for response to virus outbreak

Bangladesh will invite former president Pranab Mukherjee to address a special Parliament session on March 22 and 23 to mark the Mujib Year, coinciding with its founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary.
Nepalese President Bidhya Devi Bhandari will also be invited along with Mukherjee.
"The President (Abdul Hamid) is set to send the invitation letters to the two dignitaries to address the special parliament session on March 22 and 23 to mark the Mujib Year," a presidential palace spokesman told newsmen.
The announcement came after parliamentary speaker Shirin Sharmin Choudhury called on the president this evening.
A parliament secretariat spokesman said this would be the third such instance when foreign dignitaries would address Bangladesh's parliament.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman served as the first President of Bangladesh and later as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from April 17, 1971 until his assassination on August 15, 1975.
He is considered to be the driving force behind the ...

Bangladesh to invite Pranab Mukherjee to special parliament session

Mastercard's Indian-American President and Chief Executive Officer Ajay Banga will step down from his role and assume charge as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, as the payments giant announced Michael Miebach as the new CEO.
The company said in a statement that Banga will become Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors effective January 1, 2021. Miebach, currently the Chief Product Officer, will become Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors on January 1, 2021 and, as part of the transition, to become President March 1 this year.
The Board unanimously elected Miebach to his new role. As President of the company, Miebach will oversee the sales, marketing, products, services and technology organizations.
Banga, 60, who had been Mastercard's CEO for 10 years, said it has been a privilege to be a part of Mastercard's transformation as a company.
Thanks to the efforts of the entire leadership team, we are well-positioned for future success as we ...

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