Bangladesh v Afghanistan, T20 World Cup Qualifier: Where to Watch Live, Preview and Team News

Mushfiquir Rahim and Anamul Haque [Reuters]

Bangladesh take on Afghanistan in the first game of the T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Group A at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka on Sunday.

Where to Watch Live

Play is scheduled to start at 9:30pm GMT. Live coverage will be on Sky Sports 2 and Sky Sports 2 HD. Live text updates of the game will be available on ESPNCricinfo.

Overview

Despite failing to register a single win in the Asia Cup 2014 One-Day International tournament on home soil over the last few weeks, Bangladesh come into this game having won against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ireland in the World T20 Warm-up matches last Wednesday and Friday respectively.

Against UAE, the hosts successfully chased the target of 143 runs set by the visitors with seven balls and four wickets remaining. Tamim Iqbal was their top scorer with 43 runs as they lost six wickets before Mahmudullah (29) and Farhad Reza (14) combined to drag their team across the finish line.

It was relatively easier for Mushfiqur Rahim's side against the Irish as Bangladesh smashed 179 runs in the opening innings. Shakib Al Hasan (58) and Rahim (59) put in a stellar display and remained unbeaten knocking their half-centuries as their bowlers restricted the visitors to 135 runs in 20 overs.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan showed marginally better performance in the Asia Cup which included a single victory against the hosts. However, their stuttering form continued during the warm-up games as they first beat the Netherlands on Wednesday, but failed to beat Zimbabwe on Friday.

The Afghans scored 150 runs in the opening innings against the Dutch. But the game was reduced to 15 overs due to a floodlight problem and a revised target of 122 runs was set for Peter Borren's side. However, they failed to score those runs and were all out for just 86 runs. Aftab Alam took four wickets for Mohammad Nabi's side while Hamza Hotak took three.

In the second game, Afghanistan managed to score 168 runs against Zimbabwe but Brendan Taylor's side successfully chased the total with three balls to spare.

Both Bangladesh and Afghanistan are well aware that only one team will qualify from Group A to be among the final 10 teams competing for the trophy.

Team News

Bangladesh

Probable Lineup: Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (c & wk), Mominul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Mahmudullah, Sohag Gazi, Al-Amin Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain

Afghanistan

Probable Lineup: Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Nawroz Mangal, Karim Sadiq, Asghar Stanikzai, Mohammad Nabi (c), Najibullah Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Samiullah Shenwari, Dawlat Zadran, Shapoor Zadran, Hamza Hotak

Proposed Iraqi Law would Legalise Marriage to Eight-Year-Old Girls

The proposed bill denies basic human rights to Iraqi women and girls.Reuters

A proposed new law in Iraq could make it legal for girls as young as eight to be married.

The highly contentious bill also stipulates that married women would have to submit to sex with their husband on his every request and that a man can have sex with his wife without her consent.

The measure would restrict women from leaving the house without their husband's permission; limit their rights to parental custody after divorce, and allow men to have multiple wives.

The proposed legislation allows men to divorce children as young as eight-years-old. Critics claim the suggested minimum age for divorce was added to legitimise marriages to very young girls.

Under current law, the legal age for marriage in Iraq is 18, or 15 with a guardian's approval.

Known as the Jaafari Personal Status Law, the proposed measures are designed to create different laws for Iraq's majority Shiite population.

“That law represents a crime against humanity and childhood. Married underage girls are subjected to physical and psychological suffering.”

- Hana Adwar, Iraqi human rights activist

Baghdad-based analyst Hadi Jalo has suggested the forthcoming elections have motivated the new proposal, which is said to be a priority for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who aspires to a third term of office.

"Some influential Shiite politicians have the impression that they should do their best to make any achievement that would end the injustice that had been done against the Shiites in the past."

The controversial proposals, contravening the fundamental human rights of women and children, have provoked outrage from activists in Iraq and around the world.

Iraqi human rights activist Hana Adwar said: "That law represents a crime against humanity and childhood. Married underage girls are subjected to physical and psychological suffering."

Sunni lawmaker Likaa Wardi added that the archaic legislation would create furtherdivisions in the country, which has seen some of the worst sectarian bloodshed since the U.S.led invasion in 2003.

The current legal age for marriage for Iraqi women is 18.Reuters

"The Jaffari law will pave the way to the establishments of courts for Shiites only, and this will force others sects to form their own courts. This move will widen the rift among the Iraqi people," said Wardi.

New York-based Human Rights Watch also condemned the proposed legislation.

Joe Stork, the organisation's Middle East director, said: "Passage of the Jaafari law would be a disastrous and discriminatory step backward for Iraq's women and girls. This personal status law would only entrench Iraq's divisions while the government claims to support equal rights for all."

“Passage of the Jaafari law would be a disastrous and discriminatory step backward for Iraq's women and girls. This personal status law would only entrench Iraq's divisions while the government claims to support equal rights for all.”

- Joe Stork, Human Rights Watch

Iraqi Justice Minister Hassan al-Shimmari, a Shiite, who has also lobbied for a separate Shiite court, has dismissed criticism of the bill, claiming that it designed to end injustices faced by Iraqi women and that it could help prevent illicit child marriage outside established legal systems.

"By introducing this draft law, we want to limit or prevent such practices," al-Shimmari said.

Last year, Iraq's Justice Ministry presented the draft measure to the Cabinet, which approved it in February, despite strong opposition from human rights campaigners.

The bill must be ratified in Parliament before it becomes law, which is unlikely to happen before the elections scheduled for April 30.

Government statistics show that nearly 25 percent of marriages in Iraq, in 2011, involved someone under the age of 18.

Jail Term Cut for Doctor Who Helped US Find Bin Laden

The compound where Osama Bin laden was killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan.REUTERS

A jail sentence handed down to a doctor who helped the US track down Osama Bin Laden has been cut by 10 years.

Shakil Afridi was accused of setting up a fake vaccination programme to confirm Bin Laden's location in the northern Pakistan town of Abbottabad.

His original 33-year-sentence on a charge of being a member of a militant group was widely interpreted as a punishment from Pakistani authorities for his role helping the US locate the al-Qaida leader.

Bin Laden was killed by US special forces in a raid on his compound in 2011. His body was then flown out by helicopter and buried at sea.

After the raid, relations between the Pakistan and US governments worsened, as Pakistan had not been informed that the raid was due to take place, causing authorities acute embarrassment.

Afridi was originally sentenced by a court in a tribal area in May 2012.

Following appeals from his family and the US, a Peshawar court cut his sentence to 23 years.

Afridi's lawyer, Qamar Nadeem, said a charge that his client had waged war with Pakistan had been dropped.

Nadeem said Afridi may appeal further to a higher tribal court, and that he denied helping the CIA.

Turkish PM Links Dead Teenager to Terrorist Groups

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a crowed ahead of local elections on 30 March.Reuters

Turkish Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan has said a teenager who died on Tuesday from injuries sustained in last year's anti-government protests was linked to terrorist groups.

Berkin Elvan's death after nine months in a coma sparked major clashes between protesters and police in more than 30 towns and cities across Turkey. The unrest was Turkey's worst since last June's nationwide anti-government demonstrations.

In a campaign speech at a rally broadcast on state television ahead of local elections on 30 March, Erdogan said: "This kid with steel marbles in his pockets, with a slingshot in his hand, his face covered with a scarf, who had been taken up into terror organisations, was unfortunately subjected to pepper gas."

Elvan, who was 14 at the time of the protests, became caught up in street clashes in Istanbul on 16 June while he went to buy bread for his family.

He was hit in the head by what is believed to be a police gas canister and fell into a coma.

Elvan became a rallying point for anti-government protesters, who held vigils at the hospital where he received intensive care treatment.

Elvan's funeral took place in Istanbul on Wednesday, providing a further outlet for expressions of discontent with the government. Police fired water cannon and tear gas at protesters near Taksim Square as Elvan's coffin was carried through the city's streets.

In comments likely to inflame public discontent, Erdogan criticised Elvan's parents and suggested that the teenager had not really gone to buy bread.

"His mother says 'my son's killer is the prime minister'," Erdogan said. "I know love, fondness for one's child but I could not understand why you threw steel marbles and carnations into your son's grave."

Erdogan has promised to step down if the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) does not perform well in the elections. However the AKP, which has been in power since 2002, is expected to perform better than its political rivals in the polls.

Critics accuse Erdogan of becoming increasingly authoritarian amid recent moves by the government to control the judiciary and censor internet communications.

Nissan Unveils Rear-View Video Mirror

Nissan's executive vice-president and chief planning officer Andy Palmer unveils the new Nissan Sport Sedan Concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan.Reuters

Japanese car manufacturer Nissan has unveiled plans to replace the traditional rear-view mirror in its cars with screens showing footage from cameras mounted on the rear of vehicles.

The company said its redesigned rear-view "smart mirror" will improve safety because the image seen by drivers will not be obstructed by passengers in the backseat, piled-up luggage, headrests or dirty rear windscreens.

The new feature will also enable the manufacturer to make rear windows smaller, which will allow cars to be more streamlined and aerodynamic. This in turn will help reduce fuel consumption.

The smart mirror's LCD display will be contained within the same structure as conventional rear-view mirrors, and can be switched off to allow the display to revert to a conventional mirror reflection if drivers want to check their appearance.

“Smart rear-view mirrors will give our customers the best possible view, no matter how tall the passengers in the back seat of the car are”

Andy Palmer, Nissan executive vice-president

"Rearward visibility from conventional rear-view mirrors can be obstructed when there are tall passengers sitting in the rear seats or when luggage has been stacked high in the rear compartment," a Nissan spokesman told the Daily Mail.

"However, with the electronic mirror, rearward visibility is free from obstructions. This helps the driver get a much better view of the traffic conditions."

Andy Palmer, Nissan's executive vice-president, added: "Smart rear-view mirrors will give our customers the best possible view, no matter how tall the passengers in the back seat of the car are and no matter how bad the road conditions are.

"It also offers the possibility of new and exciting designs because it gives us an alternative to a very wide rear window while preserving good visibility."

Nissan said the technology is ready to be rolled out across Japan and will be launched as an option on the Nissan X-Trail in overseas markets later this year before being extended to other countries in 2015. Nissan plans to use the new smart mirror in its ZEOD RC race car in the Le Mans 24-hour race.

Oil Futures End Lower After US-Russia Talks Collapse

A file photograph of workers at the Oseberg oil field in the North Sea.Reuters

Crude oil futures rose on 14 March, but ended lower for the week, as traders who bet on lower prices closed out their positions over concerns that hostilities between Russia and the Ukraine could worsen over the weekend.

Light, sweet crude April contract finished 69 cents, or 0.7%, higher at $98.89 a barrel on 14 March.

US futures lost 3.6% for the week as a whole.

Brent ended $1.18, or 1.1%, higher at $108.57 a barrel on 14 March.

The European benchmark shed 0.4% for the week. The April contract expired at settlement.

The West has threatened to impose sanctions on Russia, a first since the Cold War, if Moscow does not reduce its military intervention in the Crimean peninsula.

Talks between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over Crimea collapsed on 14 March. A referendum on Crimea joining Russia is scheduled for 16 March.

Meanwhile, Friday's gain in prices came after the International Energy Agency (IEA) raised its forecast for global demand growth to 1.4 million barrels a day, on expectations of a stronger economic backdrop.

Traders who bet that prices would fall this week potentially closed out those positions on 14 March, in case any developments, in Crimea over weekend, made sanctions on Russia more likely, said Tariq Zahir, managing member at Tyche Capital Advisors.

"People are squaring positions off until we see how the market reacts and what really happens over the weekend," Zahir told The Wall Street Journal.

"The market's taking somewhat of a wary eye towards Ukraine," said Andy Lebow, senior vice president for energy at Jefferies Bache.

On 11 March, crude prices retraced some of the preceding session's losses amid a bullish sentiment about Ukraine and bearish fears over global economic growth.

The Crimea standoff continued to support prices.

In addition, turmoil in Libya continued to provide support to crude prices. Earlier, reports said the Libyan navy had taken control of a North Korea-flagged oil tanker that was looking to buy more than $30m worth of crude from the Es Sider port, which is held by rebel forces.

Prices of both the Brent and US contracts dropped on 10 March amid fears of an economic slowdown in China, the world's second-largest oil consumer.

Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370: Investigation Focuses on Co-Pilot

Jonti Roos and Jaan Maree posing for pictures with co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid, right, on a December 2011 flightA Current Affair

As Malaysian authorities reveal communications aboard the Boeing 777-200 were deliberately disconnected and the plane flown off-course, the homes of the pilot and co-pilot have been searched. Now the younger of the two men, Fariq Ab Hamid, is once again in the spotlight following earlier revelations of smoking and inviting women into the cockpit.

So who is Fariq Ab Hamid?

Hamid is 27 years old, an apparently respectable and community-minded man with a love of football believed to be planning his wedding. His home is a two-storey house on the outskirts of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur and he is described as a "good Muslim, humble and quiet" by the leader of his local mosque. Hamid's parents are said to be devastated by the disappearance of their son and the local community are praying for them all.

Although a pilot for seven years with 2,763 hours flying time, Hamid had only just graduated to flying 777s as a co-pilot. Recently he was filmed by a crew from CNN Business Traveler landing a virtually identical 777-200. CNN's reporter Richard Quest said he had made a perfect landing.

However, Malaysian Airlines were shocked when pictures and revelations emerged of Hamid posing with young ladies in the cockpit, in contravention of strict company rules.

Now police are investigating Hamid's psychological profile to see if there is any indication he may have either directed the plane to an unknown location or even deliberately crashed it in an act of suicide.

This is what happened in the case of Flight 990 in 1999, when Egyptian pilot Gamal al-Batouti is believed to have deliberately crashed his Boeing 767 into the Atlantic off the coast of New England with the loss of all 217 people aboard. More recently, pilot suicide was blamed for a crash in Namibia in 2013 when all 33 aboard were killed.

If one of the pilots did decide to bring the plane down, he would have to wait until the other pilot left the cockpit and then lock the door, making it virtually impossible for anyone else to enter.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 Crash Map

The background of 53-year-old Captain Zaharie Ahmed Shah is also being investigated, and he has a 777 flight simulator in his Kuala Lumpur home. However, he is a veteran pilot with 18,365 hours' flying time, a much-respected father and member of the community, so any such action on his part is thought to be extremely unlikely.

However as the search for the missing plane enters its second week, and new revelations emerge, these are some of the less outlandish suggestions being put forward to explain the fate of Flight MH370.

FLIGHT MH370 FACTBOX

Flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport en route to Beijing at 00:41 on Saturday 8 March (16:41 GMT Friday).

About 50 minutes later, the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control.

No distress call was made.

On board, there were 12 Malaysian crew members and 227 passengers from 14 countries. They included 153 Chinese and 38 Malaysians.

Two Iranian male passengers, Pouria Nour Mohammad Mahread and Delavar Syed Mohammad Reza, were travelling on fake passports. Neither had any apparent links to terrorist groups.

No debris from the plane has been found in the international search.

At least 10 countries, including China, the US and Singapore, are using a total of 42 ships and 39 aircraft to search for the missing plane in the South China Sea, the Malacca Strait and the Andaman Sea.