Erik Dominguez holds his 11-month-old daughter Isabella while watching the live stream of a public memorial for Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, Feb. 24, 2020, outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
NEWS

5 national stories of the week

Kobe Bryant’s memorial service, Harvey Weinstein’s conviction, the South Carolina Democratic presidential debate, sex-abuse allegations against a former University of Michigan doctor and actor Jussie Smollett’s not-guilty pleas make up this week’s five national stories. 




Thousands of people take part in a funeral march Feb. 23, 2020, in Hanau, Germany. Several people were killed in a shooting in the central German city Feb. 19, 2020. (Nicolas Armer/dpa via AP)
NEWS

5 international stories of the week

The aftermath of a racist shooting incident in Germany, updated numbers of people affected by the new virus outbreak, President Donald Trump’s visit to India, the U.N. chief’s call to action on human rights and Julian Assange’s extradition hearing make up this week’s five international stories. 



In this Nov. 13, 2019, file photo, Afghan security personnel gather at the site of a car bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. Afghanistan will need vast amounts of foreign funding to keep its government afloat through 2024, a U.S. agency said Thursday, even as foreign donors are increasingly angry over the cost of debilitating corruption and the U.S. seeks a peace deal with Taliban to withdraw its troops. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File)
NEWS

US: Taliban’s ‘reduction of violence’ deal to start tonight

The countdown to the signing of a peace agreement between the Taliban and the United States to end the 18 years of war in Afghanistan will begin on Friday night, when the seven-day “reduction of violence” promised by the Taliban will go into effect, a senior U.S. State Department official said. The deal will be signed on Feb. 29.