KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An explosion has sent smoke rising over the heart of Afghanistan’s capital. The strong blast was felt several kilometers (miles) away.
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Futures slide; markets appear headed for down week
NEW YORK (AP) — Stock futures are sinking and it appears major U.S. indexes are heading for a down week roiled by corporate earnings, good and bad, and confusion about what the Fed will do next.
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French special forces took part in Niger operation: government
PARIS (Reuters) – French special forces took part in an operation at an army base in Niger on Friday to flush out Islamist militants suspected of involvement in an attack the previous day, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said. At least 21 people were killed and dozens wounded on Thursday in coordinated dawn assaults on a uranium mine run by French company Areva at Arlit and the military base in the city of Agadez in northern Niger. …
Read more here: French special forces took part in Niger operation: government
Egypt: 3 women killed in 'honor' crime
LUXOR, Egypt (AP) — An Egyptian security official says 10 male relatives have killed a mother and her two daughters on suspicion of moral offenses — so-called “honor killings.”
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Yemen's main oil pipeline attacked, pumping stopped
SANAA (Reuters) – Attackers blew up Yemen’s main oil export pipeline on Friday, halting the flow of crude, the government and industry sources said. “Subversive elements” in Serwah in central Maarib province had blown up the pipeline, which leads to the Red Sea, at dawn on Friday, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. The Arabian Peninsula state, which relies on crude exports to replenish its reserves and finance up to 70 percent of budget spending, has suffered frequent bombings of its main oil pipeline since an uprising broke out in 2011. …
Read more here: Yemen's main oil pipeline attacked, pumping stopped
Large blast heard in center of Afghan capital
KABUL (Reuters) – A large blast was heard in the center of the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Friday with a Reuters witness hearing heavy shooting directly afterwards. The explosion occurred at about 4 p.m. (11:30 GMT) in the downtown district of Borj-e Sharahah, a Kabul police spokesman said. There was no word on any casualties. (Reporting by Amie Ferris-Rotman and Mirwais Harooni; Editing by Robert Birsel)
Read more here: Large blast heard in center of Afghan capital
Zimbabwe activist: Prisoners denied Aids drugs
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — A Zimbabwean human rights activist says he wants the nation’s highest court to order prison authorities to ensure suspects in jail can receive their life-prolonging HIV/AIDS medications.
Read more here: Zimbabwe activist: Prisoners denied Aids drugs
Google reportedly eyes $1 billion-plus Waze buy, but Facebook may be blocking bids
Interest in social mapping and navigation provider Waze is reportedly heating up, with Google and several other “large tech companies” currently holding talks with the Israel-based company. Bloomberg on Friday reported that Google is considering a bid that exceeds Facebook’s earlier offer, which reportedly fell between $800 million and $1 billion. Earlier rumors suggested Facebook and Waze’s negotiations had stalled due to a disagreement over whether or not Waze’s Israeli research and development center would remain open. According to a follow-up from Israel-based newspaper Calcalist, which first broke the story that Facebook was in talks to acquire Waze, Google may face some trouble if it’s serious about a possible deal — Facebook and Waze have reportedly just signed an agreement
Read more here: Google reportedly eyes $1 billion-plus Waze buy, but Facebook may be blocking bids
Pakistan: US diplomat kills pedestrian in accident
ISLAMABAD (AP) — The U.S. Embassy says an American diplomat accidentally killed a pedestrian while driving in the Pakistani capital.
Read more here: Pakistan: US diplomat kills pedestrian in accident
EU risks "too big to cooperate" bank supervision
By Martin Santa and Huw Jones BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) – The role of the European Banking Authority must be beefed up beyond current plans to ensure that regulation of Europe's banks does not fragment into two competing systems, one of the architects of the reforms told a public hearing on Friday. Jacques de Larosiere, former head of the Bank of France and IMF, said the European Central Bank's role in a European Banking Union to supervise euro zone lenders risked creating a “duopoly” that would split the bloc's single market next year. …
Read more here: EU risks "too big to cooperate" bank supervision
