Syria: Suicide car bomber kills 5 in Kurdish town
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- A suicide car bomber detonated his explosives near a building manned by paramilitary forces in a mainly Kurdish town in northeastern Syria Friday, killing at least five people, according to the state news agency and activists.... 12/6/2013 9:48 AM

Japan parliament approves contentious secrets law
TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's parliament has approved a state secrets law that stiffens penalties for leaks by government officials and for journalists who seek such information, overriding criticism that it could be used to cover up government abuses and suppress civil liberties.... 12/6/2013 9:42 AM

World Cup teams hoping for luck of the draw
COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil (AP) -- The eyes of soccer focused nervously Friday on the draw to determine where, when and, most important, who the 32 teams will play at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.... 12/6/2013 9:36 AM

Woman fined for Facebook invite to a mass party
WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- A Polish court has fined a 23-year-old woman who admitted posting an invitation to an outdoor spring party on Facebook, which drew more than 20,000 people. Some of them were rowdy and got into fights.... 12/6/2013 9:26 AM

French troops kill rebels in Central African Rep.
BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) -- France's defense minister says French troops killed several rebels who were bearing down on them in a pickup truck during violence in Central African Republic.... 12/6/2013 9:26 AM

Yemen: 6 dead in raids to catch ministry attackers
ADEN, Yemen (AP) -- Yemeni security forces launched a sweep in the capital to find the perpetrators of a deadly attack on the country's Defense Ministry, sparking clashes that left five suspected militants and one member of the special forces dead, officials said Friday.... 12/6/2013 9:25 AM

Brazil police investigate school for racism
SAO PAULO (AP) -- Brazil police say they are investigating a school for suspected racism after it allegedly refused to re-enroll an 8-year-old boy because of his natural Afro hairstyle.... 12/6/2013 9:13 AM

Students in Libya say slain teacher inspired them
TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) -- An American chemistry teacher shot to death while jogging in Benghazi was looking forward to his first Christmas in the United States with his wife and toddler son.... 12/6/2013 9:08 AM

Mandela to be buried Dec. 15
JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Flags were lowered to half-staff across South Africa and people in black townships, in upscale mostly white suburbs and in the country's vast rural grasslands commemorated Nelson Mandela with song, tears and prayers on Friday while pledging to adhere to the values of unity and democracy that he embodied.... 12/6/2013 9:05 AM

Russia PM: No amnesty for political prisoners
MOSCOW (AP) -- Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev hinted Friday that members of the punk band Pussy Riot, former tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and others widely referred to as political prisoners will not be freed in Russia's upcoming amnesty.... 12/6/2013 9:01 AM

Markets solid after strong US jobs data
LONDON (AP) -- Markets took in stride forecast-busting U.S. jobs data Friday even though they reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve will begin to reduce its monetary stimulus this month.... 12/6/2013 9:00 AM

Dutch paper sorry for 'tasteless' Mandela article
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) -- The top-selling Dutch newspaper has apologized for a story on its website that linked the death of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela with a controversial black-face character in the traditional Dutch celebration of Sinterklaas.... 12/6/2013 8:59 AM

Gunmen kill leader of Sunni group in Pakistan
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) -- Police say gunmen riding on a motorcycle have opened fire on a vehicle carrying a leader of a hard-line Sunni group in eastern Pakistan, killing him and wounding a passer-by before fleeing.... 12/6/2013 8:58 AM

Correction: Vatican-Legion of Christ story
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- In a story Dec. 5 about the wedding of a former Legion of Christ priest, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the Legion said less than 4 percent of Legion priests had been abused. Less than 4 percent have been accused of sexual abuse, according to the Legion.... 12/6/2013 8:57 AM

Israel ends probe of Palestinian protester's death
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israel's military prosecutor cleared a soldier who killed a Palestinian stone-thrower by firing a tear gas canister at close range from inside a jeep.... 12/6/2013 8:50 AM

Final suspect in Dutch art heist arrested in UK
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) -- Prosecutors say U.K. police have arrested the final suspect in the theft of paintings by Matisse, Picasso and Monet from a Dutch museum.... 12/6/2013 8:49 AM

Chile presidential candidates square off in debate
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) -- Center-left candidate Michelle Bachelet and her conservative rival Evelyn Matthei have squared off in a presidential debate ahead of Chile's election next week.... 12/6/2013 8:44 AM

Niger leader urges 'mixed brigades' to help Libya
PARIS (AP) -- Niger's president is pushing for the creation of multinational African brigades - notably with Libya - to boost border security in lawless zones where jihadist fighters roam.... 12/6/2013 8:29 AM

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Nelson Mandela will have state burial on Dec. 15, says President Jacob Zuma.... 12/6/2013 8:26 AM

Egypt: No visits for ousted president
CAIRO (AP) -- Egypt's Interior Ministry says it will no longer allow visits to the country's ousted president, now held in a remote desert prison.... 12/6/2013 8:19 AM