Facebook’s bid to rule the web as it goes social
Facebook set out its stall to unseat Google and be at the heart of the web experience as it becomes more social.
The world’s largest social network unveiled a series of products at its developer conference F8 aimed at helping the company achieve that goal.
These tools will make it easier for users to take their friends with them as they browse the web.
“We are building toward a web where the default is social,” said Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s founder.
“If you look back a few years ago and even as recently as today, in most cases the web isn’t designed to use your friends. They don’t assume you have a real identity but we are seeing that seep in more and more.
BBC UK on Adobe abandons iPhone code tools
Adobe is to stop making software tools that allow Apple’s iPhone and iPad to use its popular Flash technology.
The decision reverses an earlier pledge in which it said it would help get Flash working on the gadgets.
Flash is very widely used on the web and many sites use it to power animations, media players and other multimedia elements.
Despite this, Apple’s products do not support Flash and it has made public statements criticising the technology.
IMF chief Strauss-Kahn tries to ease Greece fears
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, says the Greek people should not fear the IMF.
He was responding to a Greek journalist who said Greeks are demonising the IMF and fear the country’s economic crisis will be worse with its involvement.
He replied that the IMF was there to help Greece, but deflected questions about negotiations with its government.
Detained Nigeria sect leader dies
The leader of an Islamic sect blamed for days of deadly violence in Nigeria has been killed in police custody, police officials have said.
Officials said Mohammed Yusuf was shot while trying to escape. They had announced his capture hours earlier.
Mr Yusuf led Boko Haram, which wants to overthrow the government and impose a strict version of Islamic law.
Hundreds of people have died in five days of clashes between his followers and security forces.
Mr Yusuf was held and later shot in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri.
“Mohammed Yusuf was killed by security forces in a shootout while trying to escape,” the regional police assistant inspector-general, Moses Anegbode, told Nigerian television.
A spokesman for the state governor told the Associated Press news agency: “I saw his body at police headquarters. I believe he was shot while he was trying to escape.”
State television showed jubilant police celebrating round his body, AFP news agency reported.
Troops had stormed Boko Haram’s stronghold on Wednesday night, killing many of the militants and forcing others to flee.
Mr Yusuf was arrested earlier on Thursday, after reportedly being found hiding in a goat pen at his parents-in-law’s house.
BBC News website Africa editor Joseph Winter says Nigeria’s security forces have a terrible reputation for brutality and human rights groups accuse them of frequent extra-judicial killings.
World powers accept warming limit
Developed and developing nations have agreed that global temperatures should not rise more than 2C above 1900 levels, a G8 summit declaration says.
That is the level above which, the UN says, the Earth’s climate system would become dangerously unstable.
US President Barack Obama said the countries had made important strides in dealing with climate change.
But the G8 failed to persuade developing countries to accept targets of cutting emissions by 50% by 2050.
US opens ‘major Afghan offensive’
The United States army says it has launched a major offensive against the Taliban in the southern Afghan province of Helmand.
The US military says about 4,000 marines as well as 650 Afghan troops are involved, supported by Nato planes.
Brigadier General Larry Nicholson said the operation was different from previous ones because of the “massive size of the force” and its speed.
Officers on the ground said it was the largest marine offensive since Vietnam.
It is the first such operation under President Barack Obama’s presidency.
The operation began when units moved into the Helmand river valley in the early hours of Thursday.
Helicopters and heavy transport vehicles carried out the advance, with Nato planes providing air cover.
Security aim
Southern Afghanistan is considered a Taliban stronghold.
The security forces will build bases to provide security for the local people so that they can carry out every activity with this favourable background, and take their lives forward in peace
Gulab Mangal
Helmand Governor
“Where we go we will stay, and where we stay, we will hold, build and work toward transition of all security responsibilities to Afghan forces,” said Brig Gen Nicholson in a statement.
At a briefing at the US military’s Camp Leatherneck last week, he told personnel and embedded reporters: “One of the most critical things is to tell people why we’re there, and we are going to have a limited opportunity to gain their trust.”
The operation would have an initial highly aggressive stage lasting 36 hours, AFP news agency reported.
It aims to improve security ahead of presidential elections on 20 August, allowing voter registration where before there was none, Gen Nicholson said.