Russia on Monday called on the United States to release Afghan central bank reserves that Washington blocked after the Taliban's takeover of Kabul earlier this month.

Some 2 million French workers in restaurants and other service jobs must now show a health pass to go to work, as part of government virus-fighting efforts.

The public is already required to show the pass to go to French restaurants, tourist sites and many other public venues.

Many legal, technical and financial obstacles that had been hindering the agreement to import Egyptian gas to Lebanon have been removed, media reports said on Monday.

Sources asserted to al-Akhbar newspaper that “the agreement will also include the shipment of the imported gas to Al-Zahrani, which will lead to the operation of the two largest power plants in Lebanon.”

Cuba's government said Thursday it will recognize — and regulate — cryptocurrencies for payments on the island.

A resolution published in the Official Gazette said the Central Bank will set rules for such currencies and determine how to license providers of related services within Cuba.

Al Capone is infamous for having been a ruthless mob boss, but one of his granddaughters says his softer side will shine through when the family auctions the Prohibition-era gangster's personal items — including diamond-encrusted jewelry with his initials, family photographs and his favorite handgun.

Capone's three granddaughters will also auction a letter he wrote to their father and his only child, Albert "Sonny" Capone, from Alcatraz, where the mobster served an 11-year sentence following his 1934 tax evasion conviction. In the letter written in pencil, Al Capone refers to Sonny as "son of my heart."

Asian stock markets were mixed Friday as investors awaited more guidance on the U.S. Federal Reserve's easing plans.

The moves in Asia follow a pullback on Wall Street after the deadly attacks on Afghan civilians and U.S. troops at the Kabul airport on Thursday.

Apple has agreed to let developers of iPhone apps email their users about cheaper ways to pay for digital subscriptions and media by circumventing a commission system that generates billions of dollars annually for the iPhone maker.

The concession announced late Thursday, which covers emailed notifications but does not allow in-app notifications, is part of a preliminary settlement of a nearly 2-year-old lawsuit filed on behalf of iPhone app developers in the U.S. It also addresses an issue raised by a federal court judge who is expected to soon rule on a separate case brought by Epic Games, maker of the popular video game Fortnite.

Hong Kong said Thursday that domestic workers from Indonesia and the Philippines will be allowed to fly into the city starting Aug. 30, a move expected to ease a shortage of helpers in the city.

Hong Kong has approximately 370,000 domestic workers from Indonesia and the Philippines. Flights have been banned from both countries because they were considered high-risk for the coronavirus; under current arrangements, only fully-vaccinated Hong Kong residents from high-risk countries are allowed to enter the city.

North Korea will convene its rubber-stamp parliament next month to discuss efforts to salvage an economy strained by pandemic border closures after decades of mismanagement and U.S.-led sanctions.

The North's official Korean Central News Agency said Thursday the Supreme People's Assembly will meet on Sept. 28 in Pyongyang to discuss economic development, youth education, government organizational matters and other issues. The report didn't mention any plans for discussions on foreign policy.

World stocks were broadly lower on Thursday following a charge on Wall Street that drove indices to all-time highs for the second straight day.

Britain's FTSE 100 lost 0.3% to 7,127.10 and France's CAC 40 declined 0.2% to 6,665.06. The DAX in Germany also fell 0.2% to 15,822.87 in early trading.