Denpasar / AFP An explosion on a speedboat in Bali left two foreigners dead and 18 other tourists injured Thursday, sparking dramatic scenes as rescuers rushed to haul stunned and bloodied holidaymakers off the vessel. Dazed passengers, many covered in cuts and bruises, were taken to medical centres on the Indonesian holiday island after the blast, with TV footage showing …

  The Hague / AFP The new prosecutor for a special tribunal set up to try crimes arising out of the late 1990s Kosovo conflict pledged on Thursday there would be “no unnecessary delays” in bringing charges. As court officials gave their first ever press conference, David Schwendiman vowed he would investigate cases “without fear or favour” but stressed “there …

  Aleppo / AFP At a rundown park near the frontlines in the Syrian city of Aleppo, a fragile truce has brought out visitors to see the last animal left at a makeshift zoo — “Happy” the monkey. The 22- year-old hamadryas baboon has been a much-loved attraction at Sabil park in the western portion of the city for years. But …

  AFP European stock markets were mixed on Thursday, as London shares rose on hints from the Bank of England that there could be another rate cut this year. London’s benchmark FTSE 100 stocks index was up 0.2 percent in afternoon trading, as traders also reacted to better-than-expected British retail sales data. In the eurozone, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 index slipped …

  AFP Oil prices rebounded slightly on Thursday after tanking the previous day, but gains were capped by US stockpiles data and the prospect of rising output in Libya and Nigeria, dealers said. At about 1015 GMT, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in October was up 20 cents at $43.78 a barrel. Brent North Sea crude for November …

  Bloomberg United Arab Emirates stock markets fell in thin early trade on Thursday as they reopened after long Eid al-Adha holidays. During the time the bourses were closed between Sunday and Wednesday, oil prices and global equities dropped steeply, leaving few positive incentives for Gulf investors. Many investors remained on holiday on Thursday, the last day of the working …

  Bloomberg The smallest aircraft made by Boeing Co. and Airbus Group SE are about to find a new role operating trans-Atlantic routes that were previously the preserve of some of the world’s biggest planes. The re-engined 737 Max and A320neo jets offer a 15 percent fuel saving meant to cut costs on the shortest inter-city services. At the same …

  Bloomberg Argentina’s airline passengers must wait for a more competitive market while the government focuses on improving the country’s infrastructure to be able to handle more flights, even as Avianca Holdings SA and others show interest in entering the market. Argentina is spending $1.35 billion over four years to upgrade its air transport infrastructure, partly to refurbish 17 airports, …

  Bloomberg For all the world’s economic malaise, there’s a bright spot above the clouds: Airline passenger traffic grew 6.4 percent last year, the most in five years. Total passengers rose across all major regions to 7.2 billion, almost the population of the planet, according to Airports Council International, the industry’s Montreal-based trade association. And as with the global economy, …

Bloomberg Deutsche Lufthansa AG may face more disruption to flights that have been beset by strikes over the past 2 1/2 years as a union representing cabin crew at the carrier’s low-cost arm weighs industrial action. The Ver.di labor group said it could call a walkout at the Eurowings unit after four rounds of talks failed to produce a pay …