Facebook’s IPO one of the world’s largest, values company at $104 billion NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook is about to find out just how much status updates, puppy photos and billions of ‘‘likes’’ are worth on Wall Street. Facebook’s stock is set to begin trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market on Friday, the day after the world’s definitive online social network raised $16 billion in an initial public offering that valued the company at $104 billion. That’s more than Amazon.com and other well-known companies such as Kraft, Walt Disney and McDonald’s. It’s a big windfall for a company that began eight years ago with no way to make money. Facebook priced its IPO at $38 per share on Thursday, at the top of expectations. Now, regular investors will have a chance to buy stock in Facebook for the first time. The stock will trade under ticker symbol will be FB. Facebook’s offering is the culmination of a year’s worth of Internet IPOs that began last May with LinkedIn Corp. Since then, a steady stream of startups focused on the social side of the Web has gone public, with varying degrees of success. It all led up to Facebook, the company that’s come to define social networking by getting 900 million people around the world to share everything from photos of their pets to their deepest thoughts. ——— Early border skirmishes of 2012 presidential campaign suggest nothing’s off-limits this year WASHINGTON (AP) — The early border skirmishes of Campaign 2012 are reviving questions about one candidate’s former pastor and shining a spotlight on the other’s high school hijinks. Can a fresh round of questions about President Barack Obama’s birth certificate be far behind? In a campaign year when voters have declared the economy their top concern, Obama and Mitt Romney are on notice that there’s no statute of limitations on the issues or conduct that might be used against them. And there’s sure to be somebody with money or other means to insert even low-threshold matters into the political dialogue. ‘‘It’s open season,’’ says Eric Dezenhall, an expert on crisis management. ‘‘This is going to be very rough.’’ Thursday’s disclosure that a Republican-leaning super PAC was considering a $10 million ad campaign highlighting Obama’s past links to inflammatory preacher Jeremiah Wright was just the latest evidence that if there ever were limits on what was fair game in a campaign, they’re largely history. That’s thanks to a flood of new money into politics, the ease of spreading political attacks via the Internet and changing attitudes about what’s an appropriate topic for discussion. Long gone are the days when candidates’ extramarital escapades were off-limits, photographers avoided taking pictures of Franklin D. Roosevelt in a wheelchair and a few newspapers and TV stations acted as gatekeepers. ——— Nurses’ protest to draw thousands ahead of NATO summit, scores of Chicago workers staying home CHICAGO (AP) — Thousands of anti-NATO demonstrators are expected to converge at a downtown plaza Friday for a rally that promises to be a prelude to a much larger march Sunday, when world leaders begin two days of talks. Meanwhile, many office buildings will be shuttered after workers were told to stay home amid warnings about heightened security, snarled transportation and the possibility of unruly protests. National Nurses United officials have said they expect about 2,000 nurses to attend Friday’s rally, where they will call for a ‘‘Robin Hood’’ tax on financial institutions’ transactions to offset cuts in social services, education and health care. But city officials have said the rally likely will draw more than 5,000 because of a performance by former Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, an activist who has played at many Occupy events. The union had scheduled the rally to coincide with the G-8 economic summit, which originally was to be held in Chicago but was moved to Camp David, Md. Midwest Director Jan Rodolfo said the nurses decided to go forward with the rally in the hope that their message would reach a worldwide audience. ‘‘What we really hope for is a large, festive, hopeful, constructive tone regarding the Robin Hood tax and that everyone in attendance feels like they’re part of a moment in history,’’ Rodolfo said. She said the movement is much more momentum in other countries and ‘‘we’re hoping to put it on the map’’ in the U.S. Earlier in the day, the U.S. North American Aerospace Defense will hold training flights in downtown Chicago. Other small protests, including one targeting climate change, are planned. ——— New French leader faces Obama, G-8, likely NATO anger over plan for early Afghan troop pullout WASHINGTON (AP) — For President Barack Obama’s relationship with France, it’s out with ‘‘Sarkozy the American’’ and in with Francois Hollande the Socialist. Freshly inaugurated, French President Hollande visits the White House on Friday and plans to announce a pullout of all French combat troops from Afghanistan by year’s end. That could infuriate NATO allies and embarrass his re-election-minded host — and may well be logistically impossible. Hollande, who has little international experience, will have to muster diplomatic finesse for the political thicket he faces in the United States. First, he must defend France’s interests while building a relationship with Obama, widely popular in France but seen by some in Hollande’s camp as having been too friendly with his predecessor, conservative Nicolas Sarkozy. Second, Hollande must convince partners at the Group of Eight economic summit at Obama’s presidential retreat, Camp David, that his insistence on rethinking a European austerity treaty won’t send the region deeper into debt crisis. ——— Global leaders gathering in US will seek ways to contain Europe’s financial crisis WASHINGTON (AP) — The leaders of eight of the world’s biggest economies meet this weekend outside Washington, seeking to keep Europe’s debt crisis from spiraling out of control and jeopardizing fledgling recoveries in the U.S. and elsewhere. The turmoil in Greece is draining confidence in the 17 countries that use the euro. Borrowing costs are up for the most indebted governments. Depositors and investors are fleeing banks seen as weak. Unemployment is soaring as recession grips nearly half the eurozone countries. And global markets are on edge. All that forms a tumultuous backdrop as representatives of the G8 countries — the United States, Germany, France, Britain, Japan, Russia, Italy and Canada — head to Camp David. Standing in the way of a breakthrough are disagreements over how to bolster Europe’s economy and avoid a broader catastrophe. In advance of the talks, German Chancellor Angela Merkel struck a conciliatory note this week. She said in a television interview this week that she was open to measures to help stimulate Greece’s economy as long as the country honors its commitments to shrink its debts. U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner applauded the softer tone emerging among European leaders. ——— Evidence mixed for George Zimmerman’s claim that he shot Trayvon Martin in self-defense ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — When George Zimmerman tries to convince a judge or a jury that he shot Trayvon Martin in self-defense, the evidence in the case appears to be a mixed bag. More than 200 pages of photos and eyewitness accounts released by prosecutors Thursday show he and Martin were in a loud and bloody fight in the moments leading up to the shooting and that Zimmerman appeared to be getting the worst of it, with wounds both to his face and the back of his head. But the original lead detective in the case believed Zimmerman caused the fight by getting out of his vehicle to confront Martin, who wasn’t doing anything criminal, and then could have defused the situation by telling Martin he was just a concerned citizen and tried to talk to him. He didn’t think Zimmerman could legally invoke Florida’s ‘‘stand your ground’’ law and should be charged with manslaughter. Under that law, people are given wide latitude to use deadly force rather than retreat in a fight if they believe they are in danger of being killed or seriously injured, they weren’t committing a crime themselves and are in a place they have the legal right to be. The original prosecutor in the case accepted Zimmerman’s invocation of the law after the Feb. 26 shooting but a special prosecutor rejected his claim last month and charged Zimmerman with second-degree murder. The former neighborhood watch volunteer has pleaded not guilty, has been released on bail and reportedly is in hiding. He and his attorney will have two more chances to invoke the law. First, they will try to convince a judge during what will be a mini-trial. If the judge agrees, the charges will be dropped although prosecutors could appeal. That is likely months away. If the judge rejects the claim, Zimmerman could they try to convince the jury and win an acquittal. A trial is unlikely to start before next year. Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, didn’t return a phone call seeking comment Thursday. ——— APNewsBreak: Authorities have arrested a suspect in deadly highway shootings in Mississippi JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Authorities in Mississippi said early Friday they have arrested a suspect in two fatal highway shootings that happened late at night along desolate stretches. James D. Willie, 28, was being held on charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault and rape and would be formally charged with two counts of capital murder, Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesman Warren Strain told The Associated Press. Willie was being held at the Tunica County jail in north Mississippi. Willie had not been posing as a police officer in the shootings as authorities previously thought, Strain said. Willie was arrested Tuesday morning when authorities responded to a disturbance at an apartment. Tunica police found Willie with a woman who claimed he had raped her, a news release said. When Willie was arrested, authorities found a 9mm Ruger in his possession. Testing later found that it was the same gun used in the two highway shootings, authorities said. ——— In France autistic kids get psychotherapy; critics slam approach as outdated, unscientific LONDON (AP) — In most developed countries, children with autism are usually sent to school where they get special education classes. But in France, they are more often sent to a psychiatrist where they get talk therapy meant for people with psychological or emotional problems. Things are slowly changing, but not without resistance. Last month, a report by France’s top health authority concluded there was no agreement among scientists about whether psychotherapy works for autism, and it was not included in the list of recommended treatments. That provoked an outcry from psychiatrists. Groups including Freudian societies, the World Association of Psychoanalysis and France’s Child Institute started a petition calling on the French government to recognize their clinical approach, focused on psychotherapy. ‘‘The situation in France is sort of like the U.S. in the 1950s,’’ said Dr. Fred Volkmar, a U.S. expert who directs the Child Study Center at Yale University. ‘‘The French have a very idiosyncratic view of autism and, for some reason, they are not convinced by the evidence.’’ Behavioral methods, which focus on helping autistic children communicate with others and develop social skills, are the norm in Britain, Canada, Japan, the U.S. and elsewhere in Europe. But they’re seldom used in France. ——— Filipino Christian group wants Lady Gaga concerts canceled, saying she promotes immorality MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Scores of Christian youths in the Philippines chanted ‘‘Stop the Lady Gaga concerts’’ at a rally Friday calling for the pop diva’s shows here to be canceled despite assurances from authorities that they won’t allow nudity and lewd acts. Sold-out crowds and angry protests followed Lady Gaga’s ‘‘Born This Way’’ Asian tour. Fans younger than 18 were banned from the Seoul concerts over complaints her lyrics and costumes were too sexually provocative, and she was denied a concert permit in Indonesia by police under pressure from Islamic hard-liners. About 70 members of a group called Biblemode Youth Philippines rallied in front of the Pasay City Hall in metropolitan Manila. They said they were offended by Lady Gaga’s music and videos, in particular her song ‘‘Judas,’’ which they say mocks Jesus Christ. Lady Gaga has secured papers for two concerts Monday and Tuesday, but Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto said he told organizers to ensure that ‘‘they follow the rules and regulations stipulated in the concert permit earlier provided by the city government.’’ ‘‘Although we respect artistic and musical expressions, I won’t allow anyone or any group to provide acts which may be questionable in a way at any venue under my jurisdiction,’’ he said in a statement. ‘‘We reminded the producers of Lady Gaga’s concert that the show and the event as a whole shall not exhibit any nudity or lewd conduct which may be offensive to morals and good customs.’’ ——— Over-Heated: Dwyane Wade struggles, argues with coach in Miami’s 94-75 loss to Indiana INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Dwyane Wade lashed out in frustration during the worst playoff game of his career. His target wasn’t wearing an Indiana uniform. Wade confronted his coach as the Miami Heat melted. The star had an animated exchange with Erik Spoelstra on the sideline in the third quarter, a disturbing low point on a night when nothing went Miami’s way, and the Heat were throttled 94-75 by the Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Indiana center Roy Hibbert had 19 points and 18 rebounds, George Hill scored 20 and Danny Granger 17 as Indiana, pushed by a crowd that stood and chanted ‘‘Beat The Heat’’ at every opportunity, took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 is Sunday at raucous Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
