By Bate Felix BANGUI (Reuters) - Central African Republic will bring forward presidential elections to next year, Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye said on Thursday, bowing to pressure from former colonial power France to speed up a transition after a March coup. Interim President Michel Djotodia, leader of the Seleka rebel group that seized the capital Bangui in March, was set to remain in office until 2015 under a deal hammered out with regional African powers. After talks in Bangui with the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Powers on Thursday, Tiangaye said that members of a new national electoral authority would be sworn in by early next week. France deployed troops to the resource-rich country this month in an attempt to halt a wave of killings between mostly Muslim Seleka and anti-Christian defence militias.

MIAMI (AP) — Reigning NBA MVP LeBron James was relaxing with his wife not long ago when he looked around and was stunned to see someone wearing his Miami Heat No. 6 jersey.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks edged lower Thursday morning, pulling back from record levels. The stock market surged Wednesday after the Federal Reserve said it was trimming its stimulus efforts, which investors saw as a vote of confidence in the economy.