FEDS TO FIX HEALTH EXCHANGE WEBSITE

washington The Obama administration says it’s planning fixes to the glitch-prone federal website that uninsured people can use to sign for coverage under the new health care law.

Officials said late Friday that the application functions of healthcare.gov will be unavailable during off-peak hours this weekend for repairs. The federal site, which serves 36 states, drew millions of users. Many consumers were unable to get on the site and others encountered glitches that prevented them from completing their applications.

Man sets himself on fire on Mall B

washington » Aman set himself on fire on the National Mall in the nation’s capital as passers-by rushed to help douse the flames, officials said Friday afternoon. The reason for the self-immolation was not clear, and the man’s identity was not disclosed. He was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

Suspect in drug website denies charges B »

san francisco A San Francisco man denies charges that he operated an encrypted website where users could anonymously shop for drugs such as heroin and LSD, his attorney said on Friday.

“We deny all charges. That’s the end of the discussion,” said federal public defender Brandon LeBlanc, who is representing defendant Ross Ulbricht.

Ulbricht, 29, has been charged with narcotics trafficking, computer hacking and money laundering in connection with the website known as Silk Road, which is thought to have collected more than $1 billion in revenue.

Syrian rebel groups battle each other

beirut » Al-Qaeda militants battled fighters linked to the Western-backed opposition along with Kurdish gunmen in Syrian towns along the Turkish border on Friday, in clashes that killed at least 19 people, ac- tivists said. The violence is part of the infighting among the myriad rebel groups opposed to Syrian President Bashar Assad.

“Breaking Bad” fans place obituary B

albuquerque » Some fans of “Breaking Bad,” the AMC series which concluded Sunday night, were inspired to place an obituary for characterWalter White in the Albuquerque Journal.

The notice appears on page A4 of Friday’s Journal. It’s headlined “White, Walter” and includes a photo of Bryan Cranston, who played the chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin. The obituary says the 52-year-old “founded a meth manufacturing empire.” The series was set and filmed in Albuquerque.

Graffiti artist Banksy hits New York B »

new york Graffiti by the secretive British artist Banksy is turning up on the streets of New York City— and all over social media.

TBanksy announced on his website that he is undertaking “an artists residency on the streets of New York.” He is posting pictures of his work on the website and fans are plastering the images on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Iranians protest against U.S.

tehran, iran » Iranians chanted “Death to America” and burned the U.S. flag after weekly prayers in Tehran on Friday despite their new president’s outreach to theWest and promises of moderation.

Man crushed to death by grapes

madrid » Emergency services say a man has died after being crushed by grapes during the annual harvest in the central Spanish wine producing region of Castilla-La Mancha. A rescue service center said Friday the man was pulled out of a winery grape reception bay that he fell into the day before, just as a truck unloaded 5.5 tons of grapes. onyDanos, left, and C.J. Johnson pull a shrimp boat out of the water in anticipation of Tropical Storm Karen on Friday at Myrtle Grove Marina in Plaquemines Parish, La. States of emergency were declared in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida as the storm headed toward the Gulf Coast with landfall expected this weekend.

Gerald Herbert, The Associated Press