MOSCOW (AP) -- Authorities in a Russian city say more than half of the acres of windows smashed in the city by an exploding meteor's shock wave have been replaced. Dubai's Nakheel in talks to extend $2.2 billion loan: report
(Reuters) – Developer Nakheel is in talks to extend 8 billion dirhams ($2.18 billion) in loans due in 2015, the indebted company’s chairman was quoted as saying in a local newspaper on Sunday. Ali Rashid Lootah dismissed concerns over Nakheel’s ability to repay its debts, which also include a 3.8-billion dirham sukuk, or Islamic bond, due in August 2016, Abu Dhabi-based newspaper, The National, reported. …
Novartis golden handshake angers shareholders, politicians
ZURICH (Reuters) – Pharma group Novartis' decision to pay up to 72 million Swiss francs ($77.94 million) to outgoing chairman Daniel Vasella has unleashed a wave of indignation among activist shareholders and politicians. Vasella will receive the "golden handshake" in tranches of 12 million francs over six years if he respects the non-competition clauses of his contract, triggering criticism across political camps. "This self-serve mentality undermines confidence in the economy as a whole. … Man killed assembling bomb at a political rally venue in Kenya
GARISSA, Kenya (Reuters) – An explosion killed at least one person in a Kenyan frontier town where a presidential hopeful in the country’s upcoming elections was due to hold a rally on Sunday, police said. Residents heard a huge blast late on Saturday night in the eastern town of Garissa but police only managed to pin down the site of the explosion to a primary school field on Sunday. It was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED), they said. …
Chavez foe to face corruption charges in Venezuela
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Prosecutors plan to bring corruption charges against a prominent opponent of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, claiming he misspent public funds by using them to launch an organization that has become one of the country’s most popular political parties.
Man and two women dead after fire at Victoria house rented by students
VICTORIA – Horrified neighbours watched helplessly as a house fire in Victoria claimed the lives of three young adults early Saturday.
NATO to help implement Karzai air strike decree: NATO commander
KABUL (Reuters) – NATO will work with the country's defence leadership to implement a ban by President Hamid Karzai on A fghan forces using NATO air strikes in residential areas, the new NATO commander in Afghanistan, U.S. General Joseph Dunford, said on Sunday. Karzai announced on Saturday that he would issue a decree banning Afghan security forces from requesting NATO air strikes on "Afghan homes or villages", following the deaths of 10 civilians in the eastern province of Kunar last Wednesday. … Pope, at one of last appearances, says pray for me and next pope
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Benedict, speaking before a larger than usual crowd at his penultimate Sunday address, asked the faithful to pray for him and for the next pope. The crowd in St Peter's Square chanted "long live the pope!," waved banners and broke into sustained applause as he spoke from his window. The 85-year-old Benedict, who will resign on February 28, thanked the crowd in several languages. Speaking in Spanish, he said: "I beg you to continue praying for me and for the next pope". … Abu Dhabi lays foundations for mammoth Pakistan property project
ABU DHABI (Reuters) – A member of Abu Dhabi's royal family says he plans to spend $45 billion over up to 15 years on a real estate project in Karachi, touted in Pakistan as the country's biggest ever foreign investment. Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak al-Nahayan said the investment plans – which his business partner in Pakistan said on Friday included the tallest building in the world – were at a very early stage. … McCullum, Guptill guide NZ to win over England
HAMILTON (Reuters) – Brendon McCullum produced a match winning innings while a limping Martin Guptill returned after retiring hurt to guide New Zealand to a three-wicket victory over England in their first one-day international at Seddon Park on Sunday. McCullum finished on 69 while Guptill, who retired hurt on three after he strained his left hamstring only to return when New Zealand were 218 for seven, was 27 not out as the hosts scored 259-7 in 48.5 overs, having bowled England out for 258. …
Series of bombings in Baghdad area kill dozens
BAGHDAD (AP) -- A series of car bombs exploded within minutes of each other as Iraqis were out shopping in and around Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least 35 people in mainly Shiite areas.
QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) – A provincial official criticized Pakistani security forces on Sunday after a bombing targeting the Shi'ite Hazara c ommunity killed 80 people in the northwestern city of Quetta. "The terrorist attack on the Hazara Shi'ite community in Quetta is a failure of the intelligence and security forces," Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi, governor of Baluchistan province, said while touring a hospital. "We had given a free hand to security (forces) to take action against terrorist and extremist groups, but despite that the Quetta incident took place. … 
QUITO, Ecuador (AP) -- Rafael Correa, a dynamic, polemical economist whose leftist government has won broad backing from the lower classes as it leads Latin America in social spending, is expected to sail to a second re-election Sunday as the Andean nation's president. 
SANYA, China (Reuters) – Placing bets on green-felt baccarat tables in a new casino bar on China's southern Hainan island, punters seem oblivious to a huge wager quietly being placed around them, one that could potentially siphon business from the world's largest gaming hub in Macau an hour's flight away. For now, players at Jesters casino bar, part of the newly opened Mangrove Tree Resort World on Sanya Bay, cannot win cash – only points that they can use to pay for accommodation, luxury goods, jewelry and artwork for sale at the resort. … 
QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) – Sixty-four people including school children died on Saturday in a bomb attack carried out by extremists from Pakistan's Sunni Muslim majority, police said. A spokesman for Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a Sunni group, claimed responsibility for the bomb in Quetta, which caused casualties in the town's main bazaar, a school and a computer center. Police said most of the victims were Shi'ites. Burned school bags and books were strewn around. …