[World] Pope Benedict faces crowds; Vatican faces confusion

Pope Benedict faces crowds; Vatican faces confusion
http://www.google.com/hostednews/getty/article/ALeqM5jlfy8XEjTNiDVbc6lo5qKEWRjFdw?docId=161853709
As the Vatican tries to determine whether it can legally speed up the process for choosing his Pope Benedict's successor, at least one Vatican expert says that's a bad idea.

Pistorius' Family Defends Olympian
http://abcnews.go.com/International/oscar-pistorius-family-defends-olympian/story?id=18523234
Oscar Pistorius' family and friends are rallying to his defense today, saying they believe the Paralympic gold medalist's story that he shot his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by accident after he mistook her for an intruder.

Hazara Shias refuse to bury dead as blast toll reaches 84
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/hazara-shias-refuse-to-bury-dead-as-blast-toll-reaches-84/article4424653.ece
The death toll in Saturday's bomb blast near Hazara Town in Quetta climbed to 84 and triggered another wave of protest across the country against sectarian violence and the inability of the powers that be to round up the terrorists unleashing such carnage ...

Briton 'kidnapped in Nigeria attack'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/9875722/Briton-kidnapped-in-Nigeria-attack.html
Teams of armed men in four-wheel-drive vehicles stormed the Lebanese construction company Setraco's walled compound, killing a Nigerian security guard and taking the hostages with little resistance.

Cyprus election: Nicos Anastasiades 'ahead'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21492308
Initial exit polls in the Cypriot presidential election indicate centre-right candidate Nicos Anastasiades has won the largest share of the vote.

Dhaka amends law to enable verdict appeal
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/P8Zl4GwJskPUfIlNRO2aQO/Bangladesh-mulls-ban-on-JamaateIslami.html
In a major boost for the protesters at Shahbagh square in Dhaka, Parliament on Sunday amended the country's war crimes law to allow the government to appeal against verdicts of the war crimes tribunals.

Libya arrests foreign 'missionaries'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/17/libya-arrests-suspected-foreign-missionaries
Four foreigners have been arrested in Libya on suspicion of being missionaries and distributing Christian literature, a charge that could carry the death penalty.

U.S. to Comply With Afghan Curbs on Airstrikes
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/17/dunford-karzai-airstrike-ban-afghanistan
KABULâ€"The U.S. general commanding the coalition in Afghanistan said on Sunday he would comply with a decree President Hamid Karzai plans to issue that would ban Afghan forces from calling in airstrikes from their international counterparts in ...

Australia launches probe into 'Prisoner X' suicide, demands answers from Israel
http://rt.com/news/israel-australia-prisoner-scandal-408/
The headstone of Ben Zygier is photographed in the Chevra Kadisha Jewish Cemetery, in Melbourne on February 14, 2013.(AFP Photo / Martin Philbey).

Xenophon ejection widely denounced
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/national/xenophon-deported-from-malaysia/story-e6frfku9-1226579615962
THE government of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been subjected to withering criticism from MPs both there and in Australia following its expulsion of independent senator Nick Xenophon on Saturday.

Kosovo celebrates 5 years of independence
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Kosovo-celebrates-5-years-of-independence-4285742.php
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) - Ethnic Albanians in Kosovo celebrated the fifth anniversary of their declaration of independence from Serbia with a parade of police and armed forces in the main square of the capital Sunday.

Israel's Lieberman pleads not guilty
http://www.google.com/hostednews/getty/article/ALeqM5gs9P4_Dd-TTJdubt1yo4mD2ncahw?docId=161847685
THE trial of Israel's former foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman on charges of fraud and breach of trust has opened at a Jerusalem court in a case that will decide the former nightclub bouncer's political future.

Singapore founder Lee home from hospital
http://www.news.com.au/world/singapores-lee-kuan-yew-in-hospital/story-fndir2ev-1226579536364
SINGAPORE, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Lee Kuan Yew, the first prime minister of independent Singapore, was resting at home Sunday after a stay in a hospital, the government said.

Guru's hanging: clashes erupt after curfew is lifted
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/read-afzal-guru-s-last-letter-to-his-wife-332023
Sporadic protests erupted in the valley on Saturday as the authorities withdrew curfew restrictions from the entire valley, first time since Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was executed on February 9. Protests broke out in parts of the old city when youth ...

Cuban blogger allowed to leave the country
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i3CtF6LLCgqvYPC86FzhEPLabo9Q?docId=4dfe0e15b6454cad8760de5c0a575131
Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Yoani Sanchez, a Cuban blogger and fierce critic of the governments of Raul and Fidel Castro, on Sunday embarked on a long-denied trip abroad.