The Russian government considers the bill allowing the sale of alcohol in remote settlements through auto shops to be unfinished, the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers reports. The bill was introduced by the Legislative Assembly of the Leningrad Region. The document allows the sale of alcohol in auto shops in remote settlements where there are no stationary stores.

It was not long after settling in Belgium that French actor Gerard Depardieu agreed to speak to local journalists, Belgian media reported. Depardieu gave an exclusive interview to regional Walloon television in his new place of residence in the Belgian village of Néchen, where he has bought a house. The interview was broadcast on almost all Belgian channels on Saturday evening. The famous actor confirmed that he left France because of President François Hollande and his tax policy.

Pope Francis, who was elected to the Apostolic See last Wednesday at a conclave in the Vatican, addressed the faithful for the first time on Sunday with the traditional Angelus homily. Up to 150,000 people came to St. Peter's Square to hear and see the newly elected pontiff, filling the space in front of the main cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church and the surrounding streets several hours before Francis' appearance.

The new Chinese government intends to carry out governance reform and abandon some bureaucratic functions in favor of public structures and market mechanisms, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Sunday.

The South American republic of Guyana has recognized Kosovo's independence from Serbia, the Kosovo Foreign Ministry announced. The notification of recognition was conveyed by Guyana's Foreign Minister Caroline Rodriguez-Birkett in a telephone conversation with Kosovo's Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj on Saturday.

Argentine judge Germán Castelli, who is hearing the case of the kidnapping of two Jesuit priests during the 1976-83 dictatorship, has dismissed as lies claims that the pontiff, who led the Jesuits at the time, allegedly "handed over" the priests to the military. Similar claims have been made by some Argentine politicians in the past, and the most radical commentators have spoken of the pope's "collaboration" with the military junta.

According to official data alone, 338 thousand Russian citizens own real estate in Bulgaria; in 2012, their number increased by 10%, Bulgarian Ambassador to Russia Boyko Kotsev told journalists at the international tourism exhibition "Intourmarket" that opened on Saturday. "According to our data, 338,000 Russians have bought real estate in Bulgaria to date. But these are only official statistics. In reality, they buy more.

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M. Bogodvid / RIA Novosti Tatenergosbyt (an electricity supplier in Tatarstan) has proposed that industrial enterprises in Kazan limit their electricity consumption during the Universiade, which will be held in Kazan from July 6 to 17, 2013.

Chris Ratcliffe / Bloomberg The Cypriot parliament's session, which was to vote on approving financial aid from the European Union and introducing a one-time tax on bank deposits, has been postponed until March 18, Reuters reports. Earlier it was reported that the government of Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades lacks just one vote in parliament to pass a law on the introduction of a tax on bank deposits.

Books written by Pope Francis and biographies of him have become bestsellers in online bookstores in Argentina, while sales of traditional titles have also increased significantly, industry sources said on Saturday. Thus, during the first two hours after the announcement of the pontiff's name, users of the Bajalibros.com portal bought more than a thousand digital books by and about the Pope.

The UK's Transport Minister, 55-year-old Liberal Democrat Norman Baker, has announced the imminent release of his own rock band's debut album, France Presse reported on Sunday, citing British media. In addition to running British Railways, bus services and motor transport, Minister Baker in his spare time is the vocalist of the rock band Reform Club, which he founded more than 30 years ago, for which he writes songs, the agency notes.

The EU's top diplomat, Catherine Ashton, intends to step down as the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy when her term expires, Reuters reports. British politician Catherine Margaret Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland, took over as the EU's head of diplomacy when it was created in 2009. Her five-year mandate expires on 31 October 2014. "The job has to go to someone else," Ashton said Saturday at an international forum in Brussels hosted by the Marshall Fund.

China will not deviate from the path of socialism and will continue to fight corruption, newly elected Chinese President Xi Jinping said Sunday in Beijing at the closing of the National People's Congress. "To achieve the Chinese dream, it is imperative to follow the Chinese path, that is, the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics," the Chinese chairman said in his first policy speech.

U.S. senators are considering raising visa fees for companies that hire highly skilled immigrants to help pay for a new immigration bill, the Wall Street Journal reports. The bill, which senators will consider in April, provides, in particular, for strengthening security measures at the US borders, as well as developing a system of control and surveillance of immigrants.