Dubai group looking to buy Afghan bank

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- A Dubai-based conglomerate is seeking approval to buy a bank in Afghanistan as authorities there try to restore confidence in the scandal-tainted financial industry.

The CEO of Alokozay Group's Afghan operations said in an interview Sunday the family company sees "great potential" in the nation's banking sector despite decades of war and the near collapse of the country's largest private lender amid corruption problems last year.

"We want to bring in professionals and set up a bank that's basically recognized worldwide," Jalil Alokozay told The Associated Press. "If someone comes in and has a proper plan and empowers the professionals, then there are lots of opportunities here in Afghanistan."

Putin's promises sound like a 2012 campaign spiel

MOSCOW (AP) -- Vladimir Putin has given Russia's farmers, blue-collar workers, soldiers, parents and retirees good reasons to want him back in the Kremlin.

In a four-hour nationally televised appearance, the prime minister said not a word Wednesday about his plans for next year's presidential election. The topic has been a subject of fervent debate in recent weeks as President Dmitry Medvedev has shown a desire to stay on for another term.

But by portraying himself as the defender of a strong Russia and making a string of campaign-like promises to improve the lives of ordinary people, Putin sent an unmistakable signal that he intends to reclaim the presidency.

Clinton visits Tokyo in show of support for Japan

TOKYO (AP) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday that America would stand by Japan, saying she was confident the country will fully recover from its tsunami and nuclear disasters.

"We are very confident that Japan will recover and will be a very strong economic and global player for years and decades to come," Clinton told Prime Minister Naoto Kan during a brief visit to Tokyo intended as a morale boost to the crucial U.S. ally.

Geithner confident Congress will raise debt limit

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says Republican leaders have privately assured the Obama administration that Congress will raise the government's borrowing limit in time to prevent an unprecedented default on the nation's debt.

But a top Republican quickly pushed back Sunday and said there was no guarantee the GOP would agree to increase the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling without further controls on federal spending.

Geithner told ABC's "This Week" and NBC's "Meet the Press" that Republicans told President Barack Obama in a White House meeting last Wednesday that they will go along with a higher limit.

A Consumer's Guidebook to Health Care Modernise

The six-month capable age 26 on your health plan if he or she can not get coverage done a job. Recently policies can not refuse coverage for children capable age 19 based on pre-existing medical specifies. "Grandfathered" plans can, nevertheless, they in additional to can laid yearly dollar restrains on coverage and call for patients to serve invite approximately cautionary overhauls.

Nearly people in the private market are awaited to move to recently plans by 2014. Analysts tell nearly plans in the group market will likely have suffered their "grandfathered" condition because of changes made to them.