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OSLO (Reuters) - Defying the stereotype of the tight-lipped Scandinavian, popular Norwegian crime writer Hans Olav Lahlum set the world record for the longest interview on Thursday after spending more than 30 non-stop hours chatting in an online broadcast. Lahlum, who rarely paused for more than a few seconds, discussed topics ranging from U.S. presidents to his fictional characters during the online show hosted by VG Nett, the online arm of Norwegian tabloid VG. The new record awaits approval from Guinness World Records. ...

By Ryan Vlastelica NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock markets around the world fell on Thursday, extending the previous day's steep decline on concerns over the pace of global economic growth and when the U.S. Federal Reserve's stimulus program would end. U.S. stocks partially recovered from steep early losses and bond yields slipped. While the modest recovery was viewed as a sign that Wednesday's sharp decline was overdone, the S&P 500 remained on track for its worst two-day decline since April. ...

REUTERS - A group of U.S. retailers including Macy's Inc and Target Corp sued Visa Inc and MasterCard Inc on Thursday, breaking off from a proposed $7.2 billion settlement reached last year over fees to process credit card transactions. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan on behalf of many retailers that opted out of receiving proposed damages from the settlement. That settlement, pending in federal court in Brooklyn, would end litigation on behalf of merchants that accused Visa and MasterCard of inflating so-called interchange, or swipe, fees. ...

LONDON (Reuters) - A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck in the sea 177 (285 km) miles southwest of Tonga's capital Nuku'alofa, the U.S. Geological Survey reported on Thursday. It said the quake was recorded at a depth of 106 miles and had struck at 1719 GMT. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center on its website said that no "destructive Pacific-wide tsunami" was expected. (Editing by Michael Roddy)

By Justin Palmer LEEDS, England (Reuters) - England have emerged from a "changing of the guard" with their batting line-up and captain Alastair Cook has backed the likes of Joe Root and Nick Compton to make their names in the test arena. Cook said he had every faith that Root, Compton, along with Jonny Bairstow, can prosper as England seek to regain their world number one test ranking despite failing to convince in the drawn series in New Zealand, and for much of the opening test against the same opposition at Lord's last week. ...

By Alan Baldwin MONACO (Reuters) - Formula One tyre supplier Pirelli warned teams on Thursday that they will quit the sport at the end of the season if a new contract from 2014 is not agreed soon. Motorsport director Paul Hembery did not hide his impatience when he told reporters at the Monaco Grand Prix that time was running out for the Italian company to design and test tyres suitable for radically different 2014 regulations. "Apparently on September 1 we are meant to tell them (the teams) everything that they need to know for the tyres for next season. ...

By Alan Baldwin MONACO (Reuters) - Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton gave Mercedes a dream start to the Monaco Grand Prix weekend with the fastest times in practice for Formula One's most glamorous race on Thursday. Rosberg, who has been at home on the twisty streets ever since he was a boy growing up in the principality, set the pace in both sessions with a best time of one minute 14.759 seconds in the afternoon. That lap compared to last year's fastest time from qualifying set by Mercedes' Michael Schumacher of 1:14.301 and a second faster than last year's best effort in second practice. ...

By Michael Holden and Peter Graff LONDON (Reuters) - In the lurid scene of the red-handed knifeman describing his motives for hacking to death a British soldier in broad daylight, perhaps the most chilling aspect for Londoners was the man's unmistakably familiar accent. Michael Adebolajo, 28, who was filmed wielding a bloody meat cleaver and butcher's knife as the soldier lay dead on the road behind him, was not a maladjusted immigrant like Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, but a true Londoner born and bred. ...

LONDON (Reuters) - British police said on Thursday they had arrested a man and a woman on suspicion of conspiracy to murder over the killing of a soldier on the streets of east London. Detectives said they had arrested a man and woman, both aged 29, were arrested over the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby who was hacked to death in Woolwich on Wednesday. Five addresses in London and one in Lincoln are also being searched, they said. (Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)

By Stanley Carvalho ABU DHABI (Reuters) - The proposed new chief executive of National Bank of Ras al-Khaimah (RAKBANK), one of two banks which earlier this month were named as victims of a massive global bank card fraud, has quit, two sources within the bank said on Thursday. Ian Larkin was due to replace the Abu Dhabi-listed lender's current CEO Graham Honeybill in July but barely six weeks since arriving at the bank to prepare to take the helm the former managing director of Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance has quit, the sources said. ...

By Nanette Byrnes REUTERS - The U.S. regulator of corporate auditors said on Thursday that the U.S. arm of global accounting firm Ernst & Young failed to fix quality control problems found in earlier reviews. The report from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) is a blow for the firm, which markets itself as a global leader in audit quality. It followed the PCAOB's 2009 inspection of 58 Ernst & Young audits. The inspection led the watchdog to criticize how the firm audited clients' estimates of numbers key to the accuracy of their clients' financial statements. ...

By Mohammed Abbas LONDON (Reuters) - Strapping his baby into a car seat, Abu Khaled said it was unfortunate that a British soldier was hacked to death in an apparent Islamist attack a day earlier in London, but it was not the only misfortune on his mind. "A 75-year-old man was stabbed to death earlier this month on his way back from the mosque in Birmingham. You didn't hear about that, did you?" said the bearded 36-year-old personal trainer, speaking near East London Mosque, one of the capital's oldest and largest. "Eleven children died in Afghanistan in a U.S. ...

By Heide Brandes OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - Hundreds of people gathered in stormy weather on Thursday to mourn a 9-year-old girl who loved to sing, dance and paint, as funerals began for 24 victims of a massive tornado that obliterated whole sections of Moore, Oklahoma. Antonia Lee "Tonie" Candelaria was one of seven students killed at Plaza Towers Elementary when a tornado packing winds of 200 miles (320 km) per hour slammed into the building on Monday afternoon just before school was to have let out. ...

Thiruvananthapuram, May 23 (IANS) Kerala Thursday welcomed the central cabinet's decision to approve classical language status for Malayalam, subject to the outcome of a case in the Madras High Court, even as the government and opposition sough to take credit for the measure.

New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs Thursday approved a proposal for the implementation of National AIDS Control Support Project (NACSP) under the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) at an outlay of Rs.2,550 crore, an official statement said.

Islamabad, May 23 (IANS) Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday urged China and Pakistan to nurture even closer ties, and enhance comprehensive strategic cooperation while addressing Pakistan's parliament.

Kolkata, May 23 (IANS) In the wake of the shutting down of the scam-tainted Saradha Group media house, the West Bengal government Thursday announced it would acquire two of the closed TV channels. The Left questioned the decision on moral and legal grounds and sought its reversal.

Kolkata, May 23 (IANS) A bookie, who had produced a Bengali film, and nine of his associates were arrested in Kolkata, police said Thursday, adding that they were investigating if the culprits had links with the ongoing IPL spot fixing controversy.

Jammu, May 23 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Police Thursday arrested a police constable involved in drug smuggling from mountainous Rajouri district, an officer said.

Alappuzha (Kerala), May 23 (IANS) The Alappuzha District Congress Committee Thursday passed a resolution condemning the frequent outbursts of Hindu group leaders against top party leaders in Kerala.

New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) The Delhi High Court has issued notice to central and state government on a PIL seking quashing of contract given to a private company to manufacture high security registration plates (HSRP) on grounds they are defective.

Dharamsala, May 23 (IANS) A day after the detention of a Tibetan, suspected to be a Chinese spy, from McLeodganj, the Tibetan government-in-exile Thursday said it was part of a "Chinese espionage and terror plot against Tibetan community in exile".

Kolkata, May 23 (IANS) India's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) Thursday said its net profit dropped by 18.54 percent to Rs.3,299.22 crore in the quarter ended March 31, owing to lower interest income and higher provisioning.

Mumbai, May 23 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Thursday ended the controversy over its late chief Bal Thackeray's funeral expenses by handing over the billed amount to the municipal authorities concerned, an official said.

Guwahati, May 23 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and two others are in the contest for two Rajya Sabha seats from Assam, officials said here Thursday. The poll is slated for May 30.

Kolkata, May 23 (IANS) State run Hindustan Copper Ltd Thursday announced a 36.86 percent jump in its net profit to Rs.188.09 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2013 as compared to Rs. 137.43 crore for the same period last year.