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Bangladesh Firebombings Kill Nine amid Pleas for Calm

New firebomb attacks killed another nine people in Bangladesh, police said Saturday, amid growing international calls for an end to the spiralling political violence.

At least three people burned to death when suspected anti-government protesters petrol-bombed a truck in the southern town of Gournadi on Saturday morning, local police chief Sazzad Hossain told Agence France Presse.

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Remains of 23 Yazidis Found in Iraq Mass Grave

The remains of 23 men from Iraq's Yazidi religious minority were found when a mass grave was excavated in northern Iraq, an official said on Saturday.

It is the latest evidence of atrocities committed in areas held by the Islamic State (IS) group to emerge since Kurdish forces pushed the jihadists back.

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Favored Ivory Coast Face Ghana in ‘Dream' Final

Ivory Coast face what is likely to be their sternest test of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations when they tackle Ghana Sunday in what has been dubbed the 'dream' final.

Two of Africa’s football powerhouses are in dire need of a continental trophy after long, frustrating waits.

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Twelve Killed in Ukraine, Kiev Says Rebels Massing Forces

Seven civilians and five soldiers were killed in fighting in east Ukraine, government and rebel officials said Saturday, with Kiev accusing pro-Russian separatists of massing forces for fresh offensives.

Rebels are "accumulating forces for further offensive operations on Debaltseve and Mariupol," Ukrainian defense official Volodymyr Polyovyi told journalists.

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Blast Hits Hamas Official's Car in Gaza

A bomb blew up the car of an official with the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza, the second such attack in recent weeks, a security source said Saturday.

The blast, which occurred late on Friday night but caused no casualties, comes as political tensions mount in the Palestinian territory.

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Warmth Fives Ugly Invasive Fish Brief Reprieve from Anglers

Warm weather has helped grant a reprieve this year to a homely, eel-like and especially slimy invasive fish pursued by anglers as they compete for big money in two ice-fishing tournaments on the Wyoming-Utah line.

The goal of both annual events is to remove burbot (pronounced BUR'-but) from Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

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Researchers Find Bubonic Plague Fragments on NY Subway

It is universally acknowledged that the New York subway is grubby. What may come as a shock is that it contains DNA fragments linked to anthrax and bubonic plague.

Researchers from Cornell University have provided the first map of the subway's microbes, identifying more than 1,688 types of bacteria and one station that even supports a "marine ecosystem."

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Canada Top Court Allows Doctor-Assisted Suicide

Canada's supreme court on Friday unanimously struck down a ban on doctor-assisted suicide for mentally competent adults suffering from an incurable disease, reversing a decision on the books since 1993.

The ruling was, however, suspended for one year to allow lawmakers an opportunity to enact new rules surrounding the divisive issue.

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Turkey's Powerful Spy Chief Resigns to Become MP

The powerful head of Turkey's intelligence agency, one of the most loyal allies of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has resigned to stand for election as a lawmaker, the official Anatolia news agency said Saturday.

The resignation of Hakan Fidan, who has headed the National Intelligence Agency (MIT) since 2010, has been accepted by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and will take effect on Tuesday, it added.

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Tokyo Cyber Security Competition Draws 90 Hackers

A cyber security competition began Saturday in Tokyo, with organizers aiming to show off the skills of young Japanese hackers by testing them against international rivals.

The final rounds of the Security Contest 2014, or SECCON, brought together 90 participants in 24 teams from seven nations and regions: China, Japan, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States.

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