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Global Finance Officials Promise to Shore up Sagging Growth

Finance officials of the world's biggest economies promised Saturday to use "all tools" to shore up sagging global growth and to avoid devaluing their currencies to boost exports, but made no pledges of joint action.

Finance ministers and central bankers of the Group of 20 rich and developing countries tried to reassure jittery financial markets that the global economy is healthy, though they acknowledged in a statement that they "need to do more" to boost growth.

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DoD Launches Aggressive Cyberwar against IS

The U.S. military has launched a newly aggressive campaign of cyberattacks against Islamic State militants, targeting the group's abilities to use social media and the Internet to recruit fighters and inspire followers, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.

The surge of computer-based military operations by U.S. Cyber Command began shortly after Defense Secretary Ash Carter prodded commanders at Fort Meade, Maryland, last month to ramp up the fight against the Islamic State group on the cyber front.

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Czechs Allow Extradition of Lebanese to U.S., Fayad's Fate Depends on Cabinet

Czech Justice Minister Robert Pelikan has agreed to extradite an Ivory Coast national of Lebanese origin to the United States to face weapons charges although another alleged accomplice remains in Lebanese custody.

The Czech Justice Ministry spokeswoman, Tereza Schejbalova, confirmed the decision Thursday.

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Saudi Piles Pressure on Lebanon after Declining Influence

Saudi Arabia has lashed out at Lebanon, cutting off billions of dollars of aid and telling its citizens to leave the country, after Beirut sided with Iran in the fallout over the execution of a Saudi Shiite cleric, in a diplomatic dispute that threatens Lebanon's struggling economy.

The tension reflects the worsening Sunni-Shiite conflict in the Middle East, which is driven by regional powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Iran, who are fighting proxy wars in Syria, Yemen and, to a lesser extent, in Iraq.

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10-Man PSV Holds on for 0-0 Draw against Atletico Madrid

Ten-man PSV Eindhoven battled to a 0-0 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday, comfortably surviving more than 20 minutes after a red card for striker Gaston Pereiro.

PSV coach Phillip Cocu said before the match that both sides would likely settle for 0-0, but he was far happier than Diego Simeone with the goalless stalemate after PSV held on following Pereiro's dismissal for two senseless fouls.

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Man City Powers to 3-1 Win over Tenacious Dynamo Kiev

Sergio Aguero scored one goal and helped create another as Manchester City powered to a 3-1 first-leg win over Dynamo Kiev in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday.

Aguero and David Silva's goals gave City a 2-0 cushion at the break before Vitaliy Buyalskiy pulled one back for Dynamo and Yaya Toure secured a valuable third away goal for City.

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Big Spending China a Major Shift in Football Transfer Market

The powerbrokers of Asian football have long claimed that the sport's future rests in Asia, and given the recent spending boom by Chinese clubs, that future appears closer than even they dared predict.

Chinese Super League clubs have splashed out close to $300 million in the winter transfer window -- which closes Friday — on big names from Europe and South America such as Ramires, Alex Teixeira, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Jackson Martinez and Gervinho. This has led to speculation as to whether it can become one of the leading domestic football competitions in the world and help propel the global balance of power eastwards.

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FIFA Reduces Bans for Blatter, Platini from 8 to 6 Years

Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini had their bans from football reduced from eight years to six by FIFA's appeal body on Wednesday, two days before the sport's ruling body tries to turn the page on years of scandals by electing a new president.

Blatter and Platini were initially found guilty of wrongdoing by FIFA's independent ethics committee, which is led by a German judge, over a previously-secret 2011 financial transaction.

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Curry Ties NBA Record, now has 3s in 127 Consecutive Games

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors tied an NBA record Wednesday by making a 3-pointer in his 127th consecutive regular-season game.

The reigning NBA MVP and 3-point leader made a 3-pointer just 78 seconds into the Warriors' game at Miami, on his first shot of the evening. He shares the mark with Atlanta's Kyle Korver and has a chance to take the record outright when Golden State plays at Orlando on Thursday.

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Yaalon Says Iran Building Terror Network in Europe and U.S., Mentions Hizbullah

Israel's defense minister on Wednesday accused Iran of building an international terror network that includes "sleeper cells" that are stockpiling arms, intelligence and operatives in order to strike on command in places including Europe and the U.S.

Moshe Yaalon said Iran aims to destabilize the Middle East and other parts of the world and is training, funding and arming "emissaries" to spread a revolution. He said Tehran is the anchor of a "dangerous axis" that includes Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut, Sanaa and other cities in the region.

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