Iraqi officials say car bomb near bus stop kills 5

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi police say a car bomb explosion near a bus stop has killed five people and wounded 15 others in the capital, Baghdad.The officials say the blast took place on Thursday morning near a bus stop in the mainly Shiite neighborhood of Hurriyah as commuters were gathering to catch rides to different parts of Baghdad. Five minibuses were damaged or burnt in the attack.Medics in a nearby...

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Three Kurdish women found shot dead in Paris: police

PARIS (Reuters) - Three Kurdish women said to include a founding member of the PKK militant group were shot dead overnight in Paris in killings that appeared politically motivated, police and other sources said on Thursday.The bodies of the women were found early on Thursday at the Information Centre of Kurdistan in the city centre, a police source said.An employee of the centre, which has close...

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KFC's parent apologizes to China customers over handling of food scare

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Fast-food chain KFC's parent Yum Brands Inc apologized to customers in China over its handling of a recent food scare that has hit the company's sales in its biggest market."We regret shortcomings in our self-checking process, a lack of internal communication," Su Jingshi, chairman and chief executive of Yum China, wrote on the company's Weibo microblog.Yum, which gets more than...

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Wilson emerges from Griffin's shadow in Seattle win

LANDOVER, Maryland (Reuters) - Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson left Washington in nobody's shadow after securing a huge road playoff win for the Seahawks on Sunday after the shakiest of starts.Wilson won the battle of the rookie sensations when his team and its stifling defense stormed back to beat the Washington Redskins and quarterback Robert Griffin III, 24-14, after allowing two touchdowns...

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Browns moving on from Oregon's Kelly

CLEVELAND (AP) — Chip Kelly wouldn't jump. So the Browns bailed.Oregon's visor-wearing coach isn't coming to Cleveland — or the NFL.A person familiar with Cleveland's coaching search said the team passed on Kelly after he was indecisive about making the leap to the pros. The Browns nearly had a deal with Kelly two days ago, but they've moved on to other candidates, said the person who spoke to The...

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Ravens top Colts 24-9 in AFC wild card

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens wanted one long final ride for Ray Lewis.They also wanted Denver. They got it.Having disposed of Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts, they now face a far more imposing challenge — Peyton Manning and the streaking Broncos.Anquan Boldin set a franchise record with 145 yards receiving, including the clinching touchdown in the Ravens' 24-9 victory Sunday over the...

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Detained Nigerian newspaper journalists released

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — An official says two Nigerian journalists have been freed after being detained without charges for more than a week by the nation's secret police following writing stories about a radical Islamist sect and alleged military abuses.Mohammed Garba, president of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, said Tuesday that Musa Mohammed Awwal and Aliyu Saleh, journalists with the weekly Hausa...

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C. African Republic capital fears rebel attack

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — Kpademona Marcel and other residents of the capital of Central African Republic have watched in fear as rebels from the country's north seized control of more than half the country in less than a month. On Tuesday, all he could do was pray that a solution to the crisis could be found without the violence reaching Bangui."We are afraid for our nation and for...

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Stampede after fireworks kills 61 in Ivory Coast

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — A crowd stampeded after leaving a New Year's fireworks show early Tuesday in Ivory Coast's main city, killing 61 people — many of them children and teenagers — and injuring more than 200, rescue workers said.Thousands had gathered at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan's Plateau district to see the fireworks. It was only the second New Year's Eve fireworks display...

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Angola: Stampede kills 10 at religious gathering

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Angolan media say 10 people, including four children, have died in a stampede during a religious gathering at a sports stadium in Luanda, the Angolan capital.Angop, the Angolan news agency, cited officials as saying Tuesday that 120 people were also injured. The incident happened on New Year's Eve when tens of thousands of people gathered at the stadium and panic ensued. Faustino...

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South Africa: Mandela rests at home

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's presidency says former leader Nelson Mandela is progressing with his recuperation from illness and doctors are closely monitoring his condition.Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said Wednesday that "everything is moving OK" as 94-year-old Mandela rests at his home in Johannesburg after a hospital stay last month.The former president received treatment for a lung...

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Tennis-Australian Open prize money raised to record levels

Dec 20 (Reuters) - Australian Open organisers increased prize money for the early losers at the opening grand slam of the season to record levels on Thursday, a move which is likely to quell player unrest and end talk of a strike. The Australian Open will now pay more prize money per round than any other tournament, with increases also coming in doubles and qualifying matches, but mixed doubles saw...

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Cricket-Thumb injury rules Southee out of South Africa tour

Dec 20 (Reuters) - Fast bowler Tim Southee has been ruled out of New Zealand's tour of South Africa due to a thumb injury which is expected to keep him off the field for up to two months, the country's cricket board said on Thursday. Southee, who was the most impressive bowler for New Zealand during their drawn test series in Sri Lanka, suffered the injury while diving in the field during a domestic...

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Thumb injury rules Southee out of South Africa tour

Reuters) - Fast bowler Tim Southee has been ruled out of New Zealand's tour of South Africa due to a thumb injury which is expected to keep him off the field for up to two months, the country's cricket board said on Thursday. Southee, who was the most impressive bowler for New Zealand during their drawn test series in Sri Lanka, suffered the injury while diving in the field during a domestic match. "Tim...

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Rugby-Australian Johnson named Scotland interim head coach

LONDON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Australian Scott Johnson has been named Scotland's interim head coach for next year's Six Nations championship and the June tour of South Africa.The 50-year-old takes over Andy Robinson whose three-year tenure ended last month following a poor run of results.Johnson, a former Australian Under-21 international, joined Scotland this year as an assistant coach following a stint...

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RPT-Cricket-Thumb injury rules Southee out of South Africa tour

(Repeats without change to text)Dec 20 (Reuters) - Fast bowler Tim Southee has been ruled out of New Zealand's tour of South Africa due to a thumb injury which is expected to keep him off the field for up to two months, the country's cricket board said on Thursday.Southee, who was the most impressive bowler for New Zealand during their drawn test series in Sri Lanka, suffered the injury while diving...

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