Are the Angry Birds are tattling your sexual preference to the world’s biggest spy agencies? – The US busts two major Bitcoin players – Egypt’s next leader will probably follow that familiar military-to-presidency path to power – Dr Who’s new minimalist costume and a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs.

Suspected Islamist militants killed 74 people in attacks on two villages in northeast Nigeria.  It’s the region having the most difficulties with the Boko Haram rebel group that is trying to carve out a nation based on an insanely harsh interpretation of Islamic Shariah law.  In one attack, dozens were slaughtered in a marketplace, in the other 22 were cut down in a church.

Egypt’s top military body is granting permission to Army Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to step down and run for President, which he is expected to do within days.  He’s expected to win easily, as he is popular for ousting Islamist former president Muhammed Morsi, and there are no serious rivals in the contest.  But civil libertarians are worried that it’s just the last line from The Who’s classic “Won’t Get Fooled Again” – Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

US authorities arrested the operators of two Bitcoin exchanges, charging them with turning a blind eye as drug dealers used the unregulated “digital currency” to launder more than US$1 Million.  “We are surprised and shocked by the news today,” said a spokesman for the Bitcoin Foundation, a trade group set up to promote Bitcoin as an alternative currency – apparently completely unaware of how much he sounds like Captain Renault from “Casablanca”.

Say, do you know who knows how much you like to play “Angry Birds”?  The US National Security Agency and its UK counterpart GCHQ!  The latest revelations from the Snowden Documents say the electronic spying agencies take advantage of these smartphone apps to score your age, gender, location, and yes.. sexual preference.  US President Barack Obama’s recently proposed reforms to NSA data-gathering did not mention any changes to smartphone mining.

Hey, Doctor Who fans.. Peter Capaldi’s costume as the 12th Doctor has been revealed.  Doc Marten’s? 

Talks aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program resume in New York City in the middle of next month. Dates and times are yet to be finalized.  But the first round already resulted in Iran freezing the program in exchange for a temporary respite from international economic sanctions.

Syrian peace talks are gridlocked, and the Syrian government is stalling on the small progress announced a day earlier.  Damascus has yet to allow a convoy of food to enter a rebel-held area of the city of Homs, and there’s no sign that women and children are being allowed to leave as previously agreed.  Both sides earlier expressed willingness to continue the talks, however.

The UN redrew the maritime border between Peru and Chile, awarding Peru parts of the Pacific Ocean but keeping rich fishing grounds in Chilean hands.  Both countries have pledged to abide by The Hague ruling.  Chilean President-elect Michelle Bachelet says the loss of territory is a “painful loss” for her country; Peruvian fishing interests say that for them, the ruling is no change to the status quo. 

Brazil and Cuba inaugurated the first phase of a deepwater seaport in Mariel on the west end of Havana.  It’s a rare, large foreign investment project that could signal a turning point on the Communist Caribbean island.  Brazil President Dilma Rousseff said her country is “proud to partner with Cuba”, and her Cuban counterpart Raul Castro said Cubans “see a socialist and prosperous future.”

Why is the weather picking on Polish people?  17 people died in Poland over the weekend because of a nasty cold snap.  And what’s the city with the largest Polish population outside the mother country?  Chicago.. where it will be -28 degrees Celsius when Tuesday morning rolls around.  Those who survive will make youtube videos in which they throw boiling water into the cold air and it instantly turns into snow.

A US Congressman who was arrested for buying cocaine from an undercover cop finally stepped down.  Conservative republican Trey Radel from Florida tried to keep his job, despite being the only lawmaker in US history to plead guilty to drug charges while on the job.  Radel is famous for championing legislation that requires poor people to get drug tested before getting government food assistance – a conservative fantasy that proved completely ineffective, as those same people tested positive for drugs at a lower rate than the US population (or possibly conservative congressmen?).

How much does America love guns?  More than its kids.  A new study shows that every day, about 20 children in America are injured by firearms and require urgent hospitalization.  In 2009, there were 7,391 hospitalizations of gun victims under the age of 20 and that six percent of those admitted die as a result of their injuries.  Those injured by guns often require further treatment once they’re out of the hospital, sometimes for the rest of their lives.

Well, that was depressing.  Hey, how about a Baby Polar Bear taking a bath?