Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Jan. 31
Xinhua, January 31, 2015 Adjust font size:
Mexican Minister of Finance Luis Videgaray on Friday announced a decision to cut this year's budget, and the pinch will be felt with the plans for construction of two key rail infrastructure in the country, including a high- speed train project.
While addressing a press conference, Videgaray cited plummeting oil prices as one of the main reasons behind the 2015 budget cut by 124.3 billion pesos (about 8.42 billion U.S. dollars), or an equivalent of 0.7 percent of the country's gross domestic product. (Mexico-Budget-Cut)
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BRUSSELS -- The European Union here on Friday called on Israel to reverse the decisions of building 450 new housing units in Jewish settlements in the Palestinian West Bank.
The Israeli announcements on Friday of settlement tenders, if implemented, would further undermine the viability of the two-State solution, said a statement issued by the European External Action Service. (EU-Israel-Palestine)
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STRASBOURG -- French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met in Strasbourg Friday evening for informal discussions.
The meeting, at the invitation of European Parliament President Martin Schulz, was originally scheduled for Jan. 11 but was postponed following the Paris attacks. (France-German-Greece)
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ADEN, Yemen -- At least three people were killed and five others injured in armed conflicts between the armed forces and secessionist gunmen in Yemen's southern province of Lahj on Friday, a military official told Xinhua.
"Gunmen of the secessionist movement attacked two army battalions in Radfan area in Lahj's suburbs, sparking clashes that left about three people killed," the local military official said on condition of anonymity. (Yemen-Clash) Endi