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Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, Feb. 14

Xinhua, February 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

Bangladesh's opposition alliance on Saturday announced another nationwide strike to press for a new general election under a non-party caretaker government system.

Spokesperson of former prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Salahuddin Ahmed, said in a press release that the 72-hour strike will start at 6:00 a.m. local time Sunday (0000 GMT) and will continue till 6:00 a.m. local time Wednesday. (Bangladesh-Strike)

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VALLETTA -- Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat welcomed Italy's announcement that it would join a UN-led force to battle terrorist threat after a faction in Libya has sworn loyalty to Islamic State militants, according to local reports on Saturday.

In a tweet posted on Friday night, Muscat said: "Glad Italy willing to intervene in Libya under UN mandate. Malta will play it's part to ensure Mediterranean stability." (Malta-Libya-Intervention)

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ABUJA -- Government forces repelled an attack launched by Boko Haram fighters in Nigeria's Gombe city on Saturday, barely one week after defense authorities vowed to crush the militant group in the Western African country, witnesses and security sources said.

Boko Haram fighters stormed Dadin Kowa, about three kilometers from Gombe city, state capital of the Gombe State, shooting heavily and unleashing terror on the local people, Abu Hassan, a witness, said.

But government forces, made up of the Nigerian military and mobile police, quickly responded to the attack, he added. (Nigeria-Boko Haram)

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RAMALLAH -- The Foreign Ministry of Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Saturday demanded the United States to transparently and accurately probe the killing of three Muslims students in North Carolina.

The investigation has to consider the threats the American murder wrote on his Facebook page before the killing, said an emailed press statement of the ministry.

"We are deeply concerned of this terrorism which targets citizens only because of their religious background," the statement said. (Palestinians-U.S.-Killing) Endi