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Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, March 14

Xinhua, March 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

Reports reaching Xinhua say Sierra Leone's Vice President, Alhaji Samuel Sam Sumana is currently in hiding following an early morning raid by security personnel who disarmed his personal bodyguards and deployed military personnel around the residence.

Reports say the VP has sought for political asylum at the American Embassy but according to Xinhua's source, staff of the embassy have convened a meeting to decide whether to accord him the asylum. (Sierra Leone-Vice President-Asylum)

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YANGON -- Death toll in a double-decker vessel sinking disaster in Myanmar's western Rakhine State rose to 33 on Saturday, state-run radio and television (MRTV) reported.

So far, 33 people including 30 women have been confirmed dead in the passenger vessel Aung Dakun-3 capsizing. (Myanmar-Ferry Sinking)

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TIKRIT -- Iraqi security forces fighting to free the besiege city of Tikrit planned to clear the city from the Islamic State (IS) militants within 72 hours, a militia spokesman said on Saturday.

The city "will be liberated within 72 hours," Karim al-Nouri, a leading figure of the Shiite party Badr Organization and the spokesman of the government-backed militia of al-Hashed al-Shaabi, said in the town of Awja, south of Tikrit. (Iraq-IS)

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MOSCOW -- Russia slammed on Saturday the European Parliament's recent resolution on Russia, warning it will harm attempts to stabilize the situation in Europe.

The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution that calls for an international investigation into the death of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, provoking criticisms from Russian politicians. (Russia-EU)

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SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday here that talks with Iran over its nuclear program are still ongoing, noting that there are important gaps standing in the way of reaching an agreement.

Kerry's comments came during a press conference on the fringe of his participation in Egypt's three-day economic meeting in the Red Sea resort city Sharm El-Sheikh. (Egypt-Iran-Kerry) Endi