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Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, April 24

Xinhua, April 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

Somali Al-Shabaab militants have killed a Kenyan official abducted early Thursday after failing to receive 43,800 U.S. dollar ransom.

Mandera County Police Commander Job Boronjo confirmed the incident, saying the body identified as Mkutar Otieno was found in Badhere area with bullet wounds. The vehicle the gang had also carjacked was missing. (Kenya-Abduction)

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BRUSSELS -- European leaders agreed to reinforce the Joint Operations in the Mediterranean by increasing the financial resources at the extraordinary summit on migratory pressures on Thursday.

European Council President Donald Tusk told a press conference that "we have agreed to triple the resources available to Triton border mission to enhance its operation capability." (EU-Summit-Migration)

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BERLIN -- Germany's Foreign Intelligence Service (BND) has targeted European interests for surveillance on behalf of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) for years, a German media report revealed on Thursday.

According to the report in Spiegel Online, the U.S. spy agency has sent the BND large numbers of so-called "selectors" -- internet IP addresses, mobile phone numbers and other identifying information -- which were simply plugged into the BND's own monitoring systems.(Germany-NSA)

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NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks ended mildly higher Thursday, with the Nasdaq Composite Index setting a new closing record for the first time in 15 years, as investors assessed a heavy day of earnings and economic data.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 20.42 points, or 0.11 percent, to 18,058.69. The S&P 500 gained 4.97 points, or 0.24 percent, to 2,112.93. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 20.89 points, or 0.41 percent, to 5,056.06. (US-Nasdaq)

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WASHINGTON -- A sharp increase in earthquake activity since 2009 in the central and eastern United States was linked to wastewater injection from oil and gas operations, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

"Wastewater injection increases the underground pore pressure, which may lubricate nearby faults thereby making earthquakes more likely to occur," the USGS said in a statement. "Although the disposal process has the potential to trigger earthquakes, most wastewater disposal wells do not produce felt earthquakes."(U.S.-Quakes-Oil/Gas)

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DAMASCUS -- The Syrian government received a new batch of relief aid from China, a Syrian cabinet minister said on Thursday.

The announcement came during a meeting held Thursday between Syria's Social Affairs Minister Kinda Shammat and Chinese Ambassador to Syria Wang Kejian at the ministry's headquarters in the capital Damascus.(Syria-China-Aids) Endi