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• 1st LD Writethru: UN chief appoints new envoy for Yemen  • Burundi's ruling party nominates presidential candidate  • Roundup: "Chinese Bridge" language competition held in Bulgaria  • China prepares relief supplies for quake-hit Nepal  • Georgian top leaders express sorrow over heavy loss of life in Nepal's powerful quakes  • Portuguese president call for "inter-party compromises"  • Egypt extends state of emergency and curfew in Sinai  • Xi extends condolences to Nepal over disastrous earthquake  • Barca beat neighbors Espanyol to move five clear of Real Madrid  • Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, April 25  
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Israel sends rescue mission to Nepal

Xinhua, April 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

Israel will send a rescue team to Nepal in the wake of the massive earthquake, a military statement said.

The mission is expected to leave Saturday night at the instruction of Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot, according to the military statement.

"Israel Defense Force will send an advance team in order to determine the extent of the IDF assistance required in Nepal," the statement read.

Director General of the Foreign Ministry Nissim Ben Shitrit said in a special press conference on Saturday afternoon that some 200 Israelis were out of contact since the 7.9-magnitude tremor hit some 80.5 km (50 miles) north-west of Kathmandu.

Overall, some 2,000 Israelis are currently in Nepal but no casualties were reported among them, Bet Shitrit added.

At least 1,400 people were reported dead across Nepal, making it the worst earthquake the poverty-stricken nation saw over the past 80 years. Endit