Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, April 29

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev was sworn in Wednesday to begin his next term as the head of state.

"I solemnly swear that I will faithfully serve the people of Kazakhstan, strictly observe the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan, guarantee the rights and freedoms of the citizens, honestly perform the high duties of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan entrusted to me," the 74-year-old politician said at the inauguration ceremony. (Kazakhstan-Presidential Inauguration)

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DAMASCUS -- The Syrian army carried out "qualitative" operations Wednesday in the rebel-held city in Idlib province, killing tens of militants, the Syrian official TV reported.

Many "terrorists" were killed in the vicinity of the National Hospital and the southern entrance of Jisr al-Shughour city in the Idlib province, as part of the government forces' bid to retake that strategic city, the report said. (Syria-Militants-Operation)

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KABUL -- Four people have been killed and nine others injured as two roadside bomb blasts rocked the eastern Khost and southern Helmand provinces over the past two days, officials confirmed Wednesday.

In the first violent blast which happened in the eastern Khost province on Tuesday evening, four people had lost their lives, said the provincial government in a statement sent to media. (Afghanistan-Blast)

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TBILISI -- Georgia's government will face a second confidence vote as Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Levan Kipiani, resigned on Wednesday.

Kipiani became the third cabinet member to step down in a week and the seventh since the incumbent government won Parliament's confidence vote in July 2014. (Georgia-Confidence Vote) Endi