Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, May 6

Universities in Kenya have launched anti-terrorism courses for students to join from September in efforts to curb terror attacks targeting the learning institutions.

The courses, according to officials in charge of academic affairs, will be compulsory and examined alongside other common units. (Kenya-University-Anti-Terrorism)

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UNITED NATIONS -- A UN General Assembly (GA) special meeting kicked off here on Tuesday to commemorate victims of the Second World War.

The special solemn meeting was proposed in a UNGA resolution, which was adopted by consensus at the 69th session of the 193- member assembly in February, aiming to urge the international community not to forget wartime sacrifices and atrocities. (UN-Commemoration-WWII)

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PARIS -- French lawmakers of the National Assembly passed Tuesday by 438 votes to 86 a controversial bill on expanding intelligence services' surveillance power.

The bill, aimed to "protect French from terrorist attacks", would give French intelligence services green light to collect unlimited electronic data from the Internet and phones and to install cameras and spying softwares. (France-Bill-Intelligence)

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ROME -- Dozens of African migrants attempting the crossing to Italy drowned at sea south off Sicily island, survivors who were taken to the Sicilian coast said on Tuesday.

According to witnesses quoted by NGO Save the Children, the deadly accident took place shortly after two migrant boats were rescued by Italian naval forces. (Italy-Immigrants)

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WASHINGTON -- At least two companies in Florida have been licensed to operate ferries between the U.S. state and Cuba, as Washington-Havana relations are thawing toward normalcy, local reports said on Tuesday.

Havana Ferry Partners of Fort Lauderdale and Baja Ferries USA have won approval for operating the ferries, a service suspended more than 50 years ago when Washington imposed an embargo on Cuba, The Sun Sentinel daily reported. (U.S.-Cuba-Ferry) Endi