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Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, May 26

Xinhua, May 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

Kenyan soldiers on Monday killed seven Al-Shabaab fighters in southern Somali town of Dobley as they intensify their onslaught against militants.

Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) spokesmen David Obonyo who confirmed the incident said the forces which are part of the Africa Union misson in Somalia (AMISOM) ambushed the militants believed to have been abducting several people along the border with Somalia and also recovered an assortment of weapons. (Kenya-Al-Shabaab-Fight)

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MOGADISHU -- Islamist militants Al-Shabaab seized the control of a strategic town in the southern Somali region of lower Shabelle on Sunday night after government forces vacated the town, witnesses and residents said on Monday.

According to residents in Janaale town, the militants had taken over the control of the town without firing a single shot after Somali government forces vacated the town.

The residents said the Somali forces abandoned the town on Sunday afternoon, in fear of possible Al-Shabaab attacks, but shortly after their retreat, heavily armed Al-Shabaab fighters came in and begun erecting their black flag in the town. (Kenya-Al-Shabaab)

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DUBLIN -- Ireland's new marriage bill will be enacted by the end of July, a cabinet minister said on Monday. The bill, which is currently being drafted, will enable same-sex couples to get married in the same way as opposite-sex couples.

Frances Fitzgerald, the country's minister for justice and equality, said the bill will include a provision to enable couples to convert a notification of intention to enter a civil partnership into a notification of intention to enter a marriage. (Ireland-Same sex marriage)

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WARSAW -- The Polish National Election Commission announced Monday the official results of Sunday's presidential elections. Andrzej Duda obtained 51.55 percent of votes thus winning the election.

Duda, a candidate of the Law and Justice Party obtained 51.55 percent of votes in the second round of presidential elections held in Poland on Sunday. The current President of Poland, Bronislaw Komorowski, backed by the Civic Platform Party, was second and scored 48,45 percent of votes. (Poland-Election)

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SANTIAGO -- China and Chile on Monday signed a host of cooperation deals including a multi-billion-U.S.-dollar currency swap pact as the two countries move to enhance their trade and financial ties.

The latest development came after a meeting between visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, who jointly witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral business contracts and governmental accords in areas including politics, trade, finance, mining, agriculture, production capacity and science and technology. (China-Premier Li-Chile)

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HOUSTON -- Strong storms hit Texas and Oklahoma, two southern U.S. states, over the weekend, leaving three people dead, 12 missing and more than 2,000 others homeless, local media reported on Monday.

In Texas, the second largest U.S. state, the cities of San Marcos and Wimberley in the central region suffered extensive damage following Saturday's torrential rain that forced the evacuation of more than 2,000 people from their homes, leaving 12 missing, according to the Houston Chronicle. (US-Storms)

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DHAKA -- Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong met with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday and Bangladeshi President Abul Hamid on Monday on bilateral ties.

During the separate meetings, Liu told them that her visit aims to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Bangladesh, promote their traditional friendship, boost the implementation of consensus reached between leaders of the two countries, expand mutually- beneficial cooperation in various fields and promote people-to- people exchanges. (China-Bangladesh-Ties)

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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Up to six civilians were killed after a vehicle touched off an improvised explosive device, causing a blast in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar province on Monday, a provincial government spokesman said.

"The incident took place at around 08:10 p.m. local time along a road in Nikashalli area of Shah Wali Kot district, which left six people aboard the vehicle killed on the spot," spokesman Samim Khpalwak told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Civilian-Killed) Endi