Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, July 4

At least 36 militants were killed and tens of others injured during overnight military air raids that lasted until Saturday early morning in Egypt's North Sinai province bordering the Palestinian Gaza Strip and Israel, a security source in the peninsula told Xinhua.

"The military airstrikes targeted hideouts of militants south of Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah cities of North Sinai," the source added, noting the militants belong to Sinai-based, al-Qaida-inspired Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (ABM) group. (Egypt-Militants-Sinai)

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TUNIS -- Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi announced a state of emergency on Saturday, following last week's attack on a Sousse hotel which killed 38 foreign tourists, the state-run TAP news agency reported.

Essebsi will address the nation at 5 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) to explain the decision and the reasons behind it, according to the report. (Tunisia-State of Emergency)

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DAMASCUS -- Intense battles are taking place between the Syrian government forces and an array of rebel groups attempting to storm government-controlled areas in the northern city of Aleppo, a monitor group reported Saturday.

The violent battles are taking place in the sprawling compound of the Scientific Researches, which is deemed the first defense line of the government controlled areas in the western part of Aleppo city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. (Syria-Aleppo-Battle)

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MANILA -- Over 1,000 people are stranded in different ports in central Philippines as tropical storm Egay continues to affect the northern part of the country, the national disaster management agency said Saturday.

Aside from the 1,022 passengers, 34 vessels and 13 motorbancas are also stranded in the ports of Cebu, Tagbiliran and Dumaguete, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. (Philippines-Port-Storm) Endit