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Xinhua world news summary at 0100 GMT, July 18

Xinhua, July 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Eurogroup on Friday entrusted the European Union institutions with the task of swiftly negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the first step to a three-year bailout program for Greece.

The European Commission in cooperation with the European Central Bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) will negotiate the MoU detailing the policy conditionality attached to the loan, according to a statement issued by the Group. (Belgium-Eurogroup-Greek Deal)

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JOHANNESBURG -- More than 200 people were injured in a train collision in Johannesburg on Friday night, authorities said.

Currently there was no report of deaths after the accident took place near the Booysens station in the city, said Netcare, a private emergency service. The service put the number of injured at about 250 and said more injuries were expected as some passengers were still trapped in the wreckage. (South Africa-Train Accident)

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ATHENS -- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reshuffled his cabinet on Friday following the achievement of a debt deal with international creditors earlier this week to keep Greece afloat and in the eurozone.

The mini cabinet reshuffle came a day after a critical vote in the Greek parliament on the first set of prior actions the country needs to take to unlock vital financing. (Greece-Cabinet Reshuffle)

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STOCKHOLM -- Dozens of Swedish women have left the country to join violent extremist groups in Syria and the surrounding region, local media reported Friday.

Between 30 and 40 of the 150 confirmed cases of Swedes joining violent extremist groups such as the Islamic State are women, public broadcaster Swedish Radio reported. (Sweden-Women-Syria)

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BAQUBA, Iraq -- At least 40 people were killed and more than 50 others wounded on Friday when a truck bomb exploded in northeastern Iraqi capital Baghdad, a security source.

The source told Xinhua that the truck bomb, which was carrying a large amount of explosive materials, exploded late Friday in a popular market area of Khan Bani Saad, 10 km south of Baquba, which is predominantly Shiite Muslims. (Iraq-Bomb Attack )

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RAMALLAH -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Friday on the phone first time in two years, the Palestinian state-run news agency (Wafa) reported.

The Palestinian news agency said that Netanyahu called President Abbas on the phone to wish him happy Eidul Fittr, the Muslims' holiday that comes after the fasting month of Ramadan. (Palestine-Israel-Top Talks)

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