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Xinhua world news summary at 1545 GMT, Oct. 24

Xinhua, October 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

The prime ministers of Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania jointly announced here on Saturday that they will not allow their countries to become a buffer zone for refugees.

If Germany, Austria and other countries close their borders, the three Balkan countries will not agree to become a buffer zone for refugee flows located between Turkey and fences that will follow after Serbia, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov told a joint press conference.

(Bulgaria-Serbia-Romania-Refugee)

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UNITED NATIONS -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday condemned recent deadly terrorist attacks in the Pakistani provinces of Balochistan and Sindh, which took place during the ongoing holy month of Muharram, saying that "nothing justifies terrorism."

The condemned terrorist attacks included the Friday bombing of a procession of worshippers marking the Shia religious holiday of Ashura in the city of Jacobabad, noted a statement issued here by Ban's spokesman.

(UN-Pakistan-Terrorist attacks)

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LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan -- About 47 Taliban militants were killed after Afghan army helicopters struck their positions in outskirts of Lashkar Gah, capital of southern Helmand province on Friday night, an army source said on Saturday.

"The army gunships pounded Taliban hideouts in Loya Hadera, Khodyrahim and Charbagh localities in Baba Jee area outside of Lashkar Gah last night, killing 47 armed insurgents," Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Rassoul Zazai, spokesman of army Corp 215 Maiwand, told Xinhua.

(Afghanistan-Taliban)

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JAKARTA -- Forest and agriculture fires in Indonesia killed 10 more people, bringing the total death toll to 17, a government spokesman said here Saturday.

The fire, which started last month, may not come to an end before the end of this month, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of the national disaster management agency.(Indonesia-Fire)

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BAGHDAD -- A total of 30 militants of the Islamic State (IS) group were killed in air strikes and clashes with Iraqi security forces on Saturday near the IS-held city of Ramadi, the capital of Iraq's western province of Anbar, a provincial security source said.

In one incident, a warplane bombarded an IS headquarters in the town of al-Qaim near the Iraqi-Syrian border, leaving at least 18 militants killed and destroying six of their vehicles, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. (Iraq-IS-Air strikes)

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AMMAN -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed on Saturday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and King Abdullah II of Jordan the situation in Jerusalem and ways to restore calm.

"Abbas met with Kerry in Amman and was briefed on steps Kerry is taking with the Israelis to reach a truce and calm the situation," Palestinian Authority Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh told reporters in Amman after the meeting between Kerry and Abbas. (US-Kerry-Jerusalem-Abbas) Endi