Xinhua world news summary at 0130 GMT, Nov. 22

British Prime Minister David Cameron is pushing for parliamentary backing for airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, and British lawmakers are expected to vote on the matter within the next two weeks, British Sky News reported Saturday.

The first British strikes in Syria would happen within hours of a "yes" vote, according to the Sunday Times newspaper. (Britain-IS)

- - - -

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is to pay a visit to the Middle East for discussions on Syria and the escalating Israeli-Palestinian violence starting from Sunday, the State Department said Saturday.

The first stop of the Nov. 22-24 tour will be Abu Dhabi, where Kerry will meet with senior government officials of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) "to discuss a range of bilateral and regional political and security issues, with a focus on Syria," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. (U.S.-Syria)

- - - -

DAMASCUS -- Russian warplanes on Saturday carried out over 70 strikes against the positions of the Islamic State (IS) militants in central Syria, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported.

The strikes targeted the IS positions in the vicinity of the ancient city of Palmyra, the town of Mahin and the al-Shaer oil field in the eastern countryside of the central province of Homs, the report said, describing the airstrikes as "intensified." (Russia-IS-Air Strike)

- - - -

SEOUL -- Former South Korean President Kim Young-sam passed away Sunday, aged 88.

Kim, who had been hospitalized with fever since Thursday, died at 0:22 a.m. local time, according to Seoul National University Hospital. (S.Korea-Kim Young-sam) Endite