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Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Dec. 19

Xinhua, December 19, 2015 Adjust font size:

The UN Security Council on Friday adopted a resolution endorsing an international roadmap for a Syrian-led political transition in order to end the country's conflict, which calls for Syria peace talks to begin in early January.

The unanimously-adopted resolution also calls for a nationwide ceasefire in Syria to come into effect "as soon as the representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition have begun initial steps toward a political transition under UN auspices." (UN-Syria-Resolution)

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WASHINGTON -- U.S. Congress on Friday approved a government spending and tax breaks package that would pay for government operations through next September and lift a 40-year-old ban on U.S. crude oil exports.

The bipartisan legislation, which provides 1.15 trillion U.S. dollars in government spending and 680 billion dollars in tax breaks, now goes to President Barack Obama's desk for his signature. (U.S.-Gov't spending)

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WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Barack Obama said Friday that he would try to work with the Republican-controlled Congress before saying anything about using the executive authority to close the Guantanamo military prison.

Speaking here at the annual year-end press conference, Obama put the possibility that he would use the executive authority to unilaterally close the Guantanamo prison at rest at least for now, noting that he would first try to persuade the Congress to pass a Pentagon plan which so far had not been submitted to the Congress. (Obama-Guantanamo)

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DAR ES SALAAM -- At least 12 people were killed on the spot and 28 others were injured on Friday after a bus they were travelling in collided head on with a lorry in Tanzania's southern highlands of Kilolo district in Iringa region.

Peter Kakamba, the Iringa regional police commander, said the bus departed from the east African nation's commercial capital Dar es Salaam for Tunduma near Zambia while the lorry was heading to Dar es Salaam from Njombe. (Tanzania-Accident) Endi