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Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, Dec. 20

Xinhua, December 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

Death toll from typhoon Melor, locally named as Nona, increased to 35, while damages to infrastructure and agriculture sectors breached 2 billion pesos (57.08 U.S. dollars) in the Philippines, the state disaster management agency said Sunday.

Six other individuals were still missing, while 24 others were injured, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). (Philippines-Typhoon)

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NAIROBI -- Kenyan police have released names and pictures of 11 terror suspects they believe are planning attacks in the country during the festival season.

Some of the suspects have been in the security radar for years as most wanted terrorists and criminals in Kenya. (Kenya-Police-Suspects)

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BANGKOK -- A tour bus carrying 25 people crashed in northern Thailand's Chiang Mai Province on Sunday morning, killing 13 people, including 12 Malaysian tourists and one Thai tour guide, the Chinese Consulate General in Chiang Mai said.

Twelve others were injured in the accident, including 10 Malaysian tourists, a Malaysian tour guide and a Thai driver, the consulate general said. (Thailand-Bus-Accident)

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DAMASCUS -- The Syrian army backed by the Shiite Lebanese Hezbollah group took full control over one of the largest rebel strongholds in Syria's northern province of Aleppo, Hezbollah TV, al-Manar, and state news agency SANA reported on Sunday.

Syria's military forces backed by allied troops succeeded to fully recapture the town of Khan Tuman, one of the largest strongholds of the Jaish al-Fateh, or the Conquer Army, an alliance of several jihadi groups, mainly the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front. (Syria-Lebanon-Rebels)

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DAMASCUS -- Israeli airstrike overnight targeted a dwelling of Samir Kuntar, a senior member of the Lebanese Hezbollah group, in east of the capital Damascus, killing him and destroying the entire building, state media and sources said Sunday.

The Israeli strike struck the building where Kuntar was staying in the predominantly-Druze district of Jaramanah east of Damascus late on Saturday, Hezbollah and some local press said. (Israel-Lebanon-Airstrike) Endi