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Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Dec. 23

Xinhua, December 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

U.S. space agency NASA said Tuesday it has suspended the planned launch of a Mars lander called InSight in March 2016 due to unsuccessful attempts to repair a leak in a French-built seismological instrument.

"The bottom line is that we're not ready to launch in the 2016 window," John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, said in a statement. (NASA-Mars Lander)

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JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed their commitment to coordinate activities around Syria on Tuesday, days after an alleged Israeli airstrike in Syria killed a top Lebanese militant.

Netanyahu talked over the phone with Putin on Tuesday, agreeing to continue and "coordinate anti-terror efforts." They also discussed recent developments in Syria, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office. (Israel-Russia-Syria)

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PARIS -- An attack targeting police and army officers in French central town of Orleans has been foiled with two potential attackers arrested, Bernard Cazeneuve said on Tuesday.

"A planned attack targeting representatives of state forces in the Orleans region was foiled last week by the DGSI (France's internal intelligence agency)," Cazeneuve was quoted as saying by local media. (France-Attacks)

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MOSCOW -- The Kremlin on Tuesday vowed to take countermeasures against the U.S. decision to expand anti-Russian sanction list.

"This is continuation of the unfriendly stance against Russia that runs counter to logic," Tass news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying, who added there would be devastating effect on bilateral relations. (Russia-U.S.-Sanctions) Endit