Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, May 19

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday hailed the mechanism of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as a complement to current international financial structure.

"We believe that it is a timely, important and useful initiative. We hope this financial institution will play a positive role in the structure of international financial institutions, and of course complement the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the World Bank," Putin said. (Russia-AIIB)

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QUITO -- A new aftershock measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck western Ecuador Wednesday after a quake of the same magnitude jolted the country's coast earlier in the morning, according to the Geophysical Institute of Ecuador.

The Geophysical Institute said that the aftershock was recorded at 11:46 a.m. local time (16:46 GMT) with its epicenter located in the province of Esmeraldas at a depth of 6.2 kilometers. (Russia-AIIB)

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JERUSALEM -- The Israeli navy has successfully tested a sea-borne Iron Dome anti-missile weapon system, the Israeli army said on Wednesday.

The system can be installed on navy vessels to intercept short-range missile threats to economic assets at sea, such as natural gas platforms in the Mediterranean Sea. (Israel-Anti missile-Test)

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UNITED NATIONS -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday appointed Patricia Espinosa Cantellano of Mexico as executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The appointment was made after consultation with the Conference of Parties through its bureau, according to UN Spokesperson's Office. (NN-Climate Chief) Endi