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Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Dec. 15

Xinhua, December 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Italian government of newly-appointed Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni cleared a Senate confidence vote on Wednesday with 169 in favor.

Gentiloni thus won his second and final test after winning the confidence of the lower house on Tuesday for his "government of responsibility".

Another 99 members of the 315-seat Senate voted against, with the opposition calling for snap elections and protesting that the new government is a "carbon copy" of Matteo Renzi, who quit as prime minister after losing a December 4 referendum on constitutional reform. (Italy-Government-Confidence Vote)

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WASHINGTON -- U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised the benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points, the first and only time in 2016, and indicated a faster rate hike pace next year.

"In view of realized and expected labor market conditions and inflation, the (Federal Open Market) Committee decided to raise the target range for the federal funds rate to 1/2 to 3/4 percent," said the Fed in a statement after concluding a two-day policy meeting. (U.S.-Fed-Interet Rate)

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STRASBOURG -- The long debate among the Members of European Parliament (MEPs), who were meeting for a plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday, exacerbated internal divisions and their disagreements with representatives of the European Commission and the European Council on issues of migration, security, Brexit, Syria, Turkey, the economy.

The opinion divisions remained even as European Union (EU) leaders are set to meet Thursday in Brussels for a new summit, which many are counting on to give a fresh wind to a union sliding into internal crisis at the risk of paralysis. (EU-Summit-Divisions)

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UNITED NATIONS -- The United Nations is "deeply concerned" by reports of fighting in Aleppo in north Syria on Wednesday, despite the announcement of a ceasefire agreement on Tuesday night, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here.

"Any continued fighting leaves thousands of civilians in the direct line of fire," Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here. "The safety and security of tens of thousands of men, women and children still trapped in eastern Aleppo remains precarious." (UN-Syria-Fighting) Endi