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Xinhua world news summary at 1545 GMT, Dec. 22

Xinhua, December 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

Iran Air and Airbus have signed a multi-billion-U.S.-dollar historic agreement to purchase Airbus aircraft, Airbus Group said Thursday in a statement. (France-Iran-Airbus)

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TOKYO -- A fire broke out at a restaurant in central Japan Thursday morning and engulfed over 140 buildings before it stopped spreading in the evening, injuring two people and prompting hundreds to evacuate. (Japan-Fire)

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MOSCOW -- Russian leaders attended a civil funeral service for the slain ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, at the Russian Foreign Ministry building on Thursday. (Russia-Putin-Ambassador)

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ABUJA -- An investigation is underway to ascertain the nationalities and real motives of 37 foreigners arrested during anti-terrorism operations by government forces in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, a commander of the Nigerian army has said. (Nigeria-Terror-Arrests)

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MOSUL, Iraq -- Three suicide car bombs detonated on Thursday in recently-freed district in eastern the city of Mosul, leaving at least 25 people and security members killed and dozens others wounded, a security source said. (Iraq-Suicide Bombing)

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ASTANA -- Kazakhstan's National Security Committee(NSC) said Wednesday it carried out special operations to neutralize the cells of the religious extremist organization Takfir wal-Hijra and detained 16 people.

The special operations were launched simultaneously in the Almaty, Aktobe and Atyrau regions and Almaty city. The detainees were accused of participating in the banned organization and inciting religious discord.(Kazakhstan-Extremists-Arrests)

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BRUSSELS -- Brussels and Athens on Thursday launched a fresh fund worth 260 million euros (272.3 million U.S. dollars) for Greek businesses.

The fund was part of an ambitious investment plan of the European Union (EU), aiming to boost local growth in the debt-ridden Greece. (EU-Creece-Fund) Endi