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Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, Dec. 30

Xinhua, December 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russia will not expel anyone despite Washington's latest sanctions, according to the Kremlin press service.

"We will not create problems for American diplomats. We will not expel anyone," Putin said in a statement. (Russia-U.S.-Diplomat)

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NAIROBI -- The Kenyan government on Friday issued a directive that declared 90 groups criminal in a drive to avert insecurity as the East African nation prepares for the general elections in August 2017.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery said in a gezette Notice that the directive means that any member of the banned groups would be arrested and charged. (Kenya-Group-Insecurity)

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SOFIA -- Bulgaria has stepped up security measures to boost safety during new year's eve celebrations, Deputy Prime Minister Rumiana Bachvarova said Friday.

Bachvarova, also the minister of interior, said the Bulgarian authorities had stepped up security measures at bus and railway stations, airports, markets and resorts as well as other public places.

(Bulgaria-Security)

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SINGAPORE -- The year of 2016 is set to be the hottest year on record in Singapore, according to the update from the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) on Friday.

The mean annual temperature recorded at Changi climate station, which is used as a reference station, is 28.4 degrees Celsius as of Thursday. This exceeds the current record of 28.3 degrees Celsius set in 1997, 1998 and 2015. (Singapore-Temperature)

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DAMASCUS -- A nationwide ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Russia is still holding in most Syrian areas, despite sporadic breaches near Damascus and in the countryside of the northern city of Aleppo, a monitor group reported Friday.

No civilian causalities were reported after a ceasefire went into force at midnight on Friday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. (Syria-Russian Embassy-Attack) Endi