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Xinhua World News Summary at 1550 GMT, Feb. 24

Xinhua, February 24, 2017 Adjust font size:

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen would respond to police questions on alleged misuse of European Union funds after this year's presidential election, Le Pen's defense lawyer Rodolphe Bosselut said on Friday.

"(Le Pen) will comply with any summons after elections. It's not an obstruction of justice but an obstruction to a form of injustice which targeted her at full presidential campaign," Bosselut told BFMTV news channel. (France-Le Pen-Misuse)

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BAGHDAD -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Friday that he had ordered airstrikes against positions of the Islamic State (IS) militants in retaliation for recent deadly bomb attacks in Baghdad.

"We are determined to chase terrorism that tries to kill our sons and citizens wherever it is located. We gave orders to the air force command to conduct airstrikes against the terrorist Daesh (IS group) in Husaybah and Albu Kamal inside Syrian territories, as they were responsible for recent terrorist bombings in Baghdad," Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, said in a statement issued by his office.(Iraq-IS-Airstrikes)

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DAMASCUS -- At least 60 people were killed on Friday when a suicide bombing believed to be carried out by an Islamic State (IS) fighter targeted rebel position near Syria's northern city of al-Bab, a monitor group reported.

The blast rocked the town of Susian west of al-Bab, in what was said to be a suicide bombing targeting Turkey-backed rebels, who, along with Turkish forces, captured al-Bab a day earlier after dislodging the Islamic State (IS) out of that key area near the Turkish borders.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said most of the causalities were rebels.(Syria-Suicide Bombing)

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LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan -- Two Afghan army soldiers were killed in a suicide car bomb blast in restive southern Helmand province on Friday, an army source in the province said.

"The explosion took place after a man detonated a car bomb near an army checkpost in Greshk district at around midday," Major Khairullah Khan told Xinhua.(Afghanistan--Suicide Bombing)

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KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysian police said Friday that a Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) man died in the country was killed by chemical weapon substance found on his body.

The man was killed by VX nerve agent, a lethal chemical weapon which was prohibited in Malaysia, national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters at the airport.

The DPRK man died on the way from a Malaysian airport to hospital on Feb. 13. Malaysian police identified him as Kim Chol from the DPRK.(Malaysia-DPRK Man) Endi