Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, March 5

Egyptian armed forces have arrested 12 Islamist militants believed to have been planning a "major attack" in central Sinai, the army said in a statement on Saturday.

The militants were having a meeting when the army raided their hideout in central Sinai province, said Tamer el-Refai, spokesperson of the armed forces. (Egypt-Militant-Sinai)

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WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump's accusation that his predecessor Barack Obama had his "wires tapped" in Trump Tower before Election Day is "simply false," Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said Saturday.

"A cardinal rule of the Obama Administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice," Lewis said in a statement. (U.S.-Trump-Obama)

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SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir -- A fierce gunfight between militants and Indian troops broke out Saturday in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunfight erupted at a Tral village in Pulwama district, about 42 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. (India-Gunfight-Kashmir)

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DAMASCUS -- Communication with Syrian war jet was lost while the warplane was on a reconnaissance mission near the Turkish borders on Saturday, state TV reported.

The report said the search for the pilot is ongoing, spelling no further details. (Syria-Turkey-Jet) Endi