Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, July 16

GAZA -- Hamas said Tuesday in a statement that one of its leaders Mohammed Faraj al-Ghoul was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City.

The statement did not offer further details, and there was no immediate comment from the Israeli army on the airstrike.

This came as the Israeli military issued a new statement warning residents of several areas in Gaza City and in Jabalia, northern Gaza, to evacuate immediately to the western areas and then to the southern areas towards Al-Mawasi amid escalating military operations. (Gaza-Palestine-Ties)

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NEW YORK -- U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Indonesia will pay a 19 percent tariff on all goods exported to the United States, while U.S. exports to Indonesia are to be free of tariff- and non-tariff barriers.

Trump said on Truth Social that he "finalized an important Deal with the Republic of Indonesia after speaking with their Highly Respected President Prabowo Subianto. This landmark Deal opens up Indonesia's ENTIRE MARKET to the United States for the first time in History." (US-Trump-Indonesia)

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BRUSSELS -- The European Union (EU) failed to approve a new round of sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, as the move was blocked by Slovakia over concerns related to energy security, according to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.

Speaking after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Kallas said she was "really sad" the sanctions didn't get approved, adding that "the ball is in Slovakia's court."

The European Commission unveiled its 18th sanctions package last month, targeting Russia's energy sector, banking operations, and defense industry. Among the proposed measures is a ban on financial transactions involving Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines. (EU-Russia-Sanction)

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NAIROBI -- Experts from across Africa met in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, on Tuesday to discuss ways to improve rice production on the continent.

The day-long symposium on Improving Rice Seed Production Systems in Africa brought together agricultural experts, policymakers and researchers from across the continent to review strategies for achieving self-sufficiency in rice production.

Abdelbagi Ismail, principal scientist and regional representative for Africa at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), said that Africa imports about 17 million tonnes of rice annually, as local production is insufficient to meet demand. (Kenya-Symposium-Rice) Enditem