Xinhua world news summary at 1100 GMT, Feb. 26

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. House on Thursday voted to pass an act that will prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Decades in the making, the Equality Act was passed in the Democratic-controlled lower chamber in a 224-206 vote. Only three Republicans crossed the party line to vote yes with all the Democrats. (US-Legislation-LGBTQ)

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MOSCOW -- A Boeing 777 flight on Friday made an emergency landing here because of engine problems, the operating Rossiya Airlines said.

The aircraft, which was en route from Hong Kong to Madrid, reported an "incorrect operation of the engine control sensor" mid-flight, and the crew members requested the landing at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport. (Russia-Boeing 777-Emergency Landing)

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LAGOS -- Scores of students were abducted by gunmen who stormed an all-girls school in Nigeria's northwestern state of Zamfara on early Friday, a local official said.

Abubakar Dauran, Zamfara state commissioner of security and home affairs, who confirmed the information to reporters in the state capital of Gusau, said the gunmen abducted the female students of the Government Girls' Secondary School at Jangebe town in the Talata Mafara local government area of the state. (Nigeria-Students-Abduction)

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BRUSSELS -- Leaders of the European Union (EU) called for an accelerated production and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines late on Thursday as the bloc is struggling with supply shortfalls.

"Our top priority now is speeding up the production and delivery of vaccines, and vaccinations, across the EU," European Council President Charles Michel told reporters after the first day of the virtual summit.

(EU-COVID-19-Vaccine)