The 10 most important things in the world right now

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REUTERS/Lara Sukhtian

An aerial view taken from a sea plane shows Swiss pilot and original Jetman Yves Rossy (front) and Vince Reffett flying over Dubai's Palm Island, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Hello! Here's what you need to know for Thursday.

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1. An army general on Wednesday attempted to overthrow President Pierre Nkurunziz of Burundi, but the coup does not appear to have been successful and it's unclear who is in charge.

2. At least five people, including foreigners, were killed in a seven-hour siege on a popular hotel in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul.

3. An Amtrak train that derailed Tuesday night in Philadelphia was going more than twice the speed limit on a sharply curved section before it ran off the tracks, killing 7 people.

5. Greece is back in recession after preliminary data showed the economy contracted by 0.2% in the first quarter of this year.

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6. Dozens were killed on Wednesday in a factory fire in the Philippine capital of Manila, believed to have been caused after sparks from welding equipment ignited flammable chemicals stored nearby.

7. At least 15 workers are trapped underground in a Colombian gold mine after it suddenly flooded.

8. The Vatican has finalised its first treaty that formally recognises the State of Palestine, "which aims to enhance the life and activities of the Catholic Church and its recognition at the judicial level," Reuters reports.

9. Riots in Baltimore, Maryland, over the death of black man while in police custody caused and estimated $9 million (£5.7 million) in damages.

10. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in China on a three-day visit intended to boost economic ties, although the relationship between the two countries has been strained by a border dispute that dates back to the 1960s.

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And finally ...

A 14-year-old New Jersey student won the National Geographic Bee and $50,000 (£31,000) by correctly identifying the Congo River as the site of the Grand Inga Dam.

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