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32 trapped as coal mine collapses

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At least 32 miners are trapped underground after a coal mine collapsed in northern Afghanistan, provincial officials confirmed on Sunday.

Rescuers have been working tirelessly since the collapse, which occurred late Saturday in the Dara-i-Sof Payin district of Samangan province.

Samangan Governor’s spokesperson, Esmat Muradi, told newsmen that it remains unclear how many of the trapped miners are still alive.

“Excavators and rescuers have been working since early morning but unfortunately, the opening to the mine has not yet been cleared,” Muradi said.

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Afghanistan’s mining industry operates with little oversight, making such deadly accidents alarmingly common.

Workers often extract coal, marble, minerals, gold, and gemstones in rudimentary pits without adequate safety equipment.

In February 2022, ten miners died in a similar coal mine collapse in Baghlan province. Other recent tragedies include a gas explosion that killed seven workers in Samangan in June 2020 and the collapse of a gold mine in Badakhshan in 2019, which left at least 30 dead.

AFP

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Trump Says Iran Agrees To Hand Over Nuclear Dust Amid Strait of Hormuz Blockade

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United States President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has agreed to hand over its remaining stockpile of enriched uranium and abandon ambitions for a nuclear weapon, describing negotiations as being on the verge of a major breakthrough.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday before departing for Las Vegas, Trump said: “We’re very close to making a deal with Iran. We had to make sure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon… They’ve totally agreed to that. They’ve agreed to almost everything.”

He added that Iran had consented to return its enriched uranium, which he has repeatedly called “nuclear dust”, material believed to be buried deep underground following earlier U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

“They’ve agreed to give us back the nuclear dust,” Trump stated. He also suggested that the next round of talks could take place over the weekend and expressed uncertainty about whether the current fragile ceasefire would need extension.

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The comments come amid efforts to end six weeks of conflict in the Middle East that has disrupted global energy supplies and raised fears over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for oil exports.

However, Iran has not publicly confirmed Trump’s assertions. Multiple reports indicate that Tehran has previously pushed back against similar claims, describing them as exaggerated.

Recent direct talks in Islamabad on April 11-12 collapsed without agreement, with core disputes remaining over the future of uranium enrichment inside Iran and the removal of existing stockpiles.

The White House has been discussing a possible second round of negotiations in Pakistan, with officials expressing optimism.

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A U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in place, adding pressure on Tehran.

Analysts caution that any final deal would require strict verification mechanisms, especially given the deeply buried nature of the material in question.

For Nigeria and other oil-producing nations, progress toward de-escalation could help stabilise crude prices, which have spiked due to fears of prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.

A lasting agreement might also open the door for sanctions relief on Iran, potentially shifting global energy dynamics.

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Trump has maintained that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is a non-negotiable red line, while offering the prospect of broader regional stability in return for Iranian concessions.

No immediate reaction from Iranian officials was available as of press time. Further developments are expected in the coming days as diplomatic channels continue.

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Second Tragedy in Two Days: Student Gunman Kills Four at Middle School

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A devastating shooting at a middle school in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday has left at least four people dead and 20 others wounded. The incident, which occurred in the province of Kahramanmaras, marks a harrowing second day of educational violence in the region, an anomaly in a country where school shootings are exceedingly rare.

The local governor, Mukerrem Unluer, confirmed to reporters that the fatalities included three pupils and one teacher. The perpetrator, identified as an eighth-grade student at the school, also died during the attack.

According to Governor Unluer, the assailant, typically aged 13 or 14 arrived at the institution concealing an arsenal within his backpack. The weapons, which authorities believe belonged to his father, a retired police officer, included five firearms and seven ammunition magazines.

“An eighth-grade student entered two classrooms occupied by fifth-grade students and opened fire indiscriminately,” Governor Unluer stated. The victims in the fifth grade are generally between the ages of 10 and 11.

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The Governor further disclosed that four of the wounded are currently in critical condition and are undergoing emergency surgery.

Television footage from the site depicted a harrowing scene as police cordoned off the school gates while frantic crowds gathered nearby. Ambulances were seen transporting at least two victims from the premises as emergency services worked to stabilise the survivors.

The Justice Minister, Akin Gurlek, announced via the social media platform X that a formal investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the massacre. Authorities are expected to scrutinise how the minor gained access to his father’s service weapons.

This tragedy follows a similar incident on Tuesday in the neighbouring province of Sanliurfa, where a former student opened fire at a school, wounding 16 individuals including staff and pupils before taking his own life.

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The back-to-back attacks have sent shockwaves through the Turkish nation, prompting urgent discussions regarding firearm security and the safety of academic environments.

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Magyar slams Orbán for shunning Hungarians, calls Russia ‘security risk’

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Prime Minister of Hungary Péter Magyar on Monday scolded Viktor Orbán for not paying attention to the problems affecting Hungarians while focusing on issues in other countries.

In a speech after the electoral victory, Magyar assured his administration would refrain from interfering in the domestic affairs of other nations, urging foreign governments to do the same.

The prime minister noted that Orbán played a five-dimensional chess game, saying the attitude was probably one of the reasons for his defeat at the polls.

According to Magyar, his predecessor often talked about Ukraine, Russia, Iran, the Iranian Shah, the Iranian Ayatollah, and the United States presidential election.

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“If he had been woken from his sleep, he would have said that he won the US presidential election, not Donald Trump,” the PM mocked.

Magyar criticized the Kremlin and advised Europe to prepare to protect itself. “The Russian state is a security risk,” he declared, recalling Hungary “felt the Russian bear before.”

The leader vowed his government will do “everything for diversification” of Hungary and Russia, but clarified that Budapest will not “decouple” relations with Moscow.

The PM, however, expressed opposition to Ukraine’s accelerated accession to the EU: “It is absolutely absurd for a country at war to be admitted to the European Union.”

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Magyar also said he will not initiate a phone conversation with President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin but will respond if the leaders or their officials reach out.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday declined a detailed response to Magyar’s comment that he will not engage in negotiations with Russia

“We are ready to build relations with the new government,” the diplomat told reporters. “Much will depend on how it defines and pursues its national interests.”

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