Hello, welcome back to NHK Newsline. I'm Maria Sato in Tokyo.
China Coal Mine Explosion Kills Dozens
Chinese state-run media says at least 82 people have died after a gas explosion in a coal mine in the inland province of Shaanxi. The blast in Chenji occurred Friday evening.
Xinhua News Agency reports that more than 200 people were on duty at the time and that 82 people have been confirmed dead.
It says rescue efforts are continuing for nine people who remained unaccounted for.
President Xi Jinping has issued instructions urging all out efforts to treat the injured.
He also called on authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the blast and to hold those responsible to account.
China has witnessed a number of coal mine accidents in recent years, raising questions about safety management.
NPT Review Conference Ends Without Consensus
An international conference on nuclear disarmament has ended with no consensus with tension over Iran's nuclear program in the background.
The review conference of the parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons concluded on Friday.
It opened at UN headquarters in New York on April 27.
A draft of the final document was revised four times, with many contentious phrases omitted, including references to Ukraine's nuclear power plant and North Korea's denuclearization.
Talks behind the scenes continued as Iran's delegates demanded the removal of the expression that Iran can never seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons.
The United States maintained it should be retained.
A US delegate has blamed Iran for the conference's failure to reach a consensus.
The delegate called Iran a prolific treaty violator and accused the country of not allowing states parties to proceed to the option of a consensus.
A representative from Iran condemned US and Israeli attacks on his country.
The delegates called the names of some of the children killed in a February strike on an elementary school in southern Iran.
He said that there was a relentless campaign to legitimize some unlawful attacks by abusing the NPT review conference. He also accused the US of violating the treaty.
Conference president Do Hoang Viet said it was very regrettable that no consensus was reached.
This is the third consecutive time that the NPT conference failed to adopt a final document. The review is held every five years in principle.
WHO Warns of Very High Ebola Risk in DR Congo
The World Health Organization has upgraded its risk assessment of the Ebola virus from high to very high in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
But the agency says the risk remains low on a global level.
00:03:12 話者 2/Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus/WHO Director-General
So far, 82 cases have been confirmed in DRC with seven confirmed deaths.
But we know the epidemic in DRC is much larger.
There are now almost 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths.
00:03:33 (Maria Sato)
Tedros also said the situation in Uganda is stable, and measures such as intense contact tracing have apparently been effective.
The WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern following the outbreak in the DRC and the confirmation of cases in neighboring Uganda.
The Bundibujo strain of Ebola, which lacks an effective vaccine, has been detected among the patients.
The WHO says more time is needed before any clinical trials in humans can go ahead.
Pakistan Mediates in Renewed Iran–US Talks
Pakistani mediators are boosting efforts to revive peace talks between the United States and Iran.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says they're doing an admirable job, and he says he sees progress, but hinted at a possible military option if they don't reach a deal.
00:04:25 話者 3/Marco Rubio
There's been some progress. I wouldn't exaggerate it, I wouldn't diminish it.
There's more work to be done, but look, yeah, there's been some, and that's a good sign.
00:04:35 (Maria Sato)
He says the US is now in constant communication with Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir.
The Pakistani military says Munir arrived in Tehran on Friday.
It says his visit is part of the ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Pakistan's interior minister has also been visiting the country this week.
He's met with Iran's president and foreign minister.
An Iranian media outlet reported earlier that Muneer would visit Iran if the negotiations were making progress.
Iran's state-run news agency reported on the visits by the senior Pakistani officials.
It quotes foreign ministry spokesperson Ismael Baghayi as saying their presence in Tehran marks a turning point.
He also says a Qatari delegation had arrived as well and met with the foreign minister.
But Baghayi noted that diplomacy takes time and it does not mean an agreement is near.
He added that key issues remain under discussion, including the control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's state-run broadcaster said on Friday that 35 vessels transited the waterway in a 24-hour period.
It quotes the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as saying the ships included oil tankers and container ships.
And the IRGC says it has established a safe route under its supervision.
SpaceX Conducts Upgraded Starship Test Flight
US firm SpaceX has test launched its largest Starship spacecraft designed to reach the moon and Mars in the future.
00:06:10 話者 11
Ignition.
00:06:15 話者 (Maria Sato)
The Starship when an unmanned spacecraft in its upper stage lifted off on Friday from a launch pad in the southern US state of Texas.
The Starship was revamped for its 12th test flight, with a larger fuel tank and an in-space refueling function. The overall height is about 120 meters.
The spacecraft separated from the booster rocket after the launch and splashed down in the Indian Ocean about one hour later. SpaceX hailed it as a successful test flight.
US space agency NASA is working with the private sector to develop a lunar lander.
The agency plans a crewed landing in 2028 under the Artemis International Lunar Exploration Project.
SpaceX, led by founder Elon Musk, has been competing with Amazon finder Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin in the space vehicle development race.
Hong Kong Airport to Open New Terminal
A major expansion is taking off at Hong Kong International Airport, with a new terminal set to welcome passengers next week.
The over $1.2 billion facility was shown to media on Friday.
15 airlines, mainly low-cost carriers, have been relocating their check-in services to the new terminal.
The move will ease congestion at the first terminal and enhance convenience through self-service backdrop counters and other measures.
About 61 million people passed through this airport in 2025.
The airport authority says it will eventually be able to serve 100 million passengers with the new terminal and full use of the third runway from 2024.
Competition to become Asia's hub airport has been intensifying with regional neighbors such as Singapore's Changi and South Korea's Incheon.
The airport authority aims to boost passenger count by serving travelers in adjacent Guangdong and other provinces in mainland China.
Those were the headlines for this hour. This is NHK Newsline.
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And that's the latest we have for you at this hour on NHK Newsline.
I'm Maria Sato in Tokyo. Do stay with us for more on NHK World Japan.
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