CHINA

BEIJING — Authorities in China say an explosion at a fireworks plant in a central Chinese province has killed at least 26 people and injured 61 others.

China’s official news agency Xinhua reported that the blast occurred at a fireworks plant in the city of Changsha in Hunan province on Monday afternoon.

Hundreds of rescuers were deployed to the scene and residents in danger zones were evacuated.

CHAD

Boko Haram militants kill 23 soldiers

N’DJAMENA — Boko Haram militants have killed 23 soldiers in an attack on a military post in the Lake Chad region, Chad’s armed forces said Tuesday.

The attack happened Monday night on Barka Tolorom island. Chad’s military said 26 soldiers were injured, and a significant number of militants were neutralized.

United Arab Emirates

Trump pausing US effort to guide vessels

DUBAI — U.S. President Donald Trump says that he is pausing the U.S. effort to guide stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz to finalize an Iran deal, but that the American forces’ blockade of the Iranian ports would remain in place.

Trump announced the decision in a social media post on Tuesday evening, saying he was pausing the effort for a short period to give space for U.S. efforts to finalize a settlement with Iran to end the war.