Iran Nuclear Talks Reach 'Framework' Deal

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02 April, 2015

Iran and six world powers have agreed on the framework of a plan to limit Iran's nuclear programs. Negotiators are meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. Officials from Germany and Iran said Thursday that they made enough progress in the talks to continue working toward a final agreement. The time limit for the final agreement is June 30.

An official said the deal would include limits on Iran's enrichment of uranium for 10 years.

In Washington, President Barack Obama said the U.S. has reached a "historic understanding with Iran," and called the agreement "a good deal" and one that meets the main goal of keeping Iran from getting a nuclear bomb.

Al-Shabab attacks Kenyan university

Kenyan officials said an al-Shabab attack killed 147 people Thursday at a university in northeastern Kenya. Kenya's interior minister said about 160 students are still missing.

The gunmen opened fire at Garissa University College, about 370 kilometers east of Nairobi. Some witnesses say the attackers were separating Christians and Muslims.

Security forces fought with the attackers for 13 hours. Kenya's interior minister said four al-Shabab militants were among the dead.

Second black box from Germanwings plane found

French officials say searchers have found the second flight information recorder from the Germanwings plane that crashed in France.

This "black box" records information from almost every instrument on the plane.

The first black box was a voice recorder. Its information led investigators to believe that pilot Andreas Lubitz purposely crashed Flight 9525 on March 24.

In related news, German officials said Mr. Lubitz searched online for information on suicide and airplane cockpit door security in the days before the crash.

Russian ship sinks, killing at least 56

At least 56 people are dead after a Russian fishing boat sank in the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia's far east Wednesday.

Emergency officials said 63 of the 132 crew members on the ship were rescued. Thirteen people are still missing.

The most seriously injured were flown to the city of Magadan, about 250 kilometers to the north.

At least 14 local fishing boats are helping with the search and rescue efforts.

The ship was carrying an international crew. Seventy-eight members came from Russia, 42 from Myanmar and the rest from Ukraine, Lithuania and Vanuatu.

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Words in This Story

framework – n. the basic structure of something

enrichment – n. improving the usefulness or quality of (something) by adding something to it

instrument – n. a device that measures something

cockpit – n. the area in a boat, airplane, etc., where the pilot or driver sits


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