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Iran Enriching to up to 60% At Fordow, Plans Massive Expansion, IAEA Says

This Dec. 11, 2020, satellite photo by Maxar Technologies shows construction at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility. (Maxar Technologies via AP)
This Dec. 11, 2020, satellite photo by Maxar Technologies shows construction at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility. (Maxar Technologies via AP)
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Iran Enriching to up to 60% At Fordow, Plans Massive Expansion, IAEA Says

This Dec. 11, 2020, satellite photo by Maxar Technologies shows construction at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility. (Maxar Technologies via AP)
This Dec. 11, 2020, satellite photo by Maxar Technologies shows construction at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility. (Maxar Technologies via AP)

Iran is enriching uranium to up to 60% purity, close to weapons grade, underground for the first time at its Fordow plant, the UN nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday, adding that Iran is also planning a massive expansion of its enrichment capacity. 

Iran earlier on Tuesday said it had started to enrich uranium to up to 60% at a second site, Fordow, having already done so at its above-ground pilot plant at Natanz for more than a year. At that pilot plant just two cascades, or clusters, of advanced centrifuges are enriching to that level. 

The latest move is in retaliation to last week's resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation Board of Governors ordering Iran to cooperate with a years-long IAEA investigation into the origin of uranium particles found at three undeclared sites. 

"Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi today said Iran had started producing high enriched uranium - UF6 (uranium hexafluoride) enriched up to 60% - using the existing two cascades of IR-6 centrifuges in the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, in addition to such production that has taken place at Natanz since April 2021," the IAEA said in a statement. 

It was summarizing a confidential report to IAEA member states seen by Reuters on various moves taken and planned by Iran at enrichment plants at Fordow and Natanz. 

Iran only has six cascades, or clusters, of IR-6 centrifuges in operation at three plants at Fordow and Natanz. Diplomats say the IR-6 is the most advanced model it is using on such a scale. 

It plans to add 14 more IR-6 cascades at Fordow, six of which will replace first-generation IR-1 machines, the IAEA said. They will enrich to up to 5% or up to 20%, it added. 

In the longer term, however, Iran plans a massive expansion of its underground, commercial-scale Fuel Enrichment Plant at Natanz, where it is also installing and bringing online more cascades of advanced centrifuges. 

"Iran continues to advance its enrichment activities at the Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz and now plans to install a second production building, capable of housing over 100 centrifuge cascades," it said. 

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World

Air Canada Express Jet Hits Ground Vehicle, Closing New York's LaGuardia Airport

An Air Canada Jet sits on the runway at LaGuardia Airport, Monday, March 23, 2026, after colliding with a Port Authority aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
An Air Canada Jet sits on the runway at LaGuardia Airport, Monday, March 23, 2026, after colliding with a Port Authority aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
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Air Canada Express Jet Hits Ground Vehicle, Closing New York's LaGuardia Airport

An Air Canada Jet sits on the runway at LaGuardia Airport, Monday, March 23, 2026, after colliding with a Port Authority aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)
An Air Canada Jet sits on the runway at LaGuardia Airport, Monday, March 23, 2026, after colliding with a Port Authority aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

An Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a ground vehicle upon landing at New York's LaGuardia airport late on Sunday, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24, in an incident that closed the airport.

The CRJ-900 plane, which was coming from Montreal, struck the vehicle at a speed of about 24 miles per hour (39 kph), said Flightradar24, which last recorded data at 11:37 p.m. ET (0337 GMT).

Photos taken by Reuters after the accident ⁠showed visible damage to the ⁠nose of the plane, which was tilted upward.

NBC News reported that four people were injured in the incident, which involved a fire truck manned by police officers, citing sources. The report said the pilot and copilot of the aircraft were badly injured, while a sergeant and an officer had broken limbs and were in stable condition at a ⁠hospital.

Authorities and emergency agencies did not offer any immediate comments on injuries.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the airport was expected to remain shut until 2 p.m. ET on Monday (1800 GMT), and LaGuardia's website showed arriving planes had been diverted to other airports or returned to their point of origin.

The plane involved in the accident was operated by Air Canada's regional partner Jazz, which is owned by Chorus Aviation. Jazz's CRJ-900 planes can seat up to 76 passengers, according to Air Canada's website. NBC News reported 76 passengers and four crew members were on board.

Air ⁠Canada, Chorus ⁠Aviation, the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The New York Fire Department said that it was responding to a reported incident at the airport's Runway 4 involving a plane and a vehicle at LaGuardia airport, directing further queries to Port Authority Police, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

New York City's emergency notification system said people could expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays and emergency personnel near the airport.

LaGuardia served over 30 million annual passengers in 2025, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a wide range of U.S. airlines operate at the airport.

World

Pakistan Vows to 'Eradicate Terrorism' as Afghan Truce Nears End

Taliban security personnel guard the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Afghan province of Nangarhar (AFP)
Taliban security personnel guard the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Afghan province of Nangarhar (AFP)
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Pakistan Vows to 'Eradicate Terrorism' as Afghan Truce Nears End

Taliban security personnel guard the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Afghan province of Nangarhar (AFP)
Taliban security personnel guard the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Afghan province of Nangarhar (AFP)

Pakistan's foreign minister said Monday that the country remains committed to "eradicating the menace of terrorism", as the clock ticked down to the end of a temporary ceasefire with Afghanistan.

Both countries last Wednesday announced a halt to weeks of hostilities for the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan, agreeing to a temporary ceasefire until midnight Monday, said AFP.

But in a message to mark Pakistan Day, a national holiday, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar indicated that the country's approach to the conflict had not changed.

"Pakistan remains firmly committed to eradicate the menace of terrorism," he said in a statement. "Pakistan's actions inside Afghanistan... are directed towards this goal."

On Sunday, the Taliban government and a medical source said one person was killed by a mortar shell fired by Pakistan in the eastern border province of Kunar.

Afghanistan and Pakistan have been locked in conflict for months over claims from Islamabad that Kabul is harboring extremists behind cross-border attacks on its territory.

The Taliban authorities deny the claim.

The Eid truce came after a Pakistani strike on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul last Monday, which Afghan authorities said killed more than 400.

The latest bout of skirmishes, which began in February, followed earlier failed mediation efforts including Gulf states and China.

In his own Pakistan Day message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said military action inside Afghanistan was "a symbol of our national resolve against terrorism".

"We will not allow any harm to the peace and security of our country," he added.

World

London Police Probe Attack on Jewish Ambulances as Hate Crime

Firefighters work at the scene after four ambulances were set on fire, in northwest London, Britain, March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
Firefighters work at the scene after four ambulances were set on fire, in northwest London, Britain, March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
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London Police Probe Attack on Jewish Ambulances as Hate Crime

Firefighters work at the scene after four ambulances were set on fire, in northwest London, Britain, March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
Firefighters work at the scene after four ambulances were set on fire, in northwest London, Britain, March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

London's police said they are investigating an "arson attack" as an antisemitic hate crime after volunteer ambulances run by a Jewish organization were set on fire on Monday.

The London Fire Brigade said it was alerted to vehicles on fire at Highfield Court in Golders Green at 1:40 am.

Firefighters called to the scene found that multiple cylinders on the vehicles had exploded, breaking windows in an adjacent block.

London's Metropolitan Police said the burnt vehicles were four Hatzalah ambulances belonging to the Jewish Community Ambulance service, AFP reported.

"Officers remain on scene and the arson attack is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime," police said in a statement.

No injuries have been reported and all the fires have been put out, police added.

"We know this incident will cause a great deal of community concern and officers remain on scene to carry out urgent enquiries," superintendent Sarah Jackson said.

"We are in the process of examining CCTV and are aware of online footage. We believe we are looking for three suspects at this early stage," she said, adding that no arrest has been made.

Nearby houses were evacuated as a precaution and road closures remained in place.

London Fire Brigade said the cause of the fire is under investigation.