The death toll from a gas explosion at a coal ​mine in northern China’s Shanxi province has jumped to ‌90, state media CCTV reported on Saturday.

The gas explosion occurred late on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, ​with 247 workers on duty underground, state media Xinhua ​reported earlier in the day, according to Reuters.

Chinese President Xi Jinping ⁠called for authorities to “spare no effort” in treating the ​injured and conducting search and rescue operations, while ordering a ​thorough investigation into the cause of the accident and strict accountability in accordance with the law, according to Xinhua.

Premier Li Qiang echoed ​the instructions, calling for timely and accurate release of ​information and rigorous accountability.

Rescue operations were ongoing and the cause of the ‌accident ⁠was under investigation, according to the local emergency management authority in Qinyuan.

China has significantly reduced coal mine fatalities – often caused by gas explosions or flooding – since the early 2000s ​through more ​stringent regulations and ⁠safer practices. The Liushenyu incident, though, was one of the deadliest reported in China ​in the past decade.

Executives of the company ​responsible for ⁠the mine have been detained, Xinhua reported.

Earlier Xinhua had reported only eight dead, with more than 200 people brought safely ⁠to ​the surface. It did not explain ​the jump in the death toll.

Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, departed for Tehran on Friday for talks with senior Iranian officials, according to a diplomatic source cited by Islamic Republic News Agency.

The source in Islamabad said the visit comes amid ongoing Pakistani efforts to help ease tensions between the United States and Iran.

No details were provided regarding the duration or agenda of the trip.

This marks Munir’s second reported visit to Tehran as part of Islamabad’s mediation initiatives.

A British woman imprisoned in Iran has resumed a hunger strike alongside her husband as the couple continue protesting their detention and prison conditions after more than 16 months in custody.

Craig and Lindsay Foreman, a couple from East Sussex, were arrested in January 2025 while travelling through Iran during a round-the-world motorcycle trip. Iranian authorities later sentenced them to 10 years in prison on espionage charges, which they strongly deny.

According to reports, Craig Foreman began refusing food on May 9 after prison authorities at Tehran’s Evin prison cut off the couple’s access to phone calls following media interviews they gave from custody. Lindsay Foreman is believed to have joined the hunger strike on Tuesday.

Family members say the restrictions on communication with the outside world have increased psychological pressure on the couple during their detention.

The pair had previously spoken to media outlets from prison, describing harsh prison conditions and fears over their future.

In one interview, Lindsay Foreman said she had come to terms with the possibility of dying in prison amid growing regional tensions and uncertainty surrounding their case.

She also described life inside Evin prison during periods of heightened military tensions, saying inmates hid under beds as explosions were heard across Tehran.

Craig Foreman appealed directly to the British government for assistance, saying he could not understand why they had remained imprisoned for more than a year.

He also described being held in a small prison cell under difficult conditions, saying the experience had left him emotionally and physically exhausted.

The British government continues to advise against all travel to Iran, warning citizens of a significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention.

Earlier this year, the UK temporarily withdrew some diplomatic staff from Iran amid concerns over possible military escalation involving the United States and Israel.