15 security officials killed in militant attack in NW Pakistan
PESHAWAR, May 10: At least 15 security personnel were killed and several others injured in a suicide attack and armed ambush on a police post in Bannu district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to police. An explosives-laden vehicle approaching the post was fired upon by security forces, triggering a large blast that destroyed the facility and caused nearby houses to collapse, trapping some officers under rubble. Following the explosion, a group of militants launched a coordinated assault, leading to a heavy exchange of fire. Authorities confirmed 15 deaths but said the number of militants killed or captured remains unclear. Local officials condemned the attack, calling it a “cowardly act,” and ordered medical treatment for the injured. No group has claimed responsibility, but Pakistan has previously blamed the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan for similar attacks. The region has long faced militant violence, cross-border infiltration from Afghanistan, and ongoing security operations, making it one of Pakistan’s most unstable areas. (PTI)
Three hikers dead after Indonesian volcano eruption
JAKARTA, May 10: Rescuers on Indonesia’s Halmahera island recovered the bodies of two Singaporean hikers on Sunday after they were killed in a volcanic eruption on Mount Dukono. The victims, aged 30 and 27, were found a few metres from an earlier discovered Indonesian female hiker, bringing the death toll to three. All were close to the crater rim when the volcano erupted on Friday, sending an ash plume about 10 km into the air. Authorities said the bodies were buried under dense volcanic material, making recovery difficult and dangerous. The hikers were part of a 20-person group that ignored safety restrictions. Seventeen others, including seven Singaporeans, were evacuated, some with minor burns. Nearly 100 rescuers faced ongoing volcanic activity and difficult terrain. The search has now ended. Officials urged strict adherence to exclusion zones around the volcano, one of over 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia’s Pacific Ring of Fire region. (AP)
President to address Parliament joint session in Nepal
KATHMANDU, May 10: Nepal’s new government will announce its policy and programme on Monday, the first day of the Federal Parliament’s budget session. President Ramchandra Paudel will address a joint session of Parliament, formally presenting the government’s agenda under constitutional provisions requiring an annual presidential address. The session begins at 2 pm, with the president’s speech scheduled for 4 pm. It is the first budget session after Prime Minister Balendra Shah and his Rastriya Swatantra Party came to power in March following elections driven by public demand for change. The government will also present recently issued ordinances for parliamentary approval, including those related to procurement and constitutional council reforms. Opposition parties have criticised earlier use of ordinances, arguing they bypass regular parliamentary processes. (PTI)
