At least 31 people were killed and 169 injured in an explosion at a mosque during Friday prayers in Islamabad, Pakistan, according to a city official, while a high-ranking Russian general was shot multiple times in Moscow and a storm continued to batter Europe and northern Africa. The attack in Pakistan, which occurred in the Tarlai area, was reportedly carried out by a suicide bomber who detonated a device after approaching the gates of the Shia mosque, according to police officials. Eyewitnesses told the BBC the blast was preceded by gunfire.
Emergency services were immediately dispatched to the scene, and hospitals declared an emergency, appealing for blood donations. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incident.
In Moscow, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alexeyev, 64, was taken to the hospital after being shot in a residential area on the north-western outskirts of the city. He is believed to be in serious condition. Alexeyev is the second-in-command in Russia's GRU military intelligence. The attacker fled the scene, and no one has yet claimed responsibility, but senior Russian officials immediately blamed Ukraine.
Meanwhile, severe weather continued to impact Europe and northern Africa. Storm Leonardo brought torrential rain and strong winds to Spain and Portugal, prompting severe weather alerts. Spain's state meteorological agency, Aemet, issued its highest red alert for heavy rainfall in Cádiz and parts of Málaga. Flash floods in Morocco forced more than 100,000 people to evacuate.
In other news, senior US and Iranian officials held indirect talks in Oman amid rising tensions between the two countries. The discussions, led by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, took place as the US military builds up its presence in the Middle East. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi described the talks as a "good beginning," according to state television.
In Nigeria, the traditional chief of a village in Kwara state recounted a night of terror during which jihadists massacred residents earlier in the week. Umar Bio Salihu, the local head of Woro, said gunmen "just came in and started shooting," killing two of his sons and kidnapping his wife and three daughters.
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