At least 90 killed as gov't-Houthi fighting escalates in W. Yemen
At least 40 Yemeni government soldiers and 50 Houthi fighters have been killed in fierce fighting across the country's western frontlines since Thursday, medical officials told Xinhua Friday.
A medical official on the Red Sea coastal front in Hodeidah province said 14 government soldiers have been killed in fighting there since the Houthis launched a large-scale offensive early Friday.
Separately, another medical official on the front in the neighboring Taiz province said 26 government soldiers have been killed in clashes that began Thursday and continued into Friday.
2 workers rescued alive from tunnel following mudslide in Nepal
Two men trapped inside the tunnel of the Trishuli 3A hydropower project, which was badly affected by last week's deadly mudslide, were rescued alive on Friday, the Nepali Army said.
"After 10 days of darkness, life has seen the light again. Two people have been rescued alive from inside the hydropower project tunnel at Trishuli-3A," the Nepali Army said in a social media post. "The rescue operation is underway."
Their rescue has revived hope that those believed to be trapped in tunnels of several flood-affected projects could also be rescued alive.
48 terrorists killed amid intensified anti-terror operations in Pakistan's Balochistan
A total of 48 terrorists have been killed in the last 72 hours during intensified counter-terrorism operations in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, the military said Friday.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted multiple intelligence-based operations in Mastung, Quetta, Kalat and Sibi districts against militants.
In the latest operations, 36 terrorists were killed, including 26 in an engagement in Shaban area of Quetta district, six in Mastung, two in Kalat and two others during an attempted attack on a police station in Bhag area of Sibi district.
S. Korean presidential office says Hormuz troop deployment remains under review
South Korea has yet to decide whether to deploy troops to the Strait of Hormuz and the plans are under review, the presidential office said Friday.
The presidential office said the government is following due procedures to examine the possible deployment and has not made a final decision.
"South Korea may consider making a contribution to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz as long as it does not undermine its existing military readiness," the office said.
Zelensky says talks with U.S. envoys expected in Kiev in coming days
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said late Thursday that he expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys in the coming days as part of ongoing efforts to seek a resolution to the conflict.
Zelensky said in a post on X that U.S. representatives have confirmed plans to visit both Kiev and Moscow, and hold meetings with each side, for which tentative dates have already been set.
The Ukrainian negotiation team is currently preparing and ready to engage with U.S. representatives "properly and substantively," Zelensky said, stressing the importance of active U.S. involvement.■
