Duda wins Poland presidential election in boost for planned judicial reforms

Poland’s incumbent Andrzej Duda has narrowly won the presidential election, paving the way for the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party to push ahead with its controversial judicial reforms at the parliament.

Local officials said the bomb attack was carried out in the provincial capital Aybak close to an office of the National Security Directorate (NDS), the main intelligence agency, on Monday.

Abdul Latif Ibrahimi, the governor of Samangan, confirmed that at least 11 people were killed and 63 others, mostly civilians, were wounded in the explosion and ensuing gunfire.

The governor’s spokesman Sediq Azizi said the clashes, which lasted for nearly four hours, ended after security forces shot dead three gunmen.

In recent months, the Taliban have carried out near-daily attacks against Afghan forces.

Officials said at least 19 security personnel were killed In two separate attacks on Sunday.

A group of 12 soldiers and policemen were killed in a seven-hour battle with the Taliban militants who attacked their outpost in the northern province of Kunduz. In the second attack late Sunday in Badakhshan, seven policemen were killed in a similar fighting.

The Taliban claimed both attacks in Kunduz and Badakhshan.