Suicide bomber prematurely detonates explosives in northwest Pakistan, killing a husband and wife

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Officials say a suicide bomber apparently detonated his explosive-laden vehicle prematurely in a former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, killing a married couple in a nearby car. A local administration official said the bombing happened Monday in North Waziristan, a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. He said a team from the bomb disposal unit was also present nearby when the blast took place but they escaped unharmed. It is unclear who dispatched the bomber to the area, but suspicion is likely to fall on the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, who have stepped up attacks since last year.