AP

By SAM MEDNICK Associated Press TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s far-right national security minister posted a video Friday that shows him admonishing an imprisoned Palestinian leader in a face-to-face meeting inside a prison, saying Israel will confront anyone who acts against the country and “wipe them out.” It remained unclear when the video, which

By SUMAN NAISHADHAM Associated Press MADRID (AP) — Firefighters in Spain, Portugal and Greece battled ongoing wildfires Friday, an important religious holiday in all three countries, as persistent hot, dry conditions challenged efforts to contain the blazes. Spain was fighting 14 major fires, according to Virginia Barcones, general director of emergency services. Temperatures were expected

By CHANNI ANAND and RIAZ KHAN Associated Press PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Flash floods triggered by torrential rains have killed over 280 people in India and Pakistan and left scores of others missing, officials said Friday, as rescuers brought to safety some 1,600 people from two mountainous districts in the neighboring countries. Flooding began a

By JIM GOMEZ Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Australia on Friday launched its largest military exercises with Philippine forces, involving more than 3,600 military personnel in live-fire drills, battle maneuvers and a beach assault at a Philippine town facing the disputed South China Sea, where the allies have raised alarm over Beijing’s assertive actions.

By WAFAA SHURAFA and SAM METZ Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — After waking early to stand in line for an hour under the August heat, Rana Odeh returns to her tent with her jug of murky water. She wipes the sweat from her brow and strategizes how much to portion out to

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghan women were barred from attending celebrations marking the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power on Friday. Some 10,000 men gathered across the capital, Kabul, to watch Defense Ministry helicopters scatter flowers to the crowds below. Three of the six “flower shower” locations were already off-limits to women because they

By AMANUEL GEBREMEDHIN BIRHANE Associated Press ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — The human ancestor fossil known as Lucy left Ethiopia for display in a European museum, Ethiopian national media reported Friday, citing Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa. Lucy’s skeleton, which is 40% complete, left Ethiopia on Friday and will be displayed at the Czech National Museum

By BASSEM MROUE Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — The leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group on Friday vowed not to disarm, saying last week’s decision by the national government to remove the Iran-backed group’s weapons by the end of the year serves Israel’s interests. Naim Kassem said the government’s decision to remove “the defensive weapons