World News

VALENCIA, Spain (AP) — Several months after powerful flash floods tore through Valencia, a determined effort continues to reclaim remnants of the past. Last October, eastern Spain was devastated by sudden torrents of water that claimed more than 220 lives. Entire towns were buried in mud and debris, homes were inundated, and buildings suffered severe damage. In the aftermath, volunteers from across Spain arrived in Valencia’s worst-affected neighborhoods to aid recovery efforts. Among them were

BEIRUT (AP) — On Thursday, Lebanon’s parliament gathered once more to attempt solving the prolonged presidential vacancy, which has gone unresolved for over two years. Despite 12 previous unsuccessful attempts to elect a successor for former President Michel Aoun, whose term ended in October 2022, there is cautious optimism that this latest vote may finally produce a leader. The frontrunner this time is Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun, unrelated to the former president. Joseph Aoun is widely

BEIRUT (AP) — In the wake of a U.S.-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the dawn in Lebanon brought the echo of celebratory gunfire replacing the once-familiar noise of Israeli airstrikes and drones overhead. The ceasefire offered Lebanon a fleeting break from violence after a year of devastating war. Thousands of displaced families eagerly began their return to ravaged towns and villages in southern and eastern Lebanon, embracing the opportunity to go home. Yet, the enormity of

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Health Ministry in Lebanon has confirmed the death of at least 20 individuals after an Israeli airstrike. The ministry reported that the strike happened on Sunday in the village of Aalmat, located north of Beirut, far away from the southern and eastern areas where the Hezbollah militant group normally operates. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Below is AP’s earlier report. Early Sunday, an Israeli airstrike hit a house sheltering displaced residents in the

BRUSSELS (AP) — Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, one of NATO's longest-serving leaders, officially stepped down on Tuesday. In his place, former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte assumes the role, guiding the military alliance through some of the most formidable challenges it has ever faced. The two leaders, who first shared the NATO meeting table as representatives of Norway and the Netherlands 14 years ago, exchanged greetings in front of NATO’s headquarters in Brussels. Standing before