Hezbollah leader vows retaliation against Israel for attacks on devices

BEIRUT (AP) — The leader of Hezbollah vowed to retaliate for this week’s deadly attacks on the group’s communications devices. Israel and Hezbollah exchanged strikes on Thursday as he spoke. Nasrallah called the attacks on Hezbollah’s devices a “severe blow” that crossed a “red line.” Lebanon is still reeling from this week’s attacks on electronic devices used by Hezbollah. Hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies blew up at the same time in an operation widely believed to be carried out by Israel. At least 37 people were killed, including two children, and some 3,000 others were wounded. Israel’s defense minister said Hezbollah will pay an ‘increasing price’ as Israel seeks to return residents to homes near the Lebanon border.

EU chief visits flood-stricken region in Europe and pledges billions in swift aid

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen has pledged billions of euros in aid for Central European countries that suffered enormous damage to infrastructure and housing during the massive flooding that has claimed 24 lives so far in the region. She visited a flood-damaged area in southeastern Poland on Thursday and met with the government heads of the affected countries — Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. She said funds will be quickly made available for repairs from the EU’s solidarity fund, as well as 10 billion euros — about $11 billion — from what is called the cohesion fund, meant for most urgent repairs.

A new genetic analysis of animals in the Wuhan market in 2019 may help find COVID-19’s origin

LONDON (AP) — Scientists searching for the origins of COVID-19 have zeroed in on a short list of animals that possibly helped spread it to people. Researchers analyzed genetic material gathered from the Chinese market where the first outbreak was detected and identified sub-populations of racoon dogs, civet cats and bamboo rats that may have been infected when brought to a market in Wuhan, China in late November 2019. While the research, published Thursday, bolsters the case that COVID-19 emerged from animals, it does not resolve the polarized debate over whether the virus instead emerged from a lab.

Oktoberfest tightens security after a deadly knife attack in western Germany

MUNICH (AP) — Oktoberfest has tightened security at the beer festival in the wake of a deadly knife attack in western Germany last month. The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility, without providing evidence, for the Aug. 23 violence in Solingen that left three dead and eight wounded. The 189th annual Oktoberfest begins Saturday with the traditional keg-tapping in Munich, Germany’s third-largest city. Some 6 million participants, many wearing traditional lederhosen and dirndl dresses, are expected over the course of the event. Hundreds of police officers and 2,000 security staff will be spread across the grounds of the festival. High fences will surround the festival grounds, which will only be accessible through metal detectors.