Israel says it struck Hezbollah’s headquarters in huge explosion

BEIRUT (AP) — The Israeli military says it struck the central headquarters of Hezbollah in Beirut. A series of explosions Friday evening that killed at least two people and wounded dozens were the most powerful yet seen in the Lebanese capital the past year, leveling multiple buildings and sending up a massive billowing cloud of smoke. Three major Israeli TV channels said Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was the target of the strikes. But the unsourced reports could not immediately be confirmed by The Associated Press, and the army declined comment. To a degree unseen in past conflicts, Israel this past week has aimed to eliminate Hezbollah’s senior leadership. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says the Israeli leader was cutting short a visit to the U.S. and returning home.

Ex-Defense Minister Ishiba chosen to lead Japan’s ruling party and become PM

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s governing party has picked former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba as its leader, setting him up to become prime minister next week. The party’s leadership is a ticket to the top job because the Liberal Democratic Party’s governing coalition controls parliament. Considered a defense policy expert, Ishiba secured a come-from-behind win against Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, a staunch conservative who hoped to become the country’s first female prime minister. The LDP may have seen Ishiba’s more centrist views as crucial in pushing back challenges by the liberal-leaning opposition and winning voter support as the party reels from corruption scandals that drove down outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s popularity.

Van Gogh paintings vandalized at a London gallery after 2 activists were sentenced in similar attack

LONDON (AP) — A group of activists attacked a pair of paintings by Dutch master Vincent van Gogh at London’s National Gallery by throwing what appeared to be tomato soup on the artworks. Friday’s attack took place shortly after two other activists were sentenced over a similar attack two years ago. Both paintings were from Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” series. The gallery said they were not damaged thanks to protective glass coverings. The three activists from Just Stop Oil environmental group involved in the attack were arrested while the paintings were removed, examined, and then returned to their location. The exhibition reopened later Friday.

Tunisia passes law to strip courts of power over election authority appointed by president

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisia’s parliament amended a law on Friday, stripping power from courts over decisions made by an embattled election authority whose members are appointed by President Kais Saied.Nine days before the presidential election, a majority of members of parliament voted in favor of amending the young democracy’s first election law as the election authority remains in conflict with courts demanding that it returns three candidates to the ballot. The move sparked anger from opposition and civil society groups, which say the election authority has acted in concert with Saied to ensure he faces little competition in winning a second term.