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Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has vowed to step up his country’s effort to defend a rules-based international order in a solemn ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II. During his speech Thursday, Kishida noted that more than three million Japanese were killed in the

Associated Press DOHA, Qatar (AP) — International mediators have held a new round of talks aimed at halting the Israel-Hamas war and securing the release of scores of hostages. A potential deal is seen as the best hope of heading off an even larger regional conflict. The U.S., Qatar and Egypt met on Thursday with

Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — On a darkened road beside the Caspian Sea, Iranian police officers opened fire last month on a 31-year-old woman who had tried to speed away likely knowing they wanted to seize her vehicle. Police had been ordered to impound her car, activists say, because of an earlier

Associated Press ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP) — With its reindeer sledding, camel racing and stunning landscapes with room to roam, Mongolia is hoping to woo visitors who are truly looking to get away from it all. Like most countries, its tourism industry was devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has launched a “Welcome to MonGOlia”

Associated Press ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosts Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas for talks that focus on the war in Gaza. Abbas arrived in Ankara late Wednesday after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Concerns are high that the Israel-Hamas war could fuel a larger regional conflict, especially if Iran retaliates

SYDNEY (AP) — Australian breaker Rachael Gunn said the backlash to her much-ridiculed Olympic performance has been “devastating,” adding Thursday that she took the competition seriously and gave her best effort. The 36-year-old b-girl known as Raygun said in a video posted to social media that she wasn’t prepared for the level of negative attention

Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — As wildfires scorched swaths of land in the wine country of Sonoma County in 2020, sending ash flying and choking the air with smoke, Maria Salinas harvested grapes. Her saliva turned black from inhaling the toxins, until one day she had so much trouble breathing she was rushed to

Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban have deliberately deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of schooling through bans, a United Nations agency said Thursday. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that bans female secondary and higher education. The Taliban, who took power in 2021, barred education for girls above sixth grade because

Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed concern over the unrest that led to a change of government in neighboring Bangladesh and the attacks on Hindus and other minorities there. He addressed his nation on Thursday from New Delhi’s 17th-century Mughal-era Red Fort on its 78th Independence Day and

BEIJING (AP) — A continued property crisis and weak consumption dragged on China’s economic recovery in July, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. Unemployment rose for the first time since February, clocking in at 5.2%, compared to 5% in June. Industrial production rose more slowly than the previous month, showing a

Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s stunning incursion into Russia’s Kursk border region was a bold gamble for the country’s military commanders, who committed their limited resources to a risky assault on a nuclear-armed enemy with no assurance of success. After the first signs of progress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy broke his silence and

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Officials say insurgents in an overnight attack threw a grenade at people sitting in front of a hotel in the restive southwest Pakistan, killing one person and wounding 10 more. The attack was the third in as many days in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, as people celebrated the country’s

Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Southeast Asia is among the regions most prone to natural disasters, but a new analysis shows its people also feel the best equipped to deal with them. It seems logical that the countries along the Pacific Ring of Fire, vulnerable to earthquakes and other dangers, are also the best prepared.

Associated Press BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump said Thursday he thinks he’s “entitled to personal attacks” on his Democratic rival, adding he’s “very angry” at Vice President Kamala Harris and questioning her intelligence. Trump was asked during a news conference whether his campaign needs more discipline as he faces a Democratic ticket