TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iranian president met Sunday with Japan's foreign minister in the capital of Tehran and the two discussed de-escalation of tensions in the region, Iranian news agencies reported. The president's official website, president.ir, said that Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi discussed bilateral, regional and international issues with President Ebrahim Raisi. The two-da...

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- The Taliban declared an ``amnesty‘’ across Afghanistan and urged women to join their government Tuesday, seeking to convince a wary population that they have changed a day after deadly chaos gripped the main airport as desperate crowds tried to flee their rule. Following a blitz across Afghanistan that saw many cities fall to the insurgents without a fight, the Taliban...

GENEVA (AFP) -- The United Nations on Tuesday called on countries to ban all forced returns of Afghans to their conflict-torn nation, following the Taliban‘s stunning military takeover that triggered panic in Kabul. The UN refugee agency said it had released a “non-return advisory” for Afghanistan, insisting no Afghan nationals should be forced to return, including asylum seekers who have had th...

LES CAYES, Haiti (AP) -- A powerful magnitude 7.2 earthquake added to the misery in Haiti, killing at least 304 people, injuring a minimum of 1,800 others and destroying hundreds of homes. People in the Caribbean island nation rushed into the streets to seek safety and to help help rescue those trapped in the rubble of collapsed homes, hotels and other structures. Saturday‘s earthquake struck th...

TOKYO (AFP) -- Three Japanese cabinet ministers visited a shrine seen by neighbouring countries as a symbol of Tokyo‘s past militarism on Sunday, the anniversary of the nation’s World War II surrender. It came after two other members of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga‘s cabinet, including the defence minister, visited Yasukuni Shrine on Friday, drawing angry reactions from China and South Korea. ...

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Taliban fighters entered the outskirts of the Afghan capital on Sunday and said they were awaiting a “peaceful transfer” of the city after promising not to take it by force, but panicked residents raced to the leave, with workers fleeing government offices and helicopters landing at the US Embassy. In a nationwide offensive that has taken just over a week, the Taliban ...

US President Joe Biden will host a summit of leaders from U.S. allies and other democratic countries this year to promote their shared values, the White House said Wednesday. The leaders will discuss three key issues: how to defend against authoritarianism, fight corruption and advance human rights, according to the White House. “The president has said that the challenge of our time i...

A Canadian entrepreneur was sentenced to 11 years in prison Wednesday in a spying case linked to Beijing’s effort to push his country to release an executive of tech giant Huawei, prompting an unusual joint show of support for Canada by the United States and 24 other governments. China is stepping up pressure as a Canadian judge hears final arguments about whether to send the Huawei executive t...

More Americans disapprove of the way Asian people are treated in the wake of a string of violent attacks, according to a Gallup poll released recently. The poll found that 46 percent of Americans are satisfied with the way society treats Asian people - down from 60 percent last year. Gallup surveys have found that satisfaction has been declining since 2016. Previously, more than 7 in 10 Americ...

BEIJING (AFP) -- China's top planning authority has allowed shuttered coal mines to restart production as the country works to meet surging power demand while forging ahead with ambitious climate goals. Fifteen mines across China's northern regions ranging from Inner Mongolia to Shanxi have restarted operations, the National Development and Reform Commission said in a statement on Wednesday. La...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The party for the nation’s 44th president will go on, but only for family and close friends. Former President Barack Obama has scaled back his 60th birthday bash set for this weekend due to the surge of infections blamed on the delta variant of the coronavirus, his office said Wednesday. Attendance is now limited to family and close friends. Published reports had said hundred...

SANTIAGO (AFP) -- Workers at the world's biggest copper mine, Chile's Escondida, have approved a strike after rejecting the latest offer proposed by Anglo-Australian owners BHP. Following the results of a vote that lasted until Saturday night, the union reported in a statement that there were 2,164 votes in favor of starting the strike against 11 for accepting the employer's offer. Chile is the...

BERLIN (AFP) -- Hundreds of anti-lockdown demonstrators defied a court-ordered protest ban on Sunday and gathered illegally in the streets of Berlin, resulting in scuffles with police. Police said some protesters had "harassed and attacked" officers in the capital's western Charlottenburg district and ignored roadblocks. "They tried to break through the police chain and pull out our colleagues....

LONDON (AP) -- Restaurants, ride-hailing apps and food delivery services are backing Britain's COVID-19 vaccination drive, offering discounts and even free slices of pizza to persuade young people to roll up their sleeves and get the shot. The program, announced Sunday by the Department of Health and Social Care, is designed to boost the vaccination rate among adults under 30 as Britain races to...

BEIJING (AFP) -- Chinese cities rolled out mass testing of millions of people and imposed fresh travel restrictions as health authorities battled Sunday to contain the country's most widespread coronavirus outbreak in months. China on Sunday reported 75 new coronavirus cases with 53 local transmissions, with a cluster linked to an eastern airport now reported to have spread to over 20 cities and...