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TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Foreign Ministry is urging its citizens to stay away from religious facilities and crowds in six Southeast Asian nations, warning of a possible attack. The ministry says it issued the warning after obtaining information that “there are increased risks such as suicide bombings.” The warning applies to Japanese citizens in Indonesia,

By JAMEY KEATEN and EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — The United Nations has drummed up more than $1.2 billion in emergency pledges for helping 11 million Afghans facing an escalating humanitarian crisis in their homeland and millions more elsewhere in the region. The pledges at Monday’s first high-level conference on Afghanistan since

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece has introduced mandatory weekly testing for all unvaccinated workers as it struggles to boost vaccination rates that are lagging the European Union average. Public and private sector employees will have to pay for weekly tests or carry a vaccination certificate to gain access to their place of work, while unvaccinated

BANGKOK (AP) — Lawyers for Myanmar’s detained former leader say she was unable to attend a scheduled court hearing because she felt ill. Aung San Suu Kyi is being tried in the capital on charges including sedition and flouting COVID-19 pandemic restrictions during the 2020 election campaign. She was detained on Feb. 1 when the

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea says it successfully tested what it described as new long-range cruise missiles over the weekend, renewing concerns that its nuclear-armed leadership is building its capacity to deliver strikes against U.S. allies in South Korea and Japan. Experts say the missiles from the North’s

By DANICA KIRKA and ELAINE GANLEY Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The U.K. government has canceled an agreement to buy at least 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the French pharmaceutical startup Valneva after alleging that the company breached its contract obligations. That claim was denied by the company. Valneva shares plummeted on the

By NICOLE WINFIELD and KAREL JANICEK Associated Press BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Pope Francis has honored Slovakian Jews killed in the Holocaust as he seeks to promote reconciliation with the Jewish community. Francis was welcomed by Jewish leaders at Slovakia’s Holocaust memorial in a historic encounter. He is atoning for Christian complicity in wartime crimes

By ALON BERNSTEIN and JACK JEFFERY Associated Press LOD, Israel (AP) — An Israeli defense contractor has unveiled a remote-controlled armed robot it says can patrol battle zones, track infiltrators and open fire. The unmanned vehicle is the latest addition to the world of drone technology, which is rapidly reshaping the modern battlefield. Proponents say

BERLIN (AP) — Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right party has maintained its position as the strongest party in a northern German state. The elections in Lower Saxony took place two weeks before a national election in which the party is struggling in polls. Sunday’s elections for local councils in Lower Saxony, in Germany’s northwest, may

By HAU DINH Associated Press HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam is speeding up its vaccination program in an effort to loosen coronavirus lockdown restrictions in major cities by the end of the month. Health workers administered vaccines throughout the night and into Monday morning in the capital, Hanoi, which has been under lockdown since July.

By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — For what was billed as a “mini Met Gala,” Monday’s fundraiser at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art brought out big names and bold fashion. Billie Eilish went full glam at Monday’s Met Gala in an Old Hollywood peachy ball gown by Oscar de la Renta

By MAE ANDERSON and TOM KRISHER AP Business Writers NEW YORK (AP) — As the resilient coronavirus keeps offices closed and workers at home, some are adapting while others are trying to hang on. Many business owners had looked forward to a return toward normalcy this month  as offices reopened. But now that many companies