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By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Toyota is scaling its production back 40%, affecting 14 auto assembly plants in Japan, as the surging coronavirus pandemic in Southeast Asia crimps parts supplies. Japan’s top automaker says production will halt completely next month at some plants and partly at others, affecting a wide range

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week for a fourth straight time to a pandemic low, the latest sign that America’s job market is rebounding from the pandemic recession as employers boost hiring to meet a surge in consumer demand. The Labor Department

By ZEN SOO Associated Press SINGAPORE (AP) — Singapore will launch its first quarantine-free travel program for vaccinated people arriving from Germany and Brunei, and ease restrictions for visitors from Hong Kong and Macao as it seeks to reopen its borders after fully vaccinating over 75% of its population. Previously, only Singapore residents and those

By JOSH BOAK, HANNAH FINGERHUT and BEN FOX Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A significant majority of Americans doubt that the war in Afghanistan was worthwhile, even as they are more divided over President Joe Biden’s handling of foreign policy and national security. That’s according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for

By RANDA KRISS of NerdWallet Scammers and predatory lenders continue to try to take advantage of small businesses searching for COVID-19 recovery funding — especially with the end of the Paycheck Protection Program. To protect themselves from potential bad actors, business owners should watch out for financing sold exclusively on speed, as well as any

By CARA ANNA Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The Africa director for the World Health Organization says rich countries’ decisions to roll out COVID-19 booster shots while so many people across Africa remain unvaccinated “threaten the promise of a brighter tomorrow” for the continent. She adds that “as some richer countries hoard vaccines, they

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Police say a 15-year-old boy has been detained on suspicion of attempted murder after a school employee was seriously wounded in a knife attack in southern Sweden. The incident happened in Eslov, northeast of Malmo, Sweden’s third largest city. The motive for Thursday’s attack is unclear, a police spokeswoman said. A

By SUZAN FRASER and AYA BATRAWY Associated Press ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President President Tayyip Erdogan has hosted a top security official from the United Arab Emirates and said the Gulf state was looking at investing in Turkey. The trip by UAE national security advisor Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday appears

By RISKA MUNAWARAH Associated Press BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian police say they have arrested an elephant poacher in Aceh province along with four people who bought ivory from an animal he killed. They say the elephant was found without its head on July 11 at a palm plantation. Police arrested a suspect who

BERLIN (AP) — A 51-year-old man has gone on trial in Germany over a deadly vehicle rampage in the western city of Trier last year. The defendant is indicted on five counts of murder and 18 counts of attempted murder for intentionally driving at pedestrians in a busy shopping area at the heart of the

By DANIEL COLE and ANGELA CHARLTON Associated Press LE LUC, France (AP) — A wildfire that has forced thousands to flee and ravaged woodlands near the French Riviera is raging for a fourth day despite calmer winds and cooler weather. Local authorities initially said Thursday that the fire was “less violent and its progression has