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Prime Minister Rumen Radev speaks during debated as Bulgarian Parliament approved deployment of U.S...

First US refueling aircraft arrive at air base in Bulgaria to support Middle East operations

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — The first two U.S. military aircraft intended to provide support for operations in the Middle East arrived Friday at an air base in southeastern Bulgaria, drawing a complaint from Iran as Bulgarian residents have also been protesting the deployment. The Trump administration has faced pushback from some European allies over the […]
26 days ago
U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights Tom Andrews gestures as he answers to the ...

UN expert flags human rights concerns over Cambodia after talks with PM in Phnom Penh

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A U.N. official said Friday that Cambodia faces serious human rights issues, including people being displaced by armed conflict, human trafficking by cyberscam operators and the jailing of those exercising their freedom of expression. Former U.S. congressman Tom Andrews said he visited a relocation site on the Cambodian border where […]
26 days ago
A Palestinian man rides his bicycle by the rubble of buildings that were destroyed during the Israe...

Hamas says it will disarm if Israel halts strikes and withdraws from Gaza, but obstacles remain

CAIRO (AP) — Hamas said Friday that it will begin disarming as part of a deal announced by U.S. President Donald Trump that also requires Israel to end its strikes and withdraw from Gaza. It marks a potential breakthrough in ending the war, but implementation faces major challenges. Hamas also said that laying down its […]
26 days ago
Migrants try to cross from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Friday, July 31, 2026. (AP Ph...

At least 18 die after breach of border between Morocco and Spanish exclave of Ceuta

MADRID (AP) — At least eighteen migrants have died trying to reach the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, where Spain deployed its military after thousands of people breached the border with Morocco and poured into the tiny Spanish territory. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is expected to join Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska in a visit to […]
27 days ago
A child rests his head on the coffin of a Popular Mobilization Forces fighter draped in the Iraqi f...

Here’s why new fronts seem to be opening up across the Middle East

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Houthi rebels in Yemen said they attacked Saudi oil facilities. The Saudis blamed militias in Iraq and joined the United States in bombing them. Iran fired missiles at Jordan. Drones set ships ablaze in Egypt. But it’s not actually as complicated as it sounds, and it’s all related to the broader […]
27 days ago
A currency trader talks on the phone at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquar...

Oil prices slip and Asian shares are mostly lower as investors sell chipmaker stocks

HONG KONG (AP) — Oil prices fell Wednesday and Asian shares were mostly trading lower as South Korea’s Kospi extended its losses after falling more than 16% over the past two days. Crude prices remain volatile after the U.S. said early Thursday it had conducted a “heavy wave” of strikes against Iran, responding to an […]
28 days ago

Jordanian air defenses shoot down 5 missiles launched from Iran, state-run news agency says

CAIRO (AP) — Jordan’s air defenses shot down five missiles launched from Iran Thursday morning, the spokesman for the country’s armed forces said, according to Jordan’s state-run Petra news agency. The news agency said no casualties were reported. The interceptions come after the U.S. military said it had completed “a heavy wave of strikes against […]
28 days ago
FILE - Presidential candidate Azruddin Mohamed, of the We Invest in Nationhood party, displays his ...

A Caribbean court rules that a US extradition process against Guyana’s opposition leader can resume

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — A U.S. extradition process against Guyana’s main opposition leader and his father wanted on gold smuggling and money laundering charges can resume after they had legally challenged the request, a Caribbean regional court ruled on Wednesday. The Caribbean Court of Justice ruled against Azruddin Mohamed and his father Nazar Mohamed who […]
28 days ago
Mourners grieve at the grave of a Popular Mobilization Forces fighter during a funeral for fighters...

Funerals for Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces fighters, in photos

MOSUL, Iraq (AP) — Funerals are held for fighters from Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces after U.S. and Saudi strikes targeted Tehran-backed militias. Six Iranian advisers were also killed in the attacks, which heightened tensions across the region.
28 days ago
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrives for a news conference after his join meet...

Cyprus’ ethnic split must be resolved to stabilize a tumultuous region, UN chief says

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Resolving Cyprus’ ethnic division is “absolutely crucial” for stabilizing a turbulent region where persistent conflicts have the potential to escalate, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said Wednesday. Guterres made a rare, two-day visit to Cyprus to underline his commitment to restarting deadlocked peace talks on a deal to end the 52-year-old rift […]
28 days ago
A variety of robots are displayed at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Friday, July 17, 2026. (A...

US bans foreign-made humanoid robots, targeting China over national security

HONG KONG (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission in the U.S. said on Tuesday it would ban the import of foreign-made humanoid robots in a move that targets China, arguing they pose a national security risk. The decision could strain bilateral relations as the technology race between the two world leaders advances. China makes substantially […]
29 days ago
The border between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights town of Majdal Shams is seen Tues...

Fringe Israeli settler group is sneaking into Syria to try to claim land for a Jewish outpost

NAHARIYA, Israel (AP) — The Israeli military was about to launch a nighttime strike on a group of men in southern Syria when the soldiers noticed the long curls dangling from the temples of their targets. The troops held their fire. These were not Syrian militants attempting to breach Israel’s border but religious Jews who […]
29 days ago
This satellite image provided by Planet Labs PBC on July 27, 2026 shows smoke rising from the Saudi...

Jordan intercepts Iranian missiles as US and Saudi Arabia launch strikes against militias in Iraq

CAIRO (AP) — Jordan’s air defenses intercepted five missiles launched from Iran early Wednesday, the country’s military said, hours after the U.S. military said it had knocked down an Iranian missile barrage launched against American forces in the Middle East, shattering a brief pause in fighting. The Jordanian military said the missiles had been “intercepted […]
29 days ago
Young men ride motorcycles along the shore as a tractor pulls equipment from the water and commerci...

Saudi Arabia says it shot down more drones as Houthis claim to have turned back tanker

CAIRO (AP) — Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that it shot down drones fired by Iran-backed militias in Iraq for a second day, while Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed to have forced a Saudi oil tanker to turn around as part of their self-styled blockade of the kingdom. The attacks underscored lingering tensions despite a […]
29 days ago
U.S. Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), briefs the m...

Criminal gangs increasingly lure people to work in online scam centers, UN migration agency warns

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.’s migration agency is warning that criminal networks have been trafficking hundreds of thousands of people — many of them educated English speakers — to work in online scam centers, and the caseload is growing. The International Organization for Migration says victims are often lured by fake job advertisements — mostly […]
29 days ago
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, speaks to the press after his meeting with Cypru...

UN chief makes rare Cyprus visit to help ease decades-old ethnic division

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on a rare visit to Cyprus said Tuesday he was demonstrating his commitment to resolving the island nation’s decades-old ethnic division, even as expectations remain low for a speedy breakthrough leading to a peace accord. “I will do everything I can to support the Greek Cypriots and […]
29 days ago

South Korean officials order residents to evacuate after reported white phosphorus leak at US base

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean authorities on Tuesday briefly ordered civilians to evacuate after what they described as a white phosphorus leak at a U.S. military base near the capital, Seoul. Officials in the city of Pyeongtaek urged nearby residents to move to a safe location and avoid skin exposure after the leak […]
29 days ago
Juan Carlos Arce, human rights defender and refugee from Nicaragua, poses for a photo in Barcelona,...

6 refugees speak out as UN-backed treaty to help people fleeing war and persecution marks 75 years

GENEVA (AP) — Tuesday marks the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, which was born after the ravages of World War II to help people fleeing war, violence and persecution. Proponents say the treaty has saved millions of lives. Respect for it, though, has come under strain: Some countries have denied entry to asylum […]
30 days ago
FILE - President Donald Trump listens as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at Presi...

Netanyahu’s first meeting with Trump since the Iran war began is a chance to smooth over strains

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday is the first since the two leaders launched a joint war against Iran and a chance for Netanyahu to smooth out strains in their relationship. The meeting comes as both face growing pressures at home. Netanyahu is up for reelection […]
30 days ago
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk speaks to the media during a press conference i...

UN human rights chief says Israel must end occupation and house demolitions in Lebanon

BEIRUT (AP) — The United Nations’ human rights chief said Monday that Israel must end its occupation of large areas of southern Lebanon and halt the demolition of homes, days before Lebanese and Israeli officials are set to hold another round of direct talks. Volker Türk spoke to The Associated Press as he wrapped up […]
1 month ago
A group of people stands in shallow water as a cargo ship appears anchored in the Strait of Hormuz ...

Mediators see progress in diplomatic efforts to halt Iran war, 2 regional officials say

CAIRO (AP) — Mediators have achieved progress in efforts to get the United States and Iran back to negotiations and avert an all-out war in the Middle East, two regional officials said Monday, with a pause in attacks coming after a period of rapidly escalating tensions. The comments came after neither the U.S. nor Iran […]
1 month ago

Macron calls crisis meeting as monster wildfires drive 250,000 from their homes

LEGE-CAP FERRET, France (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron called a crisis meeting Monday focusing on monster, uncontrolled wildfires that have forced more than 250,000 people to flee their homes, amid a first glimmer of hope that the spread of the largest blaze may have slowed. In the Gironde region of southwest France, where flames […]
1 month ago
The screens show the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) and the foreign exchange rate betwee...

Oil prices sink 4% while Asian shares gain as Chinese chipmaker CXMT soars in Shanghai trading debut

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares were mostly higher Monday in Asia as oil prices slipped more than 4% after the U.S. and Iran refrained from fighting while discussing a possible resumption of negotiations on an interim ceasefire deal. Shares in Chinese memory chipmaker CXMT soared about 470% as they began trading on Shanghai’s technology board. The […]
1 month ago
Two men wade in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz with vessels anchored in the background, off Ban...

US pauses attacks on Iran for a second straight day and Tehran pauses, too

CAIRO (AP) — The United States paused its attacks on Iran for a second straight day Sunday and Tehran said it had done so too, as efforts continued to bring the countries back to negotiations on an interim ceasefire deal largely undermined by recent exchanges of fire. It was not clear why the U.S. has […]
1 month ago