Japan

Tokyo stocks climbed 1.60% to close at their highest level in more than five years Wednesday, with investor appetite unabated due to a weak yen and record-setting levels on Wall Street. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index gained 246.24 points to 15,627.26, the best finish since late December 2007. The Topix…

In this photo distributed Wednesday by Miura Dolphins, 80-year-old Japanese adventurer Yuichiro Miura, right, and his son, Gota, rest on their way to a camp during their attempt to scale the summit of Mount Everest. According to his management office, Miura plans to reach the 8,850-meter peak on Thursday, becoming…

A controversial cull of up to 10,000 wild horses in Australia's harsh outback reportedly began Wednesday in a bid to control the feral animals which officials say are destroying the land. The Central Land Council said animals -- including horses, donkeys and camels -- were dying in their thousands due…

Rookie right-hander Dan Straily pitched seven scoreless innings and Yoenis Cespedes homered as the Oakland Athletics won their fifth straight game on Tuesday, beating the Texas Rangers 1-0 and handing Yu Darvish only his second loss of the season. Straily (2-2) gave up only two singles while facing 22 batters,…

Police said Wednesday they have arrested a 39-year-old man over the death of his 1-month-old baby son in Konosu, Saitama Prefecture. According to police, the man, who has been named as Yuji Obaku, was investigated after his son Ryuto was taken to hospital and diagnosed with brain damage in early…

The Diet on Wednesday approved an international treaty on child abductions after decades of pressure from the United States and other Western nations. Japan is the only member of the Group of Eight major industrialised nations that has not ratified the 1980 Hague Convention, which requires nations to return snatched…

The Bank of Japan on Wednesday held off fresh easing measures, saying after a two-day policy meeting that a continuation of steps introduced last month would help Japan overcome deflation. The central bank said its widely expected decision to stand pat was reached by a unanimous vote by its board.…

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dispatched a high-profile official and close confidant to travel to China on Wednesday as a special envoy while Beijing is under pressure to rein in its belligerent neighbor. Choe Ryong Hae, a top Workers' Party official and a vice marshal tasked with supervising the…

Daniel Paille snapped a tie with 3:31 left in the third period, and the Boston Bruins put the New York Rangers on the brink of elimination with a 2-1 victory in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series on Tuesday night. Boston leads the best-of-seven series 3-0 and can…

San Antonio bounced back after squandering a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 93-89 in overtime on Tuesday, taking a 2-0 lead in the NBA Western Conference finals. Tony Parker had 15 points and a career playoff-high 18 assists while Tim Duncan scored San Antonio's…