JAPAN

The U.S. dollar rose broadly, commodity prices dropped and stocks fell on Friday after the Federal Reserve stunned markets by lifting an emergency lending rate for the first time since the financial crisis.

The U.S. dollar rose to a 9-month high against the euro and commodity prices dropped on Friday after the Federal Reserve lifted an emergency lending rate for the first time since the financial crisis.

Toyota Motor Corp President Akio Toyoda, under pressure after a series of safety recalls, agreed on Thursday to appear before U.S. lawmakers investigating the crisis.

Germany's Maria Riesch snatched the women's super combined crown on Thursday after American Lindsey Vonn lost control and blew her chances of a second gold in as many days at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Norway claimed their 100th gold medal in Winter Olympics when Tora Berger won the women's 15 kilometer individual biathlon on Thursday but Alpine skier Lindsey Vonn again threatened to grab the limelight later.

Yevgeny Plushenko teased the audience -- and intimidated his rivals -- by landing at least three quadruples spins in the final practice session before Thursday night's free skate but then abruptly took his bow.

Toyota Motor Corp braced itself for further damage to its brand on Thursday, as it waited to hear if a U.S. probe into steering complaints would lead to another recall of its flagship Corolla model.

U.S. President Barack Obama meets Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Thursday, a move that has been denounced by China.

Uncertainty is growing over the future of the Kyoto Protocol, the first legally binding treaty to cut greenhouse gases blamed for heating up the planet.

A second recall of Toyota Motor Corp's flagship Corolla model in the United States, this time potentially to address complaints about the steering, would cost very little on paper but risks further damaging its brand.

U.S. President Barack Obama will host the Dalai Lama at the White House on Thursday despite China's warning that the meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader could further damage strained ties.

The U.S. dollar rose against the euro on Thursday as poor growth prospects and Greece's fiscal deterioration hounded the euro zone single currency, while gold slid after the International Monetary Fund said it would sell more of its bullion holdings.

The U.S. dollar rose to a near 9-month high against the euro on Thursday as the single currency was dogged by worries about sovereign debt levels and poor growth prospects, while gold fell after the International Monetary Fund said it would sell more of its bullion holdings.

U.S. regulators launched a preliminary investigation into reported steering problems on the Corolla sedan on Wednesday as Toyota Motor Corp faced questions from U.S. lawmakers on whether it had ignored red flags on safety before a wave of vehicle recalls.

Toyota Motor Corp President Akio Toyoda said on Wednesday he has no plans to testify before U.S. investigators, setting the stage for a possible showdown over a safety crisis that has rocked the automaker's reputation and results.

Okay, so strictly speaking, Japan's wartime aim was control of the Pacific and not world domination. However, if by some freak accident they had ended up inheriting the human race, things may not have been that bad.

Morgan Stanley may hand over to creditors its $2.4 billion investment in a chain of Japanese hotels when the debt becomes due in April, the Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Asian shares leapt to a three-week high on Wednesday, powered by financial and resource shares after investors bought commodities on a weaker dollar, while Hong Kong shares shrugged off China's latest move to temper robust lending.

A New York state manufacturing gauge published on Tuesday hit its highest level since October this month, while sentiment among home builders rose more than expected, signaling continued improvement in the U.S. economy.

Toyota Motor Corp has decided to cancel production at two U.S. plants for a total of two weeks in anticipation of a drop in sales in the wake of its massive recalls, Japan's Chunichi Shimbun reported on Tuesday.

China faces growing pressure from Western countries to back fresh sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear activities. Here are key facts about ties between China and Iran.