Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co Ltd has agreed to buy a 40% stake in Indonesia's Panin Life for about 30 billion yen, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Friday.

The move by one of Japan's top four life insurers is the latest in a string of deals…

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Lifestyle › New Yorkers get pumped up for bike sharing

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In a parking lot near the East River in Manhattan, Adriana Alltari gathers her courage, lifts her feet off the ground and wobbles away on New York's latest mode of public transport: a bicycle.

Alltari, a 32-year-old engineer, was taking part in free bike riding classes as the Big Apple…

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Politics › Abe, Aso defend economic policies as markets settle

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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday defended his economic stragey, though the central bank chief acknowledged a need for better communication with financial markets, a day after Tokyo shares suffered their worst loss since the 2011 tsunami disaster.

Abe told a Diet session that the government was keeping a close…

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Business › Stocks close 0.89% higher in rollercoaster session

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Tokyo shares closed 0.89% higher Friday in a rollercoaster session that came a day after the Nikkei 225 index suffered its worst one-day drop since Japan's March 2011 quake-tsunami disaster.

The benchmark Nikkei, which on Thursday plunged 7.3%, finished 0.89%, or 128.47 points, higher at 14,612.45, while the broader Topix…

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World › M8 earthquake hits Russia's Far East

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A powerful earthquake has hit Russia's Far East with slight tremors spreading westwards as far as Moscow.

Marina Kolomiyets, spokeswoman for Obninsk's seismic station of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said Friday the epicenter was in the Sea of Okhotsk, east of the Russian coast and north of Japan. She…

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Sports › Indians cruise past Red Sox on Francona's return

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Cleveland gave manager Terry Francona the satisfaction of victory upon his return to Fenway Park as the Indians beat Boston 12-3 on Thursday, staying top of the American League Central division while preventing the Red Sox from going top of the East.

Francona, who led the Red Sox to two…

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Sports › Red Wings, Rangers win NHL playoff games

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Jakub Kindl scored on a power play in the second period, Daniel Cleary had an empty-net goal and Jimmy Howard made 27 saves to help the Detroit Red Wings hold on for a 2-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night, putting the NHL's best team during the regular…

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National › Tokyo Board of Education publishes names of schools using corporal punishment

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The Tokyo Board of Education has released the names of some of the schools in the capital at which the use of corporal punishment was reported.

According to the board's list, of 2,190 elementary, junior and high schools in the Tokyo metropolitan area, 182 teachers and club coaches at 146…

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Crime › Truck driver arrested after hitting and killing girl at intersection

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Police said Friday they have arrested a truck driver after his vehicle struck and killed a 17-year-old schoolgirl in Moriya, Ibaraki Prefecture.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 11 a.m. on Thursday. TBS reported that the girl, identified as Miku Usui, was on her way home from school…

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World › British newspapers demand jailing of Islamist preacher

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Britain's newspapers on Friday paid tribute to the soldier brutally murdered in a suspected Islamist attack in London and demanded that the preacher suspected of radicalizing suspect Michael Adebolajo be jailed.

It was revealed on Thursday that the soldier, who had served in Afghanistan, was 25-year-old Lee Rigby, known as…

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