Emperor's abdication moves ever closer

TOKYO - The Japanese government on Friday approved a one-off bill allowing aging Emperor Akihito to step down from the Chrysanthemum Throne, in the first such abdication in two centuries.

Assange embassy exit likely after Sweden drops rape probe

Swedish prosecutors say they are closing their investigation of rape allegations against Julian Assange, and will not renew a European arrest warrant, clearing the way for the WikiLeaks founder to leave the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

IN BRIEF (Page 8)

Returning a museum to past glories

KABUL - Afghanistan's embattled National Museum is finally looking ahead to a brighter future after decades of domestic turmoil and violence decimated its exhibits and artifacts.

Basquiat rarity sells for record $110.5m

NEW YORK - A little-seen painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat that sold for $19,000 in 1984 soared to an astounding $110.5 million at Sotheby's on Thursday, the second-highest price ever for a work of contemporary art.

Fans mourn grunge hero Cornell

SEATTLE, Washington - Grief-stricken Chris Cornell fans left flowers at memorials across Seattle for the musician whose forceful, somber songs helped cement the city's place in rock history.

Touching tale of a horsey helper

DELMAR, New York - As a blind woman, Ann Edie has relied on her hip-high miniature horse for 14 years to guide her through life's obstacles.

Ingestible balloons can battle obesity

PARIS - Weight-loss balloons swallowed rather than surgically inserted in the stomach were shown to be safe and effective in preliminary trials, according to findings unveiled on Thursday at a medical conference.

Vigilante on mission to defend English language

By night, he stalks the streets of the southwest English city of Bristol, weapon in hand and stepladder over his shoulder. His mission? To defend the English language against misuse of punctuation.

King was 'secret co-pilot'

Dutch King Willem-Alexander has revealed that he has been secretly flying commercial aircraft for the last four years.

Choked by traffic, Bangkok revs up to beat air pollution

BANGKOK - There are two pictures Thai air pollution expert Supat Wangwongwatana likes to show whenever he talks about Bangkok's transition, in a little over a decade, from a city blanketed in smog to one boasting clear blue skies.

Horsemen of Hunza face final whistle for ancient game

HUNZA, Pakistan - In a remote northern Pakistani valley surrounded by giant ice-capped peaks, villagers gather to watch a game of Buzkashi, an ancient equestrian sport once seen as a key test of virility that is now struggling for survival.