TOKYO (AP) ― A Tokyo developer took visitors up the world’s tallest freestanding broadcast structure on Tuesday, a 634-meter tower with special technology meant to withstand earthquakes that often strike Japan.The Tokyo Skytree is the world’s second-tallest structure behind the 828-meter Burj Khalifa in Dubai, according to owner Tobu Tower Skytree Co.The needle-like radio and television tower opens to the public on May 22.Journalists given a tour Tuesday saw sweeping if hazy views of the Tokyo s

Firm says expansion overseas, higher prices drove profit jump in Q1NEW YORK (AP) ― The Coca-Cola Co. is continuing to expand its reach worldwide and turning to a variety of smaller drink sizes to boost profits and keep rising commodity costs in check.The world’s biggest soda maker on Tuesday reported better-than-expected profit for its first quarter as it sold more of its drinks around the globe.Although the volume growth came from all regions, Coke said increases were far greater in emerging m

NEW YORK (AFP) ― U.S. ratings agency Moody’s on Tuesday downgraded oil firm YPF to “B3” from “Ba3” after Argentina announced the takeover of the subsidiary of Spain’s Repsol, sparking a row with Madrid.“Moody’s downgraded YPF’s Global Local Currency Rating to “B3” from “Ba3” and National Scale Rating to “Baa3.ar” from “Aa2.ar.” All ratings remain on review for downgrade,” the agency said in a statement.“Given YPF’s expected impending partial nationalization by the “B3” rated Argentine government

MUMBAI (AP) ― India’s central bank cut its key interest rate by a bigger-than-expected half percentage point Tuesday, the first cut in three years, and warned that stalled reforms are diminishing the growth potential of Asia’s third-biggest economy.The Reserve Bank of India cut its short term lending rate ― the repo rate ― to 8.0 percent from 8.5 percent. Many economists had expected a quarter point cut.The bank said it decided to cut the rate because economic growth has slowed to below what it

NEW YORK (AP) ― Citigroup has become the first Wall Street bank to get a thumbs-down from shareholders over outsized executive pay. At its annual meeting Tuesday, 55 percent of the bank’s shareholders voted against the pay packages that have been granted to Citigroup’s top executives, including CEO Vikram Pandit’s $15 million for last year and $10 million retention pay. The vote is advisory and won’t force the bank to change its pay practices, but it did send a powerful message of discontent to

OMAHA, Nebraska (AP) ― Billionaire Warren Buffett said Tuesday he has been diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer, but he tried to reassure his company’s shareholders that the condition is “not remotely life-threatening.” The 81-year-old chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. said in a letter to shareholders that the two-month radiation treatment he and his doctors plan to start in mid-July will restrict his travel but shouldn’t otherwise affect his routine. “I feel great ― as if I were

BEIJING (AP) ― China’s ruling Communist Party said Wednesday that it is committed to probing a political scandal that includes an investigation into the suspected murder of a British businessman, following new appeals from Britain’s senior politicians for a swift investigation that is free from political meddling.The statement by the official Xinhua News Agency came hours after British Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague both held talks with China’s propaganda chief,

WASHINGTON (AFP) ― Piggybacking aboard a Boeing 747, the space shuttle Discovery made a dramatic flyover of Washington Tuesday before touching down near its final resting place, a museum outside the U.S. capital.Riding atop a modified plane kept by NASA specifically for transporting space shuttles, Discovery lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, just after sunrise for its last journey in the skies.Then the shuttle, which first flew in 1984, circled over the U.S. capital for about an hour befo