TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares edged closer to 14-month highs on Friday while the dollar was on the defensive as investors grew more convinced that the Federal Reserve is settling into a phase of very gradual interest rate hikes.

LONDON (Reuters) - Grammy Award-nominated band OneRepublic, known for their crowd-pleasing hits such as "Counting Stars" and "Love Runs Out", promise different kinds of songs in their new album, according to lead singer Ryan Tedder.

NEW YORK, Sept 22 (Reuters) - The United States and Russia failed to agree on how to revive a short-lived ceasefire in Syria during what the U.N. Syria mediator called a "long, painful, difficult and disappointing" meeting on Thursday.

TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar gained in Asian trading on Friday but was on track to end a tumultuous week with losses after the Federal Reserve trimmed its long-term interest rate expectations and the Bank of Japan rebooted its monetary policy framework.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council has given an international inquiry five more weeks to complete its report on who is to blame for toxic gas attacks in Syria as U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, France, Britain and others push for those responsible to be punished.

TOKYO (Reuters) - A strong undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 struck southeast of Tokyo on Friday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - The top U.S. general told Congress on Thursday it would be unwise to share intelligence with Russia and stressed that would not be one of the military's missions if Washington and Moscow were to ever work together against Islamist militants in Syria.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese manufacturing activity expanded for the first time in seven months in September, a preliminary survey showed on Friday, in a tentative sign that economic growth could pick up pace.