CHINA

Asian stock markets declined Friday as hopes for a strong policy action from the U.S. Federal Reserve faded and disappointing economic reports on China and the euro zone revived concerns over the faltering global economy.

The Indian government has recently fixed a deadline of 30 days for issuing passports after the applications are filed, in an attempt to speed up the process amid rising complaints about the months-long waiting period for the document.

Most of the Asian markets fell Friday as investors' concerns about the faltering global economy were revived since the Markit Flash Eurozone PMI Composite Output Index, released Thursday, indicated that the economic outlook was worsening.

Asian shares retreated from a two-week high Friday on scaled back expectations of more stimulus from the U.S. Federal Reserve and growth concerns after manufacturing surveys from the euro zone and China depicted a bleak outlook.

About 3 million bees were seized from the home of a Queens man who had been a beekeeper in his native China and found the insects were getting out of control.

Local governments in China are getting ready for major stimulus spending worth as much as 1.1 trillion dollars, despite warnings about the possibly detrimental effects.

Apple fans can't wait to get their hands on the iPhone 5, and now, they may not have to. Even though some claim to be selling iPhone 5 parts in China, one Chinese company is actually selling modification kits based on the rumored design specs and features of the phone, which allow owners of the iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S to make their phone look like the next-gen model. Apple iPhone 5: How To Transform Your iPhone 4/4S With Next-Gen Specs, Features [VIDEO]

China Unicom, Ancestry.com, Logitech International, Zynga, Newmont Mining, Infosys, Hewlett-Packard Co and Whitestone REIT are among the companies whose shares are moving in the pre-market trading Thursday.

Most of the Asian markets rose Thursday amid hopes that the U.S. and China would soon announce stimulus measures to tackle the weakening global economy.

The U.S. stock index futures point to a higher open Thursday as investor sentiment was lifted by expectations that policy makers around the world would announce monetary easing measures to regain the economic growth momentum.

Hewlett-Packard Co swung to an $8.9 billion quarterly loss as personal computer sales shrank again and it swallowed a huge write-down linked to its $13.9 billion purchase of Electronic Data Systems Corp.

Asian stock markets were mostly higher Thursday after details from the Federal Reserve's most recent policy meeting suggested that the central bank might act again to bolster the U.S. economy.

China's manufacturing activity fell in August compared to that in July, according to the preliminary HSBC Flash Purchasing Managers Index released Thursday.

Asian shares rose and the euro hit a seven-week high Thursday as the Federal Reserve's minutes raised the prospect for more U.S. stimulus while uncertainty continued over progress in Europe's debt crisis, including the European Central Bank's bold action.

Chinese women are going to great lengths to prevent their faces from getting sunburned by donning a "face-kini," a ski mask-type garment that covers their entire mug with openings for their eyes, noses and mouths.

Saudi Arabia will begin deep-water drilling in the Red Sea by the end of the year, says Khalid al Falih, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company.

Though iPhone 5 is yet to be launched, hype over the handset is taking center stage. And when the next-generation iPhone does make its debut, it could well turn out to be one of the most spectacular handset unveiling Apple has ever seen, believes an analyst.

Is the U.S. economy headed for a recession before it fully recovers from the last one? There's no better indicator to watch than trash.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is set to adapt a tougher visa regime that makes getting H-1B nonimmigrant visas harder for the U.S. companies. Once implemented, the DOL decision will hurt several companies that hire cheap and skilled workers from countries like India and China.

Toll Brothers Inc, Nokia Corp, Delhaize Group, First Solar Inc, Yelp, CenturyLink, Carnival Plc and Travelers Companies are among the companies whose shares are moving in the pre-market trading Wednesday.

After a weekend of aggressive display of nationalism, the Chinese government and media sought to ease the public's anti-Japan hostilities that erupted in major cities across China over a group of islands in the East China Sea claimed by both the nations.