CHINA

Shintaro Ishihara may not be a household name in the United States. But in East Asia, he is often at the center of international controversy because of nationalistic-themed statements that regularly infuriate China and South Korea -- and on Monday, he did it again.

Emergency architect Shigeru Ban has designed a cardboard cathedral to replace the iconic ChristChurch Cathedral in New Zealand's quake-ravaged city.

Asia is experiencing an increase in newspaper circulation, giving hope to newspaper publications that fear their eclipse in western countries, such as the United States.

''The tests are about trying to create equality with China rather than trying to outdo it,'' an analyst at the New Delhi-based National Maritime Foundation, said, in a published report.

The Pentagon says it is making progress in developing weapons for its newest battleground - cyberspace - but still faces funding, technology and policy challenges.

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO), the world's largest soft-drink maker, reported first-quarter profits that topped analysts' estimates, helped by price increases and strong demand in emerging markets.

Global growth is slowly improving as recovery in the United States gains traction and dangers from Europe recede, but risks remain elevated and the gains are very fragile, the International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday.

The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday raised its projection of growth in the U.S. gross domestic product to 2.1 percent this year and 2.4 percent next year, from 1.7 percent in 2011.

The companies whose shares are moving in pre-market trade Tuesday are: Endocyte, Comerica, Canadian Solar, Sprint Nextel, Valero Energy, U.S. Bancorp, Bank of America , China Gerui Advanced Materials Group, KIT digital, Host Hotels and Resorts and Goldman Sachs Group.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) into China continued to fall for the fifth consecutive month in March, as concerns over European sovereign debt crisis curbed investments by companies in the world’s second largest economy.

Cancellation of the bilateral agreement may also lead to North Korea seeking to conduct a third nuclear test.

Most of the Asian stock markets ended lower Tuesday after data showed that foreign direct investment (FDI) into China declined for the fifth month in a row.

North Korea will not allow the International Atomic Energy Agency's inspectors to examine the country's nuclear program, in retaliation to the UN's tough stand against its rocket launch.According to Japanese media, Pyongyang went a step further and said it will continue with its satellite program and will launch another rocket with a satellite in the next five years, The Telegraph reported.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into China fell in March as investors spooked by a lingering European crisis cut down on spending.

China and Philippines have said they won't escalate maritime tensions between the two nations over a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, though both appeared eager to assert their claims over the waters.

China bagged foreign direct investment at a record-setting pace in the first three months of 2012, but an easing in its monthly momentum and a difficult trade outlook will keep monetary policy poised to compensate for any dip in capital inflows.

Japan said on Tuesday it will provide $60 billion in loans to the International Monetary Fund, becoming the first non-European nation to commit money to boost the fund's financial firepower to contain the euro zone debt crisis.

India will test launch a long-range, nuclear-capable missile this week, an exercise that could give its military the ability to target parts of northern China and eastern Europe.

Japan said Tuesday it would offer $60 billion in loans to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to boost a global firewall against Europe's debt crisis.

China is at a promising moment for speeding up interest rate and exchange rate reforms, the central bank's statistics department said in a report published Tuesday, following the latest move to make the Chinese currency more flexible.

Japan said on Tuesday it will provide $60 billion in loans to the International Monetary Fund, becoming the first non-European nation to commit money to boost the fund's financial firepower to contain the euro zone debt crisis.