CHINA

A recruiter for Foxconn, the largest manufacturing partner of Apple products, told reporters from TV Tokyo's World Business Satellite that Apple's sixth-generation iPhone, presumably called the iPhone 5, will be released in June. He added that Foxconn is hiring about 18,000 workers to kick production of the new smartphone into high gear before summer.

Global auction house Sotheby's kicked off its spring sales in Hong Kong by selling all lots in a two-day wine sale, outstripping expectations, but the picture was less clear for its Asian and Chinese art sales as buyers became more selective.

Ongoing fiscal troubles in the 17-state currency area have cut share prices of numerous European companies, making them attractive to suitors from abroad.

China's state banks make money too easily and their monopoly on financial services has to be broken if cash-starved private enterprises are to get access to capital when they need it, state media cited Premier Wen Jiabao as saying on Tuesday.

In the face of falling exports as a percentage of its economy, China is trying to get its citizens to overcome a long-held propensity to save and start spending more on consumer goods.

The world's most populous country now has more than one billion cell phones. Over the past two years, China has added 200 million mobiles.

America is in the process of embracing certain failure. We have a president who appears enraptured by the European economic model as Europeans themselves are facing the reality of its ashes and despair.

As firefighters in China scrambled to rescue a two-year-old baby trapped in a well 30-centimeters in diameter, they employed the help of an unusual tool: the Apple iPhone.

Chip stocks eased Tuesday after the Semiconductor Industry Association published data showing sales increased for the three months ended in February.

Google Offers and Banana Republic are the first businesses to join Starbucks Corp in raising money for a U.S. job creation fund started by the world's biggest coffee chain late last year.

Jenna Talackova, the transgender beauty queen who became the face of a social movement for equality when she was kicked out of the Miss Universe Canada beauty pageant because she was born a male, can now compete in the Miss Universe Canada competition after all.

When will Apple release its next generation iPhone? Well, the Cupertino-based tech giant generally offers a new smartphone to its customers around June or July. But since the existing iPhone 4S was released in October last year, Apple fans around the world seem a bit confused about when to expect the next one, presumably called iPhone 5.

Futures on major US stock indices point to a slightly lower opening Tuesday as investors awaited the report on factory orders and minutes of the latest Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).

Banking and keeping track of finances, shopping and searching for jobs are the main tasks of Internet users around the globe, according to a new international survey.

Most Asian stock markets advanced Tuesday as better-than-expected readings on US manufacturing and China's services industries data lifted sentiment while stronger yen hurt Japanese shares.

Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd's chief executive said on Tuesday the Chinese solar company expects to return to profit, along with the entire industry, in the fourth quarter as prices stabilize on tighter inventories and improving demand.

Google Inc will continue to invest in China, where it has a testy relationship with the government, with a focus on growing its fast-growing display and mobile advertising businesses, its Asia chief said on Tuesday.

China may loosen overseas investment rules for private investors, the country's central bank chief said on Tuesday, less than a week after the government gave the go-ahead for pilot financial reforms in a coastal city.

LONDON, APRIL 3 - Whitbread PLC said on Tuesday that Chris Rogers, currently group finance director, would take over as chief executive of its rapidly expanding coffee shop chain Costa Coffee in August, with a remit to drive international growth.

Nepal, the Himalayan state bordered by Asian giants China and India, has arguably achieved what its neighboring nations haven't even thought about: Preparations are underway in its mountainous terrain -- where the monarchy gave way to democracy only in 2008 -- to host the region's first sports competition for LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) community.

Asian shares rose Tuesday, riding on the back of strong gains in global equities overnight after solid manufacturing data from the United States and leading Asian exporters offset signs of mild recession in Europe.