CHINA

After failed attempts in the U.N. Security Council to formulate a demand that President Bashar al-Assad end a deadly crackdown on dissenters, his government accepted Annan's six-point plan.

Most of the world is interconnected thanks to email and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, according to a new poll released on Tuesday.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook is on a visit to China, its second largest market after the US, and the company has said it is eyeing greater investments in the country.

The US was the only western country to have carried out judicial executions last year and the 43 executions in the country ranked it fifth in the world in capital punishment, behind China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, Amnesty International said Monday.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.25 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.29 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.36 percent at 0920 GMT.

Asian stock markets surged Tuesday, following gains in the Wall Street overnight as market-friendly comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke boosted sentiment.

After Apple's New iPad whirlwind, it's now the turn of iPhone 5 to create ripples in the tech market. The speculated features often range from likely to bizarre, but rumors regarding the release of the latest Apple smartphone are slowly yet strongly gaining traction. The latest speculation about the release of the purported iPhone 5 has it that Apple will unveil its fabled phone in either in June or in October.

Private aviation firm NetJets Inc, owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, has said it is setting up a joint venture in China to cash in on the rapidly growing popularity of private air travel in the country.

Japan moved away from the agenda of the two-day nuclear security summit on Tuesday to criticize North Korea's plans for a rocket launch next month.

Asian stocks rebounded Tuesday and the dollar eased after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said ultra-loose monetary policy was still needed to reduce unemployment even though the U.S. economy has shown signs of improvement.

Syrian opposition activists gathered in Istanbul to endorse a program for political change to unify their movement, but the conference proved divisive even before officially opens Tuesday.

Facebook (NYSE: FB), the No. 1 social network that wants to complete its initial public offering, is spending more on lawyers these days.

Italy's top winemakers are joining forces with the country's luxury goods elite as the world's second-biggest wine producer tries to give itself an edge in the battle for U.S. and emerging market customers amid falling consumption at home.

Swiss luxury goods group Richemont on Monday named group veteran Stanislas de Quercize as chief executive of top-of-the-range jewellery and watch maker Cartier, which makes a big chunk of group profit.

BMW AG , the world's largest premium carmaker, is recalling about 1.3 million cars for repair worldwide due to a possible problem with a battery cable cover in the trunk, the carmaker said on Monday.

After years of strong growth, China's biggest banks could face a slump in 2012. Analysts warned that an economic slowdown could trigger defaults by real estate developers and the increase in bad loans would erode Chinese banks' profitability this year.

As heads of state gathered for talks, demonstrators chanted: No nukes Asia, no nukes Korea, No nukes [America], no nukes anywhere! Many cited the disaster at power plants hit by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan as proof of nuclear power's inherent risks.

iWorld rumors are now focusing on next generation iPhone, dubbed iPhone 5. Apple iPhone 5 release date is one of the hottest topics among the rumors and the latest buzz is that Apple could surprise everybody by letting iPhone 5 debut in June.

Gold prices rose 1 percent on Monday after comments from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that faster growth will be needed to boost employment supported expectations that further quantitative easing measures may be necessary.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has been spotted in China, at the Beijing Xidan province Apple Store, which many believe to be the company's largest in terms of sales. But many Apple-rumor gurus believe that Cook's trip to Beijing was for far more than met the eye.

Gilani will also meet directly with President Barack Obama to try to repair the fractured ties between Pakistan and the U.S.