CHINA

Stock index futures pointed to a slightly lower open for equities on Wall Street on Friday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 falling up to 0.2 percent.

China's annual consumer inflation slowed sharply to a 20-month low in February, and factory output and retail sales also cooled more than forecast, giving policymakers ample room to further loosen monetary policy to support flagging growth.

Employment likely grew solidly for a third straight month in February, a sign the economic recovery is becoming more durable and in less need of further monetary stimulus from the Federal Reserve.

Does anyone remember Sim City? Probably not. Those who might be throwing away hours at games like CityVille, most likely never knew that back in 1989, SimCity was the first game of its kind, and dominated for years. The last title in franchise came out in 2003, but after what seems like forever, Electronic Arts is ready to have SimCity stage a comeback to get some of that social networking gaming pie.

The inflation rate of China reduced sharply to 3.2 percent for February, which is a 20 month low, according to data released on Friday, showing signs that the price pressure is gradually diminishing.

Tokyo stocks jumped to a seven-month high Friday as Asian shares rose on signs Greece is a step nearer to averting a default, although momentum may be checked by caution ahead of U.S. data that is expected to confirm a labor market recovery.

A senior Chinese politician, whose prospects for the top leadership are under a cloud, appeared before the media Friday to dispel rumors that a scandal involving a one-time ally had forced him out.

Proview Technology, which is battling Apple over the iPad trademark in China, has asked Chinese distributors to stop selling the popular tablet PC after the U.S. technology giant launched the latest version of its iPad.

Daylight Savings Time is just around the corner, so get ready to lose some time this Sunday, March 11, when clocks jump ahead one hour at 2 a.m.

The global PC market should expand 4.4 percent in 2012, greatly exceeding 2011’s anemic 0.5 percent, gain market researcher Gartner (NYSE: IT) predicted.

Ahani also said that foreign powers need not fear Iran’s atomic ambitions.

China has blocked purchases of Airbus planes by Chinese companies in reaction to a controversial European carbon tax, the CEO of Airbus parent European Aeronautic Defense & Space Co. NV (Paris: EAD) said Thursday.

As the company's latest tablet was unveiled, activists renewed complaints that labor conditions remain deplorable at Apple vendors' factories. The group SumOfUs is calling on Apple to prove that it follows the law.

Turkey has proved itself to be Somalia's best friend, and may the only country in the world actively trying to make Somalia a better place.

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe has urged Tajikistan to end a local shutdown of Facebook and several Russian-language sites that had published material critical of the nation's veteran leader.

China has surpassed the United States as the country exhibiting the highest demand for luxury watches, says a survey.

Beijing and the influential U.S. agriculture department may have overstated China's corn crop by as much as 14 percent, pointing to higher imports from the world's second-largest consumer of the grain that could squeeze already tightening global supplies.

Employers probably hired more than 200,000 workers for a third straight month in February, indicating that companies are feeling more upbeat about the U.S. economic recovery, economists said before a report this week.

Luxury watchmakers are hoping a stronger-than-expected recovery in the United States and global exposure will help them sail through a more challenging market in China, where the days of unstoppable growth are ticking by.

The press agency of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement charged Wednesday that the CIA, Israel's Mossad and private security firms have been exposed supporting Syrian rebels in Homs.

Six world powers that are poised to restart stalled talks with Iran sought on Wednesday to agree a unified stance on the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme, diplomats at the United Nations' nuclear agency said.