JAPAN

Asian markets rose Thursday as the economic growth reported by Japan and possible additional monetary stimulus from Federal Reserve to spur growth of the US economy offset the increasing concern of Greece leaving the euro zone.

Japan?s economy grew in the first three months of the year from the preceding quarter, boosted by reconstruction activities in regions hit by last year?s tsunami.

Asian stock markets advanced Thursday after the heavy sell-off in the previous session. Better-than-expected economic data from U.S and Japan offset ongoing uncertainty about Greece's political situation.

Shares in South Korea's Samsung Electronics extended their heavy slide on Thursday, on speculation that arch rival Apple Inc is looking to cut its reliance on Samsung memory chips and turn increasingly to Japanese chipmaker Elpida.

Asian shares steadied Thursday from the previous day's selloff, but investors found no reason to bet on risk amid deepening turmoil in Greece and fears of contagion to other stressed euro zone economies.

According to sources from within Apple's foreign supply chains in Hong Kong, Apple has ordered bigger screens for its next iPhone, presumably called the iPhone 5, even though no exact measurement was provided. Production on the iPhone 5 is said to begin next month, while the release date has been scheduled for sometime in the fall, likely around October.

Greece continued to weigh heavily on confidence Wednesday as bank customers there began sending cash out of the country or hiding it under their beds -- this despite hints from German Chancellor Angela Merkel that a stimulus would be forthcoming if the country stuck to its austerity commitments.

Honda has unveiled a new Segway-like device, which allows users to move forwards, backwards, side-to-side and diagonally according to how they distribute their weight.

Shares of Micron Technology (Nasdaq: MU), the only U.S. maker of memory chips, jumped as much as 9 percent Thursday on a report that Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), the world's most valuable technology company, had placed a huge order in Japan.

All the latest news involving Manchester United's transfer targets this summer.

The Japanese government and local companies will buy a 10 percent stake in Chevron Corp. (CVX)'s Wheatstone natural gas field in Australia for 350 billion yen ($4.37 billion), Nikkei newspaper reported.

The fertility level in western Turkey (the most economically advanced part of the country) is now about 1.5 -- roughly the same as in western Europe.

Asian markets fell Wednesday as political parties in Greece failed to form a coalition government increasing concerns of the country exiting the euro zone.

International opinions about which nations serve as a positive influence on global affairs are changing. Around the world, more people are looking to Asia, with Japan topping the list, while increasing numbers are disappointed with Europe. However, Asians themselves remained wary of their neighbors.

In 1999, Andrew Grove, then Chairman of Intel (Nasdaq: INTC), the No. 1 chipmaker, published a bestseller, ?Only the Paranoid Survive.?

State-of-the-art cameras don't come cheap, but the world's most expensive camera--auctioned for 2.16 million Euros-- doesn't even have a single megapixel.

Japan has allowed the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) to meet in Tokyo on Monday, the first time the group has met in an Asian country, drawing renewed anger from China.

A look at the latest news involving Manchester United's summer transfer targets.

European Union naval forces attacked known pirate supplies in an overnight raid in Somalia on Tuesday.

British video game publisher Eidos has announced on its community forum that it has decided to hold back the release date of Tomb Raider for an undecided period of time in the first quarter of 2013.

The China-Philippines South China Sea dispute may have a devastating effect on the Philippines? vital tourism industry after China issued a travel warning last week.