JAPAN

Depressed theater sales in the U.S. and bullish predictions about China's growing film market are driving big Hollywood directors and major studios to look across the Pacific for growth opportunities.

Mitt Romney assailed the Obama administration for its handling of Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng's attempted defection, building on his stance that Obama has not pressed China enough on human rights abuses.

Over one in 10 babies were born prematurely in the U.S. in 2010.

Asia is doubling the size of its foreign currency reserve safety net to $240 billion, finance ministers and central bank officials announced Thursday following a 13-nation meeting in Manila. The reserve funds a multilateral currency swap agreement aimed at protecting Asian markets from global economic crises.

Platinum supply worldwide is expected to remain in surplus this year, in what will be its eighth consecutive year in surplus, Thomson Reuters GFMS said Thursday.

Up until now, India had adamantly opposed sanctions against Iran.

In a major victory for the US-EU led sanctions on Iran, the Indian government has asked top two importers of Iranian crude to cut their imports by at least 15 percent this year, the Wall Street Journal WSJ reported, quoting industry sources.

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Thursday that China should allow its currency to increase in value against the dollar to support the reforms in the country's financial system.

Gemba also called on Israel and Palestinians to resume direct peace talks which have been on hold since September 2010

The potential third test could involve a device using highly-enriched uranium for the first time.

Electronic signals originating from North Korea have been allegedly intercepting scores of civilian aircrafts in and out of South Korea, after Pyongyang's recent threats of offensive action, including a sacred war, against the South.

The Asian stock market advanced on Wednesday as sentiment was buoyed following the release of improved manufacturing data in both the U.S. and China.

Global chip sales rose about 1.3 percent to $23.3 billion, a slight increase from February but down nearly 8 percent from last year, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported.

Your flight can't get any cuter than this. EVA Air, a Taiwanese airline has launched new jets inspired by Hello Kitty. Two EVA Air aircrafts adorned with the fictional Japanese cartoon character will be put into service starting May 23.

Sanctions, if approved by the Security Council, would mean asset freezes and bans on foreign travel.

Many believe Apple will finally use its recently licensed patents for liquid metal in its sixth-generation iPhone, presumably called the iPhone 5. In response to these rumors, French designer Antoine Brieux conjured up several artist renderings of what the liquid metal iPhone could look like. Check out pictures of Brieux's iPhone 5 liquid metal LM concept here.

The Chinese are benefiting from advances in transportation and communication, as well as policies established by the government,

Woodside Petroleum Limited (AX: WPL) sold a 14.7 percent stake in its Browse liquid natural gas (LNG) development project for $2 billion to a Japanese joint venture operated by Mitsui & Company Limited and Mitsubishi Corporation, the Australian company announced Tuesday.

Indian State run insurance companies will indemnify local ships carrying Iranian oil, enabling the country import oil from Iran, Reuters reported quoting Shipping Corp of India director.

Japanese stock markets plunged Tuesday as weaker-than-expected US manufacturing data and news that confirmed Spain has fallen into a double-dip recession weighed on the sentiment.

U.S. stocks ended the last day of April on a sour note with all three major indices posting their first monthly loss of the year, following three months of solid gains. Investors were spooked by a duo of lackluster U.S. economic reports and news that confirmed Spain has plunged into a double-dip recession.