JAPAN

It looks like Apple is going much thinner and lighter in its next smartphone, presumably called the iPhone 5. Sources from within Apple's foreign supply chains reportedly told Digitimes that the iPhone 5, expected to launch between the second and third quarter of 2012, will adopt in-cell touch panels manufactured by Sharp and Toshiba Mobile Display.

The Nintendo Wii U will become available on Nov. 18, according to a leaked memo from Media Land, a popular Japanese video game retailer. The revolutionary new dual-screen home-gaming system will be available on that date in North America and a week later in Japan, per the rumor.

India -which criticized the sanctions by the U.S., United Nations and European Union - recently became Iran's top oil buyer.

China produces 97 percent of the world's rare earths, minerals that are critical for the production of everything from cell phones to missiles -- and now it wants to keep more of them for itself. The world is worried, but there may be little it can do.

Loan demand from firms and households jumped in the first quarter, adding to the evidence that the Japanese economy is on the path of recovery, according to Senior Loan Officer Survey.

At a time when chances of a fall release for the next generation Apple iPhone look stronger than a summer launch as expected before, a report surfaced late Friday saying that the highly anticipated smartphone will feature in-cell touch panels produced by Sharp and Toshiba.

Australia, Singapore, South Korea and the UK have agreed to contribute a combined $41 billion to the International Monetary Fund reserve to boost a global firewall against Europe's debt crisis.

China and Russia are making military history this weekend with the first bilateral naval exercises the two governments have ever conducted together.

Burger King in Japan offered a promotion in which anyone could add 15 pieces of bacon to a burger for only 110 Yen ($1.24), which convinced one Japanese man to attempt to eat a Whopper with 1,050 strips of bacon.

The International Monetary Fund is eyeing Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, a bloc of countries commonly known as BRICS, to meet its goal, set by the institution's managing director Christine Lagarde, to raise at least $400 billion of additional funds to safeguard the global financial system against the euro zone sovereign debt crisis.

General Electric Co. (NYSE:GE) reported first-quarter net income rose 3 percent as orders for its industrial products surged. Still, overall revenue dipped 8 percent.

Myanmar President Thein Stein hopes to achieve a resolution with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda about Myanmar's debt.

Jiroemon Kimura, the world's oldest living man, celebrated his 115th birthday on Thursday and shared his secret to a long life. View the slideshow to see photos of Jiroemon Kimura.

South Korea, Japan, the United Nations and the U.S. believe that North Korea intends to develop ballistic missile tests and have roundly condemned Pyongyang’s program.

Major emerging powers stood ready on Friday to pledge money to bolster the International Monetary Fund's crisis-fighting war chest, though Brazil was holding out for promises that their voting power at the global lender would increase.

Asian stock markets declined Friday as batch of disappointing economic readings from the US signaled that the recovery was slowing in the world's biggest economy.

Asian shares slipped Friday as disappointing U.S. economic data stirred doubts about the strength of recovery, while the yen weakened after the Bank of Japan flagged the prospect of further monetary easing to support the struggling economy.

Apple is known for reserving details about its upcoming products, with its Worldwide Loyalty Team working to keep the new iPhone’s design and features under wraps. However, the juicy tidbits of information seem to occasionally leak from Apple’s Asian presence, with new production rumors surfacing in Japan.

The European Union will formalize a suspension of sanctions against Myanmar next Monday, allowing for major easing on restrictions against the country over the next year.

UN probe panel is investigating the allegations that China has provided long range ballistic missile technology to North Korea, according to an AFP report quoting a defense magazine. According to the allegations North Korea's new missile launcher is based on Chinese missile technology, report said.Military analysts of IHS Jane's magazine tipped-off the United Nation's panel of experts about a possible transfer of either technology or the missile itself, from China to North Korea.

Japan reported Thursday a record trade deficit for fiscal year 2011 as exports tumbled on account of falling global demand and a nuclear energy crisis that resulted in the rise of oil and gas imports.