TSUNAMI

Japan's economy shrank less than initially estimated in the fourth quarter as companies ramped up capital expenditure, but the current account swung to a record deficit in January as a shift away from nuclear power pushes up fossil fuel imports.

Sunday is the first anniversary of the Japan tsunami and earthquake that left a confirmed 15,850 dead and 3,287 missing. Yet out of the unimaginable tragedy of that day arose a story of grace and global compassion - a story of paper cranes.

Toyota Motor Corp. will have in place by autumn a more resilient supply chain that would recover within two weeks of another massive earthquake hitting Japan, a top executive said on Friday.

When a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit Japan last year, it caused a massive tsunami killing nearly 16,000 people. The tsunami that dragged personal items from Japanese citizens, including televisions, dressers, refrigerators, out to sea, could wind up on the shores of Hawaii this year.

Automakers will report nearly 1.09 million new cars in February on Thursday, according to two industry forecasts, continuing the ongoing revival of the industry as sales jumped nearly 6 percent from February 2011 and an eye-popping 20 percent from January. That would equal a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) above 14 million units -- the highest level since early 2008.

A year ago, when the powerful 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami struck the coast of Japan, thousands of families were affected and many lost their close ones.

Within a month from the release of first close-up pictures of the “uncontacted” Mashco-Piro tribe of Peru, concerns regarding “human safaris” allegedly threatening the tribe have surfaced.

Retail sales in Japan rose above forecasts indicating a recovery in consumer spending which could help the country to attain economic growth this quarter.

The Academy Awards is the biggest night of the year for the movie industry. It is a night to honor the crowning achievements for the films, actors and crew of the preceding year.

The 2011 Tohoku earthquake that struck the coast of Japan, which triggered a tsunami and caused a widespread death and destruction, is regarded as one of the most powerful earthquakes in the history of the world.

The Academy Awards is the biggest night of the year for the movie industry. It is a night to honor the crowning achievements for the films, actors and crew of the preceding year. Check out the full list of Academy Award winners.

Here is a full list of the 2012 Oscar nominations for the 84th Academy Awards.

The countdown for the much-awaited Oscar/ 84th annual Academy Awards has begun. It will be aired from Kodak Theatre, Calif., Feb. 26.

There's a whole lot of shaking going on in the Asia-Pacific region Sunday, as an absolutely strong magnitude-6.7 earthquake hit southwestern Siberia in Russia and a relatively strong magnitude-5.9 quake struck southern Taiwan, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

As Kingfisher Airlines careens toward collapse, the Central Government finds itself between a rock and a hard place.

The Japanese government will seek the resignation of the Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s (Tepco's) board of directors at a shareholder meeting in June in return for injecting $13 billion of public funds, the Mainichi newspaper said on Saturday.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission released a collection of transcripts of internal conference calls held in beginning hours after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in the earthquake in Japan, which reveal a sense of urgency and confusion that the situation generated.

Japan reported a record-high balance of trade deficit in January as last year's tsunami combined with floods in Thailand, the Eurozone's sovereign debt crisis, a slowing Chinese market and a soaring yen to leave the world's third-largest economy with its first trade deficit since the last century.

Japan posted its biggest ever trade deficit in January, topping the previous record seen during the financial crisis in 2009, Ministry of Finance data showed Monday, underlining concerns that a persistent trade gap may undermine the country's ability to finance its debt.

Japan's Emperor Akihito underwent on Saturday a successful heart bypass operation and doctors said they hoped he would be able to resume the normal lifestyle he wished for.

A 6.0 magnitude earthquake shook the coast of Oregon on Tuesday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.