JAPAN

In one of the world's biggest lawsuits, Apple Inc has sued Samsung Electronics for slavishly copying the 'look and feel' and 'design' of its products iPad tablet and iPhone smartphone. Both Samsung and Apple entered into a legal battle over patent infringement in the month of April 2011. Samsung counter sued Apple in 4 countries in 3 different continents.

When Honda Motor's <7267.T> 2012 Civic debuted at the New York auto show in April, critics universally panned its cheap, hard-plastic interior .

Japan's finance minister said he was closely watching yen moves on Friday, signaling a readiness to continue selling the currency after intervention on Thursday that likely totaled a record amount around 4.5 trillion yen ($56 billion).

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Friday, adding to the two-week slump as investors continued to sell, spooked by the prospect of another recession.

World stocks sank for an eighth straight session of losses on Friday, with investors racked by worries about the slowing global economy and the dangerous spread of euro zone debt anguish into Italy and Spain.

China and Japan called for global cooperation on Friday after a financial market rout signaled fear that Europe's debt crisis could spin out of control and the U.S. economy may slide into another recession.

Australian Adam Scott birdied four of his last six holes to grab a one-shot lead in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational first round Thursday as Tiger Woods made an encouraging return to competition.

Oil tumbled as much as 6 percent on Thursday, with U.S. crude crashing through technical support to its lowest since February as mounting fears of a stalled economy set off a global race from riskier assets.

Japanese stocks on Friday tumbled to their lowest since the post-quake rout in March as investors ran for exits after the worsening financial crisis in Europe compounded anxiety over a weak U.S. economy that has come close to stalling.

After the terrible rout in markets on Thursday investors spoke of holding fast and even poking around for buying opportunities, but that's hard when the market is likely facing another weak U.S. jobs report on Friday.

Investors fled U.S. stocks and dumped commodities on Thursday, rushing to the safety of government bonds on growing fears the global economy was weakening.

World stock markets fell for the eighth straight session on Friday to the lowest since late 2010, with more losses feared if policymakers do not come to the rescue soon to stabilize the euro zone's debt crisis and prevent the U.S. economy from sliding back into recession.

Vibrations from the devastating earthquake that hit Japan in March 2011, triggering a massive tsunami, had almost reached the outer space, a new study has revealed.

Jobs data on Friday could prove a make-or-break moment for global financial markets increasingly alarmed that the world's largest economy could skid into a fresh recession.

Japanese Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Friday repeated that he was closely watching yen moves, signalling Tokyo's readiness to continue with its yen-weakening intervention that media said reached a record 4 trillion yen ($50.6 billion).

Automobile production in Brazil rose 3.9 percent BRAOPM=ECI and sales increased 0.6 percent BRASLM=ECI in July from June, the national automakers' association said on Thursday.

Investors fled Wall Street in the worst stock-market selloff since the middle of the financial crisis in early 2009 in what has turned into a full-fledged correction.The Dow and the S&P tumbled more than 4 percent on Thursday and the Nasdaq lost 5 percent on fear the United States is staring at another recession and that Europe's sovereign debt crisis is swallowing two of its largest economies.

The number of Americans claiming new unemployment benefits was steady last week and heavy discounting lifted sales at retailers in July, hopeful signs for the sputtering economy.

Investors fled Wall Street in the worst stock-market selloff since the depths of the Great Recession in early 2009 in what has turned into a full-fledged correction.

General Motors Co's quarterly profit shot past Wall Street expectations, but its share price slipped as investors focused on the risks of a sputtering economy and resurgent Japanese rivals.

Sony announced Thursday that it will not release the new PlayStation Vita in both the United States and Europe until next year. This means the new gaming system will not reach store shelves for the ever approaching holiday shopping season.