SOUTH KOREA

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.

The latest rumor to surface in the tech community is that the Palo Alto based company is soon to be coming out with an iPad Mini.

The global economy is set to expand by a modest 3.3 percent this year as a still-smoldering euro zone debt crisis and a relatively slow U.S. recovery continue to leave Asia as the main driver of growth, Reuters polls showed on Thursday.

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 slashed its oil purchases from Iran in April, cutting imports from the Islamic Republic by nearly 80 percent.

Japan's Sony Corp is in talks with Taiwan's AU Optronics Corp to jointly produce next-generation OLED televisions, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported, positioning itself for the post-liquid crystal display TV market.

Shintaro Ishihara may not be a household name in the United States. But in East Asia, he is often at the center of international controversy because of nationalistic-themed statements that regularly infuriate China and South Korea -- and on Monday, he did it again.

Asia is experiencing an increase in newspaper circulation, giving hope to newspaper publications that fear their eclipse in western countries, such as the United States.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. is increasing its supply of diesel cars like the Verna and i20 in India by ramping up imports of engines from South Korea and the building of its first Indian diesel engine factory, reports said Tuesday.

A month after Apple started selling its 4G-ready third generation iPad in 10 countries, including the US, 12 new countries have been added to the list, with 9 more to follow next week.

The United Nations has issued a unanimous statement on Monday denouncing North Korea's attempted satellite launch and warned of further actions in response to new ballistic missile tests or nuclear testing from the North.

Iran and North Korea have long been suspected of having exchanged ballistic missile technology.

The world's largest utility company GDF Suez agreed on Monday to buy 30 percent of International Power for $10 billion, completing a planned takeover of the U.K.-based power company to continue its expansion in fast-growing markets, the company reported.

KKR & Co. L.P. (NYSE: KKR), a global private equity company, plans to list precision engineering components manufacturer MMI International on the Singapore Exchange, reported the Dow Jones Newswires, citing three people familiar with the matter, as financial market conditions stabilize on the island nation.

South Korea's central bank has lowered the country's growth forecast for 2012 to 3.5 percent on account of the global economic slowdown that has resulted in the weakening of exports.

South Korea's central bank on Monday trimmed its forecast for economic growth in Asia's fourth-largest economy this year due to a global downturn and weak domestic demand.

North Korea won’t be bullied by its enemies, Kim Jong Un vowed in his first public address at a military parade marking his grandfather's centennial.

At a time when rumors surrounding the release date of Apple's next-gen iPhone are torn between June and October with no official words from Apple yet, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has provided another twist to the tale, saying that it's the FYQ3 forecast that would make clear the prospects for an iPhone 5 introduction.

South Korea's central bank said Friday that it is keeping the key interest rate unchanged at 3.25 percent, subsequent to the inflationary pressures witnessed by the country.

China has previously warned India away from exploration projects in the South China Sea.

Failure of the satellite and rocket, launched to mark the ascendancy of Kim Jong-un and celebrate the 100th birthday of North Korea's founder, the late Kim Il-sung, sparked fears the country will pursue further launches nuclear tests.