Rather than a costly cap-and-trade system, the US should invest in more environmentally sound renewable projects.

Elpida Memory, which operates one of the world's largest DRAM memory fabs in Hiroshima (Japan), will undergo a major internal transformation as the company battles a continued over capacity in the memory markets and seeks Japanese Government funds to continue operations.

The majority of people in Taiwan view China as nothing more than a business partner, while most people in China see Taiwan as "kin, " according to the results of a survey released Tuesday.

Japanese chipmaker Elpida was thrown a 160-billion-yen (US$1.7 billion) financial lifeline on June 30, including public funds, to help it survive the economic downturn, officials said.

NEC Electronics' semiconductor orders will increase "several percent" next quarter, helped by demand for chips used in cars and liquid- crystal displays, President Junshi Yamaguchi said.

Japan has passed the worst of its current slump and is on course for growth in its next fiscal year, but the recovery of the world's second-largest economy could yet prove vulnerable, Kaoru Yosano, finance minister, has warned. The comment came just before a survey showed that business confidence had risen for the first time in two and a half years.

China's manufacturing expanded for a fourth month as a 4 trillion yuan (US$585 billion) stimulus plan and record bank lending revive the world's third-largest economy.

The economy contracted at a much sharper pace than initially thought and at its fastest rate in more than 50 years in the first three months of 2009, according to official data.

When it comes to economic performance, it's hard to believe that impoverished North Korea could do better than its affluent capitalist neighbor to the south. South Korea's economy is known for its exports of Hyundai cars, LG phones and Samsung semiconductors. Meanwhile, the North Korean economy's export prowess is limited largely to nuclear weapon technology and counterfeit dollars.

The filter, called Green Dam Youth Escort, was to have been required from Wednesday, but the industry ministry said computer makers needed more time.