NAGASAKI/TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) – A Bank of Japan deputy governor has flagged the strongest signal yet that it will boldly implement more stimulus if needed to achieve the bank's new 2 percent inflation target. Deputy Governor Hirohid e Yamaguchi shrugged off global criticisms that the central bank was intentionally weakening the yen by monetary easing, stressing that it never deliberately targets exchange rates. "I won't rule out the chance of our easing indirectly affecting currency moves and weakening the yen. … Iran plans to upgrade uranium work at Natanz: diplomat
VIENNA (Reuters) – Iran has informed the U.N. nuclear agency that it plans to use more modern uranium enrichment centrifuges at its Natanz plant, a diplomat said on Thursday. Such a step could enable Iran to refine uranium faster than it can at the moment and increase concerns in the West and Israel about the goals of Tehran nuclear program. The diplomat who declined to be identified, said Iran had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency of the plan in a letter dated January 23. … Diageo revenue growth supported by premium brands
ZURICH (Reuters) – Diageo , the world's biggest spirits group, reported steady sales growth in the second half of 2012, driven by price rises and the growth in the United States of premium brands like Ketel One vodka and Bulleit Bou rbon. The maker of Johnnie Walker whisky and Guinness beer saw sales grow 5 percent like-for-like to 6.04 billion pounds ($9.54 billion) in the half year to December, while pre-exceptional earnings per share rose 9 percent to 60.9 pence. Analysts had expected sales to rise 5.1 percent to 6.05 billion pounds, according to Thomson Reuters data. … Policemen hurt by home-made bomb in Bahrain: government
DUBAI (Reuters) – Several policemen were injured when a home-made bomb exploded at a roundabout west of the Bahraini capital Manama on Wednesday, the prime minister was quoted as saying. Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa said the explosion happened at Budaiya Highway “leaving a number of policemen injured whilst on duty”, the official Bahrain News Agency reported late on Wednesday. A Ministry of Interior message on Twitter put the number of wounded at three and described the device as remotely-detonated and home-made. …
Hezbollah condemns Israel's raid on Syria
BEIRUT (AP) -- Lebanon's militant Hezbol lah group has condemned Israel's air raid on Syria, saying it targeted a "scientific research center." Shell jacks up dividend and chases growth
LONDON (Reuters) – Anglo-Dutch oil company Royal Dutch/Shell pledged an ambitious 4.7 percent increase in its quarterly dividend on Thursday and pushed ahead with plans to deliver more oil and gas, despite an "uncertain" outlook for some parts of the world economy. The company was delivering profits that un dershot expectations at $5.582 billion for the fourth quarter on an adjusted current cost of supply basis, up from $4.846 billion a year ago thanks in part to stronger refining margins, but compared with expectations of around $6.2 billion. … Israel hits Syria arms convoy to Lebanon: sources
BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) – Israeli warplanes bombed a convoy near Syria's border with Lebanon, sources told Reuters , apparently targeting weapons destined for Hezbollah in what some called a warning to Damascus not to arm Israel's Lebanese enemy. Syrian state television accused Israel of bombing a military research center at Jamraya, between Damascus and the nearby border, but Syrian rebels disputed that, saying their forces had attacked the site. No source spoke of a second Israeli strike. … AstraZeneca's new CEO warns of tough year ahead
LONDON (Reuters) – AstraZeneca’s new boss warned on Thursday the drugmaker faced a tough year in 2013, with sales expected to fall by a mid-to-high single digit percentage rate as patent expiries continue to erode business. Earnings will decline “significantly more than revenue” this year as operating costs rise, Britain’s second biggest drugmaker said. Chief Executive Pascal Soriot hopes eventually to turn the group around by investing in existing growth areas like emerging markets, diabetes care and the new heart drug Brilinta. He is also weighing the case for acquisitions. …
China court rejects damages plea from man jailed for Bo joke
BEIJING (Reuters) – A Chinese man sent to a labor camp for a joke about Bo Xilai said he was awarded minimal compensation by a court on Thursday, in what could be a blow to others ja iled by the disgraced leader's administration and hoping for substantial damages. Fang Hong, 46, was sentenced to a year of re-education in 2011 after posting a poem online that mocked Bo and his then police chief Wang Lijun for miscarriages of justice during an anti-crime campaign in the southwestern city of Chongqing, where Bo was Communist Party chief. … New York Times says Chinese hackers hit its networks as paper investigated leader's wealth
BEIJING, China – Chinese hackers repeatedly penetrated The New York Times’ computer systems over the past four months, stealing reporters’ passwords and hunting for files on an investigation into the wealth amassed by the family of a top Chinese leader, the newspaper reported.
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