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• Can a Rimless Blackberry Avoid Extinction?

  

  Even after Canada-based Blackberry launched it's anticipated line-up of revamped smartphones and their surprise name change, investors were unimpressed as its stock slumped 12 percent.

• Iran Oil Exports to Asia Fell by a Quarter in 2012

  

  Iran's crude exports to its biggest customer, Asia, fell by a quarter in 2012 and shipments this year are expected to drop by at least 12 percent under U.S. sanctions pressure, but ample alternative supplies will keep refiners flush with oil.

• Austerity in India: Defense and Welfare Spending to Be Slashed

  

  India's finance minister is putting welfare, defense and road projects on the chopping block in a last-ditch attempt to hit a tough fiscal deficit target by March, risking short-term economic growth and angering cabinet colleagues.

• Hackers in China Attacked The Times for Last 4 Months

  

  For the last four months, Chinese hackers have persistently attacked The New York Times, infiltrating its computer systems and getting passwords for its reporters and other employees. The New York Times reports.

• Japan Factory Output Rises at Fastest Pace in a Year

  

  Japan's December factory output rose at the fastest pace in a year and a half and firms expect further gains, raising hopes that stabilizing global demand and exports will help pull the economy from its slump.

• Is China's Newest Monetary Tool a Form of QE?

  

  Shortly after the central bank announced an addition to its regulatory tool kit, the Short-term Liquidity Operation (SLO), analysts started wondering if this meant small-scale quantitative easing. The Caixin Media reports.

• ANA Investors Look Past Dreamliner's Woes

  

  All Nippon Airways, Asia's top airline by revenue, has cancelled close to 850 flights over a 4-week period and rescheduled more than 82,000 passengers due to the grounding of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner jet with undiagnosed battery problems.

• Taiwan Raises 2013 Outlook After Better Than Forecast Q4 Growth

  

  Taiwan raised its economic growth forecast for 2013 on Thursday, after the fourth quarter expanded faster than expected and posted its best growth in five quarters on improved demand for the island's electronics exports and stronger consumption.

• Popular Celebrity Gravesites

  

  Celebrity gravesites become popular attractions, visited by tourists hoping to connect with their once living idol. See some of the most popular celebrity gravesites of all time.

• Chinalco Unit Drops 7% in HK Debut After $400 Million IPO

  

  Shares of Chinalco Mining Corp International, a unit of China's top aluminium group, Aluminum Corp of China (Chinalco), fell as much as 11.4 percent on their Hong Kong debut on Thursday, a week after pricing its $400 million initial public offering near the mid-point of an indicative range.

• South Korea Catches Up to North Korea on the Space Race

  

  South Korea says its first successful launch Wednesday of a rocket from its own soil has opened a new era of opportunity, taking the pressure off to keep up with its rival, North Korea, on a space race. The CSM reports.

• Facebook Earnings Beat; Profit Margin Falls Sharply

  

  The social media giant reported earnings and revenue that beat expectations but its operating margin fell sharply. The stock bobbed between positive and negative after-hours.

• South Korea, Thailand Warn Over Fallout From Easy Money, Currencies

  

  South Korea warned on Wednesday it might consider a tax on financial transactions and Thailand said it was worried its strong currency would hurt exporters as moves by advanced economies to flood markets with easy money increasingly spill over into other countries.

• Thai Tycoon Wins Control of Fraser and Neave

  

  Thai billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi has raised his stake in Fraser and Neave (F&N) to more than 50 percent, turning his offer to buy the rest of the Singapore property and drinks conglomerate unconditional.

• Philippine Q4 GDP Beats Forecasts, Strong Peso a Concern

  

  The Philippine economy grew faster than expected in the last quarter of 2012 on robust domestic demand, bolstering expectations the central bank will keep its key policy rate steady at a record low in the early part of the year.

• Nintendo to Post Unexpected Loss as Wii Successor Falters

  

  Nintendo, the world's leading gaming company by machines sold, said it will post an operating loss for a second straight year as the sales of its Wii U, successor to the 100-million selling Wii, faltered.

• RIM Unveils BlackBerry 10, Changes Company Name

  

  RIM introduced its Blackberry 10 operating system on two new handsets Wednesday and it announced it changed its name to Blackberry.

• Fed Keeps Stimulus Amid Signs of Weak Economy

  

  The Federal Reserve, saying economic growth had "paused" in recent months, announced Wednesday it will continue its $85 billion monthly bond buying and hold interest rates near zero until unemployment falls to at least 6.5 percent.

• New Rio Tinto Chief Faces First Difficult Decision

  

  Rio Tinto's Sam Walsh faces his first difficult decision as chief executive -- whether to shut the 1,400-staff Gove alumina refinery in Australia -- as under-performing units come under tougher scrutiny following $14 billion in writedowns this month.

• Toyota to Recall 752,000 Corollas in US for Airbag Problems

  

  Toyota Motor will recall 1.1 million cars globally for defects, including 752,000 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles in the United States to fix airbags that could be deployed inadvertently, the automaker said on Wednesday.