Former currency minister Sakakibara warned it might happen and the Bank of Japan had to act against raging market forces in a bid to prevent a self-reinforcing rumor-mill from strengthening the yen.

FORBES: Euro Gains As Traders Play Central Bank Bingo

"The worst part of this epidemic is that it isn't the product of deadly natural forces raging out of control, but a sophisticated, deliberate marketing campaign, targeted at our children, " Clinton said.

CNN: Clinton Pushes A Bipartisan Tobacco Bill

The Local Co-ordination Committees (LCC), a network of anti-government activists based inside Syria, said 66 people had been killed in and around Damascus on Saturday, where clashes between rebels and government forces have also been raging in recent weeks.

BBC: Free Syrian Army 'move command centre inside Syria'

The rebels have said the peacekeepers entered the village near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, an area where peacekeepers should not be and where intense fighting has been raging for days between rebels and government forces.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Battles between al-Assad's forces and rebels seeking his ouster are raging closer to the president's doorstep, with some of the fiercest fighting taking place near Damascus.

CNN: Al-Assad: Enemies of Syria 'will go to hell'