Japan

A devastating 8.9. magnitude earthquake hit Japan in March, triggering a massive tsunami that swept cars, ships and buildings away along the northeast coast of the country.

Gaga reached Tokyo on December 20, and soon the star tweeted: "Just arrived in Tokyo! So happy to see my Kawaii Monsters! #SleepyGaga bedtime. I'm a professional napper today".

Sony managed to sell 321,400 PlayStation Vitas in the games console's opening two days of sales this week, but this is slightly lower than Nintendo managed with its competitor, the 3DS.

The PlayStation Vita went on sale in Japan this week and will hit UK stores on February 22, but with retail prices starting at £229.99 and games expected to cost between £30 and £40, how will it fare against its smartphone and tablet rivals?

North Koreans vent their sorrow and grief at the passing of their 'Dear Leader' Kim Jong-il.

Kim Jong-un steps up as 'Great Successor' to North Korea's Kim Jong-il.

The death of North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-il has triggered a military alert in bordering South Korea, which has a long history of conflict with its secretive neighbour.

A timeline of important events in the deceased Kim Jong-il's life which shaped North Korea's political landscape.

The debris would hit the Earth's surface sometime between January 6 and 19

A 24-and-a-half-year-old terrier-whippet cross named Pip, from Brentwood, Essex, is a candidate for the title of the world's oldest dog.

Nine months after the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck the northeast of Japan, Google has uploaded photos of the affected areas on its Street View mapping site. The images show the path of destruction left behind by the tsunami.

SampleTrend store opened in London allows consumers to pick items displayed on the shelves for free.

Brain technology could be used to learn new skills in the style of science fiction movie The Matrix, scientists claim.

New reports have emerged suggesting veteran games maker Square Enix has fallen victim to a second cyber attack.

Super-fast 4G mobile broadband will not be widely available in the UK until at least 2015, according to Ofcom's annual plan for 2012 to 2013.

BT has announced a £2.5bn upgrade to bring super-fast broadband of up to 300Mbps to over 250,000 homes and businesses in Scotland.

As the climate change conference in Durban nears the end, UK environment experts asses what has been achieved at the current round of talks.

Puske the world's oldest living dog passed away this week aged 26, at his home in Japan. In tribute to the long-living pooch we remember the old-timers of the Animal Kingdom.

According to the report, the Japanese whaling fleet is reportedly headed for Antarctic waters this week. However, the authorities have not confirmed the reports.

Beyonce's baby announcement tops the TPS chart of twitter in 2011.

A leading Japanese Food manufacture says radioactive cesium has been detected in its baby formula and has recalled the products.

China backs the EU's plans to continue the Kyoto Protocol in the fight against global warming, but not without conditions.

Visual artist Leo Greenfield had the opportunity to hob-knob with leading designers and fashion royalty on a recent trip to Paris.

A convoy of supercars, including eight Ferraris and a Lamborghini, were involved in one of the most expensive road crashes of all time in Japan.

Scientists believe they can bring the woolly mammoth back to life within five years through cloning. They have recovered from permafrost soil in Siberia a thigh bone that has well-preserved bone marrow.

The mission is expected to operate for at least 1 Martian year (668 Martian sols/686 Earth days) as it explores with greater range than any previous Mars rover.

South African rugby union player Jacque Fourie will remain in Japan for the next two years to play for Kobe Steel.

Europe is taking a hardline stance on global warming at the UN climate talks.

Apple is being consulted as part of an inquiry as to why an iPhone 4 glowed red and emitted smoke during the landing of a passenger flight in Sydney.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference commences in South Africa, where it is hoped a new collective global agreement on climate change will be made.