North Korea fired a long-range rocket today in a second launch under its new leader, defying warnings from the UN and Washington.

Japan says it will host international working-level talks in late November on sanctions imposed against Syria.

The Japanese government has agreed to buy several privately owned islands in the East China Sea that are controlled by Japan but also claimed by China, media reports said.

Japanese prime minister Yoshihiko Noda replaced five members of his Cabinet today in a bid to win more co-operation from the opposition to raise the sales tax and rein in the country’s bulging fiscal deficit.