Hostages in Philippine town forced to fight, loot, become sex slaves -army
Some hostages forced to convert to Islam, carry wounded fighters to mosques, and marry militants of the Maute group loyal to Islamic State
Hong Kong wealth gap at its widest in decades as handover anniversary nears
Hong Kong's property market, one of the world's most expensive, is a stark example of the widening wealth gap
Iraqi forces set sight on Old City riverside, PM sees Mosul victory soon
The fall of Mosul would mark the end of the Iraqi half of the "caliphate" proclaimed by Islamic State
Troops in Myanmar's Rakhine on high alert after killings of Rohingya
Nearly 200 Rakhine Buddhist villagers have fled the area after a recent spate of killings
U.S. threatens Syria, says Assad is planning chemical weapons attack
"If ... Mr. Assad conducts another mass murder attack using chemical weapons, he and his military will pay a heavy price"
Weapons hand-over by Colombia's FARC rebels nearly complete -UN
Hand-over part of a peace deal with the government to end more than a half century of war
U.S. Supreme Court breathes new life into Trump's travel ban
Supreme Court allows temporary ban on travellers from six Muslim-majority countries and all refugees to go into effect for people with no strong ties to the United States.
U.S. top court to hear baker's religious objection to making cake for gay couple
USA-COURT/ (UPDATE 1):UPDATE 1-U.S. top court to hear baker's religious objection to making cake for gay couple
Tanzania threatens crackdown on LGBT advocates
"Those who want to campaign for gay rights should find another country that allows those things"
U.S. high court overturns Arkansas ruling blocking birth certificates for same-sex couples
December ruling by the Arkansas Supreme Court upheld state officials' refusal to name the wives of the birth mothers as parents on birth certificates